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Chapter 253: The Tree and the Jade Pool (2 / 2)
Chapter 253: The Tree and the Jade Pool (2 / 2)
Xu Yanmiao woke up excitedly. He excitedly washed up. Then, he excitedly sat in front of the mirror to dress himself.
He carefully combed his hair, making sure that every strand was perfectly neat and smooth.
Finally, he put on an inner robe of pale moon-white silk, followed by a deep black ceremonial robe adorned with crimson brocade trim at the sleeves and hem.
[La la la!]
[La la la!]
Humming an unknown tune, he tied a crimson sash around his waist, slipped on dark cloth shoes, and secured his long hair with a red silk ribbon. His entire presence burned like a flame.
[Calm down! No more “la la la”!]
[I’m an adult now! I have to be mature and composed!]
Taking a deep breath, Xu Yanmiao gently smoothed his robes in front of the bronze mirror, checking for any imperfections. Once he was sure everything was in order, he strode out of his room and climbed into the carriage that had arrived to take him to the ceremony.
Upon arrival, he was led to the East Chamber beside the ancestral shrine, where he was instructed to stand facing south.—Of course, his ancestral shrine was not inside the imperial palace. This one had been temporarily set up for the ceremony and would be dismantled afterward.
A eunuch nearby patiently explained, “Master Xu, please do not sit down or worry. Once His Majesty has finished arranging the seating, you may proceed to the hall.”
Xu Yanmiao casually asked, “How long will that take?”
The eunuch thought for a moment and replied, “The ceremonial washing basin has been set in place, and your capping attire is folded and arranged beneath the western wall. Now, we just need to place the accessories and wine vessels, and spread out the ceremonial mats. Once the guests arrive, we can begin… In total, about half an hour.”
Xu Yanmiao’s pupils shook in disbelief.
[A whole hour?! I have to stand here for a whole hour?! That’s way too exhausting!]
Meanwhile, the old emperor, who was overseeing the preparations, overheard this complaint but maintained his gentle smile.
Little brat, you think standing is tiring? Just wait—you’ll soon find out what real exhaustion is!
“Xu Lang— Step Forward—”
When Xu Yanmiao finally heard those heavenly words, nearly an hour had passed.
He swiftly stepped out of the East Chamber.
The emperor and empress, members of the royal family, and the gathered civil and military officials all turned to look at him with smiles.
The youth strode forward, his crimson-trimmed ceremonial robe flowing behind him, his black hair bound with red silk, his posture tall and upright—like a sturdy bamboo standing strong amidst the wind and rain.
Princess Xiangyang gasped sharply, her hands clenching tightly as she stared at Xu Yanmiao, utterly transfixed.
The old emperor’s eyes widened as he examined Xu Yanmiao from head to toe.
Minister Quan Yizhang nodded slightly, then murmured to Ji Sui beside him, “That Xu boy is truly extraordinary. His appearance and demeanor are both exceptional, and his every movement exudes elegance and refinement. In the field of classical literature, he will surely achieve great things in the future.”
“Hmm.”
Ji Sui responded indifferently, “I agree with everything… except the last sentence.”
The other officials held their breath, as if afraid that any sound might shatter the beauty of the moment. Silence filled the air, broken only by the soft rustling of Xu Yanmiao’s ceremonial robes.
Once Xu Yanmiao was seated, the Crown Prince picked up a comb and carefully unraveled Xu Yanmiao’s tied-up hair, smoothing it out once more.
Then, he took a six-foot-long black scarf, gathering Xu Yanmiao’s hair and skillfully wrapping it into a coiled topknot.
Throughout the process, Xu Yanmiao never once glanced at his system notifications nor felt bored. He simply focused on the gentle strokes of the comb gliding across his scalp and the practiced ease with which the Crown Prince secured his hair. His thoughts began to wander.
[Who would’ve thought the Crown Prince was this good at hairstyling?]
[I remember hearing that some girls only know how to style their own hair but struggle with others’. When they help their roommates with their hair, they have to make them stand behind them, then reach back and pretend the hair is their own while they style it.]
[The Crown Prince is doing a great job!]
