The Prosperous Era of Longwan

Emperor Jiajing himself also liked to watch fireworks. When he heard that his beloved concubine wanted to watch them, he naturally agreed.

Soon, several large fireworks frames were carried into the Yongshou Palace and listed on the square outside the palace. They were even placed close to the palace for the convenience of the emperor to watch.

"Your Majesty, isn't this too small?"

Huang Jin frowned when he saw the fireworks rack brought in by the chamberlain, and couldn't help but whisper to Emperor Jiajing.

"It doesn't matter."

Emperor Jiajing didn't pay any attention to Huang Jin's worries. He didn't see that the two rows of fireworks stands were facing the main hall. The fireworks they released would only fly past the door of the hall and not fly into the palace at all. What good could he do? worried.

Emperor Jiajing did not leave the palace, but asked people to open the door of the palace. He and his concubine sat in the palace to watch. When the preparations were completed, he ordered the fireworks to be set off with great interest.

In an instant, the fireworks on the fireworks stand were lit by the little chamberlain, and then they spit out colorful fireworks, illuminating the entire square of the main hall.

The fireworks racks are discharged in two rows. After the first row is lit, the second row of fireworks racks is lit immediately.

There are all kinds of fireworks arranged on this fireworks stand. In order to increase the lively atmosphere, palace fireworks are often not set off sporadically one by one. They are connected in sequence and once lit, they are kept for a long time.

After the chamberlain ignited the fuse, the first fireworks to be ejected were "Hundred Beasts Breathing Fire", "Marigold Silver Platform" and "White Peony", and then the fireworks that were launched into the air were ignited. "Grape trellis", "pearl curtain", "eternal lantern", "wasp out of the nest" and so on are set off one after another, which is dizzying.

"It's so beautiful, so beautiful."

Concubine Shang is now under the age of Double Ten, and she was more restrained when she was a palace maid, but now because of Emperor Jiajing's favor, she is no longer so restrained. When she sees the fireworks show, she dances excitedly, claps her hands non-stop, and can no longer sit still. , and soon appeared in front of the palace gate.

Now after the fireworks are launched, people sitting in the palace can no longer see the spectacular scene of fireworks soaring into the sky, so they naturally have to run out. Emperor Jiajing, despite his age, also likes to watch fireworks, so he quickly stood up out.

As the fireworks on the fireworks rack reached a climax and dozens of fireworks were sprayed out at the same time, people with sharp eyes had already noticed something was wrong.

What was discovered was naturally a few chamberlains behind the fireworks rack. The fireworks tubes on the fireworks rack were obviously slightly deviated, either aimed at the palace gate or the main hall.

This discovery instantly frightened them to death.

I don’t know whether it was the vibration when transporting the fireworks rack that caused the fireworks tube to shift or the recoil produced when the fireworks were launched. In short, the directions of the fireworks are getting more and more wrong.

In the past, this kind of fireworks would not be set off in the palace. They would find an open space to set off, and then light a few fuses that were tied together in order and then forget about it. But today, this place is full of fireworks on both sides. Palace.

The buildings of this period in China were mainly made of wood, carved and painted. They looked beautiful but were flammable. The palace had always been very taboo about water leakage.

But Lao Zhu's family also had a good reputation, and fires in the palace were common.

Seeing that something was wrong, several servants hurriedly gathered together to discuss quietly, not knowing what to do.

Emergency stop fireworks?

The burning was the emperor's order, how dare they act without it, and at this time, they didn't know how to stop.

It's easy to set off, just light the fuse, but you have to stop.

"Those two fireworks are about to hit the top of the hall."

One of the chamberlains said in a trembling voice.

"Yes, I'm afraid so"

"What to do? Who has an idea?"

Several people whispered, but no one dared to make a decision.

"Let's talk to Eunuch Feng and ask him to come up with an idea, otherwise, just in case."

I don't know who said something, but he didn't dare to continue speaking before he finished speaking. It was really taboo. If the eunuch in charge heard him say that word on weekdays, a punishment would be inevitable.

"Then go and tell him. Eunuch Feng is at the palace gate."

"I don't dare to go. Your Majesty and your Majesty are still there. How can I say anything?"

"Let's punch, whoever loses will decide."

Soon, an unlucky guy was selected. Although he was unwilling to do so, he didn't dare to refuse the decision with so many people watching, so he had to turn around and quietly lean towards a red-robed eunuch beside the palace door.

"Fuck grandpa."

This red-robed eunuch is Feng Bao, the eunuch of the Bureau of Ceremony, Bingbi. Today, Gao Zhong asked him to deliver the memorial to Yongshou Palace. After the emperor reviewed it, he summoned Concubine Shang to have fun, but he temporarily forgot to ask him to leave with the memorial.

