The chill of early spring in the north has not been halved by half as the winter recedes, and today is the day when Mu Sheng, the new crown prince, will preside over the court meeting on behalf of the Son of Heaven.

At this time, in the big hall of the four seas, the prime ministers on the left and right, the six ministries and nine secretaries, and hundreds of civil and military officials gathered together, but everyone seemed to have a dignified look on their faces, which seemed to indicate that something big was going to happen.

Before the start of the court meeting, the ministers successively ascended the main hall and entered the royal road, and the newly appointed guard Gao Zhong also came to the main hall with a heavy heart.

At this time, Shi Tianjian, who was on his right, that is, the father-in-law of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, saw that Wei Wei Gao was present, so he went up and greeted: "Lord Gao? ”

Gao Zhong turned to see that it was Tian Jian who greeted him, so he said, "Lord Tian, what's the matter?" ”

After all, Tian Jian is now the official father-in-law of His Royal Highness the Prince, the future national father-in-law, and one of the Nine Emperors, so he can't be underestimated.

Tian Jian's face was solemn, and he asked in a low voice: "Lord Gao, I heard that Your Majesty has been seriously ill and has not been to the court for several months, Lord Gao, you have ordered to prepare the new monarch's enthronement ceremony in advance?" Your Majesty ......"

Gao Zhong naturally knew that the first emperor had ascended to heaven a long time ago, but only a few people inside and outside the court knew the truth.

Gao Chong had no choice but to pretend to be and said: "Lord Tian, it seems that nothing can be hidden from you, according to the news from the palace, Your Majesty is already terminally ill, I am afraid that this is difficult at the moment." ”

When Tian Jian heard this, he sighed and said, "Thank you Lord Tian for telling me, Your Majesty must take care of the dragon body!" ”

Tian Jian didn't know whether to be happy or sad in his heart, he was happy that his son-in-law was really about to sit on the throne of the emperor, and he was going to be the ruler of the country. Sadly, the old leader who appreciated himself and promoted him to Jiuqing is about to fail, and he is also having mixed feelings in his heart at the moment.

Just as the two were talking, the official in the hall sang: "Silence, all the ministers, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has arrived." ”

When the ministers saw the arrival of the prince, they hurriedly stopped talking to each other and sat down to greet the prince.

Half an hour later, Mu Sheng was dressed in a formal crown suit, accompanied by Yang Jin, the chief servant of the middle court and the head of the inner court, and went up to the main hall to receive congratulations from the ministers.

When the minister saw that the prince had arrived, he bowed slightly and saluted: "Ministers, welcome His Royal Highness the prince Chitose." ”

Mu Sheng returned the salute and said, "All the Qing family are exempt from courtesy. ”

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince finished speaking, and then turned around and sat on the right side of the emperor's throne to listen to the throne of the prince, just like the story of the prince back then.

This big court meeting in early March, just in time for the Xingqing Festival, is the day of worshipping ancestors, originally the prince was going to the temple to worship the ancestors of the past dynasties, but to officially read the emperor's edict, it was delayed.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and all the ministers in the palace were all sitting with serious faces, and they all knew in their hearts that the emperor was terminally ill, and most of them had also received some rumors.

At this time, Prime Minister Huo Zheng Huo Cheng led the crowd out, saluted the prince, and said in a sad tone: "His Royal Highness the Prince, His Majesty is seriously ill today, and the old minister thinks that today's court meeting is suspended, and the minister has arranged a sacrifice to hold a festival for His Majesty, praying for the health of His Majesty's dragon. ”

Of course, this was also discussed by Huo Zheng and Mu Sheng in advance, and Mu Sheng naturally nodded in agreement: "What Lord Xiangguo said is very true, as a son of man alone, he should lead by example." ”

After speaking, the officials in the main hall went to pray outside the Changle Palace under the leadership of the prime minister and the prince.

At this time, hundreds of wizards had already gathered outside the Changle Palace to open the altar, the wizards shook their heads and chanted words in their mouths, and the officials came forward to open the edict and read the congratulations......

