HLnovel Chapter 454 Court Sacrifices
Chapter 454 Court Sacrifices
On a fine, sunny day, the palace held a grand and solemn sacrificial ceremony, aimed at praying for favorable weather, peace, and prosperity for the nation.
The entire palace was decorated in a solemn and dignified manner, with red silk fluttering and incense smoke swirling. From the palace gate to the main hall of worship, the roadsides were filled with fresh flowers and fruits, symbolizing people's respect for the gods and their hopes for a better life.
The emperor, dressed in a magnificent dragon robe, led a group of royal family members and ministers slowly toward the sacrificial altar. Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling were among them, their expressions solemn, fully aware of the significance of this sacrificial ceremony.
On the altar, abundant offerings were laid out, including exquisite jade artifacts, golden grains, and plump livestock. Musicians played solemn music, and dancers, dressed in pure white costumes, danced gracefully, as if conveying the people's piety to the gods.
The emperor personally lit incense and candles, and silently prayed to the sky: "May Heaven bless my country, bring favorable weather and abundant harvests, and ensure the well-being of my people."
The ministers all knelt down and shouted in unison, "May the gods protect us!"
During the sacrificial ceremony, the atmosphere was tense and solemn, with everyone filled with reverence and daring not to slack off in the slightest.
However, just as the ceremony was halfway through, a sudden gust of wind blew out the incense and candles on the altar, and scattered the offerings.
Everyone was immediately terrified, their hearts filled with fear and unease.
"This is an ominous sign!" someone whispered.
The emperor's face darkened; he worried that this sudden turn of events would affect the fate of the nation.
Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling exchanged a glance, their hearts also filled with doubt.
"This wind is acting strangely. Could there be some hidden story behind it?" Xiao Ling said in a low voice.
Su Jinxiu nodded slightly: "This matter should not be taken lightly; we must investigate carefully."
After the sacrificial ceremony, the palace was plunged into panic.
Some people with ulterior motives began to spread rumors, saying that this was Heaven's dissatisfaction with the emperor and that the country was about to face disaster.
"What should we do? Is it really the wrath of the gods?"
"Are we going to be punished?"
Faced with this situation, the emperor summoned Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling, hoping they could find out the truth and stabilize public sentiment.
"I order you two to investigate this matter immediately, and not to let rumors mislead the public," the emperor said.
After receiving their orders, Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling immediately launched an investigation.
They first questioned the officials and palace maids in charge of the sacrifice, but received no useful clues.
"Sir, we have been following the rules, we really don't know why this has happened."
Xiao Ling decided to start with the weather changes. He summoned the astronomers in the palace to inquire about the recent weather conditions.
The astronomer said, "General, we had not predicted such a strong wind."
Su Jinxiu inquired around the palace to see if anyone had behaved strangely before the sacrifice.
After a painstaking investigation, they finally discovered some clues.
It turns out that a prince who was jealous of the emperor secretly bribed the priests to create this chaos, attempting to undermine the emperor's rule.
"How dare you!" Xiao Ling said angrily.
Su Jinxiu said, "We must inform the Emperor of this matter as soon as possible and restore peace to the palace."
They presented the results of their investigation to the emperor, who was furious and immediately ordered the prince to be arrested.
"How dare you tamper with the sacrificial rites! I will not let you off lightly!"
With the prince brought to justice, the panic in the palace gradually subsided, and people regained their confidence in the future of the country.