From spring to summer solstice, and autumn to winter, when the first heavy snow fell in the winter of the first year of Jingrui, it was the winter solstice of this year. The emperor is going to perform the ceremony of offering sacrifices to the sky on this day. This is the first year of Zhu Yunxuan's ascension to the throne, so this ceremony is even more important.

In the second half of the ugly time, when the sky was darkest, Zhu Yunxuan stood up, the lights in the bedroom were all lit, and dozens of eunuchs waited on him to wash and change his clothes. Zhu Yunxuan's face was tired, and his whole body was exhausted. He only squinted for a while last night, and the sky suddenly became cold at night. Even though there was a ground dragon in this bedroom and a few braziers were ordered, he was still tossing and turning so cold that he couldn't sleep. When got up together at this moment, felt that throat was sore and uncomfortable, and was groggy, probably suffering from the cold again.

Gao An knelt on the ground and tied his belt. Hearing Zhu Yunxuan coughing in a low voice, he said worriedly, "Your Majesty, why don't you send the imperial doctor to take a look, drink the medicine before you go?"

"No need, don't miss the hour today."

At the time of Yin, the mighty Dajia Lubo embraced the emperor's chariot and headed to the Temple of Heaven, which is located in the south of the city.

As soon as the convoy left the palace gate, Liang Zhen took advantage of the dark night to get on the imperial carriage. Zhu Yunxuan was sitting in the car and closed his eyes, but he did not open his eyes when he heard the movement. The only one who dared to climb the imperial carriage without being summoned was so courageous.

Liang Zhen stuffed the heater in his hand to him, and asked casually, "Your Majesty's face is pale, and there is still black green, but you didn't sleep well last night?"

When Zhu Yunxuan didn't answer, Liang Zhen stretched out his hand and squeezed his palm.

As he spoke, he went to catch Zhu Yunxuan's leg again. Zhu Yunxuan finally opened his eyes and looked at him impatiently with a frown: "What is King Zhao going to do?"

Liang Zhen smiled and tied him with knee pads, which were covered under his tunic: "It's icy and snowy outside, and it will take several hours for the sacrifice to the sky for a while. I'm afraid your Majesty's knee can't stand it for so long."

"Take it off." Zhu Yunxuan said coldly.

"Why take it away? This minister is for His Majesty's sake."

Zhu Yunxuan's eyebrows were tightly knitted: "Sacrificing to the gods and gods is a matter of sincerity, how can you be lazy and slippery?"

Liang Zhen disapproved: "How can this be called being lazy and slippery? Who said that wearing knee pads is dishonest. When did Your Majesty become so pedantic?"

Afraid that it was all taught by Zeng Shoufu, Liang Zhen shook his head in his heart, this old-fashioned person does not do good things.

Seeing that Zhu Yunxuan was still hesitant, Liang Zhen said again: "Your Majesty, please relax your heart, since you are the Son of Heaven, God will not bear to see you suffer so much from the cold, not to mention, which of those officials outside did not wear a pair of legs. This, only you can be so sincere."

Zhu Yunxuan closed his eyes. How could he not know this? When the late emperor was on the throne, every time the princes came to sacrifice to the sky, who was not fully armed and tried to use all kinds of methods to ward off cold and laziness, and he used to be the best at this. . It’s just that this time is different from the past. Now he is the one who sits on the throne, and he is the one who sacrifices to the sky. His throne was originally stolen. How many pairs of eyes are staring at him from the side, and he has not been able to be able for a moment since he ascended the throne. Those who really feel at ease, just think that maybe if they are more sincere, they can ask for more protection and blessing from the gods.

However, Liang Zhen saw through his mind at a glance, and while tying him knee pads, he said casually, "It is better to ask for others than to ask for yourself. Why should Your Majesty value the gods so much."

Zhu Yunxuan was angry and interrupted him: "King Zhao is too arrogant, and he doesn't even care about the gods."

Liang Zhen raised his eyes to look at him, and the smile in his eyes deepened: "I don't believe in heaven and earth, I don't believe in ghosts and gods. I only believe in myself. If your majesty is willing, you can also believe in me."

Zhu Yunxuan was stunned for a moment, then closed his eyes again and stopped talking.

Liang Zhen didn't bother him anymore. After sitting with him for a while, he got out of the car. Zhu Yunxuan was in a complicated mood and hesitated for a long time, but he still called someone to come up and help him untie the knee pads.

At that time, the Taihe bell rang, Zhu Yunxuan got off the chariot, passed through the main entrance on the south side of the Temple of Heaven, and walked up to the platform of offering sacrifices to Yuanqiu step by step.

The sky lanterns hang high on the sacrifice platform, and fireworks rise from the burnt wood stove. In the misty cloud of smoke, the emperor led the royal family and officials to worship the tablet of Haotian God first, and then went to the ancestors to worship with incense, and then returned to the throne. Three kneels and nine bows to the gods.

The cold wind is biting, and the heavy snow has not stopped, falling down one after another. There are snowflakes on Zhu Yunxuan's crown and shoulders, but his shoulders are always tight, and he completes every movement meticulously.

This is just the beginning. The ceremony of offering sacrifices to the sky is solemn and cumbersome. It needs to keep kneeling and offering gifts repeatedly, and there can be no mistakes. Liang Zhen knelt among the kings, looking at the thin and thin figure on the altar, repeatedly bending over and bowing, and couldn't help frowning slightly.

When he got up again and presented his title to the gods, Liang Zhen, who had been staring at him, clearly saw that Zhu Yunxuan staggered when he walked, and half of the wine in the cup was spilled. While all the ministers bowed their heads and knelt on the ground, no one else noticed.

