In the blink of an eye, the first year of Hongzhi was about to pass. A lot of things happened in this year, and Zhu Youtang gradually took control of the government. As Xie moved into the cabinet to assist the government, the strength of the faction headed by Xu Pu gradually grew. And Liu Dang Because Wu Zhun, Zhang Peng, Wei Zhang and others fell successively, their vitality was severely damaged, and they also restrained themselves a lot in the approaching days of the new year.

Because the Chinese New Year was coming soon, He Ding, the eunuch who had been inspecting Beizhili before, returned to the palace early. With Huai En, the eunuch in charge of the rites, lying ill in bed, as soon as He Ding came back, the entire inner court The eunuchs are much more honest, Li Guang, the eunuch who knows everything, and Yan Hai, the head of Qianqing Palace, have to stay back a little.

In the evening, the usually quiet capital, with Zhu Youtang's permission, completely opened the night market. Every household was decorated with lights and colorful decorations, and many vendors and clerks came out to set up stalls. People came and went on the streets, saying hello and blessing each other. , so lively.

In the Xinuan Pavilion of the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Youtang learned that He Ding had asked him to stay overnight in the Xinuan Pavilion when he returned to the palace. How many eunuchs would be envious of this decree?

"He Ding, I found that you seem to be a little fatter these days in the folk than before you left. It seems that the folk food is good!" Zhu Youtang ordered the palace maid, and the eunuch set a table for dinner in the Nuan Pavilion. Zhu Youtang went first. He took his seat and said with a smile.

"Thanks to the great blessing of the Emperor, the people in the Zhili area live and work in peace and contentment, have good harvests every year, and live a good life." He Ding did not dare to sit down and only said embarrassedly beside him.

"Hahaha, He Ding, why don't you sit down? This table of wine and food was specially prepared for you by the food and wine supervisor." Zhu Youtang has traveled through time, and He Ding is the first person to have a heart-to-heart relationship with him, so he subconsciously I would rather treat him as a friend.

"I don't dare, this slave. It's better for the emperor to have his meal. I'm very satisfied just watching from the side." Seeing Zhu Youtang's sudden enthusiasm, He Ding felt a little unaccustomed to it. He chuckled and stood there uncontrollably. move.

Zhu Youtang put down his bowl and chopsticks and pretended to be angry: "Do you dare not listen to what I say? Just sit down when I ask you to."

"I don't dare, I don't dare." Seeing that he couldn't refuse, He Ding had to sit down carefully, but he only got half a spank on the chair."

After drinking for three rounds, Zhu Youtang stopped his chopsticks and suddenly asked: "He Ding, in the memorial, you said you had some news to tell me, but it was inconvenient to say in the memorial. I know you are inconvenient to talk during the day, can you tell me now? ?”

He Ding thought for a while, paused, and said: "Back to the emperor, according to the emperor's order, the slaves went out to inspect the Zhili Imperial Village and the people's farmland. They were filled with emotions along the way. Although the people in the Zhili area have fertile land, every family Rich, but some places have to pay tribute to King Xiangyuan. According to the slaves’ understanding, if they don’t pay tribute to King Xiangyuan, they will not be able to plant fields in the coming year. Officials in the Zhili area are helpless and King Xiangyuan dare not report to the court. If this matter were not If I go on patrol and find out, I'm afraid no one will know about it in this lifetime."

"King Xiangyuan...Zhu Youtang kept repeating this name. Although King Xiangyuan was deposed during the Chenghua period, Emperor Hongzhi had a gentle personality and restored him to his original position after he ascended the throne. However, these are things that he has not traveled through time. .

Zhu Shi, the king of Xiangyuan, was the first king of Xiangyuan in the Ming Dynasty. Zhu Xunzhen was born in the eighth year of Yongle, the fifth son of Jian Wang Zhu Gui. In October of the twenty-second year of Yongle, he was named the king of Xiangyuan. In August of the fourth year of Xuande, the daughter of Xiao Zong, the daughter of Shuozhou Wei Qianhu, was She was registered as Princess Xiangyuan. Zhu Shi was the eldest son of Zhu Xunsu and Xiao.

Zhu Shi was uneducated and did many ridiculous things when he was young. Unexpectedly, it was not honest to restore his title now. The Ming Dynasty's royal title system was hereditary. The eldest son of a prince or the eldest son of a county prince could inherit his father's title.

