On this birthday of the saint, he would have to share the fun with the people. The fireworks and firecrackers that need to be set off must be placed in various places in Chang'an City in advance and guarded by a dedicated person to avoid the tragedy of fire.
Yesterday, there was a living example - there was a warehouse for setting fireworks in Jiahuifang, south of the West City. Old Zhang, who was in charge of the warehouse, was drunk and his son came to deliver food to him. It was dark and Old Zhang was drunk in the pile of fireworks. His son only heard snoring, but could not see anyone. He had to light a candle and search for it, and then the fire broke out. The father and son were burned to death inside, leaving behind an 80-year-old mother and a child who was just under a month old in his family.
With the lessons learned from the previous car, General Chen Xuanli issued a direct order that three days before and after the birthday party, all soldiers were not allowed to drink, whether on duty or at home, nor were they allowed to visit them.
Because of one birthday, the entire Chang'an City, to be precise, the entire Tang Dynasty was busy, and countless foreign officials came to Beijing to celebrate their birthdays. Of course, the saints definitely did not allow them to come, but they were not really congratulating the saints. They just used this reason to express their loyalty to a powerful prime minister.
The greed and pride on their faces were all seen in the eyes of Fei Qing, the general of the Zuo Qianniu Guard.
On Zhuque Street, Fei Qing was wearing iron armor and was proud. He was responsible for leading the Zuo Qianniu Guard to command the road from Guangfufang to Jingshanfang. This is the middle section of Zhuque Street and the saints' trip to the climax. At that time, there will be a million people congested at the intersections between Guangfufang and Jingshanfang, with branches, roofs and walls. He admires the holy appearance and long live the mountain.
This section of the road is the most critical part of the saint's trip. If it is done well, Fei Qing will have a bright future. If it is not done well, it will be difficult for him to move forward in the officialdom.
This was something he used his connections from his ancestors and parents for more than ten years and fought for his life to fight for King Yong Li Lin. We must not be careless!
Fei Qing was busy with this, but after a few days of not closing his eyes, he was only one last step away—
Float!
Next to Zhuque Street, more than a dozen houses on the south side of Jingshanfang were all pushed down and turned into open spaces. Black curtains were temporarily raised around them. Five hundred soldiers patrolled day and night, forming a simple military camp.
Inside are the best craftsmen, carpenters and institution masters of the Tang Dynasty. They cut off trees on a hill outside the Tang Dynasty, selected the best wood, and built the two tallest floats in history.
Fei Qing was a big and rough man. When he went to see it, he only saw a wooden pole on the ground. There were no rumors that there were 20 feet tall floats.
However, those skilled craftsmen said proudly that in order to keep confidentiality and color and decoration, there has been no assembly. As soon as the saint's birthday arrives and the dragon chariot appears, they will assemble the floats as quickly as possible. Under the night sky where fireworks are blooming, the red floats with "Life with the Sky" and "Unparalleled Tang Dynasty" will attract the attention of the whole world.
Fei Qing didn't care about that, as long as the float was assembled on time, there was no trouble.
The float carries the latest fireworks developed by Jianzaofang, which uses the strongest and most powerful gunpowder. When the officials of Jianzaofang handed over to Fei Qing, they specifically reminded them to be carefully placed. Once they exploded, their power would be enough to destroy half of Chang'an City.
This is also the place where Fei Qing is most worried, so he comes here to inspect every day, striving to ensure the safety of these gunpowder grandpas.
Three days later, the saint's birthday was about to end, and all the tasks of the birthday party were almost over. On the side of the float, there was only the only way to assemble gunpowder on the base of the float and color it.
This is the time when gunpowder is most likely to make mistakes. Fei Qing came here early and focused on the actions of the craftsmen.
A craftsman was a little furious when he was staring at him, and couldn't help but turn his head and say:
"My General Fei, can you stop staring at us like this? We are not thieves."
"I am afraid that you will make mistakes." Fei Qing said, "Old Liu, if something goes wrong, half of Chang'an City will be buried with us."
"Don't scare me with these words. I don't know this thing, it's not as mysterious as the Jianzaofang said." Old Liu, a craftsman, said carelessly, "My apprentice can pretend to be this thing."
Fei Qing frowned, and then he realized that there was a thin boy next to Lao Liu, with his hair yellow and jumping up and down the float, like a monkey.
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"He is your apprentice?"
"yes."
Fei Qing said unhappy: "What are he doing here! Without the government's permission, no one can come here without permission! Your apprentice can't do it either!"
Old Liu hugged his hands and said, "General Fei, Qian Dahai fell off the shelf a few days ago and is still lying on the bed. I have no deputy, and I can't do it if I should do it. And look, the base of this float is well installed, the space inside is so small, we are all wide and fat, who can get in and put gunpowder in? You can't remove these! Only this child can get in, we can't do this without him."
As soon as this statement was spoken, the other craftsmen also agreed.
Fei Qing thought about it carefully and it made sense. This was their craftsman's job, and he was a layman, so he was really not easy to interfere.
"This matter will not be an example! Lao Liu, I will leave the shift later and take your apprentice to register."
"Okay, General Fe." Old Liu smiled happily.
At this moment, the thin young man with yellow hair climbed off the shelf, turned around and picked up a gunpowder package, and was about to climb up again.
In just a moment, Fei Qing and him looked at each other and were shocked.
"Khitans?"
The boy's body trembled violently, his face looked frightened, and he hid behind Lao Liu.
"Hey, you're scared, you scared the child."
Old Liu stroked his apprentice's hair and said, "It's a mixed-race. His father is a Khitan, and his mother is a Tang Dynasty man who was captured. He died after giving birth to him. This child ran from the Khitan back to the Tang Dynasty. He was hoarse on the way and could not speak."
