Chapter 259 Four Years
On New Year's Day of the fourth year of Taiping, the old and the young all dressed properly and paid their respects in turn.

After getting up early, Li Jiancheng took his queen and children to pay their respects to the retired emperor and queen.

The Prince of Jin and his wife and the Princess of Qin have all arrived. Li Xuanba currently has only one daughter named Li Hui, who was named the Princess of Shouguang County.

Li Shimin had a son named Li Gaoming, who was the crown prince of Qin. He was only two years old, the same age as Shouguang, and could not even walk steadily.

Li Yuanji came to pay a visit yesterday. Today, only Yang and the baby in her arms, who was born not long ago, were present. The baby was named Li Kuiyi.

According to Li Yuanji's character, he did not feel guilty towards the people. He just felt that he was sorry for Aunt Chen, Chen Shanyi, who raised him.

Li Chengzong, who could already run and jump, touched this and that, and was very happy.

"The beginning of a new era, all things are new, I wish the Emperor the best of health!"

"Okay, okay, no need to be polite."

Li Yuan looked very happy after receiving the congratulations from his children and grandchildren. No matter what, it is always a happy thing to have so many children and grandchildren around him.

Although the father and son did not get along, it was true that Li Yuan loved Li Chengzong much more than his other grandchildren.

Dou could not stay in the bed, so Li Jiancheng pulled his son back in to pay her a visit. Dou's health had begun to deteriorate since the beginning of winter, and the imperial physician was helpless, so she probably would not live to see the spring.

Birth, aging, sickness and death are natural. Even if you are the emperor, there is nothing you can do about it and you have to leave it to fate.

"Grandmother." Li Chengzong jumped happily to the side of the couch and placed his chubby face on his grandmother's slightly skinny hand: "Why haven't you gotten up yet?"

Dou felt her grandson's smooth skin with her palm and smiled, "Grandma is tired and wants to lie down for a while. Zong'er, have you eaten this morning? Grandma has asked someone to prepare some flower-shaped goose cake for you."

Huazhe Goose Cake is a rice cake that is folded repeatedly into the shape of a flower and filled with goose meat.

“If you want to eat, you must eat!”

Li Chengzong got up and thought about playing. He didn't eat much and jumped all the way. He immediately asked for food. The palace maid beside him hurriedly took out the prepared cakes.

In addition to goose cakes, there are also lotus root powder and osmanthus sugar cakes, osmanthus cakes, glutinous rice cakes, cheese cherries, etc. After Li Chengzong finished selecting, Dou ordered the palace servants to distribute the rest to the other grandchildren.

She had never been impartial in her life. She had always doted on her eldest son, and therefore on her eldest grandson. She was very willful.

"Mother, you still have to take the imperial physician's medicine. In the spring, I will accompany you on your southern tour. The Jiangdu Palace is excellent. You can recuperate there."

Dou smiled and agreed: "Okay, I have never been there in my life."

At this time, all the ministers gathered at the palace gate, waiting to enter the palace to pay homage. In the city, the Taoist temples, Buddhist temples, auditoriums, Daqin Temple, Zoroastrian temples, and the Dayun Guangming Temple of the Mani religion were all crowded, and the believers, caravans and Hu people were all holding grand sacrifices.

The common people would gather together as a family, set off firecrackers and exchange them for peach charms, while the women would make Yuan Yang meat, five-spice plate, and dumplings.

Yuanyang meatballs are made of mutton and chicken, Wuxin plate is bacon made with pepper and soy sauce, and dumplings are made with maltose.

Those who love wine at home have already started drinking Tu Su wine and Jiao Bai wine. After all, since the emperor issued the decree banning alcohol, ordinary people have nowhere to get wine, and they dare not brew it privately.

Only during the New Year holidays when all prohibitions are relaxed can one drink openly.

…………

The palace gates were wide open. Led by officials from the Ministry of Rites, the ministers, wearing jade hairpins, pearl shoes, purple ribbons and gold medals, were waiting in the Taiji Hall for the emperor to arrive. Li Jiancheng, wearing a brand new robe embroidered with a dragon, entered from the west gate in the imperial carriage and sat on the throne facing south.

