Chương 490: Ascending the Throne and Becoming Emperor

The garment is embroidered with twelve symbols: the sun, moon, stars, mountains, dragons, pheasants, sacrificial vessels, waterweed, fire, millet grains, axe, and embroidered axe. Each symbol is embroidered with gold thread, shimmering in the firelight. Each pattern has a specific meaning—the sun, moon, and stars represent illuminating the world; the mountains represent stability; the dragon represents change; the pheasant represents literary talent...

He wore a twelve-tassel crown with twelve strings of white jade beads hanging from the front and back, twelve beads in each string, totaling two hundred and eighty-eight beads. Each bead was made of top-quality Hetian white jade and was polished to a smooth and round shape.

His footsteps swayed gently, making soft clattering sounds, obscuring most of his face except for his strong jawline.

Tai Chang stepped forward to lead the way, and Liu Ce climbed the steps to ascend the altar.

His steps were not fast, but exceptionally firm. Each step he took made a crisp sound on the bluestone slabs, like the beating of a heart.

All eyes below the altar followed his figure, holding their breath and not daring to slack off in the slightest.

He ascended the seventy-two white marble steps one by one, followed by his core group: 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, Shen Wansan, Xu Da, Xue Rengui, Li Jing, Li Ji, Su Dingfang, Yue Fei, Qi Jiguang, Xu Chu, Yuchi Gong, Yuwen Chengdu, Lü Bu, Zhang Liao, and others.

Fang Xuanling held a blue jade disc (a special jade disc used for sacrificial rites to Heaven), while Du Ruhui presented a bundle of silk. The two walked steadily, one on the left and one on the right.

The generals stood in rows on the left and right, each one fully armored and imposing.

As Liu Ce stood at the highest point of the Circular Mound Altar, the eastern sky was just beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn.

The sun hadn't risen yet, but the horizon was already beginning to brighten, like a traditional Chinese ink painting, with layers of color blending from dark to light.

"Welcome the gods!" The Grand Master of Ceremonies shouted, his voice piercing through the morning mist and echoing throughout the entire altar.

Liu Ce slowly knelt down and bowed to the divine tablet of the Jade Emperor.

His movements were solemn and slow, with his forehead touching the ground with each bow, pausing for three breaths.

The master of ceremonies kept track of the time precisely, down to the minute and second.

At that moment, 30, 000 soldiers and hundreds of officials knelt down simultaneously, and the only sounds in the world were the wind and the fluttering of banners.

The sound of 30, 000 pieces of armor clashing together was dull and rhythmic, like distant thunder.

As Liu Ce pressed his forehead against the cold, white marble, countless images seemed to flash through his mind: He traveled back to Hejian County in Jizhou during the late Eastern Han Dynasty... At that time, he was thinking about how to survive in this chaotic world.

I went to Luoyang to buy an official position... It cost a lot of money... But it was worth it. Without that position, none of this would have happened.

The suppression of the Yellow Turban Rebellion... Eight hundred Xuanjia Iron Cavalry charged into a hundred thousand Yellow Turbans; I will never forget that scene.

Blood splattered all over his face, but he had only one thought in his mind: kill!

He destroyed the Wuhuan and Goguryeo, defeated the Xianbei, and pacified the northern frontier... He sealed the wolf's lair and drank from the vast sea. These were things that no one had accomplished in the centuries since Huo Qubing.

He did it.

He led his army south to unify the country... He destroyed Dong Zhuo, pacified the warlords, took Jingzhou, pacified Yizhou, seized Jiaozhou, and finally captured Yangzhou. He fought battle after battle and endured year after year.

Scene after scene flashed before my eyes like a revolving lantern.

"Offering tribute and gifts!"

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui stepped forward and respectfully placed the blue jade and black silk ribbons in front of the altar.

Fang Xuanling's hands trembled slightly, whether from nervousness or excitement, but he steadily placed the Cangbi in the designated position without making the slightest mistake.

