Night falls slowly.
The palace lanterns in the back garden were lit one after another.
Not long after, the entire back garden turned into a sea of lights.
Soon, even in the inner pond, dots of candlelight appeared, moving with the waves.
Zhao Xu stood on the attic of Taiqing Temple, looking at the inner pond in the back garden from a distance.
Those are hundreds of ship lanterns that are being released.
What Zhao Xu knew was that the maids and low-level ministers in the palace were seizing this rare opportunity to let go of their longing for their families.
"Everyone, the three county princes have cleaned Yanchun Pavilion." Liu Weijian quietly came behind Zhao Xu and reported in a low voice.
"Oh!" Zhao Xu turned around, looked at Liu Weijian, who was a little older than last time, and said softly: "Thank you for your hard work, old Qianjia."
"I dare not, this is the duty of an old slave." Liu Weijian lowered his head and replied.
Zhao Xu smiled and looked at the three girls following Liu Weijian.
Wen Xunniang, Di Qiang and Meng's daughter were immediately blessed.
Zhao Xu said: "Three county princes, please come with me and kowtow to the Empress Dowager Cishengguangxian."
Taiqing Temple is a place where the relics of deceased queens of past dynasties are enshrined.
Among them, the Yanchun Pavilion is the place where Zhao Xu's father specially set up a place to enshrine the relics of Empress Ci Sheng Guangxian.
When he was alive, whenever he was in a bad mood, he would come here to look at the relics of Ci Sheng Guangxian and be in a daze looking at the relics of Ci Sheng Guangxian enshrined here.
After the death of Ci Shengguangxian, Zhao Xu's father was truly alone.
According to what Zhao Xu knew in his previous life, he made a special trip here before he suffered a stroke and was paralyzed.
Therefore, Yanchun Pavilion actually became the last place of activity for Zhao Xu's father before his death.
Zhao Xu has always wanted to come here to see the last place his father visited before his death, but unfortunately he has never found a good opportunity. Today, taking advantage of the Holy Day of the Empress Dowager, he was finally sent here by the two palaces with a text
The three ladies of Xun Niang came to pay their respects and worship the portrait of Cisheng Guangxian.
Entering Yanchun Pavilion, Zhao Xu saw the portrait of Cisheng Guangxian enshrined in the pavilion.
In the portrait, Cisheng Guangxian, wearing Zhai clothes and a phoenix crown, sits upright, kind and gentle.
On both sides of the portrait, there are elegies written by Zeng Gong.
His poem says: The virtues of mountains and rivers are revealed latently, and the benevolence of Jianghan and Han Dynasties is far away...
He also said: The eagle of our ancestors is soaring and it will finally eat Ji, and the sound of the family springs out from the old Xing Qiao...
Zhao Xu stepped forward, knelt down on the futon respectfully, kowtowed to the portrait seriously, and said: "Zengsun Xu respectfully worships the Empress of Mercy, Holy Light, and Goddess of Mercy."
After the ceremony, he stood up, took the letter incense from Liu Weijian, lit it and inserted it into the incense burner.
Behind him, Wen Xunniang and the other three ladies kowtowed respectfully and said, "I, my concubines, respectfully pay homage to the Emperor Song Ci Sheng Guang Xian and the Empress Goddess."
After doing these things, Zhao Xu led his people and respectfully exited the Yanchun Pavilion.
Two old female officials who had been favored by Cisheng Guangxian during his lifetime came out of the pavilion and closed the door respectfully.
Zhao Xu looked at Wen Xunniang, Di Qiang and Meng's daughter.
"Please remember, from now on, you will come here to offer incense on the first and fifteenth day of every month."
"No!" The three women seemed to understand.
Zhao Xu knew that after completing this procedure, the three women would be considered the future concubines of Zhao Xu's harem.
This is part of feudal etiquette.
Since you have worshiped your ancestors, you are now a member of my family.
Going down from Taiqing Temple, people sent by the two palaces were already waiting under Taiqing Temple with lanterns.
"Liang Weijian." Zhao Xu waved.
Liang Weijian immediately came forward with a lantern: "What are your orders?"
"Have all the wives entered the palace?" Zhao Xu asked.
"We entered the palace through Ningyang Gate early in the morning." Liang Weijian replied with a smile.
"Yeah!" Zhao Xu said, "Let's go to the Yuhua Palace."
"promise."
