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Chapter 894 Realgar Wine (Part 2)

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The capital proverb says, "Be good for the first month and the bad for the fifth month." Since the pre-Qin period, May has been regarded as the evil month of the year. The fifth day of the fifth month is considered the evil day of the evil month. According to legend, this day is the treacherous and slandered, and five poisons are released together. There are many prohibitions and taboos. It is difficult for gentlemen to avoid it. Therefore, since ancient times, there has been a saying that "storing orchids and bathing on May 5 to expel evil." On this day, you should also insert calamus, mugwort leaves to expel ghosts, fumigation of Atractylodes, angelica, and drinking realgar wine to avoid the epidemic. Even the "Duanwu" should be avoided as the "Duanwu" in order to safely survive this ominous day.

The Tian family is precious, so naturally more particular than the people. Before dawn, the eunuchs began to use herbs to fumigate the palaces and the smell of mugwort filled the palaces. They woke up early in the morning, took a bath under the palace servants, and then wore blue cotton garland robe and red green cotton garland embroidered with two-color golden dragon jackets. Then tied them up with a dragon boat-sized purse and a small five-poison purse, and finally tied a fresh mugwort tip on the crown. The queen also dressed up in the same way, and wore a five-poison hairpin that warded off evil spirits on her high bun.

The couple brought each other to Ciqing Palace. Usually during the holidays, the emperor and his wife went to Cining Palace first, but today they were on the birthday of the current emperor's legitimate mother, the Empress Dowager Rensheng, and even the emperor's biological mother, Empress Dowager Cisheng, would go to pay tribute first.

The Ciqing Palace exudes a strong festive atmosphere, and the furnishings in the palace were placed under the command of the queen yesterday... The walls are hung with dragon and phoenix kesi hangs, the table is filled with a large green gourd musical clock, and the cloisonné bottle is inserted into the five blessings and five auspicious flowers. The incense used today is also made of calamus roots and stems, which not only reflects the requirements of the Dragon Boat Festival, but also shows the festiveness of the Virgin's birthday.

The sage of the sage, Empress Dowager Li, had already come first and was talking to Empress Dowager Chen. The emperor and his wife saluted to the two mothers together and wished Empress Dowager Chen a sacred and longevity. Empress Dowager Chen was unhappy and said: "Ai's family is young but his birthday is not his last two years. The emperor has to worry about it." In ancient folk superstition, there was a saying that "the boy or boy harms his father on May 5, and the boy or boy harms his mother." Therefore, the family members of the family never celebrated their birthdays. The same is true for the Queen Mother Chen. However, since last year, Emperor Wanli insisted on giving birth to her.

"The mother is all old Huangli. If the servants no longer believe this statement today, why do you think?" Wanli said very well: "Because they all know that all the people born on this day have become the queen mother. They all wish that their daughter would be born today, so that they can enjoy your blessings!"

Queen Mother Chen was indeed laughed and said to Queen Mother Li with relief: "Sister, what else do you have to worry about having such a son?"

"Look at what my sister said," in the past two years, because of the depression of Wanli day after day and no longer being as obedient as before, the relationship between mother and son is a bit stiff. It is necessary for Empress Dowager Chen, an "outsider", to come to the center to talk about peace, which makes Empress Dowager Li feel sad, and she has to force her smile and say, "Isn't the emperor also your son?"

"Haha, that's natural..." Empress Dowager Chen saw that Wanli was a little restless and smiled and said, "If you want to be clean, you should let us hold our grandson as soon as possible, and naturally there will be no time to pay attention to you."

Now it was Queen Wang's turn to sit and lie down again. She had been married for two years, but her belly had not moved yet, so she naturally felt under great pressure...

After a family said a few words, the palace servants asked to move the food. Today, the staple food in the palace was all kinds of rice dumplings, and the rice dumplings on the table were piled into a small hill, so they were also called "zongshi". When Emperor Wanli was a child, he liked to watch Zongshan and eat Zongshi. But today, he only ate one small one and stopped chopsticks.

"Why, aren't the rice dumplings this year delicious?" Queen Mother Chen said strangely; "I remember in previous years, the emperor could eat the best ones."

"Maybe I feel a little uncomfortable today." Wanli pressed his chest and said, "It seems like I'm catching a cold."

"Then go back and call the imperial doctor to take a look." Empress Dowager Chen said anxiously.

"You might as well, let's go back with your two mothers after watching the dragon boat race." Wanli said he wanted to hold on.

