Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 314: Imperial authority, enthronement of the empress, and the legend of the Ming Dynasty army!

Early in the morning, when the dawn was breaking, teams of people began to enter the square in front of the palace in an orderly manner.

The original Jinling City did not have such a large square.

It was during the period when Zhu Yunhuan was the crown prince and regent that a number of dilapidated houses were demolished and a large square was built.

He had long thought about reviewing the troops and holding celebrations here.

Now we are just proceeding according to the original plan.

The first people to enter the square were the people of Jinling City.

Participation was voluntary.

Being able to witness the emperor's enthronement, watch the emperor's wedding ceremony, and participate in the military review is something that countless people dream of.

But before that, they could only dream.

If you are not an official of the imperial court, you are not qualified to participate at all.

Now that the new emperor has carried out reforms, he wants the people to participate in this matter.

The people of Jinling City were very enthusiastic about this.

This is something that people who come to Beijing from other places can brag about for the rest of their lives, and even their descendants can brag about it for the rest of their lives. How can you miss it and not participate?

As a result, almost all the people in Jinling City went to their respective neighborhoods to sign up.

Court officials and runners conducted a careful selection and screening, and ultimately the number of people who were allowed to attend reached more than 300,000.

This also includes more than 100,000 workers from the Ming Manufacturing Bureau.

After all, workers are more organized and easier to maintain order, so workers are naturally given priority.

Older people were almost always excluded to prevent them from fainting on the scene.

Today's ceremony lasted quite a long time, plus it took time to enter and exit the venue. If you are not in good physical condition, you may not be able to hold on.

Zhu Yunhuan also wanted to use this opportunity to test the grassroots organizational capabilities of the Ming bureaucracy.

The test results gave him a big surprise.

More than 300,000 people entered in an orderly manner without any chaos.

At the same time, officials from the Ministry of Rites had gone to different locations to report to heaven and earth, the ancestral universe, and the country.

Before this, Zhu Yunhuan had naturally been there in person.

There is no need to go to today's coronation ceremony in person.

Because if we do that, we won’t make it in time.

At this time, Zhu Yunhuan was wearing mourning clothes and was sitting in front of the banquet of the late Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, accepting orders.

Afterwards, an incense table and wine and fruits were set up in front of the Fengtian Hall. Zhu Yunhuan, served by palace maids and eunuchs, took off his mourning clothes and put on the brand new imperial robes.

Contrary to what many people imagine, the yellow dragon robe was just the emperor’s daily wear.

The official imperial robes of the Ming Dynasty were black in color, with only the dragon embroidered on them being yellow. The gauze skirt and knee-length cap were crimson in color, and paired with a crown, they looked quite nice.

After putting on the imperial robes and crown, he then performed the ceremony of reporting to heaven and earth.

Although officials have been sent to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth, the ceremony here is still indispensable. However, the location has been changed. It is not in the special Temple of Heaven, but in front of the Fengtian Hall.

Afterwards, he went to Fengxian Hall to pay homage to his ancestors, and then came to the spirit of Old Zhu again, performed the ritual of five bows and three kowtows, then returned to Fengtian Hall and sat on the dragon throne.

As soon as he sat down, the eunuch ordered the bells and drums to be sounded.

The royal court band also put on a grand display.

But they just pretended to do it for a moment and then stopped immediately.

This is because the coronation ceremony is still during the mourning period for the late emperor.

On the one hand, grand ceremonies are essential.

On the other hand, one cannot be too cheerful, as this is not in accordance with etiquette.

So the band just pretended to play but did not really play any music.

The bells and drums remain the same.

In the square outside, the sound of bells was heard and the cannons that had been prepared long ago were fired.

At this time, all the officials had already lined up neatly outside the Fengtian Hall.

The enthronement ceremony is different from ordinary court sessions.

On ordinary days, only officials of a certain rank were qualified to attend court.

As for the enthronement ceremony, all officials in Beijing, regardless of their rank, must attend.

At this moment, there were thousands of officials outside the Fengtian Palace.

