Chapter 032: The Villain Saluted
Once again, they returned to the Regent's convoy, heading for Hanyuan Hall to attend the grand court assembly. It was said that the officials were already waiting outside the hall.
This time, as they traveled along Zhuque Avenue, the convoy had a different air than before:
Previously, although their group was dignified and imposing, they were few in number—only Tang Tuan and a dozen or so imperial guards accompanied them.
But now, those generals from various regions, who had mistakenly believed the tiger tally and were summoned to Chang'an, had brought their own large forces and spontaneously joined in the escort of the convoy to the palace.
The convoy was now awe-inspiring.
The banners were neatly arranged.
Even the sound of the horses' hooves seemed to beat in unison.
At this time, Wei Wanlan had already switched to a different carriage.
The carriage had been sent from the palace by An Ruyi after receiving a flying message. An Ruyi, being exceptionally competent, had also brought all the emperor’s grooming tools, the dragon robe, and the ceremonial crown for Wei Wanlan.
Wei Wanlan was a bit tired. He leaned wearily in the carriage, allowing An Ruyi to dress him, transforming him from the plain “Xiao Wan girl” into the magnificent Emperor of the Great Wei, dressed in grand attire, wearing the ceremonial crown.
A palace maid held a mirror nearby.
From time to time, An Ruyi’s flattery could be heard as he adjusted the emperor’s dragon robe: “Your Majesty, you look very handsome.”
Wei Wanlan, however, yawned like a cat about to burrow into a pile of blankets. “I’m so sleepy.”
**[You can’t sleep!]**
404 had just come online and shocked Wei Wanlan with a zap.
Wei Wanlan was speechless. “What are you doing? I’ve already quelled the rebellion. What complaints do you still have?”
404: **[There’s been a military coup in the capital. The people are anxious, and some courtiers may have other thoughts. Even the Regent, despite being injured, hasn’t left the convoy. You must make an appearance.]**
“How should I make an appearance?”
At this moment, An Ruyi finished dressing the emperor and opened the curtains on both sides of the imperial carriage.
The morning light was just rising. The winter sun was a pale gold, and its soft rays shone on Wei Wanlan’s knees.
Chang'an was slowly coming to life.
The citizens of the city, hearing no more sounds of fighting, cautiously ventured out to investigate. When they saw the disciplined military formation on Zhuque Avenue, their eyes showed surprise and relief:
“...There’s no fighting in the city? It’s still peaceful, right?”
“That’s the emperor!”
“It’s the first time His Majesty has shown himself to the common people!”
“Just now, we heard the armies in the city in a fierce standoff. Has the emperor and the Regent already put down the rebellion?”
Voices from the common people reached Wei Wanlan’s ears. He poked his head out and saw a little child riding on his father’s shoulders, tugging at his father’s hair in excitement as he tried to catch a glimpse of the emperor.
The little child waved excitedly at him.
Wei Wanlan tilted his head. “Eh?”
He felt like a rare animal being watched.
**[The Wei family’s ancestral instruction: The people are not forbidden from gazing upon the emperor’s face.]**
**[The founding emperor and several accomplished rulers of past generations would occasionally stand at the boundary between the palace and the commoners, greeting the people.]**
“So, what you’re saying is, I need to interact with them, yes?”
**[The Regent has no interest in interacting with the people. You must do it.]** Otherwise, the Great Wei court would seem too aloof.
To 404’s surprise, Wei Wanlan was overjoyed at this.
—This fits perfectly with my specialty!
As a cosplayer, one’s job is to look good and strike poses. Wei Wanlan might not excel in other areas, but as long as the people didn't rush the convoy for selfies, general interactions were something he could definitely handle.
“Ah! The Son of Heaven smiled at me!”
“The Son of Heaven’s face is actually quite handsome!”
“Look here, Your Majesty! Please look here!”
Do not underestimate the enthusiasm of the common people.
At this time, people had not yet developed a large-scale celebrity culture. Across the nation, the only figures who could be considered stars were the Regent and the young emperor.
But they didn’t dare tease the Regent. Su Jingzhi was a bit dangerous, exuding a cold aura.
So, the streets were filled with various eye-catching stunts. Whether it was stacking themselves into human towers or performing other forms of street art, everyone was trying to attract the emperor’s attention.
Some of the more enthusiastic ones even threw flowers and fruit at the golden carriage. A bright yellow pear flew in, startling Wei Wanlan, who almost mistook it for a squeaky toy flying into the carriage.
“Eunuch An!”
“Don’t worry, Your Majesty. It’s just a pear. I’ll keep it for you. Would you like to take a look?”
“Oh…” Wei Wanlan’s cheeks flushed red, flustered and unsure how to react, instinctively trying to avoid the awkward situation. “It’s just a pear.”
Then he poked half his head out of the window again.
This childish action made the common people chuckle:
“Our Great Wei emperor is kind of cute, isn’t he?”