Fu Baolang placed the imperial seal and other items one by one, as well as the congratulatory messages from the vassal states and ministers. In the court today, in addition to the ministers and foreign envoys, there was also Baosheng Hou, a descendant of Confucius, as well as the Duke of Jie and the Duke of Zun.

Zhou abdicated to Sui, and Sui abdicated to Tang. This was the orthodoxy, and therefore it was natural that the imperial family of the previous dynasty had to come to watch the ceremony to show their support for the revival of the destroyed country and the continuation of the extinct dynasty.

Liang Jun Wang Xiao Cong congratulated on behalf of all the people. He stepped forward, took off his boots, knelt, and placed his sword on the sword-removing mat: "The first year of the Yuanzheng period, the new Jingfu, I humbly wish that His Majesty the Emperor Taiping Shenwu will rest in peace with the heaven."

"prosper!"

Then he led all the officials in paying respects: "It is the first day of the new year, and it is an auspicious day. We, the officials, congratulate Your Majesty and wish Your Majesty a long life and eternal life!"

The emperor replied majestically: "I share the same celebration of taking up the new post as you do."

All the ministers bowed again, then stood up and danced, each with their own graceful style. Li Jiancheng tried hard not to laugh and watched his ministers dance quietly.

The civil officials were fine, most of them still had some rules to follow. But some warriors who were not good at dancing could only clap their arms and kick their legs, which was quite lively.

Just for one dance, the emperor wanted to increase the salary of all officials and give each of them two liters of sobering wine.

This is something that everyone has, and everyone is waiting for the cypress leaves that His Majesty will reward them with later.

Cypress leaves are just ordinary cypress leaves, with strong branches that are strong in winter and fragrant in the year. They can prolong one's life, not just because they are fragrant.

Because cypress trees wither last, they are used to wish longevity. Cypress leaves symbolize standing tall against frost and snow and being verdant, fragrant and pure, so it is hoped that ministers will be loyal to state affairs.

This represents the emperor's approval. Anyone who can obtain the cypress leaves must be favored by the emperor.

Amid the anticipation of his ministers, the emperor bestowed cypress leaves on Li Jing, Duke of Wei, and Xu Shiji, Duke of Ying.

This was within everyone's expectations. If Qin Wang Li Shimin or Pingguo Duke Zhang Huli were there, they would probably be able to get a cypress leaf.

But to the surprise of the ministers, the emperor actually bestowed cypress leaves on Li Mi, Duke of Yangdu, and Du Fuwei, Duke of Zhangqiu.

The implication contained in this makes people think deeply, and Li Mi and Du Fuwei are naturally quite excited, especially Du Fuwei, who is almost on the verge of tears.

A cypress leaf is as light as a feather when held in the palm of your hand, but it is as heavy as Mount Tai when it falls on your family.

Many of the surrendered officials in the court could not help but feel a little excited. It seemed that as long as they were willing to work hard, His Majesty would not care about the past.

The court meeting was still proceeding in an orderly manner. Officials from various regions and vassal states presented various local specialties as tribute and offered auspicious signs.

Due to the emperor's strict order, the auspicious signs were only allowed to be taken out at this time, and it was only for good luck and there was no requirement for them to be authentic.

As a result, a auspicious golden unicorn covered with gold foil that looked almost exactly like a pig appeared, and the emperor accepted it with pleasure.

Then the emperor led his ministers to offer sacrifices to the heaven, earth and ancestral temples, and reviewed the troops with the envoys from foreign vassal states. He held the tassels and bowed to the queens, then returned to the chariot to review the army. He stayed in the Hua Palace with colorful banners, then returned to the Forbidden Camp, and marched out from the left and right in groups, with the flags waving and the wind and clouds rising.

After the military review, there was a banquet. Even if the emperor was stingy, he would not tighten his belt and eat less on this day. Therefore, the banquet included many kinds of steamed dishes, eight delicacies, countless wine cups, and the ultimate in entertainment. There was also ritual music and dancing.

The foreign envoys took turns to sing and dance for the emperor and flatter him. Nothing could better prove the emperor's majesty than a glorious victory.

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(End of this chapter)