The Cangbi is round, symbolizing the heavens, and is carved from the finest Hetian jade, making it warm, smooth, and translucent.

The bundles of silk were black silk, symbolically arranged in neat rolls.

Liu Ce kowtowed again, his voice steady and clear, echoing throughout the entire altar:

"Your subject Liu Ce dares to solemnly announce to the Supreme God of Heaven and the God of Earth:"... In the past, Dong Zhuo's tyranny led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty, the rise of numerous warlords, and widespread suffering... As a member of the Han imperial family, I raised an army in Zhuojun. By the grace of Heaven and Earth, the protection of our ancestors, the bravery of our soldiers, and the loyalty of the people, we swept away the warlords and unified the nine provinces after two years...

Today, my destiny rests in my hands, and I dare to ascend the throne. I am willing to dedicate myself to the country, to protect the people of my great Han Dynasty, so that the elderly may die peacefully, the strong may be employed, and the young may grow up healthily.

May I be struck down by heaven and earth if I break this oath!

"Bring it to the feast!"

The sacrificial offerings were carried onto the altar, with the ox, sheep, and pig intact as before, the ox's head in the center, the sheep on the left, and the pig on the right.

The offerings were carefully selected: the cows were pure black, the sheep were pure white, and the pigs were pure red, without a single stray hair.

Each offering had a red ribbon tied around its head, which fluttered gently in the wind.

Liu Ce personally held the wine cup and performed the first offering ceremony.

He held the jade goblet in both hands and slowly poured the wine onto the altar. The wine splashed on the bluestone slab, making a soft sound.

The Grand Master of Ceremonies unfolded the prayer inscribed on bamboo slips with cinnabar and read it aloud, each word seemingly carrying the will of Heaven:

"... Your subject Liu Ce, the successor to the throne, dares to solemnly proclaim to the Supreme God of Heaven: Heaven has ordained the people to be its ruler and teacher. I, with my meager virtue, have received Heaven's mandate to govern all lands. Day and night I am filled with utmost reverence, never daring to rest in peace. I respectfully offer jade, silk, sacrifices, and all manner of delicacies in this offering, with sincere devotion. May you accept this offering!"

The second offering was presided over by Fang Xuanling, and the final offering was presided over by Xun Yu. Every step was strictly carried out in accordance with the "Han Ritual" and no mistakes were allowed.

The two men moved in exactly the same way, even raising their cups to the same height, clearly indicating that they had practiced countless times.

As the ceremony of drinking the blessed wine and receiving the sacrificial meat was completed, a red sun suddenly leaped over the horizon, and golden sunlight instantly filled the entire Circular Mound Altar, shining on Liu Ce's crown. The twelve strings of jade beads refracted thousands of golden rays, enveloping his entire body in a splendid light, so dazzling that it was impossible to open one's eyes.

Tens of thousands of soldiers below the altar simultaneously raised their arms and shouted, "Long live the Han Dynasty! Long live His Majesty!"

The sound waves rolled across the earth like thunder, causing the ground beneath their feet to tremble slightly.

The voices of tens of thousands of people combined were louder than thunder and carried for dozens of miles.

"Burning—!"

A raging fire was set ablaze, and prayers, jade and silk offerings, along with other sacrificial items, were thrown into the flames, sending wisps of smoke rising straight into the sky.

Flames licked at the offerings, crackling and sparks flying, and waves of heat washed over us.

Everyone looked up at the sky, as if they could really see the heavens nodding in approval.

Some people were crying, some were laughing, and some were kneeling on the ground praying silently.

The wisp of smoke rose higher and higher, farther and farther, until it finally disappeared into the clouds.

...

Hundreds of thousands of people lined the streets to welcome them.

The main streets of Luoyang were packed with people, making it impossible to move.

Some people climbed onto the rooftops, some climbed to the treetops, and some carried their children on their shoulders, all just to catch a glimpse of the new emperor.

Some people waved colorful flags, some held flowers, and some beat drums and gongs...