Could it be that this Prince's situation is truly that dire?
Zhu Ci thought of this and suddenly felt quite vexed, but he still said, "Why would I lie to you? If it weren't a matter of great importance, why would I do something so risky that could cost me my head? What benefit is there in it for me?"
Nong Fengzheng was half-believing and half-doubting. "Then why act so surreptitiously?"
Hmph, heaven's secrets must not be revealed. If you weren't someone who could affect the overall situation, you shouldn't even know about this matter." Zhu Ci looked at him coldly. "Now that you know, cooperate fully, or we all die together!
Nong Fengzheng's eyes showed a hint of struggle, only after a long pause did he slowly release his grip and ask, "Where is Your Highness currently located? When will he return?"
Zhu Ci thought to himself, "How should I know?"
But on the surface, he continued to act inscrutable: "Do not ask too much about this matter; he will naturally return when it is time for him to return."
Nong Fengzheng did not want to believe it, yet he had no choice but to believe it. Aside from divine means, who else could swap a person so silently?
No, it might not even be a switch. He was very familiar with His Highness; aside from his gaze, temperament, personality, this person before him was almost identical to His Highness, even down to the position of the mole on his wrist, which was not a single hair's breadth different.
Nong Liangping's eyes showed hesitation and struggle, as if he were still making a decision.
At this moment, hurried footsteps sounded from outside, the woman from before spoke up and asked, "Nong Fengzheng, has His Highness risen?"
Zhu Ci lowered his voice and said, "There is no more time. We have to get through this first. If we are exposed now, I will die and you won't live either!"
Nong Fengzheng let out a long sigh, closed his eyes, nodded with difficulty, before raising his voice to call out to the outside, "Wait a little longer."
Zhu Ci breathed a slight sigh of relief and patted his shoulder. "That's more like it. Now, tell me the specifics. I have been in secluded cultivation in the mountains and am completely ignorant of worldly affairs; my master threw me here on short notice. The more detailed you can be, the better."
Nong Fengzheng seemed to have testing intentions as well. After saying a few words and confirming that Zhu Ci truly knew nothing, he believed the explanation about the quiet cultivation in the mountains to some extent.
Through his narration, Zhu Ci finally learned that his current identity was the third son born to the current Emperor and Empress, titled the Prince of Huai, a man of dull temperament and few words who possessed no other distinguishing features, who had been ill with a long bout of a cold and had only recently begun to recover.
The person before him was an eunuch named Nong Liangping, who held the position of Chengfengzheng of the Prince of Huai's manor and was also the head of the manor's Chengfengsi, overseeing all the manor's affairs.
After grasping the preliminary information, Zhu Ci casually asked, "What are these things you mentioned earlier—the grand ceremony and the auspicious hour?"
Today is the day His Majesty invests you as the Crown Prince." After Nong Liangping finished speaking, he added, "The Imperial Envoy is already on the way.
Zhu Ci: Ah, this..
Author's Note:
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Zhu Ci: Jie, friend, you wouldn't want others to find out about the matter of the host family being replaced, would you? *Evil kitty grips the rope. jpg*
Chapter 2
Zhu Ci felt a bit numb. Playing a taciturn prince who was unlikely to be taken seriously was quite different in difficulty from playing the Crown Prince of a nation!
He decided on the spot and said, "Forget everything else for now; let's just deal with the current situation first. Tell me exactly what you need me to do."
No wonder Nong Liangping compromised so easily. He had originally thought it was because the man was afraid of death, but now it seemed that Nong Liangping probably also felt that the current situation should be dealt with first.
Nong Liangping said quickly, "Please rise and make your preparations first; I will explain everything to you slowly."
No matter what, the investiture ceremony must proceed without any issues. Even if the opponent's origins need to be investigated or His Highness's whereabouts need to be found, it will have to wait until after this is over.
Zhu Ci stood up directly. "You tell me what needs to be done."
He didn't warn Nong Liangping again not to play any tricks; after all, at this stage, the two of them were truly in the same boat.
Nong Liangping had someone bring over the washing utensils and clothing while whispering the upcoming procedures to him.
Zhu Ci was multitasking, when he saw those washing utensils, he couldn't help but feel a bit disheartened.
It was too primitive. Just who was it that threw this over to him without saying a word or even asking? With this kind of quality of life, he wouldn't be happy even if he were made Crown Prince!
