The little episode that occurred on the way didn't affect Xiao Tianchi in the slightest.
After arriving at the Altar of Heaven Sacrifice, everything proceeded in an orderly manner according to the original plan.
Xiao Tianchi ascended the high platform. He paid three prostrations and nine kowtows to the sky, read the memorial to heaven, offered incense, and then announced to the sky that he had received the mandate of heaven and become the master of this land. He changed the name of the country to Guiyuan.
After that, Xiao Tianchi bestowed titles on many ministers on the Altar of Heaven Sacrifice.
The military commissioners of Lingyang, Hexi, and Luozhou were all made marquises. Other people who had followed him to capture the capital and seize the throne and had made contributions were made earls or generals.
Doctor Wang was just a doctor. Apart from being a third - rank medical official, he had no other titles. But he was highly skilled in medicine. Even without a noble title, others didn't dare to look down on him.
Apart from conferring official positions and titles, Xiao Tianchi also issued a series of decrees. He reduced the taxes in various places, exempted the common people from corvée for five years, and granted amnesty to the whole country.
This meant that except for death - row inmates who couldn't be pardoned, all prisoners could be spared five years in prison. Some who had been imprisoned due to unjust cases could be directly released.
All these would be implemented in each state and prefecture along with the government orders, so that the common people would all know.
The Heaven - Sacrificing Ceremony was successfully completed, and Xiao Tianchi's enthronement had become a fact.
Perhaps those behind the scenes never expected that Xiao Tianchi would reach the Altar of Heaven Sacrifice so smoothly. Therefore, no one interfered with the Heaven - Sacrificing Ceremony, and it was successfully completed.
On the way back, no one blocked them either, and they smoothly returned to the palace.
The ministers didn't disperse. In the Taiji Hall, Xiao Tianchi sat high on the dragon throne. Below, the ministers gathered and were discussing today's accident.
"Such a big thing happened in Cangzhou, but no one in the capital knew about it. The military commissioner of Cangzhou might be rebelling," the military commissioner of Lingyang said to Xiao Tianchi with a solemn look on his face.
The military commissioner of Hexi also said, "Yes! I took a close look at that man today. He said he had survived the great flood in Cangzhou and came to the capital to seek refuge with his relatives. But I noticed that his temples were bulging, his limbs were strong, and his eyes were full of energy. He was clearly a martial artist, not an ordinary commoner."
"This must be the work of the deposed emperor!"
Xiao Tianchi raised his hand, and the noisy crowd immediately fell silent.
"I received the news about Cangzhou last night. Xu Qian, come and tell the lords your experiences."
A man walked in from outside the door and stood still in front of everyone. It was Xu Qian who had just returned after traveling day and night.
"My lords, this is what happened in Cangzhou..."
Doctor Wang had been restless since he heard that there was a great flood in Cangzhou. Now, learning that Dongli Town had been reduced to a vast expanse of water, he was so anxious that he could hardly stand still.
Dongli Town...
Wasn't his good disciple doomed?
After learning about the current situation in Cangzhou from Xu Qian's mouth, everyone present fell silent, with sad and reluctant expressions on their faces.
Even though they had followed Xiao Tianchi to rebel against the previous dynasty, it didn't mean they were happy to see the common people suffer.
"So, Your Majesty received the news about the great flood in Cangzhou last night? And you've already thought of a countermeasure?"
Qiu Qi, the military commissioner of Luozhou, asked.
Xiao Tianchi nodded. "Last night, Commander Xu came to see me and told me about Cangzhou. Then I went to the Astronomical Observatory."
Then Xiao Tianchi summoned the director of the Astronomical Observatory to pay homage.
"Last night, after I received Your Majesty's message, I immediately took it to heart. I specially arranged people along the route Your Majesty would take to the Altar of Heaven Sacrifice. Sure enough..."
The director presented the yellowing talismans in his hand, with an extremely solemn expression on his face.
"Sure enough, we found these things in several civilian houses."
Seeing those yellow talismans, Jing Yuanhai, the military commissioner of Hexi, frowned and said, "Do you mean that the rain during today's Heaven - Sacrificing Ceremony was all caused by these things?"
The others gasped in surprise.
"How is this possible? It's too incredible that just a few yellow talismans can make it rain!"
"Yes, such a thing is truly unheard of!"
There were both civil and military officials standing in the hall. The military officials had a heavy killing aura and never believed in the supernatural. Some of the civil officials often went to temples and Taoist temples to burn incense and pray for blessings, but they had never heard of such a shocking thing.
If it were possible to make it rain with yellow talismans, wouldn't it be possible to manipulate the weather at will? And the common people wouldn't have to suffer from drought.
If there really were such a capable person who could control the wind and rain, could they... could they still compete with him?
As if seeing what everyone was thinking, Xiao Tianchi said meaningfully, "Everything has a price, not to mention going against the will of heaven."
"Anyway, I still stand by my words," Jing Yuanhai, the military commissioner of Hexi, said with a solemn face.
"The Jinning Canal has been built for more than sixty years. Why did it collapse at this very moment? What happened in Cangzhou is definitely not a natural disaster, but a man - made disaster!"
"I agree with what Lord Jing said," Wen Gu, the military commissioner of Lingyang, said.
"Someone wanted to frame Your Majesty today through this incident. Although we've seen through their plot and made the common people in the capital fully believe in Your Majesty, if they spread these rumors to every state and prefecture and no one defends Your Majesty, the implementation of government orders will surely be blocked, and the situation will surely be unfavorable to Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty, we should make preparations to deal with this as soon as possible!"
Xiao Tianchi slowly raised his eyes and said, "People can say whatever they want. It's their freedom. Instead of trying to stop their mouths, it's better to do something more practical to make them truly believe in us."
"Qiu Qi, immediately count the soldiers in Luozhou. After the relief supplies are ready, escort Liang Cai to Cangzhou. Tell the soldiers that after arriving in Cangzhou, they must ensure that every affected commoner receives the relief grain. In addition, they should also help the common people build houses and clean up the silt so that they can settle down as soon as possible."
Xiao Tianchi's eyes turned cold. "If anyone causes chaos on this occasion, I allow you to execute them on the spot without mercy."
Saying that, he threw a token into Qiu Qi's hand. Qiu Qi tightened his grip on the token and immediately said, "I obey the order!"
Then Xiao Tianchi gave a few more orders. One was to keep an eye on the major teahouses and taverns in the capital. If anyone was found spreading rumors unfavorable to Xiao Tianchi or Shen Lingyun, they didn't need to be bothered for the time being. Instead, find out where those people were hiding and then eliminate them one by one.
The second was to set up several donation points in the city for silver, silk, and grain, and encourage the common people in the capital to do something for the affected people in Cangzhou. It didn't matter how much money or how valuable the items were. The most important thing was the intention, so that the suffering people in Cangzhou would know that there were still people in the capital who cared about them and that they weren't fighting against heaven alone.
It was almost afternoon when the ministers dispersed.
Xiao Tianchi had been busy since dawn and hadn't even had time to drink a mouthful of water, let alone eat. When he left the Taiji Hall, the tiredness was clearly written on his face.
By the time he returned to the Zichen Palace, his forehead had already started to burn with a high fever!