The coronation of kings in this world had a flavour of both East and West combined.
The first step took place in the royal palace’s Council Hall.
First, the civil and military ministers and nobles would present their final memorials respectfully requesting the new king to ascend the throne! The new king would once again refuse, with many possible reasons, such as waiting until the mourning period for the previous king had ended, or that there was a more suitable candidate, and so on.
Thus, the ministers would kneel and refuse to rise, using every means to force the new king to take the throne.
With no other choice, the new king could only comply with heaven’s will and the people’s will, and ascend the throne as king!
The second step took place at the Divine Dragon Tower.
After the new king agreed to ascend the throne, he would lead the queen and the ministers and nobles to the Divine Dragon Tower to offer sacrifices to heaven, earth, and the divine dragon.
Because offering sacrifices to heaven was a power reserved solely for the monarch, once one stepped forward to offer sacrifices to heaven, it was a declaration to heaven and the divine dragon that this country had changed its master, hoping that they would continue to provide protection, allowing the country to have favourable weather and a prosperous and peaceful people.
The third step took place in the royal palace’s Dragon Arrival Hall.
The civil and military ministers would present congratulatory memorials, respectfully celebrating the new king’s ascension!
Although these three steps above involved the Divine Dragon Sacred Hall, they were somewhat similar to the coronation ceremonies of ancient Chinese emperors, and could be considered relatively Chinese in style.
But the fourth step appeared very Western, and that was the coronation.
The king could not crown himself. Instead, the Divine Dragon Sacred Hall had to perform the coronation. As for who would crown the king, in the case of a hegemonic empire like the Yan Empire, it would naturally be the Sky Sacrificer who performed the coronation.
And although the Eastern Li Kingdom was very cold towards the Divine Dragon Sacred Hall, every time a new king of Eastern Li ascended the throne, the Divine Dragon Sacred Hall would send a Sky Sacrificer to go proactively. Not to perform the coronation, but to observe the ceremony.
Of course, the Fury Wave Kingdom did not enjoy such treatment.
When the previous generation’s Zhi Bian ascended the throne as king, the Divine Dragon Sacred Hall had merely sent a Holy Sacrificer to perform the coronation.
After the Divine Dragon Sacred Hall crowned the king, the king would place a smaller crown upon the queen’s head.
After the coronation ceremony ended, it entered the fifth step.
This fifth step became very Chinese again. The new king would write his first imperial edict, then affix the jade seal, and then it would slowly descend from the air.
This represented that the king’s power came from the divine dragon in heaven.
The issuance of the first imperial edict formally represented that the new king had completely taken hold of this country’s supreme power.
After these five steps, the entire coronation ceremony was concluded!
……
Zhi Li, bringing Fang Qing Zhuo with him, entered the royal palace.
As expected, the imperial guards did not dare to make trouble and directly opened the palace gates.
Zhi Li’s Young Lord’s personal army immediately entered the Council Hall and took over the defence.
In the Council Hall, the play of ministers kneeling to request his ascension was enacted once again. Everyone presented their memorials one after another, kneeling to request Zhi Li to ascend the throne as king.
Zhi Li once again politely refused, his reason being that due to the previous king’s death, his heart was torn with grief, and he wished to wait until the mourning period for the previous king had ended before ascending the throne as king.
Thus, the ministers and nobles once again cried out hysterically, knocking their heads until they bled. Some threatened to crash against golden pillars to their death, others threatened to strangle themselves with their belts.
So with no other choice, Zhi Li could only comply with the people’s will and heaven’s will, and ascend the throne as king!
Then, eunuchs and palace maids led Zhi Li and Fang Qing Zhuo to change their clothes.
Previously, Zhi Li had still been wearing the Young Lord’s ceremonial crown and robes, and Fang Qing Zhuo had been dressed as the crown princess.
This time, they were to formally change into the king’s and queen’s ceremonial robes, though without the crowns yet.
……
After changing into the king’s dragon robes, Zhi Li felt his body tremble slightly, as if a powerful force were surrounding his body. He truly felt like the Son of Heaven, as if the divine dragon had possessed his body.
