noffsinger Chapter 339: At 9 o’clock, the palace gates were opened, and people from all nations bowed to the em
Chapter 339: At 9 o’clock, the palace gates were opened, and people from all nations bowed to the em
As the New Year's Day celebrations approached, the entire Daming Palace was already shrouded in a tense and busy atmosphere.
The palace lanterns flickered, casting a halo of light on the maids and eunuchs, whose faces were tired but their eyes were determined. They had been working all night to prepare.
In the corridor, the maids held delicate utensils in their hands, their silk skirts swaying gently with their hurried footsteps. When they passed each other, they could only exchange a quick, knowing glance before rushing off to their respective tasks.
The eunuchs shuttled between the palaces, carefully checking every detail, from whether the high-hanging brocade curtains were smooth to whether the displayed precious utensils were polished to a gleaming shine, without missing a single thing.
This is because the scale of this event is unprecedented and the existing manpower in the palace is far from enough to cope with it.
Therefore, the court urgently sent out a large number of orders and delivered them to the innkeepers in Chang'an City who were good at organizing banquets.
After receiving the order, these shopkeepers did not dare to slack off in the slightest. They hurriedly called together their waiters, prepared ingredients, and carefully cooked various delicacies, striving to let the foreign envoys appreciate the profoundness of Tang Dynasty cuisine and take this opportunity to demonstrate the wealth and hospitality of Tang Dynasty.
The number of vassal states that came to pay homage this time was so large that it was like a gathering of stars, which was amazing.
The flags of a total of 312 vassal states will soon flutter in the wind in the square in front of the Daming Palace.
The number of envoys from various countries alone was like a surging tide, reaching more than 30,000 people.
There are actually profound reasons behind this spectacular scene.
In the past two years, the Tang Dynasty has been active in many fields such as politics, military, and culture, and has introduced a series of major measures. Its influence has spread like ripples to neighboring countries.
The monarchs and envoys of various countries were full of doubts and curiosity, and were eager to personally experience the Tang Dynasty's next strategic layout and actions, so that they could plan ahead and maximize their own interests in the ever-changing chess game of international relations.
Furthermore, after the new emperor of the Tang Dynasty ascended the throne, the reforms and new policies he implemented swept across the country like a storm, bringing about earth-shaking changes.
From the brand-new administrative system to the prosperous economic development, from the brilliant cultural revival to the powerful military deterrence, all of them have attracted the attention of the world.
The envoys sent to Tang Dynasty who brought the news of the Tang Dynasty back to their own countries unconsciously revealed a hint of fear in their words when they detailed the various changes in the Tang Dynasty.
Li Chengqian held a very open-minded attitude towards the issue of the Tang envoys learning about the Tang culture.
In his view, culture is the treasure of the world and should not be bound by national boundaries. He fully expects that the culture of the Tang Dynasty will spread like a spring breeze across the earth, to every corner of the world, and let all things in the world bathe in the glory of the Tang Dynasty culture.
On issues concerning the country's core technologies, he sticks to the bottom line and refuses to give in.
Nowadays, envoys from various countries can only take away the exquisite colored glass of the Tang Dynasty. They cannot even take away fireworks, a product of gunpowder technology.
The Tang Dynasty was the first to develop gunpowder, but was particularly fond of turning it into colorful fireworks in the night sky for people to enjoy during celebrations.
But who could have expected that after this gunpowder flowed into the West, it would actually lay a deep hidden danger for the fate of China in the future, and become a potential cause of China's sinking in later generations.
In addition to envoys from numerous vassal states, officials from the Tang Dynasty also flocked to the conference, numbering more than 10,000 people.
Although the Daming Palace was magnificent, in order to highlight the hierarchy and order of this grand ceremony, most people were arranged in an orderly manner in the side hall during meals.
Only more than a thousand representatives of distinguished status can enter the main hall, Hanyuan Hall, which symbolizes the core of power of the Tang Dynasty.
Li Chengqian once felt that his father, Emperor Li Shimin, was extremely extravagant and wasteful in spending huge sums of money to build such a huge palace complex.
