Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

Chapter 170 Establishing Etiquette

Chen Xing's words, "Begin preparations for the enthronement ceremony," were like a boulder thrown into a pool, stirring not only waves of cheers but also an order for the entire Starfire Fortress's power machinery to operate efficiently. The cheers and clamor quickly subsided into a solemn and urgent busyness. Ascending to the throne was far more than simply changing a title or a flag. It was a fundamental leap in the nature of the regime, which had to be confirmed and manifested through a solemn, complete, and symbolic system of ceremonies. These ceremonies themselves were a direct shaping of the legitimacy of power, a silent declaration of the establishment of a new order.

Unsurprisingly, the heavy responsibility of the task fell on the shoulders of Jia Wen and Su Xiaoxiao. Jia Wen, in charge of the Censorate, was well-versed in ancient and modern institutions and systems, and was adept at understanding people's hearts and devising schemes; Su Xiaoxiao, in charge of the Inner Palace, was meticulous, skilled in planning, and, coming from the Jiangnan region with its rich tradition of etiquette and culture, possessed a natural advantage in attention to detail and aesthetics. Led by the two of them, and drawing upon the Ministry of Rites, the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and some learned senior officials, they formed the "Etiquette and Ceremonial Affairs Bureau," dedicated to the formulation of the ceremonial procedures for this grand ceremony.

The first meeting of the Preparatory Office was held in a side hall next to the Hall of Diligent Governance. The atmosphere was solemn, even somewhat heavy. The desk was piled with fragments of previous dynasties' regulations, records of imperial enthronement ceremonies, and books on rites privately held by aristocratic families, all collected from various places.

Jia Wen cut to the chase, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable tone: "Gentlemen, our lord's ascension to the throne is not following old precedents, but rather opening a new chapter. The established ceremonies must adhere to three key principles: First, 'respect,' to demonstrate our lord's supreme authority, as the mandate of heaven bestows upon us, requiring solemnity and reverence that inspires awe; second, 'novelty,' reflecting the spirit of Xinghuo Fortress, which rose from the ranks and is determined to advance, distinct from the cumbersome old rituals of the previous dynasty's corrupt scholars, especially emphasizing military merit and practicality; third, 'integration,' as our northern lands are inhabited by both Han and non-Han peoples, with many newly submitted. The ceremonies must be inclusive, gaining the approval of Han scholars and allowing the non-Han chieftains and their peoples to perceive our sincerity, thus fostering their loyalty."

Su Xiaoxiao nodded and added, a blank sheet of paper already spread out in front of her, on which she sketched a rough flowchart with charcoal: "What Lord Jia said is absolutely right. In my opinion, the ceremony can be roughly divided into several major parts: 'Offering sacrifices to Heaven and informing ancestors,' 'Receiving the investiture and being crowned,' 'Announcing the imperial edict and changing the reign title,' 'General amnesty and banquet,' and 'Military review and display of military prowess.' Among them, 'Offering sacrifices to Heaven and informing ancestors' is the foundation, and the location, time, offerings, music and dance, and prayers must all be carefully considered; 'Receiving the investiture and being crowned' is the core, and the crown and robes, the specifications of the investiture and seal, and the presentation ceremony must reflect the dignity of the king; 'Military review and display of military prowess' is for display, which can both inspire the soldiers and demonstrate power to both the internal and external spheres."

An elderly minister with white hair said tremblingly, "Lord Jia and Minister Su, in my humble opinion, since we are following ancient rites, we should base our actions on the 'Rites of Zhou' and the 'Book of Etiquette,' and refer to the stories of the Han and Jin dynasties. The sacrifice to Heaven should be held in the southern suburbs, with a round mound set up, using a blue jade disc to worship Heaven and a yellow jade cong to worship Earth, with a grand sacrificial animal, and the music 'Yunmen' played..."

Jia Wen interrupted him, his tone still calm, yet carrying a chilling penetrating force: "Elder Wang, the Southern Suburbs Round Mound is the standard for the imperial capital. Although Xinghuo Fortress is a powerful force in the North, its foundation lies here. How can we abandon our roots and follow the example of that unknown 'Southern Suburbs'? The place for offering sacrifices to Heaven should be outside Xinghuo Fortress, in a spacious and high location, where a new altar should be built, named 'Cheng Tian Altar'. This altar will mark the beginning of our new dynasty's sacrifices to Heaven, and will also be the foundation of our Northern Kingdom!"

He paused, then continued, "As for the sacrificial offerings and music, the grand sacrificial 'Yunmen' is indispensable, to signify the inheritance of the Chinese calendar. However, our Xinghuo Army rose from the ranks, and our merits lie with our soldiers. During the Heaven-worshiping ceremony, in addition to the regular offerings, there should be a specially made 'Military Soul Flag,' embroidered with the names of the heroes who died in past battles. This flag should be personally offered by our lord before the altar to comfort the spirits of the fallen, and to demonstrate that our dynasty was founded on military strength and has not forgotten its roots! In the music and dance, besides elegant music, we can also incorporate martial dances depicting the defeat of Heishan, the repelling of the Hu cavalry, and the pacification of Xiliang, using the sounds of drums and horns to enhance their momentum!"

Upon hearing this, several more traditional civil officials looked troubled, feeling that incorporating military affairs and the spirits of the dead so directly into the sacrificial ceremony was "unrefined" and "too violent." However, military representatives like Chen Wei and Dian Xiong listened with fervent eyes and their hearts pounding. This proposal had struck a chord with them!

