Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

The triumphant procession slowly came to a stop about thirty feet in front of the welcoming party.

The music reached a climax at this moment, then turned into a solemn and dignified ending, gradually fading away.

Chu Ning dismounted swiftly and cleanly.

He casually handed the reins to the approaching guards, and then, with steady and powerful steps, walked towards the central area where Shen Wanying and Wu Zetian were leading the welcoming party.

His dark cloak swayed slightly behind him with each step.

"Your Majesty, I, Shen Wanying, respectfully welcome Your Majesty's triumphant return! Long live Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty!"

Shen Wanying and Wu Zetian were the first to curtsy and bow deeply.

The princes, princesses, palace servants, and all the civil and military officials behind them knelt down in unison, shouting "Long live the Emperor!" like a tidal wave, shaking the heavens.

Chu Ning walked up to Shen Wanying and Wu Zhao and stopped.

He did not immediately tell everyone to stand up. Instead, he reached out his hands and gently helped Shen Wanying and Wu Zetian up one by one.

"Empress, Vice Empress, you have worked hard. All of you, rise."

His voice was steady, with a slight hoarseness from a long journey, yet it reached everyone's ears clearly.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The crowd kowtowed again before rising one by one.

Chu Ning's gaze slowly swept over Shen Wanying's slightly haggard but concerned face, then over Wu Zetian's complex and unfathomable eyes, and then over the children who were curiously looking at her.

Finally, it landed on the dark mass of civil and military officials behind them.

Without much pleasantries, he cut straight to the point, his voice rising abruptly, carrying an undeniable authority, as he declared:

"This southern expedition, thanks to the bravery of our soldiers and the blessings of Heaven, has driven out the Tang invaders, quelled the internal strife, and destroyed the barbarian invaders!"

"However, Duke Zhongguo and General Han Xing of the Vanguard Army, having fought for the country, fell ill from overwork and succumbed to his injuries on the way back from victory!"

When Han Xing was mentioned, Chu Ning's voice paused slightly, a hint of pain flashing in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a deeper resolve:

"Han Qing was loyal and brave throughout his life, and his contributions to the country were great! I have posthumously conferred upon him the title of Duke Zhongguo, the posthumous name Zhongwu, and bestowed generous rewards upon his family. His coffin will also be transported back with the army."

He paused briefly, his gaze sharp as he looked at the crowd: "I have decided that, five days from now, in the capital, a state funeral will be held for General Han Xing, Duke of Zhong, with the highest honors befitting a duke!"

These words caused a moment of silence in the room.

Although there had been rumors beforehand, the fact that the emperor himself officially announced it at the celebration of the triumphant return made its significance and scale self-evident.

Five days later, time was running out, which showed how much His Majesty valued this matter.

After Chu Ning finished speaking, he stopped looking at the others and fixed his gaze directly on Deng Hongwen, the Minister of Rites, who was standing at the front of the civil officials.

"Lord Deng," Chu Ning called out.

Deng Hongwen's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly stepped forward, bowed, and replied, "Your subject is here!"

"You will return to the palace with me."

Chu Ning spoke concisely, but his tone carried an urgent and heavy tone that left no room for refusal.

"I will personally oversee and make detailed arrangements for all matters related to the state funeral."

"All regulations, procedures, personnel, expenses, and even the reception and arrangements for officials from various regions who come to Beijing to offer condolences must be agreed upon immediately, without any errors!"

"Sir, obey the order!"

Deng Hongwen bowed deeply, sweat already beading on his forehead.

He knew that from this moment on, until the end of the state funeral, the burden on his shoulders would be as heavy as Mount Tai, and he could not afford to fail.

Chu Ning nodded and said no more.

He glanced one last time at Shen Wanying and Wu Zetian, his eyes conveying a complex message only they could understand, then turned to the palace eunuchs waiting nearby and said:

"Let's depart and return to the palace!"

Having said that, he stopped riding his horse and boarded the imperial carriage that had been prepared beforehand.

Feng Mulan's imperial carriage followed closely behind. Generals such as Xue Huaide and Zhao Yu had their own arrangements.

The massive welcoming procession began to move in an orderly fashion, like a giant dragon, slowly merging into the torrent of the triumphant army.

In the still biting cold wind, they marched in a grand procession toward the open gates of Kyoto, the symbol of the center of power.

On the city tower, the large banner bearing the character "Chu" fluttered wildly in the wind, overlooking the solemn yet turbulent scene below.

Even before Han Xing's state funeral began, it had already cast a solemn and busy veil over the capital of the empire.

The Imperial Palace, Hall of Mental Cultivation.

The charcoal fire inside the hall was burning brightly, dispelling the slight chill that seeped in through the cracks in the doors and windows in the twelfth lunar month, but it could not dispel the heaviness and solemnity that permeated the air.

Chu Ning had changed out of his military uniform and was now wearing a black casual outfit with a dark fox fur coat over it. He sat behind a large rosewood imperial desk.

Several urgent memorials that had just arrived were piled on his desk, but he did not review them.

His fingers tapped the smooth tabletop unconsciously, his gaze calmly fixed on the gray sky outside the hall, lost in thought.

Han Xing's coffin has been temporarily placed in a specially set up mourning hall in the palace, where officials from the Ministry of Rites and palace eunuchs keep vigil day and night. The faint sounds of Buddhist chants and mournful music add to the somber atmosphere.

The silence of the hall was broken by light footsteps.

Minister of Rites Deng Hongwen bowed as he entered. His face showed obvious fatigue, and his eyes were dark and swollen, clearly indicating that he had been working tirelessly for days to prepare for the state funeral and had not had a proper rest.

"Your subject Deng Hongwen pays his respects to Your Majesty."

Deng Hongwen stopped a few steps in front of the imperial desk and respectfully performed the kneeling ceremony.

"Flat body."

Chu Ning withdrew his gaze and looked at Deng Hongwen: "Minister Deng, how are the funeral preparations going?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a sense of urgency that demanded no slackening.

Deng Hongwen stood up, bowed respectfully with his hands at his sides, and immediately perked up upon hearing this, reporting in a clear and organized manner:

"Your Majesty, since receiving Your Majesty's message by carrier pigeon, I and my colleagues in the Ministry of Rites have been working day and night without daring to slack off in the slightest."

"His Majesty has issued an edict ordering officials of the fourth rank and above from all regions to go to the capital to offer condolences. The edict has been sent swiftly to all prefectures, counties, and districts across the country via the 600-li express courier and postal system."

He paused slightly, then continued, "As of noon today, most of the principal officials from Hebei, Henan, Dongshan, Jianghuai, and other provinces and prefectures near the capital, as well as those surrounding the capital, have arrived in the capital and reported to the Ministry of Rites, and have been temporarily accommodated at the Huitong Hall."

"Guangdong, Sichuan, Shaanxi, Yunnan and Guizhou are far away, and their officials are speeding up their journey. According to the estimated travel time based on feedback from various places, the latest they can arrive is within four days."

"I have ordered people to compile a list and arranged for special personnel to meet and register officials at each city gate to ensure that all officials who are supposed to attend the state funeral in five days will be able to participate on time without any delay."

Chu Ning nodded slightly, acknowledging Deng Hongwen's efficiency.

Gathering all the nation's top officials in the capital was not only a way to mourn Han Xing and demonstrate the court's respect for meritorious officials, but it also carried the deeper meaning of observing, deterring, and even adjusting personnel.

Although time was tight, it seems that the execution was carried out quite well.

He wanted to use this funeral to create a positive image of a patriot.