“Like a child.”
You’re the children! I’m almost eighteen years old!
Hearing the commoners laugh at him, Wei Wanlan was so embarrassed he wanted to crawl into a hole like an ostrich.
But with the ancestral instructions in mind, he couldn’t truly hide, so he had to pretend to be calm, continue waving to the people, while dodging the various flowers and fruits thrown his way.
Tang Tuan suddenly burst into laughter, gasping for breath:
“—Hey, Boss, look at this! His Majesty is working hard to please the people! Haha, he’s flailing about, it’s killing me!”
Su Jingzhi cast a cold glance at Tang Tuan.
Tang Tuan immediately straightened up on his horse:
“His Majesty is diligently maintaining the image of the Great Wei court. I spoke carelessly earlier. I request to forfeit five days of salary and ask if I can come to your house for meals.”
Su Jingzhi ignored him.
The grand convoy continued northward to the end of Zhuque Avenue.
The gates of the imperial palace opened, and the golden-armored guards on both sides knelt before the convoy. The sound of their heavy armor echoed clearly. The leading commander of the guards stepped forward and announced: “Welcome back to the palace, Your Majesty!”
An Ruyi raised his voice at this moment, responding to the commander in a loud, clear tone, which echoed from the palace gates all the way to Hanyuan Hall:
“The Son of Heaven of Great Wei returns to court! The grand assembly begins!”
“The Son of Heaven of Great Wei returns to court…”
“The Son of Heaven of Great Wei returns to court…”
The sound caused Wei Wanlan’s ears to tremble inside the golden carriage. His eyes widened in curiosity, and goosebumps inexplicably rose on his arms.
So many people had come to welcome him?
Being the emperor was such a grand and majestic affair!
The golden carriage stopped at the Dragon Tail Road, leading up to a staircase. On both sides of the stairs, the courtiers knelt neatly in front of Hanyuan Hall, their eyes not daring to meet the emperor’s, but all eagerly awaiting to catch a glimpse of the bottom of the emperor’s carriage, as if hoping to see even the tips of the emperor’s shoes.
Wei Wanlan grew even more excited:
This was his first time crossing over, and he had been living in a meek and submissive manner as a puppet. This was the first time since entering the book that he was being treated with such respect as an emperor. Every inch of the air was filled with a sense of ceremony and expectation.
The door of the golden carriage opened.
A footstool was laid below the carriage.
Wei Wanlan, feeling quite satisfied, took a deep breath. Just as he thought everything was going well, he stood up from the golden carriage and saw a tall figure in golden robes ahead.
The Regent had dismounted from his horse and was now standing in front of his own carriage.
Wei Wanlan’s breath caught in his throat. He couldn’t guess what the Regent was thinking.
The twelve jade strands of his crown swayed in the wind, creating a soft clicking sound, as if a light rain was falling between him and the Regent.
His heart grew even more frantic—
Because he saw Su Jingzhi’s tall figure slowly bow down. The magnificent royal robes spread out before him. The villain, for the first time, was bowing to him.
It wasn’t a formal court salute but a solemn military one, kneeling on one knee.
The Regent’s voice was clear:
“Your servant, Su Yan, welcomes Your Majesty back to the palace to preside over the court.”
After the Regent’s voice, the entire court of civil and military officials followed him, shouting their praises, their voices like thunder, causing Wei Wanlan’s ears to ring:
“Long live the emperor! Long live! Long live!”
“Long live the Regent! Long live! Long live!”
…Am I dreaming?
In this lifetime, for the first time, Wei Wanlan was looking down at the Regent, who was a full head taller than him, seeing the top of his noble head.
He could see the pearls on Su Jingzhi’s crown, the gold pins on both sides of the crown, and even the scales on the twin dragons coiled around his crown, all in perfect detail.
He could still hear the threatening words Su Jingzhi had said to him when they first met:
“Those clad in armor do not bow.”
Now, the Regent wasn’t in armor, but he was covered in wounds. Yet his bow was firm and sincere. Wei Wanlan was quite pleased:
It felt like, after all these years, he had finally risen up.
**[Host, the Regent has already saved you. Of course, he wants to earn political prestige by giving you face. He hopes you’ll help him finish this act.]**
**[You also need this opportunity to make your appearance. This time, please cooperate with the Regent and maintain your image. Complete the grand assembly.]**
404’s analysis was always from a politician’s perspective.
But how could Wei Wanlan understand any of that?
He just felt a little light-headed, and his crown was so heavy, the decorative jade strands blocked his vision. On top of that, his robes were cumbersome. As Wei Wanlan stepped out of the golden carriage, his first step landed on the hem of his dragon robe, causing him to stumble and fall directly toward the Regent kneeling below.
“Your Majesty!!!”
“My Lord!!!”
404, I’m sorry. The grand assembly hasn’t even started yet, and my image as a wise ruler is probably already ruined.
Wuwu *QAQ*...
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