Home/ I [Imperial] Am This Type of Man/ Chapter 8
Autumn was crisp and refreshing, with clear wind and beautiful sun.
On the day of the autumn hunt, the courtiers finally saw the new emperor who rarely showed his face in public.
Ji Jinrong appeared in front of everyone wearing a red robe with black stripes, riding a red pony.
Compared with his previous timid and cowardly appearance, his overly delicate face seemed to have suddenly opened up, exuding some of the heroic qualities that a man should possess. He lightly glanced over, his eyes warm and peaceful, without any fear.
What surprised the courtiers even more was that the Zhennan King, whom they denounced as a “rogue minister and traitor”, respectfully followed behind Ji Jinrong!
Under the command of the Zhennan King, the team set off for the hunting ground.
In the hunting ground in the southern suburbs, a high altar has been erected. The Zhennan King was a real “Prince Regent”, who personally escorted Ji Jinrong to the high platform.
The gentle breeze swept over Ji Jinrong’s face, causing his sleeves to bulge, making him feel cool and comfortable. After this period of training, this body has become much stronger. Ji Jinrong glanced at the Zhennan King, and felt that he was almost taller than the other party’s nose!
The Zhennan King caught Ji Jinrong’s gaze, with a slight smile in his eyes. He turned towards the prostrating courtiers under the altar, and said to Ji Jinrong, “Your Majesty, are you ready?”
Ji Jinrong nodded.
The sacrificial rites here are not too different from that of Dazhou, and the sacrificial words are also familiar to Ji Jinrong, so it wasn’t too difficult to master them.
Previously, Ji Jinrong’s body was too weak, so he ordered Wei Tingjun to mount the altar on his behalf. Wei Tingjun was reluctant at first, but later saw that Ji Jinrong really couldn’t support himself, so he presided over the sacrifice under the persuasion of everyone.
After Wei Tingjun appeared on the altar for two consecutive years, everyone understood Ji Jinrong’s thoughts. Presumably, after him, he wants everyone to support Wei Tingjun as the new ruler.
At first, it may be difficult for Wei Tingjun to accept, but with heavy responsibilities, he won’t have much time to struggle——
Ji Jinrong lowered his gaze slightly, hiding the thoughts in his eyes. It was precisely because he knew that Wei Tingjun was loyal and would never have any intentions of changing the dynasty that he handed over Dazhou to Wei Tingjun. After all, he was still taking advantage of Wei Tingjun’s sincerity towards himself. Wei Tingjun would probably have a lot of resentment, most likely because Ji Jinrong has calculated to entrust the throne to him.
Being forced to sit in that position is actually not a good thing.
When Ji Jinrong raised his eyes again, the courtiers had already prostrated themselves on the ground, shouting ‘long live’. His heart trembled slightly, and he felt that the bright sunlight was a bit piercing.
Turning his gaze to the front, he saw sacrificial vessels and offerings arranged in sequence, including cows, sheeps, chickens, ducks, grains, and sweets.
Ji Jinrong glanced at He Tai.
Seeing this, He Tai started singing beside him, which marked the beginning of the ceremony.
Ji Jinrong sang the sacrificial lyrics: “In a good year, there are millets, and there are also tall granaries!” The altar was high and spacious, but the clear voice fell into everyone’s ears. Although it was only Ji Jinrong singing alone, the drums below couldn’t suppress his voice at all. Instead, they strangely highlighted it, making all the courtiers prostrated on the ground tremble in their hearts.
Ji Jinrong paused slightly imperceptibly before continuing: “For wine and sweets, and for the sake of our ancestors, we offer a hundred sacrifices!”
This sacrificial phrase is called “Harvest Year”, which simply means “Ancestors, this year we had a very good harvest, and the grain piled up in the tall granaries was too much to count! So we prepared good wine, good food, and good sacrifices to thank you for the blessings you have bestowed upon us!”
This is the shortest of all the sacrificial phrases, and Ji Jinrong didn’t expect it to last for half an hour with the drum tune.
Ji Jinrong’s back has been soaked with sweat.
Retreating to a place where others couldn’t see, the Zhennan King lifted his hand and wiped the fine sweat from Ji Jinrong’s forehead.
Ji Jinrong looked up at him.
The Zhennan King praised: “Your Majesty did a great job.”
Perhaps it was because of the change of body, Ji Jinrong felt a bit happy after hearing the praise. The Zhennan King is much older than him, like a powerful brother.
Whether it is Ji Jinrong himself or the original owner, there was no such role as father and brother in their life. It was precisely because both of them were born in the royal family that they did not experience the so-called familial love.
This is probably the feeling of having an older brother, right? Ji Jinrong thought for a while, and silently labeled the Zhennan King as a “good brother”—well, according to seniority, should it be changed to “good uncle”? Thinking about it this way, Ji Jinrong suddenly felt that the other party had become much more friendly.
The courtiers had already dispersed, and Ji Jinrong stepped down from the altar to eat something with the Zhennan King and fill his belly.
The Zhennan King asked someone to bring up the prepared venison, and said: “This is what the people below caught during the trial hunting. Your majesty should try it to see if it suits your taste. If you like it, I will hunt a few more for Your Majesty and send them to the imperial kitchen.”
Ji Jinrong has become accustomed to the kindness of the other party. He looked at the braised venison being served and couldn’t help moving his fingers.
Wild deer are less fat and more thin, with delicate and tender flesh, and it is also a pure yang food, which warms and nourish the body.
The braised venison slices were very juicy and delicious. After taking a bite, the taste felt so smooth and delicious, with no trace of the original fishy smell.
Ji Jinrong ate very well, but his speed wasn’t slow, and he quickly finished his small plate. After eating, Ji Jinrong didn’t ask for more, he had to save his stomach for other delicious things.
