Crown Prince Zhu Ruoji, King of Ji Zhu Ruodeng, and King of Yu Zhu Ruofeng came to Qianqing Palace. Seeing their three heroic sons, Zhu Hengjia was in a great mood.
He quizzed his three sons on a collection of classics and history, and they all answered fluently; he also asked some questions about government affairs and military affairs, and they were all very clear and logical. As a father, you always hope that your sons will succeed. Seeing that all of his sons are making great achievements, he can't help but feel great comfort.
The old emperor had a change of heart and decided to test the etiquette of his sons again. Etiquette cannot be abolished! Although Zhu Hengjia ascended the throne as a descendant of Taizu, which was a deviant and contrary to the rule of law, after he became established in the country, he particularly respected the etiquette system. No other, Etiquette is a good thing, it can make one's rule seem clear and sound. With the cloak of orthodoxy, any force that opposes one's own lineage becomes treason.
He looked at the Crown Prince Zhu Ruoji kindly. After all, he was his eldest son and the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty. Although he was dissatisfied in every way, he still held every hope.
"Ji'er tell me, as an emperor, how many times a year do you have to sacrifice to heaven?"
"Reporting to the emperor, twice a year, we pray for grain during the spring and worship the sky during the winter solstice."
"What do you pray to God for?"
"The ritual of praying for grains is to pray for rain for hundreds of grains, to pray for good weather and a good harvest; to offer sacrifices to the sky at the winter solstice is to thank God for His protection on earth."
Seeing that the crown prince answered fluently, the old father stroked his goat's beard with satisfaction. Then he asked King Ji: "Deng'er, tell me, where should I go to worship heaven?"
"Father, my dynasty upholds the Zhou rites and worships the heavens on the circular mound."
"Well, are heaven and earth worshiped together?"
"Previously, we worshiped heaven and earth in the Circular Mound, so it was also called the Temple of Heaven and Earth. The late Emperor Jiajing believed that the combined sacrifice of heaven and earth was inconsistent with the ancient system, so in the ninth year of Jiajing, another altar of earth was built outside Andingmen in the northern suburbs. From then on, heaven and earth were worshiped separately. The original altar of heaven and earth It was renamed the Temple of Heaven, and the main body of the Temple of Heaven was called the Altar of Praying for Grains.
Zhu Ruodeng's answer was accurate, which made his old father beam with joy, making him feel very proud of his son.
Ask King Yu again: "Feng'er, tell me, how many times a year are there sacrifices in the ancestral temple? And when are they?"
"Father, the emperor, four times every year, the beginning of spring, the beginning of summer, the beginning of autumn, and the beginning of winter are the days of sacrifice."
"Are the offerings of incense, three kneels and nine knocks, and kneeling to offer jade and silk fabrics all performed in front of the tablet of the Emperor of Heaven?"
"No. Burning incense and kneeling to offer jade and silk are held in front of the tablet of the Emperor of Heaven on the upper floor of the Temple of Heaven. The three-kneel-and-kowtow ceremony is held on the middle floor of the Temple of Heaven."
Zhu Ruofeng also answered correctly, and the old father liked it even more.
Then he smiled and asked his three sons: "Are there any particular things you should do before offering sacrifices to heaven?"
There is an order of seniority among elders and younger ones. When the emperor asks a question, the crown prince Zhu Ruoji should answer first. But just as Zhu Ruoji was about to answer, Ji Wang Zhu Ruodeng stepped forward and answered: "Father, the emperor should be here three days before the memorial ceremony." We fast for two days in the Zhaigong. We go to the Zhongji Hall to pay homage the day before the festival. We stay in the Zhaigong in the evening and fast. We do not see women, eat meat or wine, and do not listen to music."
Seeing that his second son had stolen the limelight from his eldest son, Zhu Hengjia felt a little unhappy. He glanced at his second son and reluctantly said, "Deng'er is right."
Then he looked at his eldest son and said, "The prince told me about Meng Chun's prayer for harvest. In which palace did he offer incense?"
Perhaps because his younger brother's rush to answer confused his thoughts, Zhu Ruoji actually said wrongly, "Father, I should go to the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests to offer incense the day before."
Seeing that his brother answered incorrectly, King Zhu Ruodeng of Hebei Province immediately stepped forward and replied loudly: "Brother, you are wrong! You are not going to the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests to offer incense, but to the Huangqian Hall behind the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests to offer incense."
