Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 55 The Throne Ceremony
At the hour of Mao on May 25, the 17th year of Chongzhen, the sky was still gray and very dark. It seemed that there was nothing special compared to the past.

But when the time came, all the bell towers and temples in Nanjing city rang their bells at the same time, and the sound was very shocking.

"Dong-dang! Dong-dang! Dong-dang!"

As the bell rang, millions of Nanjing residents and countless Ming officials who had already prepared themselves and were ready to go, all knew that the new emperor was about to ascend the throne!
After nearly a month of preparation, Shi Kefa has led officials from the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Works and other departments to make complete preparations. Some facilities in the Nanjing Forbidden City have also been repaired. Some officials from the Ministry of Rites even stayed in the palace last night, just like Shi Kefa.

Now, they first went to the Altar of Land and Grain, the Temple of Heaven, the Altar of Mountains and Rivers, and the Imperial Ancestral Temple to pay homage to the ancestors of the Ming Dynasty, and then welcomed thousands of officials of all ranks in Beijing who were dressed in court robes, holding tablets, and rushing to Chengtian Gate in an orderly and mighty manner.

At the same time, in the Forbidden City, Zhu Cilang, the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty who was about to ascend the throne, was wearing white mourning clothes and walking out of the Qianqing Palace.

At the gate of the Qianqing Palace, next to the two newly repaired golden lions on the left and right, Zhou Shixian and Zheng Sen were waiting with a guard force consisting of 300 Jinyiwei generals and 50 hostages, as well as 24 eunuchs from 12 prisons, 4 departments and 8 bureaus, and an extremely luxurious carriage.

This extremely luxurious carriage is two zhang long, 13 zhang wide, and 12 zhang high. The main body of the car is made entirely of golden nanmu wood, and the exterior is decorated with gold and jade, making it look extremely noble.

Although Zheng Sen is the eldest son of the Zheng family and has a huge fortune, Zheng Zhilong's rise to power has only happened in the past decade or so. The mansion covering an area of ​​more than one hectare was just built eleven years ago. The wealth and luxury of the Ming Dynasty royal family for hundreds of years are still not comparable to that of his Zheng family.

The carriage was pulled by two extremely powerful elephants, which were also covered with luxurious silk and connected to the carriage with ropes wrapped with gold threads. They swung their trunks and panted heavily, looking extremely majestic. Zhou Shixian, Zheng Sen, three hundred Han generals, and fifty hostages were all staring at them.

This large carriage is the highest-standard ceremonial carriage used by the Ming Emperor.

After ascending the throne this time, if Zhu Cilang still wants to experience it, he will probably have to wait until he recovers Beijing, or even goes out to destroy the Qing Dynasty and pay homage to his ancestors.

As soon as Zhu Cilang walked out of the Qianqing Gate, the guards under Zhou Shixian and Zheng Sen and the eunuchs from the twenty-four yamen bowed and knelt according to etiquette. The whole place was silent and the atmosphere was very solemn.

The solemn and majestic Forbidden City, from its towering walls to its vermilion gates, everything serves the royal majesty. Anyone who is in it will feel insignificant.

Upon seeing this, Zhu Cilang nodded slightly, then raised his hand in the air, signaling everyone to stand up, and then looked at the carriage.

"The Emperor ascends the chariot!"

The Minister of the Honglu Temple sang the ceremony loudly, and then the Deputy Minister of the Honglu Temple beside him raised the bell and struck it.

“Dongdang——”

As the bell sounds echoed outside the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Cilang slowly boarded the carriage.

After he sat down, the Minister of Rites continued:
"The Emperor sets out."

"Dongdang——" The Minister of the Honglu Temple raised the bell and struck it again.

Afterwards, Zhou Shixian and Zheng Sen led a guard force consisting of three hundred Han generals and fifty hostages to guard the carriage. The eunuchs of the twenty-four yamen also followed behind the carriage. The mighty team headed towards the Jiyan Hall where the tablet of Emperor Chongzhen was enshrined.

The process of the Ming Emperor's ascension to the throne was already very complicated, not to mention it was an extraordinary period. Before Zhu Cilang ascended the throne, he had to first pay homage to Emperor Chongzhen to show his legitimacy. As a result, the various procedures became even more cumbersome.

But it is precisely these cumbersome institutional processes that fully demonstrate the majesty of the royal emperor, intimidating anyone involved.

However, Shi Kefa had already led the officials of the Ministry of Rites to rehearse various etiquette systems and procedures of entry and exit with Zhu Cilang several times in advance to prevent any confusion when he officially ascended the throne.

Zhu Cilang rode in a large carriage and soon arrived at the Jiyan Hall.

