"Master Huang, are the dishes on this fourth-level table wrong?"
An adult looked at Huang Laipeng, the minister of Guanglu Temple, and asked in a low voice.
Looking at the ministers with pricked ears around him, Huang Laipeng's face became solemn, he cupped his hands in the direction of the dragon chair and said solemnly: "This is a gift from your majesty."
"Your Majesty said that the New Year's banquet is a lively event and there should be no distinction between superior and inferior. Therefore, except for His Majesty's table, all the other three levels of tables are treated equally."
After Huang Laipeng finished speaking, he smiled bitterly. He remembered that when he, the Minister of Honglu Temple, and the Minister of Rites went to report to His Majesty, the Emperor proposed that the banquet be held regardless of rank.
He was directly opposed by the three people, and Liu Zongzhou even used ancestral system and etiquette as an argument. In the end, the emperor had no choice but to compromise.
However, it was proposed that only the table positions should be graded. Except for the table, the dishes on the other three tables would be the same. This led to the current situation.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your gift!"
After hearing this, the officials immediately knelt down in the direction of the dragon chair. Most of the officials' faces were full of excitement.
Especially officials below the fourth rank are not qualified to go to court directly on weekdays, let alone receive such special courtesy.
As soon as the ministers had finished paying their respects, Chongzhen arrived at the Huangji Hall and was a little shocked to see this scene.
But after hearing Sun Chengzong's explanation, he just smiled lightly and didn't say much.
Could it be that he wanted to tell the ministers that you have too many things to do when eating? You just eat when you eat. How can there be such rules? What you eat is rules or food?
In just a short time, everything was almost ready. Chongzhen sat on his table, and all the ministers also sat on their seats.
It was very orderly and it looked like it had been rehearsed many times.
Following the "play" from the chief ceremony officer, the ritual music sounded, which also heralded the beginning of the banquet.
Chongzhen picked up a glass of wine: "This first glass of wine is dedicated to the gods of heaven and earth, thanking the gods for their blessings, and praying for good weather and good harvests in the coming year."
After speaking, he poured the wine in the glass on the ground.
"This second glass of wine is a tribute to the soldiers on the frontier. Their bloody battles have given us a peaceful and stable life."
"This third glass of wine is dedicated to all my dear friends, officials at all levels and people of the world who are not present. Your hard work has allowed the Ming Dynasty to operate in an orderly manner."
"Long live my emperor! Long live!"
When Chongzhen put down the wine glass, all the officials started to drink together.
"My dear friends, let's get started. Don't be too formal. Eat and drink when you should. After a busy year, you should reward yourself."
The sound of silk and bamboo sounded, and the musicians of the Jiaofang began to play music and dance to add to the fun.
Chongzhen watched with great interest. This was the first time he saw ancient dance with his own eyes, with colorful clothes and skirts, accompanied by wind music, dancing soft and agile.
It may be a bit too much to describe it as graceful as a swimming dragon, but it is definitely a hundred times more beautiful than those classical dances of later generations.
Halfway through the banquet, Chongzhen nodded towards Wang Chengen, and Wang Chengen stepped forward and clapped his hands.
The people from the Jiaofang Division stopped, and then the gate of Huangji Palace opened, and several sergeants carried several things covered with red cloth.
Some young eunuchs grabbed a handful of things crumpled into paper balls from a big box and gave them to each minister.
Although the ministers were confused, they could still tell that it might be some kind of entertainment show.
"My dear friends, all the banquets over the years have been filled with singing and dancing. I had a sudden idea and asked someone to prepare some fun gadgets for us to have fun together."
After Chongzhen finished speaking, he reached out and pulled down the red cloth. Three wooden boards three meters long and two meters high appeared. On the wooden boards were rows and rows of red envelopes made of red paper.
"My dear friends, I call it the red envelope wall. Inside the red envelope is a piece of paper with a reward written on it. Anyone who wins can receive the reward on the paper.
There is silver, fertile land, shops, royal wine, etc., food, drink, and other things, etc., everything you need is available.
I don’t know what each red envelope is, it depends on your luck. "
"The numbers on the white paper in your hands are the order in which you choose the red envelopes. You have also seen this order. They are all distributed randomly."
"Please be the first!"
After Chongzhen shouted, all the officials looked at the paper ball in their hands, and then looked at the people around them.
A minister wearing a green robe stretched out his hand and came to the big carousel under the guidance of the eunuch.
Some ministers recognized him. It was Chen Jun, the head of the Tuntian Cleaning Department of the Ministry of Industry.
After cupping his hands towards Chongzhen, he looked at the wall of three red envelopes, picked one off and presented it to Chongzhen with both hands.
"You chose it yourself, open it and see for yourself!"
After Chongzhen finished speaking, Chen Jun opened the red envelope and took out a piece of paper.
Wang Chengen glanced at it and shouted: "Congratulations to Mr. Chen for winning one hundred and eighty-eight taels of silver!"
"Chen Aiqing, you are very lucky!"
"I thank you, Your Majesty!"
Facing Chongzhen's teasing, Chen Jun immediately knelt down.
He is a sixth-grade official, with a monthly salary of ten dan, which is equivalent to ten taels of silver, but the reward in this red envelope is equal to his salary for a year and a half, how can he not be happy.
After Chongzhen finished presiding over the first one, Wang Chengen took over on his behalf, and voices filled the hall one after another.
"Please invite the second, third, and fourth people to prepare..."
"Congratulations to Mr. Feng, the censor of Qiandu of the Inspectorate, for receiving a jar of royal wine!"
"Congratulations to Mr. Hu, the Right Shaoqing of Dali Temple, for acquiring ten acres of fertile land!"
…
"Congratulations to Li Banghua, the left minister of the Ministry of War, for winning 10,000 taels of silver!"
There was a sudden silence in the bustling Huangji Hall, and the officials immediately looked at Li Banghua.
Chongzhen was also stunned. It was such a coincidence.
You must know that among the more than 500 red envelopes, in addition to the special prize, there was only the highest reward of 10,000 taels of silver, and Li Banghua actually got it.
If he hadn't watched Wang Chengen lead people to join him, he would have thought that Wang Chengen was cheating.
"I thank you, Your Majesty!"
After Li Banghua thanked him, the minister on the side said: "Master Li, congratulations."
"Join us! Rejoice together!"
Li Banghua was also very happy that he could keep himself clean, but why not do it if this kind of unexpected wealth could make his family live a more comfortable life.
It lasted for half an hour, and the lottery came to an end, with only three red envelopes left on the entire red envelope wall.
There were three ministers standing in front of the red envelope wall, Sun Chuanting and two other ministers. Not only the three of them looked nervous, but the surrounding ministers also became nervous.
Because so far, the special prize mentioned by the emperor has not been drawn out. If there is no mistake in pretending, then the special prize is in these three red envelopes.
Everyone held their breath, and the third to last red envelope was opened, offering ten kilograms of Fuping persimmon cakes as a tribute.
Not every minister can get the tribute. As long as he takes it back, some people will pay a high price for it.
The penultimate one is silver ten taels, which is not high, but it’s okay.
Looking at a solitary red envelope on the red envelope wall, Chongzhen chuckled: "Sun Aiqing, you have no choice. Just open it and take a look to see if it's the special prize or a mistake."
Sun Chuanting smiled, took off the red envelope and slowly pulled out the paper in the middle.
