At dawn, just after Yin, Qi Ning had arrived at the eastern suburbs of the imperial tomb. At this time, the red sun had risen in the east, and the ministers had already eaten breakfast and were gathering together, waiting for the emperor to bring them into the imperial tomb.

The light of the rising sun shone on the earth. The ministers looked pretty good last night, and they were all full of energy. They gathered together and whispered, which was considered to be both talking and laughing.

Qi Ning walked through the ministers without hesitation, but never noticed Ximen Wuhen. When the ministers set off yesterday, there were many people, so Qi Ning never saw Ximen Wuhen. He still didn't see him today. He wondered if Ximen Wuhen did not come to attend this sacrificial ceremony.

Suddenly, someone shouted not far away: "Isn't the old Duke here?"

Qi Ning immediately looked in the voice and saw Sima Changshen pushing a wheelchair not far away. Ma Lan, a company in the state, was indeed sitting in the wheelchair.

Qi Ning frowned slightly, but saw that the King of Huainan had appeared from the crowd and went forward. After looking at it, the King of Huainan had already smiled and said, "How is the old Duke's injury? I thought the old Duke could not come today."

Sima Lan sighed: "Thank you for your concern. Fortunately, the imperial doctors in the Imperial Hospital have a wonderful way to recover. Although it will take some days to recover from the waist bone, it will not be too serious."

The King of Huainan smiled and said, "It's so great. Today's sacrificial ceremony is absolutely indispensable for the old Duke."

As soon as the words fell, the ministers suddenly heard the rituals and music. The ministers immediately lowered their hands and struggled to the sides. Then they saw eunuchs and palace maids surrounding the little emperor Longtai, and the ministers on both sides all bowed to the ground. After Longtai passed, the ministers stood up and followed the emperor to the imperial tomb.

The important area of ​​the imperial tomb is extraordinary. Even the little emperor of Longtai cannot enter by car. Everyone has to walk into the imperial tomb on foot. However, Sima Lan's situation today is special. Sima Changshen personally pushed the wheelchair and followed the emperor.

Fortunately, the journey from the eastern suburbs of the imperial tomb was not far away, and a road had been built long ago.

The team entered the imperial tomb and walked for only a few miles. The front was suddenly wide open. Qi Ning was shocked when he saw the distance. However, he saw that the blue waves were rippling and wide in the radiant radius not far ahead. There was a huge artificial lake. In the lake, a small island was built with huge rocks, which looked extremely spectacular.

Two wide roads were built with white marble on both sides of the lake. Bypassing the lake, there was a spacious avenue. The guards had already guarded the sides of the avenue. The avenue led straight ahead. After several miles, a tall and magnificent circular sacrificial platform appeared.

The sacrificial platform is divided into three layers, forming three circles. Each is very wide in the middle, and its width is enough to accommodate two or three hundred people. This also forms three white marble guardrails. A circle of Longhu Mountain Taoist priests standing beside each guardrail, with a whisk on their arms and chanting words.

On both sides of the steps of the sacrificial platform, there were guards wearing sharp armor guards with guns, while Chi Fengdian led the elite soldiers of the Yulin Camp to protect the sacrificial platform.

The sacrificial platform at the highest point is extremely spacious, and it is no problem to accommodate two or three hundred people. At this moment, three animals and six animals were already set up on the sacrificial platform to worship ancestors. The monks of Daguangming Temple, led by two eminent monks Jingwu and Jingyuan, sat cross-legged on both sides, beating wooden fish, and the sound of chanting scriptures spread from afar.

Taoist Master Lingxu was standing at the entrance of the sacrificial platform, with his Taoist robe fluttering and his fairy-like Taoist priest.

Longtai led the ministers to the sacrificial platform. When he reached the last floor, the ministers stopped. Longtai stepped forward a few steps and knelt down. The ministers behind him also knelt down. The head of Lingxu sang a loud chant. Longtai got up and slowly walked on the stage, while the ministers stayed under the steps.

The King of Huainan glanced at Sima Lan next to him, and then slowly followed him forward. Sima Changshen also pushed Sima Lan and followed closely.

According to the etiquette of the Great Chu Empire, the only officials who could accompany the emperor to the sacrificial platform were the four hereditary emperors of the empire. The King of Huainan was the bloodline of the royal family, so naturally it was also among them.

At this time, an eunuch had already walked to Qi Ning and whispered a few words. Qi Ning nodded slightly. At this time, he saw that the Marquis of Wuxiang Su Zhen had also come out of the crowd and followed Sima Lan to the sacrificial platform. Qi Ning did not hesitate and also stepped forward and followed the King of Huainan.

Longtai looked solemn, and the ministers who followed the stage also looked solemn.

The sound of chanting scriptures continued. Master Lingxu led Longtai to walk past it and walked straight to the incense table. Green smoke curled up. Master Lingxu turned around and stood beside the incense table, shook the whisk, looked up at the sky, and then said loudly: "The sacrificial ceremony began!" He bowed slightly to Longtai and said: "Master, can you read the ritual of offering sacrifices to heaven?"

Longtai nodded slightly, with a solemn expression.

Master Lingxu picked up the sacrificial rituals that had been prepared from the incense table, stepped forward a few steps, slowly unfolded, glanced at it, and his face changed drastically.

