Chapter 675: Collapsed (3)

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The sky had just revealed a hint of dawn, and the courtiers once again arrived at the Imperial Mausoleum in the gentle morning breeze. They stood both inside and outside the Long’en Gate, arranged according to their ranks, under the guidance of officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Court of State Ceremonial.

When the auspicious time arrived, solemn ceremonial music sounded, and a bright yellow canopy swayed over from afar.

A group of important ministers from the royal family surrounded the Emperor as he walked over calmly on the red carpet on the ground. Everyone held their breaths.

Under the guidance of the ceremonial officer, the Emperor quickly arrived outside the Long’en Hall. Then, the eunuch of the Ceremony Directorate helped him wash his hands. He entered the main hall and walked straight to the incense table.

Not only did the incense table in the Long’en Hall consecrate the tablets of Emperor Taizu, the previous Emperor, and the few empresses, but it also consecrated the tablets of the Chu clan’s ancestors of the previous four generations. After Emperor Taizu ascended the throne, under the suggestion of the civil officials, he conferred the four generations of ancestors as emperors.

The incense official knelt down to incense. After the Emperor took the incense, he knelt on the futon and respectfully bowed to the ancestral tablets on the incense table.

If it were an ordinary person, after the rite reached this point, they would only be short of burning paper money. However, the royal ceremony was much more complicated and grand.

Next, there were three offerings, and the ceremonial official knelt to read the ritual text.

For every offering, the Emperor had to kneel three times and bow nine times to the ancestral tablet.

If the Emperor knelt down, the nobles and civil and military officials outside naturally couldn’t just stand there. Similarly, under the instructions of the officials of the Ministry of Rites, they knelt and kowtowed time and time again. Everyone’s movements were meticulous, not daring to slack off at all.

The people outside the Long’en Hall didn’t have a futon to kneel on. They could only kneel on the cold and rough ground.

After kowtowing again, Li Yunrong felt that her knees were hurting from the ground. The crown on her head was heavy, pressing down on her neck until she almost couldn’t straighten it.

Li Yunrong quickly straightened her upper body and looked at Feng Yang, who was kneeling behind the Emperor in Long’en Hall again.

Feng Yang’s status was transcendent. Even her princess makeup was different from ordinary princesses. Only she could wear the pattern of the five-clawed golden dragon like the Prince of the First Rank.

The five-clawed golden dragon embroidered with golden threads shone in the sun and candles.

This was a supreme honor.

However…

An ancient saying appeared in Li Yunrong’s mind: The tallest tree in the forest will be destroyed by the wind.

People like Feng Yang shouldn’t belong to this era.

A strong shadow flashed in Li Yunrong’s eyes. Her eyes were deep as she lowered her head to see the changes in the shadow below and calculated the time.

Soon,soon.

She muttered to herself in her heart. Her heart raced, and it was like a drum.

The loud voice of the ceremonial officer came from ahead. “Present the torches.”

As these two words fell, solemn ceremonial music sounded again, resounding through the entire imperial mausoleum.

Following that, the ceremonial officer carried the sacrificial text, while the chief silk officer carried the ceremonial silk, and they proceeded to walk out through the central gate of the Long’en Hall to offer them to the braziers for burning.

“End of ceremony!”

When these three words sounded, the people kneeling outside the hall heaved a sigh of relief.

The grand ceremony was half completed at this point. Next, they still had to pass through the door of the mausoleum to the Ming Building to mourn. They still had to continue kneeling, but at least their knees could rest for a while.

As many officials got up, they couldn’t help but wipe the cold sweat on their foreheads with their sleeves.

At this moment, a judge’s cry came from the Long’en Hall in front. “Your Highness!”

Be it those kneeling or those who had already stood up, the officials outside the hall looked over when they heard the voice.

In the main hall, Feng Yang fell forward with a muffled bang…

All of this happened too quickly. The ceremonial officer beside her only shouted. He didn’t have time to support Feng Yang at all. She had already fallen to the ground without moving.

The exquisite Nine-Phoenix Crown on her head also fell to the ground as she collapsed.

Li Yunrong widened her eyes and looked at this scene without blinking. Her pupils constricted into a cold point, and her hands were clenched into fists in her sleeves.

The relatives of the royal family beside Feng Yang were all in chaos. They all went to check on Feng Yang, who had fallen to the ground and couldn’t get up. Voices rose and fell.

“Imperial Sister fainted!”

“Imperial Aunt, Imperial Aunt…”

“Is Grandaunt exhausted? Hurry up and call the imperial physician!”

■I H

The Emperor got up with the help of the eldest eunuch. He looked at the unconscious Feng Yang in shock and shouted with a pale face, “Quick… Hurry up and help my Imperial Aunt up! Where’s the imperial physician?”

The originally solemn atmosphere outside the hall disappeared. The civil and military officials whispered to each other, and the surroundings were in chaos.

Li Yunrong, who was outside the hall, slowly stood up. She even brushed her dress and smiled.

The morning sun cast a faint halo on her face, making her smile especially dazzling, and her eyes were as bright as the sun..

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