eurekapd Chapter 501 The Emperor’s Birthday
Chapter 501 The Emperor’s Birthday
November 22nd is a rare and auspicious day!
The sky was clear and bright, almost blindingly so.
Even the winter sun was exceptionally kind, shining warmly on the earth.
The capital city was enveloped in a solemn yet enthusiastic atmosphere from the early hours of the morning.
Inside the palace, the vermilion palace gates opened one after another, and the straight imperial road led directly from the palace gates to the Xuanzheng Hall.
On both sides, the Imperial Guards stood tall and solemn, their armor gleaming.
Golden silks and banners adorned the palace, making it shine brilliantly in the sunlight.
All of this was to welcome and celebrate the emperor's birthday.
At exactly 9:00 AM, the auspicious time has arrived.
In front of the Xuanzheng Hall, three sharp cracks of the whip resounded through the sky, and the square, which had been making some faint noises, fell silent.
The civil and military officials, who were already lined up neatly, quickly straightened their clothes and stood with their heads bowed in solemn silence.
The musicians of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices began to play "Long Live the Emperor".
The chime bells sounded solemnly, the chimes were melodious, and the flutes and pipes played in harmony. The whole movement was magnificent and full of the prosperous atmosphere of a peaceful and prosperous country.
The high-pitched, drawn-out voice of the ceremonial eunuch pierced the music: "His Majesty has arrived—"
In an instant, all the officials knelt on the ground, and a thunderous roar of "Long live the Emperor!" echoed across the square in front of the Xuanzheng Hall: "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"
Under everyone's watchful eyes, the emperor, dressed in a nine-dragon robe, slowly ascended the steps and sat on the throne.
The jade beads on his crown swayed gently with his steps, obscuring his expression.
Both the throne and the screen are carved with golden dragons, which gleam in the light, demonstrating absolute authority.
"Be flat!"
As the emperor's calm voice faded, the officials in the square shouted in unison, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"
The sounds were perfectly synchronized, as if they had been rehearsed countless times.
Then, everyone stood up in turn, hands at their sides, in solemn silence.
Although the square was crowded with people, all that could be heard was the sound of banners fluttering in the wind.
The emperor sat upright on the dragon throne, his sharp and deep gaze slowly sweeping across the entire square: "Today I am in great joy, and I wish to share this happiness with you all and with all the people of the world."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Chang Fu stepped forward and announced loudly, "The officials present their gifts—"
The first to step forward was Crown Prince Mu Yao.
The birthday gift presented by Mu Yao was a long scroll of the Diamond Sutra, transcribed by eighty-one eminent monks and painted with gold powder.
It symbolizes longevity and boundless merit.
The emperor nodded slightly, a smile on his face: "Your Highness is very thoughtful."
Immediately afterwards, princes of the imperial family and officials from the six ministries stepped forward in turn.
Rare and exotic treasures were on display, and the congratulatory messages were even more varied and creative.
The atmosphere in the square became increasingly lively, but strict order was maintained.
The birthday gift Gu Yan presented was not particularly outstanding; it was a jade ruyi (a type of scepter).
"Your Majesty, I respectfully wish you good health and a long life!" Gu Yan said, holding a jade ruyi in his hands, his voice booming, "May our Great Li enjoy favorable weather and abundant harvests, and may our nation prosper forever!"
"Good!" The emperor's preferences were so blatant.
Even though Gu Yan only presented a jade ruyi and his congratulatory message was nothing special, the emperor still showed obvious joy.
Faced with this situation, the other officials were naturally dissatisfied.
But no matter how dissatisfied they were, they could only keep quiet.
As the long, drawn-out announcements of the ceremonial eunuchs were made, time quietly slipped away, and the lengthy gift-presenting process finally drew to a close.
As the last official who presented the gift returned to the train, Chang Fu stepped forward at the opportune moment and announced loudly, "The gift presentation is complete!"
The tribute has ended.
Many officials had the same question in their minds: Where are His Highness Prince Jing and the Liangzhou birthday celebration delegation?
From the very beginning of its preparations, the Liangzhou birthday celebration delegation attracted the attention of countless people; it would not be an exaggeration to say that it was the focus of everyone's attention.
Later, the emperor sent Prince Jing to personally escort the Liangzhou birthday celebration delegation out of the capital, making the delegation even more impressive.
Almost every official present today wanted to witness the Liangzhou delegation celebrating the emperor's birthday.
But even after the gift-giving ceremony was over, the Liangzhou birthday celebration delegation still didn't show up, and no one mentioned it, as if it had never happened at all.
The officials in the square exchanged sharp, puzzled glances: Where was the Liangzhou birthday delegation? Where was Prince Jing?