Chapter 796 Those things about the Spring Festival couplets
Chapter 795 Those things about Spring Festival couplets
Lu Bing did not go to Emperor Jiajing, but went to someone else first. That was because even if he went to Emperor Jiajing first, it was unlikely that he would be directly exonerated.
That would make Emperor Jiajing seem too talkative, even as if he was listening to Lu Bing's words.
Therefore, Emperor Jiajing wanted to pardon Lu Bing, his brother-in-law, but he also needed a way out, and then he spared Commander Lu.
Those who are qualified to act as a stepping stone and come forward to intercede with the emperor must be the emperor's favorites, so there are very few candidates. This is why Commander Lu came to kneel in Qin Zhongtang in the middle of the night.
If you go to Qin Zhongtang, others will not cause trouble; if you go to others, who knows if Qin Zhongtang will make trouble?
But Qin Zhongtang was never happy, which made his family members feel strange.
Qin Zhongtang suffered three consecutive kneelings today. There is no need to elaborate on what kind of person Yan Shifan is. He must be a character like a Zhongshan wolf.
And Xu Jie had been kneeling and licking Yan Song for more than ten years in the original history. What ending did Xu Jie give Yan Song in the end? How did Yan Shifan die?
In the original history, Lu Bing also knelt down to Xia Yan, the chief assistant at the time, because of his crime. Then Xia Yan softened his heart and let Lu Bing go. In the end, Xia Yan was beheaded in the West City, and Lu Bing also contributed a lot.
So being knelt down by such three people, Qin Zhongtang, as a time traveler, felt really complicated.
The subsequent development of things was exactly as Qin Dewei expected.
When Duan Chaoyong's deception was exposed, he was sure to die, but Emperor Jiajing was still hesitant whether to kill Duan Chaoyong or not.
The emperor's mentality is just like many deceived people who always have a glimmer of hope in the liar. Duan Chaoyong only deceived the emperor about yellow and white magic and immortal weapons. What if there is really another way to live forever?
In addition, the emperor who was eager to seek immortality was also worried that killing the alchemist would be unlucky and would not be conducive to seeking immortality or attracting real masters to serve him.
Therefore, in the eyes of outsiders, Emperor Jiajing, who was harsh by nature, was always very tolerant of Taoist priests and was reluctant to kill them even if they were deceived.
Anyway, Duan Chaoyong couldn't get out of the imperial prison, so he would remain locked up until the emperor made his final decision unless he was killed.
Marquis Guo Xun and Guo, who were still running outside to rescue Duan Chaoyong, were immediately arrested and imprisoned again. He was imprisoned in the Tianjian Prison of the Ministry of Punishment and became a cellmate with Zhang Yanling, who had been in prison for seven or eight years.
When Guo Xun first came to power, he also made a lot of money from Zhang Yanling, and even planned a private salt business in the north controlled by the Zhang family.
Now that Guo Xun has become Zhang Yanling's inmate, it is considered a blessing from heaven.
Maybe some people want to ask more, after the Zhang family was ransacked last year, the family situation was completely in decline. Where did the private salt business in the north end?
Now we have to ask Commander Lu Binglu, and then think about what is the basis for Commander Lu to recruit warriors from the northern provinces?
Mr. Guo, who was imprisoned in Tianlao, had a hard time. He was insulted and ridiculed by Zhang Yanling from across the cell every day.
Marquis Guo was indeed complaining, claiming that he was also deceived by Duan Chaoyong, so he recommended Duan Chaoyong to the emperor, but no one cared whether he was really wronged or not.
Even though the end of the year is the off-season for criminal charges, no one wants to bother with the case. It will probably be next year. So Mr. Guo will also spend the New Year in the sky prison, provided that he does not die of a sudden illness in the sky prison.
As for the officials of the East Palace, under the thunder of Emperor Jiajing, the leaders such as Luo Hongxian, Tang Shunzhi, and Zhao Shichun were dismissed from office and ordered to live in the countryside.
