"Your Majesty, I have a gracious request from the Ai family. Can I give this set of tableware to the Ai family after the banquet?" Concubine Zheng stood up and saluted.
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a chorus of agreement.
"Okay, it's rare that all the concubines are happy. After today's banquet, the hot pot and tableware will be rewarded to all the concubines and can be taken directly to the palace." Chongzhen said happily.
Suddenly there was a cry of long live the mountains.
Chongzhen was also very happy.
Princess Le'an saw that there were fewer dishes on the concubine's side, not as many as the concubine's. The banquets in the palace were also graded, and the treatment given by Concubine Li Kang was second only to Concubine Zheng.
There were more than a hundred plates of dishes on the shelf next to it. The eunuchs and maids served the dishes in a steady stream, and many of them only tasted a few chopsticks before changing. The Prince Consort only had ten plates.
"Concubine, you see there are only a few dishes over there, why don't you send a few dishes over?" Princess Le'an said in a low voice with a blushing face.
"You! You are such an outgoing girl. Before you get married, you are already thinking about your husband-in-law." Li Kangfei stabbed her forehead hard with her finger and said.
"Laifu, go and bring these dishes to the Prince Consort." Li Kangfei said helplessly.
Laifu quickly called two young eunuchs and walked towards the consort carrying ten plates of dishes.
Empress Zhou gently touched Chongzhen with her elbow and motioned for him to take a look.
Chongzhen smiled knowingly, he was the one who presided over the selection of the prince-in-law, but at that time he also asked Li Kangfei's staff to make the final decision, as long as the two of them were satisfied.
Gong Yonggu has been sitting upright and looking straight, which is completely in line with the etiquette standards of scholars. He and the princess have not yet been married, and there are many female relatives in the palace here in addition to relatives, so it is inappropriate for him to look around.
When she saw Huang Laifu, the leader of the eunuchs beside Concubine Li Kang, and two young eunuchs coming over carrying dishes, she knew that these were the food and wine given by her mother-in-law, so she quickly stood up and bowed deeply.
The surrounding female relatives burst into laughter, and Concubine Li Kang also nodded with a smile.
"Haha, Wang Cheng'en, go and give a pot of royal wine to your consort." Chongzhen said.
Wang Chengen quickly took two young eunuchs over.
"Son-in-law, this is the pot of jade jelly spring that your majesty rewards you." After saying this, he asked two young eunuchs to pour a full cup for the prince-in-law.
Gong Yonggu was so excited that he suddenly choked up. He paid homage to Chongzhen and shouted: "May your majesty, Gong Yonggu, live a long life." He raised his wine glass with both hands.
Chongzhen nodded, picked up the wine glass, and drank a full glass. He looked at Gong Yonggu with some regret in his heart. The prince-in-law was a talented person, and his character was also honest and upright.
It was a pity that Concubine Li Kangfei fell in love with him among a dozen final candidates. At that time, Chongzhen had already had the idea of using him, but in the end he had no choice but to give up.
Once you become the consort, you can only live a good life with the princess and have children. The Ming Dynasty's precautions against foreign relatives are far more stringent than those in previous dynasties. They are not allowed to touch military and political affairs for life.
The banquet gradually reached its climax. After the dancers from the Jiaofang Division performed several dances, Wang Chengen waved his hand and the dancers retreated. Eight Han generals in royal robes carried an ice-carved mountain peak and placed it in the middle.
"At the top of Kunlun, there is Yaochi. Today, the iceberg is Kunlun, and the fine wine is Tianchi water. I wish you a happy new year and good luck in the future." Wang Chengen said loudly.
Two burly generals, as strong as oxen, carried a huge oak barrel. A captain in uniform used a crowbar to pull out the cork, and red wine as red as blood spurted out.
It caused everyone to exclaim in surprise.
The wine fills the Tianchi on the top of the mountain carved on the iceberg, and then flows down along the carved light and dark grooves and channels. The combination of the crystal clear ice sculptures and the red wine liquid is really beautiful.
The ice sculpture itself acts as a large decanter, and the refreshing aroma of wine permeates the entire platform. These are aged French wines imported by Yang Fan. These oak barrels have been sealed for more than fifty years. As soon as you open them, you will be greeted by a rich aroma of wine.
, conquered everyone instantly.
Zhou Kui, the head of the state, couldn't help but swallowed. This wine was so fragrant. He had never drunk such a fragrant wine in his life. Compared with this, the wine brought from the Western Regions was just like vinegar. It was really a comparison.
He had to throw it away. He was thinking about how to ask the queen for some. These chilled red wines were too tempting.
Chongzhen smelled the fragrant aroma of wine and asked Wang Chengen: "How much tribute did Yang Qing pay?"
"In reply to your majesty, the big barrels are one hundred catties each, a total of nine barrels, all of which are over fifty years old, and the small barrels of ten catties and one barrel are all thirty years old or more, a total of three hundred barrels."