Wearing the dragon robes, Zhi Li held Fang Qing Zhuo’s hand and led the ministers and nobles, walking with the stride of a dragon and the step of a tiger, heading towards the Divine Dragon Tower to offer sacrifices to heaven.
The ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven should be the most solemn and dignified moment of the day.
Zhi Li stood upon the high Divine Dragon sacrificial platform like one who alone honoured himself, reading aloud the sacrificial text to heaven.
The sacrificial text to heaven was several thousand words long. Zhi Li infused it with dragon power, reading it with rising and falling intonation, forceful and resonant, spreading throughout the entire sacrificial square.
One had to say, judging by outward appearance and voice alone, Zhi Li truly had the bearing of a generation of heroic rulers.
The ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven lasted a full hour. In his heart, Zhi Li was actually very worried that some accident would occur and be regarded as inauspicious.
For example, a sudden clap of thunder from the sky, or a sudden torrential downpour. After all, today was not necessarily an auspicious day, not one specially selected.
But heaven seemed to especially favour Zhi Li. The sky was cloudless for ten thousand li. Not to mention a sudden downpour, not to mention thunder and lightning, there was not even a wisp of dark cloud, not even a breath of wind.
Zhi Li had originally not believed in these things, but heaven’s such favour made his confidence explode, making him feel that he was truly the lord of heaven’s mandate.
When he came to offer sacrifices to heaven, there had still been some unease in his heart. But after leaving the sacrificial platform to heaven, he was now a hundredfold confident.
With every step towards the royal palace, he felt his power continuously increasing.
By the time he once again arrived at the royal palace, it was already afternoon. After entering the Dragon Arrival Hall, Zhi Li already felt that the divine dragon had possessed his body, that he was invulnerable to blades and spears, incomparably powerful!
……
Next came the third step of the coronation ceremony, the ministers presenting their memorials.
There were truly too many officials and nobles, and it was impossible to let every official read out their congratulatory memorial.
Thus, only nobles and officials of standing and face had this qualification. With Duke Tu Ling Tuo absent, the first to read a congratulatory memorial was of course Prime Minister Yan Wu Ji.
And the second person to read a congratulatory memorial was unexpectedly Marquis Fu E of the Fire Worship City!
Fu E had chosen to flee the battlefield together with Tu Ling Tuo at that time. But after entering Bai Yun Commandery City, he saw that Tu Ling Tuo had thoughts of compromising with Suo Lun, so he resolutely parted ways with Tu Ling Tuo and fled back to the royal capital.
Tu Ling Tuo had drawn a clear line with Zhi Li at the critical moment. Who would have thought that Marquis Fu E would still be in league with Zhi Li at this time?
It was truly difficult to understand. Was he such a muddle-headed person? It did not seem so. Did he harbour such prejudice against Suo Lun?
For Zhi Li’s ascension, only half of the nobles of the realm had come, and it was a small half at that.
Of the twenty-one nobles, only seven were present. The rest had sent people to deliver congratulatory memorials.
But Marquis Fu E’s presence made up for this shortcoming. The reason was very simple, because he was Suo Lun’s maternal grandfather.
In Marquis Fu E’s congratulatory memorial, he finally mentioned his hope that the new king would work diligently to govern, punish the rebellious thief, and recover lost territory.
The rebellious thief here referred to Suo Lun, and the so-called lost territory referred to the Southeast Province.
A total of nine representatives of great ministers, nobles, and nobles read their congratulatory memorials.
The third step of the coronation ceremony ended.
Next began the most important fourth step, the king’s coronation!
……
The one who had performed the coronation for the previous generation’s Zhi Bian was the incumbent Holy Sacrificer of the Zhi Du Sacred Hall.
Then, who would perform the coronation for Zhi Li today?
In many people’s hearts, it should be one of the High Sacrificers of the Zhi Du Sacred Hall, that High Sacrificer whose fate was already bound together with Zhi Li’s.
Holy Sacrificer Ge Li would certainly not appear.
Because Zhi Li’s kingship was truly not legitimate in name.
When this person appeared, everyone could not help but be startled.
This was an emaciated old man, wearing a golden yellow robe, his beard and hair completely white, his face filled with infinite majesty.