Many others were also implicated, and many people were moved to the left or demoted. He Ao, Zhan Shifu of Zhan Shi Mansion, was ordered to stay at home and reflect on his mistakes. It is estimated that he will wait until next spring before being punished.
Most things end like this before the Chinese New Year, and generally no one wants to bother with anything more before the end of the year.
After entering December and passing the Laba Festival, everyone in the capital, from the courtiers to the people, was preparing to celebrate the Spring Festival. Apart from the military aircraft department on standby at any time, who else wanted to do official business.
Next year will be the 20th year of Jiajing. If ten is used as an integer, 20th year will be considered a milestone year.
Although Emperor Jiajing's absence from court was repeatedly complained by upright ministers, the objective fact was that it did lighten the burden on the ministers.
Especially for the highest-level ceremony such as the New Year's Day, once it is dispensed with, the courtiers in December can completely relax.
So each yamen began the peak period of public banquets. Inside the yamen and between yamen, people were eating and drinking. Every day, a large number of officials could be seen drunkenly walking on the streets around the imperial city.
Of course, Qin Zhongtang, who comes from a wealthy family, has no shortage of food and drink, and does not need to build relationships through food and drink, so he doesn't take it very seriously.
When Qin Dewei walked into Wenyuan Pavilion that day, Fang Youfang reminded him: "It's time to put up Spring Festival couplets in Wenyuan Pavilion."
You can find anyone to write the Spring Festival couplets in other places such as Gaochifang and Zhichifang. There are many professionals in Zhongshushe who have good words and calligraphy.
But for the Spring Festival couplets at the main entrance of Wenyuan Pavilion, that is, outside the central hall, no one can write it for them. Qin Zhongtang can only do it in person.
Qin Dewei stood in the court, looked up at the front couplets of Wenyuan Pavilion, and asked: "Over at Wuyi Hall in Xiyuan, have Spring Festival couplets been posted in the Zhilu or the main hall of Mr. Yan Ge?"
Fang She was speechless. He was really speechless. He couldn't answer it at all. It wasn't that Fang You was incompetent. Who could keep up with such a boss's brain circuit?
Just writing Spring Festival couplets is such an ordinary and simple thing, but first thinking about what is written in Wuyi Hall in the west, this is obviously a sign of ulterior motives!
Nowadays, both Zhai Shoufu and Yan Ge Lao live in Wuyi Hall, which is equivalent to the pronoun of the cabinet residence.
So what Qin Zhongtang is actually asking is, how are the Spring Festival couplets written in the cabinet? If not to avoid suspicion, why are you asking this?
Seeing that Fang You couldn't answer, Qin Dewei ordered: "You don't know this? Why don't you go and find out quickly!"
Fang Sheren really wants to ask, Lord Zhongtang, are you tired from living? Of course, maybe this is the reason why others are the bosses of Zhongtang and he is the errand boy.
Half an hour later, Fang Sheren returned from Xiyuan and reported to Qin Zhongtang: "There are no Spring Festival couplets posted in the old Zhilu of Yange, but they have been posted outside the main hall of Wuyi Hall!
But the Spring Festival couplets in the main hall were also handwritten by the veteran Yan Ge. The first couplet is, "Harmony sings of the prosperous age"; the second couplet is, "The spring scenery fills the Huangzhou."
Qin Zhongtang heard this and commented: "It is indeed Yan's style!"
What Qin Zhongtang means by Yan's style here cannot be explained in detail, everyone understands it.
Fang Sheren helped him grind the ink. He wanted to see what Qin's style was like.
After that, Qin Zhongtang picked up his pen and wrote ten big characters, which was the same number as the Spring Festival couplets in the cabinet.
The people in Fangshe looked up and saw that the first couplet said "Spring is the first year of the year" and the second couplet said "The moon is near the sky and the sky is high".
"Good! This linkage in the middle hall is extremely well done!" Fang Sheren immediately cheered. It was indeed Qin's style.
In fact, this couplet is very meaningful, with a hint of domineering and a bit of arrogance. For example, how can ordinary yamen dare to use word combinations such as "for" and "head"?