Fei Qing stared at the boy with a serious face. The boy didn't dare to look at him at all, but just held the corner of his master Lao Liu's clothes tightly.
"How long have you taken him?"
"It's been five years. This child is also smart and has learned a lot of skills. General Fei, don't look down on him. Although his father is a Khitan wolf cub, his mother is our Tang Dynasty woman. The Tang Dynasty is his mother's family. It doesn't matter if the child is bullied outside. If his family bullies her, it's impossible to say it?"
Fei Qing was silent for a while and said slowly: "Work quickly, and the wages you should have been deducted."
Old Liu let out a long sigh, smiled and pulled his apprentice out of behind him, kicking him in the ass:
"I haven't heard the general say it. The money for the night's wine is pointed at you. Don't be lazy!"
A car of new gunpowder was pushed over, and the boy ran over and took something out of the car. It was open and no one thought there was anything wrong.
Master Lao Liu noticed it and thought to himself that this kid had just taken the gunpowder, but why did he take it again before he was ready? Just as he was about to ask, he saw his apprentice climbing up the shelf as a monkey, and in a blink of an eye he got into the float and disappeared.
...
April 10th, night.
A group of men with strange faces moved into an inn along Zhuque Street led by a dwarf.
April 11, Tongjifang.
There are many strange tricks and tricks in the Western Regions, and the saints and many noble people in the palace also like to watch them. On this day, five Western Region sorcerers were taken away by the imperial guards and sent into the palace.
On the same day, many sects in Chang'an City also took action strangely, not to celebrate the Saint's Birthday, but to look for their heads.
Fifteen sects and fifteen leaders disappeared strangely. In normal times, this is not a trivial matter, but now it can only be submerged in the joy of five million people celebrating with you in Chang'an City, and cannot arouse any interest from others.
April 12th.
Li Chu was so depressed these days that he kept himself in the mansion and didn't even go to the morning court.
Prince Li Heng sent someone to send a message many times, but Li Chu ignored his father.
Before we knew it, tomorrow will be the birthday party of the saint.
"Your Highness, it's time to go to the palace to pay homage." The old aide Qiu Qi reminded, "These days, Your Highness the Crown Prince is very dissatisfied with your performance. The position of Wakaro has been handed over to King Li of Jianning.
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Your Highness.”
"The third brother?" Li Chu frowned and sighed: "If he wants to do it, he will do it, after all, he likes to show off the limelight the most."
"Your Highness, Qiu Qi knows that your Highness and King Jianning have a deep affection, but this matter should be yours. King Jianning intends to return it to you, look--"
"No." Li Chu gritted his teeth and said, "Mr. Qiu, let's think about how to win back a city from Yang Guozhong! The Secretariat of the Xizhou Army has already planned to make an imperial list to announce it to the world!"
Qiu Qi smiled slightly: "Your Highness, Yang Guozhong was able to enter the court by relying on Li Linfu. There were countless grudges and entanglements between them, and they could not be picked. Why do you have to stick to a small Xizhou army?"
"As long as he and Li Linfu have the secret contact, the initiative will always be in our hands."
Li Chu's body shook and then suddenly realized.
"I see!"
Li Chu stood up excitedly and bowed to Qiu Qi:
"Li Chu has received education."
Qiu Qi smiled and said, "Since that's the case, your highness won't fight for the floater?"
"No, let the third brother do it." Li Chu shook his head, a hint of doting appeared in his eyes.
"The princess is about to give birth."
...
April 12th, night.
After the day of government affairs, Zhang Youting, the Huangmen Minister, took off his official uniform and lay leisurely in the yard, basking in the distant sunset.
"I will have to go on a birthday, and I have to go on a trip. Humph, it's a waste of money and money!"
Zhang Youting only dared to think about this sentence in his heart, saying that he would never dare to say it.
I don’t know when the surroundings became quiet. When Zhang Youting woke up, he realized that it was already dark.
He shook his drowsy head and set out to walk into the room.
The moment he pushed open the door, he was stunned.
In front of Zhang Youting, a man was holding a sword and stabbing his wide pupils.
...
The Duke of Song Dynasty.
Shi Xinglang, the Duke of Song State in his 80s, was lying on the bed, his eyes widened in horror, and his chest was wet with medicine soup.
The maid's blood was sprinkled on his face, and the fear of death made Shi Xinglang speechless.
The servant was outside, but Shi Xinglang was so scared that he dared not call for help.
The man with a ferocious scar raised the not-so-long sword, aimed it at Shi Xinglang's chest, and gently stabbed it.
The killer never said it from beginning to end. In a word, this Duke of Song didn't know until his death, who was the one who killed him.
...
April 13th, the Saint's birthday was celebrated.
Li Chu got up early and rushed to the palace to serve him.
The Emperor's Mansion also suspended all tasks. Whether it is "Tianzhong" or others, there will be no restraint in the next ten days.
The excitement in the palace is unknown to outsiders, nor do they want to know. The scene at night is what they yearn for.
As the sun sets, the side door of the Emperor's Mansion is opened, and a man goes out and walks far away.
The prime minister Yang Guozhong, who had just returned home, changed his clothes and told his son Yang Fei to leave in a hurry.
The windows on the second floor of the inn facing Zhuque Street were all opened.
In the palace, five Western Region warlocks who were preparing to perform also boarded the carriage.
A man with a long bow on his back climbed the tall building west of Zhuque Street.
There were eleven or two people in the room downstairs, drinking around the table. A young man was chatting and laughing, and a man who looked exactly like him had this evil scar stood quietly behind him.
In Youxiangju, fully armed Li Xin'an and others stared at the slowly falling sunset.
finally--
On the night of April 13, the emperor went on a trip!