Chương 482: Please, Your Highness, ascend the throne and become Emperor!

"That's not all! There are still many people on the way!" Lu Bing rubbed his hands excitedly.

"Many people from Youzhou, Jizhou, and Bingzhou have come with their entire families, just to request your ascension to the throne!"

Liu Ce took a deep breath, patted the mud off his hands, and said to the personal guard beside him:

"Pass down the order! All civil and military officials, assemble immediately at the entrance of the Prince's residence, and follow me to the south city wall!"

"promise!"

Soon, Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Xun Yu, Guo Jia, Xi Zhicai, Xun You, Jia Xu, Dian Wei, Zhao Yun, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin... all the civil and military officials gathered at the gate of the Prince's Mansion.

Cheng Yaojin wrung his hands anxiously, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Ah! We've finally waited for this day! Let's go, let's go see! I, old Cheng, have never seen so many people in my entire life!"

Dian Wei grinned and said, "Brother, listen to this! Over 300, 000 people! That's more than when we fought our first battle!"

Zhang Fei chimed in, "Brother! Hurry up! The people are waiting!"

Guo Jia, fanning himself with a feather fan, smiled and said, "The will of the people is ours, and the mandate of Heaven is ours. Your ascension to the throne is truly legitimate. Those pedantic scholars say you're too ruthless, but look at the people outside the city—who doesn't support you?"

Other civil and military officials also spoke up...

Liu Ce mounted his horse and waved his hand, "Let's go!"

The group followed Liu Ce, riding at full speed, and arrived at the city wall of the southern part of Luoyang.

When they climbed the city wall and saw the scene outside, everyone was stunned. They opened their mouths wide and couldn't say a word for a long time.

On the open ground outside the city, more than 300, 000 people were densely packed together, stretching from the foot of the city wall all the way to the horizon, with no end in sight.

The crowds were enormous, and the noise was deafening; the scene was a hundred times more lively than a market during Chinese New Year.

Tens of thousands of white cloths fluttered in the wind, like a rolling white ocean.

The white cloth was covered with words and handprints, so densely packed that it was dazzling to look at.

Cheers and shouts rose and fell, shaking the city walls slightly.

Cheng Yaojin's mouth gaped open, unable to close it for a long time: "My goodness... how many people are there?"

Zhang Fei was also stunned: "I've fought so many battles, and I've never seen such a magnificent scene!"

Dian Wei murmured, "Brother, has everyone in the world come?"

Xu Chu silently counted, then gave up: "I can't count them all, I simply can't count them all."

Guo Jia stopped waving his feather fan, his eyes gleaming: "The will of the people is nothing more than this."

"His Highness the Prince of Yan has emerged!"

Someone shouted, and the more than 300, 000 people instantly fell silent, raising their heads in unison to look at the figure in ordinary clothes on the city wall.

next second...

With a thud, more than 300, 000 people, regardless of age or gender, all knelt down!

The scene was so spectacular it brought tears to my eyes.

"Please, Your Highness Prince Yan, ascend the throne and become Emperor!"

"Please, Your Highness Prince Yan, ascend the throne and become Emperor!"

"Please, Your Highness Prince Yan, ascend the throne and become Emperor!"

The sound grew louder and louder, spreading throughout the entire city of Luoyang, and reaching the surrounding mountains and rivers. Even the clouds in the sky seemed to be shaken apart.

The civil and military officials on the city wall were deeply moved as they looked at the hundreds of thousands of people kneeling below.

Some had red eyes, some secretly wiped away tears, and some were so excited that they trembled all over.

Fang Xuanling was the first to kneel down, bowed deeply to Liu Ce, and said in a choked voice:

"My lord! The people's hearts are with you, and Heaven's will is with you! We beseech you to ascend the throne and become emperor, to bring peace and stability to the land!"

"Please, my lord, ascend the throne and become emperor!"

Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Xun Yu, Guo Jia, Xi Zhicai, Xun You, Jia Xu, Tian Feng, Ju Shou, Shen Pei, Chen Gong, Xu Shu, Cheng Yu, Dian Wei, Zhao Yun, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin, Xu Da, Xue Rengui, Li Jing, Li Ji, Su Dingfang, Yue Fei, Qi Jiguang, Cai Yong, Zhen Yi, Zhen Yao, Zhen Yan, Shen Wansan, Xu Chu, Yuchi Gong, Luo Cheng, Yuwen Chengdu, Lü Bu, Zhang Liao, Gao Shun, Huang Zhong, Yan Liang, Wen Chou, Zhang He, Yu Jin, Taishi Ci, Gao Lan, Xu Huang, Qu Yi, Zhou Cang, Pei Yuanshao, Gan Ning, Cheng Pu, Gongsun Zan, Han Dang, Tian Chou, Tian Yu...

all the civil and military officials knelt down in unison, their voices deafening.

Standing on the city wall, Liu Ce looked at the hundreds of thousands of people kneeling below, at their sincere faces, and at the white cloths covered with names. His eyes welled up with tears.

He took a deep breath and shouted, "Folks! Get up! Get up quickly! The ground is cold!"

But not a single one of the people below stood up.

The old man from Zhuo County, leaning on his cane, shouted loudly, "Your Highness, Prince Yan! If you don't agree to ascend the throne, we will never get up! We will kneel here until you agree!"

"Yes! We won't get up until you agree to the ascension to the throne!"

More than 300, 000 people shouted in unison, their voices so firm and resonant that it made people's ears ring.

Liu Ce looked at them, smiled helplessly, took a deep breath, and made sure his voice carried throughout every corner:

"Fellow villagers! I, Liu Ce, am just an 'ordinary' member of the Han imperial family. Two years ago, I raised an army in Zhuo County simply because I could not stand Dong Zhuo's chaos in the court and the people's displacement."

"I never thought about becoming an emperor. I just wanted all the people in the world to have enough to eat, warm clothes to wear, and to live a peaceful life."

His voice grew louder and more agitated:

"But today, seeing so many of you who have traveled thousands of miles to Luoyang, kneeling outside the city walls, pleading with me to ascend the throne, I know this is not just my wish, but the wish of all the people under heaven!"

"You trust me, entrusting the world and your own lives to me. This trust is too heavy a burden; I, Liu Ce, dare not betray it!"

Liu Ce suddenly swung his arm, his voice resounding through the sky:

"Since you all want me to be the emperor so much, then I, Liu Ce, will agree!"

I hereby declare: On the first day of the Lunar New Year next year, I, Liu Ce, will officially ascend the throne and become Emperor!

From this day forward, I, Liu Ce, assure the people of the world: I will ensure that everyone has land to cultivate, food to eat, and clothing to wear! I will ensure that the banner of the Han Dynasty flies over every corner of the land! I will ensure that this chaotic world will never be repeated!

"Long live! Long live! Long live!"

"Long live His Highness the Prince of Yan! Long live His Majesty! Long live the Han Dynasty!"

"Peace reigns! We're living good days!"