Reborn as King of South America

Chapter 340 The Throne Ceremony
The situation on the mainland is turbulent and unpredictable, but in South America, as the date of the coronation ceremony approaches, all preparations are proceeding in an orderly manner.

Opera troupes and jugglers went to Beijing to perform and congratulate. The troops participating in the grand military parade completed their rehearsals one after another, looking forward to a good performance at the enthronement ceremony. Frontline workers at the Jiangnan Textile Factory and the Susong Textile Factory worked overnight to rush out uniforms for the civil servants, military officers, and soldiers who would attend the ceremony.

Under the expectation of local officials and people, time slowly moved to December 1879, 12.

At 7:40 in the morning, on the outskirts of Chang'an (Cordoba), on the newly completed circular hilltop platform, Li Mingyuan, wearing a bright yellow crown with twelve chapters, walked up the steps one by one to the platform for offering sacrifices to heaven.

Flags fluttered in the wind on both sides of the platform. On one side was the imperial flag with a red background and the bold retro Chinese character "漢" in the center. On the other side was the red dragon flag, surrounded by eight division-level flags of the 7th Army Division and the Imperial Guards Division.

Civil officials, military generals, the troops being reviewed, and the common people watching the ceremony were arranged in order around the high platform for offering sacrifices to the sky. The huge team of more than 40,000 people, totaling more than 40,000 people, stood in an orderly manner in the vast open space, waiting for the official start of the coronation ceremony.

At eight o'clock in the morning, the bronze bell rang three times. Li Mingyuan stood in the center of the round hill platform, took the bright yellow enthronement edict from the guards, and solemnly read:
"I am the ruler of China. Since the end of the Ming Dynasty, the Jurchen Tartars have secretly occupied the Central Plains, cut their hair and changed their clothes, destroying the 5,000-year-old Han civilization.

The land is full of barbarian blood, China is in decline, it's a pity for our Han people, we are in dire straits, we have bad luck, our country is in trouble, the kingdom of heaven rises and falls in an instant, loyal sons are stranded overseas, fortunately, China has not been destroyed, the God of Heaven has sent me a dream, teaching me how to govern the country and build the nation, I have chosen the old land of the Yin people in South America as my foundation, and ordered to rebuild the Yanhuang civilization in a foreign land!

In an age of great contention, the great powers vied for supremacy. I was born as the legitimate son of a royal servant, a descendant of the Chinese heroic spirit, blessed by the God of Heaven and the spirits of my ancestors. So I raised my three-foot-long spear, led the men of Han in dangerous places, gathered the wise and virtuous around me, cut through thorns and brambles, defeated the barbarians and the white barbarians, restored the majesty of China outside the territory, and took over 20,000 miles of beautiful China as my foundation, including Chang'an (Córdoba), Songjiang Prefecture (Buenos Aires), Huaiyang Prefecture (Rosario), Xinjing Prefecture (Porto Alegre), Songzhou (Buenos Aires Province), Jinzhou (Catamarca Province and Tucumán Province), Linzhou (Chaco Province and Formosa Province), Jinzhou (Chubut Province), Yunzhou (Corrientes Province)...

The new empire was formed by combining one capital, one road, three prefectures and twenty-three states.

He launched a great cause in South America, his officers and soldiers obeyed his orders, and the people supported him. He repeatedly ordered his generals and men to fight against foreign enemies, show power and strengthen the military, pacify the country, and ensure peace for the people and stability for the country.

Now the civil and military ministers and the people have urged me to become the emperor. I declined three times but refused. In order not to disappoint the people, I will follow their request and offer sacrifices to heaven and earth on the south of Mount Taihua (Andes) on December 26 of the year of Ji Mao. I will be the emperor on a high platform. I will call the world Han and establish the reign of Jianye. I will respectfully go to the Imperial Ancestral Temple and posthumously honor my father as Emperor Gaozu Cheng and my mother as Empress. (I posthumously honor four generations of emperors and empresses.)
Establish a great altar and a great cemetery in Chang'an (Cordoba), and enthrone Wu as the empress and Zhang as the imperial concubine. Announce it to the world and let everyone know.

"Long live your majesty!"

As the decree of enthronement was announced, deafening cheers suddenly rang out around the platform.

The Han Dynasty had abolished the kneeling ceremony long ago, but in the arrangement of the coronation ceremony, whether it was civil officials, military generals, soldiers, or ordinary people, they all insisted on performing the ceremony of three kneelings and nine kowtows to congratulate Li Mingyuan on ascending the throne.

After everyone finished their greetings, Li Mingyuan continued to read:
"Since I started the rebellion eleven years ago, loyal ministers and generals have followed me, devoted themselves to the king's service, and strictly followed the principle of monarch and minister. Their hearts are clear and their achievements are visible. Their great achievements cannot be honored without granting titles and positions. Therefore, I confer the title of hereditary marquis to Li Sandou, Chen Guozhu, and Zhang Ansong.
Liu Pu, Luo Linshan, Zhao Yongzeng, Wang Dashan, Wang Xiaoshan, Li Dawei, Liu Yongfu, Ye Chenglin, Chen Zongbai, Wu Fengdian, Chen Sen and Li Han are hereditary earls;
Chen Shangfa, Luo Zhongguo, Feng Guoan, Qiu Mingzhang, Sun Bin, Zhao Yan, Feng Changqing, He Yanliang, Mei Dongxing, Chen Jinzhong, and Hu Yaji are all hereditary viscounts;
Shen Fushan, Liang Xing, Huang Naishang, Huang Shengui, Chen Xingui... Xi Zhengpu and twenty others were hereditary barons.

