Fengtian Hall
Today is the annual Zhengdan court meeting. All officials and foreign envoys will enter the palace to congratulate the emperor, and the emperor will also receive all officials and envoys at Fengtian Hall.
The Zhengdan court meeting was very solemn and solemn. The royal guards set up a guard of honor in the Fengtian Hall. The ceremonial department set up a ceremonial guard inside and outside the Fengtian Hall. The etiquette department set up a ceremony in front of the emperor. Then all the civil and military officials and envoys dressed in court uniforms waited for the emperor in the Fengtian Hall. .
The emperor himself wore the highest standard of fiery black imperial robes and accepted congratulations from officials and envoys.
When Zhu Youxiao was sitting on the imperial stage in his royal robes, all the officials knelt down and shouted:
"I respectfully send you your holy greetings!"
"I am safe and sound!"
On the first day of the new year, everyone comes together to congratulate the emperor. Anyone who dares to mention court affairs is seeking death.
Wang Xiangqian, Yuanfu of the Cabinet, as the head of the civil service, was the first to step forward to congratulate:
"I congratulate Your Majesty on a long life, a healthy body, and a prosperous country."
Then the British military attaché, the British Duke Zhang Weixian, gave his second congratulatory speech:
"I congratulate Your Majesty on your health and may the world be peaceful."
Liu Yishen, Deputy Assistant to the Cabinet, also gave a congratulatory message:
"I congratulate Your Majesty on the eternal peace of the Holy Body and the prosperity of the world!"
Zhu Youxiao had to listen to their congratulatory messages one by one in order, as well as those from foreign envoys, including more than a dozen countries such as Korea, Ryukyu, Annan, and Myanmar. At this time, the Ming Dynasty was still a great power in the world. Especially in Europe, because one person went back and publicized his personal experience during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty at this time was the ideal paradise in their hearts.
The Wanli period was the best and worst period of the Ming Dynasty since the Zhengtong period. The so-called prosperity must inevitably decline.
Zhu Youxiao must re-create the glory of the Yongle period, and even surpass this period.
After all the officials and envoys had finished congratulating each other, it was time for Zhu Youxiao to perform. He would personally deliver the words to congratulate his era.
Zhu Youxiao wrote on the paper:
"As soon as the new year comes, everything goes well, the grains are abundant, the world is rich, the people live in peace and contentment, the dust around us will rest forever, good luck and good fortune, and peace for all ages!"
Then Wang Chaofu read it loudly.
All the officials bowed and shouted:
"Long live your Majesty!"
It was almost noon after completing this set of procedures, and Zhu Youxiao's buttocks hurt from sitting, so he just took advantage of the opportunity to stand up during the prompt. This is not something I should bear at my age.
After everything was finished, Wang Chaofu shouted again:
"His Majesty held a banquet in Wuying Hall, and all the officials kowtowed and thanked you!"
All the officials knelt down and shouted:
"I congratulate His Majesty the Emperor! Long live His Majesty the Emperor!"
Not only the officials congratulated the emperor, but the emperor hosted a banquet for all officials. All the ladies who were appointed to the imperial family in Beijing also went to the harem to pay homage to the dowager. The concubine also had to entertain these appointed ladies at Cining Palace, and those who were not in Beijing also wrote letters. Other noble military officers also had to place incense tables at home and worship in the direction of the capital. This was a ceremony comparable to the enthronement ceremony.
…
Nanjing
"Who are you?"
"This general is Li Zhicai, the commander of Xiaoling Weidu Qian. Open the city gate quickly!"
"I've never heard of the Xiaoling Guards. They must be thieves. Go and report to the Duke."
The garrison of Nanjing was Wei Guogong Xu Hongji, and the military power of the Nanjing camp was basically in the hands of him and the Nanjing Minister of War. As for the other five ministers, except for the Shangshu of the Ministry of Households, who had some rights in the money bag, everyone else was a mascot.
"Bold, I have come to Nanjing to garrison in accordance with His Majesty's decree. If you miss something important, I will kill you with one blow."
Li Zhicai was also a little angry. He rushed all night and finally arrived in Nanjing at dawn, but was stopped by a soldier here.