…
Yuhua Hall was built in the fourth year of Xining Dynasty and was used as a recreation place for emperors and empresses.
So the scale is not big.
It's just a mountain pavilion, a combination (Fengxianghe), and a hall (Jichun Hall).
When Zhao Xu arrived, the open-air garden outside the Yuhua Palace was already crowded with the ladies who came to court. Looking around, they were all county princes and princes in Zhai clothes, flower crowns, and rosy clouds covered with emerald pearls.
When Zhao Xu entered the arena under the escort of Yulongzhi, all the wives came forward one after another and placed a blessing on both sides of the road: "I, my concubines, respectfully welcome the official to the palace."
Zhao Xu did not respond, but just led the people forward. When they arrived in front of the Jichun Palace, the imperial guards who were guarding here placed yellow sticks made of silk in front of the palace. The steps were opened for the first time, and the viewing angle effect was suddenly full, and the momentum was quite impressive.
It's a little bit like when a modern head of state reviews a guard of honor.
This is the war-ringing ceremony, an important part of the emperor's official office ceremony in the Tang Dynasty.
After entering the Song Dynasty, as the Japanese and Korean systems were abolished, Zhao officials no longer sat in government offices, and the stick-waving ceremony naturally disappeared.
But when Yuanfeng was restructured, it was revived.
However, it is still rarely used.
Generally, only during the Zhengdan Dynasty of Wende Hall every year, the full set of ringing stick ceremony will be used.
That's a terrifying scale.
The flags used as red flags alone require hundreds of flags, divided into five different ceremonial guard teams.
At least more than a thousand Imperial Guards are needed to form the war ringing ceremony.
Therefore, what is being used here now is just a small stick-waving ceremony, with only more than two hundred people and dozens of Huangyan battles.
This was a link deliberately arranged by the Imperial City Secretary in order to please the Empress Dowager.
I have to say, the ringing stick ceremony is really cool!
Zhao Xu walked all the way up the stairs.
The crimson flags kept rising and falling as he moved forward.
The sense of ceremony and atmosphere immediately filled up the atmosphere, causing Zhao Xu, who was walking in it, to secrete adrenaline faster, and his whole body was a little excited. It felt like I had the sun, the moon, the universe in my hands, and could travel thousands of miles of mountains and rivers at any time.
It’s no wonder that Zhao Ji in history, after taking power, couldn’t wait to restore the full set of the staff ringing ceremony, and then doubled it - turning it into a super ceremony that required more than 5,000 people!
…
When Zhao Xu entered the Jichun Palace, the first thing he saw was his biological mother, Princess Zhu.
Beside Zhu, Grandma Guo, whom she had not seen for a long time, came forward to greet her: "The official family is well."
"Mother-in-law is well." Zhao Xu smiled and looked at the little girl in Grandma Guo's arms.
This is Zhao Xu's sister, and also his youngest sister. She is now the tenth daughter of the emperor who is only one year and eight months old.
Zhao Xu reached out and touched this little sister's cute little face.
The little guy slept soundly and was very well-behaved.
"After some time, it's time to ask Da Zongzheng to give Shi Niang a good name." Zhao Xu said with a smile.
"The Empress Dowager said it would be best to ask the Empress Dowager to grant her a name."
Zhao Xu did not comment and said: "That's okay."
Mrs. Zhu was very happy when she heard this, and said from the side: "You still have to ask the official to come to your mother-in-law to ask for this favor."
"Yes!" Zhao Xu looked at Zhu, nodded, and agreed.
Then he asked: "How are you doing, sister?"
When Zhu suddenly heard Zhao Xu's concern, she felt helpless and panicked. She subconsciously smoothed her hair in front of her forehead and said, "I'm in the palace. Everything is fine. I just need to take good care of my body."
"Recently, I heard Dr. Qian say that the old illness of the official family has not recurred, and I felt really happy. A few days ago, I went to Kaibao Temple to burn incense and pray in front of the Buddha..."
"That's it..." She looked at Zhao Xu's expression and said cautiously: "I heard from the monks at Kaibao Temple that there seems to be some noise in the court that is not very respectful of Buddhism..."
When Zhao Xu heard this, he narrowed his eyes, and then said: "Sister, it is good to worship Buddha."
"But if monks and nuns have nothing in common, why should they discuss government affairs?"