Mu Sheng saw a few puffs of green smoke ascending to heaven on the three Dharma platforms, and for a while, his heart was also mixed.

Zuo Prime Minister Huo Zheng, Wei Wei Gao Zhong and other core ministers accompanied His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to Changle Palace.

After entering the palace, Huo Zheng glanced at the silent emperor's body on the collapse of the palace and bowed, turned to His Royal Highness the Prince, and instructed: "His Royal Highness the Prince, the first emperor has traveled westward with a crane, and he will inevitably have a long night and many dreams. ”

When Mu Sheng heard this, he bowed his head slightly and said, "It's all up to Lord Xiangguo." ”

Huo Zheng turned his head and glanced at Gao Chong, who hurriedly stepped forward and said: "His Royal Highness Prince Qiqi, Lord Xiangguo, the completion of the mausoleum of the first emperor is about to be completed, and the minister has already prepared everything, just waiting for the day when the edict is read." ”

Huo Zheng said: "Very good, Master Gao has worked hard." ”

Gao Zhong said: "Lord Xiangguo, His Royal Highness the Prince, this is all within the responsibility of the ministers." ”

After the blessing event, the civil and military ministers dispersed.

In the afternoon, in the East Palace, a temple person hurriedly rushed to the direction of the Inner Palace to report the news, at this moment Rui Muyi's expression was solemn, she put on a white mourning dress for Mu Sheng, she also knew that something big had happened today.

Mu Sheng secretly brewed some emotions, then said goodbye to Rui Muyi and followed Yang Jin, the head of the inner court, to the Four Seas Guiyi Palace.

In the four seas returned to one hall, the Chinese military officials gathered together, the prince Mu Sheng was dressed in a white mourning dress, his face was sad, and the ministers in the main hall saw that His Royal Highness the prince was dressed in mourning clothes, and their faces were shocked, and they basically guessed what happened.

Huo Zheng held the edict in his hand, stepped forward and choked up: "Everyone... Colleagues, Emperor Daxing was in Changle Palace at three o'clock today, and the old minister was entrusted by Emperor Daxing to support His Royal Highness the Prince, which was the edict of the first emperor, and was read out immediately. ”

Huo Zheng said, the ministers in the hall cried gradually, most of them still couldn't hide the shock in their hearts, whether they were sincere or not, the ministers still knelt on the ground, bowed to the direction of Changle Palace and wept: "Your Majesty ......"

Huo Zheng saw the grief of the ministers, and after a while, he pressed his hands and comforted the ministers: "The mood of your colleagues is sympathetic, the Daxing Emperor's dying entrustment, the old ministers dare not forget, and now the Daxing Emperor has passed away, and the ministers read out the edict of the first emperor on their behalf." ”

Huo Zheng, the prime minister of Zuo, stepped forward to open the edict and read it out: "When the sky is good, I am ordered by Zi Ming, and the edict says: Since I have been in the edict of the first emperor, I have swept away Liuhe, leveled the princes of Kanto, the book is the same text, the car is on the same track, the hometown of Kanto is afraid of Weihuaide, and the world has been killed for a hundred years. I am extremely powerful, ruling all the people of Kyushu, all the important affairs of the military state, employing people and administration, not tired of diligence, dare not be self-indulgent, Xu Ying Hong, and work hard all night...... Now all the ministers and state affairs are attentive, and they are all safe, and I am happy to pass away. ”

"The fourteenth son of the emperor, the crown prince Mu Sheng, is benevolent, filial piety and wisdom, and will be able to overcome the unification. The first emperor dreamed of his great weapon, in order to serve the unity of the gods, to raise the billions of trillions of people, and succeeded me to the throne, that is, the emperor's throne, that is, to obey the public opinion system, to hold the service for 27 days, release the proclamation at home and abroad, and the Xian envoy heard about it, and the unification was 35 March 14. ”

After Huo Zheng finished reading the edict, he turned his head, bowed down and saluted the prince: "The country cannot be without a king for a day, and the throne cannot be empty for a long time. ”

At this time, Mu Sheng was still crying silently, and Yang Jin, the head of the inner court who had been accompanying him, had no choice but to help Mu Sheng guide him to sit on the emperor's throne.

