kingnovel Chapter 1195 Princess Duanjing and Prince Liang
Chapter 1195 Princess Duanjing and Prince Liang
The messengers received their orders and immediately mounted their swift horses, setting off in all directions. The sound of hooves shattered the morning mist of Chang'an, heading east towards Xuchang and Jiangdong, south towards Jingzhou and Yizhou, and north towards Hebei, spreading the invitations and news from Xiliang. Among those wax-sealed letters were half gilded wedding invitations and half concealed Xiliang's hidden ambitions, quietly stirring up the winds of change on the dusty post roads.
Three days later, the altar outside Chang'an City was already set up. The dark sacrificial curtains fluttered in the wind, and on the altar were offered sacrifices of cattle and sheep, with incense and candles rising into the sky. Ma Chao, dressed in white mourning clothes, led the civil and military officials to stand before the altar, followed by Ma Yue, who was also dressed in mourning. The young man's face lacked his usual liveliness, showing only a solemnity beyond his years.
Behind Ma Yue were Ma Xiang, Ma Guan, and the young Jiang Wei, all dressed in coarse hemp mourning clothes, their collars and cuffs frayed, their faces bearing a solemnity beyond their years. The second-generation generals of Chang'an, the orphans of the imperial guards from Jiangdong, and the usually carefree and lively young men, all stood in neat rows with their eyes lowered, their mourning cloths tied in uniform knots around their arms, fluttering slightly in the wind.
Needless to say, the soldiers of Xiliang all wore white mourning cloths draped diagonally over their armor. From generals to common soldiers, they were all in perfect uniform, and even the sound of horseshoes clattering on the ground was solemn.
At the beginning of the posthumous conferment ceremony, the master of ceremonies loudly read the eulogy, each word filled with sorrow, recounting the righteous deeds of Princess Duanjing, Sally. "...The Lady accompanied the King through the hardships of Jiangdong. In times of peril, she shielded the young prince with her own body, upholding the King's name and protecting his safety. Her valor shines as brightly as the sun and moon, her benevolence moves heaven and earth... Today, she is posthumously conferred the title of 'Princess Duanjing,' to be offered incense at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, to be worshipped alongside the King, and to be remembered forever..."
Ma Chao personally placed the jade seal engraved with the words "Princess Duanjing" into the brocade box beside the memorial tablet, his fingertips trembling slightly. Ma Yue stepped forward, knelt before the altar with the offerings, and respectfully kowtowed three times, his forehead touching the cold ground, and whispered, "Mother, your son has grown up and can share Father's burdens now..."
As the morning light spilled over the stone steps of the altar, the moment Ma Yue's knees touched the ground, a unified sound of kowtows came from behind him—the straight backs of the second generation from Chang'an suddenly bent, and the orphaned guards from Jiangdong also knelt down in unison. In an instant, a dark mass of people spread out on the bluestone slab, and even breathing seemed to freeze in mid-air.
After Ma Yue rose, Dong Bai led Zhen Mi, Cai Wenji, Gongsun Rou, Zhang Fubao, Zhang Qiying, Sun Shangxiang, and others forward in turn. Dong Bai, dressed in plain clothes with only a white plum blossom in her hair, held a box of incense from a sandalwood incense and knelt first on the prayer mat, her forehead lightly touching the ground: "Younger sister Dong Bai respectfully greets the Princess Consort Duanjing." Her voice was clear and melodious, yet carried an undeniable reverence. Behind her, Zhen Mi, Cai Wenji, Gongsun Rou, Zhang Fubao, Zhang Qiying, and Sun Shangxiang, some gentle and graceful, others spirited and resolute, all now concealing their sharp edges, bowing with the utmost sincerity, deeply imprinting the weight of the title "Princess Consort" into every inch of the earth.
The civil and military officials of Xiliang had already lined up on either side, civil officials on the left and military officials on the right. The civil officials held their tablets, while the military generals gripped their sword hilts. As the master of ceremonies announced their greetings, they all knelt down in unison, performing three kowtows and nine prostrations, their movements perfectly synchronized as if etched into their very bones. "Congratulations to Princess Duanjing on her investiture!" The shouts echoed against the pillars of the altar, the reverberations layering upon layer, as if the entire land of Xiliang were responding.
