Chapter 79 Main Story Conclusion

Chapter 79: Conclusion of the Main Story

Yan Weichu opened his eyes groggily, hearing Xie Xiao's muffled voice from the outer hall. He pressed his fingers to his temples—they were still throbbing.

He had drunk too much last night and carried on foolishly for half the night. Even now that he was awake, he felt too lazy to move, just wanting to stay in bed all day.

But he couldn’t. Today was his coming-of-age coronation ceremony. No matter what, he had to get up.

Xie Xiao was in the outer hall giving instructions. With the coronation delayed, other ceremonies had to be pushed back as well—it was all a real hassle.

Zhao Anfu and the others were listening to Xie Xiao’s orders when they glanced up and noticed the emperor standing behind them at some unknown time. Startled, they quickly bowed.

Xie Xiao turned and saw Yan Weichu, hair disheveled and barefoot, wrapped loosely in an informal robe, standing dazed by the bead curtain separating the inner and outer halls.

He walked over, scooped Yan Weichu up directly, and carried him back to the inner hall.

Zhao Anfu led the others in to attend to the emperor’s washing and dressing.

"What time is it?" Yan Weichu finally seemed to come to his senses and asked.

Xie Xiao replied, "Mao hour, third quarter (around 6:45 AM)."

They had slept less than two full hours.

Yan Weichu’s eyes looked somewhat dazed.

Xie Xiao reached out and gently turned his face toward him. "Have you sobered up?"

Yan Weichu nodded slowly. In this state, it would be improper to go worship the ancestors later. Fortunately, it was only the Ancestral Worship Hall, not the Grand Temple, and the fasting ritual was just a formality early this morning.

After bathing, Xie Xiao had someone bring a sweet broth and watched him drink it. "I’ve already sent word to postpone the decree announcement. The officials probably arrived at the palace before the yin hour and have been waiting outside—they’re likely cursing their heads off by now."

Yan Weichu frowned. "...Later, I’ll have silver distributed to them."

Xie Xiao nodded. Yan Weichu set down the empty bowl and suddenly remembered something. "Where’s the decree I wrote last night?"

Xie Xiao said, "Still on the desk."

Yan Weichu instructed, "Announce it right after my coronation."

Xie Xiao didn’t stop him but said, "Then those people outside won’t just be cursing—some might even want to ram their heads against the pillars."

Yan Weichu snorted. "If they dare bring misfortune on my coronation day, they shouldn’t blame me for being ruthless."

Xie Xiao didn’t say more and had someone bring Yan Weichu’s coronation attire: a set of everyday robes, a set of ceremonial leather robes, and a full imperial regalia.

Yan Weichu’s situation was unusual. Normally, the emperor’s coronation should have been held before he took full power. Previously, the regent and Empress Dowager Xie had deliberately delayed returning authority to him. After he seized the imperial seal, worried about instability, he directly wore the crown and began ruling, so the ceremony was never held.

Now that he firmly held power, urged by the Ministry of Rites officials, he decided to hold the coronation belatedly, to formally mark his being of age and properly establish his name.

First, the everyday robes. Xie Xiao picked up the garment and personally dressed Yan Weichu.

As he bent to tie the jade belt around Yan Weichu’s waist, Yan Weichu’s gaze fell on his eyes. "Cousin."

"Mm." Xie Xiao focused on his task, eyes downcast as he responded.

Yan Weichu suddenly said, "Today, I’m truly coming of age."

Xie Xiao followed his lead. "So?"

Yan Weichu said, "So from now on, none of you are allowed to secretly call me Young Emperor anymore."

Yan Weichu was completely serious, his expression stern.

Xie Xiao held back a laugh. "We don’t."

Like he'd believe that.

Yan Weichu wasn’t a fool. He knew exactly how those people privately criticized him, the emperor.

Including his beloved cousin.

"Anyway, you can’t," he insisted.

"Then what does Your Majesty prefer to be called?" Xie Xiao humored him.

Yan Weichu thought for a moment. "When those barbarians bow and call me 'Your Great Imperial Majesty,' that’s quite good."

Xie Xiao reminded him, "Your Majesty, don’t become arrogant."

Yan Weichu chuckled. "True. Even if they call me Celestial Emperor or Holy Emperor, if they’re not truly loyal, it’s useless."

He waved a fist. "As long as this is tough enough to pound them into obedience, any title will do."

Xie Xiao agreed. "Your Majesty is no longer the Young Emperor, but you will always be my little husband."

Even if Yan Weichu wrote in the decree that they would rule as equals, Xie Xiao was still content to be the undivided loyal subject of his little husband.

Yan Weichu liked that address. He threw himself into Xie Xiao’s arms and burst into hearty laughter.

At the start of the chen hour (around 7:00 AM), the imperial procession returned to the palace, first heading to the Ancestral Worship Hall.

Previously, for Xie Xiao’s enfeoffment ceremony, only officials were sent to inform the ancestral temple. This was the first time Yan Weichu personally brought his empress along.

The hall was quiet and solemn, but not as severe as the Grand Temple. Only Yan Weichu’s direct ancestors from his great-grandfather onward were honored here. It felt more like his family ancestral hall. When he first took power and often felt isolated and unsupported, he would come here to talk to his father, mother, and ancestors.

Today was no different.

