Chương 682: Taking the Character

When Li Jing gave the bonus to the fourth prince Liu Yong, he was even more satisfied: "You did well on your military academy graduation exam, kid. Do a good job when you get to the war zone."

The fourth prince chuckled and gave a standard military salute:

"Mission accomplished!"

When adding the fifth prince's name, Li Jing softened his tone and said, "You have a steady temperament. Managing the rear's provisions in the future will be a great achievement."

Liu Yan bowed and said, "Thank you, Uncle Li."

After the second round of training was completed, the five princes put on their military caps, which made them look even more heroic and like young generals. The generals below nodded frequently: "Good lads, you're all doing a great job!"

The "San Jia Jue Bian" (三加爵弁), also known as the sacrificial cap, signifies that one is now a true adult and can participate in ancestral temple sacrifices.

This time, Liu Ce personally took charge.

Liu Ce, dressed in a black dragon robe, slowly walked down the steps, took the caps from the eunuch, and then crowned his five sons one by one.

Approaching Crown Prince Liu Chen, Liu Ce looked at his composed eldest son with a solemn expression and delivered a weighty blessing: "May you be granted the title of Crown Prince, bearing the weight of the ancestral temple. Hold fast to sincerity, uphold integrity and righteousness, be a pioneer for the world, and do not fail the position of heir apparent."

Liu Chen bowed: "Your subject will remember your father's teachings."

Liu Ce nodded slightly... The eldest brother is steady and reliable, just like a crown prince. He can rest assured that the country will be handed over to him in the future.

Approaching the Second Prince Liu Heng, Liu Ce smiled and said, "Jiaer, you are the foundation of commerce. Hengyu, you are virtuous and acquire wealth ethically. Do not be greedy for small gains, and do not forget the people's livelihood. Making money is a skill, but winning people's hearts is the real skill."

The second prince nodded and said, "Your subject will remember. I will never make money dishonestly, and I will never hold the Han Dynasty back."

"Yes, I believe you."

When Liu Ce walked up to the Third Prince Liu Yao, he patted his arm.

"This kid has grown taller again. He's almost as tall as me now."

"Lord Garrison, your achievements on the battlefield are glorious. Upright and decisive, you have expanded our territory and protected our great Han Dynasty. Remember, when a general is in the field, he may disobey orders, but the lives of the people are more important than anything else."

The Third Prince straightened his back and declared in a loud voice, "Your subject remembers! We will never allow a single commoner to be bullied by foreign tribes!"

Approaching the Fourth Prince Liu Yong, Liu Ce's eyes held expectation: "Jiaer, you possess the qualities of a general. You are broad-minded, skilled in military administration, lenient yet disciplined, strict yet not harsh. Fighting a war isn't just about brute force; using your brain is more important than your fists."

The fourth prince nodded solemnly: "Your subject understands! From now on, I will study more, use my brain more, and not be a reckless fool!"

Approaching the Fifth Prince Liu Yan, Liu Ce's tone softened: "Jiaer, guard your heart of peace. Be righteous, composed, and self-disciplined, neither competitive nor impetuous, and do your duty well. The peace of the world cannot exist without people like you who work diligently and conscientiously."

The Fifth Prince bowed slightly: "Your subject will remember this. I will certainly encourage agriculture and sericulture, ensure the well-being of the people, and live up to Your Majesty's expectations."

With the three additions completed, the ceremony is finished.

The eunuchs brought out the sweet wine, and each of the five princes took a cup, raised it above their heads to pay homage to heaven and earth, to their ancestors, and to their father, the emperor, before drinking it all in one gulp.

The wine was sweet, and as it went down my throat, it warmed my heart.

Next came the selection of characters, which were read aloud by Cai Yong: Crown Prince Liu Chen, courtesy name Zicheng, was sincere in his heart and upheld integrity and righteousness.

The second prince, Liu Heng, courtesy name Zizhang. His name signifies virtue and integrity.

The third prince, Liu Yao, courtesy name Zizhao, was bright and radiant, and his achievements were remarkable.