Therefore, Qin Zhongtang lived up to expectations and couldn't help but quarrel with the cabinet. The momentum of the couplets was to overwhelm the cabinet.
But Fang Sheren can only praise it with "extreme workmanship". It is difficult to express other meanings directly and can only be understood by the viewer.
Sure enough, after this low-key yet flamboyant Spring Festival couplet was posted, it immediately spread among the official circles.
Then for some reason, it became popular in the official circles to ask Qin Zhongtang for Spring Festival couplets. Anyone who could get in touch with Qin Zhongtang and had good reputations would basically ask Qin Zhongtang for Spring Festival couplets.
Probably everyone thinks that Qin Zhongtang is a very lucky person, and the walking human figure is "auspicious", and they all want to get Qin Zhongtang's blessings during the Spring Festival.
On this day, Qin Zhongtang left the palace from Donghua Gate and went to Yiwu Yamen to attend to affairs. When he walked to the Huangen Bridge on the Jinshui River outside Dong'an Gate, he happened to meet Eunuch Qin from Dongchang.
The Dongchang Government Office is outside Dong'an Gate. When Eunuch Qin returns to the palace from Dongchang, he must pass by Dong'an Gate. Therefore, it is not surprising that Qin Dewei, who is specially granted access to the east gate of the palace, met Eunuch Qin.
After saying hello politely, Qin Dewei was about to move on, but was stopped by Eunuch Qin again.
Then I heard Eunuch Qin say: "I heard that Zhongtang is good at writing Spring Festival couplets. We still lack a pair of Spring Festival couplets outside our house. I would like to ask Zhongtang to give me some ink. My family would be very grateful."
In the Ming Dynasty, textual interactions between senior eunuchs and civil servants were very common. For example, many epitaphs for eunuchs or their parents were written by senior civil servants.
Therefore, Eunuch Qin's request is not excessive, and given Eunuch Qin's status, Qin Dewei has no reason to refuse.
But Qin Dewei still asked one more question: "What style of Spring Festival couplets does the factory supervisor want?"
The psychological needs of eunuchs, a special group of people, may be different from those of ordinary people, so you need to ask first.
Eunuch Qin then replied: "To show an open-minded, open-minded, elegant and exquisite scholar's demeanor, it is best to have some characteristics and be different from ordinary people."
Do the words Qin Dewei, speechless, open-minded, bright, elegant, and refined, have anything to do with you, Eunuch Qin?
Do you want to have a personality that is different from ordinary people? Just write on the Spring Festival couplets that you are a eunuch. Is it enough to be different from ordinary people?
Qin Dewei thought about it and frowned: "Isn't the factory supervisor making things difficult for others?"
Eunuch Qin smiled and said: "With the talent and learning in Zhongtang, there are times when you are in trouble?"
Qin Dewei replied: "Then give it a try."
There was nothing important to do before the Chinese New Year, so they had nothing to do. After that, the two of them went to Guanglu Temple next door.
After borrowing paper and pen, Qin Dewei wrote a pair of Spring Festival couplets in one go.
The first couplet is "No children and no grandchildren, everything belongs to others"; the second couplet is "There are flowers and wine, just to celebrate the end of the year."
Eunuch Qin: "."
Why don’t you have no children or grandchildren? Don’t curse yourself, Qin Dewei, during the Chinese New Year!
Qin Dewei said proudly: "What does the factory supervisor think? He has no children or grandchildren, he is open-minded! He is someone else's property, he is open-minded!"
There are flowers and wine, it’s elegant! It’s all in the Chinese language of Qiao Xingjian, the Prime Minister of the Southern Song Dynasty, it’s exquisite!”
Eunuch Qin could only laugh or cry, took the Spring Festival couplets and left.
There are many banquets at the end of the year. Although most of the banquets have been turned down by Qin Zhongtang, there are always some that cannot be turned down or do not want to be turned away, such as the Imperial Academy banquet.
