Chapter 187 – Main Story Finale
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Halfway through Yuan Li’s words, Yuan Song and Lady Chen were already stunned.
They… They were going to become the Grand Emperor and Empress Dowager?
Yuan Li was going to become the emperor?!
Yuan Song’s hands trembled uncontrollably, causing him to spill half of the hot tea in his hands.
His face turned bright red, and his breathing became rapid, “You, you really want to be the emperor?”
Yuan Li nodded with a smile.
Yuan Song slumped in his chair.
Thinking back to a few years ago when he was granted the title of Marquis of Guannei thanks to his son, Yuan Song thought that was the limit. He never imagined that his son would be the one to overthrow the Northern Zhou regime…
Who could have thought of this?
Who could have thought that their family would produce an emperor?
From a lowly county magistrate, he had now become the Grand Emperor!
Yuan Song was overwhelmed with excitement and disbelief, almost falling over. After the initial shock passed, tears welled up in his eyes.
His lips trembled, and his legs trembled as well. Yuan Song was in a chaotic state, thinking that the patriarch must be rejoicing in his afterlife that his death was not wasted. Yuan Li had become an emperor, and Yuan Lou, Yuan Dan had become a founding hero. Their family was now part of the imperial clan!
Lady Chen was also dizzy and disoriented. She murmured as she supported her forehead, repeating, “I’m going to be the Empress Dowager? I’m really going to be the Empress Dowager? I… I’ve never been an empress dowager before.”
Seeing their reactions, Yuan Li found it even more amusing. He comforted his parents with a few words, but no matter what he said, Yuan Song and Lady Chen couldn’t calm down. They were too excited.
Yuan Li asked them if they wanted to go to Luoyang. The couple nodded immediately without any hesitation.
It was their son’s ascension ceremony to the throne. He would be the emperor from now on, how could they not go!
Even if they were ten years older and the journey was long and arduous, they would crawl over if they had to, just to witness that magnificent scene!
Yuan Song had already decided that when he returned to Ruyang, he would go to the ancestral temple and offer sacrifices to their ancestors, telling them the great news that an emperor had been born in the Yuan family.
The couple was immersed in excitement, paying no attention to Yuan Li and Chu Hechao.
Yuan Li decided to quietly take Chu Hechao and leave the Yuan residence.
The snowfall was getting heavier.
When it snowed, it wasn’t actually as cold as when the snow melted. Besides, the two of them had just drunk hot tea and ginger soup, causing Yuan Li to feel some sweat on his palms and the soles of his feet.
There were almost no pedestrians on the road, and the accumulated snow reached up to their ankles. The dead trees on the roadside were also covered with thick snow, and with a gust of wind, the snow shook and fell down.
Yuan Li and Chu Hechao walked side by side. After a while, Chu Hechao held Yuan Li’s hand.
Yuan Li pulled Chu Hechao to step on the clean snow, leaving a clear footprint in the snow and looked expectantly at Chu Hechao, gesturing for him to do the same.
Chu Hechao mercilessly refused, “I’m not doing that at my age.”
This sentence seemed to have hit Yuan Li’s funny bone, and with his already low threshold for laughter, he bent over laughing, tears almost streaming down his face.
Chu Hechao skillfully supported him, looking helpless, “Tell me, what’s so funny?”
Yuan Li laughed so hard that he leaned on Chu Hechao’s shoulder and said, “Then am I Yuan Sui?” (Yuan Sui sounds like “one-year-old” in Chinese, implying he is acting like a child.)
“Le Jun, how can you say that about yourself?” Chu Hechao cupped Yuan Li’s face, kissed him on the lips, and playfully bit his lower lip, sighing, “Clearly, you haven’t even reached one year old.”
Yuan Li: “…”
He was so angry that he immediately formed a snowball and threw it at Chu Hechao.
Chu Hechao raised an eyebrow mischievously and also formed a snowball to throw back.
Yuan Li skillfully dodged the snowball, planning to provoke Chu Hechao with a smile. But before he could do that, a larger snowball hit him right on the face.
Yuan Li swore that he could hear Chu Hechao stifling a laugh.
“…”
Alright.
Yuan Li rolled up his sleeves, coldly thinking that his fighting spirit had been completely aroused.
Yuan Li was young, and no matter how old he was, Chu Hechao still saw him as the same young boy he used to be. He was playful, and only the weight of state affairs had restrained his playfulness. So no matter what Yuan Li did, Chu Hechao was happy to go along with it. He had never had this kind of fun when he was young, and Chu Hechao also found it very enjoyable.