Especially when he heard that he had to kneel upon receiving an imperial decree, that once he reached before Fengtian Hall, he would have to perform the ritual of five kneelings and three kowtows, only one thought occupied his mind: Down with feudal imperialism!
Of course, as much as he thought, he still asked in detail about how to perform the rites. The more Nong Liangping listened, the more certain he became that this man must truly be a recluse, that even his place of upbringing was completely different from here.
Otherwise, it would be one thing if he were simply ignorant of worldly customs and etiquette, but why did even his washing utensils seem so unfamiliar?
After finishing his washing, Zhu Ci stood there with his arms outstretched, posing like a fashion model while waiting for someone to dress him.
And he also took this opportunity to observe himself in the glass mirror.
The person in the mirror was somewhere between a youth and a young man, looking to be about fourteen or fifteen years old, his appearance was not much different from what he used to look like.
It should be said that there was no difference from when he was fourteen or fifteen, which left Zhu Ci feeling very conflicted.
ly they wouldn't make him wear it just because they look alike, would they?
After finishing dressing, Nong Liangping said softly, "After the Imperial Envoy has finished proclaiming the decree, you will need to change into the ritual robes and the Nine-Tasseled Crown, only then will you go before Fengtian Hall to receive the appointment."
Zhu Ci nodded to show he had remembered, then turned to look at Nong Liangping and said, "Demonstrate the etiquette I'll need later to me first."
Complaints aside, he still had to perform the proper salutations; otherwise, his life might be in danger.
A real man knows when to yield and when to stand tall. Although he didn't kneel while he was an undercover agent, he certainly acted like a coward plenty of times, so he had no psychological barriers.
Nong Liangping honestly demonstrated it to him once, Zhu Ci stood there, his eyes fixed intently on him as he memorized every single movement.
After Nong Liangping finished his demonstration, a maidservant spoke softly from outside the door, "Your Highness, the Envoy of the Decree has arrived at the front street. Please come out to receive him."
Zhu Ci straightened his clothes and that mess of accessories, then turned to Nong Liangping with a smile and said, "Let's go."
The Imperial Envoy's procession was grand and imposing. There were two envoys, a primary and a deputy, making the process quite simple; the main purpose was to deliver the decree and the Golden Book to him, while the formal proclamation would not be necessary until they reached the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
Nong Liangping was extremely nervous following behind Zhu Ci, then he saw the other man perform the salutation perfectly, without a single mistake.
He couldn't help but lower his head to hide the astonishment on his face.
Unfortunately, he and Zhu Ci would have no more opportunities for secret communication. Zhu Ci changed into the Crown Prince's attire, he observed himself in the mirror intently, carefully concealing the curiosity in his eyes.
The Nine-Tasseled Crown on his head was made of white jade, the patterns on his clothes were embroidered with some unknown thread; they were truly complex. He stared at them for a long time but could only recognize two five-clawed dragons; besides those, there seemed to be chickens and axes as well.
In addition to these, there was a set of jade pendants hanging from his waist, heavy and substantial.
Whether it was just his imagination or not, he always felt that this set of clothes didn't quite fit him well.
However, he was not left with much time to observe; once fully dressed, he would need to head to Fengtian Hall.
As he stepped out, Nong Liangping said softly, "Please take care, Your Highness. This old servant cannot accompany you."
Zhu Ci paused, turned to glance at him, then said with a half-smile, "In that case.. you must take good care of yourself, my dear companion."
After he finished speaking, he stepped into the carriage and did not spare Nong Liangping another glance.
Nong Liangping watched as the massive procession advanced toward the imperial palace in a grand, sweeping manner, his expression deeply complex, appearing both expectant and worried.
Compared to him, Zhu Ci was also under no small amount of psychological pressure. Sitting in the swaying carriage, he kept a watchful eye on his surroundings and a keen ear for everything around him, while simultaneously recalling Nong Liangping's posture during the salutation in his mind.
He was originally chosen to be an undercover agent because his talent for imitation was very strong; simply put, he was a great actor who could impersonate anyone perfectly.
At this moment, he kept all his doubts to himself; his primary task was simply to get through the investiture ceremony.
There were no issues when receiving the ceremonial insignia just now, there likely won't be any issues moving forward; after all, it was all just following procedure, there was no need for him to improvise.
The streets from the Prince's Mansion to the Imperial Palace were very quiet, with only the sound of horse hooves and footsteps; as for the onlookers.. there wasn't a single one.
