Zhu Qiyu has thought about how he would feel when he saw his only brother here countless times.
Maybe it's hatred.
I hate that he took advantage of his serious illness to seize the throne with his troops and forced himself to death. After his death, there was no imperial mausoleum, no temple name, and no worship. As a result, he was left alone, homeless, and wandered for hundreds of years.
Maybe it's anger.
He was angry that he had single-handedly ruined the Ming Dynasty's rising momentum, causing the building to collapse, the country to be in danger, and hundreds of thousands of innocent people to be buried in the earth because of his own thoughts.
Zhu Qiyu even thought that he might feel a little bit guilty.
Being ashamed of his selfishness and persecution back then, perhaps there would be no doubts and suspicions, and there would be no antagonism between brothers.
But that's all there is to it.
When he saw this face again, Zhu Qiyu felt only peace in his heart.
He had seen Zhu Qizhen's youthful spirit, his downfall, his crazy desperate efforts, and his helplessness in the dead of night.
The past events passed before his eyes one after another.
It is the majestic majesty of the proud king riding his horse and whipping his whip on the Jinshui Bridge, followed by thousands of troops.
After the Golden Knife Case, Nangong lived a difficult life after all the trees were cut down and the door locks were filled with lead.
It was the palace door being smashed open, the crowd crowding around, the ferocious smile that had gone through the wind and frost.
It’s also the countless times of sitting alone in the palace for a long time...
Everything fell silent, and Zhu Qiyu's myriad emotions returned to calm at this moment.
The person in front of him, his brother, in the final analysis, is just a poor man. His only fault is that he should not have been born into an emperor's family...
All of this stems from the fact that he cannot afford everything he should bear as an emperor.
At the same time, Zhu Qizhen on the carriage also felt a little dazed for a moment.
Such a simple sentence seemed to pull him back to the past in an instant.
At that time, he was the king, and the people across from him were ministers. He was the elder brother, and the people across from him were younger brothers. Brothers, friends, and younger brothers respected each other, and the king and his ministers were clearly distinguished.
But now, a war has made it impossible to go back.
Zhu Qizhen opened his mouth, but for a moment he didn't know how to address the person opposite him.
Should he be called "Brother Yu" as before, or should he be called "Brother Yu" formally, or should he be called... Your Majesty?
Countless emotions also rolled through my heart.
Zhu Qizhen looked at the young emperor in front of him, who was crowned with a large ribbon. Behind him were the civil and military officials standing in rows.
Finally, he sighed quietly in his heart and stood up with the help of his entourage.
Getting off the car, moving forward, step by step, Zhu Qizhen finally stood in front of Zhu Qiyu.
He returned the favor with his hand, but in the end he never got over the hurdle in his heart, so he just said:
"I haven't seen you for a year, but my brother finally looks like a gentleman from the country. I'm... very pleased."
Looking up at the familiar capital, Zhu Qizhen was filled with emotions, and for a moment, there was a glimmer of water in his eyes.
Seeing this situation, the presiding official did not dare to delay and immediately stepped forward to report the matter.
"After all the ministers have finished the ceremony, please ask Your Majesty and the Supreme Emperor to move to the Sheji Altar to burn incense and offer sacrifices to heaven."
This was something clearly stated in the ritual notes, so there was nothing more to say. The Jin Yiwei brought out the special chariot that had been prepared.
Zhu Qi Zhen went first, followed by Zhu Qi Yu. The two sat side by side. The ministers separated from the middle. The Jin Yiwei was still leading the way and entered the city from Zhengyang Gate in a mighty manner.
To welcome the Supreme Emperor back to the court today, everything must be compromised for this purpose.
Therefore, Shuntian Prefecture informed the people from door to door early that they were not allowed to go out throughout the morning and were only allowed to stay at home to prevent accidents that would disturb the Holy Master.
Officers and troops had already been deployed at the city gate to clear out all the idlers.
However, how could such a grand ceremony not arouse the curiosity of the people? Even through the windows, there were countless pairs of eyes watching the majestic cars.
Therefore, the scene of the Supreme Emperor and the Son of Heaven returning together, the brothers enjoying themselves, and the heavenly family harmonious, will inevitably be praised by the people.
However, in the spacious car, the atmosphere was a bit quiet.
Both Zhu Qizhen and Zhu Qiyu had a tacit agreement not to speak and remained silent.
However, the difference is that Zhu Qizhen was embarrassed and didn't know what to say because of his change in status, while Zhu Qiyu didn't have anything to say and wanted to speak.
He has been able to let go of everything in the past.
However, relief does not mean forgiveness.
The brotherhood that once existed has been completely polished off over that long period of time.
Just like what he felt when he saw Zhu Qizhen at the gate of the city, now he only felt calm in his heart. This person, even his blood-related brother, could no longer shake his mood at all.
He could avoid hatred, but he would not, let alone repair any relationship with Zhu Qizhen.
Just like the reason why he "made his own decision" and violated the etiquette set by the Ministry of Rites and refused to kneel down at the city gate.
I'm not trying to show off my power, nor am I trying to declare my identity.
Just because he felt at that moment that Zhu Qizhen was not worthy!
I am not worthy of you, and I am not worthy of my brother... either!
As a result, the mighty procession slowly moved forward with Da Le, but no one in the center of the car said a word.
Outside the car, they are brothers and sisters respectfully, and the heavenly family is in harmony. Inside the car, they are silent and feel like strangers!
The mighty procession stopped outside the imperial city.
Under the guidance of the etiquette officer, the two got off the chariot and walked side by side on the imperial road.
Then, he went to the Sheji altar, burned incense and knelt down, recited sacrificial inscriptions, and offered sacrifices to heaven with yellow paper.
The etiquette is complicated, but it is orderly.
Finally, there was no sudden incident like the one outside the city.
After all this trouble, the sky was already bright, and the fluttering heavy snow gradually stopped. However, dark clouds still covered the sky, and scattered small snowflakes still kept falling on people.
After worshiping heaven, there is worshiping ancestors.
However, this procedure is relatively simple.
The Emperor and the Supreme Emperor did not need so many ministers to participate in their family temple sacrifices. The elders only followed them outside the Meridian Gate and hurried back.
However, they couldn't rest either.
Because there is a court meeting coming up.
Originally, they were supposed to wait outside the palace, and then go directly into the palace to attend court after the emperor and the emperor paid homage to their ancestors.
However, due to the weather, many ministers' robes were stained with snowflakes.
If we go to Fengtian Palace to go to court, the cold snowflakes will inevitably melt into water when they reach the warm palace. By then, it is secondary that the ministers will be drowned. If the solemn Fengtian Palace is covered with water stains,
That's extremely disrespectful.
Therefore, Mr. Hu, the Minister of Rites, took advantage of the time on the road to send people to ask the emperor for instructions, and then asked the elders to go back and change clothes while they were worshiping the temple.
Of course, Zhu Qiyu and Zhu Qizhen do not have such troubles.
Because before worshiping ancestors, you have to burn incense and change clothes.
Putting on a clean and warm crown robe, Zhu Qiyu came outside the Fengxian Hall where the ancestors' tablets were enshrined, only to find that Zhu Qizhen had arrived earlier.
He just stood outside with a complicated look on his face.
So, he slowly stepped forward and stood next to Zhu Qizhen. After entering the city, the two brothers had a question for the first time. Zhu Qiyu asked.
"In the Fengxian Hall, there are all ancestors."
"Brother, my father put the country and the country into your hands, and now it has turned into this. Do you regret it?"
