The Emperor ordered Zhao Tang

Chapter 231: Long Spear Guarding the Tang Dynasty Soul (Part )
The Hengshui River flows day and night. The morning sun rises, spreading golden light on both sides of the river. In the midst of the morning mist, flags cover the sky, and a huge army of Han and foreign troops is lined up on the west bank. The foot soldiers sit on the ground, and the knights lean on the reins. At the foot of the hill, the officers and generals stand in a circle around the hill. Everyone just looks up at the top of the hill.

It was a huge five-colored altar. It was twelve feet long and twelve feet high. It was burning firewood, releasing blazing flames and billowing black smoke rising into the sky. In front of the altar, a three-legged tripod was placed with various feasts such as sheep, beans, wine, pigs, and chickens. Another four-legged square tripod was burning purple and yellow incense, and two gold-woven jade sticks were inserted, which were about a foot long, five inches wide, and two inches thick.

Obviously, a sacrifice was being performed.

Dozens of Yin-Yang masters wearing golden masks, witches in black and red skirts, and doctors of the Imperial Academy were dancing, performing rituals, and singing in front of the five-colored altar: "Your Majesty has obeyed the order and has been made the son of Heaven. The mighty God, I am here to report... There is the twelfth-generation grandson Ye of the Tang family's great civil and military saints, and I, a young man, dare to report to you. I want to revive the past achievements and prevent future troubles. If one person is not saved, all the people will be guilty. I have my own destiny, and the Emperor and Ancestor know..."

According to the rules, there should be music, and the music of the 12 parts of Yuhe Lv should be played, and the Nine Ministers should preside over it. But as the saying goes, keep things simple. When Emperor Suzong recovered the two capitals, the professional staff suffered heavy losses, so that only ministers sang at the sacrifice, and there was no process of the altar, the courtyard music, and the three dances.

Amid the majestic, solemn, elegant, yet eerie chanting, the congratulatory speech reached its climax: "In remembrance of the merits of the eighteen saints... their wisdom and true succession to the prosperity of the country will bring new hope to the country. Wu Kang will continue the Ming dynasty, and the world will return to its roots. This pious ceremony will bring blessings to our family..."

The shirtless warrior beat the drum slowly with both hands alternately: "Dong... Dong... Dong..."

"Beep...beep...beep..." The sound of majestic and vigorous long horns spread.

At the foot of the pond, the officers and generals stood up straight in awe. The soldiers who were close by whispered to each other, while those who were far away stood on tiptoe to look out.

"Dare to recommend, summon the emperor!" A chorus of voices came from the altar.

"Yes." The saint crossed his arms, straightened his clothes, and walked towards the stairs. The officers and officials on both sides bowed to him, and the soldiers exchanged glances and remained silent.

"Toot... toot... dong..." Amid the sound of drums and horns, the saint walked up the stairs alone and headed for the altar. It was as if God, Li Shimin, was really sitting in the sky, looking at him. As soon as he stepped onto the stairs, his heart began to beat wildly. Li Er! Are you spying on me?
The roadside guard reached out to help.

"No need." The saint did not dare to move and only whispered to persuade them to leave.

The guards stood back, and hundreds of eyes, along with tens of thousands of soldiers at the foot of the pond, were focused on this lonely man.

One step, two steps... Because of the thick black clothes and the requirements of demeanor and pace, the saint's steps were small and heavy, but he was determined and his eyes were like torches. When he climbed to the top of the pond, he was sweating profusely. Wearing formal clothes at the end of summer was really torture. But there was no time to sigh. The beautiful witch in red with a graceful figure simply wiped the sweat off her face and shouted, "Kneel!" The saint knelt down on one knee at the five-colored altar.

While raising his hands to the ground, he said solemnly: "The etiquette is to honor the elders, not the relatives. The successor emperor, Ye, reports to God, Taizong. I, with my cold virtue, have only obtained the treasure map. I cannot follow the teachings of heaven and correct the way of mankind. Wars are raging, and the emperor is approaching the country. There was another shock two years ago, when Zhu Wen was arrested and forced to die. I dare not report. Now the great treason is brought to justice, and the remnants will be punished... I humbly believe that the steps of heaven are difficult, and the times and physics are abnormal and chaotic. Only the emperor and the ancestors are concerned about the common people and leave their spirit to their descendants. I respectfully accept your request of filial piety and kindness, show your kindness, and give you the number of three prosperity..."

After saying this respectfully, the sage raised his hand and kowtowed to the jade tablet that symbolized God and Li Shimin.

After the separate worships, a witch came over with a freshly lit incense stick, looked into the saint's eyes, and handed it to him.

The saint took it.

At this time, the Yin-Yang Master, the witch, and the doctors said together: "The successor emperor Ye has been across the water for ten days, worshipping Haotian and Taizong. Dare to feast. Because there is a matter of conquest in Luoyang, it may be followed."

