Imperial Master of the Ming Dynasty

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the Lantern Festival.

In Nanjing's city square, people gathered pine and bamboo poles to build tents. The city was decorated with lanterns, and flutes and drums were noisy all night long.

Some of the children are placing flowers, some are playing on swings, and some are indulging in downtown restaurants. The place is lively.

"What a luxurious scene."

Cao Duan, a countryman, looked at everything in front of him in surprise, quite dizzying.

On the contrary, he is a theoretical "foreigner". His new colleague Hu Jiyou said familiarly: ""History of the Song Dynasty·Li Zhi" records that since the Tang Dynasty, people often open the market gates and light lanterns on the night of the first lunar month, and the Song Dynasty followed this. One day before and after the Yuan Dynasty, lanterns were put up in the city, and the main entrance of the inner gate was decorated with mountain tower shadow lanterns. A terrace was set up, and hundreds of operas were performed in the teaching hall. On the evening of the same day, the old city was opened for the people to watch, and later on the 17th and 18th nights. .On the eighth night of the Ming Dynasty, the lights are turned on, and on the seventeenth night, the lights are turned off. It seems like one night is missing, but the excitement is even worse."

Cao Duan seemed a little reserved when facing Hu Jiya, a former foreign monarch. He was afraid that he would accidentally say the wrong thing and be involved in unnecessary trouble, so he tried to keep his mouth shut when he could.

Seeing that Cao Duan didn't talk to him, Hu Jiya was not embarrassed and walked forward on his own. With the crowds of people, Cao Duan was afraid of getting lost, so he followed him step by step.

At this time, the palace was surrounded by lanterns and colorful lights, and a large number of people gathered. This was to show the new emperor's universal celebration. Hongwu and Jianwen dynasties did not allow people to watch lanterns around the palace, but Zhu Di changed the rules. People are allowed to watch lanterns at the city gate near the palace for three days, and Zhu Di will also attend in person.

Therefore, the Lantern Festival in the second year of Yongle seemed to have a particularly harmonious atmosphere.

"The Shangyuan Jia Festival is the beginning of spring in the Nineties.

New Zhengling Day is the beginning of a beautiful year.

The peach charms have been changed, and the tea ceremony is held to bid farewell to the old year.

Drinking pepper wine frequently, feasting and playing drums to celebrate the New Year.

Ten thousand bright lights, like horses and mermaids.

One day, the stars and the moon shine, and the terraces and pavilions are brilliant.

He Lang carries the burden, which means that it is getting higher every year.

Music and art show work, and I wish you happiness every year. "

The good girls from the Jiaofang Department under the Ministry of Etiquette were also responsible for performing on the stage at this time, and the song was so sweet that the sound lingered.

However, unlike the opera performances that most people are keen to watch, Hu Jishen does not have such worldly desires. What kind of beautiful woman has he not seen? And he is already this age.

Cao Duan, who was behind him, really wanted to stop and watch, but he still cared about his face, fearing that he would be recognized and it would not sound good.

In fact, no one cared about him at all in this crowded state.

Since Hu Jishao had invited new colleagues to travel with him, he still had some good eyesight, so he took a document from the official booth next to him and read it. Cao Duan turned his back to him with understanding and stopped to look at it.

Fortunately, Cao Duan was tall and thin, so the crowd could still see the performance on the stage in front.

A gentle lady is a good gentleman, so she won't be slanderous.

Moreover, Cheng and Zhu Neo-Confucianism have never opposed these things. On the contrary, they have always regarded them as elegant. In short, defenders are committed to maintaining a moral society where mistakes are costly, but practitioners who provide these services are not included in this set of in the guidelines.

While Cao Duan was watching the performance, Hu Jisha looked down at the booklet carefully.

As the first full moon night in the new year, traditional concepts consider today to be an auspicious day, and the Qin Tian Jian, indirectly guided by the Ministry of Rites, also specially printed and distributed a pamphlet to popularize the knowledge of "Starry Sky Chronicles" to the people.