"Stop..."

The Minister of the Honglu Temple sang the ceremony and struck the bell, then continued:
"Please, His Majesty, step down from your carriage!"

“Dongdang——”

Upon hearing this, Zhu Cilang slowly stepped down from the carriage and quickly entered the banquet hall.

The voice of the Minister of Honglu Temple was heard again, and Zhu Cilang immediately performed the ceremony of five bows and three kowtows.

After the ceremony, the Minister of the Ministry of Rites read out the congratulatory speech, and Zhu Cilang received the order in front of the coffin.

After receiving the order in Jiyan Hall, Zhu Cilang immediately left Jiyan Hall and finally got back on the carriage. Officials sang rituals and struck bells at every step.

On the carriage, the eunuchs had already made preparations and changed Zhu Cilang's mourning clothes into crown clothes. Then, under the protection of the guard troops, the carriage headed to Chengtian Gate, where the Zongzheng would crown Zhu Cilang.

"Please invite the Emperor to ascend the Chengtian Gate!"

“Dongdang——”

Zhu Cilang, under the protection of eunuchs from the twenty-four yamen, slowly climbed up to Chengtian Gate. Here, a clan leader from the Ming royal family had already made preparations, and standing beside him were ministers from the cabinet, six ministries, and six departments.

After the ceremony, the sky was already slightly bright, and the ringing of the bells in Nanjing finally stopped. Zhu Cilang quickly changed from his crown to his crown robes and waited for the officials to arrive and congratulate him.

After the officials congratulated, according to convention, the ministers of the cabinet, six ministries, six departments, etc. would, in turn, respectfully invite Zhu Cilang to ascend the throne. Zhu Cilang would first refuse the ministers of the six departments, then the ministers of the six ministries, and finally agree when the ministers of the cabinet requested it, for the sake of the people and the country.

After he agreed, he performed the ceremony to report to heaven and earth, and then went to Fengxian Hall to pay homage to the ancestors of the Ming Dynasty.

In the end, Zhu Cilang had to continue wearing the crown and robes, return to Jiyan Hall, and perform the ceremony of five bows and three kowtows.

Only after this ceremony was he able to rule the world by the will of heaven and ascend the throne of emperor.

Soon, Zhu Cilang put on the Tongtian crown.
"Your Highness, we invite you to ascend the throne to benefit the people and the country!" The six officials saluted and sang.

"The Emperor is in great mourning, so let's not discuss this matter anymore." Zhu Cilang answered according to the words that had already been agreed upon.

"Please ascend the throne, Your Majesty. The country cannot be without a ruler for a day!" Soon, the six ministers in court robes also stood up and saluted Zhu Cilang.

"The emperor has passed away, please allow me to consider it." Zhu Cilang continued.

"Your Majesty, please ascend the throne for the benefit of the country and the ancestral temple!" Immediately afterwards, the four Dongke Grand Secretaries Li Banghua, Shi Kefa, Gao Hongtu, and Ma Shiying also stood up and spoke in unison.

At this point, Zhu Cilang had already declined again and again. He then nodded and said:
"Since this is the case, for the benefit of the people, the country, and the ancestral temples, I have no choice but to obey your command!"

"Long live my emperor, long live, long live..."

After agreeing, Zhu Cilang gestured to stand up, then turned and walked into the Chengtian Gate Tower. Soon, he had changed into a brand new crown and robes.

When he came to the parapet of Chengtian Gate in his imperial robes and looked out at the square in front of the gate, thousands of officials in court robes knelt on the ground, holding tablets in their hands, bowed their heads in salute, and sang and shouted loudly.

"Long live my emperor, long live, long live"

The sound of thousands of officials in court robes singing in unison shook the earth, and the scene of kneeling and worshipping was even more magnificent, making Gao Jie, Huang Degong, Liu Zeqing, Liu Liangzuo, Chen Fu, Chang Denggui, and even Zhou Shixian, Zheng Sen and others, who were originally of low status and had never seen such a world, feel dry in the mouth and their blood vessels dilated.

The power of the emperor is nothing more than this!

From then on, a new chapter of the Ming Dynasty officially began. Zhu Cilang, whose life and death were unknown in history, finally ascended the throne in Nanjing. After 276 years, the Ming Dynasty finally welcomed a new emperor in the birthplace of the dynasty at its most critical moment, with the reign title "Dingwu"!
　Thanks to book friends Yueken Road Dazhuang, Ah Little Lady, Don’t Run for the rewards, and special thanks to the first hall master of this book, who is also the first hall master of the author, book friend "Yueken Road Dazhuang".

　　
　
(End of this chapter)