Daming Yuanfu

Chapter 2413: The Duke is not an assistant, but a regent (IV) Ascending the throne

The sky in the capital was as blue as a mirror, and the sun after the snow fell on the glazed tiles of the Forbidden City, reflecting a dazzling light, adding a solemn atmosphere to the ancient palace and dispelling the gloom of the past few days. Today was the day when the new emperor of the Ming Dynasty ascended the throne, and the entire imperial city was immersed in a busy and tense atmosphere.

In every corner of the palace, eunuchs and palace maids were shuttling back and forth. They were dressed in brand new clothes, looking respectful and focused, as they carefully arranged the venue for the coronation ceremony.

Outside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the white marble steps are wiped spotless, and the dragons and phoenixes carved on the railings are lifelike, as if welcoming the upcoming important moment. Inside the hall, huge red-painted pillars stand tall, the golden dragon throne shines majestically under the sunlight, and the surrounding walls are painted with exquisite murals, showing the royal dignity and majesty.

Gao Youshi arrived at the palace early. He was still wearing the bright red silk dragon robe, the eight-beam crown of a duke on his head, a jade belt and a white otter belt around his waist, and he looked solemn and steady.

"Prince, it's almost time to go and welcome His Royal Highness the Crown Prince." A eunuch from the Imperial Household Department beside him reminded cautiously.

Gao Youshi nodded slightly. Although his expression was indifferent, his tone was gentle, "Thank you for leading the way, eunuch." The little eunuch felt very happy and led the way with a smile, walking towards the Zhongcui Palace where the prince was. This Zhongcui Palace was Zhu Yijun's "hidden residence" in the past, but it was occupied by Prince Fu not long ago, and the prince was living in Kunning Palace with the queen. Now the prince was temporarily moved here, of course, for political symbolic purposes.

Along the way, Gao Youshi walked steadily, his eyes were firm, and he was silently thinking about the many things that would happen next. He knew very well that today's coronation ceremony was not only a ceremony for the new emperor to succeed to the throne, but also an important moment to show the world the stability and inheritance of the Ming Dynasty, and there was no room for any mistakes.

However, although he could ensure the smooth progress of the ceremony in other aspects, there was only one thing he was not completely sure of. He could only hope to cram for the next two days - as an outsider, he was not familiar with the young crown prince Zhu Changhao.

If the little prince, who had just learned to walk and couldn't even walk steadily, was afraid of strangers, today's ceremony might cause some ridiculous troubles. After all, it was inconvenient for the queen to appear in front of the whole court in the Huangji Hall, so Gao Youshi had to stand beside the little emperor at all times to act as a guardian. But if the little emperor was afraid of strangers...

In order to avoid this embarrassing situation, Gao Youshi was asked by the two palaces to spend at least two hours with the little prince every day. Under the personal instruction of the queen, the little prince was also made to call him "Mr. Gao". Now, we can only hope that these measures will be effective.

Soon, Gao Youshi arrived at the prince's palace. The prince was dressed in gorgeous children's clothes and a crown, and was surrounded by palace maids and eunuchs, making final preparations. Seeing Gao Youshi coming in, the prince's bright eyes showed a hint of curiosity and ignorance. Although he was still young, he also felt that today's events were unusual.

"Your Highness, I'm here to take you to the Huangji Palace for the coronation ceremony." Gao Youshi bowed slightly and spoke in a respectful and gentle tone.

The prince blinked his eyes and asked in a baby voice, "Mr. Gao, what is the coronation ceremony?"

Gao Youshi felt warm in his heart, squatted down, and explained with a smile: "Your Highness, the coronation ceremony means that you will become the emperor. From now on, you will be the emperor of the Ming Dynasty and will shoulder the responsibility of governing the world."

The prince nodded, not quite understanding, "Then I want to be the emperor, and be filial to my mother and Mr. Gao."

Gao Fusi gently touched the prince's head, "Your Highness is really smart, benevolent and filial, and will definitely be a wise monarch in the future. However, your filial piety can only be expressed to your 'Queen Mother', and it cannot be called filial piety to me, it can only be called love and care."

"Why?" The little prince obviously didn't understand. "My mother said that before my father passed away, he asked me to treat Mr. Gao the same way as he treated him."

Gao Youshi's face froze, and he forced a smile, "It is my great honor that the late emperor loves and cares for me, but there is always a line between the emperor and his subjects... Alas, when you become the emperor, you will slowly understand these principles in the future."