Zhu was startled immediately, knowing that she might have said the wrong thing, and quickly stopped talking.
Zhao Xu looked at Zhu's appearance and sighed in his heart.
He knew that Zhu was such a person.
There is no political sensitivity whatsoever.
But she is a very nice person and is kind to everyone.
She is a very typical, submissive personality.
Therefore, she can get along with everyone, and can even become best friends with concubines who are in the same ecological niche in this intrigue and intrigue palace.
Both Concubine Xing and Concubine Lin have a good relationship with her.
Zhao Ji's biological mother, Mrs. Chen, even thought about entrusting Zhao Ji to her to raise him.
It is precisely because of this that Zhu can easily be taken advantage of.
She trusts others too much!
"Sister, go out to worship Buddha and respect Buddha, and don't listen to those monks talking nonsense about government affairs."
"How can they be free to criticize national affairs?"
"I understand." Mrs. Zhu lowered her head in front of Zhao Xu.
Like a child who has done something wrong.
It seems a bit ridiculous, but this is Zhu's temperament.
This may have been disciplined when she was at Ren Shiqing's home, or she may have been born this way.
She always subconsciously looks for someone to rely on and then obeys the other person.
In Ren Shiqing's house, she was obedient to Ren's family.
After entering the palace, he was also obedient to Zhao Xu's father.
Now, he is still obedient to Zhao Xu, his son, and the empress dowager and empress dowager who are in power.
Zhao Xu could only say: "I won't talk about these things."
"Thirteenth son, fifth mother, and eighth mother?" Zhao Xu asked.
"I just went to see the Empress Dowager to say hello," Zhu replied.
"Oh!" Zhao Xu nodded: "I will go to pay my respects to my mother-in-law first. After some time, I will go to the pavilion to visit my sister."
"Yes." Mrs. Zhu suddenly became happy when she heard Zhao Xu's promise to visit her "some time later": "Before the official family comes, please send someone to inform them so that my sister can make some food for the official family."
"Well, I will let someone inform Liu Weijian."
Although Liu Weijian was now assigned by Zhao Xu to be in charge of the Royal Medicine Institute, he was still on assignment for the Imperial Princess Pavilion.
This arrangement is not only convenient for Zhu, so that she can be fully satisfied materially - but as long as Zhu is satisfied materially, she will also be satisfied spiritually.
After bidding farewell to the Zhu family, Zhao Xu walked towards the palace, where the curtain fell.
His face was somewhat ugly.
"Great monks, if you don't drink the toast, you will have to drink wine as a penalty!"
He originally thought that these great monks would have stopped after the young monk, Mr. Yuan Cheng, was imprisoned in Si Lusi's prison a few days ago.
Who knows, they are still trying every possible way to cause trouble.
Then no wonder Zhao Xu.
"Feng Jing." Zhao Xu said to Feng Jing who was always behind him: "Remember it, when I go out to Kaifeng in two days, I will arrange for Si Lu to join the army and meet in the Plum Blossom Hall."
"promise!"
…
Zhao Xu walked into the curtain.
The concubines inside the curtain stood up one after another and saluted to greet them.
Several concubines also stood up with smiles.
Zhao Xu hurriedly said: "You ladies, there is no need to be polite."
While he was talking, his younger brothers and sisters had already gathered around him.
Seven or eight children, cute and innocent, came to him and bowed according to the etiquette: "My brother (my sister), please wish your majesty all the blessings."
"No courtesy." Zhao Xu smiled and knelt down.
Then he accurately found his favorite and doting sister, Princess Hun, among the crowd, and touched her black and soft little head.
"Has Wu Niang had a good meal recently?"
The little girl raised her head and replied: "Reply to Brother Huang, I have been eating well recently."
Zhao Xu looked at a thin figure in the crowd and asked: "Where is Jiulang? Are you eating seriously?"
When Zhao Bao heard his eldest brother's concern, he immediately raised his head and said, "Reporting to the emperor, my brother obeys the message of virtue. Now I have to eat a big bowl of rice for every meal."
"Good!" Zhao Xu nodded with satisfaction.
Among all the younger brothers, the one who is the most obedient and sensible, and also has the clearest understanding of his identity and role, is the Prince of Daning County, Zhao Bai.
After greeting all his younger brothers and sisters, Zhao Xu even pinched his nose, pretending to be a caring brother, and went to see Zhao Ji, who had been held by Concubine Xing.
