Li Chengqian of the Tang Dynasty: Please say long live His Majesty

Chapter 441 Li Shimin: My Era is Over (First Update)
Fengshan, Feng means "offering sacrifices to heaven" and Shan means "offering sacrifices to earth".

Carve a name on a stone to record one's achievements and honor them.

As Heaven and Earth have commanded, the task will be accomplished.

……

On the top of Mount Song, on the altar.

Li Chengqian stood behind Li Shimin, and on the imperial table in front of him were jade, grains and sacrifices.

The most important thing is an imperial edict filled with dense handwriting.

In the bronze tripod in front, countless offerings turned into wisps of green smoke under the burning flames, rising straight into the sky.

Li Shimin's voice gradually became higher along with the smoke.

In this edict, he recorded his life's achievements.

From the founding of the Tang Dynasty to the enthronement of Emperor Zhenguan.

He still mentioned Xuanwu Gate in passing as usual.

After that, he destroyed the Eastern Turks, Tuyuhun, Gaochang, recovered Liaodong, governed the country well, the population grew, the treasury was abundant, and the four barbarians submitted to him.

Even the upper and lower levels gave him the title of Heavenly Khan.

Li Shimin told God all about his life's achievements that he could, using the height of Mount Song.

However, he really believed that what he could do to achieve the status of a celestial being was to abdicate voluntarily and hand over the throne to the crown prince when he was old.

This is what he is most satisfied and proud of.

The Crown Prince is sincere and filial.

After he ascended the throne, a Fengshan ceremony was held for him as the emperor.

This seems a bit ridiculous.

Since ancient times, there has never been an emperor who held a Fengshan ceremony for the retired emperor.

But, he is Li Shimin.

He, Li Shimin, was qualified to be enthroned.

The newly enthroned emperor Li Chengqian had no objection and even actively promoted it.

All the officials in the world and the barbarians in all directions had no objection.

Even everyone felt it was very suitable.

This is how the Fengshan ceremony of today came about.

Fengshan.

Feng, offering sacrifice to heaven.

At the top of Mount Song, sacrifices were offered to Haotian and the Emperor, with Emperor Gaozu Li Yuan as the co-offering, Emperor Retired Li Shimin presiding over the offering, Emperor Li Chengqian making the second offering, and other court officials and kings making the final offering.

Wearing a crown and a black dragon robe, Li Shimin read the sacrificial speech sentence by sentence. After saying the last sentence "a grand feast", he breathed a sigh of relief.

Turning sideways, Li Shimin looked at Li Daozon beside him.

Minister of Rites Li Daozon stepped forward and sealed the jade book the size of a round plate placed in front of the emperor into the altar.

Finally, Li Shimin inserted the tall incense stick in his hand into the incense burner.

Then the smoke dissipated.

The ceremony is completed.

In other words, the part about him has ended in this Fengshan ceremony.

Tomorrow, at the foot of Mount Song, sacrifices will be offered to Hou Tu and Shennong, with Empress Taimu Dou as the co-offering, and Princess Tongan presiding over the offering ceremony. The Empress will be the second offering, and the queen consorts of the kings and princesses will be the final offering.

This is the matter of the Queen, the princesses and the princesses.

The day after tomorrow, an imperial decree will be issued to erect three steles at the Chaojin Altar, namely "Dengfeng", "Jiangchan" and "Chaojin", and the Fengsi Altar will be called "Wuhetai", the Dengfeng Altar will be called "Wansuitai" and the Jiangchan Altar will be called "Jingyuntai".

These are the affairs of Emperor Li Chengqian.

……

Li Shimin walked down from the Dengfeng Terrace with steady steps.

Li Chengqian and Li Daozon followed behind.

Lu Dongzan stood in the center of countless foreign envoys and chiefs, and his teeth almost broke when he saw this scene.

The news that had come out from various sources before basically confirmed that the retired emperor Li Shimin had become paralyzed.

In this way, when the retired emperor was offering sacrifices to the gods at Mount Song, he had to be carried to the top of the mountain by the emperor.

This is somewhat unethical.

But the last Fengshan ceremony was several hundred years ago, and no one knows the etiquette involved.