Forget people, there wasn't even a single cat, dog, or little sparrow; it was so silent that it felt oppressive.
When he arrived at the Imperial Palace, as the crown prince in waiting, his procession was permitted to enter the palace directly, where he would dismount at Fengtian Gate and walk toward the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
After getting off the carriage, Zhu Ci quickly scanned his surroundings, feeling as though something was not quite right.
It wasn't that Zhu Ci hadn't been to the Forbidden City before, but the feeling before his eyes just didn't seem right.
Although the Forbidden City had been modified many times during the Qing Dynasty, most of those changes were in the inner court. The outer court was rarely touched, especially its architectural layout.
He didn't know if it was his illusion, but why did it feel so much larger?
At this time, the Hall of Supreme Harmony was actually the same as the Hall of Supreme Harmony during the Qing Dynasty. In his memory, the Hall of Supreme Harmony was not very large; back when the management of the Forbidden City was not so strict, he had even entered it.
Zhu Ci kept his doubts to himself and followed the guidance of the Ministry of Rites officials to perform the five kowtows and three prostrations. Immediately after, the Proclaimer of the Decree began reading the decree, while he remained kneeling there, waiting to receive the Golden Book and Golden Treasure once the reading was finished.
When the Envoy of the Decree began to speak, Zhu Ci pricked up his ears.
He still didn't know his own name even now, nor could he determine exactly which period of the Ming Dynasty he was currently in.
Not to mention, most of those crown princes of the Ming Dynasty were quite famous.
However, once the Proclaimer of the Decree began to read, he was left stunned right there. What kind of thing was that? Prince of Huai, Zhu Ci?
The same pronunciation as his name?
No, no, no, that's not the point. The point is that Zhu Ci is not any Ming dynasty Crown Prince he knows.
The subsequent content consisted of praises for the Prince of Huai, Zhu Ci, stating that as a legitimate son, Zhu Ci was highly suitable to inherit the Great Lineage. It noted that his becoming the Crown Prince was what everyone expected, while also taking the opportunity to warn the Crown Prince to respect his teachers, stay close to the virtuous, distance himself from the wicked, study hard, prepare to shoulder the heavy responsibilities of the ancestral temple and the state in the future.
This content basically yielded no useful information, so Zhu Ci began multitasking again, listening to the Envoy of the Decree to see when he would finish while simultaneously reviewing the Crown Princes of the Ming Dynasty in his mind; there was no one named Zhu Ci in his memories.
Not only that, but the generation name 'Ci'.. just what era is this?
A name suddenly popped into his head: Zhu Ci.
Zhu Ci is the Crown Prince whom the Chongzhen Emperor holds in high expectations. He was deeply impressed by this man because he had seen such a supporting character in a novel.
Zhu Ci.. Zhu Ci.. Theoretically speaking, he is of the same generation as this Crown Prince.
Zhu Ci's brow twitched uncontrollably. Being of the same generation as this person was certainly no good; his only hope now was that the pronunciation was the same but the characters were different.
Zhu Ci felt a bit of regret at this moment; had he known he would travel through time like this, he would have been better off studying the history of the Ming Dynasty diligently.
No, if he had known, he would have certainly tried his best to avoid it!
As the doubts in his mind grew deeper, the reading of the decree concluded. Immediately after, he would have to submit a memorial to express his gratitude, then.. perform the kowtows.
Ah, the wicked feudal society!
This broken body is so lacking in exercise; after walking all this way and performing the formal salutations, his breathing is already somewhat uneven.
However, after the three kneelings and nine kowtows, it would be his turn to receive others' kneelings.
The officials first needed to salute the Emperor to congratulate him on having an heir, then proceed to salute the Crown Prince.
Zhu Ci stood beside the Emperor's throne, as he rose to walk over, he cast a quick glance at the current Emperor.
The face behind the Nine-Tasseled Crown was not very clear, but one could faintly see that the Emperor had a bloated physique, with drooping eyelids and a lack of energy.
Hmm, the typical appearance of a body hollowed out by wine and lust.
This bit of information wouldn't help Zhu Ci know much; after all, it was already difficult for him to know which emperors or crown princes the Ming Dynasty had. His deepest impressions were only of Zhu Di, Jiajing, the so-called "Gate-Opening Emperor," the Mongol Scholar.