Who remembers whether Sally ever set foot in this center of power during her lifetime? Who cares about her origins? From the moment Ma Chao personally bestowed upon her the title of "Princess Duanjing," she was the undisputed matriarch of Xiliang.
After the civil and military officials finished their rites, the second generation and the orphans rose and kowtowed in order of seniority, their knee marks of varying depths imprinted on the bluestone slabs. Dong Bai and the other women stepped forward, carrying trays containing Ma Chao's everyday armor, the plates still bearing the rust of the battlefield; his black court robes for court assemblies, the jade belt gleaming; and his moon-white brocade robes for leisure, the cuffs embroidered with his beloved eagle. Finally, Ma Chao personally unfastened the sword from his waist, the dark patterns on the scabbard shimmering in the morning light—the sword he wore on his first battlefield as a young man.
"Buried." He said in a low voice, placing his sword on the tray.
The maids carried these items, slowly walking towards the tomb at the back. His armor had protected him, his court robes had displayed his dignity, his brocade robes had accompanied him in leisure, and his sword had drunk the blood of enemies—now, all of this would go with her. This was not ordinary burial; it was the honor he, as the King of Xiliang, granted her in a joint burial.
The wind blew across the altar, stirring up the incense ash on the ground, as if the departed queen had finally settled firmly on this land.
The cold wind swept across the walls of Chang'an, howling through the wilderness, but when it landed on Ma Chao and Ma Yue, it became strangely gentle, like a warm breeze that lightly brushed against Ma Chao's long hair at his temples and brushed against Ma Yue's reddened cheeks.
Ma Chao suddenly looked up at the leaden sky, his Adam's apple bobbing violently. He had spent half his life on the battlefield, yet at this moment, tears streamed down his face.
Beside him, Ma Yue pursed his lips, his jawline taut like a fully drawn bowstring. His eyes were red as if they were about to bleed, yet he clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, stubbornly refusing to let a single tear fall. Ever since that night when he saw his mother lying in a pool of blood, his tears had been frozen, and no amount of fire could melt them.
The surrounding crowd had already formed layers upon layers, including elderly people leaning on canes, women holding children, and children in coarse cotton-padded coats. They looked at the silent father and son on the altar, and at the civil and military officials kowtowing in unison. Someone lowered their knees first, and then, in a flash, the entire city's people spontaneously knelt down, instantly forming a dark mass of figures lying prostrate on the snow.
Ma Chao looked down at the dense crowd below, then at his son who was struggling to stay upright beside him. He took a deep breath, his voice hoarse as if it had been rubbed with sandpaper: "Get up, all of you."
The procession returned to Chang'an in a dense mass, and the wilderness returned to calm, leaving only the craftsmen to repair the enormous tomb.
The towering palace walls separated the bustling crowds outside from the solemn atmosphere inside, creating two distinct worlds. The people gazed at the reopened vermilion gate from afar, their whispers revealing a deep reverence for the former imperial city. Now the residence of the Liang Prince, it still carried an inescapable aura of imperial grandeur.
Ma Chao stood beneath the steps of the palace, the hem of his black royal robe sweeping across the polished, mirror-like gold-brick floor, leaving faint traces. He looked up at the throne that had once belonged to the emperor, the golden dragon reliefs on the beams gleaming coldly in the morning light. For years, he had occupied Chang'an, resided in the old palace, yet had never set foot in this central hall. Not out of fear, but because a lingering obsession with "legitimacy" always haunted him. But today was different. For Ma Yue, he had to stand here.
"Father." Ma Yue's voice came from behind. He had changed into the crown prince's court robes. His slightly tense shoulders showed his nervousness, but he tried his best to straighten his back.
Ma Chao turned back, looking into the light in his son's eyes, so much like his own youth, and a surge of warmth welled up in his chest. Those so-called "transgressions" and "rules" suddenly seemed insignificant in the face of bloodline inheritance. He raised his hand and placed it on Ma Yue's shoulder, the pressure neither too light nor too heavy: "Yue'er, from this day forward, the world is at our feet. You must know that your responsibility as the heir is not to wield power, but to care for the common people."