There is a saying in the officialdom: Once you are a Hanlin, you will always be a Hanlin. Even if you are an official and a bachelor in the cabinet, you should still be proud of your Hanlin background.
Therefore, although Qin Zhongtang strategically gave up his part-time job in the Hanlin Academy in order to seize real power, he was still qualified to attend the Hanlin Academy banquet.
All in all, Qin Zhongtang has not been to the Hanlin Academy for several months. This time he returned to the place where he had fought, and he felt even more cordial.
At this time, the banquet had not yet begun, and most people were still standing and chatting. Qin Zhongtang saw Wen Renhe, the minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs and a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy, at a glance, and greeted loudly: "Senior Wen! You are welcome and well!"
Wen Renhe then chatted with Qin Dewei.
Qin Dewei looked around and said with emotion: "When I came here in the 14th year of Jiajing, Senior Wen was the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs and a Bachelor of the Hanlin Academy. Now he is still the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs and a Bachelor of the Hanlin Academy.
In the past six years, personnel everywhere have been updated, things have changed, and only Senior Wen is like the divine needle in Hanyuan that fixes the sea."
Wen Renhe: "."
Qin, if you can’t speak, just say a few words!
After Zhang Fujing carried out a major purge of the Hanlin Academy, the number of people in the Hanlin Academy declined, with at least twenty people at least.
However, after the special selection in the 12th year of Jiajing and the imperial examination selection in the 14th and 17th years of Jiajing, the talent team of the Hanlin Academy has been replenished, and now the number has greatly increased again.
Therefore, when Qin Dewei attended the Hanlin Academy banquet this time, he actually had the feeling of "a huge crowd of people".
I couldn't help but said to Wen Renhe: "I never knew there were so many people in the Hanlin Academy!"
Wen Renhe sneered and said, "Have you, Qin Zhongtang, not yet figured out the secret? The examiner for next year's exam has not yet been decided!"
Qin Dewei immediately understood and replied: "I have been busy with too many major things recently, and I forgot about the exam."
According to the current officialdom tradition, the chief examiner for the general examination must be selected from the Hanlin Academy, and about half of the fellow examiners must also be selected from the Hanlin Academy.
For the Hanlin officials, this is a good opportunity. For example, look at how prosperous senior Zhang Chaozhang became after he accepted Qin Dewei as his student.
Examiners are selected by the emperor. In the past, Hanlin usually had many opportunities to deal with the emperor, and the emperor usually knew what he was doing.
But now the political environment is completely different from the past. Emperor Jiajing has been cultivating immortality in Xiyuan, and the imperial officials usually cannot see the emperor and have no chance to express themselves.
At the Hanlin Academy's year-end banquet, it was customary for the emperor to have some interaction with the Hanlin Academy, such as setting a topic for the Hanlin Academy to write poems for the Hanlin Academy.
For the Hanlins, this may be the only opportunity for performance, and they cannot be ignored.
Qin Dewei does not despise this. It is not easy for everyone. Involution is understandable. Not everyone has as many opportunities as he does.
Then Qin Dewei left Bachelor Wen and went to socialize with other acquaintances.
Now that the number of people in the Hanlin Academy has expanded, it is no longer as "harmony" as before, and factions have emerged.
Generally speaking, the most obvious factions are three groups. The first group is the traditional group, which is dominated by old people who entered the Imperial Academy more than ten years ago or even earlier.
The second group of people, the enshrining faction, were Guo Pu and Yuan Wei who had the opportunity to go to Xiyuan and write Qing Ci for the emperor, as well as a group of people surrounding these two people.
The third group of people is a group of people who are closely related to Qin Dewei, such as Zhao Zhenji, Xu Gu, Xing Yifeng and others.
If you ask Qin Zhongtang what he thinks, Qin Zhongtang will say that he has no opinion at all. He, Qin Dewei, has surpassed this level and doesn't care much about this low-end local microclimate.
At most, he hates the fact that iron cannot become steel, and often scolds his younger brothers for not being able to do their best, and that they are not as good as Guo Pu, Yuan Wei and the others who can write flattering lyrics.