It took two hours for a ceremony to sacrifice to the heavens, and it didn't end until noon. On the way back, Zhu Yunxuan was so frozen that he lost consciousness. .

The imperial doctor came in a hurry, and after applying the needle Zhu Yunxuan woke up. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Liang Zhen frowning and sitting beside him looking at him.

Zhu Yunxuan asked him in a hoarse voice, "Why is King Zhao here?"

"This minister is not worried about Your Majesty, so I came over to take a look. As soon as I arrived, I heard that Your Majesty has fainted again. The imperial doctor said that you have suffered from cold and fever, and you must stay in bed to recuperate."

Liang Zhen said and shook his head, Zhu Yunxuan was not so delicate when he was not the emperor before, but now it is good, and he will get sick from time to time, and his body is getting worse and worse.

Zhu Yunxuan motioned to Gao An to help him up, leaned on the bedside and said tiredly, "I'm fine."

"Why do you have to be brave, Your Majesty, if you really don't have anything to do, you won't be able to hold back and faint as soon as you come back."

Zhu Yunxuan wanted to say something else, but the people below came in to report that King Xian was waiting outside with a group of clans, and urged His Majesty to leave as soon as possible, it was getting late.

Zhu Yunxuan frowned and said, "What time is it?"

"It's almost time."

He actually fell asleep for almost an hour. In the afternoon, he had to lead his clan to go to the ancestral statue in the Taimiao Temple to give thanks. It was almost time. Zhu Yunxuan immediately instructed in a deep voice, "Help me get up and change my clothes."

Liang Zhen leaned over to stop him: "Your Majesty, do you still want to go to the Tai Temple like this? Why don't you go to another day?"

Zhu Yunxuan naturally refused, Liang Zhen persuaded: "The ancestors will not be happy to see you so sickly, it is better to wait two days later, wait for you to recover, and then go, you can still walk now. the way?"

Zhu Yunxuan hesitated, Liang Zhen lowered his voice, and said, "After all, the late emperor and his old man don't want to see you either."

Hearing this, Zhu Yunxuan's eyes flickered, his expression darkened, he was silent for a moment, and instructed Gao An: "Go and tell them that I am not feeling well, let them go back, and I will give a thank you ceremony on another day."

Gao An led the order to the outer hall, and after a while, there were bursts of clamor from outside, and King Xian's voice was particularly prominent, and he was shouting: "Your Majesty, worshiping the ancestral temple after offering sacrifices to the sky is a rule set by Emperor Taizu since the beginning of time. You must go!"

Zhu Yunxuan's expression turned cold in an instant, Liang Zhen raised his eyebrows, and some eunuchs came in with embarrassed faces to report, saying that the king was taking the lead, and the princes of the clan were all kneeling outside, begging your majesty to go today no matter what, not to ruin the ancestors rule.

"King Xian said... Said Your Majesty that you are despising your ancestors and unfilial, and that if you don't go, he will kneel outside and won't get up. Eunuch Gao is persuading them..."

After the eunuch finished speaking, the sweat on his forehead fell. He lowered his head and dared not look at Zhu Yunxuan. Liang Zhen sneered: "This old man is still relying on the old to sell the old, and he is worthy of the ancestors' rules to suppress your majesty?"

Zhu Yunxuan endured his anger and asked, "Did he really say that?"

"Yes, King Xian has already knelt down with his people, and the slaves really can't persuade them..."

Liang Zhen disapproved: "Why should your Majesty pay attention to them, those old guys are just playing tricks and deliberately wanting Your Majesty's face, they are used to being pampered, but how long can they kneel? I'm afraid it will be less than two hours. Then I felt it was boring, and I got up without you persuading myself."

Zhu Yunxuan kept silent, lowered his eyes, his eyes were full of emotions and he didn't know what he was thinking. After a while, he laughed at himself and said, "Wait for me to get up."

Liang Zhen frowned: "If your Majesty doesn't want to go, don't go, why should you be so wronged and persecuted?"

Zhu Yunxuan said indifferently: "Is there still less persecution I have suffered? There is no shortage of this time."

The people at the bottom waited for him to put on the crown again. Liang Zhen watched for a while with his sleeves covered, then stepped forward and took the leather belt from the eunuch's hand: "This king is here."

He personally helped Zhu Yunxuan to tie the belt, Zhu Yunxuan looked calm, stood still, and let him move.

After smoothing the outer clothes, Liang Zhen looked at the emperor with low eyebrows and pleasing eyes in front of him, raised his hand and caressed his face: "You don't have lunch, so are you going to the imperial temple?"

Zhu Yunxuan shook his head: "It's too late, I can't really let those people outside kneel all the time. If it spreads out tomorrow, the civil and military people of the whole dynasty will know that I am a person who disrespects my ancestors."

Liang Zhen sneered: "It's just the direct disposal of chattering, why care so much."

Zhu Yunxuan said, "If you were me, you would be a real tyrant."

"What's wrong with being a tyrant? If you have to be a monarch, you will be exhausted."

Zhu Yunxuan said no more, there are a few emperors in this world who can not mind the infamy, and do not care what the future generations say after Qianqiu, he is not a person as unrestrained and unrestrained as Liang Zhen, naturally he can't do anything reckless.

Seeing Zhu Yunxuan's gloomy expression, Liang Zhen leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Your Majesty, don't worry, the one who bullied you, one day the minister will help you bully back one by one, you just need to wait."