Chương 683: The Grand Ceremony of Conferment

Consort Zhen Jiang held a small abacus in her hand, which was used by the Second Prince when he was a child; the wood was worn smooth.

Her eyes were red-rimmed as she laughed and said, "This kid has been secretly going through my account books since he was little, and he's even better at it than the accountant. I used to think he was going to steal my family fortune when he grew up, but it turns out that His Majesty gave him the position of general manager, which is much bigger than my business."

Zhen Tuo nodded beside him, looking in the direction of the Fifth Prince with gentle eyes:

"Yan'er has always been quiet and didn't like to make a fuss. She just loved to sit in the yard and look at the flowers and plants. Now it's great that she can study agronomy and do what she likes."

Ren Hongchang looked at the Fourth Prince with a proud expression: "My Yong'er loves fighting; he'll definitely be a great general in the future!"

Cai Yan glanced at her: "Don't be arrogant yet. What if he causes trouble in the military camp and you end up crying and begging His Majesty again?"

"He wouldn't!" Ren Hongchang retorted.

They chatted and laughed, having a lively time, and the drinking session didn't end until evening.

The five boys officially came of age and went their separate ways.

..................

Not long after the coming-of-age ceremony, it was time for the grand ceremony of bestowing royal titles.

The entire court had been eagerly anticipating this.

The Imperial Observatory chose an auspicious day, supposedly a day when "the Purple Star moved and good fortune shone brightly," whatever they said was true...

On the auspicious day, as soon as it was just getting light, the Taiji Hall was already bustling with activity.

Below the steps stood the Imperial Guards, clad in black armor and wielding long halberds, in two rows facing each other directly to the palace gate. Their armor was so polished that even a fly would slip on it.

The morning breeze blows, and the banners flutter, looking majestic.

The civil and military officials in the hall were lined up according to their ranks, their black court robes neatly arranged, and the jade pendants at their waists jingled gently when touched.

The Ministry of Rites had offered a grand sacrifice at the Imperial Ancestral Temple three days in advance. Now, the bells and chimes rang out in unison, and the resounding sounds of the great bells and chimes echoed throughout the palace, causing dust to fall from the rooftops.

Liu Ce sat on his throne, dressed in a dragon robe, the twelve tassels of pearls swaying gently. His face was solemn, but inwardly he was quite emotional: In the blink of an eye, his sons had all grown up and been granted the title of king. Time really flies; it seems like only yesterday they were crawling on the ground, and today they are wearing royal robes.

"The auspicious time has arrived!"

When the Grand Master of Ceremonies shouted, the hall instantly fell silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop, as if a pause button had been pressed.

The Attendant-in-Ordinary, holding the imperial staff, led the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices to the pavilion, where he bowed twice to the north.

Liu Ce nodded slightly, and the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices straightened up and loudly proclaimed the imperial edict:

"Imperial Edict: The Second Prince Heng is hereby appointed King of Qin, the Third Prince Yao as King of Qi, the Fourth Prince Yong as King of Chu, and the Fifth Prince Yan as King of Zhao..."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Attendant-in-Waiting turned and left the hall, leading the four princes in through the side door.

As soon as the four young men appeared, the eyes of all the officials in the hall lit up.

All four were dressed in embroidered black royal court robes, with their respective fiefdom patterns embroidered on their shoulders. Beaded strings hung from the front of their crowns, and they wore cloud-patterned boots. Their steps were steady and they looked very much like royalty.

Upon closer inspection, each had their own distinct appearance: the Second Prince Liu Heng walked at the very front, the Prince of Qin's court robes embroidered with mountain and river patterns, his back ramrod straight, exuding a composed and steady air...

The Third Prince, Liu Yao, followed behind, his Qi Dynasty robes embroidered with wave patterns. He walked with a brisk pace, taking large strides...

The fourth prince, Liu Yong, walked in the middle, his Chu Dynasty robe embroidered with tiger stripes. He stood as straight as a javelin, his eyes fixed straight ahead, marching with the bearing of a soldier...

Fifth Prince Liu Yan walked at the back, his Zhao Dynasty robes embroidered with auspicious grain patterns. He strolled slowly, secretly clutching a small sachet in his hand...

The four men walked to the throne, straightened their clothes, and prostrated themselves, facing north with their backs ramrod straight, their manners impeccable.

