NFBE Chapter 182 The Ruthless and Disabled Crown Prince (86)
Chapter 182 The Ruthless and Disabled Crown Prince (86)
The Emperor granted permission for the Third Prince to leave the palace, but only after the winter solstice.
Because the emperor was preparing to offer sacrifices to heaven on the winter solstice.
To pray for favorable weather and a peaceful and prosperous life for the people, the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs has already begun preparations.
Ultimately, the Emperor made this decision hastily. Since his ascension to the throne, he has only offered sacrifices to Heaven to pray for the protection of all people during the years when he was engaged in fierce fighting with the Western Rong.
This time, even the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs was quite puzzled, not knowing what the Emperor's intentions were, and...
The Emperor even personally added to the rites. Although it was called a set of rites, the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs looked at it with trepidation, finding it very strange.
The Emperor wants to perform a blood sacrifice to Heaven...
Not only him, but also all the princes.
Regardless of age, everyone must participate in this sacrificial ceremony to Heaven.
The Emperor declared with absolute certainty: This action demonstrates the sincere loyalty of myself and all the princes, a fact that Heaven can attest to.
But, but how can the emperor and all the princes bleed together?
The Emperor's health is precious, and the princes should not be harmed lightly. If they bleed together, how... how can this be a good omen?
The Director of Ceremonial Affairs was apprehensive, but seeing the Emperor's resolute expression, he dared not utter a word.
The Emperor's move was carried out in a grand and undisguised manner, and soon the entire palace and the court officials knew about it. Some were surprised, some were puzzled, and some were opposed; everyone reacted in various ways.
"Your Majesty, your health is precious; how can you bleed so easily?"
“Yes! Your sacrifice to Heaven was already so devout, why go to such lengths…”
"His Majesty's actions are for the sake of the country and its people; we should follow him!"
Those who agreed and those who disagreed debated fiercely in the imperial court.
Matters such as offering sacrifices to Heaven are usually based on ancient customs, but this blood offering to Heaven has no ancient customs to follow in this dynasty. It was entirely the emperor's own idea, so there is no way to follow the old precedents, and the crowd could not come up with a solution no matter how much they argued.
The emperor grew increasingly impatient as he listened.
He's become increasingly autocratic lately, and he's unwilling to listen to anyone else's opinions on many things.
Since the Empress returned to the palace, the Emperor has become increasingly restless and irritable.
"This is a great thing that benefits the country and the people. What is there for you ministers to argue about? My mind is made up!" The emperor made his decision with a displeased expression and then dismissed the court.
And so the matter was settled.
When he returned to his study, the emperor did not review the memorials. He leaned back in his chair, looking exhausted, while De Cheng carefully brought him a cup of hot tea.
"Your Majesty, please have some ginseng tea."
The emperor pinched his nose and opened his eyes. His eyes were cloudy; he had grown old, and his eyes were no longer as clear as before.
His every move revealed his advanced age, and the emperor realized that he was no longer as strong as before.
No emperor is unafraid of aging, and the emperor is no exception; he does not want to let power slip from his hands.
"Brew the immortal tea that the immortal gave me," he said slowly.
"Yes."
De Cheng bowed and withdrew. A moment later, he brought over a cup of deep red tea, which emitted a faint fragrance.
The emperor drank it all in one gulp.
The warm tea, with its subtle sweetness, flowed smoothly into the emperor's stomach, filling his empty body. After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, his spirit returned to his body, making his face radiant.
He let out a long breath, visibly relaxed, and straightened his back, no longer so hunched over.
"A gift from an immortal, indeed a wonderful thing..." The emperor sighed comfortably, the knot in his heart being swept away, as if he had instantly felt relieved.
“He certainly wouldn’t dare to deceive the Emperor.” De Cheng lowered his eyes and said, “Your Majesty might as well ask the immortal if there are any other ways to make you feel better.”
"The immortal told me that everything will turn around after the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven. I just need to wait... for the day of the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven." The emperor murmured, a hint of secret madness in his expression.
"De Cheng, tell me, should I do this?" The Emperor's gaze suddenly sharpened, shooting like an arrow at the person beside him.
"Your Majesty, you have gone to great lengths for the sake of the country and its people!" De Cheng suddenly knelt down, kowtowed, and said loudly.
The Emperor sighed: "If everyone thought like you, that would be wonderful."
After drinking the celestial tea, the emperor reviewed memorials overnight and was still in high spirits the next day.
Compared to the Emperor's current unease, Ji Shumin and Lu Liruan were enjoying a remarkably leisurely life.
“Brother, it’s no use you sitting here.” Ji Shumin leaned back on the soft chair, looking sickly and pale, coughing twice after every sentence.
He lowered his eyes and glanced at Ji Shuqin, who was sitting upright with a furrowed brow, a hint of impatience flashing through his mind.
