In the sixth month of the lunar calendar, Beijing experienced the hottest dog days in twenty years during the 40th year of the Jiajing period.

At this time in previous years, even if there was no wind in the entire city of Beijing, due to the feng shui of heaven and earth, the Forbidden City would still have the "majestic wind of a king" entering the house.

But this year, for ten days in a row, the willow branches entering the night moat were not touched.

Except for the concubine and the leading eunuch of the twenty-four yamen, there are ice cubes in the room to cool down, so they can still endure the scorching heat.

Tens of thousands of other eunuchs and maids were in dire straits. They had to wear long robes and gowns according to the rules. Many of them had prickly heat from their bodies to their faces. Some of them with severe symptoms even developed boils, which were so swollen, painful and ulcerated that they could not go on duty as usual.

This year, the Shang Yao Department urgently prepared a lot of anti-heat medicine from outside, and finally it was not too hot to kill people in Ouchi.

There are concubines in the Forbidden City, and Jiajing knows it.

But since October of the 21st year of Jiajing (1542), after the major event known as the "Renyin Palace Incident" in history, Zhu Houcong had a heart problem.

This was a bad incident where the concubines and maids intended to kill the emperor.

The reason was that Zhu Houcong was suspicious, violent, and moody. Palace officials were often punished, and more than 200 people were killed with sticks.

The palace people finally couldn't bear it anymore and launched a palace coup in the 21st year of Jiajing.

According to historical records, under the instigation of Wang Ningbin and others, Yang Jinying and more than a dozen palace maids took advantage of Ming Dynasty Emperor Shizong's sleep to wrap a yellow silk cloth around his neck, and then pulled hard in an attempt to kill Emperor Shizong.

Later, Shizong was hanged because of the knot, so he stabbed the emperor with hairpins, hairpins and other objects.

At this critical moment, one of the timid palace maids was afraid and reported it to Queen Fang.

Queen Fang arrived and subdued the maids.

Zhu Houcong narrowly escaped death.

In the end, all the palace ladies involved were executed by Ling Chi, and Concubine Cao Duan and Concubine Wang Ning who participated in the rebellion were also beheaded.

Afterwards, Zhu Houcong moved to the Longevity Palace in Xiyuan, not daring to live in the palace in the Forbidden City, and became even more keen on fasting and praying.

Gradually, I also gave up on women.

Therefore, the youngest concubines are in their thirties.

In the fourteenth year of Hongwu, Zhu Yuanzhang gave a clear selection method: folk women aged above thirteen and below nineteen, women aged above thirty and below forty, and those without husbands were willing to enter the palace.

Prepare the envoys and order them to give money for road expenses and send them to the capital.

The translation is: unmarried women are the candidates for the harem, while married women are the choices for the six ministers (harem female officials).

After more than 20 years of not being selected, plus 20 years of staying alone in the palace, ancient people aged quickly, with yellow faces and resentful wives. Jiajing would not dare to touch such a concubine!

It is more important to practice innate skills.

That night, the two eunuchs on duty at night were sweating profusely. One of them was holding a wine jar, the other was holding a pine foot basin, and they walked lightly outside the palace gate.

The two put down the wine jar and footbath and listened quietly.

There was no sound inside.

If it was before last year, it would be nothing, but since this year's Lantern Festival, all the eunuchs in the palace know that if there is no sound in Jinshen Jingshe, it must be that the emperor is meditating and must not be disturbed.

The two of them did not dare to move, left the palace gate, walked to the bottom of the steps, picked up a corner of their gowns and started fanning themselves desperately.

A eunuch muttered in a mosquito-like voice: "Oh my god, last year it didn't snow during the twelfth lunar month, and this year there was no wind during the dog days. This is going to be a trap."

Another eunuch said: "I heard that it has been extremely hot outside these days, and the Shuntian Mansion has begun spending money to make herbal tea and distribute it."

A eunuch said: "In our immortal body, the sky doors and windows are all open when it is cold, but they are all closed when it is extremely hot."

Another eunuch: "My ancestor is also a half-immortal, and he is the only one who can accompany Long Live Master. If there is a noise, go quickly."

The two eunuchs hurriedly walked to the palace door again, listened carefully again, and sure enough, they heard the voice of their ancestor Lu Fang.

A eunuch called softly: "Ancestor, the servants have brought the wine and wooden basin."

After a while, the palace door opened halfway, and Lu Fang appeared behind the door, her complexion was rosy, and her skin seemed to be a little more delicate.

Obviously, he already has some attainments in the "Sunflower Book".

The two eunuchs quickly knelt down and said, "Ancestor, this jar of wine weighs dozens of kilograms. Can the grandchildren move in?"

Lu Fang shook her head and said: "I'm not that old yet."

The two eunuchs replied almost at the same time: "Yes. Our ancestors will have to stay with Long Live Lord for ten thousand years!"

After saying this, everyone got up again.

The eunuch holding the wine jar picked up the wine jar and handed it over through the door. Lu Fang took the wine jar with one hand and the wooden basin with the other hand, and whispered in a sharp voice: "You guys find a cool place to stay.

Go!”

"Yes." The two eunuchs walked back.

Keeping doors and windows closed not only prevents insects, but also has a sealing effect.

Lu Fang returned to Jinshen Jingshe and saw that half of the iceberg in the copper basin had melted, so she added some saltpeter to the water tank. She immediately saw a cold air climbing up the copper basin and condensing into crystal clear ice crystals.
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Jiajing wore a white muslin shorts and trousers, with a pair of shallow black satin shoes at his feet, sitting on the bright yellow embroidered pier.

As the eunuchs said, he has a "godly body", not even a drop of sweat on his body.

Lu Fang brought the wooden basin to Jiajing's feet and put it down, then opened the lid of the wine jar, and a strong aroma of wine hit his nostrils.

Jiajing also smelled it: "Maotai?"

Lu Fang smiled: "The 60-year-old Moutai was just found in the cellar of the Wine and Vinegar Noodle Company."

Jiajing: "How many years older than me?"

"Only this kind of aged wine can be called the essence of five grains and has all the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, so it can match the master's immortal body."

"It's chilled!"

"Okay! Master, you can eat it right away." After putting the 60-year-old Maotai in ice water, Lu Fang took out a small glass bottle from the table and said, "Master, I will apply it to you again.

Apply it to your feet!"

Next door, a smell of fireworks filled the air, and eunuchs Huang Jin and Chen Hong were sweating profusely, playing with hot pot and skewers.

Lu Fang took the topical medicine, picked up a low stool, placed it next to Jiajing, sat down, and rolled up his trouser legs.

Two slender legs were exposed, white, but with red and swollen spots on them.

This is not made by heating, this is made by eating.

Mercury poisoning!

Lu Fang held his left foot and slowly rubbed the potion prepared by Li Shizhen, then raised her head: "Master, does it not hurt?"

Jiajing had frowned just now, but now he was completely calm: "When my skills are perfected, I can force the poison out. Hurry up, I'm a little greedy."

Drink and have fun!

You just don’t have a confidant, so come and listen to yourself bragging!

"Lu Fang, you also have a drink."

"Then... let's have fun with the master..." Lu Fang sat down, with Huang Jin and Chen Hong waiting beside her.

"Human! Just like this string... life is so troublesome, one string relieves worries; life is so proud, one string shows pride; life's various tastes are like skewers, after eating one string, you still want another string, one string after another surprise

There are constant surprises; life is too short to be like a skewer, so delicious it will be gone in just a few bites..."
Chapter completed!