Chapter 187. Dragon and Phoenix.
As Yuan Li's words were only halfway spoken, Yuan Song and Madam Chen were already stunned.
They... they were going to be retired Emperor and Empress Dowager?
Yuan Li was going to become Emperor?!
Yuan Song's hands trembled uncontrollably, causing half of the hot tea in his hand to spill. His face flushed red, his breath quickened, "Y- you... you really want to become Emperor?"
Yuan Li nodded with a smile.
Yuan Song slumped in his chair, overcome with emotion.
Reflecting on the events of years past when he was titled Marquis of Guannei due to his son's accomplishments, Yuan Song had thought that was the pinnacle. Back then, being named a marquis was as much as their ancestors could have hoped for in turbulent times.
When the late Emperor wanted to bestow a title upon Yuan Li, Yuan Song had thought it best to avoid attracting attention to his son in case someone might try to overthrow the Northern Zhou Dynasty, causing displeasure towards Yuan Li. He had never imagined that Yuan Li would be the one to overturn the ruling power of the Northern Zhou Dynasty...
Who could have foreseen this?
Who could have imagined that their family would produce an Emperor?
From a mere county magistrate, he had suddenly become the retired Emperor!
Overwhelmed with emotion and disbelief, Yuan Song was on the verge of tears. His lips and legs trembled in excitement. Thoughts raced through his mind - 'Ancestors, your sacrifices were not in vain. Yuan Li has become an Emperor, Yuan Lou and Yuan Dan have become founding heroes, and their family was now part of the imperial relatives!'
Madam Chen too felt dizzy and bewildered, murmuring as she held her head, repeatedly saying, "I will be an Empress Dowager? I will truly be an Empress Dowager? I... I have never been an Empress Dowager."
Seeing their reactions, Yuan Li found it amusing. He tried to reassure his parents, but their excitement could not be contained, and they were in a state of euphoria.
Yuan Li inquired if they wanted to go to Luoyang. The couple nodded eagerly without a moment's hesitation.
It was their son's abdication ceremony; he was going to be Emperor. How could they not go?!
Even if they were ten years older, even if the journey was long and arduous, they would traverse any obstacle to witness this glorious moment!
Yuan Song had already decided that upon returning to Ruyang, he would go to the ancestral shrine to honor their forefathers, informing them of the joyous news that a member of the Yuan family had become Emperor.
Lost in their excitement, they paid no heed to Yuan Li and Chu Hechao.
Deciding to leave the Yuan Mansion quietly with Chu Hechao, the snowfall became heavier.
Surprisingly, it wasn't as cold in the snow as it had been before. Having just drunk hot tea and ginger soup, Yuan Li felt sweat on his palms and soles.
There were hardly any pedestrians on the road, and the snow reached up to their ankles. The barren trees along the road were covered in thick white snow, trembling and swaying in the wind.
Walking side by side, after a while, Chu Hechao held Yuan Li's hand.
Yuan Li pulled Chu Hechao to tread on the clean snow, leaving behind clear footprints. He eagerly watched as Chu Hechao followed suit.
Chu Hechao declined, "I don't do that anymore."
That statement somehow tickled Yuan Li's funny bone, and with his already low threshold for laughter, he bent over with laughter, tears welling up in his eyes.
Chu Hechao skillfully supported him, showing a hint of helplessness in his expression, "What's so funny? Tell me what's so amusing."
Yuan Li lay laughing on his chest, propping himself up with Chuhao Chao's strong arm and said, "So am I now Yuan Sui?"
"How can you say that about yourself, Lejun?" Chuhao Chao cradled Yuan Li's face, kissed him, and playfully bit his lip, sighing, "You're clearly not even a year old."
Yuan Li: "..."
He became so enraged that he balled up a snowball and threw it at Chu Hechao.
Chu Hechao raised an eyebrow mischievously and retaliated with his own snowball.
Yuan Li dodged quickly, intending to provoke a smile, but another larger snowball hit him square in the face.
Yuan Li vowed that he had heard Chu Hechao stifling a laugh.
"...Fine."
Yuan Li rolled up his sleeves, coldly thinking that his fighting spirit had been fully ignited.
Yuan Li was young, and no matter his age, in Chu Hechao's eyes, he was still the youthful lad he once was, full of playfulness subdued only by the weight of his responsibilities. Whatever Yuan Li did, Chuhao Chao gladly went along with it.
He himself had never indulged in such playfulness in his youth, but he had to admit, Chu Hechao also found joy in it.
