Restraining the populace with rites, constraining all beings with regulations.
Take, for instance, the color of garnts, whether one may ride in a carriage, qualifications for reading and examinations.
Layer upon layer, distinguishing between higher and lower.
The group under Li Guanyi gathered many scholars from the Academy of Central State, they drew upon the rites from eight hundred years ago, extrely eager. As Confucian scholars, having the chance to personally compile a set of rites is a matter of leaving one’s na in history.
Arrangents were made early for the crowning ceremony, the common folk curious and zealous, the scholars solemn, as the music and rituals began, everything followed the specifications and rituals of the Red Emperor from eight hundred years ago.
The crowning ceremony is to last for more than ten days.
However, when the civil ministers and martial generals, people from Chen Country and Ying Country arrived, Prince Qin, who should have worn the Python Dragon Robe, girded with a jade belt, was nowhere to be seen. Officials from the Ministry of Rites of various countries, along with royal mbers from the Central State bearing the Jade Seal, all were puzzled.
"Prince Qin, where is His Majesty Prince Qin!"
"At such an important mont."
"Where is he?!"
.........
Sun Laosan leaned on a hoe, sitting on a rock, basking in the winter sun, feeling rather lazy. Even in winter, one needs to dredge the ridges in the fields, returning straw to the fields for better crops in the coming year.
Sun Laosan endured hardship his whole life, fought in battles everywhere in his youth, with uncertain als, and was even captured for forced labor. Now, things are sowhat better; although alone and without dependants, he has been allocated land and receives so grain every three months from the Qilin Army.
Compared to his youth, life is much more comfortable.
Nearby in a bundle, there was so dried at, a corn bun, so pickled vegetables. When eating, he stuffs the dried at inside, adds tangy pickled radish, takes a delightful bite, comfortable indeed.
Moreover, despite spraining his ankle today, he encountered a kind-hearted person who helped dredge the field. Watching the young man in black clothes, he found him strong with nimble moves while repairing the field ridges, saying:
"Young fellow, after working for such a while, there’s so tea here, how about drinking so tea and resting!"
The young man stood up and said, "Alright, let finish this area first."
He sorted things out swiftly, and as he ca over, Sun Laosan handed him the tea along with a clay bowl. The young man received them and drank the tea heartily, saying, "This shouldn’t hinder next year’s spring plowing."
Sun Laosan laughed heartily, "No hindrance, no hindrance."
"This good land, wasn’t ours previously. This place, once slightly cultivated, will yield a good harvest next year. Back when I was young, ah, one and two-fifths acres piled up wouldn’t compare to several plots here."
"Just , an old man, growing so crops, it’s more than enough."
This young man liked his temperant very much, Sun Laosan chatted, saying: "This at, back in my youth, I could barely have a bite, all spoiled at. This New Year, I’ll buy a full five pounds of at."
Sun Laosan was jubilant, "Hey, with lots of fat, not the lean places, make roasted at, render the oil for regular use, during the New Year festival, sandwich it in a corn bun, take a bite, the taste, ah, good!"
"Also make so atballs, stored in black clay bowls in the warehouse."
"Enough to last the whole first month."
"And then a flask of wine, wonderful, wonderful indeed."
Sun Laosan touched his mouth, seemingly starting to reminisce, saying:
"The last ti I had so much at during New Year was when I was young, back then I was strong, worked as a laborer, could work hard, waking early to feed horses, till fields, cut grass to feed pigs, at night could keep watch, truly a good lad."
"Later on, I grew old, wanted to avoid conscription and broke my leg, then was chased away, what a pity, it would be great to not fight anymore!"
He lanted, "If there were no warfare, I would still be a good lad."
"Could work from dawn till dusk, full of energy!"
"Could eat lots of als, do lots of work, the lords appreciated ."
"When you co by, young fellow, I’ll let you taste my cooking."
The young man listened quietly and then smiled, "Alright."
From afar ca the sound of ritual music, Sun Laosan couldn’t help but feel yearning, using his rough hand to lean on the hoe, craned his neck, saying: "His Majesty Prince Qin is going to ascend, ah, alas, we mud-legged folks, can’t go!"
The young man said, "Why can’t you go?"
He took a corn bun divided by Sun Laosan, sat cross-legged there nibbling at it, very leisurely, even taking Sun Laosan’s green onions, eating them with the white base of the onions as a al, evidently knowledgeable about eating. Sun Laosan said:
"Lad, people like us, how can we go see His Majesty Prince Qin?"