But after all, it was winter, and Chu Hechao was the first to call a halt. He squatted down and felt Yuan Li’s boots. The leather had been soaked with snow, and Chu Hechao was afraid that if they continued walking, Yuan Li’s shoes would be completely soaked. So he carried Yuan Li on his back and walked back to the mansion.
Watching his every move, Yuan Li sometimes found it hard to believe. The previously irritable and suspicious Chu Hechao would actually be willing to go to such lengths for him, caring for him so attentively.
His heart softened like water, and Yuan Li obediently wrapped his arms around Chu Hechao’s neck, nuzzling against his man’s back, “Why are you so good to me?”
Chu Hechao couldn’t suppress the smile at the corner of his mouth and lifted Yuan Li slightly. He lifted his wife’s butt playfully and teased, “Since you know I’m good, then stick to your man more.”
Yuan Li’s mouth twitched.
“How do you want me to stick to you?”
Chu Hechao thought about it seriously and thought to himself that it would be perfect if he could cling to his waistband and not let go. He said, “You figure it out yourself.”
Yuan Li tightened his arms and was about to sigh, “Isn’t it enough for me to cling to you now?”
“Not enough,” Chu Hechao lazily said, “You’d better even hold me while sleeping at night, don’t let go. While I’m still here, stick to me as much as you can. When I’m gone, you won’t be able to stick to me anymore.”
Yuan Li became angry all of a sudden and bit Chu Hechao’s shoulder tightly, so much so that Chu Hechao let out a painful grunt. He managed to support Yuan Li steadily with his hands and asked, “Ouch! Why are you biting me?”
Yuan Li let go of his mouth but remained silent.
Chu Hechao felt a bit anxious and tried to probe, “Le Jun?”
Yuan Li still didn’t say anything.
Chu Hechao became even more flustered and lowered his voice, saying, “Wife, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said those things.”
Yuan Li remained silent.
Chu Hechao put him down and turned to face him. Only then did he notice that Yuan Li’s eyes were actually red.
He instantly regretted his words and tried to coax him, “Don’t cry, don’t cry. I promise I won’t say such things again.”
Yuan Li looked at him for a while and then shifted his gaze to Chu Hechao’s hair.
He carefully examined his hair from the temples to the forehead and all the way to the tips, and when he didn’t find a single white strand, his tense mind finally relaxed.
With a nasal tone, Yuan Li said, “You’re not old.”
“Uh-huh, I’m not old,” Chu Hechao agreed, “I’m still young and strong. I’m vigorous every night, and I’m so powerful that you can’t handle it. How can I be considered old?”
Yuan Li frowned, “Be serious.”
Chu Hechao sighed, reached out, and hugged Yuan Li. “I’m just afraid, Le Jun. I’m afraid that after forty years, I might leave before you. I don’t want to leave you, and I’m afraid of causing you pain.”
As he spoke, Chu Hechao had already started worrying ahead of time. He kissed Yuan Li’s hair and said, “If I’m gone, what will you do when you’re left and bullied? I won’t be able to see or take care of you, and I won’t be able to protect you from any harm.”
His voice was low, carrying the chill of the wind and snow. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to help you.”
As soon as these words were spoken, Yuan Li’s heart felt as if he had bitten into several unripe green fruits, and tears welled up uncomfortably. “It won’t happen.”
Chu Hechao stopped talking. He smiled and nodded, “Okay, if you say it won’t happen, then it won’t. Let’s not talk about this anymore.”
However, Yuan Li knew that this matter would be etched in Chu Hechao’s heart, until the day he passed away.
The eight-year age difference had always been a knot in Chu Hechao’s heart.
Yuan Li took off his right glove and also removed Chu Hechao’s glove, holding hands with their palms pressed together.
Snowflakes drifted down, landing on their hands.
Yuan Li said, “Do you feel like you met me too late and that the time we can spend together is too short?”
Chu Hechao responded with sweet words, “It would have been even better if I had met you earlier.”
“But when we met, it was the best time of my life,” Yuan Li smiled and said, “Regardless of timing, meeting you is lucky. We have been together for nearly ten years. Who says we can’t be together for fifty or sixty more years?”
Chu Hechao thought about the words “meeting you is lucky,” and finally let out a sigh, “You’re right.”
Even though Chu Hechao felt that fifty or sixty years were still not enough, he didn’t need to say it out loud and hurt Yuan Li. They needed to cherish the present, and as for the future, they could discuss it later.
Hand in hand, they walked slowly towards their home. White snow fell on their hair, and in a trance, it felt as if they had walked into their old age.