Holy Sacrificer En Lin!
He was actually the previous generation’s Holy Sacrificer En Lin of the Fury Wave Kingdom!
This was interesting!
Speaking of seniority, he was the previous generation’s Holy Sacrificer, even older than Ge Li.
But speaking of position, he had already stepped down from the position of Holy Sacrificer of the Fury Wave Kingdom, and had not been promoted to the Yan Jing Sacred Hall, let alone to the Sky Sacred Hall. So at this moment En Lin was merely a retired Holy Sacrificer.
Zhi Li was cunning. Knowing that Holy Sacrificer Ge Li could not possibly attend his coronation, he used the Hidden Continent’s power to invite a retired veteran cadre out of retirement to perform his coronation.
Even though he had already retired, after all he still carried the title of Holy Sacrificer.
Otherwise, truly letting a High Sacrificer perform his coronation would be too humiliating.
At this moment, the retired Holy Sacrificer En Lin stepped forward, followed by two High Sacrificers and two Grand Inquisitors behind him. Eight Sacrificers, eight Inquisitors, and ninety-nine Sacred Hall Knights.
This lineup could indeed be called luxurious!
After the Divine Dragon Sacred Hall’s contingent appeared, the entire hall fell into dead silence!
Inside the Dragon Arrival Hall, the civil and military officials and noble nobles retreated to both sides one after another, prostrating themselves on the ground!
Even a retired Holy Sacrificer was still a Holy Sacrificer!
Next, the ninety-nine Sacred Hall Knights arranged themselves into a solemn formation in the centre of the great hall.
The eight Inquisitors and eight Sacrificers stood at the foot of the steps. Fu Ling Xi was not among them.
The two Grand Inquisitors and two High Sacrificers stood upon the steps, respectively holding the king’s crown and the queen’s crown.
Actually, this crown should have been taken from Zhi Bian’s head. But it was evident that Gao Yin would not hand over the crown, so Zhi Li had simply forged one himself, even more magnificent and noble.
In any case, as long as it passed through the Divine Dragon Sacred Hall’s coronation, any crown was real.
And the other two Grand Inquisitors held the Divine Dragon King’s staff and the Divine Dragon Golden Seal.
The king’s power was composed of several great pieces: the crown, the Divine Dragon King’s staff, the Divine Dragon Golden Seal, and the jade seal!
Among these, the crown and the jade seal belonged to the secular world.
And the Divine Dragon King’s staff and the Divine Dragon Golden Seal were bestowed by the Divine Dragon Sacred Hall.
Now the jade seal was in Suo Lun’s hands. If nothing unexpected happened today and Zhi Li smoothly ascended the throne as king, then for the jade seal there would certainly be another round of fighting.
Two of the four things composing the king’s power were actually bestowed by the Divine Dragon Sacred Hall. No wonder Zhi Li dared to go mad and assassinate the king to forcibly ascend the throne, because no matter what he had the support of the Divine Dragon Sacred Hall.
He was backed by the Hidden Continent, one of the four great powers under the Divine Dragon Sacred Hall.
Even if he, Zhi Li, assassinated the king and committed a heaven-overflowing crime, as long as he could make it plausible, as long as he could make the ministers of the royal capital speak with one voice, the Divine Dragon Sacred Hall had ways to support him.
Even if it could not give direct and open support, it could use circuitous means, letting a retired Holy Sacrificer perform the coronation ceremony.
If something went wrong, they would say this was a retired veteran cadre’s personal action, unrelated to my Divine Dragon Sacred Hall.
……
The retired Holy Sacrificer En Lin came to the highest place in the Dragon Arrival Hall, below the throne!
“Zhi Li pays respects to the Holy Sacrificer.” Zhi Li knelt on one knee.
“Fang Qing Zhuo pays respects to the Holy Sacrificer.” The newly crowned queen Fang Qing Zhuo knelt on both knees.
Holy Sacrificer En Lin placed his hand upon Zhi Li’s head and said, “New King Zhi Li, are you willing to believe in the divine dragon for your entire life?”
“I am willing.” Zhi Li said with incomparable piety.