The salute lasted for 981 rounds before it ended.

As soon as the cannon fire stopped, the whole place fell silent.

"Kneel!" As a ceremonial officer shouted with full energy, all the officials in the hall knelt down first.

Then, it was like dominoes.

Someone outside then shouted, "Kneel!"

"kneel!"

"kneel!"

"kneel!"

……

The voices were relayed one after another and spread to the square outside.

From the officials to the common people outside, more than 300,000 people knelt down.

"Kowtow!"

"Two kowtows!"

"Kowtow three times!"

……

After bowing three times, everyone stood up.

Then, another “Kneel!”

One voice after another was passed on.

Everyone knelt down again.

"Kowtow!"

"Two kowtows!"

"Kowtow three times!"

……

"kneel!"

Repeat this cycle, kneel down five times and stand up five times.

This is the ritual of five bows and three kowtows.

In fact, you have to kowtow fifteen times.

This is a special etiquette used when the emperor ascends the throne. It is more solemn than the normal three bows and nine kowtows during court appearances.

Zhu Yunhuan sat on the high dragon throne, overlooking the people below.

The dragon throne was located at a very high position. From here, one could not only see the thousands of officials kneeling outside the palace, but even the vague shadows of the 300,000 common people outside the palace could be seen.

When the ceremony ended, everything was silent. Everyone knelt on the ground without making even the slightest sound.

After the last bow, everyone was not allowed to stand up, but had to kneel and listen to the emperor's decree.

"Is this the power of an emperor?" An inexplicable thought suddenly arose in Zhu Yunhuan's mind.

From now on, the whole world will crawl at his feet.

The words are spoken and the law follows.

At this moment, he had a wonderful feeling that he had become an immortal, and had jumped out of the Three Realms and was no longer within the Five Elements.

He is no longer one of the common people, but the emperor who is high above.

Everything is different.

Power can indeed make people intoxicated, obsessed, and also make people fall.

It is no wonder that for thousands of years, becoming an emperor has been the ultimate dream of countless powerful people.

After letting his thoughts wander for a short while, Zhu Yunhuan came back to his senses and said calmly, "Announce the decree."

Whenever an emperor ascended the throne, he would issue an edict of accession to the throne.

In fact, there are two copies of the edict.

One is the version for offering sacrifices to heaven, also known as the Edict of Heaven.

That is, I will offer sacrifices to heaven, tell the world about the current situation, and explain why I want to ascend the throne and become emperor.

In this edict, the emperor also referred to himself as a "minister".

After all, the emperor is the son of God and also the subject of God.

Offering sacrifices to heaven is to gain recognition from heaven.

Zhu Yunhuan had already used this edict in offering sacrifices to heaven, and the one read out at this time was the version of the edict to the people.

The edict to the people is also known as the accession edict in the popular sense.

Upon hearing Zhu Yunhuan's order, the eunuch next to him began to read the imperial edict aloud.

"Heaven blesses the people and makes them kings. My Emperor Gao received the mandate from Heaven and ruled over all nations. He worked day and night to help the people."

"Everything that is beneficial to the world is done with all one's heart. The politics and education are well-governed and the scope is far-reaching."

"I, with my humble self, have inherited the throne and, in accordance with the will, ascended the throne on the fifteenth day of the first month of the twenty-ninth year of Hongwu."

"I am anxious day and night, thinking about how I can serve the God and bless the four directions, so as not to disgrace the great destiny of my imperial ancestors."

"Always be lenient and strict, and implement policies that will bring about a new beginning."

"The first day of the first lunar month of this year is designated as the 29th year of the Ming calendar, the era name is changed to Yongsheng, and a general amnesty is issued!"

"Virtue lies in good governance, and governance lies in nourishing the people."

"We should follow the words of the sages and strive for a prosperous and peaceful future. All the ministers and officials, please understand my wishes!"

"Therefore, I hereby announce this edict, and I hope you will be aware of it." Originally, this edict was only read once.

Although there were thousands of officials attending the coronation ceremony, the eunuchs selected to read the imperial edict had very loud voices, like human trumpets, so most people could only understand a general idea.