Su Xiaoxiao mediated at the opportune moment, smiling slightly, "Lord Jia's suggestion is excellent, staying true to the fundamentals and uniting the army's morale. As for the details of etiquette, perhaps we can add a touch of novelty to the solemnity. For example, regarding the imperial robes, while the lord dislikes extravagance, the attire of a king has its own system. We can order the General's Work Camp to use black and crimson as the base, and in addition to the traditional twelve symbols such as the sun, moon, stars, mountains, dragons, and pheasants, could we add wolf patterns and eagle feathers symbolizing the characteristics of our northern lands, or flame and star patterns symbolizing the origin of Starfire Fortress? This would both conform to ancient customs and show the grandeur of the new dynasty. As for the tassels of the crown, using jade is natural, but the color of the jade and the way it is strung can also be slightly adjusted to achieve uniqueness."

She then turned to the prayer to Heaven: "In addition to revering Heaven and Earth, recounting our ancestors, and recounting our achievements, could the prayer include phrases that reflect the Lord's governing philosophy, such as 'Within our territory, Han and non-Han peoples are of one body and jointly follow the King's rule' and 'Strive to govern diligently and make the people prosperous'? This would make the prayer not only a statement to Heaven but also a vow to the people."

Jia Wen nodded: "The Imperial Household Department of Su has considered things thoroughly. The unity of Han and non-Han peoples and the emphasis on the people's livelihood and practicality should indeed be clearly demonstrated. In addition," a glint of light flashed in his eyes, "in the ceremony of investiture and coronation, besides the homage of civil and military officials, there should be special 'Honors' Seat' and 'Subjugation Seat.' The 'Honors' Seat' will be placed before all the officials, and the lord will personally name them: Jia, General Chen Wei, General Dian Xiong, Minister Zhao, General Zhang Heng, Prefect Cheng Yin, General Pang De, and... Lady Mingyue," he glanced at Su Xiaoxiao, who nodded in understanding, "to show their outstanding achievements and their transcendence of rank. The 'Subjugation Seat' will be for newly subjugated representatives of influential gentry from Xiliang and Beidi, as well as leaders of the non-Han tribes, who will be offered wine by the lord to encourage them, demonstrating his magnanimity and consolidating their hearts."

This was another extremely clever political design, turning the coronation ceremony into a grand ceremony for rewarding meritorious service and appeasing newly annexed vassals.

Regarding the amnesty and the banquet, Su Xiaoxiao proposed a specific plan: "The scope and conditions of the amnesty need to be clearly defined to avoid confusion. The banquet will be divided into inner and outer banquets: the inner banquet will be held in the palace to entertain meritorious officials, important ministers, representatives of those who have surrendered, and relatives; the outer banquet can be set up in the main streets and alleys of the city as a 'flowing banquet,' where all soldiers and civilians of Xinghuobao can receive a share of food and drink by presenting their household registration or military badge, and enjoy themselves with the people. The expenses will be specially allocated by the Imperial Household Department, and the accounts need to be clear."

Jia Wen added: "The parade ground can be newly built outside the fortress. In addition to showcasing the elite troops and new weapons of each army, Hu Yicong's cavalry should also form a separate formation to demonstrate our army's inclusiveness and military strength. At that time, we can invite envoys from nearby observing forces to attend the ceremony. Its deterrent effect may be better than that of 100,000 soldiers."

The two worked in perfect harmony, one grasping the overall direction and political core, the other detailing the procedures and logistical support, gradually outlining the specific arrangements for the ceremony. The initial objections from the traditional civil officials gradually dissipated under Jia Wen's unquestionable authority and Su Xiaoxiao's thoughtful and meticulous supplements, or transformed into suggestions for improving specific details.

Although Murong Mingyue was not directly involved in the preparations, Chen Xing entrusted her with overseeing the preparations for the inner palace and some ceremonies. She also kept track of the progress through the summaries of the plans delivered by Su Xiaoxiao and offered practical suggestions on aspects such as the inner palace ceremonies and the court audiences of noblewomen. Each time Su Xiaoxiao submitted a relevant document, she would attach a respectful request letter. The two maintained an efficient and stable collaboration through official correspondence.

After more than ten days of repeated deliberation, debate, and revision, a draft of the "Ceremony Procedures for the Star King's Ascension to the Throne," which was dozens of pages thick, was finally completed. It detailed everything from the specifications of the altar, the construction period, the list of sacrificial offerings, the choreography of music and dance, the prayer texts, the style of the crown and robes, the style of the imperial seal, the order of the ceremonial guard, the order of the worship ranks, the standards of the banquet, the procedures for the military parade, to the division of responsibilities and precautions for officials, soldiers, and servants at all levels. No matter how small the matter was, everything was in accordance with regulations.

The draft was presented to Chen Xing. Chen Xing spent an entire day reviewing it page by page. When he saw the designs such as offering sacrifices to heaven to comfort the spirits of the fallen heroes, incorporating the imperial robes into the totems of the north, emphasizing the unity of the Han and non-Han peoples and the people's livelihood in the prayer text, setting up seats for meritorious officials and those who surrendered, and showcasing strength in the military parade, his eyes repeatedly showed admiration.

Finally, he picked up his vermilion pen and solemnly wrote two words on the cover of the draft:

"Okay. Do it quickly."

The grand ceremony for the establishment of Starfire Fortress was thus laid out. The next step was to mobilize manpower and resources to turn this ambitious plan into reality.