Dong Gong Mei

Chapter 661

The major events of the country lie in sacrifice and Rong.

The city of Chang'an was solemn and solemn. The streets leading to the imperial palace were lined with armored soldiers, and flags fluttered along the way. From a distance, they looked like billowing flames, dyeing most of the sky red.

When the news of His Royal Highness's impending personal conquest came out, the people all over the city were almost boiling. Men, women, young and old couldn't hold back their excitement all night long, and rushed to the streets one after another, hoping to see the grand prince's demeanor.

Wei Wei brought soldiers and horses and was responsible for setting up barriers at the door of each house to separate the people on both sides of the road so that a wide avenue could flow out.

Even so, it can't stop people's enthusiasm——

People are next to each other, shoulder to shoulder, scrambling to stand on tiptoe, rushing out through the barrier.

This is not enough. Some rich and powerful people received the news early. In order to express their loyalty to the court, they carried buckets and cleaned the bluestone streets before dawn. The light yellow weeds in the crevices of the stones were also carefully removed.

The rich merchants along the street were not far behind, they tore red silk to make colored strips and tied them to the trees overnight, and some even those who were not short of money directly took out the most expensive jewels, strung them one by one and hung them on the windows.

The remaining people from ordinary families express their loyalty in a more simple way.

Some brought the family's ancestral silver bowl, although the body of the bowl was a bit dull, but it was full of fine wine that they were willing to drink during the New Year;
Some are holding their most beloved jade vases, in which there are either fresh willows or red flowering branches, and the breeze blows, and it is a piece of willows, peaches and plums scorching spring.

Great Wei Shangwu, the folk customs are tough and open. At the beginning of the founding of the country, everyone was a soldier, killing the surrounding enemy countries with fear.

It's a pity that since the Queen Mother came to power, she began to reduce expenses and gather military power on the grounds of rest and recuperation. As a result, the combat capabilities of the soldiers took a sharp turn for the worse, and they even fell into a sad situation where they were suppressed and beaten by Xiliang every year.

This makes everyone hold a sigh of relief, and the whole country is looking forward to the day when they will be able to avenge their shame.

Now, the prince who is only twenty years old is going to lead the soldiers to go to war in person. With the expectation of everyone, how can it not be inspiring?
"Clang-clang-clang-"

A dull bell sounded, and the gates of the city swung open.

There was a commotion in the crowd, and the soldiers in charge of martial law shouted: "Silence! Avoid!"

At the same time, a group of cavalry flew out from the city gate.

With silver armor and red tassels, he immediately looks like a pine tree, with extraordinary majesty.

People just glanced at it, and they felt their blood boiling, and they couldn't help but rushed to the street like a tide.

"quiet!"

"avoid!"

The soldiers shouted again, and with a "crash", Qi Qi showed their spears and laid them across in front of the people.

As if they had been immobilized, the people immediately took half a step back.

But the eyes seemed to be stuck, and they refused to move an inch to look not far away, accompanied by exclamation one after another: "Wow, all are BMWs from the Western Regions!"

The ground trembled as the horse's hooves trampled over, like thunder rolling across the long street.

People stared wide-eyed and waited for a full quarter of an hour, but the team hadn't come to an end yet.

Someone couldn't wait any longer, couldn't help poking his companion, and asked in a low voice, "Where is His Royal Highness? Why hasn't he come out yet?"

"Hey, why is it so fast!" The companion patted him on the shoulder, "It's just the right hour, and the prince is probably offering sacrifices in the Taimiao!"

"Yes!" Immediately, several people muttered, "Doesn't it mean that you can't come out until Sishi?"

"That's enough! Next, we have to read the imperial edict, make an oath, and sacrifice the flag... It will be almost noon when everything is done, so let's just wait!"

"All right!"

The crowd fell silent again.

I don't know how long it took before there was a sharp whistling sound from the city gate.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!" The drums beat heavily.

"Here we come!" There was another commotion among the crowd, and everyone turned their gazes to the gate of the city.

But after only one glance, there was another disappointed complaint of "Oops".

The purple clothes and gold belts are arranged on the left and right.

It was Sangong Jiuqing who led the civil and military officials out.

Then there were hundreds of servants in red clothes, hundreds of court ladies in green clothes, and hundreds of Habayashiro holding halberds.

Immediately, under the entire city gate, a group of black and white people filled up.

After waiting for about two quarters of an hour, a maid with a feather fan appeared at the city gate.

Feng Lilang held a red lacquered tray with a ribbon and a jade seal on it, and sang loudly: "Your Majesty is here, please kowtow—"

"Long live my emperor, long live, long live—"

Among the shouts of long live, the officials bowed down in awe.

The people on both sides of the street also knelt down busily.

Wearing the emperor's mian suit, the emperor appeared at the gate of the city.

Officials in charge of ritual and music played military music.

Under such a grand guard of honor, the common people knelt on the ground, not daring to raise their heads or speak.

In the wide and flat Suzaku Inner Street, there is only the sound of flags fluttering.

"His Royal Highness is here—"

In such a silent and respectful atmosphere, Feng Lilang sang loudly. Everyone had been looking forward to it for a whole morning, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince finally appeared.

At this time, Zhao Xiwei was on another street diagonally opposite.

She didn't intend to hide here on purpose, it was just because the street in front of her was full of people when she came, and it was inconvenient for her body to squeeze with people, so she found a relatively remote corner of the street, quietly. Waiting for Yuan Ce to come over - Li Xuanye came to her suddenly on this day, probably because he had something important to tell her, and she didn't expect to see him in person.

Although this side is far away from the emperor and prince, the voices of discussion are endless:
"His Royal Highness has finally come out!"

"I heard that this time the war is bypassing the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother disagrees, so the treasury can't transfer money!"

"Without money, how can we fight this battle?"

"Hey, the crown prince picked a soldier himself, and he personally drills them every day. To put it bluntly, they are the guards of the Eastern Palace!"

"Then if we win this time, then this group of soldiers will all have military exploits, wonderful—" an old man stroked his beard and praised repeatedly, "That's wonderful, this way, the prince will have military power in his hands Already!"

The people around him were at a loss: "You mean, the prince can't control those generals?"

"What do you think? Your Majesty succeeded to the throne at a young age, and the Empress Dowager ruled her entire life. She single-handedly selected all the generals in the court. How could they all obey the Crown Prince? Besides, it would be great to follow the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager does not advocate fighting to the death with Xiliang people. Just fight casually and consume the enemy, and you can make money without having to work hard, are you not happy?"

"That's true!" The man shook his head and sighed again, "But if it were me, I'd rather go to the front line and work my life to win a great military service, and I don't want to be unknown for the rest of my life..."

"Who says it's not!" Someone echoed, "Following that ambitious old woman will not end well sooner or later!"

Zhao Xiwei smiled helplessly.

The empress dowager's intention to proclaim herself emperor is so obvious that even the common people have heard about it.

But what's the use of being ambitious?

(End of this chapter)