lcionline Chapter 158 Ascending the Throne
Chapter 158 Ascending the Throne
Although the thicket was full of thorns, it provided Liu Shan with temporary cover.
He quickly adjusted his breathing and used the terrain to his advantage to conceal himself.
The men in black chased the suspects to the edge of the hillside. After a moment's hesitation, some of them followed the suspects down the hillside, while others continued searching the surrounding area.
Liu Shan endured the pain in the bushes, trying his best not to make a sound, and waited quietly for the man in black to leave.
A moment later, after confirming that the man in black had gone far away, Liu Shancai slowly climbed out of the bushes and made his way towards Lü Ding with difficulty.
During the battle, Lü Ding seized an opportunity. He swept his bronze cauldron horizontally with great force, forcing the surrounding enemies back a few steps, and then turned and ran wildly into the depths of the mountains and forests.
He was extremely fast, and the men in black behind him were clearly wary and dared not pursue him rashly.
In this way, Lü Ding moved through the dense forest, constantly changing his route, and gradually shook off his pursuers.
After catching his breath in the woods, Lü Ding, still worried about Liu Shan's safety, quietly returned following the trail of blood.
The two finally met in a secluded valley and smiled at each other. In the valley, sunlight filtered through the sparse leaves, casting dappled shadows. Although they were both wounded, their eyes shone with an indomitable spirit.
Liu Shan asked softly, "Are you still able to fight?"
Lu Ding nodded, gripped the bronze cauldron tightly, and said in a deep voice, "Don't worry, brother, I can fight for at least another two hours."
Liu Shan smiled slightly, "In that case, let's rest here for a while and wait for our strength to recover before looking for an opportunity to break through."
The two sat back to back, each circulating their internal energy to regulate their breathing. The surroundings were quiet, with only the rustling of the wind through the treetops.
A moment later, Liu Shan opened his eyes and said in a low voice, "We can't stay here any longer. We need to leave as soon as possible."
Lü Ding nodded, stood up, holding the bronze cauldron in his hand, his imposing aura was overwhelming.
The two smiled at each other, helped each other up, and retreated towards the edge of Gray Mist Mountain.
Although he encountered a few scattered men in black along the way, he quickly dealt with them all.
An hour later, when the two finally stepped onto the official road, they both felt a sense of relief.
The official road was sparsely populated with carriages and horses, and as the sunlight began to slant, the two figures cast long shadows in the afterglow.
Liu Shan coughed lightly, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, but he smiled and said, "Finally, I've escaped."
Lu Ding gripped the bronze cauldron tightly and said in a deep voice, "Brother, you are blessed with great fortune and will surely be able to turn danger into safety."
The two exchanged a smile, their hearts filled with countless emotions.
……
In the early hours of the following day, Liu Shan and Lü Ding, covered in wounds, quietly entered the capital under the cover of darkness.
At 3:45 AM, dew still clung to the white jade steps outside Chengtian Gate, but the officials of the Ministry of Rites were already kneeling with sweat dripping from their foreheads.
Holding the black robe with gold patterns, they listened to the approaching morning bell in the distance, even their breathing was extremely soft.
The copper bells on the eaves jingled in the wind, startling the young eunuch holding the lantern so much that he almost burned the official robe of Wen Hangqing, the Minister of Rites.
"What's the panic!" Wen Hangqing scolded in a low voice, but his gaze involuntarily turned to the gradually whitening eastern horizon.
There, the nine palaces lit up one after another, like a giant dragon that had been coiled in the dark night opening its eyes.
Beneath the majestic palace walls, the Imperial Guards stood tall and straight, their ranks impeccable, like upright pine trees.
Their armor, caressed by the rising sun, reflected a cold and majestic light.
Liu Shan, dressed in his brand-new uniform as deputy commander of the Imperial Guards, stood in front of the palace gate, scanning his surroundings.
He knew that today's coronation ceremony was not only a test for Chu Lan, but also a test for himself.
Today's coronation ceremony carries the fate and hope of the Xia Dynasty, and its significance far exceeds that of ordinary times.
Every step and every detail must be flawless.
Any oversight could plunge the entire ceremony into chaos.
"Commander Liu," a soldier from the Imperial Guard walked quickly, looking tense and solemn. He approached Liu Shanhou and lowered his voice to report, "The arrangements inside the palace are complete, and all the sentry posts have been set up."
Liu Shan nodded, his expression calm and his tone low: "Very good. Continue to strengthen patrols, without the slightest slackening, to ensure absolute safety."
The soldiers obeyed and left, while Liu Shan turned and walked into the palace.
His steps were firm, but a vague unease lingered in his heart.
Although he possessed evidence of Fang Mingli's crimes, he returned to the capital just in time for Chu Lan's coronation ceremony, and he had no opportunity to present the evidence.
In addition, undercurrents still flowed within the court. Although Fang Mingzhe had temporarily ceased his actions, he knew that Fang Mingzhe would never easily give up his younger brother.
Meanwhile, in the imperial court, all the civil and military officials had already gathered. Chu Lan, dressed in a dragon robe and wearing a crown, sat upright on the dragon throne, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials, his eyes full of majesty.
"My beloved ministers," Chu Lan began slowly, his voice carrying an undeniable air of authority, "today is my coronation ceremony. I hope that you will all work together to make the Great Xia Dynasty prosperous and strong."
The ministers responded in unison, "We will certainly do our utmost to assist Your Majesty and create a prosperous era together!"
Chu Lan nodded slightly, a hint of satisfaction flashing in her eyes.
She knew that although there were still many voices of opposition in the court, today's enthronement ceremony had to proceed smoothly.
She turned to look at Liu Shan standing to the side, her eyes full of trust.
She was initially worried, but when Liu Shan appeared in the early hours of the morning, her heart was at ease.
Liu Shan felt Chu Lan's gaze and a warm feeling washed over him.
He knew that he bore a heavy responsibility and could not let Chu Lan down.
At the exact hour of Mao (5-7 AM), twelve large drums with kui patterns were struck simultaneously, officially coronation ceremony began.
Chu Lan stood in front of the mirror, letting the palace maids place the twelve-tassel crown in her hair.
Amidst the crisp sound of pearls clashing together, she gazed at her blurred face in the bronze mirror—the girl who once picked swallows' nests from King Kang's shoulder now had an unyielding frost between her brows.
"Your Majesty," Liu Shan's voice came from behind the screen, "the Imperial Guards have been deployed, and there are absolutely no unauthorized personnel within three zhang (approximately 10 meters)."
Chu Lan's fingertips brushed against the jade belt at her waist, touching the hilt of the concealed soft sword: "What about Fang Mingzhe?"
“Twenty-seven people entered and left the Fang residence last night, and I have ordered men to follow them secretly.” Liu Shan paused. “Several important criminals imprisoned in the Dali Temple prison suddenly died this morning.”
The tassels and beads on the crown obscured the cold glint in Chu Lan's eyes: "You died at the right time."
At the beginning of Chenshi (7-9 AM), the 808 steps in front of Chengtian Hall were gilded with gold and red by the rising sun.
Chu Lan walked slowly on the brocade carpet, the dragon embroidery on his black robes resembling ancient totems come to life.
She heard gasps behind her—the noble ministers were shocked by the dragon-patterned robe that defied ancestral rules.
"When the Empress is in power, the phoenix pattern should be the most revered..." The Vice Minister of Rites had just opened his mouth when Wen Hangqing silenced him with a look from him.
Surrounded by his ministers, Chu Lan slowly walked out of the main hall and ascended the high altar.
The altar was already laden with offerings, incense smoke curled around it, and the atmosphere was solemn and respectful.