"Yes." The saint nodded, stepped forward and inserted the incense into the cauldron, with a pious face: "Because there is a crusade in Luoyang, I dare to eat. Please, Emperor and Taizong, give me strength!"

After the saint finished speaking, the witch in red who had wiped his sweat earlier burned a bunch of yarrow in the flames on the five-colored altar, placed it on the cauldron and smoked it for a few times. Then she sat down at a certain distance behind the saint, muttering to herself: "Jia Er Taigui... enter and occupy..."

Then, a doctor holding a tortoise shell copied her process, but with a different wording: "I am the king who is sending his army to fight a decisive battle, and I am drilling the tortoise shell to ask for good or bad luck."

After finishing, the witch fortune teller and the doctor of divination showed the flowers and tortoise shells in their hands to the crowd. After confirming that all the clergy had no objection, they knelt in a circle.

The great affairs of the country lie in sacrifice and military affairs.

For all important state affairs, divination is performed first and then fortune-telling.

Soon, the witch stood up first and announced in a melodious voice: "The divination says there will be rain in the afternoon, strong winds and thunder and lightning!"

The saint choked.

Baby, don't scare me. I crossed the river after offering sacrifices to the heavens. You said there would be a thunderstorm in the afternoon?
The witch continued to give advice: "The divination says that it is auspicious to use a large animal, and it will be beneficial to go somewhere."

"The divination says that blood will flow like a river, and a great man will die!"

"The divination says that the little fox will be Ji, the son who killed his father should not be in the position!"

"The divination says white shoes, there will be no fault in going forward."

The saint felt relieved. The general meaning of these divination numbers is: your sacrifice is effective, the heaven and Li Shimin have responded to your prayers, and your luck value has increased. The battle will be very cruel, and the outcome is hard to predict. You and Zhu Youyu may both die in the battle. Don't do anything crooked, just play normally.

After she finished her statement and sat down, the fortune teller came to the conclusion with a trembling voice: You will return like lightning!

"The King has returned! The King is invincible! No one dares to challenge him!"

The sun and the moon trembled, and the heaven and earth groaned.

The sun is about to set in Luoyang, and the Central Plains will surely sink!
Fifteen years later, this land will belong to the majestic and holy Tang again.

……

The saint was worshipping on the side, thinking that these fortune-tellers were not good enough. The witch was very specific, but they were telling grand stories. Was it because of their gender? After all, they still had the hope of a career in government. If they offended the emperor because of this, wouldn't it be a huge loss? Just cheer them up. The witch was honest, and her salary was not in vain.

"The King has returned! The King is invincible! No one dares to defeat him!" The male and female priests faced the altar, their faces raised to the sky, and shouted excitedly together.

A large armful of dry firewood and grass was added to the altar. With a loud "boom", the sound of crackling and burning suddenly became louder, and the fierce flames jumped enchantingly, as if in response.

The officers, soldiers and officials at the foot of the pond were completely silent. They just held their breath and watched silently as witnesses the altar, incense, fire, black smoke, and dancing on the top of the hill... and listened to the terrifying yet boiling mysterious readings, chants, and songs.

They did not necessarily fear the emperor, but in this superstitious age, people who were not afraid of ghosts and gods were rare, even warriors who killed people like flies.

The saint looked down at their trembling expressions and small body movements, and felt something in his heart:
In the 21st century, witchcraft is still prevalent in the southwest and northeast. From time to time, nobles and ministers are exposed to raise ghosts at home. There is a reason why charlatans can easily make millions from young ladies. It has nothing to do with knowledge or class. It is difficult to eradicate the inertia of thousands of years of history.

How can the wealth and power bestowed by others be as secure as those bestowed by heaven? Shintoism seems to be a good thing, but for him now - isn't it more useful than Confucianism?
While strolling, the doctor shouted, "The ceremony is over."

"Crown the Saint," someone said.

The sacrifice just now involved touching the forehead, so Li was not wearing a crown.

The waiter came over with a tray. On the tray was a gold-decorated jade hairpin crown with twelve tassels and white pearls.

It was still the witch in red who wiped his sweat and conducted the divination. She took off her golden mask, revealing a face that was pure and innocent, and looked at the white pearl crown with a sacred gaze, unable to help but tears up.

It is difficult for those who have not experienced the difficult ten years to understand their emotions.

She took up the crown with both hands.

He turned around and looked the saint in the eyes intently.

“Toot…toot…dong…” the drums and horns sounded again.

She walked slowly to the saint, and with her delicate hands, she crowned the king. The two were so close that the saint could feel her hot breath and smell her fragrance. When her palm brushed against the saint's cheek for the purpose of tying the belt, an unprecedented weight was transferred between them.

The Son of God, descended from the holy Li Tang, was born with a bloodline as precious as the gods, transcending the mundane world and not to be desecrated.

Time seemed to be paused at this moment.

At the foot of the pond, tens of thousands of soldiers looked up to admire the scene, and Zhao Jia recorded this historic moment in his notebook.

