Chapter 389

Chapter 389

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Final Volume: The Rise and Fall of Kingdoms, Unification of the World, Chapter 389: The Coronation Ceremony

“Qian Yuan’s beginning, the bright Da Yong, it’s quite a fitting national title and era name.” Upon hearing Qiao Yan’s proposed new dynasty title, Liu Yu did not show any unusual expression but responded calmly.

Perhaps because Qiao Yan, though not yet enthroned, had already effectively taken over the Son of Heaven’s authority, Liu Yu’s previously sickly condition had improved somewhat. However, thinking that the Han dynasty’s realm ultimately could not be preserved under his watch, Liu Yu’s face occasionally showed a trace of melancholy.

After hearing that he and Liu Xie had a long discussion following the handover that day, he somewhat understood why Liu Xie had the courage to act as he did in the streets and halls.

Now, hearing Qiao Yan explain the meaning of the character “Yong,” he felt an unprecedented sense of peace.

Thinking of the meaning of “Yong” as “the people are enlightened, harmonizing all nations,” and seeing the increasingly open and upright demeanor of Qiao Yan, nearing her coronation, Liu Yu was more willing to believe that Qiao Yan would indeed uphold the words she spoke when accepting the Imperial Seal, bearing the most special responsibility in the world due to the people’s faith in her.

“Yong…” Liu Yu looked out the window, seeing green buds sprouting on the branches, and felt a sense of relief. “Speaking of harmonizing all nations, Ye Shu has her own methods in suppressing and consolidating the Qiang, Man, Xiongnu, Xianbei, Wuhuan, and Shanyue. They should be pleased with your coronation, reducing the turmoil of the regime change to a minimum, preventing new disasters between the Chinese and barbarians. It’s truly your capability.”

The Han dynasty had long suffered from border troubles, to what extent?

Emperor Huan of Han employed eunuchs, leading to the Prohibition of Factionalists, but because he ultimately chose Duan Jiong, a great weapon against the Qiang, in the campaign against Liangzhou, he earned the posthumous title “Huan,” representing military conquest.

In contrast, looking at Qiao Yan’s actions today, she could have replaced the Han dynasty with her military achievements long ago.

After accepting Liu Yu’s praise, Qiao Yan asked, “By the way, where do you plan to live in the future?”

Although she had decided on the titles for Liu Yu and Liu Xie, Liu Xie did not intend to stay in Shanyang.

As he told his adoptive father before coming to Chang’an to present the Imperial Seal, he planned to study in Leping, Bingzhou, to reassure his adoptive parents. Living under Qiao Yan’s tight control would also reassure the new Son of Heaven.

So, his fief was in Shanyang, but he was not there.

Liu Yu, however, did not need to create another identity for himself and replied, “Perhaps I’ll stay in Youzhou for a while, then return to Anyi for a long-term residence.”

Qiao Yan’s choice of residence for Liu Yu was quite thoughtful.

Anyi was a prominent county in Hedong, where the Wei family’s mansion was located. It was not too far from Luoyang, allowing occasional visits to the former capital, and convenient for traveling along the river.

Thinking of the Wei family’s renowned calligraphy, Liu Yu considered it a good place to pass the time.

However, since Hedong bordered Henei County, it was still a frontline against Yuan Shao, and Youzhou was the same. So, for the time being, he would have to stay in Chang’an.

Only when Qiao Yan and Yuan Shao, or rather, the Chang’an court and the Ye court, settled their differences, could he move freely.

Perhaps by then, his illness would be completely cured.

After all, what he faced was originally a psychological illness.

Psychological illnesses require psychological remedies.

However, while Liu Yu’s condition was improving, Liu Biao felt his limbs weak and his back cold, showing signs of illness.

Last year, his injuries from Zhang Jin’s northward march from Jiaozhou to Jingzhou had mostly healed by mid-year.

Thinking that he should not face any external invasions in the short term, and that no matter who gained the upper hand in the conflicts between Qiao Yan and certain people in Chang’an, he would not suffer, he felt somewhat at ease.

When news came earlier this year that Qiao Yan was nearly assassinated in Chang’an, and Wang Yun and Liu Yang were executed, Liu Biao thought it fortunate that his previous support for Qiao Yan was not perfunctory. Even if the Grand Marshal’s authority was further elevated due to such events, he should not face any significant changes in his position.