Holy Sacrificer En Lin said, “New King Zhi Li, are you willing to serve the divine dragon for your entire life?”
“I am willing.” Zhi Li said.
Holy Sacrificer En Lin said, “Do you swear to never violate any will or majesty of the divine dragon for your entire life?”
“I swear.” Zhi Li said.
The three questions were complete!
Holy Sacrificer En Lin came before Fang Qing Zhuo and placed his withered hand upon her head, asking the same three questions.
“Queen Fang Qing Zhuo, are you willing to believe in the divine dragon for your entire life?”
Fang Qing Zhuo: “I am willing.”
“Queen Fang Qing Zhuo, are you willing to serve the divine dragon for your entire life?”
Fang Qing Zhuo: “I am willing.”
“Queen Fang Qing Zhuo, do you swear to never violate any will or majesty of the divine dragon for your entire life?”
Fang Qing Zhuo: “I swear!”
Thus, the questions ended.
The retired Holy Sacrificer En Lin picked up the crown and raised it high!
“I represent the divine dragon, bestowing the supreme and sacred crown upon the pious and noble Zhi Li!”
Then, the crown slowly descended towards Zhi Li’s head!
At this moment Zhi Li’s heart surged like the tides, so excited he could not control himself!
He had succeeded. This path of nine deaths and one life, he had actually succeeded.
He truly had not expected that Suo Lun would be so stupid, for the sake of a mere biological son, actually retreating again and again.
He did not even dare to stop Zhi Li’s coronation ceremony. Such stupidity and absurdity was truly never before seen and never before heard.
Zhi Li had already thought it through. For any major matter in the future, he would take out Suo Lun’s biological flesh and blood as a threat.
If he once again launched a punitive expedition against Tian Shui City, he would directly bring Suo Lun’s son before the great army’s battle formation.
Aren’t your cannons formidable, Suo Lun? Fire then! Blast your son into pieces!
A man must be ruthless to succeed!
History is written by the victors. A hundred years from now, who would know of his, Zhi Li’s, disgrace and shamelessness?
“The victor is king, the defeated is the bandit. Suo Lun, I have won!” Zhi Li said word by word in his heart.
The coronation with the crown was a very sacred process, requiring sufficient ceremonial sense. So it appeared as if in slow motion like a film.
At times like this, the new king’s heart was incomparably anxious, wishing he could immediately snatch the crown and place it upon his head, fearing that some mishap would occur at this final juncture.
Of course……
After entering the coronation ceremony, no accidents had ever occurred for kings of previous generations.
However, excessive concern leads to confusion.
“The victor is king, the defeated is the bandit. Suo Lun, I have won.” Zhi Li said once more in his heart.
Then……
The crown was already seemingly touching his hair!
Once the crown was placed upon his head, the great matter would be completely settled.
At this moment……
Suddenly, Queen Fang Qing Zhuo beside him took a deep breath and resolutely said in a clear, loud voice, “I report Zhi Li for carrying demon blood, opposing the divine dragon’s power, and opposing belief in the divine dragon!”
The moment this voice rang out!
The entire hall was thrown into shock!
Zhi Li felt as if a thunderbolt from beyond the nine heavens had fiercely struck his head.
He instantly lost consciousness, lost all ability to move.
All the civil and military officials and noble nobles in the hall were completely stunned.
Even Holy Sacrificer En Lin was completely frozen in place.
After speaking, Fang Qing Zhuo fiercely pulled out the golden hairpin from her head and fiercely slashed it towards Zhi Li’s face.
The frozen Zhi Li was actually unable to react for a moment, simply allowing his wife to cut open his face.
Instantly blood gushed forth, and a wound appeared on his face.
At this moment, the entire hall cried out in alarm!
Several dozen metres away, the great eunuch Li Cheng Lian fiercely lunged forward, roaring, “Assassin!”
Then, his Buddhist duster fiercely smashed towards Fang Qing Zhuo’s head, wanting to completely pulverise her.
But immediately after……
The wound on Zhi Li’s face quickly disappeared without a trace, completely recovering as before!
Demon blood, irrefutable evidence as solid as a mountain!