Spring passes to summer solstice, autumn passes to winter, and when the first heavy snow falls in the winter of Jingrui's first year, it is the winter solstice of this year. The emperor will hold a ceremony to sacrifice to heaven on this day, and this is Zhu Yunxuan's first year on the throne, so this ritual to sacrifice to heaven is even more important.
At the second quarter of the ugly hour, when it was darkest, Zhu Yunxuan got up, the lights in the bedroom were lit, and dozens of eunuchs waited for him to wash and change clothes. Zhu Yunxuan's face was tired and he was feeling weak. He only squinted for a while last night. It was suddenly cold at night. Even though there were earth dragons in the dormitory and several braziers were lit, he still tossed and turned and couldn't sleep because of the cold. Now when I got up, I felt a sore throat and felt drowsy, probably because I had suffered from the wind and cold again.
Gao An knelt on the ground to tie his belt, and when he heard Zhu Yunxuan coughing in a low voice, he said worriedly: "Your Majesty, why don't you send the imperial physician to come and take a look, and drink the medicine first before going?"
"No need, don't miss the time for today's ceremony."
At Yinshi, the mighty chariot hugged the emperor's chariot and headed for the Temple of Heaven in the south of the city.
As soon as the convoy left the palace gate, Liang Zhen took advantage of the darkness to get on the imperial chariot. Zhu Yunxuan was sitting in the car with his eyes closed to rest, and did not open his eyes when he heard the movement. There is only one person who is so courageous and dares to climb onto the imperial chariot without being summoned.
Liang Zhen gave him the stove in his hand, and asked casually: "Your Majesty's complexion is pale, and there are bruises under his eyes, but he didn't sleep well last night?"
Zhu Yunxuan didn't answer, Liang Zhen stretched out his hand and squeezed his palm, it was really cold: "How do these palace people serve people, fortunately, I brought a hand warmer."
As he spoke, he went to grab Zhu Yunxuan's leg again, Zhu Yunxuan finally opened his eyes, frowned and looked at him impatiently: "What is King Zhao going to do?"
Liang Zhen smiled, tied his knee pads on him, and covered him under his uniform: "It's freezing outside, and the ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven may take several hours. Your Majesty's knees may not be able to bear kneeling for so long."
"Take it off." Zhu Yunxuan said coldly.
"Why do you want to remove it? The minister is for the good of His Majesty."
Zhu Yunxuan's eyebrows were furrowed tightly: "Worshiping the heavens and gods, the most important thing is sincerity, how can you be lazy and play tricks?"
Liang Zhen was very disapproving: "How can this be called being lazy and slippery? Who said that wearing knee pads is insincere? When did Your Majesty become so pedantic?"
Afraid that it was all taught by Zeng Shoufu, Liang Zhen shook his head inwardly, this old man will never do good things.
Seeing that Zhu Yunxuan was still hesitating, Liang Zhen said again: "Your Majesty, rest assured, since you are the Son of Heaven, God will not bear to see you suffer from the cold like this, not to mention, which of the officials outside didn't wear it on their legs?" This, only you can be so sincere."
Zhu Yunxuan closed his eyes. How could he not know this? When the late emperor was in power, every time these princes came to sacrifice to heaven, who were not fully armed and tried every means to keep out the cold and laziness, and what he was best at in the past was this . It’s just that today is different from the past, he is the one who sits on the throne, and he is also the one who sacrifices to heaven. His throne was originally stolen, and so many pairs of eyes are staring at him from the side. Those who really feel peace of mind only think that maybe if they are more sincere, they can ask for more protection and blessings from the gods.
However, Liang Zhen saw through his thoughts at a glance, and while tying his knee pads, he said casually: "It is better to ask God than to ask oneself, why does Your Majesty value God so much?"
Zhu Yunxuan interrupted him angrily: "King Zhao is too arrogant, he doesn't even care about gods."
Liang Zhen raised his eyes to look at him, and the smile in his eyes deepened: "I don't believe in heaven and earth, I don't believe in ghosts and gods. I only believe in myself. If your majesty is willing, you can trust me."
Zhu Yunxuan was stunned for a moment, then closed her eyes again, and said nothing more.
Liang Zhen didn't bother him anymore, and sat with him for a while before getting out of the car. Zhu Yunxuan was in a complicated mood, hesitated for a long time, and called someone up to help him untie the knee pad.
At Maoshi, the Taihe bell sounded, and Zhu Yunxuan got off the chariot, walked through the south main gate of the Temple of Heaven, and walked up to the Circular Mound to worship the roof step by step.
The sky lanterns hung high on the platform for offering sacrifices, and fireworks rose from the burnt wood stove. In the misty smoke, the emperor led the princes, clan, and officials to worship the tablet of Haotian God first, and then offered incense and kowtow before the ancestors, and then returned to the throne. Kneel three times and bow nine times to the gods.
The cold wind was piercing, and the heavy snow did not stop, falling one after another. Zhu Yunxuan's crown and shoulders were covered with snowflakes, but his shoulders were always tense, and he completed every movement meticulously.
This is just the beginning. The ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven is grand and cumbersome, requiring repeated kneeling and offering gifts without any mistakes. Liang Zhen knelt among the kings, watching the thin and thin figure on the altar repeatedly leaning over and prostrating, he couldn't help but slightly frowned.
When he got up again and offered his honor to the gods, Liang Zhen, who had been staring at him, clearly saw that Zhu Yunxuan staggered when he walked, and half of the wine in the cup spilled out. All the officials bowed their heads and knelt on the ground, and no one else noticed.