The scale of the Daming Palace is beyond imagination. It is more than five times the size of the Forbidden City in Beijing in later generations. It covers a vast area and has a magnificent architectural complex. It can be said to be the crown of palace buildings in all dynasties.
Perhaps only the strong national strength and prosperous economy of the prosperous Tang Dynasty could support such a grand project.
It was not until today that he truly understood his father's good intentions.
Faced with so many vassal states coming to pay tribute, if the suzerain state did not have a venue large enough and solemn enough to accommodate them, it would undoubtedly become a laughing stock of the world. Where would the face of the Tang Dynasty be?
Li Shimin tightened his belt to build the Daming Palace. Of course, this was done to demonstrate national power and save face, but more importantly, it was to ensure that the Tang Dynasty would always stand at the top on the international stage and overlook the world with its majestic posture.
Of course, among the many countries that came, not all of them were vassal states. There were also countries with vast territories and strong power like the Arab Empire.
They came here more with a desire to explore, wanting to get a glimpse of the true face of the prosperous Tang Dynasty and see the charm and majesty of this Oriental dragon that has attracted worldwide attention.
Li Chengqian didn't care about this at all. In his mind, no matter what these countries really thought, whether they were truly respectful and submissive or just pretending to be submissive on the surface, it didn't matter.
The existence of the Tang Dynasty has never been to make the four barbarians submit, but to make them fear!
Today, in the Daming Palace, which enjoys the reputation of "the Palace of a Thousand Palaces", a grand ceremony that shocks the ancient and modern times is about to begin.
“The palace gates of heaven are opened, and people from all over the world dress in formal attire to pay homage to the emperor!” Although this poem by Wang Wei has not yet been published, it seems to be tailor-made for today’s scene, vividly depicting the spectacular scene that is about to appear.
Under the Dragon Terrace, more than 30,000 envoys from various countries, dressed in colorful costumes of various styles, stood quietly waiting.
Some of them had awe in their eyes, while others had hidden thoughts and their eyes flickered, but in this solemn atmosphere, no one dared to act rashly.
At the foot of the jade steps, the Tang warriors were tall and strong, holding spears tightly in their hands, and lined up on both sides in a majestic manner.
Even the eunuchs who were usually cautious in the palace were infected by the grand momentum when they saw this scene. An unprecedented sense of pride surged in their hearts, and they subconsciously raised their chins slightly and straightened their backs.
This is the Tang Dynasty, this is the Eastern Dragon that has attracted the attention of the world!
After three drum beats, the powerful and passionate drum sound penetrated the sky, shattered the silence between heaven and earth, and officially sounded the prelude to the ceremony.
Li Shimin held the young Li Jingyou in his arms and walked steadily.
The red crown he wore exuded an air of supreme majesty.
Li Chengqian also wore a crown with twelve tassels, and the tassels swayed gently with their steps.
Li Chengqian followed slowly behind, holding Su Zhi's arm, also wearing a red crown, with an upright posture and a dignified demeanor.
Su Zhi was wearing a red long dress and crown. The bright red color contrasted with her fair skin, making her look even more charming and beautiful.
Twelve golden hairpins on her head sparkled brightly. She smiled and gracefully took Li Chengqian's arm, walking at the same height as Li Chengqian with a graceful demeanor.
As the three of them slowly walked onto the Dragon Platform, more than 10,000 Tang Dynasty officials below the platform instantly stood in unison and took the lead in saluting.
They crouched low, their movements in unison, and shouted in unison: "Greetings, Your Majesty!"
The sound resounded throughout the Daming Palace, echoing between the palace walls for a long time.
After the Tang officials finished speaking, the more than 30,000 envoys from various countries began to speak.
They bowed their hands and lowered their waists in a respectful and humble manner, bowing even lower than the Tang officials, and shouted in unison: "We pay our respects to His Majesty the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty!"
"May your Majesty be blessed!"
The different accents intertwined together, some were high-pitched and passionate, while others were low and gentle.
The sound echoed for a long time above the Daming Palace, announcing to the world the power of the Tang Dynasty.