When she fastened the chin strap, she stroked the saint's face to wipe away the obvious sweat on him, and the white crown was put on. Respecting the heaven and following the ancestors, the kingship is granted by God, and heaven and man are one.

The old days are gone, the new leaves have begun to grow, and the king has risen.

At the foot of the pond, on the west bank of the Hengshui River, the crowd responded enthusiastically.

"saint……"

"……god……"

It seemed that the person on the top of the hill was not their emperor, but the god they worshipped devoutly.

"Great Son of Heaven!"

"Master of the Universe!"

"..."

Nothing can defeat us.

We will dispel the darkness and rebuild the holy Tang.

We are forerunners for God.

We will conquer the four poles and eventually rule the heaven and the earth.

The saint had a serious expression on his face. Surrounded by Genji and a group of doctors, onmyojis, and witches, he walked to the edge of the altar with his hand on the Giraffe-shaped sword and looked down at the troops.

When he appeared there in a dignified manner, before he could say anything, soldiers all over the mountains and plains raised their arms and said, "Long live!"

The saint gazed at it woodenly, speaking words of trial and error.

The attendants and generals at the altar and near the hill spread his words separately.

Zhu Wen, I will be your enemy, just like the waves hitting the fjord.

Rebels, I will come from the west with many chariots, knights, and infantry to destroy your nest.

I will destroy the walls of Bianliang and pull down the city towers of the prefectures and counties.

The unruly warriors who laugh and laugh will be killed by the sword.

The streets will be trampled under iron hooves.

I will use force to subdue your wives, daughters, and parents. I will take your weapons and armor as spoils, and your property as plunder. I will move away the people who are respectful but not submissive, and banish the people of Bian to the mortal world forever.

I will make your throats mute, and no one in the world will ever hear your clamorous voices again.

You shall not be mentioned again.

The soldiers took off their military uniforms, laid down their weapons, picked up their hoes and plows, toiled in the fields, trembling all the time, and were frightened by others.

Future generations will surely write elegies for you.

You will be made a lesson to others and will be forgotten in history.

Fight hard, just like the Bian army once attacked us.

In the past, now, and in the future, there will be no destiny in Guandong. I will protect the children of Yongliang.

The Great Rebellion is dead, and the empire will rise!

"Fight, fight, fight!" The infantrymen all stood up, hitting the ground with their spears, slapping their shields with their swords, and stomping their feet. The resounding voices seemed to shake the clouds in the dome: "The traitor is dead! The imperial country will rise!"

"Long live the Holy Tang." said the saint.

"Long live the Holy Tang Dynasty!!!" The armies responded with thunder.

The Yanzhou soldiers and the Justice soldiers on the outermost periphery were all pale with fear, and the officers looked as if they had eaten a fly.

After the sacrifice, the oath, and the tempering of energy, the saint slowly drew the jade sword from his waist and pointed it at the east bank of the Hengshui River: "Attack."

"Boom, boom, boom..." Suddenly, the drums rumbled, and the army was in a state of agitation. The officers and soldiers hurried back to their own army, and the junior officers ran around, hitting and pulling these killers, asking them to line up and cross the river quickly. On the plains on the east bank, a large amount of smoke and dust rose, and the sound of horses' hooves like thunder continued. The large group of knights who arrived as the vanguard drew their troops in a chaotic formation, staggered left and right, and deployed defenses on both wings.

Farther away, smoke filled the sky, colorful flags were like clouds, and dense Bian troops were pouring in from the woods, bamboo forests, ditches, streams, bushes, villages, and hillsides like mud and rock flows. Scouts from both sides were galloping like meteor showers. Small-scale chases and tug-of-wars had already begun, but this was just an appetizer before the main meal.

"what's your name?"

"I am from Weizhou, Linzhang Genji, Yuanyin." Looking at the peerless saint, Genji opened his red lips slightly, revealing a bit of admiration: "May I change clothes and put on armor for the saint?"

The saint nodded.

"Kill, kill, kill!" The rebels' roar could be heard from afar.

Genji remained calm and moved his ten fingers carefully.

After everything was cleaned up, the king and his minister looked at each other and soon both started laughing.

Genji boldly embraced the other, gently stood on tiptoes, and kissed the saint's throat.

The saint felt numb and tingling.

After holding this position for seven or eight breaths, Genji put down his heels, loosened his hands, and said in a slightly hoarse voice: "Let's go."

"Let's go." The saint held the helmet and disappeared on the top of the pond.

"Woo..." The horn of the wilderness ripples.

"Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!" The first wave of arrows on today's battlefield flew over Hengshui.

"Puff..." The sound of flesh being broken by the stabbing of guns began to be heard.

"kill!"

"Kill the thieves!!!"

Wielding Wu spears and wearing rhinoceros armor, the chariots are in a mess and the short weapons are fighting. The banners cover the sun and the enemies are like clouds, arrows fly and the soldiers compete for the first place.

The Battle of Hengshui has broken out.

(End of this chapter)