He slapped his thigh, opened his mouth and thought for quite a while, finally squeezed out a sentence, saying:
"What kind of True Dragon Emperor."
"Soone akin to a deity descending from heaven."
"Imagine they’re like you and , eating corn buns with green onions!"
The young man rolled his eyes, muttering, "Maybe that guy wants to eat burnt toasted buns."
Old Sun exclaid, "What kind of habit is this?"
"Could it be that burnt ones are tasty?"
The young man suddenly burst into laughter.
Laughed heartily.
Then, with a bang, it seed that the young man got hit on the head by sothing, but Old Sun doubted his own eyes — he didn’t see anything. The young man rubbed his head and said earnestly, "Toasted buns are indeed delicious!"
"Best in the world!"
"Unbeatable!"
Sun Laosan was skeptical and said, "Really that tasty? Hey, you must be one of those who think even the Emperor uses a gold hoe. How could Prince Qin possibly eat like us?!"
"Only important people get to see Prince Qin."
"Such things can’t be ssed with."
The young man, chewing on the cornbread, said, "I don’t see what can’t be ssed with; a little chaos is good."
"People are people; everyone should be the sa."
Sun Laosan got anxious and said, "Hey, kid, how can you talk like that?"
"How can people be the sa?"
"Those are people above people, above us."
The young man, biting a green onion, rested his chin in his hand. Sun Laosan felt that the young man understood his point and squinted his eyes, saying, "I don’t desire much, just to have a few als with at during festivals each year."
"Juicy, glossy at placed on rice, that taste."
"If Prince Qin can let eat at, he’s a top-notch person."
"If the weather’s good next year and the harvest goes well, I can save so grain. When I’m old and can’t farm anymore, I won’t fear starving. I’ll eat half, save half, buy so at, hang it with ropes inside the window — that’s the festival taste."
"at hanging by the window, dry chilies too, a big bag of grain inside, and raise a dog."
Sun Laosan longed for this.
The young man whispered, "It will happen."
Sun Laosan touched his mouth, his eyes lighting up, and said, "If that’s the case, I really hope to live a few more years." The young man nodded, finished his cornbread, and left three Copper Coins, which Old Sun refused to take.
He even stuffed the cornbread to the young man, insisting he eat it.
The young man agreed, and after a while, he bid farewell and slowly walked toward the Crowning Ceremony location. Nearby, in an almost invisible spot, a silver-haired maiden quietly followed him, poking Li Guanyi’s back with her finger.
Li Guanyi murmured, "The cornbread is tasty."
"at is tastier."
The silver-haired maiden looked at the renowned Prince Qin, who seed to be contemplating many things, but finally just said, "With continuous victories, everyone is filled with restlessness."
"We must calm the restlessness of the Qilin Army and the Heavenly Strategy Mansion."
"In my youth, I spoke of establishing a heart for heaven and earth."
"Though unqualified to establish a heart for heaven and earth, now is the ti to do so."
Xiao Shaohui and Nan Hanwen, amidst many officials, noticed that Prince Qin was absent, and while many civil officials and nobility were restless, Yan Daiqing and Wen Qingyu from the Heavenly Strategy Mansion remained calm.
Officials from Central State, Chen Country, and Ying Country’s Ministry of Rites were all inquiring about Prince Qin’s whereabouts.
So affected scholars and soldiers were also sowhat agitated.
Yan Daiqing and Wen Lingjun were only soothing, and while everyone was unsure, the elderly Ministry official from Central State and a great Confucian scholar were indignant, and the Qilin Army soldiers were sowhat surprised but didn’t feel anything was amiss.
They still held imnse respect for their commander.
At this mont, a voice suddenly called out, "Prince Qin is here!!!"
As if breaking sothing rigid and lifeless.
The crowd walked out onto the high platform built by the City Lord Mansion, dressed in splendid clothes and armor, searching in all directions, and finally saw Prince Qin approaching, wearing black clothing with his hair bound by a wooden hairpin, strolling in from the commoners.
The officials, pri ministers above.
Those intending to corrupt Prince Qin with power, saw the prince coming from among the people.
A commanding presence, subtly stirring.
Within the Nine Provinces Tripod, a presence different from usual.
Slowly converging.
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