The hall was completely silent. Xun Yu, the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, carrying the scroll of the policy document, slowly walked to the side of the pavilion, unfurled the silk, and began to read the policy document word by word.

His voice was not loud, but every word was clear and resonated throughout the entire hall:

"In the third month of the fifteenth year of Emperor Shenwu's reign, the Emperor dispatched Xun Yu, the Minister of State Affairs, with imperial credentials to appoint Liu Heng as King of Qin, Liu Yao as King of Qi, Liu Yong as King of Chu, and Liu Yan as King of Zhao. He said:" The second son, Heng, was upright and virtuous, with a dignified and composed demeanor. Heng was kind-hearted, calm, and resourceful, strictly adhering to the law and order, and worthy of the imperial family...

He was enfeoffed as the King of Qin... and granted a golden seal with a tortoise-shaped knob.

The third son, Yao, was intelligent and insightful, with a clear and gentle mind. Yao was radiant and discerning, quick-witted and measured, kind to the people, and decisive in handling affairs... He was enfeoffed as the King of Qi... and granted a golden seal with a tortoise-shaped knob.

The fourth son, Yong, was gentle and dignified, and had a broad and simple mind. He had the ability to govern the masses and was benevolent in caring for the people. He was lenient yet disciplined, simple yet not lax... He was enfeoffed as the King of Chu... and given a golden seal with a tortoise-shaped knob.

The fifth son, Yan, was of a pure and simple nature, and valued peace and tranquility. He remained steadfast in his principles, composed and self-possessed, neither competitive nor impetuous, and was able to fulfill his duties… He was enfeoffed as King of Zhao… and granted a golden seal with a tortoise-shaped knob."

After the document was read aloud, the four of them bowed their heads in unison, their voices ringing out:

"Your subjects respectfully accept the imperial edict."

After speaking, he performed the second deep bow, prostrating himself on the ground without moving, his manners so perfect that there was not a single fault to be found.

Left Vice Minister Fang Xuanling stepped forward carrying a lacquered wooden tray. On the tray were four gold seals, four ribbons, and four handfuls of green soil wrapped in white thatch beside them... all taken from the eastern altar of the Taishe Temple. This was called "dividing the thatch and splitting the land," symbolizing the handing over of the territory and the power of the state to them.

Right Attendant Du Ruhui took the plate, stood facing east, and said in a deep voice:

"Please grant the King of Qin, the King of Qi, the King of Chu, and the King of Zhao the imperial seals, ribbons, and thatch."

The four people stood up and solemnly accepted the wooden tray with both hands.

The gold seal felt heavy and cool to the touch, and the tortoise-shaped knob was carved with exquisite detail and lifelike life.

The silk ribbon was a deep green, like blue water, and felt very thick to the touch; it was a standard that only feudal lords and kings could use.

The soil beneath the white reeds still carried the dampness of the altar, its coolness clinging to my fingertips—a tangible weight of the land.

The Third Prince Liu Yao secretly weighed the golden seal in his hand, thinking to himself: Goodness, it's quite heavy! It must be pure gold, right? I'll have to build a frame for it when I get back and put it on display so I can look at it every day.

The Fifth Prince Liu Yan pinched the soil in the white reeds and thought to himself: This soil looks quite fertile. Can I plant some garlic sprouts when I get back and see how they grow?

On the surface, they all remained serious, returned to their original positions, bowed and kowtowed, their foreheads touching the ground, their manners so proper that not a single fault could be found.

"The four kings express their gratitude—!" the announcer proclaimed loudly.

"The Emperor is here for your benefit!" came the message from the eunuch in front of the pavilion.

The four men slowly rose and stood at attention, their youthful vigor hidden beneath their court robes, causing the old ministers in the hall to nod frequently... The Han Dynasty has worthy successors! The Grand Master of Ceremonies stepped forward to offer his congratulations, and all the officials bowed in unison, shouting "Long live the Emperor!" The sound of their voices shook the roof tiles.

Outside the hall, the bells and drums sounded again, and the four kings retreated to their seats on the side of the hall.

Liu Ce waved his hand and ordered, "Give the officials one hundred bushels of wine, and let them begin a banquet."

The investiture ceremony was now complete.

The banquet was much more lively, with fewer rules.