How could Queen Mother Chen agree? She told him to drive him back no matter what, and asked the queen to take good care of her.

Wanli then stood up with a guilty look on his face and said, "I will take my leave first." He saluted Empress Li again, and then left.

After the emperor left, Empress Dowager Li said, "The emperor is lying to you, so he has no discomfort..."

"The emperor has grown up, we can't control it, so we don't have to." Queen Mother Chen comforted her and said, "Sister, it's time to let go."

"I'm afraid that he will not be able to do anything," said Empress Dowager Li, "Sister, my eyelids are twitching today. I don't know if something is going to happen..."

"What can I do during the holidays?" Queen Mother Chen said dismissively: "Sister, don't scare yourself."

"Maybe it's the reason for my insomnia recently." Empress Dowager Li nodded and stopped mentioning this.

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At the hour of You and the evening was coming, and the officials who attended the Empress Dowager's birthday party arrived in front of the Wu Gate. Before the time to enter the palace was yet to come, the officials and the Dukes and the Dukes talked in groups. Because it was for the banquet, everyone was relaxed and laughter came from time to time.

Inside and outside the Wenhua Hall, the palace people were busy and made their final preparations for the royal banquet that was about to begin. Hundreds of towering bronze candlesticks were arranged in various parts of the palace. Here and there, a few lights were lit one after another. Gradually, the lights were connected into one piece, dazzling and bright as daytime...

The realgar wine used today was configured from a wine, vinegar and noodles five days in advance, and then fermented in the huge wine pool until now, and was scooped out by the eunuchs of the wine, vinegar and noodles in a special water scoop and put it into a three-pound white porcelain wine jar.

The red wine of the lights was shining with tempting waves. In the illusion of the lights and wine, teams of fully armed Jinyiwei stood under the eaves of the palace and beside the pillars, and looked vigilantly inside and outside the hall.

The musicians of the Jiaofangsi carried various instruments and settled in inconspicuous places, and then seized the time to conduct the final rehearsal.

The banquet seats were already arranged, hundreds of eunuchs were orderly placing cold dishes, and the eight treasures of water and land were made into unique styles, and they were very careful. The officials of Taipu Temple carefully checked every seat, striving to make every dining table exactly the same...

A thick wall completely separates the sound of the front hall. The back hall is quiet, with birthday gifts from various provinces presenting here. In order to distract yourself and not be overwhelmed by the tension in your heart, Wanli came here early and accompanied his mothers to inspect the gifts. I saw Qiong Yaoqilin, Pu Wei Wanyu, Gui Bi Zhanghu... There are all kinds of things, and there are also rare Buddhist scriptures that were given by the Empress Dowager, including Buddha treasure relics, agate rosary, gold Buddha statues, and yellow signs. They were covered with yellow signs. The two Empress Dowagers were furious.

While walking and looking, when he reached the south window, he saw a large black stone, which looked particularly abrupt in the room with pearls and treasures. Wanli couldn't help but point and said, "What kind of object is this?"

"This is presented by the governor of Guangdong." The eunuch in charge quickly replied: "It is a meteorite outside the sky, and there are words on it, saying it is auspicious..."

"Auspicious?" Even the two empress dowagers were interested. Wanli asked people to turn around and see that there were eight seal script characters on the back of the blue-black stone, which was protruding along the rock tendons. When they were carefully identified, they were "a saint, wise minister, and the country was prosperous." The two empress dowagers couldn't help but be amazed. However, Wanli changed his face. He stared at the eight words that were natural, and saw that there was no trace of fake work on it. But he never believed that this was the revelation of God!

The first thing he thought of was that once this ghost thing spread, not only was the emperor who was destined to be the destiny of heaven, but someone became the prime minister and became the will of heaven. In that case, wouldn’t he be unable to move someone for the rest of his life?

'It must be his trick!' According to the past experience of "the emperor knows everything last", Wanli is almost certain that these eight words have spread throughout the two capitals and thirteen provinces. Thinking of this, the holy heart finally rose as hard as iron stone - the tail is too big to fall, and it will change later. Today, he must be dead!

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As soon as the auspicious time comes, all officials enter the palace without anyone's guidance. Everyone finds their seat accurately. No one will sit in the wrong place. The person sitting in the left head is naturally the chief minister, Taifu, Taibao, and Zhongji Palace Grand Secretary are silent. He seems to be in a good mood today, put his hands in his sleeves and talks softly with Zhu Xizhong, the Duke of Dingguo, who is sitting with the same seat.

