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墨書 Inktalez
The three brothers exchanged a few pleasantries before quietly waiting for the appointed time to arrive. Finally, with the ringing of the bell, the grand court assembly was about to begin.
Amidst the solemn music, civil and military officials entered through Wu Gate one after another, making their way to the court. Their steps were synchronized, reflecting the prosperity and stability of the Tang Dynasty. Li Jiancheng, Li Shimin, and Li Yuanji followed closely behind, their faces radiating confidence and pride.
The ceremony of the grand court assembly was presided over by Minister Chen.
The first phase was the "Zhong Yan" stage, where the central courtyard was heavily guarded. Relevant personnel went to summon the emperor while departments such as the Ministry of Personnel, Ministry of War, and Honglu Temple guided civil officials and envoys from vassal states to their respective positions.
Next came the "Wai Ban" phase, during which the soldiers guarding the palace adjusted their stances and mental focus to ensure the emperor's safety. Soon after, Emperor Li Yuan, dressed in a dragon-embroidered robe and wearing his most solemn crown, was carried into the palace in a royal sedan chair through the western gate. Upon reaching his throne, he sat facing south while Fu Baolang placed the emperor's identification items—such as the jade seal—before him.
The third step involved a series of bows and kneelings. First, there was a collective bow, followed by Pei Ji stepping forward alone. As the highest-ranking official present, he removed his shoes and knelt down, placing his ceremonial sword on the sword-rest as he bowed and said, “Sikong, Minister of Personnel, Chancellor of the Yellow Gate, I am Pei Ji: May your reign be prosperous and may you be blessed by Heaven.”
Pei Ji then put away his sword, put on his shoes again, and bowed once more individually before everyone collectively repeated their bows. This step signified that the ministers expressed their respect for the emperor on behalf of all citizens.
The fourth step was for the emperor to return the courtesy. Minister Chen moved to Li Yuan's left front and announced "There is an edict!" The officials bowed collectively as Li Yuan stated, "The celebration of my new reign is shared with all of you." After hearing this, the ministers bowed again and shouted "Long live!" before bowing once more.
The fifth step involved presenting tributes. Officials from various states and vassal nations offered various local specialties as tributes along with auspicious gifts. These specialties were diverse; some came from fertile fields while others were sourced from deep mountains and forests. The auspicious gifts varied widely—from common symbols like dragons and phoenixes to rare appearances of qilin—each signifying national prosperity and the well-being of its people.
Among these tributes was a particularly eye-catching fat pig adorned with gold foil, exuding an impressive aura as if it were truly a legendary beast like a qilin. This "Golden Foil Qilin" brought smiles to everyone present while also earning admiration for its contributor's cleverness and creativity.
The sixth step saw a dispute arise between Liu Zhenghui, Minister of Revenue, and Li Xiaogong, Minister of Rites over who should claim ownership of the tributes. Liu Zhenghui spoke first, asserting that these tributes were vital sources of national revenue and should be under his management. The Minister of Rites countered that tributes from vassal states represented national dignity and honor, thus should be his responsibility.
Li Yuan listened from above and said, "The edict allows it," granting approval to both parties. This was merely a formality; thus those who had carried in the offerings took them away again.
Finally, Minister Chen announced that the ceremony had concluded as midday approached.
Li Yuan descended from his throne and was carried out through the eastern gate in his royal sedan chair. Other attendees left in order as well; envoys from vassal states departed first. This demonstrated that Tang was a nation of etiquette that valued appearances before outsiders.
After endless bows had finally come to an end, Li Jiancheng could no longer afford to engage in pleasantries with others and hurried back to Eastern Palace.
Upon returning to Eastern Palace after lunch, Li Jiancheng seized the opportunity to rest. He lay down on his bed to catch up on sleep since he had an event scheduled for tomorrow—the second day of the new year—when civil and military officials would come to pay their respects as he was now a prince. The procedure for paying respects was similar to that for the emperor but at a much lower standard.
He entrusted all preparations to Zhao Hongzhi, Wei Zheng, Xu Shimo, and other aides at Eastern Palace since he simply lacked the energy to manage it himself.
On the morning of the second day of the new year, sunlight streamed through intricately designed window lattices into Eastern Palace's courtyard where a faint fragrance of plum blossoms lingered in the air. Civil and military officials donned splendid court attire adorned with insignia representing their ranks as they arrived early outside Eastern Palace to pay their respects to Prince Li Jiancheng.
The number of attendees compared to those outside the palace on New Year's Day had significantly decreased. First off, envoys from various nations were not required since princes could not represent their countries; secondly, local officials from various states did not need to attend either as princes could not mingle closely with them. Therefore, after paying respects to Li Yuan on New Year’s Day, if they had no relatives in the capital city, they would typically return home.
Moreover, officials ranked third grade or higher were also exempt from paying respects to princes. Generally speaking, emperors are wary of their powerful ministers colluding with princes to seize power prematurely; hence it is stipulated that officials ranked third grade or higher must not have close personal interactions with princes. Consequently, there was no need for them to come pay respects; doing so would imply too close a relationship!
Prince Qin Li Shimin and Prince Qi Li Yuanji naturally did not need to come either. Although their ranks exceeded third grade due to being princes themselves, there were no issues with private interactions among princes; however, they found no necessity in mingling with lower-ranking officials during this occasion.
As time approached,
With drums sounding off in rhythm, civil and military officials entered Eastern Palace’s hall according to their ranks one by one. Their faces beamed with respectful joy while their eyes sparkled with admiration and anticipation for the prince. As he was destined to be future emperor, they naturally hoped to leave a good impression on him for future favor.
Li Jiancheng was already dressed neatly, sitting upright on the Crown Prince's throne, his demeanor both imposing and approachable. He had caught up on his rest and was now full of energy. As he watched the civil and military officials enter one by one, Li Jiancheng smiled and nodded in greeting.
The ceremony began.
First, the Civil Officials came forward to pay their respects. With hands clasped in front of them, they bowed deeply to Li Jiancheng, saying, "We pay our respects to His Highness the Crown Prince and wish him a joyful New Year and all the best!" Their voices were loud and rhythmic, filled with respect and sincerity.
Next came the Military Officials, who were more direct and boisterous. They approached Li Jiancheng, knelt on one knee, touched the ground with their hands, and proclaimed loudly, "The military officers pay their respects to His Highness the Crown Prince, wishing him great success in his endeavors!" Their voices conveyed loyalty and trust in the Crown Prince.
Li Jiancheng responded to each of their blessings with warm greetings and encouragement. His voice was gentle yet powerful, making everyone feel his sincerity and care.
Although the New Year greetings were less elaborate than those offered to the Emperor on the first day of the New Year, they still took considerable time, lasting an entire morning. This was due to Li Jiancheng's extensive interactions with them, engaging in conversation.
The officials were also eager to express their loyalty and respect for the Crown Prince; it was an opportunity to showcase their status and position. Through this process, Li Jiancheng gained further insight into them, laying a foundation for his future rule.
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