However, because Zhu Yunhuan's coronation ceremony was unique, in addition to thousands of officials, there were more than 300,000 people participating.

Therefore, the edict was photocopied many times.

When the sutra was being recited in the Fengtian Hall, people were also arranged to recite it in front of the people outside.

Afterwards, it will be posted and announced to the world.

When the imperial edict was finished, the ministers said, "Long live the emperor!"

"Long live my emperor! Long live!"

Thousands of officials shouted in unison.

"Long live my emperor! Long live!"

The voices of three hundred thousand people gathered together like an overwhelming tidal wave. In an instant, the earth-shaking sound resounded throughout the entire Jinling city.

Zhu Yunhuan's heart was surging. He waited until the sound died down before saying, "Stand up!"

"Be flat!"

"Be flat!"

"Be flat!"

It is sung again.

The ministers and the people shouted, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Then, everyone got up from the ground.

The coronation ceremony ends here.

Normally, Zhu Yunhuan should make a speech at this time, but today's schedule is very tight.

As soon as the coronation ceremony was over, the process of conferring a title on the queen began.

Although this is not common, it is not the first time.

Zhu Yuanzhang also enthroned Ma as Empress on the day he ascended the throne.

The bells and drums rang again, and the salutes fired again.

Gu Panjun, wearing the phoenix crown and dress exclusive to the queen, walked slowly in front of the 300,000 people and went straight into the palace gate.

There were palace maids and eunuchs leading the way in front, and a long ceremonial team following behind.

Xu Miaojin also followed behind her.

Although she was a noble concubine, she only needed to receive etiquette within the palace.

However, Gu Panjun said that Sister Xu was of noble status and should be given higher courtesy and enter the palace with the empress. Zhu Yunhuan did not object to this.

So this scene happened.

They walked like this all the way to the Fengtian Palace. The eunuchs and palace maids who had led the way all dispersed on both sides, and only Gu Panjun and Xu Miaojin entered the palace.

Gu Panjun was in front, and Xu Miaojin was five feet to the right behind him.

After entering the hall, the two stood in the middle of the main hall and slowly saluted Zhu Yunhuan.

The eunuch took out the imperial edict and read:
"I believe that the Way originates from Heaven and Earth. Qian must rely on Kun to complete it. To transform a family and a country, external governance always relies on internal duties. For example, in the sacrifices to the ancestral temple, the rites and rituals complement each other. The practice of virtue and civilization begins with husband and wife. Since they are in harmony and become a couple, they should be in the right position and be respected."

"You, Gu, are gentle and kind, kind and virtuous, and have all six virtues. You are virtuous and prudent, and you are a great success."

"I hereby give you the golden seal and golden seal to make you the queen."

"You should just accept the honorable order and show the correct etiquette."

"Be respectful and frugal to lead the palace to harmony and obedience, and you will receive many blessings."

"The foundation of a country lies in the family, which is the most important of traditional ethics. The superiors should lead the subordinates with kindness, so that the great principles can be achieved and announced to the whole world so that everyone can know about it."

……

Gu Panjun knelt down to express his gratitude, then walked forward to accept the congratulations from the court officials and the people.

Immediately afterwards, Zhu Yunhuan ordered the eunuch to read out the decree to appoint Xu Miaojing as the imperial concubine.

This is not entirely consistent with etiquette.

He originally thought that officials from the Ministry of Rites and ministers in the court would strongly oppose it.

Unexpectedly, after Zhu Yunhuan proposed it, all the ministers agreed.

They were not willing to get too entangled in these not particularly important ceremonial procedures and make the new emperor unhappy.

In this way, Xu Miaojin, like Gu Panjun, accepted congratulations from all the officials in the court and 300,000 people.

Such a grand ceremony is beyond the reach of many queens, let alone the imperial concubine.

After the ceremony of enthroning the empress and the imperial concubine was over, Zhu Yunhuan took Gu Panjun's hand, and the two of them walked out of the Fengtian Hall together and climbed up the tower on the palace wall.