***
The next year in spring, Yuan Li set off for Luoyang.
The long procession stretched for thousands of miles, including officials, marquises, generals, and bureaucrats from the state of Wen. At the same time, governors from various regions also rushed to Luoyang, preparing to participate in the abdication ceremony.
Lu He of Liangzhou actively supported Yuan Li’s ascension, and under the threat of Yuan Li’s military strength, Hui Zizhen of Qingzhou and Che Kangbo of Yanzhou were the first to submit to Yuan Li.
Zheng Rong had already restored the former prosperity of Luoyang during these five years, and the palace had also been renovated.
After learning that his lord and the emperor would hold the abdication ceremony and the founding ceremony in the imperial palace, Zheng Rong was so excited that he couldn’t sleep at night. He urged the palace maids and eunuchs to clean the palace repeatedly, preparing to welcome his lord’s arrival.
Ouyang Ting came to Luoyang by boat, arriving faster than Yuan Li and the others. When he arrived, both Yuan Li and the emperor hadn’t arrived yet.
Zheng Rong knew that Ouyang Ting was a renowned scholar, and what was even rarer was that Ouyang Ting also understood the rituals and music. He hurriedly came to inquire about the procedures for the abdication ceremony and the founding ceremony from Ouyang Ting.
Having little exposure to the etiquette of the upper-class aristocracy due to his humble background, not to mention the major event of the change of dynasties, Zheng Rong naturally handled things in a fluster. Seeing this, Ouyang Ting furrowed his brows and immediately found a few old eunuchs from the palace and some friends who understood the rituals and music. He rolled up his sleeves and helped organize the abdication ceremony and the founding ceremony.
By the time Yuan Li arrived in Luoyang, everything had been arranged in an orderly manner.
He stood in front of the palace gates, looking at the magnificent palace shining brightly under the sunlight, and led Chu Hechao, his parents, and officials into the palace with a smile.
The day of the abdication ceremony was set on the first of August.
Yuan Li’s dragon robe had been prepared, and now they were busy fitting it on him and making any necessary adjustments. All the departments were nervously preparing for the final touches, ensuring that there would be no mistakes or oversights.
On the night before the abdication ceremony, nobody could sleep.
The members of the Yuan clan were like being in a dream, anxious and eager for the arrival of the next day. Yuan Li’s subordinates had been waiting for this day for years, and even if they had been tired for days, they were still full of energy, wishing they could keep their eyes open until dawn.
How could they sleep on such a day?
Zhou Gongdan, Liu Jixin, Wang Er, Wu Kai… They all kept their eyes wide open until dawn.
As the sky was getting brighter, the whole Luoyang began bustling with activity.
The first of August had good weather, a gentle breeze, and the scorching sun was blocked by thick clouds, providing the officials with some shade.
The court officials, marquises, and governors stood in the vast open space of the palace, solemnly waiting for the ceremony to begin.
Soldiers wearing armor had already surrounded the area, standing ten steps apart, scanning the surroundings with hawk-like eyes.
When the appointed time arrived, several drums resounded simultaneously, followed by clear and melodious bugle calls, the music spreading throughout the entire palace.
The emperor sat on the throne, beginning to read the abdication decree.
The procedure had been rehearsed beforehand, so the emperor was quite familiar with it. The abdication decree had been modified by the officials from the Ministry of Government Affairs, and the emperor had already memorized it.
In this atmosphere, the emperor felt nervous, swallowing his saliva several times, his voice occasionally fluctuating. However, due to the silence of the officials, his words were heard clearly by everyone.
“…Zhen abdicates in favor of Duke Wen Yuan Li, hoping that Duke Wen will govern the world with benevolence and bring peace to all. Zhen is guilty of not abdicating sooner… Zhen hereby declare this.”
After reading the decree, a eunuch beside the emperor quickly ran to Yuan Li, bending respectfully to hand over the decree.
Yuan Li took the decree, looked up at the emperor seated on the dragon throne a hundred paces away, and suddenly realized that he was about to become the emperor.
From the age of eighteen to twenty-eight, he had finally become the founding emperor of the Great Wen Dynasty in this summer.
It finally felt real to Yuan Li, and his heart began to beat faster and faster.
Guided by the eunuch, he walked step by step towards the elevated platform.
All eyes were on Yuan Li as they watched the founder of the new dynasty approach the throne.
Some were so excited that their faces turned red and their necks thickened, some were devout and respectful, and some were moved to tears.
Finally.
They had been waiting for this day.
The emperor had stood up from the throne, waiting for Yuan Li to approach him.
