bookbashuk Chapter 625: The new emperor ascends the throne, with the reign name: Tianwu!
Chapter 625: The new emperor ascends the throne, with the reign name: Tianwu!
After months of meticulous renovation, the Fengtian Hall has been completely transformed.
The floor is paved with gold bricks, so shiny they reflect light like a mirror; the golden dragon pillars are polished to a gleaming shine, as if they are about to take flight; the giant dragon paintings on the caisson ceiling are lifelike under the illumination of countless giant candles and palace lanterns.
The throne sits high on the steps, and to its side and in front of it, there is a throne of slightly lower status but equally magnificent, for the "Retired Emperor".
The hall was filled with incense smoke, creating an atmosphere of profound solemnity.
In the huge square in front of the palace, seats for tens of thousands of spectators had already been set up according to their rank.
As dawn broke, the crowds invited to witness the ceremony began to surge in like a tide.
All officials in the capital, from the highest-ranking officials to the lowest-ranking clerks, stood solemnly in their rank-specific attire. Princes from various regions who had been urgently summoned to the capital, important governors-general, commanders-in-chief, envoys from the Ryukyu Kingdom, Taijis from various Mongol tribes, Tibetan lamas, and even representatives of the Dutch East India Company and Portuguese merchants, all wore their own national or ethnic costumes and took their places under the guidance of the officials in charge of etiquette.
The weather was kind to us; after days of rain, today the sky was clear and cloudless.
As dawn breaks, golden light shines down upon the majestic palace complex, adding to its sacred splendor.
Everyone regarded this as a sign of good fortune and auspicious omens.
At the beginning of the hour of Mao (5-7 AM), Emperor Chongzhen and Emperor Zhu Cilang, dressed in the imperial robes with twelve embroidered symbols and the crown prince's ceremonial robes respectively, arrived at the Imperial Ancestral Temple and then the Altar of the God of Earth and Grain, accompanied by a grand procession and music. They burned incense and offered jade, recited sacrificial texts, and formally reported the important matter of abdication and succession to the Ming dynasty to the ancestors and the gods of heaven and earth.
The ceremony was extremely grand, with incense smoke swirling and bells and chimes ringing in harmony.
At 3:45 AM, all the spectators had taken their places.
Inside and outside the Fengtian Hall, all was silent, except for the slight fluttering of the flags in the wind.
Noon has arrived, the auspicious time has come.
Nine sharp cracks of the whip echoed through the palace.
The solemn and magnificent "Zhonghe Shaoyue" music was played.
"The Retired Emperor Shengshou and the Empress Dowager Renshou have arrived!"
"His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!"
As the official in charge of ceremonies announced the arrival of Emperor Chongzhen, he was the first to appear in the crowd's view.
The twelve-symbol imperial robe he wore today was a shade lighter than his usual bright yellow, and the tassels on his crown had been changed from white jade to slightly inferior green jade. This subtle difference was a careful design by the Ministry of Rites, which not only maintained the emperor's majesty but also subtly conveyed the meaning of "abdication".
Empress Zhou, dressed in her finest attire, accompanied him to one side.
The two slowly ascended the steps, with Emperor Chongzhen taking his seat on the throne and Empress Zhou sitting on the phoenix throne to his side.
Immediately afterwards, Crown Prince Zhu Cilang, dressed in the ceremonial robes of the heir apparent, walked to the center of the imperial steps under the guidance of the officials in charge of ceremonies and stood facing north.
"Announcement—the Edict of Abdication—"
Wang Chengen, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, stepped forward, unfurled the final draft of the abdication edict—written in gold powder on bright yellow brocade with a dragon pattern—and, with a strong voice, read it aloud.