Xu Miaojin also followed beside him.

Further back are the officials.

At this time, there were not as many officials who were qualified to climb the city tower together as before.

Only important officials of the court could go upstairs.

The quota was decided early on, so there wasn't any confusion.

Other officials who were unable to go upstairs watched from downstairs.

When the people outside saw the emperor ascending the city wall, they immediately burst into earth-shaking cheers.

Then, there was another round of worship.

This time, there was no strict organization and it seemed a bit chaotic.

But the people's excitement was beyond words.

Even though they could only see a vague figure of the Emperor from a distance, without being able to clearly see his specific appearance and facial features, it was enough to make the people extremely excited.

Especially when Zhu Yunhuan waved to the people, the atmosphere of the whole venue reached its highest point.

boom!
boom!
boom!
The salute sounded again.

The military parade officially begins.

The soldiers of the new army marched in neat steps, holding spears, forming square formations and walking along the avenue below the city wall.

The army looks majestic and powerful, their movements are uniform, and every soldier has a solemn expression and a firm gaze, as if they are advancing with the force of thunder, showing the army's unparalleled momentum and strength.

Zhu Yunhuan nodded slightly.

It is worthy of being the new army that I have spent all my efforts to build.

Just based on this spirit, they are countless times stronger than the original old army.

On the city wall, many ministers also showed expressions of shock.

I have long heard that the new army is elite and unrivaled in the world.

But that is just a legend after all.

Even though they had seen the soldiers of the New Army before, the New Army was just walking by casually at that time, which was far less shocking than the military parade today.

The faces of many military generals and nobles were filled with shock.

They were all men who had been on the battlefield, and they knew very well the energy required to train soldiers to this level.

Once such an army goes to the battlefield, what terrible power will it unleash!

This is the elite army that every general dreams of!

What's more, they were holding the most advanced muskets in the Ming Dynasty.

As for the foreign envoys who came to attend the ceremony, the hostages of the Japanese royal family, the leaders of the grassland tribes, and the envoys sent by the southern barbarians, they were all frightened and pale.

The Ming army is so powerful that we must never be its enemy!

After the military parade, they wrote letters to their families and tribes, saying that the Ming Dynasty's military might was unparalleled in the world and that they must never go against it.

The far-reaching impact that this has caused is another story for another time.

At this moment, the people in the square continued to cheer.

As people from Jinling City, many of them have seen the army many times.

But this was the first time they had seen someone marching in such an imposing manner.

Shocked, deeply shocked!

No wonder the new Ming army was invincible and victorious in every battle.

Indeed, the momentum alone is enough to dominate the world.

In addition to the infantry phalanxes, the parade also ingeniously arranged several phalanxes of artillery.

Today, the new army has already equipped artillery with different calibers and models, which can form cross-fire on the battlefield.

The rolling cannon and the black muzzle also brought extreme shock to people.

The new army is completely different from the old army.

Witnessing this iron army, everyone felt the tide of the times approaching.

This is completely different from the army they imagined.

There were no swords or spears, no bows or arrows or armor.

There were only muskets, cannons... and unparalleled momentum.

However, those who have witnessed the power of hot weapons many times and heard about the glorious achievements of the Ming New Army no longer doubt their combat effectiveness.

Not to mention, the momentum of the army in front of us alone has already proved this point.

When the phalanxes of soldiers came to the bottom of His Majesty the Emperor, they saluted and let out earth-shattering roars.

It also pushed the murderous aura of the Ming Dynasty's new army to a new peak.

The military parade lasted for nearly an hour.

By the time the parade ended, it was already noon.

Zhu Yunhuan immediately issued an edict: "The three Jurchen tribes have refused to obey the king's rule and have repeatedly invaded the borders of the Ming Dynasty and killed the people of the Ming Dynasty. This is intolerable. Today, I officially announce that the Ming army will go on an expedition to the three Jurchen tribes, sweeping away all the people and annihilating the Jurchen barbarians."

……

(End of this chapter)