Being in the same camp as such a skilled “colleague” who could handle any situation, though psychologically stressful, meant that greater pressure was on the enemy side.

But Liu Biao never expected that while waiting in Xiangyang for the next news from the north, instead of the Grand Marshal gaining more territory or authority due to the near-fatal incident, she—ascended the throne as emperor!

At the moment this news was presented to him, Liu Biao was extremely glad he was not holding a teacup or anything else, or he would have surely dropped it in shock.

He instinctively looked at Cai Mao, who was also present, feeling that his face must be much paler than ever, possibly even ghastly white.

And unsurprisingly, he saw a look of fear and panic in the other’s eyes.

Everyone knew the Grand Marshal was a genius, capable of anything, but when she truly sat on the throne, whether they could continue as cooperative allies became a real unknown!

Though Jingzhou was currently under Liu Biao’s control, and with Zhu Jun’s withdrawal from Changsha and Zhang Jin’s surrender, reclaiming southern Jingzhou became easier, if Qiao Yan was determined to seize Liu Biao’s authority, she would not face much trouble.

Though Jingzhou’s terrain was not as flat as Xuzhou, Liu Biao’s military skills were far inferior to Liu Bei’s. So, if Xuzhou ended its north-south confrontation this way, he would not have many cards to play.

Wei Yan, whom he promoted from the battles with Zhang Jin to replace his nephew Zhang Yun, was still a young man under twenty.

He regretted even more why he had sent Huang Zhong to Yingchuan as a goodwill gesture to Qiao Yan.

Though last year’s battles in Jingzhou warranted recalling Huang Zhong to fill his ranks, Qiao Yan had already appointed Huang Zhong as a military commander in Yingchuan before his message arrived, leaving Liu Biao no chance to reclaim him.

In the current situation, Liu Biao could not make such a move unless he wanted to openly confront Qiao Yan.

He quickly thought through the interactions between Qiao Yan and the two Liu emperors in the news he received, realizing it was not yet time to worry about losing the protection of his royal lineage.

It seemed the Han dynasty’s legacy was smoothly transferred to Qiao Yan, so perhaps his situation… was not so bad?

“De Gui, what if I request to change from Governor of Jingzhou to Inspector of Jingzhou, ensuring no more governors in the nine provinces under the court’s control, as a gesture of loyalty to the new emperor?”

Liu Biao knew well that since he was no match for Qiao Yan, he must not do anything foolish like opposing her under the banner of restoring the Han dynasty!

Yuan Yao in Nanyang, whether truly a lazy, indulgent noble or a potential observer, was someone Liu Biao dared not and could not rashly test.

In this uncertain transition, whether called abdication or coup, except for the blind actions of Wang Yun and others, there had been no unfavorable bloodshed for him. Going with the flow was the best way to preserve himself!

Among the nine provinces under Qiao Yan, those with governors included Xuzhou, Yangzhou, Jingzhou, Yizhou, Youzhou, and her own Bingzhou.

But Xuzhou’s governor Zhang Yi returned to court, succeeded by Zhou Yu as Inspector; Yangzhou’s governor Sun Ce died, succeeded by Zhang Zhao as Inspector; Yizhou’s governor Liu Yan passed away; Youzhou’s governor Liu Yu first as emperor then as subject; Qiao Yan herself ascended from Governor of Bingzhou to emperor. Looking at it, only Liu Biao remained.

This was indeed too conspicuous!

The position of governor was a stopgap measure by the Han dynasty when it could not control the four directions. Even Qiao Yan had opposed the establishment of this position in her early years. If he continued to sit in this potentially separatist position while the new emperor still had the capacity to adjudicate provincial matters, he might face liquidation at any moment.

Even if her primary opponent was still Yuan Shao, or at least Cao Cao, he could not let his guard down.

Cai Mao thought and replied, “I think it’s worth a try. If she really intended to exterminate the Liu clan, it would be unwise to cause turmoil now! However, my lord, you cannot propose this demotion directly.”

The change from Grand Marshal to emperor necessitated a more cautious approach to Qiao Yan.