This is a great opportunity to curry favor with the emperor. Although they are all eunuchs and eunuchs, he does not have many opportunities to actually come to Yongshou Palace. Gao Zhong comes most of the time. Feng Bao naturally cherishes this time. Chance.

When Emperor Jiajing promised Concubine Shang that she wanted to watch the fireworks, Feng Bao was naturally the first to jump in and arrange for his men to carry the fireworks stand. He was also happily watching the gorgeous fireworks in the sky.

In an era when there are more and more entertainment projects in later generations, fireworks performances can still attract a large number of spectators, which shows the Chinese people's love for fireworks.

However, by the time Wei Guangde came through, the setting off of fireworks and firecrackers among the people had been banned, and an entertainment project that had been passed down for thousands of years was ended.

Of course, the ban is not a complete ban. The government can still let it go. During major events, they often spend a lot of money to hold fireworks displays.

Feng Bao, who was watching with great interest, was disturbed. He was very unhappy and asked in a bad tone: "What's the matter?"

"Grandpa, some of the fireworks on the fireworks stand are a little crooked, look."

"Just be crooked, it won't affect viewing."

Feng Bao replied angrily.

"No, if the fireworks are going to fall on the main hall."

The chamberlain didn't dare to hide it at the moment, so he hurriedly explained and gestured to the palaces on both sides.

Feng Bao was instantly frightened to death.

Every year hundreds of houses are burned down in the capital due to fireworks. Although the losses are so huge, the people still enjoy it.

There are also many details about setting off fireworks in the palace, but this time Concubine Shang wanted to see them, and he was so focused on pleasing the emperor that he forgot about it.

If something happened because of setting off fireworks, his life would be in danger.

Feng Bao hurriedly ran to the fireworks stand and took a look. Sure enough, several fireworks were clearly sprayed in the wrong direction.

Faced with such a scene, how could Feng Bao have any good ideas.

He wanted someone to go up and straighten the crooked fireworks, but he was numb when he saw the fire behind the fireworks stand.

He had never seen such a scene before, and he was instantly panicked.

Thinking that these scoundrels dared to come to him, Feng Bao instantly became confused, but he quickly thought of a solution.

Just like several chamberlains, he had the same idea. If he didn't know how to deal with it, he would go to the boss.

Now in the Yongshou Palace, who else is above him is naturally Huang Jin, the admiral beside the emperor.

Just when he made up his mind to throw away the trouble, a firework shot out and hit the cornices of Yongshou Palace.

"Snapped."

After a sound, the fireworks were blocked and refracted by the cornices, and bounced onto the wooden beams below the cornices.

But at this time, when I took out the wooden beam, it still glowed brightly. It was obvious that the fireworks had not been extinguished due to the accidental collision.

"ah."

Feng Bao only had time to scream in shock before looking at the beam in a daze.

There was a fire in Yongshou Palace. This was the only thought left in Feng Bao's mind at this time.

Just after the fireworks that hit the beams, several more fireworks shot out one after another, either falling on the roof, or hitting the eaves and falling down as before. Some fell to the ground, but many fell to the ground. to the beam.

When Emperor Jiajing was stunned, Huang Jin was the first to come to his senses and hurriedly called the eunuchs and maids around him to protect Emperor Jiajing as he walked out of the Yongshou Palace.

They are also not allowed to walk straight across the square, because this means they may be burned by the fireworks from the fireworks tubes, and they can only go around behind the fireworks stands.

At this time, fireworks also fell on the gate pavilion of Yongshou Palace. Although they didn't know what the consequences would be, no one here dared to gamble, so they could only protect the emperor and hurried out of the palace.

The Yongshou Palace carried out the fireworks stand before, and the Imperial Guards patrolling Xiyuan saw it. Afterwards, the gorgeous fireworks were launched and attracted countless eyes.

In the dark Forbidden City and its surroundings, there is only one light.

When the beams were on fire, the sound and light of the fireworks that were still ejecting perfectly covered up the sound of people escaping from the Yongshou Palace shouting "Water escape". Only a few people near the palace heard it clearly.

When they arrived in a hurry, they saw people pouring out of Yongshou Palace like a tide. They were unable to rush in to put out the fire for a while.

By this time, they already knew what happened in the palace.

But those who were far away realized that something was wrong when they looked at half of the sky, and hurried to Yongshou Palace to check the situation.

Emperor Jiajing was protected by Huang Jin and others. At this time, there was no talk of the emperor's majesty. He ran on foot to the nearest Yuxi Palace without waiting for the emperor's ceremonial guard to arrive.

Concubine Shang behind him also knew that he was in trouble, so she followed behind him crying.

Tired of crying, although he loved Concubine Shang very much, Emperor Jiajing didn't want to keep her by his side anymore and ordered: "Send Concubine Shang back to the palace."