However, as it was winter, Chu Hechao called for a halt first. He crouched down to feel Yuan Li's boots, noticing that they were already damp from the wet snow.
Worried that continuing on would soak Yuan Li's shoes entirely, he carried Yuan Li on his back back to the mansion.
Watching Chu Hechao's every move, Yuan Li found it somewhat hard to understand. The Chu Hechao of the past, with a hot temper and a suspicious nature, was now willing to go to such lengths for him, with such meticulous care.
His heart melted like water, and Yuan Li obediently wrapped his arms around Chu Hechao's neck, leaning against his man's back and saying, "You're so good to me."
The smile at the corner of Chu Hechao's mouth and eyes couldn't be suppressed. He patted Yuan Li's bottom playfully and teased, "Since you know how good I am, stick closer to your man."
Yuan Li twitched at the corner of his mouth,
"How do you want me to stick to you?"
Chu Hechao thought for a moment and said seriously, "Just think of something yourself."
Yuan Li tightened his arms, feeling like sighing, "Aren't I already sticking close enough to you now?"
"Not enough," Chuhao Chao said lazily, "You'd better hold onto me even when you sleep at night. While I'm still around, stick to me as much as you can. Once I'm gone, you won't be able to stick to me anymore."
Yuan Li became angry in an instant, opening his mouth and biting Chu Hechao's shoulder tightly.
Chu Hechao winced and managed to support him steadily, "Ow! Why are you biting me?"
The person on his back let go of his mouth, but remained silent.
Chu Hechao felt a bit nervous and tentatively said, "Lejun?"
Yuan Li still didn't speak.
Chu Hechao became even more anxious and whispered, "My dear, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said those things."
Yuan Li remained silent.
Chuhao Chao set him down, turned to face Yuan Li, and was surprised to see that Yuan Li's eyes were red.
Regret immediately washed over the man, as he spoke softly and apologetically, "Please don't cry, I will never say such things again."
Yuan Li watched him for a moment before his gaze shifted to Chu Hechao's hair.
Starting from the temples to the forehead, all the way to the tips of his hair, and not finding a single white strand, Yuan Li's tense spirit finally relaxed.
With a nasal tone, Yuan Li said, "You're not old."
"Yeah, I'm not old," Chu Hechao agreed, "I'm in the prime of youth, full of vigor and vitality. I'm vigorous every night, making you unable to resist. How can that be considered old?"
Frowning, Yuan Li said, "Be serious."
Sighing, Chuhao Chao wrapped his arms around Yuan Li and said, "I'm afraid, Lejun. I fear that forty years from now, I'll leave before you. I can't bear to part with you, and I fear for your well-being."
Chu Hechao's concerns began to weigh heavily on him, and he kissed Yuan ali's hair, "If I'm gone, and you're left to be taken advantage of, what will you do? I won't be there to protect you, and I won't be able to avenge any wrongs done to you."
His voice low and muffled by the wind and snow, he continued, "I fear I won't be able to help you."
As soon as those words left his lips, Yuan Li felt a bitter ache in his heart, as if he had eaten unripe fruit. Tears welled up, making him feel uncomfortable. "It won't happen."
Chu Hechao fell silent. He smiled faintly and nodded, "Alright, if you say it won't happen, then it won't. Let's not talk about this anymore."
However, Yuan Li knew that this issue would linger on Chu Hechao's mind, possibly until his dying day.
The eight-year age gap was always a knot in Chu Hechao's heart.
Yuan Li removed his right glove and Chu Hechao's glove, interlocked their hands palm to palm.
Snowflakes fluttered and landed on their hands.
Yuan Li asked, "Do you feel that meeting me came too late and the time we can spend together is too short?"
Chu Hechao agreed and said lovingly, "It would have been better if I had met you earlier."
"But when we did meet, it was the best time of my life," Yuan Li smiled, "Regardless of the timing, meeting you is a stroke of luck. We have been together for nearly ten years already, who says we can't be together for fifty or sixty more?"
Thinking about the phrase "meeting you is a stroke of luck," Chu Hechao finally exhaled, "You're right."
Even though Chu Hechao thought fifty or sixty years was too short, he decided not to say anything that might upset Yuan Li. It was essential to cherish the present moment, and the future could be a worry for another day.
Hand in hand, they walked back home, with snow falling on their heads. In a trance, it felt as though they had walked into old age together.
*
The following spring, Yuan Li set off for Luoyang.