Unfortunately, the guards on the city didn't seem to hear anything, and Li Zhicai could only wait angrily under the city tower.
Xu Hongji has just finished his congratulations to the emperor, and is now at home accepting New Year greetings from his children and grandchildren.
"You bitch, you're blind, how dare you break into the Duke's mansion?"
When Xu Hongji heard the scolding of the servants outside the door, he was also puzzled. Who would go out without wearing eyes during the Chinese New Year? What a disappointment.
After a while, the housekeeper also came to report in a hurry:
"Sir, a guard came outside and said that an army was coming from outside the city and wanted to enter the city. The leader said he should be called Xiaoling Guard Li Zhicai."
Xu Hongji was stunned when he heard this. Others didn't know that Xiaoling Guards knew about it. This was the army guarding the tomb of Emperor Taizu. They were responsible for their weapons, food and other supplies. Today's draw Why did Feng dare to run out? What was Zhou Xingwu doing?
Xu Hongji had no choice but to rush to the city gate. When he arrived, he saw an army below and shouted:
"Who is here?"
Li Zhicai reacted upon hearing this and quickly replied:
"General Li Zhicai, who are you? Maybe you are in charge?"
When Xu Hongji heard the voice, he knew it was Xiaolingwei. He had seen Li Zhicai before. He had been coming to Nanjing to hand over supplies to him in the past few months.
"You idiot, what do you want to do when you bring an army to Nanjing during the Chinese New Year?"
Xu Hongji was also very angry. I don't owe you anything, I don't owe you food. What's going on during the Chinese New Year?
When Li Zhicai heard the voice, he recognized the person above him as Xu Hongji. He held up the imperial edict and shouted loudly:
"Wei Guogong, open the city gate quickly. This general is here to garrison Nanjing under your Majesty's order!"
Xu Hongji ordered people to put down the rope and asked Li Zhicai to tie the edict to it and hang it up. He had to check it once. After reading it, he said to others:
"Open the city gate!"
Seeing the city gate open, Li Zhicai led his army into the city smoothly.
"Wei Guogong, you have also read His Majesty's decree. As the garrison of Nanjing City, the Duke hopes to support us. This is the young master of the British Duke's family, Zhang Shize."
"My nephew has met Uncle Shi!"
Zhang Shize cupped his fists and bowed.
Duke Yingying and Duke Wei were both top nobles of the Ming Dynasty. Although the two families were in the south and the other in the north, they were both from the same family as the country. At this point, Zhang Shize could definitely call Xu Hongji his uncle.
Xu Hongji also returned the courtesy and said:
"Your Majesty trusts my nephew so much. My nephew has a bright future."
Then he replied to Li Zhicai:
"Since I have His Majesty's holy will, I will naturally comply with it. But is it appropriate to arrest people just because of the Chinese New Year?"
"Don't worry, Duke. Just guard the city gates, appease the people in the city, and maintain order in the city. Leave the rest to me and the Jin Yiwei."
"In this way, I can rest assured!"
Li Zhicai said to Qian Hu, a Jinyi guard next to him:
"Hurry up and ask your commander Tian to come."
After Tian Ergeng arrived, the three of them discussed a relatively safe method. Jinyiwei would lead the Yulin Army to pick up people from various places according to the list. Xu Hongji and Zhang Shize took care of the monsters and snake gods at home and could not let them come out to cause trouble. Li Zhicai led a thousand Yulin troops and four hundred Xiaoling guards to control the situation.
"Get someone!"
…
Zhu Youxiao drank for the first time in Daming today. Now his head feels a little heavy. He only drank a few glasses of wine. Sure enough, he is too young and his body has never drunk before, so he can't bear it all of a sudden.
According to etiquette, he had to pay his respects to Mrs. Liu today.
"Sun Chen sends his regards to the concubine!"
"Did the emperor drink?"
Concubine Liu's face turned a little red when she saw Zhu Youxiao.
"Sun Chen drank a little, but it's nothing serious!"
"The emperor should go back to the palace and have a good night's rest. I'm afraid I'm very tired today!"
"Qin'er, take the emperor back to the palace for me!"
Zhu Youxiao just wanted to have a good sleep now, so he didn't refuse.
"Then Sun Chen resigned!"