Moreover, the emperor carried the retired emperor on his back to perform the Fengshan ceremony, which was a great filial piety!
The most important thing is that he is Li Shimin!
Tian Khan, no matter what you do, no one will think it is inappropriate.

Only then did Lu Dongzan come up with his next plan.

But when the emperor arrived at the foot of Mount Song, he actually walked out of the imperial carriage.

He wore a white jade crown and a black dragon robe, then climbed up Mount Song with a calm face.

All courtesy.

The emperor, the retired emperor, and the emperor successively stepped over the trap.

Even Lu Dongzan is the same.

Their traps are made with great care, and they will not break unless one person carries another person on their back and steps on the trap with one foot.

At other times, even if three or four people stepped on it at the same time, the trap would not break.

Only in this way could they avoid the rounds of inspections before the Fengshan ceremony, but...

The Supreme Emperor, Li Shimin.

His body actually recovered.

From the foot of Mount Song, walk step by step to the top of Mount Song.

All is well.

When did he recover?
How did he get better?

Why, after you've recovered, do you still pretend like you can't move at all?

Trap, all of this is a trap.

Although Lu Dongzan understood this, he had to accompany his son, the emperor and the retired emperor to the top of Mount Song to offer sacrifices to Haotian.

Lu Dongzan cried out in great pain in his heart.

The Tang Dynasty with Li Shimin was different from the Tang Dynasty without Li Shimin. As long as he was still there, the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty could display extraordinary combat effectiveness.

Not to mention, this time they kept the news of Li Shimin's improved health a secret, with only one purpose, which was to lure others into the trap.

Who?
Aren’t they the ones?

Although the Tang Dynasty had made some preparations on the western border, Lu Dongzan was certain that Li Chengqian was only trying to scare them and was not prepared for an all-out war at all.

Therefore, Lu Dongzan suggested to Songtsen that they should take advantage of this opportunity to take a big bite out of the Tang Dynasty.

But he didn't expect that the emperor's health would recover.

If the retired emperor were no longer around and the emperor were in power, the soldiers in the army would inevitably have doubts and dissatisfaction.

As the armies marched, there was a lack of communication and even conflicts between them.

You retreat, I advance; you advance, I retreat.

There are too many loopholes to exploit here.

But as long as the emperor is still alive, even if he does not go to the army in person, as long as the news of his safety reaches the army, the combat effectiveness of the soldiers will immediately increase by 30% out of thin air.

Lu Dongzan could even imagine what kind of situation he would face if the Zamp led his army down the plateau.

No, there is still time, there is still time...

As long as the news is notified to the army in time, they still have a chance.

After returning, spread the news immediately.

……

Li Shimin, wearing a black dragon robe and a crown on his head, walked down the altar calmly. The further he went down, the more relaxed his expression became.

The moment Li Shimin completely stepped down from the altar, countless ministers, both internal and external, all bowed in unison: "Saint!"

Li Shimin smiled lightly, looked at his ministers, and said casually, "My lords, I ascended the throne in the early years of the Zhenguan era. Twenty-two years have passed since then. I have done all I can to maintain peace and order, and the people at home and abroad have submitted to me. The barbarians have honored me with the title of 'Heavenly Khan'. I am deeply grateful, but today, I have accomplished everything I should have done."

Changsun Wuji stood below, feeling inexplicably sad and his eyes were filled with tears.

"My era is over." Li Shimin smiled calmly, looking at the dense crowd of ministers descending from the top of the mountain, he nodded slightly and said: "From today on, everything is the emperor's era.

In the future, I will recuperate in the harem.

Treat your grandchildren with pleasure and support them till old age.

If you want to talk to me about the past, I have prepared fine wine and delicious food and you are most welcome. But if you have matters concerning the court, please do not come to me.

Go find the emperor, and from now on the world will be his."

The eyes of the ministers present could not help but follow Li Shimin's voice and look at Li Chengqian, who was standing behind Li Shimin in a red and yellow python robe.

With a "thump", Changsun Wuji, who was at the front of the ministers, suddenly knelt down.

