Chapter 20: Paying Homage at the Filial Mausoleum

Just as Chen Kan and Li Jinglong were deep in conversation, boasting and bragging at a critical juncture, three rolls of drums echoed through the air. The sudden sound startled Chen Kan, Li Jinglong, and Ru Chang—the latter of whom had been claiming he needed to find Fang Xiaoru, yet had been dragging his feet—causing them all to jump in unison.

"Who is that?" The three of them glared in the direction of the person who had struck the great drum before the palace hall.

Before they could vent their frustration, a sharp, shrill voice rang out: "The Prince arrives! All officials, kneel and welcome him!"

*Creak—*

The massive dragon-gate of the Fengtian Hall was pushed open by the palace guards, emitting a teeth-grinding groan. Zhu Di, dressed in grand regalia—a red robe adorned with circular dragon patterns and a crown with nine rows of beads—slowly emerged from the hall, surrounded by attendants. Simultaneously, imperial guards seemed to appear out of thin air, filling every corner of the palace complex.

Watching Zhu Di, who appeared almost godlike, Chen Kan muttered to himself in confusion, "Wearing all that stuff, isn't the Prince hot?"

No one answered his question. Across the plaza, the mass of officials collapsed into a collective kneel. Chen Kan was taken aback; he had to kneel, too? Nobody had mentioned that before coming. If he was going to kneel, he should be getting paid for it!

Suddenly, he felt a powerful force at his feet. Looking down, he saw the stout Minister Ru Chang tugging at his pant leg with an anxious expression.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Ru Chang whispered urgently.

Chen Kan didn't want to kneel; he wanted to test his own stubbornness, but the thought of the tyrant Zhu Di standing right there made him reluctantly bend his knees. After all, a wise man knows when to submit.

"Greetings to the Prince. May the Prince live ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years."

"Tsk, living ten thousand years? Wouldn't that make him a tortoise?" Li Jinglong muttered quietly to his side.

"Pfft." Chen Kan quickly covered his mouth; Li Jinglong was actually quite funny.

"Everyone, rise."

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

Zhu Di’s clear, resonant voice carried across the square: "Since the first year of Jianwen, treacherous ministers have held sway, beguiling the Emperor, harming the royal clan, and blinding the Sage, bringing disaster upon the realm. I had no choice but to raise the banner of righteousness to clear the monarch's side. Now that the traitors have been purged, it is only fitting to go before the spirit of the Great Ancestor Emperor to offer comfort to his soul in heaven. All ministers, accompany me."

As soon as Zhu Di finished speaking, that shrill voice rang out again: "Depart!"

***

Yellow sand covered the path, water was sprinkled to settle the dust, the dragon banners led the way, and the imperial guards followed. This was the protocol for an emperor’s journey. Yet today, Zhu Di, in his status as a prince, enjoyed the full majesty of an emperor. None of the self-proclaimed righteous officials stood up to object. Everyone was playing their part in Zhu Di’s performance.

The distance from Jinling City to the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum was a mere twenty li. Setting out from the Fengtian Hall at the fifth watch, they reached the Square City just as dawn broke. Arriving before the tomb of Zhu Yuanzhang, the group naturally erupted into another round of chanting long-life wishes. Only Chen Kan’s eyes were filled with impatience. Oh, and Li Jinglong, whose face was also etched with displeasure.

When the first rays of sunlight hit the top of the Xiaoling tomb, it signaled that the solo act of Zhu Di had officially begun. The master of ceremonies was a thin, gaunt middle-aged man. From the memories of his predecessor, Chen Kan recognized him as the famous scholar Xie Jin.

Another tragic figure! Thinking of Xie Jin’s historical fate, Chen Kan couldn't help but sigh. It seemed the scholars of the Great Ming dynasty rarely met a good end. Xie Jin, Yang Shen, Tang Bohu, Xu Wei... The Ming dynasty was kryptonite to scholars.

While Chen Kan was lost in these wayward thoughts, Zhu Di had already ascended the magnificent altar. Once Xie Jin finished reading a long, tedious sacrificial text, Chen Kan was successfully hypnotized. He couldn't understand a word of it—not a single thing.

Then came the formal report by Zhu Di, which was essentially him explaining to Zhu Yuanzhang why he had come to pay his respects. It was full of nonsense: about how there were treacherous ministers in the court, how he was following the Old Ancestor’s teachings, how he had raised an army to clear the monarch's side, and how he had accidentally "misplaced" his nephew... he hoped the Old Ancestor wouldn't mind.

Chen Kan knelt below the altar, nodding off, until he was roughly shaken awake.

"Is it over? Is it time to eat?" Chen Kan asked, looking dazed.

Li Jinglong’s face went dark. "You’re something else," he muttered crossly. "Even I, a Duke, didn't dare sleep, and you’ve been snoring away all morning."

"So, no food?" Chen Kan sighed, deeply disappointed. He couldn't help but criticize Zhu Di in his heart for being so stingy—the man didn't even provide a meal while visiting his own father's grave. "Bah, tyrant."

Li Jinglong didn't have any objections to the lack of food, but seeing Chen Kan awake, he said, "It’s over. We’re heading back to the capital now." With that, he left Chen Kan behind and trotted off to catch up to Zhu Di’s carriage. As a Duke, he was permitted to walk near the Prince.

***

Chen Kan was a commoner and could only follow far behind the ranks of officials. Seeing that Zhu Di and Fang Xiaoru had already moved ahead, he had no choice but to start walking. However, the long procession stopped again after only a short distance.

"What the hell is going on now?" Chen Kan frowned with irritation. Having skipped breakfast, he was famished. He just wanted to go home and eat.

"The Prince has decreed: everyone is to rest where they stand."

The shrill voice traveled from the vanguard to the rearguard, spreading across the thousands of men. At the command, the imperial guards behind Chen Kan dismounted instantly and stood perfectly still.

Chen Kan tentatively took two steps forward. Seeing no one stopped him, he took two more. A young eunuch walked past him, acting as if Chen Kan didn't exist. Chen Kan understood. He picked up his pace and walked forward until he stopped upon seeing Zhu Di’s miserly face in the distance.

Not many people dared to wander around the procession like Chen Kan—or rather, only two people dared.

Zhu Gaoxu: "That’s right, it’s me."

Chen Kan watched with curiosity as Zhu Gaoxu held some strange object and walked into the crowd surrounding Zhu Di, then solemnly handed it to... Minister Ru Chang?

Huh? Was that Zhu Gaoxu’s type?

Chen Kan found a slightly elevated spot and stood there, staring fixedly at Ru Chang. He guessed that the most interesting part—the "donning of the yellow robe"—was about to begin.

Indeed, everything went as Chen Kan had expected. After Ru Chang received the wooden box from Zhu Gaoxu, he first looked around like a thief. Once he was sure there were no accidents or dangers, he opened the box and pulled out a bright yellow robe. Then, he stood up and began to charge toward Zhu Di with his thick, short legs.

"Oh no! Someone, protect the Prince!"

The sudden turn of events stunned the imperial guards flanking Zhu Di. Yes, truly stunned. Although they shouted "protect the Prince," their feet seemed rooted to the ground, unable to take a single step forward.