The imperial edict was beautifully written, first praising the achievements of the Chongzhen Emperor in the seventeenth year of his reign, who "worked day and night to govern the country and quell internal and external troubles," then praising the Crown Prince for being "inherently benevolent and filial, exceptionally brave and martial, capable of inheriting the throne, and worthy of the people's expectations," and finally stating that "I now follow the example of Yao and Shun and abdicate the throne to the Crown Prince in accordance with the will of Heaven and the wishes of the people," and formally passed the throne to Zhu Cilang.
With the imperial edict read aloud, the most crucial moment arrived.
Emperor Chongzhen slowly rose from his throne.
Wang Chengen stepped forward carrying a tray covered with a bright yellow brocade cushion. On it lay a pure white jade seal with a dragon-shaped knob, measuring four inches in diameter—the "Emperor's Seal," representing the legitimacy of imperial power.
Another eunuch presented the emperor's crown with twenty-four tassels and the black and red robe with twelve imperial symbols.
Emperor Chongzhen first picked up the heavy jade seal himself, then steadily walked down the steps and came to Zhu Cilang.
Zhu Cilang was already kneeling on the ground.
Emperor Chongzhen looked at him with a complex gaze, which eventually transformed into a clear sense of entrustment.
He gently placed the imperial seal in Zhu Cilang's hands, which were raised above his head, and said in a deep voice:
"I entrust the nation and its people to you. Take good care of yourself."
"Your subject...respectfully accepts the command."
Zhu Cilang's voice trembled slightly, but his hands remained as steady as a rock.
Then, Chongzhen added a twenty-four-tassel crown to his head and a twelve-symbol dragon robe to his head.
With each step completed, a new movement of music would be played.
After the capping ceremony, Zhu Cilang rose with the help of two Ministers of Rites.
At this moment, he was already wearing the imperial crown and imperial robes, but he had not yet officially taken the throne.
He turned to Emperor Chongzhen, lifted his robe, knelt down, and performed the three kneelings and nine kowtows ceremony, saying loudly:
"Your son kowtows to express his gratitude to Your Majesty for the abdication of the throne! Your Majesty's great kindness will never be forgotten, and I will certainly do my duty to the utmost and live up to your trust!"
A hint of tears welled up in Chongzhen's eyes. He stepped forward and personally helped Zhu Cilang up. Then, he did something that made everyone hold their breath—he took Zhu Cilang's hand, turned around, and led him step by step up the steps to the supreme nine-dragon golden throne.
"sit."
Emperor Chongzhen only uttered one word.
Zhu Cilang looked at his father, then at the throne, took a deep breath, turned around, and sat down steadily.
The moment he sat down, Chongzhen stepped back a few paces and calmly sat on the specially prepared "Retired Emperor" throne next to him.
Empress Zhou also moved to her seat and sat down a little later.
The old and new emperors thus switched places.
"All officials pay homage to the new emperor."
The official from the Court of State Ceremonial's voice trembled slightly with excitement.
"Wow—"
Led by Xue Guoguan, tens of thousands of civil and military officials, royal family members, vassal kings, and foreign envoys knelt down in unison, their heads touching the ground, beneath the imperial steps and on the square.
"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"
The roar, like thunder from the heavens, exploded from inside the Fengtian Hall, instantly sweeping across the entire square and bursting out of the palace walls, seemingly booming and echoing throughout the entire city of Beijing! The sound waves rose higher and higher, deafening, and soared straight into the sky!
That was a celebration of the formal confirmation of the transfer of power, a declaration that the new emperor's authority was collectively recognized!
Zhu Cilang, no! He should now be called the Tianwu Emperor!
He sat upright on the dragon throne, receiving the overwhelming adoration.
The crown tassels swayed slightly, obscuring part of his face, but everyone could feel the incomparably majestic, calm, and powerful aura emanating from that young body.
As the uproar subsided, the new emperor issued his first edict.