Prince, the title of county king. Princes and other sons of the county king can also be awarded titles in descending order. For example, the second son of the prince will be awarded the title of county king, and the second son of the county prince will be awarded the title of general of the country. So to Hongzhi

During the years, the prince had more than 100,000 people.

In the Ming Dynasty, not only did the princes receive generous treatment and were not subject to legal restrictions, but they were also able to run around and seize the most fertile land on the fiefdom as their own, "taking the most fertile fields in the prefectures and counties." Later, the princes on the fiefdom were able to

After the land was enclosed, he went to another place to enclosure the land. It is not that Zhu Youtang did not know these things in future generations. If he wanted to revive the Ming Dynasty, these "fat pigs" had to be dealt with.

Zhu Youtang's face became increasingly gloomy as he listened to He Ding's report. He Ding knew that he was about to have an attack and was too frightened to say any more.

"Continue talking." Zhu Youtang said in a deep voice.

He Ding had no choice but to continue talking, and when he got to the point where the Prince of Xiangyuan said that no one in the world could deal with them, Zhu Youtang punched the table with a "bang", and Huo Di stood up and reached out to touch the memorial on the dragon table next to him.

, but he inserted his hand into the cinnabar inkstone and kicked it angrily. He only heard a "crash" noise, and all the food that was a sumptuous delicacy just now fell to the ground. Zhu Youtang's face turned purple with excitement, and he shouted: "Prince Xiangyuan"

How dare you bully me like this!"

The guards and Yan Hai who were guarding outside, Su Yin ran in quickly and didn't know what happened, and saw He Dingcheng lying on the ground in fear.

"Your Majesty, please put aside your thunderous wrath!" Su Yin stepped forward and comforted her softly.

Zhu Youtang took a deep breath, gritted his teeth and said: "Let them dance for a while, and after this new year is over, I will definitely take care of them!" After saying that, he walked away.

…

In front of each palace gate, He Ding was directing the young eunuchs from the Twelve Prisons and Sixth Bureau, while the palace maids came and went to make arrangements.

In front of the Kunning Palace, there were several new eunuchs and maids lazing around in the corner, whispering.

"Hey~ I haven't seen Grandpa Huang coming to your place in the past few days."

"Be careful, we will all lose our heads if we hear this. Don't you know, the emperor is pregnant, so the number of visits to Kunning Palace will naturally decrease."

The decoration in front of the Kunning Palace was in charge of Jiang Yue, the head of Kunning Palace. Jiang Yue was the little palace maid who broke in without notifying her in advance. Later, when Empress Zhang heard Zhu Youtang praise her for her intelligence and intelligence, she specially promoted her to Kun.

The head of Ning Palace. Jiang Yue was originally a young maid who had just entered the palace. She was suddenly favored by the queen and was promoted several levels. This made the other maids envious.

At this time, Jiang Yue was patrolling in front of the Kunning Palace. On such a major festival as Zhengdan, there couldn't be any mistakes. Jiang Yue turned around and saw a few young eunuchs and palace maids who were chatting away.

"What are you doing, you're done?"

Several young eunuchs and palace maids saw Jiang Yue and didn't take it seriously at all. In terms of seniority, she entered the palace several years earlier than Jiang Yue. She just got lucky. What's the big deal?

Jiang Yue saw that these people in front of him didn't take her seriously at all. She was angry and scolded: "Didn't you hear what I said? Go to work quickly!"

One of the palace maids said angrily: "Oh, sister, you're in trouble now, have you made things difficult for your sisters, haven't you?"

"Another palace maid also laughed sarcastically and said: "She was able to advance several levels in a row because the emperor praised her to the empress last time. Hey, being young is good! Having a beautiful face can charm men!"

"Charming which man?"

Several palace maids suddenly felt a cold wind blowing behind them. They shivered and quickly turned around. When they saw the visitor, they were so frightened that they stammered: "See... see... empress."

When Jiang Yue saw that it was Empress Zhang who had arrived, she said happily: "I have met your empress."

Empress Zhang had an indifferent look on her face, staring at the trembling palace maid kneeling on the ground in front of her, and said coldly: "Why, you didn't reply after hearing what I said?"