Under the astonished gazes of the crowd, Changsun Wuji kowtowed with a choked voice and said, "Your Highness, I obey your command. May your Majesty live forever."

All the ministers immediately knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "We obey your command. May the saint live forever."

"Okay, let's stop here. When there is a big banquet in the future, I will come to drink with you all." Li Shimin smiled, waved his hand, and strode down the mountain.

The ministers who had been kneeling on the ground immediately made way for him. As Li Shimin walked through them, they kowtowed deeply again and shouted at the top of their voices: "Your Highness, we bow to you. May you live forever. May you live forever. May you live forever..."

Lu Dongzan knelt on the ground, trembling all over.

Now, he finally understood the true purpose of this Fengshan ceremony.

The Supreme Emperor, the Heavenly Khan.

He was using a Fengshan ceremony to bid farewell to heaven and earth, to the officials, and to everyone in the world.

From the end of the Sui Dynasty, to the founding of the Tang Dynasty, to the Xuanwu Gate, to the prosperous Zhenguan period, to today.

Emperor Taizong Li Shimin, his duties between heaven and earth have come to an end.

From now on, the emperor, Li Chengqian, will take over the duties of the emperor emeritus and be responsible for the entire world.

At this moment, power completed its final transition.

……

In the cold winter wind, Li Chengqian calmly stepped forward and said calmly, "My lords, after the Fengshan ceremony, my father and I will both bestow rewards upon you."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The ministers kowtowed again.

"Please stand up." Li Chengqian raised his hand slightly, and Fang Xuanling, Changsun Wuji and others stood up.

"Also, on the first day of March next year, I will appoint my eldest son, Li Xiang, as Crown Prince." Li Chengqian looked at the ministers and foreign envoys and said, "If you are not in a hurry, you can stay in Chang'an to watch the ceremony."

"We obey your orders." All the ministers bowed in unison.

"Finally." Li Chengqian's eyes suddenly grew cold. Standing on the summit of Mount Song, he spoke in a stern voice, "My lords, my father has been on the throne for twenty-two years, ruling the empire during the Zhenguan era and offering sacrifices to Heaven. Today, under the watchful eyes of Heaven and the gods, I give you my final warning."

"We listen attentively to the Holy Instructions!" The expressions of the ministers suddenly became solemn.

"I assume this new position with the unwavering commitment to upholding the great policies of the Zhenguan era and extending its prosperity." Li Chengqian's words set the tone for his ascension to the throne, and he continued, "This great responsibility for the nation was entrusted to me by my father, and to you, the ministers. Therefore, I will strive to do my utmost, and you, the ministers, must do the same."

"Yes!" The ministers bowed.

"In the future, if you have any suggestions, you can submit them to the official residence of the Zhongshu Tongshi Sheren, and then the Zhongshu Province will submit them to me."

"Yes!" The ministers continued to bow.

"I will listen to anything that benefits the country, anything that benefits the country." Li Chengqian raised his head and said in a cold voice, "But any official who speaks ill of the country, acts ineffectively, or endangers the continuation of the Zhenguan era of prosperity will be severely punished by me. If you are caught doing this, don't blame me for not warning you."

"Yes!" The ministers bowed solemnly.

"Okay, stand up." Li Chengqian raised his head slightly.

The ministers immediately kowtowed and said, "We will remember your Majesty's teachings!"

Watching the ministers rise, Li Chengqian's gaze fell on the various vassal states in the rear, and he continued, "My father once issued a sacred instruction: Anyone, whether internal or external, who dares to raise an army will be executed!"

"cut!"

"cut!"

"cut!"

On Mount Song, countless Jinwu Guards in red clothes and golden armor immediately raised their long spears and smashed them heavily on the ground.

While shouting "Kill", his cold gaze fell on the neck of every foreign envoy present, even the king.

Everyone felt a chill in an instant.

It seemed as if the emperor would order them to be beheaded in the next moment.

Especially Lu Dongzan, he didn't even dare to look up, because he knew that the emperor's eyes must be staring at him at this moment.

The same was true for Helu standing behind him. They understood that the new emperor of the Tang Dynasty was a ruthless character.

Everyone bowed heavily and trembled continuously.

(End of this chapter)