If you have something on your mind, just bear it yourself. Why come here and bother people?
I've been sitting here for almost two hours, and I lose a game of chess every few minutes. It's such a waste of my temper!
"Min'er, I... can't figure it out." Ji Shuqin seemed to be holding back his feelings, but he couldn't speak freely and directly, so he stammered.
Ji Shumin knew exactly what he wanted to say, and too lazy to ask, so he pretended not to know and stayed quietly to the side.
Ji Shuqin was clearly in a deep state of confusion; he was in a daze and didn't know what he was thinking.
Lu Liruan was actually a little curious about what Ji Shuqin and the Empress had talked about after she and Ji Shumin left that day. As a result, Ji Shuqin, who usually mentioned the Empress's eldest son in front of Ji Shumin, hadn't said a word about the Empress in the past few days.
When Ji Shuqin was meditating, Lu Liruan was still in the room. She turned her back to Ji Shumin and winked, signaling him to ask.
Ji Shumin looked listless and scoffed at Lu Liruan's behavior of showing concern for others in front of him.
She nestled lazily in the cushions, trying to hook the hem of Lu Liruan's clothes with her little finger, but Lu Liruan swatted it away, yet she persisted.
The two huddled together, making small movements behind Ji Shuqin's back, but Ji Shuqin, on the other hand, stared straight ahead at a single point, as if in deep meditation, completely oblivious to the slightest thing...
Lu Liruan thought to herself: It seems like this is quite a blow.
At first, Lu Liruan thought that Ji Shumin still cared about the Empress and wanted to get some maternal love from her that he had never had before.
Lu Liruan was very careful, afraid of touching on his sad memories.
As it turned out, it became increasingly clear that Ji Shumin didn't actually care. He might have cared before, but as he grew older, he became someone who knew when to cut his losses and was a rational and clear-headed person.
If you can't have something, don't yearn for it.
Furthermore, regarding the Empress's obsessive and suffocating concern, Lu Liruan felt that it was better to have none at all than to have it.
Under her tutelage and guidance, although the eldest prince was very handsome, Lu Liruan felt that it was the kind of handsome that couldn't withstand the slightest disturbance...
We can only see the good side, we can only see the beautiful side.
Growing up in such an environment, what would one feel if they witnessed evil, hypocrisy, or one day suddenly discovered that the good they once believed in was actually evil, and that they themselves had been used in it?
Lu Liruan felt some sympathy for Ji Shuqin.
When she told Ji Shumin about this, Ji Shumin dismissed it with disdain.
"If one cannot even weather this storm, how can one stand tall and secure one's livelihood, or even pursue goodness and spiritual cultivation? Since he has chosen this path, then he should continue on it. Just as I have chosen my path, I will remain steadfast in it."
Lu Liruan understood what he was saying, and Ji Shumin noticed her worry: "You seem to care a lot about your brother?"
Lu Liruan initially had no interest in Ji Shuqin.
His concern, his ignorant sense of responsibility and kindness, made Lu Liruan grit her teeth, feeling as powerless as punching cotton.
However, after getting to know him, you find that he truly has a sincere heart, making it impossible for you to get angry or lose your temper with him.
“You should take care of him…” Lu Liruan said seriously, not joking with him, “He truly treats you like a younger brother.”
"You always ask me why I'm so close to my family. It's because we care about and worry about each other. In his eyes, you're family. And what about you?"
Ji Shumin fell silent for a long time.
He was a hard-hearted person, but few people loved him. When someone cared about him, Ji Shumin would always soften a bit.
He was indeed quite soft-hearted towards Ji Shuqin. Lu Liruan rested her chin on her hand, looking at Ji Shumin, who was so bored that he had started leisurely carving a seal, and Ji Shuqin, who was still sitting to the side and refused to leave.
Ji Shuqin seemed to regard this place as a safe haven, so he wouldn't be alone in the vast, empty palace, his mind filled with all sorts of things he couldn't understand.
Despite his illness, Ji Shumin did not send him away.
Lu Liruan stared at them for a while, but she couldn't sit still any longer.
She stood up lightly, raised an eyebrow at Ji Shumin, as if to say: You can continue your face reading here, I'm making my escape...
She didn't give Ji Shumin a chance to grab her and quickly ran away.
Leaving Ji Shumin alone made him even more bored: "Is Your Majesty going to dine here? I'm currently ill, and Li Ruan is keeping me company with bland meals. There's nothing much to offer, so perhaps..."
“I often eat vegetarian food in the temple, and I don’t feel used to it after returning to the palace. It would be great if Min’er could have some light meals here.”
Ji Shuqin didn't even think before he answered.
Ji Shumin: ...
Fine.
Ji Shumin used to eat like a kitten, but now he eats like a bird.
He picked it up with his chopsticks a couple of times and then put it down.
He closed his eyes and began to rest at the dinner table.