The palace maid who just said the wrong thing was so frightened that she just kept kowtowing. There was only one man in the harem, Zhu Youtang. These words she said were charming to men, could she not make Empress Zhang angry?

Jiang Yue, who was on the side, had a kind nature, and quickly interceded for these maids: "Mom, calm down, you are still pregnant with your little master. Since it is their first offense, please spare them."

Empress Zhang's face was still gloomy and she said coldly: "Your Majesty once said that laws cannot be violated! Pull them down and slap them on the mouth, so that they will remember it for a long time."

…

After offering sacrifices to the stove on the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month, the palace began to prepare for the New Year. In the past few days, the palace family members and eunuchs began to wear gourd jingbuzi and python robes. Everyone began to prepare steamed snacks and store pork for the next ten days.

A few dozen days left.

Starting from the 24th of the twelfth lunar month, fireworks are set off every day in the palace in front of the Qianqing Palace. When Zhu Youtang specially ordered the fireworks to be set off, everyone could stop what they were doing and stop to watch.

Beginning on the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month, the palace became even busier. “Peach charms, boards, general charcoal, and door gods began to be planted next to the door.”

Prayer wheels, or braiding yellow coins like dragons", "Putting sesame straw on the eaves and burning cypress firewood in the courtyard, which is called Sui". Early that morning, Zhu Youtang issued an edict, ordering his relatives to go to various imperial tombs in Changping to offer sacrifices.

.

Zhu Youtang, on the other hand, held a grand "Xu sacrifice" ceremony in the Taimiao Temple and the Shimiao Temple. The so-called "Zuji sacrifice" was to enshrine the tablets of the ancestors of the Ming Dynasty in the Taimiao Temple and hold a joint sacrifice.

It is worth mentioning that in the past few days in the New Year Palace, there are sumptuous delicacies every day, such as tea and snacks like raw florets, five kinds of fruits, and five kinds of roasted chicken. There are also chicken bones with double sticks, large silver ingots, large oil cakes, and wine.

Five general.

There are four kinds of dishes and three kinds of soup. There are two large steamed buns in the cluster, rice with horse, pig, beef and mutton gizzard meat, and three minutes of wine. The general accompanying him has wine, fine powder soup, pepper and vinegar pork with head and hoof, two steamed buns in the cluster, and pork rice.

, a minute of wine.

In addition to the above-mentioned food, the Golden Spear Soldier and Xiangnu Xiaowei also had double steamed buns, and the Jiaofang Sileren also had wine, braised beef, double steamed buns, fine powder soup, and a minute of wine.

On the big day, there were naturally fewer trivial matters in the palace. Zhu Youtang could also take a good two days off and spend more time with the pregnant Queen Zhang in Kunning Palace during the day. In the evening, he went to Su Yin's residence and favored Su.

Yin.

During the dinner, the Etiquette Department specially choreographed several dances, including the famous Baixi Lotus Basin Dance.

Early the next morning, everyone in the palace began to get up early, burn incense and set off fireworks, while Zhu Youtang was sleeping soundly with Su Yin in his arms.

Su Yin carefully pulled out her arm from Zhu Youtang's arms, pushed Zhu Youtang and said softly: "Your Majesty, it's time to wake up. Aren't you going to make dumplings today?"

Since ancient times, making dumplings has been a matter for palace maids and eunuchs. When Zhu Youtang proposed to come to Shangshan Supervisor to make dumplings, the eunuch who was in charge of Shangshan Supervisor did not dare to be careless, so he ordered his subordinates to clean the house and prepare it one day in advance.

Good tool.

When Zhu Youtang brought Su Yin to Shangshanjian to help make dumplings, there were more than a dozen young eunuchs standing beside him. They were all breaking out in cold sweat, for fear that the emperor would cut his hand or burn him.

I'm afraid my head will fall to the ground.

But Li Guang asked with a smile: "Your Majesty, why don't you publish this matter in the Beijing News and let the people all over the world know that your Majesty is so kind and considerate of the people's sentiments that he personally makes dumplings to eat!"

Zhu Youtang listened happily to Li Guang patting the dragon's fart, and said casually: "When Dong Guangyuan comes in a few years, I will do as you say."
Chapter completed!