Ming Dynasty: pacifying the rebellion and defending the border, dominating the world

Chapter 407 Praying to Heaven, Succession to the Throne

This leaves no time for people to speculate or ponder.

A chariot, resembling a celestial palace, its entire body gleaming with gold, appeared in the sky, directly revealing the answer to everyone. What exactly were those nine-headed dragons bound by chains?!
The celestial palace carried by the chariot floated in mid-air. The palace walls were made of golden glazed tiles, shimmering with the brilliance of gemstones. The roof of the palace was inlaid with countless sparkling gemstones, like twinkling stars, making the bright sky and earth even more dazzling.

Inside and outside the capital, everyone looked up at the radiant palace in the sky and fell into a deathly silence.

This was a scene they had never even dreamed of.

Nine dragons soar through the sky, overlooking all living beings. It was thought to be a myth coming to life, but they never imagined that even the dragons they needed to look up to, admire, and revere were nothing more than tools used to pull a huge palace.

Shock, disbelief, trembling.

A mix of emotions surged within everyone.

The matter was difficult to quell for a long time.

Immediately, an overwhelming sense of shock and a flurry of uncontrollable thoughts broke the deathly silence.

"Is the dragon pulling... a celestial palace?"

"Could it be that a celestial being has descended to earth?"

"Such a scene, with such an imposing aura that overwhelms all living beings, is probably not that of an ordinary immortal."

"In mythology, the goddess Xihe rode six dragons, soaring through the four seas and passing through eight states. Could this be the goddess Xihe descending to earth, a re-enactment of the myth?"

"Xihe rides six dragons, and the rising sun shines on all directions. Even Xihe, the legendary wife of the Heavenly Emperor, only rides six dragons. Only the Heavenly Emperor rides nine. Could this scene be the Heavenly Emperor's procession to this place?"

Countless speculations lingered in everyone's minds.

But there has never been an answer.

They all knew that this must be related to Zhu Jinzhen, the new emperor of the Ming Dynasty, but everyone also knew the moment the nine dragons descended and pulled the celestial palace down.

They had even lost the courage to look Zhu Jinzhen in the eye.

Even the most self-assured, aloof, and unruly person would feel a sense of fear upon witnessing such a scene.

This is human nature.

The nine-headed dragon didn't care about other people's opinions or views, and in the blink of an eye, it had already fallen from the sky.

In that instant, it was as if the sky had collapsed.

A massive shadow, so vast it covered the entire sky and blocked out all the light, enveloped everyone, as if the nine-headed dragon would smash them all into mincemeat in a way they could hardly accept.

Panic spread instantly.

But soon, they discovered something was wrong.

The closer the dragons got, the smaller their bodies and the enormous celestial palace they were pulling became, at a speed visible to the naked eye.

For countless people, Cao Cao's words flashed through their minds in an instant.

"Dragons can be large or small, can rise or hide; when large, they stir up clouds and mist, when small, they conceal their form; when rising, they soar through the universe, when hiding, they lurk within the waves."

Soaring through the clouds and mist, it can take any size as it pleases.

Countless myths, tales of gods and ghosts, and folk customs all mention dragons.

The nine-headed dragons did not disappoint. Their bodies shrank rapidly, along with the "celestial palace" they were pulling. They moved very quickly. One moment they seemed to have just lowered their heads and emerged from the clouds, and the next moment they had already pulled the shrunken celestial palace down to the altar of the sacrificial ceremony, whispering in the direction of Zhu Jinzhen.

It's just like a child wanting to gain adult approval.

The people at the altar, however, felt their hair stand on end, filled with fear and unease.

They never dreamed that one day, those of them in charge of various sacrificial ceremonies would not only have the opportunity to face the real dragons directly, but also to stay beside them.

Faced with the descending dragon and the shrunken celestial palace beside the altar, which resembled a chariot, they dared not even utter a sound, let alone take a step back. They could only stand trembling in place.

They were afraid of disturbing the celestial beings and disrupting the grand sacrificial prayer ceremony.

...The true dragon pulls the chariot, its position higher than the heavens.

This is what Zhu Jinzhen wanted to show the world.

Feeling the gazes from all directions, Zhu Jinzhen remained calm, his eyes looking through the swaying jade tassels towards the sacrificial altar atop the three-tiered circular platform.

"continue!"

Zhu Jinzhen raised his hand, his voice calm.

As if the nine-headed dragon that descended from the clouds above the altar did not exist, it urged the officials of the Ministry of Rites to continue forward and complete the ritual of offering sacrifices to Heaven and Earth.

Soon, following the procedures prepared by the Ministry of Rites...

Zhu Jinzhen arrived at the altar for the sacrifice to Heaven, with Xu Yu, the acting Minister of Rites who was closely following him, unfolding the sacrificial proclamation written in bright yellow brocade and beginning to read it aloud.

"The newly enthroned emperor reports to the Supreme God of Heaven..."

"...We humbly behold the Holy Spirit, who succeeded Heaven and established the ultimate order, whose merits benefit all people and will be relied upon for ten thousand generations. I respectfully inherit the ancestral teachings and have been granted the great mandate, so I solemnly observe the rites and pray that my nation may enjoy lasting peace and prosperity!"

The final phrase, "May peace and prosperity reign forever," resounded like a great bell, seemingly drowning out the howling winds of heaven and earth, and clearly struck the eardrums of every minister below, like a thunderclap!
At that moment, everyone looked at the towering figure on the altar with his back to them, as if they saw Zhu Jinzhen standing alone between heaven and earth, wrestling with the invisible might of heaven with his mortal body, not giving an inch!

We offer sacrifices to Heaven and pay homage to the Heavenly Emperor and Earthly Queen.

It is a sign of respect for heaven and earth.

This has always been the case, both in ancient and modern times.

"Woo~!"

Every hundred steps, the Tian Ce Army and Cang Yun Army, guarding the four directions, would have a Celestial Realm level soldier raise a huge horn and sound it nine times in unison, announcing to heaven and earth that the new emperor of the Ming Dynasty had ascended the throne.

A new era is dawning.

At the same time, it also signifies that the Ming Dynasty has entered a new era!

Xu Yu's face flushed, and she shouted excitedly:
"The new emperor—is taking the throne—!"

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The loud voices and the heavy, slow crack of the guards' whips rang out one after another, striking everyone's nerves like thunder.

At that very moment, the Ministry of Rites officials, with all their might, unleashed a deafening announcement of the ceremony:

"kneel--!"

"Greetings—to the new emperor!"

"Long live my emperor! Long live!"

All the officials from Shaanxi, all the Tian Ce and Cang Yun soldiers, regardless of their status, shouted out their long-suppressed voices, which merged into a massive torrent of sound powerful enough to tear the heavens apart:

"Long live my emperor! Long live!"

"Long live my emperor! Long live!"

"Long live my emperor! Long live!"

All the soldiers of Tian Ce and Cang Yun, both in the heavens and the earth, inside and outside the capital, seemed to sense something and knelt down on one knee in the direction of Zhu Jinzhen, shouting "Long live the Emperor!"
One after another, grandmasters of celestial phenomena, terrestrial immortals, and terrestrial celestial beings appeared.

The nine-headed dragon beside the altar shone with divine light, rose into the air, and roared deafeningly.

It seemed to be cheering for its owner, Zhu Jinzhen.

The heads of the foreign envoys who were allowed to attend the ceremony were lowered even further, as if they were afraid of being stared at by the terrifying gaze of the nine-headed dragon.

They all bowed down in the direction of Zhu Jinzhen, just like the officials and soldiers of the Ming Dynasty, shouting "Long live the Emperor!"

(End of this chapter)