Chapter Twenty: Moonlit Night Ceremony—The Enchanting Silhouettes Stir Luodu
“Your Majesty, you called for me?”
Li Chen sat on the steps of Dangyang Palace, watching He Shen bow respectfully before him.
“The Day after tomorrow is the Moon Worship Festival. I have a task for you.”
He Shen looked slightly surprised.
“Your Majesty, isn’t the organization of the Moon Worship Festival already entrusted to Lord Bai? As for me…”
“Just tell me if you can handle it or not.”
Lowering his head, a flash of determination appeared in He Shen’s eyes.
“Yes, I can!”
“Good. The stage construction no longer concerns you—I’ve assigned that to Da Ji. Now, you have three tasks from me.”
“First, take the men you recruited from the Eastern Depot and collect money from every household in Luo Capital. The pretext is to raise funds for the Moon Worship Festival.”
He Shen was momentarily stunned.
“Your Majesty, didn’t the Ministry of Revenue just…”
“Don’t concern yourself with that. Do as I say.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Li Chen nodded.
“Second, find Zhao Kuo. The Embroidered Uniform Guard will temporarily follow your orders. Notify all the vassal princes; they must attend the Moon Worship celebration I’m hosting.”
Upon hearing this, He Shen’s expression grew uneasy.
“Y-Your Majesty, there are only two days left, and the princes are scattered far and wide. Even if I find the fastest horses, I doubt I can notify them all in time.”
Li Chen smiled.
“How stubborn you are. I’ve already informed the princes, but some cannot travel due to local affairs or age. In such cases, you’ll notify their family members to attend on their behalf.”
He Shen suddenly understood.
“Understood, Your Majesty. I will complete this task without fail!”
Li Chen chuckled.
“Don’t agree so quickly. I still have a third task to give you.”
...
“What!? Your Majesty wants to…”
Hearing Li Chen’s quiet words, He Shen’s face turned pale with shock.
“Afraid now?”
Seeing Li Chen’s expectant gaze, He Shen took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and spoke resolutely.
“Thanks to Your Majesty’s grace, I was spared from prison. My life belongs to you, so there’s nothing to fear.”
“Rest assured, Your Majesty. Even if I risk everything, I will fulfill your orders!”
...
As soon as He Shen left, Li Chen summoned Wan’er over.
“So, have all the black stockings I ordered been prepared?”
“All are ready, Your Majesty. Should I bring them here?”
Li Chen shook his head.
“No need. Have the maidservants distribute them to the ministers individually. Tell them that on the festival day, they must wear these for me!”
Imagining the Moon Worship Festival with all court officials clad in black stockings, Li Chen smiled to himself.
Such a flagrant subversion of customs would surely provoke the people's discontent.
With these plans in place, haha, the entire population of Luo Capital would probably curse me as a foolish ruler.
After all this, gaining at least a thousand points of ‘foolish ruler’ reputation should be easy.
...
Luo Capital, Sheng Tian Square—crowds thronged the vast plaza.
The annual Moon Worship Festival was upon them.
Night draped the sky in deep blue, dotted with stars. Families arrived early, filling the square.
Everyone wore festive attire, their faces glowing with anticipation and excitement.
Yet this year’s celebration felt vastly different from previous ones, permeated by an indescribable freshness and mystery.
As darkness deepened—
Boom!
Lights around the square gradually illuminated, dazzling like stars fallen to earth, brightening the entire plaza as if it were broad daylight.
More astonishing was the stage design, defying all expectations.
A colossal, colorful light screen stood at the center, shifting through mesmerizing hues in a magical dance.
On either side of the stage rose towering pillars, supporting a stone road unlike any the people had ever seen.
Bathed in light, it appeared to descend from the heavens themselves.
The crowd’s eyes widened, eager to drink in every marvel.
“Wow, is this the Moon Worship celebration? No wonder so many craftsmen were involved—I’ve never seen anything like this in my life.”
“What kind of artisans can create such a scene? Only in our Great Zhou could this be witnessed.”
“Nonsense, it’s not because we’re in Great Zhou. It’s because we have a new emperor now.”
As the people murmured, an even more astonishing spectacle was yet to come.
...
With the blare of trumpets, all eyes turned to the stage.
Civil and military officials, adorned in splendid robes, walked slowly down the red carpet into the square.
When they fully appeared before the crowd, a heavy silence fell.
Then, a burst of stunned gasps and murmurs rippled through the masses.
These usually solemn and dignified officials were all wearing sheer black stockings!
This sudden visual shock left everyone dumbfounded.
Even the most experienced elders found it hard to believe.
They whispered among themselves, wondering if this was some special decree from the Emperor or a profound ritual.
Some blushed, privately commenting on the peculiarity of the black stockings.
Just as the crowd immersed themselves in this novelty, a sudden realization struck them.
Where was the Emperor?
Not only the citizens but even the ministers did not know the Emperor’s whereabouts.
Typically, the Emperor would arrive first, leading all officials at the start of the festival.
Ouyang Yu anxiously scanned the area, preparing to dispatch someone to find His Majesty.
Suddenly, a deafening roar shattered the quiet.
All heads lifted toward the source.
Atop the towering pillar, the long, dreamlike bridge-like passageway shimmered.
At its pitch-black end, two dazzling white beams of light appeared, seeming like a divine miracle in the eyes of the people.
The roar intensified.
A gleaming metallic box—a Maybach, one of Li Chen’s new system rewards—slowly rolled toward the stage.
Inside, Li Chen sat composed at the wheel, while beside him sat Wan’er, dressed in delicate veils and wearing the same sheer black stockings as the officials, exuding a captivating charm.
As the Maybach gently ascended the stage, its headlights pierced the night like swords, propelling the celebration to its climax.
When the car came to a steady halt, Li Chen gracefully stepped out.
In that instant, the entire plaza seemed to freeze.
The crowd held their breath, even the officials wore expressions of disbelief.
No one had ever seen such a walking metallic box, let alone one that could glow.
What was even more astounding—
No one expected their Emperor to appear before them in such an unprecedented manner...