Wang Chengen read it aloud again:
"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: I, in my humble capacity, have succeeded to the throne… In accordance with the will of my late father, I ascend the throne today, and change the era name to 'Tianwu,' with next year being the first year of Tianwu. A general amnesty is hereby granted, pardoning all except for the ten heinous crimes, treason, murder, and other serious offenses. Land taxes are reduced for one year, allowing the people to begin anew…"
The reign title "Tianwu" was officially proclaimed to the world! Following this, the ceremonies of honor were established: Emperor Chongzhen was honored as "Emperor Taishang Shengshou" and Empress Zhou was honored as "Empress Dowager Renshou". They moved to Ciqing Palace; Crown Princess Ning Wanyao was made Empress, Consort Zheng was made Consort Wan, and Borjigit was made Consort Ying.
By the time the whole process was completed, it was already afternoon.
But the ceremony did not end there. A grand banquet was held in the palace for three consecutive days to entertain all the spectators.
The curfew in the capital was lifted for three days, and the people celebrated together.
Shortly after the luncheon began, Emperor Chongzhen, citing "fatigue," returned to the inner palace with Empress Zhou, leaving the stage entirely to the new emperor.
This move not only demonstrated magnanimity but also completely dispelled any speculation about "the retired emperor interfering in politics."
The grand ceremony and revelry lasted for three days.
When all the noise finally subsided and night once again enveloped the Forbidden City, it was already late at night on the seventh day of the fifth lunar month.
Before the Hall of Supreme Harmony, atop the high white marble steps, a figure stood alone.
It was the newly enthroned Emperor of the Ming Dynasty—Emperor Tianwu, Zhu Cilang.
He had changed out of his heavy court attire and was now wearing only a simple black casual outfit, but his aura of supreme authority was already ingrained in his very being.
He stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at the vast city below, which slept in the night yet shone with vitality under the embellishment of countless lights.
Behind them stood towering, continuous palaces and halls, symbols of supreme power and historical weight, their silent and majestic outlines silhouetted against the moonlight.
Before me lay countless lights, streets and alleys laid out like a chessboard, the vast North China Plain, and a landscape stretching as far as the eye could see.
A night breeze caressed my face, bringing the cool air of early summer and the faint, lingering echoes of folk celebration from afar.
He stood quietly, as if feeling, confirming, and adapting to this new identity, and everything that this identity carried—glory, power, responsibility, and the unpredictable future.
After a long while, his lips moved slightly, his voice soft yet exceptionally clear, as if he were speaking to himself, or as if declaring to the heavens and the earth, to this land:
"Tianwu..."
He paused, a slight upward curve appearing at the corners of his mouth. That curve revealed boundless confidence, endless ambition, and the exhilaration of finally grasping the reins and being able to act freely.
"My era has begun."
As soon as he finished speaking, he slowly turned around and walked into the unfathomable depths of the palace, which now belonged entirely to him.
His steps were steady and firm, each one seemingly treading on the pulse of history.
In the distance, the lights of Cining Palace were gentle and serene, like an old man who had completed all his missions, watching the pioneers of the new era step into his battlefield in the quiet night.
On the eighth day of the fifth lunar month, the first rays of dawn appeared.
The grand ceremony and revelry surrounding the new emperor's ascension to the throne had not yet faded, and festive ribbons and lanterns still lingered in the Forbidden City. But the core of power—the Qianqing Palace—had already quietly begun to operate at a completely new pace.
The West Warm Pavilion of the Qianqing Palace, which had been Zhu Cilang's main place of governance since he took over the reins of government, was rearranged to suit the new emperor's status after he officially ascended the throne as Emperor Tianwu.
During the Chongzhen reign, this place was elegantly furnished with many antiques and calligraphy and paintings, exuding a scholarly atmosphere.
Now, the style has changed drastically.
The large rosewood imperial desk still occupies the center, but the writing implements are more concise and practical. Wolf hair and purple hair brushes are inserted on the brush holder, the ink is the finest Huizhou ink, and the paperweight is a piece of uncarved natural green jade, which is calm and heavy.