After doing all this, Zhao Xu came to the two palaces and said hello to the two palaces, as well as to all the concubines of the Ren Temple accompanying the two palaces.
Only then did he sit next to Ergong, and he sat down with him.
Mrs. Zhu also took Grandma Guo into the curtain and came to the two palaces.
Seeing this, Empress Dowager Xiang immediately ordered someone to prepare a seat for Mr. Zhu next to her and bow her head.
Zhu wanted to refuse, but was stopped by Zhao Xu: "Since it is the grace of the queen, my sister will just accept it."
As soon as these words came out, Mrs. Zhu immediately sat down obediently.
Seeing the Queen Mother, I felt extremely happy and filled with a feeling of security.
At this time, the great Yan in the palace also started.
Within the curtain, it suddenly became quiet.
Group after group of beauties began to be taken from outside the palace and into the palace to congratulate the Empress Dowager on her birthday.
First of all, it is naturally Xu Wanghao, the wife of the Jingwang County family, and the only living daughter of the Empress Dowager, the eldest princess of Ji.
The Empress Dowager was very happy to see her daughter and daughter-in-law. After receiving their congratulations, she ordered people to distribute silk cloth and brocade.
He also gave them seats and allowed them to sit closest to him to show his favor.
Xiang also gave them gold and silver utensils and encouraged them at the same time.
Zhao Xu stood up and met with them.
After these people, those who went to the palace to pay their respects were naturally the wives of the clan, mainly close relatives of King Pu.
It was also the first time for Zhao Xu to meet many people.
For example, Yingmiao's only surviving sister, Princess Jian'an, was married to Zhang Xianmingsu's maternal Liu family, and was Liu Chengxu, the son of her ex-husband's second son Liu Congguang.
Liu Chengxu now serves as envoy of protocol and governor of Jiazhou to promote Futian Academy in Bianjing.
Futian Yuan can be understood as the Northern Song Dynasty version of the Social Welfare Institute.
It mainly takes in beggars who are orphans, widows and disabled in Beijing and cannot support themselves.
This is an industry in the Yingmiao lineage.
To be precise, this is a welfare institution founded in Bianjing after Yingmiao ascended the throne at the request of Yingmiao's biological mother, Jun Ren of Youxian County.
Why do you do that?
Because, that Jun Ren of Youxian County came from an extremely humble background!
When she was a child, her family suffered a disaster, and her family had to go to the capital to seek life.
However, because they had no property and probably did not know any craftsmanship, the family had no food and clothing and could only make a living by begging, and they lived a life of begging for a long time.
Finally, the Ren family from Youxian County was selected into Prince Pu's Mansion by chance. Then he was spotted by Prince Pu'an Yi, the number one stallion of the Zhao family and the number one heir in the world, and took him as his concubine.
Become rich.
But she did not forget her origin, and after her son became emperor, she made this only request to him.
Of course, there are also legends that it is because the Youxian County Lord once made a wish to the Buddha that if the Ying Temple can inherit the throne, then he will "bring thousands of beggars" in the capital.
In short, the fact is that since the first year of Zhiping, Kaifeng Prefecture has allocated 8,000 guan and Futian Yuan every year to help orphans and beggars in Beijing.
At least don't starve to death.
Futian Yuan has always been controlled by the brothers and sisters of Yingmiao.
In the third year of Yuanfeng, after Zhao Zonggun, Yingmiao's brother who was under military observation in Zhen'an, passed away, the Bianjing Futian Courtyard fell into the hands of Yingmiao's sister, Princess Jian'an.
It is estimated that the system will not return to the control of the Kaifeng government until the death of Liu Chengxu and his wife.
After Zhao Xu came to the throne, he also paid attention to Futian Courtyard.
I found that the operation of Futian Yuan was quite good.
At least, Futian Courtyard has really been housing and helping beggars who come to Beijing from other places.
Provide them with a place to live - albeit a crowded one.
Let them have a bowl of porridge to eat - I heard it is very difficult to eat and very watery.
But, in the Northern Song Dynasty, what kind of bicycle do you want?
So, I stopped paying attention to this matter.
Therefore, when it was Princess Jian'an's turn, Zhao Xu stood up to avoid her, saying that she did not dare to accept her courtesy.
This is not just a real aunt coming.
He is also the number one charity host in the Song Dynasty!
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This chapter has been completed!