Chapter 452: Chapter 253 Growing up doesn’t seem to be a good thing_3
The day after biting and losing one of the emperor’s front teeth, Zhao Yao lost another one.
Without front teeth, it really looks ugly.
The good mood from not having to study suddenly disappeared.
Zhao Yao decided to speak less until his new teeth grew in. However, the Fourth Prince, the Eighth Prince, and even the emperor particularly enjoyed teasing him to speak and laugh.
The Fifth and Ninth Prince also teasingly mocked Zhao Yao seeing his two missing front teeth.
Even He Lianfang laughed at him.
Zhao Yao had become numb to the laughing and simply decided to let it go.
Amidst Zhao Yao’s frustration, New Year’s Eve arrived.
There are many New Year traditions in the palace. Last year, Zhao Yao did not participate in the palace New Year activities because he was ill.
On New Year’s Eve, with the sky just starting to brighten, Zhao Yao was woken up by Tong Xi. After washing up, Zhao Yao followed Liang Zhaoyi to Zhonghua Palace for the sacrifices.
On a normal day, only the Empress can go to Zhonghua Palace to perform the sacrifices. The other concubines cannot go, but on New Year’s Eve, other concubines have the fortune to go to Zhonghua Palace to perform sacrifices.
The emperor led his sons and concubines to pay respects to the late emperor and empress dowager, as well as the ancestors.
After the sacrifices, the emperor took his sons to the main hall of Chengguang Hall. The ministers were already waiting in the main hall.
Every year at the New Year’s Eve lunch banquet, the emperor dines with his sons and ministers. The dinner banquet is the family feast for the imperial family.
Although there was no court session this morning, the ministers still had to report to the emperor about the events of the past year, such as last year’s harvest, last year’s population changes, last year’s land changes, and so on.
This was not Zhao Yao’s first time at the main hall of Chengguang Hall, but it was his first time "attending court." Though it technically wasn’t a court session, it felt like one.
The first "court session" felt very solemn. Although it was the same place, the feeling was different.
He felt as if something was weighing on his shoulders while standing in this line, making him feel involuntarily nervous.
Typically those who stand here for morning court have the burden of the country’s people on their shoulders. Every word spoken here concerns the people’s lives, even life and death.
Zhao Yao glanced at the ministers beside him, thinking: Among so many ministers, how many truly care about the people’s lives? Most ministers are here for their own glory.
Not every minister reported last year’s events to the emperor, only the most important ones did.
Zhao Yao listened to the ministers’ reports while curiously observing them.
Zheng Rang noticed Zhao Yao’s gaze and smiled slightly at him. Zhao Yao immediately returned a smile.
The emperor sat on the dragon throne, listening to the ministers’ reports and watching below. Seeing his youngest son winking at the ministers, he smiled inwardly and cursed, this little rascal was completely unrestrained in the main hall of Chengguang Hall.
The ministers’ reporting only ended in the afternoon, then they went to Qionglin Garden for lunch.
Before the lunch banquet started, the emperor first spoke, summarizing the past year, then praised the ministers for their performance last year, followed by criticizing them for what they didn’t accomplish well, naming several ministers for reprimand, and finally expressing expectations for the coming year.
After the emperor finished speaking, the lunch banquet officially began.
The Crown Prince was the first to stand up and toast the emperor. While toasting, he first wished the emperor good health and then wished Great Zhou prosperity.
After the Crown Prince finished toasting, it was the other princes’ turn to toast.
Once the princes finished toasting, it was the ministers’ turn.
Zhao Yao listened to the ministers’ toasts and thought with amazement: When it comes to flattery, these ministers are experts, each one praising the emperor to the heavens. The emperor must have a thick skin, not feeling embarrassed at these blunt praises.
Once the ministers finished toasting the emperor, they started to toast the princes.
The ministers who supported the Crown Prince toasted him, almost singing his praises to the heavens, calling him the most benevolent heir in the world, surpassing even the famous Prince Wen Hui of the previous dynasty.
The Crown Prince clearly didn’t have as thick a skin as the emperor, his face turning scarlet upon hearing the ministers’ flattering words.
The ministers who supported Prince Dai toasted him with even more exaggerated praise, hailing him as the greatest War God of Great Zhou, and claiming he was the reincarnation of the heavenly War God.