The fourth prince, Liu Yong, courtesy name Zihe, possessed a magnanimous and righteous spirit, dedicated to bringing peace and stability to the country.

The fifth prince, Liu Yan, courtesy name Zining, was calm and serene, with a clear and tranquil mind.

The five princes bowed in gratitude and silently recited their names several times.

The Third Prince muttered to himself: Zizhao, not bad...

The fourth prince was quite satisfied: "Zihe, very good. From now on, when leading troops, you must be gentle and amiable..."

The Fifth Prince smiled: "Zining, just what I wanted. A peaceful and stable life is better than anything else. Farming, growing flowers, and reading books—how wonderful."

At the end of the coming-of-age ceremony, Liu Ce bestowed gifts according to each person's preferences: The emperor bestowed upon Crown Prince Liu Chen a sword and a box of ancient books, granting him special permission to assist in government affairs and begin to engage in court politics.

The emperor bestowed upon the second prince, Liu Heng, a "Great Han Trademark" imperial merchant seal, the first batch of merchant ship operation rights, and an initial investment of over 100 million coins—enough for him to squander.

The emperor bestowed upon the third prince, Liu Yao, a precious sword called "Breaking the Formation" and a finely crafted composite bow, granting him permission to go to the border in the spring. He finally got his wish.

The emperor bestowed upon the fourth prince, Liu Yong, a new-style flintlock musket, an artillery trainee seal, and permission to report to the Central Theater Command, proving that his military academy education had not been in vain.

The emperor bestowed upon the fifth prince, Liu Yan, a unique copy of an agricultural science book, a thousand acres of experimental fields, and permission to establish a dedicated workshop at the agricultural college to carry out his breeding and selection work.

The five princes bowed in gratitude, holding the rewards in their hands, their hearts filled with warmth.

The banquet was held in a side hall of the Imperial Ancestral Temple, which was not as solemn and lively as the court.

The five princes, each holding a wine cup, came together to Liu Ce to offer him a toast.

Crown Prince Liu Chen spoke first, his tone solemn: "Father, I have grown up. From now on, I will do my utmost to assist you, share the burdens of the Han Dynasty, and never let you down."

The Second Prince, Liu Heng, added, "Father, rest assured, I will definitely handle the Great Han Railway project well. Half of the profits will go to the imperial treasury, and the other half will be invested in the railway. There will absolutely be no losses! If there are any losses, I'll go and tighten screws!"

The Third Prince, Liu Yao, spoke in a loud voice: "Father, your son will train the troops diligently, and in the future, we will subdue all the western barbarians, expand our territory by thousands of miles, and bring glory to you! We will let them see the might of the Han cavalry!"

The Fourth Prince, Liu Yong, chuckled, "Father, once I'm in the army camp, I'll definitely work hard and strive to become a general as soon as possible, leading troops on the western expedition!"

The Fifth Prince Liu Yan said gently, "Father, I will study agricultural books carefully and cultivate more high-yield crops."

Liu Ce was amused by these young men and raised his wine cup to clink with theirs:

"Alright, my five sons have all grown up. Drink this cup, then go your separate ways. Don't let your wild adventures make you forget your home, and don't make me wait until I'm old."

"Your subjects obey!" The five youths tilted their heads back and drank the wine in one gulp, their eyes full of high spirits.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, falling brightly on their young faces.

On the other side, at the concubines' table, it was a completely different scene.

Consort Zhang Ning wiped her eyes with a handkerchief, watching the Third Prince's retreating figure, and sighed:

"Back then, this kid fell in the hunting grounds and got covered in mud, looking like a mud monkey. Now he's twenty years old and about to go to the border regions. Time really flies."

Empress Cai Yan calmly placed a piece of pastry into her bowl, then slowly added, "Back then, you even left him with the wet nurse while you secretly went to the night market, bought three strings of candied hawthorns and two pounds of candied fruit, and then lied to the child that it was medicine. Now you're acting all sentimental."

Zhang Ning blushed and retorted, "That's because we're young! Besides, how can you be so disrespectful!"

The surrounding concubines all laughed.