In the face of such a joyous coronation, no one would want to see a subordinate blatantly proposing a demotion to avoid targeting.

They had to be more tactful.

Cai Mao added, “First, send coronation gifts, including the suggestion to change from Governor of Jingzhou to Inspector of Jingzhou. If my lord doesn’t mind, I can go to Chang’an.”

“Also…” Cai Mao added, “let Wei Wenchang come along.”

Liu Biao’s expression changed for a moment, then he nodded in agreement.

Since he had decided not to let Qiao Yan find any fault in his stance, rather than keeping Wei Yan as a general who could offer some resistance in case of attack, it was better to give up more thoroughly.

With Qiao Yan’s coronation, it was inevitable that some would oppose her under the banner of restoring the Han dynasty, and with Yuan Shao and Cao Cao’s forces threatening from Henei and Yanzhou, Qiao Yan would not have too many generals.

Wei Yan’s combat experience might be limited, but his youth and daring were advantages. If he could achieve military success in the wars to unify the realm, it might even help Liu Biao stabilize Xiangyang.

Consider this general as part of the coronation gift to Qiao Yan!

Moreover, he thought, he would indeed suffer some losses due to Qiao Yan’s coronation, but overall, these losses were within acceptable limits, unlike Yuan Shao…

Qiao Yan needed to solidify her throne, and the only target for establishing authority was Yuan Shao.

When the two clashed, it was no longer a matter of two Hans from east and west of the same origin, but two different national titles opposing each other, leaving no possibility for peaceful evolution!

He was not the one suffering the most upon receiving this news.

Realizing this, Liu Biao’s previously tense expression relaxed considerably.

He immediately said to Cai Mao, “Call Wei Wenchang here, I have a few words to instruct him.”

Sending a general away should not be sending a big trouble to Qiao Yan.

He had to make things clear first.

Fortunately, Jingzhou was adjacent to Sili, and the shocking news from Chang’an reached him by noon on the third day, giving him enough time to react. For Yuan Shao, even with carrier pigeons available, such shocking news could not be sent by pigeon but had to be delivered by horse, arriving in Ye at dawn on the fifth day.

The urgent military report woke Yuan Shao from his sleep.

He hastily dressed and went to the outer hall to receive the messenger.

It was still early spring, but the messenger’s face was drenched in sweat from the hurried journey, and his exhaustion was evident from days of non-stop travel.

Yuan Shao immediately realized this was likely earth-shattering news.

He had the windows opened to let the cold wind wake him up and asked the messenger, “What happened in Chang’an? Did Liu Bo’an and Qiao Ye Shu clash?”

Though Liu Yu had been lenient with Qiao Yan, even sentencing his own son to death and issuing a self-criticism edict, when Luoyang was attacked due to the upheaval in Chang’an, Liu Yu would either stand firm against Qiao Yan or complete the transition of the throne, letting the new emperor and the Grand Marshal work things out.

Though Yuan Shao was somewhat dissatisfied that he and Cao Cao’s forces had not made significant progress while Qiao Yan was away from Luoyang, if their response caused internal changes in Chang’an, a decisive blow, then his investment would not be in vain.

But facing his expectant gaze, the messenger hesitated and cautiously replied, “It wasn’t a clash, but Marquis Dong was found and brought the Imperial Seal.”

Yuan Shao’s remaining sleepiness vanished instantly, more effectively than the cold wind. “Marquis Dong? You mean Prince Xie?”

How could Liu Xie appear?

Yuan Shao had considered every possible candidate for the Han throne but never thought it would be Liu Xie!

In fact, he was more suitable than anyone else, and if Liu Yu not only passed the throne but also returned it to Liu Xie, their cooperation would be the most seamless, given their existing master-subject relationship under Emperor Ling’s decree.

With the long-lost Imperial Seal, legitimacy was elevated to the peak.

This was the most unfavorable situation for Yuan Shao.

At this moment, he maliciously speculated whether Liu Xie’s appearance and the Imperial Seal’s emergence were orchestrated by Qiao Yan, perhaps with a forged seal and a stand-in for Liu Xie.

But before Yuan Shao could delve deeper, the messenger interrupted his thoughts.