It took two hours for a ceremony to sacrifice to heaven, and it ended at noon. On the return journey, Zhu Yunxuan was so cold that he lost all consciousness. After returning to the palace, he was almost helped into the Ganlin Palace by someone, and passed out as soon as he entered the door. .
The imperial doctor came in a hurry and Zhu Yunxuan woke up after administering the needle. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Liang Zhen sitting aside and looking at him with his brows furrowed.
Zhu Yunxuan asked him hoarsely, "Why is King Zhao here?"
"I was worried about Your Majesty, so I came over to have a look. As soon as I arrived, I heard that Your Majesty had fainted again. The imperial doctor said that you had a cold and a fever, and you must stay in bed to recuperate."
Liang Zhen shook his head as he spoke, Zhu Yunxuan was not so delicate when he was not an emperor, but now he is fine, he would get sick from time to time, his body is getting worse and worse.
Zhu Yunxuan motioned Gao An to help him up, leaned against the head of the bed and said wearily, "I'm fine."
"Your Majesty, why do you have to be brave? If you really have nothing to do, you won't faint as soon as you come back."
Zhu Yunxuan wanted to say something else, but the subordinates came in to report that King Xian was waiting outside with all the clans, urging His Majesty to leave as soon as possible, it was getting late.
Zhu Yunxuan frowned and said, "What time is it?"
"It's almost time."
He actually fell into a coma for nearly an hour, and in the afternoon he had to lead his family to the Taimiao ancestor statue to give thanks, and it was almost time. Zhu Yunxuan immediately ordered in a deep voice: "Help me up and change my clothes."
Liang Zhen leaned over to stop his movements: "Your Majesty, do you still want to go to the Taimiao with your appearance? How about another day?"
Zhu Yunxuan refused, Liang Zhen persuaded: "The ancestors will not be happy to see you looking sick, why don't you go after you recover from your illness two days later, you can still go now road?"
Zhu Yunxuan showed hesitation, Liang Zhen lowered his voice, and said again: "Anyway, the old emperor, the late Emperor, probably doesn't want to see you either."
Hearing this, Zhu Yunxuan's eyes flickered for a moment, his expression darkened, he was silent for a moment, and told Gao An: "Go tell them that I am not feeling well, let them go back, and thank you at another day."
Gao An led the order to go to the outer hall, and after a short while, there was a burst of noise from outside, the voice of King Xian was particularly prominent, and he was shouting loudly: "Your Majesty, worshiping the ancestral temple after offering sacrifices to heaven is a rule established by Emperor Taizu. You have to go!"
Zhu Yunxuan's expression turned cold in an instant, Liang Zhen raised his eyebrows, and a eunuch came in with a face full of embarrassment to report, saying that King Xian took the lead, and those clan princes knelt outside, begging His Majesty to go today no matter what, so as not to spoil the ancestors rule.
"King Xian said... His Majesty, you are contemptuous of your ancestors and unfilial. He also said that if you don't go, he will kneel outside and can't get up. Eunuch Gao is trying to persuade them..."
After the eunuch finished speaking, the sweat on his brow came down, he lowered his head and didn't dare to look at Zhu Yunxuan, Liang Zhen sneered: "This old man is still relying on the old to sell the old, and using the rules of the ancestors to suppress His Majesty, he is also worthy?"
Zhu Yunxuan endured his anger and asked, "Did he really say that?"
"Yes, King Xian and his people have already knelt down, and the servants really can't persuade them..."
Liang Zhen didn't take it seriously: "Your Majesty, why should you bother with them? Those old fellows are just playing tricks and deliberately wanting Your Majesty's face. They are used to being pampered, how long can they kneel if they want to kneel? I'm afraid it will be less than two hours Then I felt that it was boring, so I got up without you persuading myself."
Zhu Yunxuan remained silent, his eyes were lowered, his eyes were filled with emotion and he didn't know what he was thinking. After a long while, he laughed at himself and said, "Wait for me to get up."
Liang Zhen frowned: "Your Majesty, if you don't want to go, don't go. Why do you have to be so wronged and persecuted?"
Zhu Yunxuan said calmly: "Is the persecution I have suffered less? This time is not missing."
The people below waited for him to put on the crown again. Liang Zhen looked aside for a while with his sleeves wrapped around his sleeves, then stepped forward and took the leather belt from the eunuch: "My king is here."
He helped Zhu Yunxuan fasten the belt with his own hands. Zhu Yunxuan looked calm and stood still, allowing him to move.
Flattening his outer clothes, Liang Zhen looked at the emperor with lower eyebrows and pleasing eyes in front of him, and raised his hand to caress his face: "You haven't eaten your lunch yet, so you're going to the Taimiao?"
Zhu Yunxuan shook his head: "It's too late, we can't really let those people outside kneel all the time, if word spreads out tomorrow, all civil and military officials in the Manchu Dynasty will know that I am a person who disrespects my ancestors."
Liang Zhen sneered: "Just deal with those who talk nonsense, why should you care so much?"
Zhu Yunxuan said, "If you were me, you would be a real tyrant."
"What's wrong with being a tyrant? You have to be a wise king to be exhausted."
Zhu Yunxuan stopped talking, there are few emperors in this world who don't mind infamy, and don't care what the future generations will say after Qianqiu. He is not a leisurely and unrestrained person like Liang Zhen, so naturally he can't act recklessly.
Seeing Zhu Yunxuan's gloomy face, Liang Zhen leaned close to his ear and whispered: "Your Majesty, don't worry, those who bully you will one day help you bully them back one by one, just wait."