To be honest, the people in Nanjing have really learned a lot this year. Don’t say whether oracle bones, scientific experiments, and starry sky records are related to daily life. You can just say whether they are new or not?

Therefore, with the increasing number of such activities, the people of Nanjing have become more and more tolerant of them and will not be surprised easily.

Hu Jishen took the pamphlet and read it carefully. He didn't understand much, but it was obviously very informative, especially the positioning of the longitude and latitude of the starry sky corresponding to the earth. According to his opinion, there should be some other profound meaning. It might be related to the Ming Dynasty. It is related to the policy of lifting the maritime ban and liberalizing maritime trade.

Next to Hu Ji Yao, there were several plain-clothed guards in uniforms who were called for protection but actually under surveillance. Hu Ji Yao didn't know what he was doing.

Hu Jishen felt that it would be good to walk around outside and appreciate the customs and customs of the Ming Dynasty.

If you were recruited into the palace at this time, whether as Annan or as Daming, you would feel very awkward, as if you were being taken for granted.

It was lively outside the palace, and it was also lively inside the palace at this time.

From the concubines to the palace maids, everyone was dressed up beautifully. They said auspicious words when they met, and their joy was almost beyond words.

The Lantern Festival in the palace mainly revolves around the huge "Aoshan" Lantern Festival.

As mentioned before, "Aoshan" is a mountain of lanterns decorated with lamps. This lantern mountain is an exaggeration. If you look up at it from a close distance, it looks like it towers into the clouds.

This colorful mountain of lanterns illuminated the surrounding environment. The invited nobles, ministers and clan members, dressed in gorgeous costumes, stayed quietly on both sides of the high platform, waiting for the entrance of the royal family and the program. start.

At this time, in the palace on the other side, Zhu Di was wearing a vermilion and bright yellow dragon robe and a small, informal crown. His face was resolute, his eyes were deep, his expression was calm and calm, and he exuded the aura of a king. style.

This year's Lantern Festival, he was in a good mood. How long had it been since Jing Nan came to feel so relaxed and happy? Zhu Di was afraid that he couldn't remember clearly.

Next to him, Queen Xu Miaoyun sat.

The person standing behind Zhu Di was none other than the third prince Zhu Gaosui. He was obviously much more mature than when he first entered Nanjing. In other words, ever since he started planning to go to Luzon to become a vassal, he had deliberately behaved in front of Zhu Di. Show this kind of gesture to relieve the country's worries.

Looking at the nobles and ministers, Zhu Di could not help but think of the military reform of the three major battalions and the inspection of the capital that would be carried out in two days.

Shaking his head, Zhu Di looked ahead, while pouring himself a drink, thinking about when he would be able to deal with all these headaches.

Just then, someone interrupted his thoughts.

"Grandpa Huang, my grandson wishes you long live!" A childish cry rang out.

It turned out that it was Zhu Zhanji who squeezed in from the crowd. He ran to Zhu Di excitedly, picked up the wine bottle and poured it into Zhu Di's hand. Yes, he poured it into his hand. It seemed that Empress Xu had deliberately ordered it.

Zhu Di looked at his grandson with a smile, but did not move. He just held the wine bottle with his thumb, and Zhu Zhanji couldn't pry it off with his two little hands.

"Ai!"

Seeing this, Zhu Zhanji turned to Queen Xu for help.

"Little guy, there's no such thing as long live your life. You will grow up in a blink of an eye, and there will be people who want to shout long live you."

Zhu Di's eyes were full of love. The Zhu family seemed to have very strange relatives across generations. Zhu Di always wanted to kick his sons, but Zhu Di was reluctant to even beat Zhu Zhanji.

The same is true for Lao Zhu.

So it was Zhu Di who was beaten at that time, and Zhu Yunwen was enjoying himself. Zhu Di hated Zhu Yunwen very much.