“Yes, it’s him.” The messenger tried to keep his tone steady, not letting the bizarre scene he witnessed in Chang’an affect him, and said matter-of-factly, “But he didn’t come back to ascend the throne.”

Yuan Shao: “…”

“He came to present the Imperial Seal to the Grand Marshal, asking her to take the throne.”

Yuan Shao’s expression turned to one of utter astonishment.

He stared at the messenger’s face, certain he had not brought an unknown person into his ranks, but a trusted scout.

Yet, though he understood every word, why… why did they form such an unfamiliar narrative when combined!

Was Liu Xie mad?

Or, if this Liu Xie was not the one kidnapped by Li Jue but a stand-in sent by Qiao Yan, then Qiao Yan was mad, making such an inexplicable move at an inappropriate time!

But before Yuan Shao could ask, he heard something even more incomprehensible. “After Marquis Dong proposed this, the people of Chang’an were stirred, all responding to Prince Xie’s call. No court officials opposed this, not even the Chang’an emperor…”

“What did he do?”

The messenger replied, “He asked the Grand Marshal if she could bear such responsibility, and upon receiving an affirmative answer, he passed the throne to her.”

Yuan Shao: “…”

The feeling Liu Yu had when he learned of Liu Yang’s attempt to seize his authority to deal with Qiao Yan, a sense of dizziness and rising anger, was what Yuan Shao felt now, only more intense.

“My lord!”

The messenger did not expect that while Liu Bian, the emperor in Ye, had not yet heard this news and could not respond, Yuan Shao had already reacted so violently.

He saw Yuan Shao’s eyes darken, nearly fainting backward.

If not for timely support…








At that moment, it was possible that his earlier illness wasn’t just aggravated, but he might have been seriously injured from the fall.

When someone supported his body, Yuan Shao instinctively grabbed their wrist, trying to use the strength in his hand to fully regain his composure.

But how easy was that!

In the brief description of the situation in Chang’an, not a single thing matched what Yuan Shao had anticipated!

Whether it was Liu Xie offering the Imperial Seal, Liu Yu abdicating, or Qiao Yan usurping the throne, none of these had been predicted by him!

Although he had repeatedly speculated about Qiao Yan’s hidden ambitions during the years of conflict, most of those were just self-comforting words he used when he couldn’t effectively stop her actions. How could he have known that these would all become reality today?

He had thought that by capturing Luoyang and looting it, he could damage Qiao Yan’s prestige. But he never expected that her absence from the battlefield in Luoyang seemed to have provided a stage for Xun Yu and Guo Jia to shine, while in Chang’an, Qiao Yan achieved a victory that was beyond anyone’s imagination!

Right… right.

He gritted his teeth and asked the messenger, “She accepted the position, didn’t she?”

A woman becoming emperor, something unprecedented in this era, with her precedent of being appointed as Grand Marshal four years ago, wasn’t even the most shocking part.

What was even more disorienting was her leap from being a model Han official to someone who took over the position of the Son of Heaven.

How old was she this year? Twenty-three?

Yuan Shao felt a tightness in his chest, as if only vomiting blood could relieve the symptoms he was experiencing.

But in the past two years, he had been paying more attention to his health, making it difficult for such a situation to occur.

Thus, he heard an answer more clearly than ever before, “Yes, the message from Chang’an is that since you are urgently attacking Luoyang, it’s not suitable to delay the transition of the throne for too long. It’s better to keep it simple, with the coronation in fifteen days… that is, eleven days from now, and then send troops to aid Luoyang.”

“I left Chang’an in a hurry to deliver this message, so I don’t know the subsequent arrangements. Perhaps the messengers returning to Ye will have more details for you, my lord.”

More details? Any more details and Yuan Shao might faint on the spot!

When Xu You and others were urgently summoned to Yuan Shao’s presence for a meeting, even before entering the hall, they could hear an angry voice through the door, “Is there not a single Han official left in Chang’an! These cowards couldn’t stop a woman from becoming emperor, where does that leave the Han lineage!”

The voice paused, breathing heavily as if about to pass out, “Go and see where these slowpokes are, if they don’t arrive soon, the coronation ceremony in Chang’an will be over.”

That… wouldn’t happen.

After all, there were still about ten days left.