Chongzhen was a little distressed when he heard that there were only nine barrels in the big barrel, and he quickly said: "Let's open this barrel today, and take the rest back to the inner treasury. For the more than fifty relatives who came today, each family should be rewarded with a small barrel when they leave."
"Yes" Wang Chengen bowed his head and responded.
While he was sobering up, the Jiaofangsi once again sent out singers to sing and a band to play music.
Chongzhen took out a pocket watch from Yang Fan's tribute and looked at it. It was a Seagull Tourbillon automatic pocket watch from later generations, which Chongzhen loved very much.
He and Queen Zhou each had a couple's watch. Yang Fan specially customized a gold and diamond case with hollow carvings of dragons and phoenixes.
Seeing His Majesty take out his pocket watch, Concubine Yuan and Concubine Tian both had red eyes. Women's love for watches is irrespective of ancient and modern times.
But they didn't dare to fight. This was a tribute from foreign ministers to the emperor and empress. They were not qualified to wear it, otherwise they would be impeached by the censor.
Whenever Concubine Yuan Guifei and Concubine Tian Guifei were disobedient and caused trouble, Empress Zhou would take out her pocket watch to see what time it was, and immediately tell them to turn off the engine.
Chongzhen looked at the time and asked, "Are you awake?"
"I've been awake for half an hour. It's time to drink. Yang Qianshi said that half an hour after waking up from old wine is just right." Wang Chengen replied.
"It's almost time to watch the fireworks after drinking." Chongzhen asked.
"Yes, Your Majesty, the time is just right. After drinking, Yang Qianshi will set off fireworks in Jingshan. The fireworks will be set off for an hour and a half, with one wave every quarter of an hour. In total, it will be set off from the first quarter of Hai hour to the fourth quarter of Zi hour.
.The Yongle Bell placed in the bell tower rings the New Year’s bell.”
"Okay, today I will have fun with all the people in the capital. I will give you a bar."
This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! "Yes"
A group of palace maids, carrying rosewood trays with twenty glass goblets on each, walked to the foot of the iceberg one by one.
The word "Kunlun" is carved on the iceberg.
A big Han general tapped the end of the ice pool with a silver hammer, and a small hole suddenly had sobered red wine flowing out. The maids filled one-third of the goblet one-third in turn.
Then he walked towards the people at the banquet.
So many glass wine glasses surprised everyone.
The goblet was pure and transparent, and it looked like an extremely expensive thing at first glance. Everyone held it carefully, for fear of breaking it by mistake, causing disgrace in front of the king, and being impeached by the censor.
"Everyone, have a drink," the emperor raised his glass.
"May I wish your Majesty a long life." Everyone raised their glasses.
After Gong Yonggu followed everyone and had a drink with the emperor, the banquet entered the stage of free drinking. Everyone no longer toasted and could eat and drink in peace.
Gong Yonggu took a deep breath with his nose. The fragrant aroma of the red wine rushed straight into his nose. He took a small sip. The blood-red wine slowly flowed from the tip of his tongue. The three flavors of astringency, sourness, and sweetness appeared on his taste buds in turn.
It blooms in the middle, and the aroma of the last fruit fills your mouth. Only then can you feel the unique taste of alcohol.
Good wine!
In the distance, Princess Le'an raised her glass and gestured to him.
Gong Yonggu's whole body was shocked, and he immediately looked closely. She was sitting next to Concubine Li Kang, so she must be his fiancée, Princess Le'an.
Gong Yonggu is a master of archery and has keen eyesight.
I saw that Princess Le'an was seventeen or eighteen years old, with a medium build, a little plump, a small oval face, soft facial features, and a few naughty little freckles on her nose. She is not very good-looking, but she is very gentle.
Wan, very cute.
It was the family's decision that Gong Yonggu came to apply for the consort. His family was in business and needed the protection of the royal family. He understood that no matter how the princess looked, nothing could be changed.
At this moment, looking at the naughty Princess Le'an, he suddenly felt as if his heart suddenly skipped a beat, and his heart suddenly became hot. He quickly raised his wine glass and touched it in the air.
Princess Le'an drank it all in one gulp and showed the empty cup with a red face.
Gong Yonggu drank it all in one gulp and imitated her example.
Princess Le'an lowered her head in shame.
The tenderness of that lowered head immediately moved Gong Yonggu.
There is warmth, joy, and a little bit of expectation.
Although she has a high status, she is not arrogant at all. She is like a girl next door, naughty and straightforward.
At this moment, he said to himself in his heart, I think I can fall in love with her, she is just what I like.
At this time, there was a sudden loud bang, and a comet dragged out flames from the top of Jingshan Mountain and shot straight into the sky. It suddenly attracted everyone's attention.
The comet flew over the Forbidden City, exploded with a bang, and suddenly turned into countless comets with different colors, flying in all directions.
Then it exploded again, changing into colorful colors, one after another.
Turn into an infinitely magnificent flower ball in the sky
The entire night sky was illuminated brightly.
At the beginning of Hai hour, the fireworks begin.
This chapter has been completed!