Chapter 466 The Ascension Ceremony

Lu Qingwan saw this and pretended to liven up the atmosphere, "That's right, Old Prince. I've prepared gifts for everyone in the mansion these past few days. Please take them with you when you leave. This is for the Old Princess, and this is for the Great General..." She rattled off the gifts for others, then clapped her hands as if presenting a treasure, "Come, bring out the Old Prince's gift!" The Old Prince and Gu Xingzhi looked on curiously as two guards stepped forward, one holding a strangely shaped garment and the other a large saber. The Old Prince and Gu Xingzhi's eyes were glued to the saber, "What a sharp saber..." Feng Xiwu took the opportunity to praise Lu Qingwan, "This was specially made by A'wan for people using thousand-year black iron, so of course it's sharp. I thought it was for me, but it ended up in your hands." He said this with a rather mournful glance at Lu Qingwan, who chuckled, "You don't lack weapons, and besides, you only use long swords to look cool on the battlefield. I've never seen you use a saber. A precious saber belongs with a hero, and this saber is meant for the Old Prince." Prince Youzhou roared with laughter, "Girl Wan speaks well! Come, let me see what you've learned all these years..." With that, he picked up the saber and walked outside. Lu Qingwan was still confused when Li Jin called out, "Your Highness, catch!" Only then did she realize that the two were about to fight. Immediately, she became interested in watching, and asked Gu Xingzhi excitedly, "My Prince is an eighth-level martial artist and is showing signs of a breakthrough recently. Can the Old Prince handle it?" Gu Xingzhi looked at her proud expression and chuckled, "In terms of inner strength, ten grandfathers are no match for Prince Qin, so they probably won't use their inner strength." Lu Qingwan was very surprised, "I heard that the Old Prince struck fear into the hearts of the Tujue when he was young. Doesn't he use inner strength?" "Of course he has inner strength, but the key to defeating the enemy has never been in the strength of one person." Gu Xingzhi seemed to be competing with Lu Qingwan as he said proudly, "In Da Qin, nine out of ten military generals were trained by my grandfather. He can make the Tujue cavalry retreat voluntarily without a single soldier. He can also make the troops from all over Jiuzhou obey his command in a few months, without any disloyalty. Therefore, the Tujue cavalry never feared his martial arts, but his strategies and methods of warfare." Lu Qingwan, though she didn't understand, exclaimed, "Honestly, I still can't imagine that this tall and strong Old Prince is best at strategy..." She felt her judgment of people had been completely overturned. Gu Xingzhi didn't insist on arguing, only saying, "The training materials in the imperial training grounds today were compiled by my grandfather and a group of old generals." Lu Qingwan pinched her philtrum and chased after them. As expected, Feng Xiwu and Prince Youzhou did not use their inner strength. They only clanged their weapons against each other. Naturally, the sharp edges of their weapons did not fall on each other. Looking at Prince Youzhou's wall-like physique, Lu Qingwan felt the urge to pinch her philtrum again. Gu Xingzhi watched and secretly chuckled, secretly anticipating her expression when she saw his grandfather teaching the young generals in the training grounds. He secretly resolved to coax his grandfather to teach in the training grounds before he left the capital, and ideally invite the Princess of Qin to observe... The two in the courtyard fought fiercely. Although they were not enemies, neither would give in to the other. On a doorframe not far away, one person leaned on each side, their thoughts varied. The last day before the enthronement ceremony passed amidst this dramatic scene. Lu Qingwan saw Prince Youzhou and Gu Xingzhi's grandfather and grandson again on the next day, at Si Fengming's enthronement ceremony. Before dawn, Lu Qingwan entered the palace. Feng Shuyuan, the little prince, was wearing a black brocade robe with a jade belt, looking like a round black sesame ball. He was sitting in Lu Qingwan's arms watching Yan Ruozhao apply makeup. Lu Qingwan, rarely up so early, was not yawning. Wearing the Princess's auspicious robes, she teased the little prince, "Yuan'er, is Mother beautiful?" "Mother is Yuan'er's mother, so of course she's the most beautiful." After saying that, the little prince nodded his head with great seriousness, "Mother is so stupid. Brother Hongyi said you can't say a girl is not beautiful to her face... Besides, Mother is Yuan'er's mother. If Yuan'er says she's not beautiful, isn't he saying he's ugly?" The little prince's milky and serious tone made the maids applying makeup burst into laughter, their hands shaking, afraid to draw on Yan Ruozhao's face. Yan Ruozhao also found it amusing. Lu Qingwan pinched the little prince's cheek and played with it like dough, "You've only been gone for a month, look what you've learned from that scoundrel Xue Hongyi! No, I have to tell your master, you can't follow Xue Hongyi anymore!" "Then can I follow Mother?" The little prince's eyes sparkled, "They all say Mother is the most capable and can teach me anything. If I follow Mother, Brother Hongyi won't be able to corrupt me!" "Tsk, the abacus beads are practically bouncing onto my face!" Lu Qingwan lightly poked the little prince's nose. "I am your mother, I don't want to be your master. Little brats are the most annoying. However, if I have time, I can come and play with you. If you cry, I'll return you to your master, haha..." Lu Qingwan laughed triumphantly. Yan Ruozhao was speechless. Just as she was about to pacify the little prince, Li Jin arrived, "Princess, Your Highness has sent me to take the little prince to the Directorate of Ceremonial." "Go ahead." Lu Qingwan casually handed the little prince to Li Jin. The latter scrambled down, "I can walk myself." Li Jin quickly bent down to help him. The little prince, like a little adult, waved, "Goodbye, Mother and Mother Consort!" He then blew them a milky kiss and trotted out. Lu Qingwan's eyes curved with a smile, then she suddenly remembered something. "Your Highness told me that he, Prince Youzhou, and Prime Minister Yan had all suggested that His Majesty announce Yuan'er's identity and enfeoff him as Crown Prince at the enthronement ceremony, but His Majesty disagreed. Does Imperial Sister-in-law know what His Majesty intends?" Yan Ruozhao, her makeup now complete, waved aside her attendants. Lu Qingwan had merely spoken casually, but seeing her reaction, she also became serious, "Why are you being so serious? Did something happen?" Yan Ruozhao, however, seemed very relaxed, her tone even softer than usual. She said, "His Majesty and I have discussed it. We will not enfeoff Yuan'er as Crown Prince, nor will we deliberately train him to be the next monarch. We will wait until he comes of age." Lu Qingwan was stunned, "No Crown Prince, does His Majesty... have other plans?" Lu Qingwan admitted her thoughts had gone astray. The mere thought of such an affectionate couple being interrupted by a group of inexplicable concubines caused her instinctive physical discomfort.