But Qiao Yan couldn’t be bothered to care about Yuan Shao’s feelings at this moment.

After deciding on the dynasty name and era name for her reign, she devoted all her energy to the upcoming coronation ceremony.

Although it was to be kept simple, and because a significant portion of her subordinates were destined to miss the ceremony, she planned to hold a special celebration after unifying the realm, but a coronation was a coronation, and no mistakes could be allowed.

“It’s a pity that Your Highness… no, Your Majesty, had such thoughts early on but never really prepared for such ceremonial items in advance. Although designing in three days, making in ten, and adjusting in two is not impossible, it still requires everyone to work tirelessly.”

Qiao Yan looked at Lu Yuan, who had rushed back to Chang’an from Liangzhou, and smiled helplessly, “Then you can’t have me prepare in advance and leave room for criticism, can you?”

Lu Yuan shrugged, “So what I said was just a joke.”

Whether it was a coincidence or fate, the subordinates who initially gathered around Qiao Yan were able to leave their posts or were close enough to Chang’an to successfully arrive here.

From Cheng Yu, Xu Shu, Qin Yu, Dian Wei, Lu Yuan, to Zhao Yun, Xi Zhicai, Yang Xiu, Cai Yong, Cai Zhaoji, and others, none were absent.

And Ma Lun, who had befriended Qiao Yan in Luoyang and had already stepped down from the position of Grand Historian, was also brought here.

Although as early as the first year of Jian’an, Lu Yuan had told Qiao Yan that these subordinates were willing to die for her, not because of her favoritism, but perhaps in Qiao Yan’s heart, these “founding” old ministers still held a special place.

Of course, when Qiao Yan mentioned the term “old ministers,” Xi Zhicai almost showed a look of refusal.

He felt he was still in his prime, at least much younger than Cheng Yu, and after Qiao Yan restricted his drinking and ordered him to exercise and maintain his health, his legs and feet were no worse than ten years ago, so he couldn’t be called old.

Even Zhong Changtong, who was just a teenager when they met at Leping Academy, had already played an irreplaceable role under Qiao Yan due to his book “Changyan,” and Xi Zhicai had no intention of being overtaken by the younger generation.

He was like this, and so was Lu Yuan.

She watched as Qiao Yan picked up the phoenix-headed, dragon-patterned twelve-tasseled crown and placed it properly on her head, recalling the scene four years ago when she became Grand Marshal at less than twenty years old, feeling it was a different kind of glory compared to today, and also thinking that although they had finally reached the step of coronation, the road ahead was still long, so she secretly made a resolution.

“What are you thinking about?” Qiao Yan turned to look at Lu Yuan.

The twelve tassels at the front of the emperor’s crown originally meant that the emperor should not look at what is wrong or evil, but Qiao Yan didn’t mind that the phoenix head design split them into two halves, saying that this was her way of seeing the world’s situation and understanding the people’s thoughts.

This face, which had matured even more compared to four years ago, was set off by the hanging beads of the crown, exuding an increasingly outstanding temperament.

Lu Yuan smiled and replied, “I was thinking that Your Majesty, as the founding emperor, has really saved us a lot of trouble.”

“I’m not saying that we are going to rise rapidly because of Your Majesty’s coronation, but that Your Majesty’s coronation ceremony compared to Liu Bo’an’s, requires much less dialogue for subordinate officials to write.”

Qiao Yan replied with a bit of playfulness, “But even if it really needed to be written, it should be Wang Zhongxuan’s job.”

Since writing “The Goddess Sends Off the Expedition” back then, Wang Can had completely become Qiao Yan’s pen.

This really saved her a lot of time pondering over ancient texts.

If Qiao Yan’s coronation ceremony really needed to be like Liu Yu’s, from the legitimacy of succession, talking about her background, to an overview of her past achievements, and then mentioning expectations for her future, it would really require Wang Can to write it.

Wang Can probably never thought that from writing for the Grand Marshal, he would become writing for the emperor, but this time he was temporarily spared.

Because Qiao Yan did not accept the abdication of the Han!

The only thing she accepted was the Imperial Seal and the expectations of Liu Yu and Liu Xie.

Every inch of land she occupied was conquered by her or her subordinates, not gifted to her by the Han emperor.