A grand procession stretched for miles, including the officials, nobles, generals, and ministers of Wen State. At the same time, governors from various regions also hurried to Luoyang to prepare for the abdication ceremony.
Liangzhou's Lu He actively supported the cause, and under the threat of Yuan Li's military forces, Qingzhou's Hui Zizhen and Yanzhou's Che Kangbo also took the lead in bowing to Yuan Li.
From afar in Luoyang, Zheng Rong had already restored the city's former prosperity within the past five years, and the palace had been renovated.
Upon learning that the Lord and the Emperor would hold the abdication ceremony and the founding ceremony within the 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 in preparation for the Lord's arrival.
Ouyang Ting arrived in Luoyang by boat, faster than Yuan Li and the others. When he arrived, neither Yuan Li nor the Emperor had arrived yet.
Knowing that Ouyang Ting was a renowned scholar, and even more impressively, knowledgeable in etiquette and music, Zheng Rong hurriedly sought his advice on the ceremonial procedures for the abdication ceremony and the founding ceremony.
As Zheng Rong was not from a noble background and had no exposure to the customs of the aristocracy, let alone the significant events of a change in dynasties, he naturally struggled with the preparations.
Seeing this, Ouyang Ting furrowed his brow and immediately sought the help of some old eunuchs from the palace and some friends knowledgeable in etiquette and music to assist in organizing the ceremonies.
By the time Yuan Li arrived in Luoyang, everything had been arranged in perfect order.
Standing in front of the palace gates, he looked at the magnificent palace glowing in the sunlight, smiling as he led Chu Hechao, his parents, and his officials inside.
The date for the abdication ceremony was set for the first of August.
Yuan Li's imperial robe had been tailored and was now being fitted on him, with any necessary alterations being made. Each department was nervously preparing for the final touches to ensure there were no mistakes.
The night before the abdication ceremony, everyone was too anxious to sleep.
The Yuan clan members were like everyone was dreaming, eagerly anticipating the arrival of the next day. Yuan Li's subordinates had been looking forward to this day for many years, and despite being tired from long days of preparation, they were full of energy, staying awake until dawn approached.
On this night, how could they possibly sleep?
Zhou Gongdan, Liu Jixin, Wang Er, Wu Kai... kept their eyes open until daybreak.
As dawn broke, the entire city of Luoyang began bustling.
The first of August had excellent weather, a gentle breeze, and thick clouds shielding the intense sun, providing cool shade for the officials.
Officials, nobles, governors, and prefects stood on the vast palace ground, solemnly waiting for the ceremony to start.
Soldiers clad in armor had already surrounded the area in layers, ten steps apart, scanning inside and out like hawks.
When the time came, several drums resounded simultaneously, followed by the clear and melodious sound of horns, with music spreading throughout the palace.
The Emperor sat on the throne, beginning to read the abdication edict.
The procedure had been rehearsed before, and the Emperor was familiar with it. The edict had been modified by officials from the Ministry of State Affairs, and the Emperor had already memorized it.
In this tense atmosphere, the Emperor swallowed nervously several times, his voice fluctuating in volume. However, due to the solemn silence of the officials, his words echoed clearly, heard by everyone.
"...I hereby abdicate in favor of Lord Wen Yuan Li, hoping that Lord Wen will uphold the peace both domestically and abroad, and safeguard the righteousness of the realm. I bestow the Emperor's authority upon Lord Wen as a way to atone for my sins... So be it."
After finishing the edict, the eunuch by the Emperor's side respectfully handed the edict to Yuan Li, bending down to present it to him.
Yuan Li took the edict, raised his head to see the Emperor seated a hundred steps away on the dragon throne, suddenly realizing that he was about to become the Emperor.
At the age of eighteen and he had turned twenty-eight, and finally, in this summer of the year, he became the founding Emperor of the Great Wen Dynasty.
It was as if reality had finally set in, and Yuan Li's chest started to throb faster and faster.
Guided by the eunuch, he took each step towards the high platform.
All eyes were on Yuan Li, as everyone watched the founder of the new dynasty approach the imperial throne step by step.
Some were flushed with excitement, some devoutly respectful, and some were moved to tears.
Finally.
They had finally waited for this day.
The Emperor had already risen from his throne, waiting for Yuan Li to reach his side.
Yuan Li's eyes scanned the faces of the people around him, from the governors and prefects from various regions to his subordinates.
The drumbeat grew more solemn and urgent, and the horns continued to sound without pause.