Lu Liruan was used to it.
Ji Shuqin, however, was eager to act as an elder brother. He helped Ji Shumin set out the dishes, and when he saw Ji Shumin glancing at him sideways, he earnestly advised him.
Ji Shumin finally succumbed to his persuasion and ate half a bowl of porridge and a few bites of pickled vegetables. In the end, he felt so sick that he threw down his chopsticks and left.
Lu Liruan watched in amazement. It really was a case of one thing subduing another. No matter how she tried to persuade him, he wouldn't open his mouth and wouldn't eat anything more. But now it was all right.
Lu Liruan beamed with joy.
When seeing Ji Shuqin off, the smile on his face was noticeably more genuine, even somewhat radiant.
Ji Shuqin was puzzled. Seeing his younger brother and sister-in-law seeing him off at the door, he was slightly confused, but still felt a touch of emotion.
He wasn't stupid; sometimes he was just deceiving himself. As time went by, many things gradually revealed their hidden nature.
It wasn't what he thought.
He could distinguish right from wrong and could sense that Lu Liruan had never liked him. He also felt guilty for his arrogant words in front of Lu Liruan.
Looking back now, I realize she was right, and her self-assessment was also accurate.
I wanted to formally apologize, but the other party seemed to have generously forgiven my past offense, leaving no trace.
His younger brother never held it against him, and instead offered him a place to rest for a while. Ji Shuqin knew in his heart that he was just pretending to be confused and not wanting to leave.
Two days later, he came to have dinner again, but he didn't mention the Empress again. However, his expression was even more melancholy.
After Ji Shuqin visited several times, everyone was to leave the palace with the emperor and go to Tianzhu Mountain to offer sacrifices to heaven.
This mountain is located in the suburbs of Beijing. In an ancient myth, it is said that this mountain was once extremely majestic, standing like a pillar supporting the sky.
After the great war between gods and demons, this mountain was cut away, and half of the sacred mountain perished. Since then, it has protected this land. Several dynasties in the past also established their capitals here, which is probably the reason.
The mountain is not high, but it is exceptionally steep.
Ji Shumin, who was so physically disabled, had to be carried up the steps one by one by the eunuchs in shifts, while the others, to show their piety in the sacrifice to Heaven, had to walk up on their own.
Princesses and princes' families were also allowed to accompany them, and finally watched the grand ceremony from afar outside the altar.
The youngest princess was too weak to walk and cried all the way. The nanny beside her dared not carry her and could only keep whispering to comfort her, for fear of offending the emperor.
Everyone could see that the Emperor was unusually concerned about this sacrificial ceremony to Heaven.
Lu Liruan put on comfortable shoes, but after climbing halfway up, she was still panting and unable to speak.
Looking at Ji Shumin, his clothes were perfectly in place, and every strand of his hair was smooth and flowing.
Lu Liruan let out a long sigh: "I'll take your place being crippled for a while..."
Ji Shumin was amused by her.
He liked it when Lu Liruan casually mentioned his physical disability without any hesitation or concealment, and Ji Shumin did not feel inferior about it.
He accepted it readily, and even enjoyed it, as Lu Liruan treated him like an ordinary person.
When Lu Liruan kissed the scar on his leg, he could still feel the warmth of her lips and the gentle caress of her fingers in that area where his senses had deteriorated.
That's good, she loves everything about me.
Before he even thought of this, Ji Shumin felt as if he had drunk too much wine, as if he were floating on clouds.
When they arrived at the altar, it was already dusk. Everyone settled down in their tents to await the auspicious time the next day.
"Why does Father Emperor attach so much importance to this?" Lu Liruan couldn't understand.
"Father has reached the age where he should be praying for Heaven's mercy, hasn't he?" Ji Shumin turned over, pulled her to his side, and replied calmly.
"Go to sleep, you'll have a lot to do tomorrow." Ji Shumin kissed Lu Liruan's temple, his eyes dark and unfathomable in the darkness.
Tomorrow we will know the Emperor's true choice.
The auspicious hour of the second day approached, and a fiery red glow appeared on the horizon, falling on the altar so bright that people couldn't open their eyes, as if divine light had descended.
Such magnificent scenery stirred the hearts of many, making them feel that their trip to worship Heaven would surely go smoothly.
The solemn ceremony began with thunderous drumbeats and powerful sacrificial inscriptions to Heaven, chanted by the Director of Ceremonial Affairs. The cracking of whips was a sign of reverence for Heaven.
After all the ceremonies were completed, palace servants brought out wine cups and knives.
It was presented to the Emperor and the princes.
The emperor still established this system of etiquette.
Ji Shumin picked up the sharp, gleaming knife. The light reflected off the blade, making his eyes appear dark and indistinct.
Under the Emperor's leadership, the princes separated their hands and let the blood flow into their wine cups.