So she was to complete this coronation ceremony according to the rites of a founding emperor!

The phrase “responding to heaven and following the times, receiving this mandate” that Qiao Yan had heard repeatedly in the edicts appointing her to official positions over the years no longer needed to be heard.

The “legitimate succession” in Liu Yu’s ceremony also did not need to appear in her words.

What she should emulate was the enthronement of Emperor Guangwu of Han, Liu Xiu, when he paid homage to heaven and earth!

Thus, on the day that originally belonged to the third month of the fifth year of Jian’an, the people of Chang’an and those who came from other places after receiving the news saw a truly rare coronation ceremony!

When Qiao Yan, dressed in the emperor’s robes, appeared before the people from Guigong, what they saw was this new emperor, who had been on the battlefield for ten years, riding a horse.

The crimson horse and the black and gold colors on her body complemented each other, and it seemed that because of this striking color, the end of the dragon robe was also dyed with a layer of golden-red light. If one looked closely, they would find that it was the pattern of a phoenix’s tail feathers.

She rarely did not carry a bow and arrow or a long spear with her, but instead wore the Son of Heaven’s sword at her waist.

Behind her followed a hundred cavalry, all clad in silver armor, one team led by Lu Lingju and the other by Zhao Yun, flanking Qiao Yan.

The awe that the war chariots and heavy cavalry of the new road in Chang’an had brought to the people of Chang’an years ago was once again remembered at this moment with the majestic horses, orderly steps, and the imposing presence of the cavalry.

Standing in the crowd, the Xianbei chieftain Budugen instinctively wanted to take a step back.

The Marquis of Leping, who had once raided the grasslands, would ascend to the throne today, and in the dynasty name announced in advance, showed inclusiveness towards those from all directions, which seemed like a good thing for him who had chosen to submit. But when the procession of Ferghana horses passed by at this moment, Budugen still felt a latent threat that made him tremble.

The resemblance between Lu Lingju and her father, and the aura of slaughter formed from real battles, invisibly increased this threat to him.

Budugen couldn’t help but think, when the Han was still in a state of central weakness, they could still send out a Qiao Yan from Bingzhou, slapping the Xianbei into a fragmented state. Now, although the Da Yong dynasty was still in its infancy, it had already shown formidable military equipment and a centripetal force towards the central authority. How could he dare to even think of rebelling!

He didn’t even know, after years of development in the four commanderies of Hexi in Liangzhou and the breeding of Ferghana horses, how many Western-region warhorses with actual combat capability were under Qiao Yan’s command, nor did he know how many weapons, like heavy crossbows and repeating crossbows, which could deal fatal blows to the Xianbei, were in Qiao Yan’s arsenal.

They had participated in the development of northern mineral veins for the winter, but day by day, they felt that what they saw was only the tip of the iceberg!

A loud noise interrupted Budugen’s thoughts, forcing him to look back at the procession exiting the city.

Following the cavalry, Dian Wei led the heavy infantry, and behind them were the war chariots.

The military display on the new road in Chang’an years ago had gone from the south gate of Chang’an to the north, but now they were heading from the palace towards the south.

The orderly and imposing procession was like a silver torrent, closely following Qiao Yan, heading towards the city gate.

They were heading to the coronation platform outside the city.

Yes, the location Qiao Yan chose for her coronation was not inside the city, but outside!

The Hall of Enlightenment and Biyong, originally used for the Han dynasty’s sacrificial ceremonies, had been altered in the past ten days, with the ancestral tablets of the Han temporarily placed in Liu Yu’s residence in the city, turning the space into an empty chamber.

And north of the Hall of Enlightenment and the Lingtai was the location of the earthen platform.

This was the place of coronation!

Liu Yu and Liu Xie stood on the south gate of Chang’an, watching the crowd pouring out of the city like a black land surrounding the silver procession, escorting it all the way to the foot of the platform. They felt that the scene of the people supporting Qiao Yan’s ascension to the throne they had seen before was just a less grand version.

Today’s event was the true will of the people.

Even though both had once been emperors of the Han, they dared not hope to receive such a grand following.

Liu Yu instructed Xianyu Fu beside him, “Go and help maintain order.”

This might be the only thing he could do.