After that, Gao Youshi stood up, carefully held the prince in his arms, and walked towards the imperial procession outside the palace. Along the way, the prince quietly leaned in Gao Youshi's arms, looking around curiously, full of novelty about everything around him.

When Gao Youshi put him on the dragon chariot, he said hello and prepared to return to his own sedan chair - this was a privilege granted by the late emperor as a reward to Gao Youshi. However, the prince refused to let him go and timidly said, "Mr. Gao, would you please come with me?"

Zhu Yijun had asked Gao Youshi to ride in the same carriage with him many times before, but he had a strong enough power base to make such a political statement, which was different from the current situation of the little prince. However, it was difficult to explain to such a young child, so Gao Youshi could only smile and say: "I dare not go beyond the limit. If the prince wants me to accompany you at any time, I will walk beside your dragon chariot. Do you think it's okay?"

The prince nodded. Just as Gao Youshi breathed a sigh of relief, he suddenly pointed to a five or six-year-old boy in fancy clothes and said, "Then can Brother Luo accompany me?"

Gao Fusi was startled for a moment, hesitated slightly, turned around and waved to the boy: "Luo'er, come here."

This boy was naturally Gao Luo, the "study companion of the crown prince" designated in Zhu Yijun's will. Although he was not very old, he seemed to have known his origins for a long time. He walked forward briskly and called out without hesitation, "Father."

This was actually against etiquette. After all, he was nominally adopted, and his "father" should have been the tuberculosis man. The strange thing was that Gao Youshi, who always paid great attention to etiquette, did not correct him. Instead, he nodded slightly and ordered: "The prince ordered you to accompany him. You are the prince's companion. This is your duty. You must do it well."

"Yes, father." Gao Luo, like a little adult, immediately responded, and then glanced at the dragon chariot, as if to determine whether he needed help to climb up. Gao Fusi nodded again in affirmation, and stepped aside to make way.

The young eunuch beside Gao Youshi seemed a little worried and reached out to help, but unexpectedly Gao Youshi quietly raised his hand and pressed it, shaking his head slightly, so the young eunuch had to give up.

Gao Luo didn't notice this, but straightened his posture, held the handrail as steady as possible and pulled hard, while exerting force on his feet, he climbed onto the dragon chariot by himself, walked to the side of the crown prince, and smiled at the latter: "Crown brother..." As soon as he said this, he realized that it might be wrong, subconsciously glanced at his father, and quickly changed his words: "Your Highness, I am here on the order of the Lord."

The prince smiled and pulled him to sit beside him, and asked, "Brother Luo, is today the big event you mentioned? Let's watch it together later."

Gao Luo was a little embarrassed, or perhaps a little afraid of his father's blame, so he quickly leaned over and whispered something to the prince. The prince quickly sat down with a serious face, and kept glancing at Gao Youshi.

Gao Fusi was a little amused. Although he didn't know what secrets the two children had, he couldn't help but think of the time when he first met Zhu Yijun... He sighed, shook his head, and a look of loneliness appeared in his eyes. He restrained his smile and said to the eunuch beside him lightly: "It's getting late, let's get going."

Outside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, civil and military officials had already dressed in court robes or imperial robes and lined up neatly in the square. Everyone looked solemn, with eyes full of remembrance for the late emperor and expectations for the new emperor... Well, their acting skills were pretty good.

When Gao Youshi appeared in front of everyone holding the prince, the whole audience suddenly became quiet and everyone's eyes were focused on Gao Youshi and the prince.

"Long live the emperor, long live the emperor, long live the emperor!" Someone shouted first, and then all the officials shouted in unison, their voices resounding through the sky, as if to convey this loyalty and respect to every corner of the palace. Gao Youshi felt the little prince burrowing into his arms, so he reached out and patted his back, whispering, "They are all your subjects, your Highness, you don't have to be afraid. Besides, I am here."

This was clearly effective. Although the little prince did not speak, he hummed softly and relaxed a little. Gao Youshi was very satisfied. He carried the prince and walked steadily up the stairs, each step was firm and powerful. When they arrived at the Hall of Supreme Harmony, he gently placed the prince on the dragon throne, then stood beside the prince and glanced at everyone in the hall.

"Your Majesty's oral order: All ministers, please stand." Gao Youshi's voice was steady and powerful, echoing in the hall.