Ma Chao's gaze swept across the main hall, where civil and military officials had once knelt in worship; now, his generals and relatives stood there.
Perhaps from the moment he stormed the grasslands and beheaded his first enemy leader, or perhaps from the day he raised the Western Liang army's banner atop Chang'an, he had long since ceased to care about any transgressions. Today, in this old palace, he was bestowing the title of heir apparent not as an offense against the past, but as an explanation for the future. Since this court could not provide the people with a peaceful and stable life, then it would be overthrown, and he, Ma Chao, would establish a new order. Looking at his solemn-faced son below, Ma Chao silently thought to himself, if one generation is not enough, then two generations will suffice.
The auspicious time has arrived—
The master of ceremonies' drawn-out announcement echoed through the hall. Ma Chao had already entered. Ma Yue took a deep breath and stepped over the high threshold. The hall was brightly lit with candles, and twelve dragon-carved pillars stood on either side, the golden dragons on them seemingly about to break free of their wooden constraints and leap out. A seat was added to the upper left of the dragon throne, and Ma Teng sat down. Ma Chao stood in the center of the throne, calmly watching him.
Upon entering the hall, Ma Yue performed the three kneelings and nine kowtows before the person at the head of the table. As his forehead touched the ground, he could feel the slight coolness of the floor tiles. As he rose, he heard his own heartbeat mingling with the breathing sounds within the hall.
"Ma Yue, hear the appointment—" Ma Teng's voice, though aged, was powerful and resonated throughout the hall.
Ma Yue knelt down again, his back ramrod straight: "Your grandson is here."
"You are the legitimate son of Liang King Ma Chao and Duanjing Princess Shali'er, of pure lineage and noble blood, a direct descendant of the Ma family." Ma Teng's voice suddenly rose a few decibels, deliberately emphasizing the words "legitimate son." "You grew up in Jiangdong in your youth. Although you suffered from chaos and lived under the roof of others, you were not tainted by arrogance or laziness. In your loneliness and hardship, your character became even more apparent. Even at a young age, you knew how to be patient and resolute. In adversity, you studied literature and martial arts without ever slacking off for a single day."
"Now that I have considered your upright character and your loyalty to Xiliang, I hereby appoint you as the Crown Prince of Xiliang, bestow upon you a golden seal, a jade belt, and ceremonial regalia, and entrust you with the responsibility of defending the western border." Ma Teng spoke each word clearly and forcefully, as if striking a bronze bell.
"Thank you for your grace, Grandfather!" Ma Yue kowtowed, his voice clear and youthful, yet steady without a tremor.
Ma Chao stepped forward, holding a tray in both hands. On the tray were a gold seal, a jade belt, and a jade sword. The four characters "Crown Prince of Xiliang" were deeply engraved on the gold seal, the jade buckle on the jade belt was warm and translucent, and the scabbard of the jade sword was inlaid with seven gemstones, which shone brightly in the candlelight.
Ma Yue accepted the tray with both hands. The moment his fingertips touched the golden seal, he felt a warm current flow through his body. Holding the tray, he kowtowed again: "Your grandson will certainly live up to the trust placed in him by his grandfather and father, guarding the peace of the western border and protecting the people!"
"Good!" Ma Teng stroked his beard, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes. "Stand up with the seal."
As Ma Yue rose, Ma Chao reached out to help him up, the warmth of his palm seeping through his sleeve, carrying a silent expectation. Holding the golden seal and jade belt, he turned to face the civil and military officials in the hall, his gaze sweeping over familiar and unfamiliar faces. All wore respectful expressions, bowing in unison, their voices perfectly synchronized:
"Congratulations, Your Highness!"
Ma Yue raised his hand, gesturing for everyone to rise. Morning light streamed in through the window, falling directly on the golden seal in his hand, making the four characters gleam. He knew that from this moment on, the seal was no longer cold metal, the belt was no longer a luxurious decoration, but a burden weighing on his shoulders, a promise etched in his heart.
The master of ceremonies announced again, "Please, Your Highness, ascend the throne—"
Following the directions, Ma Yue walked to the lower right seat of the dragon throne and sat down. Although still young, Ma Yue focused his attention intently on what was below. Thus, the position of Crown Prince of Xiliang was decided.