"Father, Mother, I’ve reached adulthood. No one can bully me anymore."

"I brought Cousin to see you. I’ve told you about his achievements—he’s a once-in-a-century great general of Dajing, my lucky star. You’ll surely be pleased with him."

"You already know about us. I’ve named him empress, and I’ll also make him my co-ruler. With you gone, he’s all I have. You’ll agree, won’t you?"

"Let me be self-indulgent just this once. Don’t oppose it. If you stay silent, I’ll take it as consent. I’ll be good to Cousin and won’t make you worry anymore."

Xie Xiao knelt beside him, listening to his rambling, like a child pleading and coaxing his parents in an ordinary family.

The flickering flames on the candleholders before the spirit tablets burned silently, without a single pop or crackle.

Yan Weichu waited a moment, then beamed. He knew his parents cherished him—they would grant his wish.

He turned to Xie Xiao. "Cousin, say something to my father and mother too."

Xie Xiao bowed low, kowtowing three times, and solemnly expressed gratitude. "Thank you, Late Emperor and Consort, for your blessing. This subject will protect His Majesty, protect the Dajing nation, and never break this vow."

Yan Weichu laughed and patted his arm. "No need to be so nervous. My father and mother like you, Cousin."

Xie Xiao, however, insisted that proper respect must be shown before the late emperor. It was a promise he made to the late emperor and Empress Dowager Zheng, and he would uphold it.

At the sixth mark of the chen hour, the imperial procession arrived at the Fengxian Hall, and the ministers assumed their ranks.

The capping ceremony began. Yan Weichu first wore the Yishan crown, then changed into the pi bian formal wear, and finally was crowned with the twelve-ornament imperial robe and mian crown.

With each crowning, music was played, prayers and eulogies recited, and the officials kowtowed.

This time, Xie Xiao did not stand among the ministers. He stood beside Yan Weichu and stepped forward himself during the third crowning.

Last time, he had removed Yan Weichu’s imperial robe layer by layer from the outside in; this time, he helped Yan Weichu put it back on layer by layer from the inside out.

Together with the supreme twelve-tasseled mian crown, he personally placed it on Yan Weichu’s head.

Once the ceremony was completed, an edict was issued, clemency was granted, and the emperor’s benevolence proclaimed.

Yan Weichu then ordered the reading of the edict he had personally written the previous night.

As the last word was spoken by the official announcing the decree, the hall fell into absolute silence.

The ministers were perhaps too stunned to react.

But on such an occasion, the slightest misstep would be a breach of court decorum, and they could not even voice a single question.

Yan Weichu’s gaze swept slowly over those below. The edict had been issued, and no one was allowed to oppose or refute it.

Xie Xiao, dressed in the imperial robe of the rear monarch—which he had not had the chance to wear at the royal wedding—sat beside the throne, accepting alongside Yan Weichu the congratulations and tributes from princes, ministers, and foreign envoys.

As ceremonial music swelled, thousands of officials called out in unison, their acclamations echoing through the hall, unifying the realm.

This was followed by a grand banquet, which lasted until the beginning of the shen hour before concluding.

By the time they returned to Yaotai, it was nearly evening.

Xie Xiao ordered longevity noodles to be served. Neither he nor Yan Weichu had eaten much at the banquet, as the food from the Imperial Catering Service was rather unpalatable.

With their stomachs full, Yan Weichu, who had slept poorly the previous night and exhausted himself all day, felt drowsy.

His crown removed and hairpin taken out, he leaned on the couch, resting his head on Xie Xiao’s lap as he drifted off to sleep.

Xie Xiao picked up a book to read casually, his fingers gently running through Yan Weichu’s loose hair.

Yan Weichu closed his eyes and asked drowsily, “What are you reading, cousin?”

“Just something casual,” Xie Xiao replied. “Go to sleep.”

Yan Weichu struggled to keep himself from falling completely asleep, wanting to chat a bit more with Xie Xiao. “I think I forgot to ask Father and Mother to bless us with happiness and many more decades together.”

He didn’t mention to Xie Xiao that before his cousin appeared, he had often felt disillusioned with life, finding little meaning in anything. His struggle for power was merely a desperate move to avoid being controlled.

But that afternoon, sitting by the window of a tavern, he pushed open the window and saw Xie Xiao springing out of a carriage amid falling magnolia petals. That single glance had etched itself into his heart.

Xie Xiao reassured him, “Don’t worry. We can go another time to tell them. Even if you don’t, they will bless us.”

Yan Weichu mumbled, “Then let’s get away for a few days soon and go to Yundu Mountain. It’s been a while.”

Xie Xiao agreed, “Alright.”

Yan Weichu continued, “Cousin, you have to be even nicer to me.”

Xie Xiao responded again, “Alright.”

Yan Weichu’s eyelids grew heavier, his voice fading. “Cousin, I love you.”

Xie Xiao turned his head. The evening glow from the window lingered on Yan Weichu’s brows as he drifted peacefully into sleep, oblivious.

Xie Xiao’s fingers brushed gently over his face, whispering, “A Li, happy birthday.”

The book beside him happened to turn to a page with a fitting verse—

“May you live a thousand years,

and may every year greet you with spring.”

Author’s Note:

This concludes the story. Thank you for your support.

Two extra chapters to follow.