Chapter 698 - 255: Holy Birthday Festival

Chapter 698: Chapter 255: Holy Birthday Festival

The fifteenth of May finally arrived. This day was Emperor Ruicheng’s coming-of-age capping ceremony.

To celebrate Emperor Ruicheng’s capping, the inside and outside of the Imperial Palace had been newly decorated several days in advance. The courtiers had changed their clothes and dressed up at the third watch, entering the palace one after another. Everyone was energetic, their faces bearing joy and respect for the Emperor’s capping.

The entire capping ceremony was long and solemn. Because it was an imperial grand ceremony, with barbarian envoys observing and witnessing, everyone had to brace themselves and treat it with the utmost solemnity. It was worth mentioning that Mr. Xu, as the praise officer, offered sacrifices to heaven, earth, and the ancestral temple on behalf of the Emperor, proclaiming to the ancestors and gods of the Wei Dynasty to pray for Emperor Ruicheng’s protection.

By the time this process was completed, the sky was already bright, and it was time for the official capping.

The capping ceremony was customarily held in Taihe Palace. The ritual was the "Four Cappings." Under the gaze of the civil and military officials and the barbarian envoys, Emperor Ruicheng successively put on increasingly noble crowns, and finally donned the imperial crown and robes, marking the end of the ceremony.

After the ceremony, the Emperor entered the inner hall to bow to the Empress Dowager, thanking her for raising him. The next day, he led the civil and military officials to personally visit the ancestral temple, comforting his ancestors as an adult monarch. After this matter was finished, he received the congratulations of all the civil and military officials. The Emperor held a grand banquet for the courtiers, issued an edict, and granted a general amnesty to some criminals.

The entire capping ceremony lasted for three days from beginning to end. Not to mention whether the Emperor was tired, just the courtiers alone were thoroughly exhausted.

Mr. Xu was already seventy years old. In the past, when he worked hard on state affairs, he had never been this exhausted. On the contrary, these past few days, because he was running back and forth between the ancestral temple, the court, the previous dynasty, and the inner palace, the old man had visibly become much more haggard. Even the white hair on his temples seemed to have added a few more strands.

On the other hand, Zhao Jing, perhaps because his young body was strong, or perhaps because he had only followed and witnessed as a bystander the whole time without truly participating, was still in decent spirits. Returning to his residence, he even had the leisure to talk to the child in Chen Wanqing’s womb.

The fetus in her womb had been moving more and more frequently these past few days. Perhaps because the weather was getting hotter and the mother was irritable, it also became restless. During that hour every afternoon, it always tossed and turned non-stop in its mother’s womb. If Chen Wanqing couldn’t fall asleep before it started moving, she could forget about taking an afternoon nap that day. Because she slept half an hour less during the day, she slept peacefully at night, but without a nap, she became listless every afternoon, lying on the beauty couch, not wanting to move a single step.

Zhao Jing had a patient temperament. Whenever he had free time every day, he would talk to the child in her womb.

"Move a little less. Your mother is having a very hard time carrying you.

"Wait until your mother falls asleep before you move. Be a good child. When you are born, I will take you horseback riding.

"If you don’t stop, I am going to read a book..."

The child in Chen Wanqing’s womb was probably one who didn’t like poetry and books. Zhao Jing’s persuasion was completely useless, but every time he took out a book and read for a moment, the movement in her belly would gradually die down, making one unavoidably think of a certain person who would get a headache at the sight of books, such as De’an.

Because of this, Chen Wanqing had distressfully asked Zhao Jing more than once, "They say a nephew takes after his maternal uncle. If this child really turns out like De’an, you’ll have plenty to worry about in the future."

Thinking of De’an, Zhao Jing couldn’t help but frown.

After entering the Imperial College, De’an had made some progress, but really not much. He seemed to be born with a lazy and undisciplined air. When someone kept a close eye on him, he could strive for progress for a short time; but once no one was watching, he would gradually slack off until he returned to his original state. If the child really took after De’an, he would worry to death.

Zhao Jing couldn’t control his helpless expression. Rubbing his forehead, he said, "While he’s young, he can still be disciplined. When the time comes, I’ll keep a close eye on him. I definitely won’t let him turn out like De’an."

Chen Wanqing covered the lower half of her face with a round fan and burst out laughing, PFFT!

After Jing entered the Hanlin Academy, he had become increasingly steady. He was gradually transforming into the likeness of her eldest uncle and grandfather, and rarely showed such obvious emotions anymore. Seeing his troubled look now, truth be told, was quite amusing.

After the Emperor’s capping ceremony came the Empress Dowager’s fortieth birthday.

The current dynasty did not advocate celebrating a woman’s fortieth birthday on a grand scale. For one, the number "four" sounded similar to "death"; the ancients considered it inauspicious and avoided lavish celebrations. Secondly, at the age of forty, most people still had elders above them. If their elders were alive and well, even those over fifty would not celebrate their birthdays; this was a matter of filial piety.

But the Empress Dowager’s situation was different. Firstly, she had long since had no elders above her, nor any close relatives who could restrain her. Secondly, the Emperor had just held his capping ceremony a few days prior. To lavishly celebrate her birthday now also carried the meaning of gratitude and "returning state power"—in other words, the time had come, and she should retreat to the inner palace to enjoy her comfortable retirement. This could also be considered an unconventional farewell banquet.