All the officials stood up and stood in a neat line, waiting for the coronation ceremony to officially begin. At this time, the atmosphere in the hall was tense and solemn, and everyone held their breath and did not dare to slack off.

Yu Shenxing, the Minister of Rites, stood up, wearing a gorgeous official uniform and holding a tablet, solemnly announcing the start of the enthronement ceremony. First, there was a ceremony to worship heaven and earth, the ancestral temple, and the altar of the land. According to the ancestral system, this was an indispensable part of the new monarch's enthronement, implying that the new monarch would obey the will of heaven, accept the blessing of the ancestors, and shoulder the responsibility of governing the world.

Gao Youshi held the prince in his arms and, under the guidance of the officials of the Ministry of Rites, came to the altar outside the palace. On the altar, various offerings were placed and incense smoke rose. Gao Youshi led the prince to perform the sacrifice according to the process of the ceremony. Although the prince was young, he also performed the sacrificial movements in a very formal manner under the guidance of Gao Youshi. The whole sacrificial process was solemn and dignified, and the officials around watched quietly, as if they were full of awe for the heaven, earth and ancestors.

After the sacrifice, the core part of the enthronement ceremony was the reading of the edict. Yu Shenxing stood up again, unfolded the edict, and read it in a loud voice: "The Emperor, by the Will of Heaven, proclaims:

Hong Wei, our ancestors were born with the Mandate of Heaven, founded the Empire, and have been living a democratic life for hundreds of years. Saints have been passed down from generation to generation, and they have been diligent in governing. Their military achievements and literary virtues are unparalleled.

Our royal father, the Emperor, had a great political vision, great generosity, and deep benevolence. His virtue spread to the four seas and his kindness extended to the vast lands. He was able to extend the imperial dynasty to the next generation without limit. Unfortunately, he passed away and left his legacy to me.

How could I bear to succeed the throne when I was filled with grief and remorse? However, the princes, nobles, civil and military officials, and the elders of the military and civilians repeatedly urged me to ascend the throne with sincerity and determination. I had no choice but to obey the will and follow public opinion. On the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month, I announced to the heaven and earth, the ancestral temples, and the country that I would ascend the throne.

I think I am cold and indifferent, and I will strive to have a long-term plan. I will befriend the wise at home and abroad, follow the highest principles, be respectful, sincere, benevolent and righteous, and follow the ancient teachings and established constitutions, so that we can achieve governance and benefit our people. Next year will be the first year of Taichang, and I will grant amnesty to the whole country and start anew with the people. All matters that should be done are listed below..."

Yu Shenxing's voice echoed in the square, and every word was clearly heard by everyone. All officials listened quietly, reciting the contents of the edict in their hearts. This edict was not only a declaration of the new emperor's accession to the throne, but also the future direction of the Ming Dynasty. Everyone hoped to hear more meaning from it.

After reading the edict, Yu Shenxing handed it to Gao Guoshi. Gao Guoshi took the edict, bowed slightly, and said to the prince: "Your Highness, please take the edict."

The prince looked at the imperial edict with a hint of curiosity in his eyes. He stretched out his hand and took the imperial edict. Gao Youshi said softly, "Your Highness, from now on, you are the emperor of Ming Dynasty. You must govern the country well and let the people live a good life."

The prince nodded vigorously, "I will, Mr. Gao."

Then, the seal-receiving ceremony began. The eunuch in charge of the seal of the Imperial Household Department carefully held the imperial seal and came before the prince. Gao Youshi took the seal and gently placed it in the prince's hand, saying, "Your Highness, this is the imperial seal, which was left to you by the late emperor."

The prince looked at the imperial seal in his hand and felt it was heavy. He held the seal tightly and could not help but look it up and down. Unfortunately, receiving the seal was just a ceremony. Gao Youshi quickly took it back from his hand with a smile and handed it back to the master of ceremonies of the Imperial Household Department.

At this time, the cheers of officials rang out again in the square outside the palace: "Long live the emperor, long live the emperor, long live the emperor! Long live the emperor, long live the emperor!" The voices rose one after another, echoing in the sky above the Forbidden City for a long time.

Gao Youshi stood beside the prince, looking at the scene in front of him, feeling a lot of emotion in his heart. He suddenly remembered the words Zhang Juzheng said when he was reading history in his previous life - "I am not a prime minister, but a regent", and couldn't help but think: power is really poisonous, making people lose their reason in intoxication, feel that they have everything under control, but forget their original intention.