The surging torrent outside Chang’an made him see more clearly a trend of the times that no human force could stop.

And when his gaze turned to the distance, the towering platform still stood out, not drowned in the torrent, but with its flags fluttering, showing a leadership and guiding demeanor.

That was Qiao Yan standing firmly on it.

While the procession behind was still surging towards this place like a long dragon, she, at the head of the procession, had already ascended to this place!

From Liu Yu’s angle, he couldn’t see, but the people below the platform could see—

The long wind of Chang’an’s outskirts blew the round beads on the twelve-tasseled crown and the strings of beads on the dragon robe, creating a clashing sound.

And what was blown at this moment was not just the beads, but also the sleeves and hem of the dragon robe and the long hair of the young emperor, fully displaying her noble and graceful face to the crowd.

Qiao Yan looked down.

To say this was a high platform, it was only compared to the height of the onlookers.

It was only about two zhang high.

At this height, it was enough for her to show a different, towering posture, and also for her to recognize familiar faces from the converging crowd below.

For example, Princess Yang’an, who appeared here holding Fu Shou’s hand.

She was no longer appearing here as a Han princess, but as a leader in the clothing industry trade.

This new venture allowed her not to care about the disappearance of the luxurious crown, because she had found a way to stand on her own in Bingzhou.

For example, Huang Yueying, who appeared here with Ma Jun.

The war ships’ paddles in Liaodong were inseparable from their technological talents, and the development of the cotton textile industry in Chang’an also relied heavily on their contributions. They even brought a special gift after today’s coronation ceremony.

For example, the Qiao sisters, who should belong to the new royal family.

A year of training in the Ministry of Justice had made their faces more composed, so Qiao Yan had no doubt that if she bestowed high positions and authority on them after completing this ceremony and officially becoming the emperor of Da Yong, they could fulfill their responsibilities properly.

And for example, Ma Lun and Ren Hong.

This was also a change of fate’s inheritance.

In Qiao Yan’s gaze, she saw Ma Lun pointing something out to Ren Hong, and then the younger girl buried her head and started writing furiously in the notebook she was holding.

From this distance, Qiao Yan couldn’t see what was written in the notebook, but she could guess.

Probably the beginning would be—The first year of Yuanzhao, the first day of the third month, the emperor ascended the throne in Chang’an.

And what followed would be the grand scene of today’s imperial succession, depicted in the historian’s brush with enough objectivity and fairness!

Qiao Yan’s face, which had been maintaining a solemn expression, showed a hint of a smile at this moment due to what she saw.

Everyone present or not, those she briefly gazed at, or those still converging with more people in the tide, were all conveying the same message to her.

This was already a new era.

Time had been clearly divided between yesterday and today, the former belonging to the Han, and the latter—

The beginning of Da Yong!

As the crowd settled, she raised the Imperial Seal in her hand.

The surrounding crowd immediately fell into silence.

Even in the cavalry guard waiting below the platform, none of the well-trained horses moved their hooves, making any sound that could interrupt her speech.

The howling wind and the fluttering of flags did not drown out her voice, but instead, like a rising wave, lifted her voice to the top of the wind and sent it to the ears of those around.

“May the heavens and the earth bestow their favor and mandate!”

“Once favored by the Han emperor, entrusted with a mission in times of crisis, leading campaigns across the nine provinces, I should have adhered to the duties of a subject, supporting the old master. But as the realm crumbled, I, above, responded to the will of heaven and earth, and below, to the desires of the people. All officials, without prior consultation, unanimously said the mandate of heaven is with me, and I dare not refuse.”

At this moment, she suddenly transferred the Imperial Seal from both hands to her left hand, and with her right hand, drew the Son of Heaven’s sword from her waist.

The fierce wind seemed to intensify at this moment, making her figure, sword in hand, resemble a steadfast rock amidst raging waves.

Under the gaze of the crowd, the Son of Heaven’s sword swung out a gust of wind, pointing to the east.

“Now, with Da Yong as the dynasty name, carrying the hopes of all, bearing the hearts of the people, I ascend to the throne, commanding all directions, seeking only the prosperity of the people, harmony among nations, joy shared by all ethnicities, and the unification of the four seas! Let us strive together with the realm!”

This was the intention to unify the realm!