"Stop messing around."

Zhu Gaosui took the jug, put it on the table, and said: "My father has just recovered from the cold, and he will be tired again tonight. This jug is full of tonic wine prepared by the imperial doctor."

"Oh" Zhu Zhanji responded with a vague understanding.

He turned to Zhu Di and said: "Grandpa Huang, if you are happy, just take me to ride a horse like before. I want to go hunting!"

After hearing this, Zhu Di laughed, reached out and touched Zhu Zhanji's furry head, and asked, "Where do you want to go?"

"I want to go north." Zhu Zhanji answered without hesitation: "It's very wet and cold in the south. I want to go back to my hometown."

"Okay, we will go back this year."

Zhu Di was chatting with the younger generation, and the Lantern Festival Lantern Festival was about to start soon.

Huang Yan, the eunuch in charge of the ceremony, came forward and reported: "Your Majesty, everything has been arranged. Please come and watch the Lantern Festival Lantern Festival."

Zhu Di stood up, led the queen, concubines and children out of the palace gate, and walked westward along the wide corridor.

This corridor is straight and deep, with high walls on both sides. There are soldiers guarding every section of the way. They wear horizontal swords at their waists and are covered in armor. They look solemn and majestic.

At the end of the corridor is a gate, where the banquet is held.

The high platform faces the Aoshan Lantern Festival, and on both sides of the high platform, there are rows of wooden dining tables. These tables are arranged in a ladder shape throughout the temporarily arranged area, and the tables are covered with soft silk as cushions.

At this time, the tables were already full of people. Wen Chen and Wu Xun were clearly distinguished from each other, but there was no resentment between them.

Zhu Di led the royal family to sit down on the high platform. Because there were female relatives, the high platform was partially covered with a yellow curtain.

After the civil and military ministers and members of the clan sat down, Zhu Di looked up at Aoshan and saw the bright lights and a peaceful atmosphere. He felt very satisfied. He raised his glass and said to Huang Yan: "Give the order, let's start!"

"Here!"

Huang Yan responded immediately. He walked down the steps and waved the whisk in his hand outside.

The young supervisor below who was responsible for the dispatch shouted loudly: "Start!"

In an instant, the lights shine brightly and dazzlingly.

Not only the lights of Aoshan are changing, but there are also hundreds of large glazed lanterns rising from all directions, converging into a bright and spectacular spectacle. They fly into the air and combine together in the sky to form colorful patterns, which are dreamlike and haunting. is beautiful.

The Japanese prince Yukibu Sakura who was invited, and the eldest prince of Luzon who was studying in the Imperial College, saw this scene that they had never seen in their own country, and they were even more distracted for a moment.

"Wow—" Xue Wuying couldn't help but exclaim.

Although she had lived in relatively favorable conditions in the Southern Dynasties since she was a child, she had never seen such a colorful night scene.

The eunuchs in charge of banquets and catering in the palace led the palace maids to present the banquet dishes in a flowing manner. The palace maids looked like butterflies in flowers, and the whole process was quiet and precise.

When the food was served, the emperor did not "say a few words" until the food was cold. He gave a signal and the banquet began.

I have to say that Zhu Di is really a very straightforward person. He can cut off people's heads easily, and treat people to dinner simply. Just eat when you come and don't go through so many useless red tapes.

When the emperor invites people to dinner, it is definitely not just about eating. In ancient times, there were bells and cauldrons for dinner, and it was even better at this time.

Next to Aoshan is a beautifully styled stage. Performances have already begun on it. The palace troupe has appeared on the stage. In addition to singing, there are also singing and dancing performances. You can sing and I will perform various programs. Behind the stage, separated by a curtain The place is where the musicians perform, and the buildings next to it are designed for sound reception and amplification.

At this time, colorful fireworks bloomed in the clear night sky, and the sky was filled with mist and dazzling brilliance as the fireworks burned.