The two of them ate half full and rested for half an hour before calling all the officials to commence the autumn hunting.
At this time the Tujue envoys arrived.
Ji Jinrong looked at the envoys, and saw that these people were tall, with high noses and wide eyes, and all of them looked heroic on horseback. In the past, all the countries around Dazhou were from the Central Plains, and there were very few foreigners, so Ji Jinrong found it quite fresh.
However, Ji Jinrong doesn’t have much affection for these people. The grand court of the Central Plains was led by the nose by these grassland people— the former emperor even called himself a “son” to these people, and this kind of humiliation was unbearable for Ji Jinrong!
Ji Jinrong stood calmly in place, quietly looking at the Tujue envoys.
The dark blue eyes of the Tujue envoy swept over Ji Jinrong unceremoniously, and with one hand on his chest, he spoke two or three words in Tujue language. Ji Jinrong couldn’t understand it, and looked at the Honglu Temple official beside him.
The official of Honglu Temple was sweating like a pig, and he only said: “The envoy is sending greetings to His Majesty.”
Ji Jinrong narrowed his eyes slightly. He looked at the Tujue envoy and said, “Since everyone’s here, let’s hunt together.”
The official of Honglu Temple was startled. Daqi has always governed the country with literature, so how can we compare with Tujue envoys in terms of horse riding and archery? Isn’t this inviting humiliation for ourselves?
Seeing the official of the Honglu Temple in a daze, Ji Jinrong felt dissatisfied and frowned slightly. He swept his gaze towards the other people: “You——is there anyone who can speak Tujue?”
The Honglu Temple official was taken aback and hurriedly knelt down on the ground in a daze.
Ji Jinrong didn’t like Daqi’s habit of kneeling down at every turn. His gaze swept towards the others, and he saw a young official standing tall, with an extraordinary demeanor. Looking up at the young official’s eyes again, they seemed to be moving. Ji Jinrong looked at him and said, “You come here.”
The young official was slightly surprised, but he still followed the order and stepped forward a few steps, telling the Tujue envoys what Ji Jinrong meant.
The envoy’s gaze fell on Ji Jinrong and the young official, with a hint of interest in their eyes.
He said: “It’s just what I wanted.”
The young official took another step forward and said to Ji Jinrong: “In addition to the Tujue envoys, there are also several other envoys who came to Daqi with the sea ship. Does Your Majesty want to see them?”
Ji Jinrong said, “Sure.”
The young official sent people to invite the overseas envoys. These people were somewhat different from the Turks. They were dressed in exotic clothing, some had blond hair and some had fiery red hair, which looked particularly novel.
Ji Jinrong was surprised in his heart, but didn’t show it on his face. He smiled and asked, “Can you ride a horse?”
With the help of gestures, the young official explained what Ji Jinrong meant to the overseas envoys.
Those overseas envoys nodded repeatedly and said, “Of course, of course.”
Ji Jinrong said, “Let’s go together then.”
According to tradition, Ji Jinrong should be the one who shoots the first arrow. The Zhennan King ordered someone to drive out a wild deer. Ji Jinrong rode on a red horse, following the wild deer for a while. He shot an arrow, which just happened to hit the wild deer’s throat, making all the officials feel relieved whose hearts were suspended in mid-air.
Ji Jinrong turned his horse and smiled at the crowd. At this time, some people entered the forest first to chase after their prey, and countless birds swept up from the forest tops, escaping from the deep forest together.
The Zhennan King clamped his legs, urging the good horse under his crotch to catch up with Ji Jinrong.
Only then did those officials regain their senses, spreading out to search for their prey.
The Tujue envoys and overseas envoys were a little surprised. Previously, they have all heard that the new emperor was weak and incompetent, but from this autumn hunt, it seems like that wasn’t the case. As for that ‘rogue minister and traitor’ that many people call him, he was even more loyal than an eagle or a dog. Looking at the scene, it appears as if he wanted to stay by Ji Jinrong’s side all the time— is there such a ‘rogue minister and traitor’!
What was even more unforgettable was Ji Jinrong’s arrow and smile just now.
Although the arrow was shot well, it wasn’t that spectacular. It was passable at best. But just now, when Ji Jinrong turned around his horse and smiled at the crowd, that scene was really unforgettable.
Clearly, they looked down upon the people of the Central Plains the most, but this person looks like the sun and the moon in the sky, which gave rise to a sense of admiration in their hearts.
Whether in appearance or demeanor, Ji Jinrong did not bear the slightest resemblance to the rumors.
The eyes of the leading Tujue envoy darkened slightly, and he raised his whip and said, “Let’s go and compete with that Central Plains emperor!”
The others followed closely.
Several other overseas envoys also got on their horses and entered the hunting ground, shuttling back and forth between the grassland and the mountain forests, looking for easy prey.
The entire hunting ground gradually became lively.
After only half an hour, Ji Jinrong returned to the Hunting Palace.
After all, he had only practiced for more than a month, and hitting that deer just now was just a fluke. After struggling for a long time, he didn’t hunt much prey, and his thighs were already worn out, so he simply returned to the hunting palace to rest.
Anyway, the prey hunted by the ministers will be crowned with the reputation of his own hunted prey, and there will be no shame in comparing nearly a hundred people with those few foreigners.
Not to mention that the Zhennan King was still there.
Ji Jinrong felt that it was because the Zhennan King had been following him all along that he got nothing– whenever he found a prey, the Zhennan King would immediately shoot an arrow to kill it! Just half an hour ago, this person had already mopped up nearly a hundred prey. If they stayed in the hunting ground any longer, all living things there would be killed by him!
Ji Jinrong was scolding the Zhennan King in his heart, when he suddenly saw the other party bringing out something new.
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