Chương 247: The Ceremony of Conferring the Title of King

Liu Yu held a wine cup and presented Liu Ce with sweet wine.

After Liu Ce finished drinking, the Imperial Clan Minister announced loudly: "Today, Ce has come of age and is now a fully grown man, entitled to inherit the ancestral rites, enter officialdom, and govern the people. All of you bear witness to this!"

All the members of the royal family rose and bowed, saying, "Lord Hebolue is coming of age!!!"

Liu Ce stood in the center and returned the greeting.

The capping ceremony is now complete.

Liu Ce changed into his official robes and black cap at the Imperial Clan Court, and the child clothes he took off were stored there—this was the custom, signifying that childhood was over and adulthood was beginning.

When he came out wearing the official robes and cap, the old men of the imperial clan all nodded in approval.

"Hmm, it's starting to look quite good."

"He's acting like a member of the royal family now."

"From now on, you'll be an adult..."

Liu Ce thought to himself: I'm an adult, okay?! Having lived two lives, my mental age is over forty!

But you still have to keep smiling.

After the coming-of-age ceremony, the main event—the investiture ceremony—began.

...

After the coming-of-age ceremony, Liu Ce had no time to rest.

Three hundred Imperial Guards led the way, holding halberds and lining both sides of the main street from the Imperial Clan Court to the Vermilion Bird Palace in the north.

Liu Ce rode in a royal carriage, accompanied by Liu Yu, the head of the imperial clan, while the princes of the Han dynasty followed in carriages of lesser order.

The grand convoy headed towards the palace.

The streets of Suzaku were lined with people, cheering loudly.

"Prince Yan!!! Prince Yan!!!"

Liu Ce lifted the carriage curtain and peeked inside, secretly pleased: This spectacle is even more exciting than a modern celebrity concert! From now on, I'll be the top star of the Eastern Han Dynasty!

The carriage moved slowly, and people along the way knelt down in worship.

Looking at the scene, Liu Ce thought to himself: Power, ah, what a wonderful thing. No wonder so many people are fighting tooth and nail for it.

But then I thought about it again. I earned this power through fighting and through real military achievements, unlike those who relied on their birth or scheming.

Thinking about it this way, I straightened my back even more.

Upon arriving at the Sima Gate of the North Palace, all the officials bowed to greet them.

Upon seeing the carriage arrive, they all bowed in unison to greet it:

"Welcome, Prince Yan!!!"

Liu Ce alighted from the carriage, nodded in return, and then, surrounded by a group of officials, entered the North Palace.

Then they walked into the palace—this was the custom, a sign of respect for imperial authority.

The Chongde Hall was solemn and dignified.

Liu Hong sat on his throne, dressed in a ceremonial robe with twelve symbols and wearing a crown that reached the heavens. He squinted at Liu Ce as he walked in, his eyes looking at him as if he were looking at a treasure.

The officials lined up according to their rank, with civil officials on the east and military officials on the west, standing in neat rows.

The princes of the royal family sat in specially designated seats on the left, each one sitting upright and solemnly.

Liu Ce walked to the center of the hall and knelt down.

"Your subject, Liu Ce, pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

Liu Hong cleared his throat and began to explain (the reason for bestowing the title of Prince): "I have heard that the imperial relatives are bound to the Han dynasty; meritorious officials are rewarded by the state. Ce, a descendant of the Prince of Changsha, was young and valiant. He defeated the Yellow Turbans... pacified the Wuhuan, destroyed Goguryeo, attacked the Xianbei, sealed the Wolf Mountain, and drank from the vast sea.

His achievements surpassed those of his time, and his virtue matched that of Heaven and Earth."

Liu Hong listed Liu Ce's achievements one by one, and with each one he mentioned, the expressions of the officials below changed—so many achievements piled up together were indeed frightening.

He paused, then continued, "Now that Ce has come of age and is of legal standing, he should be granted a fief to honor his achievements, reward his hard work, and encourage future generations. My mind is made up; I hereby enfeoff him as the King of Yan, with a fief of 20, 000 households, a hereditary title, and he will remain stationed in Youzhou, overseeing the military affairs of the three provinces, and assisting the Han Dynasty!"

He surveyed the assembled officials and said, "If there is no objection, announce the decree!"

The officials shouted in unison, "Your Majesty is wise!"

Liu Ce was overjoyed, but he had to remain serious on the surface. He kowtowed and thanked Your Majesty, saying, "Your subject Ce thanks Your Majesty for your great favor. I will surely serve the Han Dynasty to the death, defend the land and protect the people, and live up to Your Majesty's high expectations!"

The Minister of the Imperial Secretariat stepped forward, holding the edict, and began to read aloud:

"In the third year of the Zhongping era of the Han Dynasty, the year of Bingwu, on an auspicious day in the Chen month, the Emperor issued an edict: Ce, a descendant of the King of Changsha, is a hero of the imperial clan and a pillar of the nation... He defeated the Xianbei in the north and sealed the wolf's lair; he pacified Goguryeo in the east and expanded the territory by a thousand miles... His achievements are unparalleled and his virtue matches heaven and earth...

Now that you have come of age, you are entitled to receive a fiefdom and are hereby enfeoffed as the King of Yan, with a fief of 20, 000 households, a hereditary title..."