Hearing this, the Crown Prince felt immensely proud.
Of course! He styled his wife’s hair every day! He was incredibly skilled!
Just then—
“Ahem.”
The old emperor stood before them.
The Crown Prince quickly stepped aside, allowing the emperor to step forward and adjust the black scarf securing Xu Yanmiao’s topknot—an essential part of the ritual.
Next, the emperor moved to the western steps, descended a single step, and received a black silk cap from the ceremonial officials. He then returned to Xu Yanmiao’s side.
The mighty voice of the Tian Tong Emperor rang out:
“On this auspicious day of a fine month, you shall don the capping attire. Cast away the heart of a child and follow the path of virtue. May you be blessed with longevity and prosperity.”
Xu Yanmiao slightly lowered his head and solemnly replied, “I shall remember this in my heart.”
The next moment, he felt a weight settle atop his head.
The black silk cap had been placed.
The emperor returned to his seat, and once again, the Crown Prince stepped forward to fasten the cap’s ribbons.
“Xu Lang,” the Crown Prince said, suppressing a smile, “Your first capping is complete.”
For the sake of this little surprise, none of them had told Xu Yanmiao in advance that a capping ceremony consists of more than one round.
Xu Yanmiao’s pupils trembled in shock.
[W-Wait… there’s more?!]
For the second round, Xu Yanmiao changed into a black ceremonial robe, removed the black silk cap, had his hair combed again, and this time, a hairpin was inserted into his topknot. Then, he was capped with a leather coronet.
Aside from the addition of the hairpin, the other steps were exactly the same as before.
But then… there was a third round.
Xu Yanmiao’s smile was already frozen.
[My neck! My poor neck!]
[My waist! My poor old waist!]
[Aside from this brief moment of sitting, I’ve already been standing still for two hours!]
The old emperor remained composed, eyes fixed forward in perfect posture.
But the very instant Xu Yanmiao’s internal complaints echoed in his mind, a fleeting smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
The third cap was a noble coronet.
[It’s over, right? It’s finally over, right?!]
There Was Still the Libation Ceremony.
[It’s over now, right?!]
After the libation ceremony, Xu Yanmiao still had to pay respects to his mother—but since his biological mother had passed away, he would be honoring her memorial tablet instead.
[QAQ]
[Is it still not over?!]
[I’m dying here! Is no one going to save me?!]
[Help! SOS!]
The old emperor, satisfied, once again stood before Xu Yanmiao and slowly said, “Xu Yanmiao, I have chosen a courtesy name for you. Today, I bestow it upon you.”
Silence.
A bright light flashed in Xu Yanmiao’s eyes.
[After receiving my courtesy name… it’s finally over, right?!]
“Thank you, Your Majesty!”
The old emperor arched a brow but didn’t reveal the name just yet. Instead, he continued toying with him:
“After receiving your courtesy name, you must still pay respects to your elders, then greet the sovereign, high-ranking officials, and village scholars. Finally, you must host a banquet for the guests. Make sure to remember all of that.”
With every additional step he listed, it felt as if a dagger had been plunged straight into Xu Yanmiao’s soul.
[So much…]
[How does a person with a normal body temperature of 37.5°C manage to utter such cold, merciless words?! My heart feels as lifeless as a fish that’s been lying on the supermarket ice bed for ten years.]
The old emperor gazed down at Xu Yanmiao, who was still seated.
Then, he smiled.
“Yanmiao—’Yan’ represents the treetop reaching high into the clouds.”
“As for your courtesy name… I bestow upon you Yaohai. What do you think?”
Yaohai.
One meaning: the sky under a moonlit night.
Another meaning: the fabled Jade Pool of the immortals.
—— “You are a guest of the Jade Pool, a spirit that stirs all of the Nine Provinces.”
Xu Yanmiao blinked, and suddenly, the wind howled, lifting a great flurry of snow.
Through the swirling storm, the emperor’s gaze locked onto Bai Ze’s, their eyes meeting across the endless snowfall. Snowflakes crowded their vision, filling the space between them.
Xu Yanmiao’s heart pounded violently.
[Beep——]