The people who were invited to the Lantern Festival banquet were enjoying the atmosphere to their fullest at this moment.

It was also the first time for Jiang Xinghuo to participate in such a banquet that was purely for relaxation and entertainment with a program. Although there were still many things on his mind, he put them down for the time being.

Again, if anything happens, let’s talk about it after today’s holiday.

However, the eldest prince of Luzon Kingdom and several princes of Ryukyu Kingdom (because there are three countries in Ryukyu Kingdom, they are all called Ryukyu Kingdom to the Ming Dynasty), at this time, they have complicated thoughts and even feel inferior.

When they first arrived, the people of the Ming Dynasty looked at them like barbarians and natives, and they felt insulted. However, as time went by, they saw that the Ming Dynasty's overwhelming land area, population, and all-round development compared to their country. Even though he was ahead, he felt that he was indeed a barbarian.

People are like this. If you have to hold on, you will often torture yourself. But once you start to mess up, many things will become easier.

Before, you dared to call me a barbarian?

Now, I am a barbarian!

What stands out is that he is confident.

As for the envoys from North Korea and the Annan-Chen Dynasty, they seemed to take it for granted at this time.

The envoys of each tribe also understood the roles they played, and had no etiquette scruples at all. They all should eat and drink.

Zhu Di made everyone happy, but he was not completely happy himself, because there were annoying flies around him, and several palace painters were painting on the spot. Sometimes they even asked him not to move, which made Zhu Di unable to let go.

But Zhu Di also knew that this was a palace tradition, and these paintings were to be used as precious historical materials and placed in the palace collection in the future.

In addition to records in history books, most of the impressions that future generations have of themselves come from these paintings.

These discomforts were only temporary. The painters quickly completed the simple tracing and composition of the scene, and the remaining structure and details could be slowly filled in.

Jiang Xinghuo also sat upright, hoping that he would not leave a bad image in this world for future generations.

At the very least, there must be the level of Han Xizai's appearance in "Han Xizai's Night Banquet", right?

Of course, if you encounter the kind of painter who deliberately blackened Lao Zhu's round face into a shoehorn face, there is really nothing you can do.

And these thoughts only flashed through Jiang Xinghuo's mind.

Next is the highlight that everyone has been preparing for a long time.

Just like the small lines of gold foil on the invitation to the Lantern Festival banquet, "Congratulations on a good harvest and a prosperous year, and praise the peace of the sea and the river." What stands out today is a peaceful country and a peaceful people, so it is not easy to perform with swords and guns. How can there be no poetry and harmony on such an occasion? ?

Now is obviously the time for civil servants to play their part.

But the embarrassing thing is that no one dares to be the first one. The reason is very simple. It is not a good job to attract others. It can easily end up making wedding clothes for others. Then you will be shown to be stupid, which is not a loss.

But the organizer of the banquet obviously thought of this, so in order to avoid embarrassment to the adults who were not good at poetry, they actually arranged for the emperor's grandson Zhu Zhanji to throw this brick.

When children compose poems, the rhythm must be neat and the words can convey the meaning. There is no requirement to be outstanding and must be mediocre, which greatly reduces the psychological burden of later generations.

"The Phoenix Calendar promulgates the new era, and Wang Zhengzhao is at this hour.

Three calls to wish the saint a long life, and may he live in spring for thousands of years. "

It's not very good, but as soon as the poem was finished, the civil servants became obviously enthusiastic.

Even Zhu Di composed a poem along with it.

"The main hall is opened at dawn, and the embroidered curtains are rolled high to see the ministers and workers. The rites and music of the country and the dynasty follow the Ming sage, and the clothes and crowns of all nations celebrate together."

Translated, it means "Today is a good day to open the door. Please invite your ministers and servants to have a meal together. Our country's court rituals and music are still the same, and the foreign chiefs are also having fun together."