Yuan Li’s eyes swept over the crowd, from the expressions of the governors to those of his subordinates.
The drumbeat became more solemn and urgent, and the sound of the bugle continued.
Yuan Li’s heart was pounding heavily, thump, thump. His eyes became brighter, as if they were hiding the brilliance of the scorching sun.
Chu Hechao stood at the front left of the hall, and Yuan Li exchanged a last glance with him before standing beside the emperor on the platform.
The emperor looked at him earnestly, “Duke Wen, everything will be in your hands from now on.”
For the last time, Yuan Li addressed himself humbly, “I obey.”
The eunuchs on both sides came gracefully, removing Yuan Li’s court attire and dressing him in the imperial attire. They also removed the emperor’s robes and dressed him in the attire of a marquis.
The Grand Secretary received the imperial seal from the emperor’s hand and respectfully handed it to Yuan Li.
Yuan Li looked at the seal for a moment, then glanced at Chu Hechao and others in the audience, and reached out to accept it.
At the moment he took the seal, the system that had been silent for years spoke up.
【Emperor Development System activated.】
【Host has achieved the final goal. AR special effects will take effect in 20 seconds.】
【3, 2, 1…】
A burst of golden light erupted in the sky over Luoyang.
Everyone looked up in surprise, seeing the tail of a dragon floating among the thick clouds.
“It’s a dragon! It’s a dragon!”
“A golden dragon has appeared!”
The shocked officials and marquises’ legs went weak, and they knelt down in astonishment, staring at the sky.
The golden dragon was several zhang (a unit of length) long, majestic and dignified, as if it could fly through the clouds and ride on the mist. It appeared from the midst of the clouds, uttering a loud dragon roar that resounded through the heavens and the earth, making all things tremble and submit.
The common people outside the palace in Luoyang also heard the dragon’s roar. They ran to the streets in confusion, looking up to see the fierce golden dragon.
Exclamations filled the air as farmers, merchants, and soldiers guarding the city all knelt down in fear and reverence.
In the blink of an eye, the city of Luoyang was filled with kneeling people.
Inside the palace, the only ones not kneeling were Yuan Li and Chu Hechao, who had already witnessed the miraculous events surrounding Yuan Li before.
They exchanged a glance, and then a clear and melodious bird’s cry resounded. Everyone quickly turned their heads to see a magnificent and fiery red phoenix flying from the east, soaring around the golden dragon. The dragon and the phoenix playfully interacted with each other, a sacred and spectacular sight that left everyone breathless and captivated.
Zhou Gongdan murmured, “The dragon and the phoenix bring good fortune…”
As soon as he finished speaking, the playful dragon and phoenix suddenly rushed towards the palace. In the blink of an eye, these two enormous creatures were right before them.
“Ah!”
Many people were scared and screamed, their faces turning pale as they scrambled backward, watching the golden dragon and phoenix in extreme terror. But in the next moment, the golden dragon circled around the new emperor, and the phoenix circled around Chu Hechao for a few rounds before suddenly turning into golden light and disappearing.
Chu Hechao’s expression was peculiar, but he quickly regained his composure after a moment.
The scene fell into silence, as if the spectacle they just witnessed was an illusion.
However, everyone present saw it clearly—the golden dragon and phoenix were definitely not an illusion.
Such an auspicious omen couldn’t be fabricated; they witnessed it with their own eyes. Those who came to secretly plot against the new emperor, even if they still harbored ulterior motives, were now thoroughly frightened and disappeared without a trace.
As for the phoenix circling around Chu Hechao, those who knew the inside story understood, while those who didn’t know the relationship between Yuan Li and Chu Hechao forced themselves to hold back any negative comments.
With such a heavenly sign, how could they dare say anything negative.
While the people were still in shock, Yuan Li suddenly made a move. He took two steps forward and stood in front of the imperial throne. With a wave of his sleeve, he turned and sat on the dragon throne.
Yuan Li looked calm, dignified, and majestic. The pearls on his crown shimmered, reflecting golden light on his young and handsome face.
The courtiers, now recovered from their shock, knelt deeply on the ground, submitting to the authority of the new emperor. They all chanted in unison, “We pay homage to Your Majesty, long live the emperor, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years!”
Drums and horns sounded again, resounding heroically, mingling with the cheers of “Long live the emperor” as they pierced through layer after layer of palace walls.
Finally, the scorching sun appeared from behind the clouds, shining brightly and hanging high in the sky.
On this day, the Great Wen Dynasty was born.
Listening to the voices of the people, doing what the people wanted.
This vibrant nation would rise like the rising sun and flourish.
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Thanks for the update