At this time, the fire in Yongshou Palace had spread. Even though the palace servants and the imperial guards who came from nearby helped put out the fire, the fire was still not suppressed.

After Emperor Jiajing escaped from Yongshou Palace, Feng Bao was appointed by Huang Jin as the leader here, with full authority to deal with the fire. Seeing the current situation of the fire, Feng Bao was despairing.

"You guys, hurry up and call for more guards to put out the fire."

Seeing a few waiters carrying buckets, Feng Bao rushed over and shouted loudly.

The chamberlains put down their buckets while Feng Bao scolded them, and ran out to look for someone.

There are significant differences in materials between Eastern architecture and Western architecture. Eastern architecture is mainly made of wood, while Western architecture mostly uses stone.

The ancients believed that stone was dead, while wood was the upward-growing tree, representing life.

In the Five Elements theory that became popular after the Han Dynasty, wood symbolizes vitality, with the green dragon as the symbol and the direction as east.

In ancient construction technology, rammed earth is used, and the building is called civil engineering.

The biggest fear of wooden buildings is naturally fire. Once a fire breaks out, it is difficult to control it.

Seeing that the main hall of Yongshou Palace was on fire, Feng Bao almost collapsed to the ground.

I only blame myself for being troublesome. If I take the memorandum back to the Director of Ceremonies, these things will happen there.

Not to mention, it was the fireworks stand he had people carry that caused the fire.

Although he was doing things according to orders, now that such a big thing happened, he still had to bear it on his own.

Seeing that the fire could not be controlled, Feng Bao began to look for a way to escape. After thinking about it, he could only ask Huang Jin.

Xiyuan is the old palace of Emperor Taizu Wen. During the Renyin Palace Incident, Emperor Jiajing moved here and settled down, never returning to the Forbidden City.

The fire came suddenly. After the fire started, everyone was first busy rescuing the emperor and leaving, and then they were busy putting out the fire. No one thought of anything else.

When the fire was brought under control, Yongshou Palace was almost completely burned. When the fire damage was counted, they were shocked to find that Emperor Jiajing's Chengyufu and ancestral treasures stored in Yongshou Palace were all destroyed.

The yamen of the inner court had work to do again, so Cheng Yu obeyed these and quickly arranged for people to make them and send them to Yuxi Palace for the emperor's use.

When Emperor Jiajing woke up in Yuxi Palace, it was already three o'clock in the morning. The fire last night didn't frighten him too much, so he didn't feel any discomfort after moving to the palace and fell asleep quickly.

After looking at the slightly unfamiliar palace, Emperor Jiajing felt that it was not much different from Yongshou Palace, but he was a little surprised why no one was around to wait on him.

After getting up and putting on his Taoist robe, Emperor Jiajing took a few steps to the door of the side hall and looked out through the gap.

At this time, in the main hall of Yuxi Palace, Huang Jin stood with his hands folded, and in front of him an eunuch was kneeling on the ground, still wiping tears with his hand.

"Eunuch Huang, I'm serious. I have never encountered such a thing. At that time, I only asked people to put out the fire and forgot to ask people to move things out of the palace."

That was Feng Bao's voice. Emperor Jiajing already roughly understood what was going on. The items in Yongshou Palace were burned by the fire.

Thinking of those things, Emperor Jiajing's heart still ached a little. They were all his beloved things, and then he felt a little dizzy.

"We'll talk about it after the emperor gets up. You, you, tell me what to say."

Huang Jin only said a few words and then stopped, "I'm going to see if the emperor is awake."

Having said this, Huang Jin turned around and was about to go to the side hall. At this time, Emperor Jiajing also opened the door and walked out directly.

"Your Majesty."

Huang Jin was startled by the sudden opening of the palace door, and immediately bowed when he saw Emperor Jiajing coming out of the side hall.

"What's going on in Yongshou Palace? Tell me."

While talking, Emperor Jiajing walked to the throne in the middle of the hall and sat down.

"Your Majesty, I."

Feng Bao said again what he had said to Huang Jin before with tears and snot in his nose. Yongshou Palace was burned to the ground, leaving nothing behind.

For experienced eunuchs, when a fire breaks out but has not yet taken hold, they usually organize people to rush and transport things in the house, and then put out the fire. However, when encountering Feng Bao, they only knew how to call people to put out the fire.

"Go down."

Emperor Jiajing did not treat the eunuchs as harshly as before, but just said something lightly.

No one was asked to fork him out. Feng Bao felt lucky and climbed out of the hall.

As long as the emperor didn't punish him on the spot, it meant that he was fine.

"I don't want to see this Feng Bao again. He should be sent to Prince Yu's Mansion as an errand."

Emperor Jiajing ordered Huang Jin.