We have fought to the Arctic Circle, and you want me to inherit the throne?

The auspicious time has arrived!

The bells and drums rang together, and the music sounded melodious.

Dancers in gorgeous costumes walked onto the altar and danced gracefully, their long sleeves billowing like colorful clouds, bringing the solemn atmosphere to the extreme.

After the sacrificial dance, the emperor, wearing a black crown, slowly walked out of the palace.

A group of palace servants immediately gathered forward, the imperial guards stood guard on the side, and the Jinyiwei straightened their backs and looked at the crowd.

Wherever he looked, all the ministers lowered their heads and dared not look directly at him.

He was afraid that a careless move of his would cause misunderstanding among the Jinyiwei and cause trouble.

The new Minister of Rites was obviously a little nervous. He walked forward and saluted stiffly before leading Emperor Qing up the steps of the altar.

The moment Emperor Qing stepped onto the stairs, all the guards around him stopped and stood guard around the altar. Only Emperor Qing slowly climbed the stairs alone.

The sacrificial items had already been placed on the stage, with smoke curling from the incense burner and the melodious sounds of sacrificial bells and drums echoing in the air.

Emperor Qing was dressed in a royal robe and had a solemn expression. Every time he walked up a flight of stairs, there was a sacrificial ceremony.

He personally lit incense and candles, presented tributes to his ancestors, and prayed for peace and prosperity in the country.

Only then can you continue to move forward. Every step follows ancient rituals and carries the aura of an emperor.

This is etiquette!

Seeing this scene, Li Che, who originally didn't quite understand all of this, suddenly understood something.

Why did our ancestors attach so much importance to sacrifices? Is it really because of the vague beliefs in ghosts and gods?

Li Che thinks not.

Tens of thousands of people gathered in the square. Except for the officials presiding over the Ministry of Rites, there was absolute silence and you could hear a pin drop.

Li Che could feel tens of thousands of hot hearts beating. At this moment, it seemed as if all the conspiracies and tricks had quietly disappeared, replaced by the strong cohesion of the Chinese nation.

Daqing rises, the world is at peace, and all nations come to pay tribute!

Some elderly Confucian scholars were already moved to tears.

The soldiers' faces were solemn and their blood was boiling.

If Emperor Qing waved his hand and designated an enemy at this moment, Li Che had no doubt that they would rush forward regardless of life and death and tear the enemy into pieces!

Even Li Che, an outsider, couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.

Perhaps, the cohesion that brings the entire nation together is the greatest role of "ritual"!

We have ancestors, we know where we come from and where we are going.

With the existence of "ritual", our nation will not perish with the demise of the country, but will continue to prosper.

Li Che thought of something and glanced at the phalanx of envoys in the distance.

As he expected, if the people present felt solemnity, passion and national pride!

Then the feelings of these foreign envoys were completely opposite.

Their eyes were full of fear, and some of them were even shaking.

At this moment, no one wanted to be an enemy of such a dynasty, a powerful, inherited, and divinely protected dynasty.

The sacrificial ceremony is long and tedious, and it tests the physical strength and patience of the participants.

Fortunately, Li Che was young and strong, and after a year of war, he did not feel any discomfort.

The military generals were able to hold on, but some civil officials who lacked training were shaky and looked pale.

Li Che looked around him and saw that the princes were the ones who could least afford to suffer.

The other princes had practiced martial arts and were older, so they could still hold on.

The King of Shu, the fat King of Zhou, the King of Qi, and the King of Tan are still young and their bodies have not yet fully grown, but they have already suffered the consequences.

They were swaying as if they would faint at the next second.

Li Che said nothing, took two steps to the side, and pulled the youngest Prince Tan.

The officials around were all focused on the altar, and no one noticed Li Che. The princes saw it, but pretended not to see it.

"Sixth brother?" Prince Tan's voice was a little weak. He raised his head and looked at Li Che with wide eyes.

"Sit down for a while, don't force yourself." Li Che said softly.

Prince Tan shook his head stubbornly: "I can still do it, but if my father saw it..."

Li Che interrupted: "Hide behind me, I'll block it for you, it's okay, trust me."

It's been almost an hour. How can such a young child stand like this? It's easy for him to get hurt.

Apart from Li Lin, Prince Tan was the only prince among his brothers who had shown goodwill towards Li Che, and Li Che didn't mind being nicer to him.

Prince Tan was just a child after all, and after being persuaded by Li Che, he stopped insisting.

When the princes saw Li Che holding out his royal robe, standing straight, and protecting his younger brother behind him, they all felt complicated.

Considering Lao Liu's character, this action doesn't seem like a fraud.

Although almost all the princes were Li Che's political enemies and contenders for the throne, they had to admit that the Sixth Prince was good to the people around him.

Before the Sixth Prince was crowned king, his temperament had not changed much. At that time, no matter what grievances he suffered, he still cared for his brothers around him.

If he had not been born in an imperial family, perhaps the sixth brother would have been the most beloved brother.

After a while, the sacrifice ended.

Next is the military parade.

The imperial guards marched in orderly steps through the center of the square.

The infantry phalanx was full of vigor, the cavalry phalanx was heroic, and the officers were shouting commands.

The soldiers were wearing armor and holding weapons, and the flags fluttering in the wind above the ranks added a touch of majesty.

The emperor stood on the city wall and personally reviewed the army, waving to them from time to time.

The military parade was not for others to see, but for vassal kings like Li Che and envoys from various countries.

The purpose is to tell them that the Qing army is very powerful and to stop having any evil thoughts!

Li Che saw it clearly from the side. Compared with the Fengtian Army, the Qing Army was definitely the most powerful and disciplined army he had seen since he traveled through time.

These are the imperial guards who have been imprisoned in the military camp and have not fought in ten years.

Those field armies that often guard the borders and occasionally have small-scale frictions with neighboring countries will definitely be more elite!

After all, Daqing has only been established for ten years, and its army has not yet been completely corrupted, so its combat effectiveness should not be underestimated.

Li Che knew that if he started a rebellion now, he would definitely not be a match for Daqing.

Still can't waste time, steady development is the way to go.

After the ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven, envoys from various countries came to pay their respects.

Envoys from all corners of the world, dressed in the costumes of their respective countries, presented tribute to the emperor in turn.

The tributes were nothing special, just some commonplace treasures.

The Ferghana horses of the Western Regions envoys, the pearls and agates of the Nanyang envoys, the fox furs of the Northern Hu envoys...

Emperor Qing accepted them one by one, welcomed the arrival of envoys from various countries, and gave them some gifts in return.

These gifts have actually been exchanged long ago, and they are brought out again now just to go through the motions.

After the envoys from various countries took their seats, all officials came to pay their respects to the emperor.

Civil and military officials dressed in court robes entered the hall in order of rank and saluted and congratulated the emperor.

The princes and local officials from all over the country would also present gifts at this time.

The first to enter the hall were a group of princes including Li Che!