The ministers held their breath at this time, and they were silent all over.

After waiting for a while, he could not see Master Lingxu read the rituals. Many officials couldn't help but wonder. Longtai also looked over and saw Master Lingxu standing there, and frowned.

Qi Ning was not far behind the emperor at this time. When he saw Master Lingxu looking at Liwen in his hand, he knew something was wrong. At this time, he heard the King of Huainan cough and asked, "President Lingxu, why don't he read the Liwen?"

The Lord Lingxu hesitated for a moment, but the King of Huainan had already walked over. Everyone was surprised to see it. The King of Huainan walked to the Lord Lingxu and reached out. The Lord Lingxu bowed slightly and presented the ritual text with both hands. After the King of Huainan took it, he glanced, smiled faintly, walked towards Longtai, and fell down a few steps away, and handed the ritual text to Longtai with both hands.

Seeing this scene, everyone was even more surprised and thought that the State of Chu began to establish itself. Whether it was sacrifice to heaven or ancestors, the Taoist priests read the ritual texts, and never changed. Today's scene is too strange and never seen present the ritual texts to the emperor.

Longtai's face was slightly solemn. He reached over and took the text, and glanced at it. His face looked even more ugly. He suddenly said in a deep voice: "Where is Old Secretary Yuan?"

The Minister of Rites Yuan heard the voice and immediately passed by. The last step was not high. All the ministers standing in front could see clearly what happened. Although Mr. Yuan was old, he could see very clearly what happened on the sacrificial platform. After hearing the emperor's call, he immediately climbed the stairs and arrived at the edge of Longtai. He was about to kneel down. Longtai had already asked, "Is the sacrificial ritual prepared by the Old Secretary?"

Old Shangshu Yuan was stunned and bowed, "Report to the emperor, the sacrificial rituals were written by the old minister himself!"

Longtai handed over the gift in his hand and said, "Look, is this the gift you prepared?"

Old Secretary Yuan took it respectfully with both hands, glanced at it, his face suddenly changed, and he said in a lost voice: "Master, this is not the ritual prepared by the old minister, this is a confession!"

When Qi Ning heard it from behind, his brows tightened and was very surprised.

"The sacrificial rituals have become confessions, which is interesting." Longtai said lightly: "This confession is signed by Hu Bowen, and the old minister naturally knows who Hu Bowen is."

When Qi Ning heard the three words "Hu Bowen", he felt a little surprised, but he was extremely familiar with this name.

In the previous period, he led the mission to Dongqi, and regarded him as the mission chief, and the deputy envoy of the mission was Hu Bowen, the left assistant minister of the Ministry of Rites.

Hu Bowen and Liang Xiong colluded with each other. The two colluded with an assassin to work inside and outside, trying to destroy all the gifts from the delegation and prevent the Chu delegation from going to Dongqi. Qi Ning discovered Hu Bowen's plot and took advantage of the plan. Finally, he exposed the conspiracy of the two and even arrested the two.

When he was heading to Dongqi, Qi Ning handed the two of them over to the Qinhuai Army for custody. When he returned, he handed them over to the King of Huainan to escort them into Beijing. Later, Qi Ning heard that Hu Bowen had been imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice, but he had no intention of caring about the consequences.

Now that he heard that the sacrificial rituals turned into Hu Bowen's confession, Qi Ning was naturally surprised.

Although Old Shangshu Yuan was surprised, he was also an old minister after all. After seeing many storms, he kept calm and said: "Report to the emperor, Hu Bowen was originally a minister of the Ministry of Rites, but he had ulterior motives and had been convicted and imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Justice has been interrogating in this case."

"The confession of the Ministry of Justice's interrogation appeared here." Longtai's face was cold: "Where is Qian Raoshun?"

Soon, an official quickly stepped forward and fell to his knees: "I am the Minister of Justice Qian Raoshun, please bow to the emperor!"

"Qian Raoshun, you are interrogating the case of Hu Bowen?" Longtai glanced at Qian Raoshun, took the liquor from the old Shangshu Yuan and threw it in front of Qian Raoshun: "Look at yourself, is this Hu Bowen's confession?"

Qian Raoshun took it and glanced at it, and said respectfully: "Report to the Master, this is indeed the confession signed by Hu Bowen. I am preparing to submit it to the emperor, but for some reason it appears here."

Longtai said coldly: "You really don't know?"

The King of Huainan stepped forward and bowed, "Your Majesty, the confession appeared on the sacrificial platform, perhaps because he had no choice."

"I had no choice?" Longtai frowned and said, "Uncle Wang, what do you mean?"

"Emperor, although many memorials in the court are to be reported to you, not every memorial can be seen by you." The King of Huainan sighed: "Just like this confession, if it had not appeared on the sacrificial platform, the emperor might not have the chance to see it."

"I don't understand what Uncle Wang said." Longtai said: "If Hu Bowen's case is closed and reported to the report, how can I not see it?"

The King of Huainan glanced at Sima Lan. Sima Lan was sitting in a wheelchair with a expressionless face and looked extremely calm. The King of Huainan stepped forward and bowed: "Emperor, there are treacherous ministers in the court blocking the holy hearing, deceiving the holy master, covering the sky with one hand. Many important notes were blocked outside the door before they were sent to the imperial study room. The emperor naturally did not know the many truths."
Chapter completed!