Chapter 1226 Postscript 82·Christmas Party
At midnight, Xie Yan was woken up.
He is going to court today.
The regular court in the Ming Dynasty has been reduced to three days a month, which is held on the day after the ten-day holiday. Moreover, the number of officials attending the court is limited, and only fifty or sixty people can participate.
The consort cannot discuss politics, so he is not eligible to participate in regular court meetings!
What Xie Yan is going to attend today is the Great Court Meeting.
There are only three fixed court meetings every year, namely: New Year's Day (the first day of the first lunar month), Wushuo (the first day of the fifth lunar month), and the Winter Solstice.
But it often stops.
For example, in the more than 160 years of the Northern Song Dynasty, there should have been nearly 500 imperial gatherings, but only 50 were actually held.
There are many reasons for suspension: solar eclipse, war, national mourning, rain and snow, famine, sacrifice, emperor's illness, etc.
Xie Yan wears a seven-beam diao cicada crown on his head, a white robe on the inside, a purple robe on the outside, a purple knee-covering lower body, and various belts such as large belts and leather belts.
Even though Emperor Taizong had shortened his court uniform, it was far inferior to the wide robes and long sleeves of previous dynasties. But overall, it still seemed a bit cumbersome.
"Pay attention to your etiquette and don't make a joke." Zhu Tangxi sent her husband out of the house and repeatedly warned her uneasily.
Xie Yan smiled and said: "I have already practiced it in the Ministry of Etiquette."
It was dark and the carriage was moving slowly.
This is not a commercial area, and there is not much extra light along the way, only lanterns hanging in front of each house.
There is a regular court meeting three times in January, and the court time is very late, so there is no need to get up in the middle of the night.
Because there were so many people attending the Great Court Meeting, we had to prepare in the dark, otherwise we would have to wait in line until noon.
Xie Yan sat in the carriage and yawned all the way.
When we got off the bus outside Donghua Gate, many officials had gathered here and were queuing up to show their official badges to the imperial city guard.
Xie Yan honestly queued at the end, and the official in front of him quickly said: "Xie Yan is wearing a purple robe, so you can go straight to the front."
"Thanks for the reminder." Only then did Xie Yan realize that he still had preferential treatment.
The first time he attended the court meeting, he didn't understand anything.
I walked quickly to the front of the team, where many purple-robed officials were chatting and laughing as they walked inside.
Xie Yan quickly reached the back of the purple robe, and the red-robed officials stopped for a moment to allow him to step in.
"Thank you, your consort, are you here too?" The man in purple robe in front of him greeted him familiarly.
Xie Yan vaguely remembered that this was a military official whom he had met while hunting that day, but he really couldn't remember his name, so he handed over his hands and said, "I slept too late last night and almost couldn't get up."
The purple-robed warrior said with a smile: "Actually, it doesn't matter if it's later. You have to wait slowly when you get in. But today is Christmas, so it would be more respectful to come earlier."
In addition to the three fixed times a year, the Great Court Meeting can also be added temporarily, such as Christmas!
That is, the birthdays of the emperor and the queen mother.
Christmas also has many other names, such as: Wanshou, Tianchang, Tianxing, Advent and so on.
Today is the birthday of Queen Mother Ye, so a Christmas party has been temporarily added, and even the princes living in Luoyang have to attend.
The important ministers in the cabinet have a lot of speculations about this.
Because this is the first time Queen Mother Ye has held a court party for her birthday since the young emperor ascended the throne. What political signal is she sending?
Maybe, you just want to increase your sense of presence.
After all, Queen Mother Ye did not interfere much with the cabinet, but she had to maintain her authority, so holding a Christmas party became a cost-effective option.
However, the important ministers were still a little worried, fearing that Queen Mother Ye would gradually take over power.
Just two months ago, a clan brother of the Queen Mother Ye was transferred to Kaifeng to serve as the commander-in-chief. And an uncle of the Queen Mother Ye was promoted to the right chief minister of Hunan at the beginning of this year.
Various actions show that Queen Mother Ye is increasing the local power of her natal family.
Xie Yan gradually walked to the gate of Donghua. He showed his official badge and the guard at the gate let him through without even looking at it.
The dignitaries who often come in and out of the imperial city can just swipe their faces.
Xie Yan followed the crowd to the waiting room of Dongkuo City. There were a lot of carriages in the parking lot today.
"Master, please have some tea." A waiter brought the tea.
The waiters in Dongkuo City do not use eunuchs or maids. They are all servants who have undergone strict political review.
In other words, there are no eunuchs or maids in the imperial city area outside the inner east gate.
There are already more than a dozen people in this waiting room.
Xie Yan glanced at them and saw that they were all people he had seen but couldn't remember their names.
"Meet His Highness King Qi!"
Suddenly, the dignitaries in the waiting room stood up one after another.
Xie Yan also quickly stood up and bowed, curiously looking at the Qi King in front of him.
King Qi seemed very rude and didn't even bother to return the courtesy. He walked over and sat down in a swagger. And he didn't even sit down. He occupied the seat of two people and lay on the bench with his nostrils turned upward.
Everyone was ignored by King Qi, but they did not feel angry.
Because they all knew that King Qi did this on purpose: the more rude and disrespectful he behaved, the more at ease the Queen Mother and the Emperor would be.
This is the little emperor's uncle.
The nobles and officials also wanted to avoid suspicion. After paying homage to King Qi, they did not say much and did not even sit on the same chair as King Qi.
"puff!"
King Qi spat out a sip of tea: "This tea is not as good as the tea in my palace. I won't drink it anymore!"
Everyone is thinking: Your Highness King Qi, your acting skills are a bit too hard.
Soon three more people in purple robes came, a cabinet minister and two ministers.
They were stunned when they saw King Qi, and hurriedly came forward to greet him, then left and changed to a waiting room.
Because except for King Qi’s bench, there are no empty seats.
Then someone else came in, and it was Xia Gongchen, Xie Yan's student.
This guy is the grandson of the King of Ceylon. Since there is no other Ceylon envoy in Luoyang, today he wants to congratulate the Queen Mother Ye on behalf of the King of Ceylon.
Xia Gongchen's identity was not that sensitive. After bowing to everyone, he went to sit down with King Qi.
King Qi was arrogant and indifferent: "Just now, did you claim to be the grandson of the king of Ceylon?"
"Exactly." Xia Gongchen replied.
King Qi said: "I am the Prince of Ming Dynasty. Why don't you bow when you see me?"
Xia Gongchen said: "Bowing is prohibited in the capital."
King Qi said: "No matter how much I restrain you, I can't help you. Please bow to me quickly."
Xia Gongchen felt so aggrieved that he could only stand up and bow to King Qi.
King Qi threw a silver dollar to the ground: "Very good, let's see the reward."
Check out the correct version one by one!
Xia Gongchen picked up the silver dollar and thanked him, then sat down silently.
King Qi was then satisfied that he had finally offended the Ceylon royal family.
A man who dislikes a dog is a wise king.
Not long after, another King Zan came in.
King Zhen ignored everyone's bows and went straight to sit next to King Qi. He said with a smile: "I heard that the third brother was here, so I came in a hurry. How about we go to Lanruo Courtyard to play mahjong tonight?"
"Just the two of us?" King Qi asked.
King Zhen smiled and said: "Don't say you don't have a good friend in Lanruo Courtyard. We two men and two women will have a great time at the card table!"
King Qi sighed: "Oh, I'm getting older, and I haven't been to Lanruo Courtyard for several years."
To be continued...