Yuan Li's heart pounded fiercely, thump, thump, his eyes shining brighter, as if they held the radiance of the sun.
Chu Hechao stood at the front left of the hall, Yuan Li briefly locked eyes with him, and then ascended the platform to stand next to the Emperor.
The Emperor looked earnestly at him, "Lord Wen, from now on, everything is in your hands."
For the last time, Yuan Li humbly responded, "I shall obey."
The eunuchs waiting on either side swiftly removed the court attire from Yuan Li and dressed him in imperial regalia. They also removed the Emperor's attire and clothed him in the robes of a marquis.
The Grand Minister solemnly took the imperial seal from the Emperor's hand and respectfully handed it to Yuan Li.
Yuan Li gazed at the seal for a moment, then glanced at Chu Hechao and the others below, before accepting it.
At the moment he received the seal, the system that had been silent for years suddenly spoke up.
[Emperor Development System activated.]
[Host has achieved the ultimate goal, detected that AR special effects have 20 seconds left unused, will take effect in 3 seconds.]
[3, 2, 1...]
A burst of golden light exploded in the sky above Luoyang.
Startled, everyone looked up to see a dragon tail moving between the thick clouds.
"It's a dragon! A dragon—!"
"It's a golden dragon in the world!"
The shocked officials and nobles felt their legs go weak, staring in disbelief at the sky, then suddenly kneeling on the ground.
The golden dragon was several meters long, majestic and dignified, as if it were about to soar through the clouds. Emerging from the clouds, it let out a loud roar, its dragon's roar echoing through the heavens and earth, causing all things to tremble and submit.
Even the common people outside the palace in Luoyang heard the dragon's roar. They ran bewildered to the streets, lifting their heads to see the majestic golden dragon with its fierce presence.
Cries of astonishment filled the air as farmers, merchants, and the soldiers guarding the city all fell to their knees, a mixture of fear and reverence evident on their faces.
In the blink of an eye, the city of Luoyang was filled with kneeling citizens.
Inside the palace walls, the only ones not kneeling were Yuan Li and Chu Hechao, who had already witnessed the divine powers of Yuan Li.
The two men exchanged a glance, then a clear and melodious bird call echoed through the air. Everyone quickly turned to see a beautiful and enormous phoenix flying from the east, circling around the golden dragon.
The dragon and phoenix playfully interacted with each other, creating a sacred and magnificent scene that left everyone breathless and captivated.
Zhou Gongdan murmured, "The dragon and phoenix bring auspiciousness..."
Before he could finish his words, the dragon and phoenix suddenly dashed towards the palace. In an instant, these two majestic beings stood before them.
"Ah!"
Many people screamed in terror, their faces pale, scrambling back in fear as they watched the golden dragon and phoenix. But in the next moment, the dragon surrounded the new Emperor, and the phoenix surrounded Chu Hechao, circling a few times before disappearing in a flash of golden light.
Chu Hechao's expression turned peculiar, but after a moment, he regained his composure.
The scene fell quiet, as if the spectacle had been an illusion.
However, everyone present saw the dragon and phoenix vividly, knowing that it was no illusion.
Such auspicious signs could not be faked; they had witnessed it with their own eyes. The onlookers stared at Yuan Li and Chu Hechao with a mix of respect and awe, realizing that Yuan Li was truly the chosen one favored by the heavens!
Even those who harbored doubts about Yuan Li's rise to power were now silenced by fear.
As for why the phoenix circled around Chu Hechao, those who understood the situation knew the reason, while those unaware of the relationship between Yuan Li and Chu Hechao held their tongues, choosing not to speak ill of the situation.
If even the heavens had bestowed such auspicious signs, how dare they say anything now?
As the crowd was still reeling from the awe-inspiring sight, Yuan Li suddenly made his move. He took two steps forward and reached the imperial throne, sweeping his sleeves before gracefully seating himself on the dragon throne.
Yuan Li's expression was calm, dignified, and noble. The jewels on his crown shimmered, casting a dazzling golden light on his youthful and handsome face.
The courtiers, now awakened from their stupor, fell prostrate on the ground, submitting to the new Emperor's authority, shouting in unison, "We pay our respects to Your Majesty, long live the Emperor, long live, long live."
The drums and horns resounded once more, echoing through the palace walls alongside the cheers of "long live."
Finally, the blazing sun emerged from behind the clouds, its brilliance blinding as it hung 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 steadily like the rising sun.
-End of Text-