Seeing that he had stolen his eldest brother's limelight again, Zhu Hengjia looked down at the pitiful and pitiful Crown Prince Zhu Ruoji, and then glanced at the arrogant and triumphant Prince of Ji Zhu Ruodeng, and became even more angry.
He does like his second son more, but that doesn't mean he doesn't like his eldest son, nor does it mean that he wants to abolish the eldest son and establish a younger son, and make the second son the crown prince instead. Now that he is still alive, the second son is so aggressive and does not want to treat the eldest son. Put it in perspective, if he is no longer around, how can the boss suppress the second child? When the time comes, the king will not be the king, the minister will not be the minister, brothers will kill each other, and the Ming Dynasty will be in danger!
The more I thought about it, the more uncomfortable I felt, and I sighed, "I'm tired, you all can follow me to the imperial garden to enjoy the flowers."
There are many flowers in the Imperial Garden, and autumn chrysanthemums are in full bloom this season.
While admiring the flowers, Zhu Hengjia's mood improved, and he said to his three sons: "You will each write a poem on these autumn chrysanthemums."
"Father, I have already prepared a draft." King Zhu Ruofeng of Yu was the first to complete it.
Zhu Hengjia looked at his third son, slightly surprised. People know that a son is as good as his father, but for a long time, the focus of his attention has been on his eldest son and his second son. Unexpectedly, his third son has such an urgent talent!
He was in a good mood and said with a smile: "Feng'er comes first."
Zhu Ruofeng stood up and chanted slowly:
"Chrysanthemums in the Royal Garden" (Part 1)
Charming golden skirt, here comes autumn.
If you look at it from a distance, this thing is the most lovesick.
Zhu Hengjia nodded slowly after listening to this poem. Although this poem was not a stunning and beautiful poem, it quietly praised the nobility of the chrysanthemum and the words "lovesickness" were enough to prove that his third son was a very loving and righteous person. He suddenly I can't help but feel a little sad when I recall the many old brothers who sacrificed their lives on the battlefield during the fierce battle.
"Father, a son is also born", Prince Zhu Ruoji also finished writing.
"Chant to me!"
Zhu Ruoji loudly chanted:
"Chrysanthemums in the Imperial Garden" (Part 2)
Lili Fenggu is white and red,
Not afraid of frost and cold, spitting out the deep bush.
Ashamed of hundreds of flowers competing for priority,
Dancing in the autumn wind for the emperor alone.
After listening to the prince's poem, the old father laughed happily. This is a flattery poem, which can be worn in thousands of times, but flattery can never be worn. First, he praised the noble character of the chrysanthemum, braving the frost and cold, and blooming among the flowers.
It blooms when it withers. Why does such a noble chrysanthemum bloom only after the flowers have bloomed? That is because it blooms in the bleak autumn wind for you to see alone!
To be honest, this flower is mediocre in terms of literary achievements, but it is excellent in flattering people. The chrysanthemum with noble character is only open to the emperor. Doesn’t it mean that the emperor is also a gentleman with noble character?
"Good! Ji'er wrote this poem well!" His son's flattery made the old father feel so happy that he felt dizzy and kept cheering.
"Father, we have a son," King Zhu Ruodeng reported.
"Okay, Den'er is here to sing." With a smile on his face, Zhu Hengjia asked his second son to recite poems. He had always liked Zhu Ruodeng the most. In terms of ambition and courage, his second son was the most like him.
"Chrysanthemums in the Royal Garden" (Part 3)
When I cherish this pure and beautiful autumn frost,
Who knows the bravery of a hero?
The mountains and rivers of Kyushu are full of soldiers and horses,
A city full of golden armor and smiling idiots.
As soon as this poem came out, the surroundings were suddenly silent. This poem was written with great heroism! Chrysanthemums bloom with their virginity in the autumn frost season. Can anyone understand his heroic spirit? The mountains and rivers of Kyushu are blooming everywhere, not just in one city? Back then
Huang Chao said, "The city is full of golden armor." A mere city understates the pattern of chrysanthemums. He is truly a Huang Chao!
"Deng'er looks like me, and his poems are domineering! Good!" The old father couldn't help shouting, he was naturally happy that his son was ambitious. But besides being happy, he was also deeply worried.
The second son's poems are full of heroism. He is so heroic. A hundred years from now, will he be willing to surrender to his brother and become a model of brotherly respect? If they kill each other, how can he be able to sleep in the ground forever?