The long string of flowery language made Liu Ce dizzy.

But he had to listen carefully—this was the imperial edict bestowing the title of king, and every word concerned his legitimacy and power.

"... You shall guard Youzhou, pacify your people, strengthen your military preparedness, and maintain proper court etiquette. Do not fail my command, nor diminish the family tradition. You shall forever be a vassal state of Han, your lineage passed down through generations. Respectfully obey! This decree shall be obeyed as prescribed."

Finally, I finished reading it.

The officiant stepped forward with the edict, which Liu Ce accepted with both hands. He bowed to the north and said, "Your subject Ce thanks Your Majesty for your great favor! I dare not fail to swear to serve the Han dynasty to the death and defend the capital!"

"Bestow an official seal and ribbon!"

The Minister of the Imperial Secretariat personally stepped forward and tied the King of Yan's golden seal and red ribbon around Liu Ce's waist.

The seal was made of pure gold and was very heavy; the ribbon was red, symbolizing royalty.

"Give me land!"

The officiant presented a bag of soil wrapped in thatch—symbolizing a fiefdom. Although Liu Ce did not reside in the fiefdom and had no actual territory, the ceremony still had to be performed.

"Give me a bow and arrow!"

The officiant presents the bow and arrows, symbolizing the power of conquest.

"Is this a jade tablet?"

The officiant presents the jade tablet and jade vessel, symbolizing the right to perform sacrifices.

For each item he received, Liu Ce would kowtow once and say, "Your subject Ce thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness."

After going through the whole process, my knees were a little sore from kneeling.

Liu Ce touched the golden seal and felt reassured: With this thing, I am now the rightful King of Yan.

After all the procedures were completed, the Grand Secretary announced loudly, "Prince Yan Ce, the investiture ceremony is finished!!!"

Liu Ce rose, wearing his official seal and holding his edict, and ascended the steps of the palace from the seat of investiture to the throne, where he bowed again in reverence.

Liu Hong stood up, personally helped Liu Ce up, patted him on the shoulder and said, "Bo Lue, the future of the Han dynasty will depend on you greatly."

These words were spoken with great earnestness.

Liu Ce bowed and replied, "Your subject Ce will repay Your Majesty's kindness with his life and even his brains."

But in his heart he was thinking, "Don't worry, brother, I'll not only protect the Han Dynasty, but I'll also transform it into something even more awesome, bringing the Eastern Han Dynasty into the 'modern' era ahead of schedule! Steam engines, muskets, cannons... bring them all on board!"

Of course, this cannot be said.

The master of ceremonies announced, "All officials pay homage to the Prince of Yan!"

All the officials, members of the imperial family, and representatives of the governors bowed and kowtowed in the direction of Liu Ce, shouting in unison, "Your Highness Prince Yan! Your Highness Prince Yan! Your Highness Prince Yan!!!"

The sound was deep and resonant, echoing throughout the palace.

Outside the palace, the Imperial Guards and Tiger Warriors stood in a circle, their halberds clashing crisply. Spears and halberds formed a forest as they silently stood guard, their imposing presence resounding throughout the northern palace.

In Luoyang, shouts echoed from the palace walls to the streets and alleys. People stopped to listen, some clapping in celebration, others kneeling in prayer along the streets, the cries rising and falling in a continuous chorus.

"Prince Yan! Prince Yan! Prince Yan!!!"

The clamor swept through the nine cities, the streets and alleys were bustling with excitement, and for a time, the sound of celebration could be heard from every household in Luoyang. The whole city was filled with congratulations.

Standing on the throne, Liu Ce looked down at the dense crowd of kneeling worshippers below, feeling an immense sense of satisfaction.

From this day forward, Liu Ce, courtesy name Bolue, at the age of twenty, has come of age and is hereby enfeoffed as the King of Yan, with a fief of twenty thousand households. He is appointed to oversee the military affairs of the three provinces of You, Bing, and Ji, and is granted the authority to hold the imperial insignia, establish his own government, and be treated with the same rank as the Three Excellencies...

From this day forward, I am the Prince of Yan of the Great Han Dynasty, the guardian of the northern frontier, and...

The players who will shape future history.

In short: Absolutely awesome.

After the investiture ceremony, Liu Ce followed Liu Hong to the Imperial Ancestral Temple in the Northern Palace to offer sacrifices to Emperor Gaozu of Han and Emperor Guangwu of Han, among other former emperors.

This is the final procedure: to inform the ancestor that "the newly appointed Prince of Yan will assist the Han dynasty."

The Imperial Ancestral Temple was filled with the smoke of incense, creating a solemn and dignified atmosphere.

The ancestral tablets of the Liu emperors are arranged in order, from Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang to Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu, and then to the later emperors.

Liu Hong presided over the ceremony, with Liu Ce as his assistant.

After a series of elaborate sacrificial rites, Liu Ce, holding the document, walked to the front of the Ce Mansion in the ancestral temple—a place specifically for storing the documents.

He respectfully placed the document inside, then stepped back and bowed.

The conferment of the title of king symbolized the approval of the ancestors of the Han dynasty, and was legally and logically impeccable.

At this point, the entire process of being crowned king has been completed.