Officials from the six bureaus and temples, Hanlin scholars, and everyone in the cabinet also contributed poems to entertain the mood.

But even Jie Jin, who had previously been determined to win and had to show off his face, never expected that the limelight would not be his.

Among the poems written by the ministers, "Looking at the Lantern" by Shi Quyou, the chief minister of the Zhou Dynasty who went to Beijing with the King of Zhou, is the most outstanding.

"The wind curtains are moving with pearls, and the sound of laughter can be heard from every door.

The bright moon fills the streets, the sky is like water, and I don’t know where the clouds are. "

As soon as this poem came out, it was almost undisputedly the best.

"What a 'bright moon fills the streets and the sky looks like water'!"

Jiang Xinghuo smiled and said to Yao Guangxiao beside him: "It's quite like 'when you are drunk, you don't know the sky is in the water, and the boat is full of clear dreams and the stars are overwhelming'."

At this time, someone booed and said, "Why don't the National Teachers compose a poem and enjoy it together?"

There was no provocation at all. Most people, including foreign envoys and princes, were very curious when looking at Jiang Xinghuo, who was basically out of contact with him.

They were curious about how this young, rumored to be nearly omnipotent national master would perform.

Jiang Xinghuo doesn't have stage fright either. I didn't want to show off, but you had to force me.

Among Yuanxiao poems, the Song Dynasty is the pinnacle.

Whether it is Ouyang Xiu's "The Moon on the Willow Tops, People Meet After Dusk" in "Shengchazi·Yuanxi", or Xin Qiji's "The East Wind Blossoms Thousands of Trees at Night, and the Stars Fall Like Rain" in "The Sapphire Case·Yuanxi", It can be said that it is difficult to surpass, and Jiang Xinghuo naturally cannot do it.

But today's poets are obviously not good enough.

Either they are deliberately whitewashing the peace, or they are repeating the makeup style of the Five Dynasties palace body, and the pattern is not big enough.

As we have said, the situation is unprecedentedly changing now, and the situation must be opened up.

Jiang Xinghuo pondered for a moment, then picked up a pen and wrote on the case presented to him.

"On the high platform at night, drums always meet, and wax torches and golden bottles are brilliantly red.

In the Deng City of Liedihou Wang, the moonlight shines brightly for the ladies of Jiuqu.

The jade flute plays music all over Jiangzuo, and the fire trees can block the north wind.

Only the clear light has no distance, it is the same as this night in other hometowns and hometowns. "

Someone was reading it to him word by word. When he read, "Only the clear light, no distance or distance, we can share the same night with our hometown and homeland." Even the foreign princes who had just had some complicated moods couldn't help but be stunned. got up.

Zhu Di was also stunned, and then he laughed heartily and said: "This poem by the Imperial Master is very good! All the people in the four seas are the people of the Ming Dynasty. No matter you are from the south or the north, why not spend this good night today and tonight?"

The envoys loudly said yes.

This well-written poem by Jiang Xinghuo brought the atmosphere of the entire banquet to its climax.

Everyone began to drink freely until they were all drunk before leaving the palace.

The conscientious Yang Shiqi was almost the only one who didn't drink, he recorded on paper.

"That evening, I held a banquet in the palace, put out lanterns to watch, and ordered civil and military officials to watch together. That evening, I sat in front of Aoshan Mountain. Tens of thousands of lanterns were raised together, and the light burned in the sky, shining like daylight. The emperor ordered At the banquet, hundreds of artists were presented in the teaching hall, and the officials and officials drank happily until they were drunk. When they were drunk, they left, and it was already noon."

Putting down his pen and looking at the scene in front of him, Yang Shiqi couldn't help but frowned slightly.

After today, the civil servants will start to inspect the capital, and the military ministers will also carry out military reforms in the three major battalions. However, what they planned years ago has Zhu Gaochi's tacit approval, and they don't know whether it can be realized.

Obviously, all the good times are short-lived.