The title of Duke is the highest among the five noble titles. It should not be granted lightly without meritorious service in saving and revitalizing the country. I hope you will work hard and make plans. When you have made great contributions, I will not hesitate to reward you with the title of Duke!"

Conferring titles on nobles and rewarding meritorious officials are an indispensable part of the coronation ceremony. Led by three retired veterans, Li Sandou, Chen Guozhu and Zhang Ansong, a total of 51 newly-titled hereditary nobles walked up to the secondary steps of the altar for offering sacrifices to heaven, lined up in two rows, and took over the edict of enthronement, gold certificates and other tokens as certificates of hereditary noble titles from Li Mingyuan in turn.

After completing the ceremony of conferring noble titles, Li Mingyuan went on to make rank adjustments for central government officials and military generals.

Appoint Xi Zhengpu, the chief officer of various stations in mainland China, as the governor of the central bank, in charge of the country's currency issuance power.
Wang Youtian, the head of Chinese workers' affairs in the United States, was transferred to the position of censor of the Inspectorate and concurrently served as president of the Royal Bank!

Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Revenue Zheng Huaide was transferred to the position of Speaker of the Legislative Yuan!

The position of prime minister is vacant. With reference to the five palaces and two pavilions being built in the imperial palace of Chang'an City, seven cabinet ministers are established, namely, the minister of Zhongji Palace, the minister of Jianji Palace, the minister of Daming Palace, the minister of Tai'an Palace, the minister of Wuying Palace, the minister of Wenyuan Pavilion, and the minister of Dongping Pavilion. They are deputy cabinet-level officials. In the absence of a prime minister, they will assist the emperor in handling state affairs together with the ministers of various departments. Among the seven ministers, only Liu Pu is temporarily appointed as the minister of Zhongji Palace and concurrently the minister of commerce, and the other six positions are vacant. After the official position adjustment, the positions of the main officials of the central government's directly affiliated institutions are as follows:
1 Zhang Guanghai, Minister of the Ministry of Revenue (a former Annan imperial examination official, former Annan Guanglu Temple extra secretary, promoted from deputy minister of the Ministry of Revenue to full minister)
2-Ministry of Finance: Zhao Yan
3-Ministry of Personnel: Zheng Qiru (from Mingxiang, Annan, a Jinshi, and served as the prefect of Fulong, Annan)

4- Ministry of Rites: Zhang Fanglin (from a Chinese merchant family in Southeast Asia)
5-Ministry of Education: Sun Bin
6- General Staff: Protagonist concurrently

7-Ministry of Justice: Zhang Huaijin (a second-class Jinshi from Annan, former magistrate of Guangtian)
8: Ministry of Works: Chen Shen (former Minister of Works of Annan)
9-Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Hu Yaji, Director of the Department of African Colonial Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Huang Naishang

10- Ministry of Commerce: Liu Pu, Deputy Minister Chen Jinzhong (from Nanyang Chinese businessmen)

11-Inspectorate: Wang Youtian

12-Legislative Yuan: Zheng Huaide (A Jinshi from Annan, former Left Vice-Minister of the Imperial Court)
Mei Dongxing, Governor-General of Nanyang

The list of the main generals of the army is as follows:

The First Division of the Han Empire Army, led by Luo Linshan, Lieutenant General.

The commander of the Second Division, Zhao Yongzeng, was a lieutenant general.
The commander of the Third Division, Wang Dashan, holds the rank of Lieutenant General.
The commander of the Fourth Division, Wang Xiaoshan, holds the rank of major general.

The commander of the Fifth Division, Liu Yongfu, was a major general.
The commander of the Sixth Division, Ye Chenglin, holds the rank of major general.
The commander of the Seventh Division, Wu Fengdian, held the rank of major general.
The commander of the Imperial Guard Division, Chen Zongbai, held the rank of major general.

The commander of the Nanyang Army was Li Wencai, with the rank of major general, the left deputy commander was Chen Shangfa, with the rank of colonel, and the right deputy was Chen Xinggui, with the rank of colonel.

Commander of the special forces: Sun Qisheng, rank of major general.

The commander of the artillery division, Luo Zhongguo, holds the rank of major general.

The commander of the Navy's First Fleet is Chen Sen, with the rank of major general; the commander of the Navy's Second Fleet is Li Han, with the rank of major general; and the commander of the Marine Corps is Feng Guoan, with the rank of colonel.

Liang Xing, Director of the Military Intelligence Department, rank of Major General
Minister of the Ministry of State Security Shen Fushan, with the rank of major general.

The head of intelligence for the mainland region is Wu Diaoqing, who holds the military rank of colonel.

The officials and generals who followed Li Mingyuan in his career were promoted to different titles and positions according to their merits.
He worshiped the God of Heaven, posthumously conferred the title of emperor on his grandfather four generations ago, posthumously conferred the title of King of Wu on his uncle Li Xiucheng, who was killed by Zeng, and gave him the posthumous title of Loyal Wu Lie King. He ordered intelligence agencies stationed in mainland China to search for any descendants of Li Xiucheng who might have survived among the people, and demoted him to inherit his father's title by one level.

Due to the breakdown of the Four-Power Alliance, no foreign heads of state attended the coronation ceremony for Li Mingyuan. Only Germany and Austria-Hungary were invited to send diplomats stationed in South America to attend and congratulate Li Mingyuan on behalf of the emperors of the two countries.

(End of this chapter)