On one side of the imperial desk stood a huge world map screen that almost filled the entire wall. It was similar to the one in the side hall of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, but more detailed and elaborate. It marked the existing territory of the Ming Dynasty, its vassal states, and the overseas lands explored by Zheng Zhilong with cinnabar and gold powder. Several striking red lines outlined the ambitious trade and exploration routes.
On the other side of the display cabinet, instead of precious jade artifacts, there was a globe made of fine bronze, an exquisite Western clock, several large volumes of "Complete Treatise on Agriculture", "Exploitation of the Works of Nature", "Treatise on Military Preparedness", and several models of new-style firearms that were clearly presented by the Firearms Research Institute.
The entire warm pavilion has lost some of the elegance and restraint of the previous dynasty, and gained more of a pragmatic, open, and even subtly ambitious spirit.
Outside the window, the bright morning light of early May shone through the Korean paper window lattice, casting bright spots of light on the ground.
A few birds chirped under the eaves, making the hall seem even quieter.
The air was filled with the faint smell of paste from newly pasted walls, as well as the fresh scent of ink and paper.
Zhu Cilang was not wearing the heavy court attire. He was only dressed in a black round-necked casual robe with a jade belt around his waist and his hair tied up with a simple ebony hairpin. He was sitting upright behind his desk, concentrating on reviewing the memorials piled up in front of him.
These were all urgent matters that had piled up in the days leading up to the coronation ceremony, including military reports from the border, reports on local floods and droughts, personnel selection by the Ministry of Personnel, and finances by the Ministry of Revenue...
The vermilion brush moved steadily in his hand, leaving bright red annotations on the snow-white memorial.
He would pause to ponder, then write rapidly, his brow furrowed slightly, his expression focused. The only sounds in the hall were the soft scratching of his pen across the paper and the occasional rustling of him turning the pages.
Ma Bao, the personal eunuch, slipped in silently through the side door. He was now one of the few stewards in the Qianqing Palace.
He tiptoed a few steps to the side of the imperial desk and reported in a low but clear voice:
"Your Majesty, Grand Secretary Xue is outside the palace requesting an audience."
Zhu Cilang paused slightly on the half-finished memorial in his hand, which was "Request from the Ministry of War to allocate additional gunpowder silver for spring defense in Liaodong".
He didn't look up, his gaze still fixed on the memorial, but the corners of his mouth curled up almost imperceptibly, mixed with a hint of helplessness.
He did not respond immediately, but instead slowly finished writing the instruction: "Approved. Instruct the Ministry of Revenue to expedite the allocation without delay. Gunpowder is crucial to border defense; it must be of the highest quality and in sufficient quantity."
Then he put down the brush and gently placed the vermilion brush on the brush rest.
"Xuan."
He raised his head, looked calmly at Ma Bao, and uttered only one word.
"Yes."
Ma Bao responded and bowed as he withdrew.
A moment later, heavy yet hurried footsteps sounded outside the hall. Soon, Xue Guoguan appeared at the entrance of the warm pavilion.
The Grand Secretary is still wearing the scarlet official robe with the crane embroidered badge of a first-rank civil official, as a sign of his solemnity in attending the audience.
He was quite old, with white hair and beard, and deep wrinkles on his face, but he was still in good spirits.
However, in his brows, besides the relief of having fulfilled his mission and feeling a great weight lifted, there was also a hint of barely concealed eagerness to retire gracefully.
He almost strode into the warm pavilion, his gaze quickly sweeping over the young figure behind the imperial desk, who had become the ruler of the world.
When he was about seven or eight steps away from the imperial desk, Xue Guoguan stopped, straightened his clothes, took a deep breath, and was about to kneel down to perform the grand ceremony of paying homage to the emperor.
"Grand Secretary Xue".
Just as his knees were about to bend, Zhu Cilang's clear voice rang out from behind the imperial desk, interrupting his movements.
The voice was soft, calm, and unreadable, revealing neither joy nor anger; it seemed like a casual greeting. (End of Chapter)