Zuo Prime Minister Huo Zheng saw the new monarch ascend to the throne, nodded slightly to the official in the main hall, and the middle official immediately stepped forward and sang: "Ministers, the edict of the Emperor Daxing has been read out, the future has been decided, and the country is right, please come forward to congratulate the new monarch." ”

When the civil and military officials heard this, they all stepped forward and bowed and said: "Ten thousand years of the Great Jin, ten thousand years of Your Majesty, long live my emperor, long live, long live, long live......

Reading the edict of the first emperor is only the first step, Mu Sheng is still only the acting emperor, his real identity is actually still the crown prince, only after the funeral of the first emperor can he hold his enthronement ceremony, and after the enthronement ceremony, he can be regarded as an official succession to the throne and become the emperor who truly reigns over the world.

Mu Sheng glanced at the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty in the audience and bowed to him, he didn't have too many waves in his heart, at this moment his thoughts seemed to drift into the distance, I don't know when, all this in front of him was like a dream, he remembered that he had just come to this world when he panicked, and the past was like an image floating through his mind......

At that time, after the court, Yang Jin, the head of the inner court, saw that His Royal Highness the prince was in a trance, and he thought that it was caused by the death of the first emperor and the excessive sadness of the prince, so Yang Jin had to help Mu Sheng to go to the apse to rest.

After reading the edict of the first emperor, until the evening, Huo Zheng, the prime minister of Zuo, and the ministers were still in the palace to discuss the funeral specifications of the first emperor, how to handle the etiquette regulations, which are all very important things, and the new monarch wants to change the yuan, what year name should be on it, etc...... On the contrary, Mu Sheng sat in the apse and was in a state of fugue all the time.

Recalling the past, Mu Sheng suddenly remembered that the former head of the Great Inner Palace, Lu Liang and Lu Gonggong, didn't know where he went, after the first emperor ascended to heaven, he should most likely accompany him to guard the spirit, he didn't know that Lu Gonggong had actually been given to death by Huo Zheng, the prime minister of Zuo.

Mu Sheng glanced back at Yang Jin, who was carefully serving beside him, and asked, "Yang Jin, where is Gonggong Lu?" Ever since I entered the East Palace, I don't seem to have seen him before? He served the first emperor for many years and worked hard, and the first emperor died, why did he disappear? ”

Yang Jin's body trembled slightly when he heard this, and after thinking about it, he said in a sad mood: "Your Majesty, after Gonggong Lu and his old man learned that the first emperor ascended to heaven, he was overly sad, and he did not eat water and rice for seven consecutive days. ”

When Mu Sheng heard this, he sighed: "Alas! I can't match Gonggong Lu's affection for the first emperor, and after I officially succeed to the throne, I will reward his family well. ”

When Yang Jin heard this, he knelt down and kowtowed excitedly: "The slave is grateful for his father-in-law, please ask Your Majesty to hand over this matter to the slave to do. ”

Mu Sheng bowed slightly, and he didn't say anything, he carefully observed Yang Jin's tone and demeanor just now, and when he mentioned Gonggong Lu, his tone showed a trace of guilt and uneasiness, obviously he didn't tell the truth, but he probably guessed that Gonggong Lu, as the closest intimate person around the emperor, how could he be inexplicably gone, and it was very likely that someone was killed in order to cover up the truth about the death of the first emperor.

Mu Sheng's heart flashed Huo Zheng's figure, and his heart couldn't help but tighten, he was really ruthless enough, he suddenly asked about this matter today to test whether Yang Jin was involved, it seems that Yang Jin may also be the person arranged by Huo Xiangguo.

Mu Sheng sighed in his heart, Huo Xiangguo! Huo Xiangguo, you really have hands and eyes to the sky, and there are people you installed here inside and out? Even the inner court did not let go.

"Thousands of rivers and mountains are always in love, can you vote for me! One vote is all it takes!"