Early the next morning, Yuyang Commandery came alive.

Before the sky was fully bright, there was movement in the streets of the commandery city.

First came a low, deep horn blast from the direction of the Imperial Palace. It was resonant and long, rippling through the morning mist layer by layer, waking the entire city from its slumber.

The streets and alleys of Yuyang Commandery were soon packed with people. Men, women, and children, dragging their families along, crowded both sides of the main thoroughfare leading to the Imperial Palace, leaving no room for even a drop of water to pass through.

The teahouses and restaurants on every street corner had moved their tables and chairs out to the front early on. The proprietors hung up bright red lanterns, and posters with ink still wet were pasted on the doors, bearing the large characters: "Congratulate the New Emperor on His Ascension, Let the Whole World Rejoice."

A literate old scholar stood in front of the notice, shaking his head as he read it aloud, and the crowd of commoners gathered around began to discuss it as they listened.

"Who is this new emperor?"

"He is the ninth son of Emperor Zhengde! Our Yuyang Commandery is going to become the auxiliary capital!"

"From now on, we are also citizens of the imperial capital region!" The sound of discussion was mixed with the shrill laughter of children chasing and playing in the gaps between the crowds, and the sound of firecrackers echoing from afar.

The entire city of Yuyang Commandery was like a pot of boiling water, seething and bustling; even the air was filled with an indescribable sense of agitation.

By the time the sun revealed its first ray of golden light over the eastern ridge, the main road outside the main gate of the Imperial Palace was already packed solid.

On both sides of the main road, the fifty thousand troops left behind by Empress Su Mingyue were arranged in neat honor guards, lining up from the main gate of the Imperial Palace all the way to the city gate. Their iron armor and silver spears formed two dazzling silver lines under the morning sun.

These soldiers were all elites who had Cultivated the Dushi Sutra, with the lowest level of cultivation being the Skin Refining Realm. The formation was silent, with only the banners flapping in the morning breeze.

Even those children who were usually the most boisterous dared not make a sound in front of the ranks, standing far back in the crowd, tiptoeing to catch a glimpse.

Zhou Ming stood on the steps in front of the main hall of the Imperial Palace, wearing a brand-new official robe that had been rushed to completion overnight.

This robe had been temporarily altered to his size by the old tailor at the Prefectural Governors Mansion. It was made of navy blue satin, with dark red piping at the collar and cuffs, and a silver belt cinched at his waist.

Behind him stood about twenty veteran clerks and ceremonial officials assigned from the Marquis's estate, all with solemn expressions, holding thick ceremonial protocols in their hands.

On both sides of the steps were two rows of armored imperial guards holding halberds. These guards had been carefully selected from the five thousand elites Zhou Ming had brought back from the northern frontier army. Each one was burly, with bright armor and shining helmets; standing there, they were a living deterrent.

At the hour of the Dragon, the bells and drums rang in unison.

The eighteen large ox-hide drums set up in front of the main hall of the Imperial Palace were struck simultaneously. The sound of the drums shook the heavens and the earth, startling a flock of roosting birds in the woods behind the palace into flapping up into the sky.

Immediately after, the imperial carriage of 9th Prince, Emperor Liu Ji, slowly appeared at the end of the main road, surrounded by a team of golden-armored imperial guards.

The five hundred personal guards on both sides of the imperial carriage were all in black armor with silver spears, their footsteps as orderly as if cut by a knife.

Emperor Liu Ji sat upright on the imperial carriage, dressed in a bright yellow ceremonial robe and crown.

The black upper garment was embroidered with the six patterns of the sun, moon, stars, mountains, Dragon, and floral patterns. The dark red lower garment was embroidered with the six patterns of temple cups, aquatic grass, fire, grain, axes, and symbols. The twelve patterns covered the entire robe.

He wore a flat-topped crown with twelve hanging bead tassels, which were strung with fine white jade beads, swaying gently with the jolting of the imperial carriage.

Those bead tassels obscured most of his face, and from a distance, he truly possessed the solemn demeanor of a young emperor.

But when the imperial carriage drew closer, Zhou Ming saw Emperor Liu Ji's eyes darting around behind the bead tassels, looking left and right, with a smug, triumphant smile suppressed at the corners of his mouth.

Su Mingli, riding a horse beside the imperial carriage, was even more exaggerated.

Su Mingli was wearing a water-red brocade robe today. This color would be a total disaster on anyone else, but it couldn't hide the fact that Su Mingli had a truly handsome face.

With his sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes set against the water-red, it actually looked quite fitting.

He was still waving that gold-painted folding fan in his hand; even though the north wind made the banners flap loudly, he refused to put the fan away.