The enthronement ceremony continued, and the next part was for the new emperor to receive congratulations from all the officials. All the officials, according to their ranks, walked in front of the crown prince in turn, and performed the ritual of kneeling three times and knocking their heads nine times. Their movements were in unison, their expressions were respectful and pious, and they shouted: "Long live our emperor, long live our emperor, long, long live our emperor!"

Gao Youshi stood beside the prince, keeping an eye on him. He gently reminded him when to give him a rest and when to say some words of encouragement. Under Gao Youshi's guidance, the prince behaved very appropriately. Although he was young, he seemed to have some of the majesty of the emperor.

After the congratulations, Gao Youshi whispered a few words to the prince again. The prince nodded, then said loudly: "Gentlemen, please stand up. I have just ascended the throne, and I rely on your loyal assistance. In the future, I will work together with you to ensure the eternal stability of the Ming Dynasty." Although the prince's voice was childish, it seemed that he had memorized these words in advance, and Gao Youshi just reminded him to say them, so he spoke them fluently.

All the officials thanked him and felt relieved - everyone was afraid of something unexpected happening today. At this time, the coronation ceremony was coming to an end, but Gao Youshi did not dare to relax at all. He knew that there were still many things to deal with, such as adding honorific titles to the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager, the specific matters of the general amnesty, the rewards for meritorious officials, and the further rectification of the government. Each of these matters was of great importance and must be treated with caution.

"Prince, it's time to issue the first decree after you ascend the throne." Yu Shenxing walked to Gao Youshi and reminded him softly.

Gao Youshi nodded slightly, "Thank you, Lord Gushan." After that, Gao Youshi took the report prepared by the Ministry of Rites and glanced at it, then began to announce the new emperor's order: "... When I first ascended the throne, I was concerned about the suffering of the people and pardoned all criminals in the world. Except for those who committed the ten most heinous crimes, the rest will have their sentences reduced by one level. The Ministry of Revenue will quickly count the disaster-stricken areas and distribute disaster relief grain and money to relieve the people's urgent needs. In addition, when the late emperor was in power, many soldiers fought bloody battles to defend the Ming Dynasty. The families of the fallen soldiers should be given generous pensions, without any mistakes."

Although the memorial was written by Yu Shenxing, Gao Youshi's announcement was the "sacred decree", so Yu Shenxing still needed to quickly write it down and then submit it to Gao Youshi for review. Gao Youshi read it carefully, and after confirming that it was correct, he said: "Immediately promulgate it to the whole country and make sure that the people know my will."

"As you command." Yu Shenxing took the order and left. The rest of the ceremony continued, but there was no need to go into detail.

Throughout the entire process of the coronation ceremony, Gao Youshi always maintained a humble and modest attitude. Although he held great power and was appointed as the chief minister of state by the will of the previous emperor, he behaved exactly the same as before in front of all the officials. He was still humble and polite, and every time he talked with people, people felt like they were in the spring breeze. If we were not all thousand-year-old foxes, we would probably think that "everything is the same as before" at first glance.

After the ceremony, the prince returned to the Palace of Heavenly Purity to rest, accompanied by Gao Youshi. Queen Wang, who would move to the Palace of Heavenly Purity to take care of the emperor's growth, learned that the ceremony went smoothly and expressed her gratitude to Gao Youshi - because she would not be honored until tomorrow, and at this moment she was still the queen, which was a bit strange, but it had always been so.

Soon after, Gao Youshi bid farewell to the emperor, empress and their son, and returned to the familiar Wenyuan Pavilion (cabinet office) to discuss the next major government affairs with the two cabinet members. Although there were only three assistant ministers in the cabinet at this time, the atmosphere was still solemn. Zhao Zhigao and Zhou Yong both understood that the new monarch's ascension to the throne was only the first step, and the next step was the key, especially...

"Prince, now that the new emperor has ascended the throne, should the cabinet add ministers according to the late emperor's will?" Zhao Zhigao looked at Gao Youshi and took the initiative to act as a supporting actor.
-

感谢书友“难得糊涂179”、“我是廖振新”、“云覆月雨”、“松鼠游泳”、“没良心的黑狼”、“书友20230303184218780”、“doni”、“赵专家”、“CosifanTutte”、“嗨嗨2010”、“梵泽”、“初次登录”、“TC87”、“首席书友00000001”、“宁静见春”的月票支持，谢谢！