He didn't look at the road the entire time, leaning sideways on his horse to exchange glances with Emperor Liu Ji on the imperial carriage. The two of them were making unknown gestures across the curtains of the carriage, as if discussing where to go for drinks tonight.

The surrounding commoners saw Su Mingli's appearance, and some couldn't help but laugh out loud. Someone next to them immediately nudged them with an elbow, signaling that this was a grand occasion of the new emperor's ascension and laughter was not allowed.

In the procession behind Emperor Liu Ji, Grand Duke Su rode a gray horse, his lean frame looking somewhat small within the oversized python robe.

He had changed into a brand-new python robe, which had been altered overnight.

Grand Duke Su had not worn such grand robes for decades; the last time he wore a python robe was at the late emperor's birthday celebration in the An Province imperial city.

This time, their escape from Qing Province was so hasty that they hadn't even brought many changes of clothes; this python robe was an old item Empress Su Mingyue had dug out from the bottom of the Marquis's estate's storeroom.

She had the tailor alter it three times overnight according to Grand Duke Su's size before it barely fit.

The old Grand Duke rode on his horse, his back slightly hunched, but those sharp, bright eyes beneath his graying eyebrows remained as steady as a mountain.

He did not look at the crowd, the honor guard, or the two young men in front who were still exchanging glances; he just followed the procession unhurriedly, as if walking a path he was destined to finish.

Empress Su Mingyue did not appear in the procession.

She had already led the main army to the border of Qing Province.

It didn't actually matter whether she was there or not.

Her black-armored personal guards were spread throughout the Imperial Palace, from the palace gate to the steps of the main hall, from the side halls to the rear gardens; her people stood at every door and in every corridor.

Every step of this new emperor's ascension was under her gaze.

The imperial carriage stopped in front of the main hall. Emperor Liu Ji stepped off, the bead tassels of his crown swaying gently in the morning breeze. He adjusted his robes, held his head high, and walked slowly up the steps, led by the ceremonial eunuch.

His pace was much steadier than usual, with every step landing on the beat of the drums. The hem of his ceremonial robes trailed on the golden brick floor, respectfully carried by two young eunuchs behind him.

Zhou Ming bowed to welcome him at the top of the steps, sweeping a glance at the new emperor who was about to ascend the throne.

Emperor Liu Ji's mouth was still slightly upturned, but his steps as he climbed the stairs were steady and standard, clearly the result of crash training by people sent by Empress Su Mingyue last night.

Inside the main hall, the imperial desk and the Dragon Throne had long been set up.

On the imperial desk lay the Imperial Jade Seal, the sacrificial text to heaven, and the edict of ascension, the three items lined up in a row. Of course, this Imperial Jade Seal had also been rushed to completion last night.

Inside and outside the hall, all civil and military officials, imperial guards, local gentry observing the ceremony, and representatives of noble families who had come from various places—hundreds of people throughout the hall—knelt down in unison.

Zhou Ming stood at the side of the hall and shouted at the top of his lungs: "The New Emperor ascends the throne, all officials pay homage!"

Bells and drums rang in unison, and the ceremonial eunuch finished reading the long edict of ascension in a trembling yet highly rhythmic voice.

Then, Emperor Liu Ji took the Imperial Jade Seal from the eunuch, held it in both hands to his chest, and placed it squarely on the imperial desk.

He turned around, the bead tassels of his crown swaying gently behind the blue smoke of the incense burner, and then slowly sat on the Dragon Throne.

The civil and military officials in the hall knelt and bowed in unison, shouting "Long live the Emperor!"

The sound hit the dome of the main hall of the Imperial Palace and bounced back, buzzing and making people's eardrums tremble.

Zhou Ming stood at the side of the hall, not kneeling, but instead quietly scanning the face of every person in the hall with his Divine Sense.

Grand Duke Su stood at the very front of the officials, kneeling down with the crowd. His sharp, bright eyes closed for a brief moment as he knelt, then opened again.

Zhou Ming could read nothing from that wrinkled face.

Su Mingli knelt on the other side, having rarely put away his fan, his head lowered, his expression unclear.

Emperor Liu Ji sat upright on the Dragon Throne, the bead tassels of his crown obscuring most of his face.

Through the gaps in the bead tassels, he looked around at the civil and military officials kneeling on the ground in the hall, remaining silent for a long time, as if adapting to this brand-new perspective.

Then he spoke.

"I ascend the throne as Emperor today, placing the nation first. Every aspect of the land of You Province depends on the Su clan."

"From this day forward, Yuyang Commandery shall be the auxiliary capital. Here, I shall reorganize the rivers and mountains, recover the old capital, and revitalize the Great Xia."

The entire hall was silent for a brief moment, and then the cry of "Long live, long live, long live my Emperor!" became even louder than before.