Opposite him, Zhang Siwei, the second assistant to the cabinet, seemed to be in a bad mood and kept bowing his head to drink tea without talking to anyone.

At some point, the palace musicians began to play music. With the sound of ringing and dinging on the ring, sixty-four palace maids in light veils appeared in the hall with rhythm, waving tassel fans and dancing and singing:

‘The Dragon Boat Festival is approaching the middle of summer, and the day is growing again. The salt and plums have been accompanied by a tripod, and the bells are spread on the bells. The ancients have left their traces, and the years have grown. When the pavilion knows the hibiscus, they feel the fragrance of reeds towards the water. The whole family will live together and maintain prosperity. If you are loyal, you will be the last of the Kunxiang...'

This Dragon Boat Festival music was created by Emperor Li Longji of the Tang Dynasty. Emperor Wanli used it as the opening song and dance here, which was very thoughtful. Appreciating the beautiful song and dance, the behavior of the ministers seemed to become calm and elegant.

After the song was played, the tribute official sang: "The emperor is here, the two empress dowagers are here..."

The ministers stood up and saluted, calling the mountain to long live my emperor, the empress dowager a thousand years old, and the holy life and health...

Behind him, Emperor Wanli, wearing a black dragon robe, was already sitting upright on the imperial throne. Behind the bead curtain on his left, two women in palace costumes were vaguely sitting, obviously the two empress dowagers.

Wanli stood up, the music stopped, and the hall calmed down.

"Come!"

Then a palace servant bowed and came up with a tray steadily.

Wanli reached out his hand, picked up the gin wine pot on the tray, poured two bottles of wine, held it in front of the bead curtain with both hands, and passed it to the hands of the two empress dowagers by the palace servants.

At this time, the guest poured another bottle for the emperor. Wanli took it and shouted: "Today is the birthday of the Holy Mother, the Dragon Boat Festival is also held, so we have a banquet for the ministers to celebrate the birthday of the Holy Mother and the peace of the people of the Ming Dynasty!" As he said that, he raised his glass and said: "All the Lord raise their glasses with me! I wish the Holy Mother a long life!"

"I would like to congratulate the Queen Mother!" Everyone raised their wine glasses together.

Zhang Siwei held the wine glass with his hand, but his eyes stared at the silence opposite him. Seeing him delivering the wine bottle to his mouth, he drank it all with his orders, and acted unsuspecting. He let go of his heart and sipped the wine in the bottle.

After the emperor finished drinking, he was silent and toasted the two Holy Mothers on behalf of his ministers, and then the two Empress Dowagers left the table... Although the people were already in a prosperous manner, they still adhered to ethics in the palace. Men and women had different seats, and the two Empress Dowagers only appeared symbolically. After receiving the congratulations from the emperor and the ministers, they would return to the harem and have a meal with their female family. That was their world.

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After the two empress dowagers left, the atmosphere in the hall was not so restrained. After the officials toasted the emperor, the music resumed. The singers twisted their soft waists and the palace people held the fragrant wine. Wanli seemed very excited tonight. The ministers toasted him, and he did not refuse, and he drank one cup after another, and burst into laughter from time to time. The emperor led the way, so the officials naturally could not be slick. After three rounds of wine, they became a little drunk.

Wanli looked at Zhang Siwei with drunken eyes, and saw him nodding slightly, then cheered up, took the wine in his hand, and shouted: "The predecessor once had a good story about traveling with candles. Today, I have a banquet for the ministers at night, and I am so proud of how much better than the predecessors? All of this is a blessing for a peaceful and prosperous era! You should think that it is hard to come by, and you should be grateful to all your beloved friends and be brave!" As he said that, he raised his wine glass and said: "You take turns to respect me, and I will refuse everyone. Now it is my turn to respect you. My dear friends, don't refuse."

The ministers were also drunk, and they were very excited when they heard this and agreed with a loud bang.

"Of course I have to toast the Chief Assistant..." Wanli looked around the ministers, his voice trembling slightly, "Would I be able to be today without Yuanfu's Fu's Fu?" He said, looking at the silent and said, "Sir, let me make me be together again..."

Seeing that the emperor was moved, the ministers sighed.

"The emperor praised it, and the empress is not qualified." The silent reaction was as polite as ever, and the prime minister's demeanor: "The emperor has today, it depends entirely on your own wisdom and magical martial arts..."

Wanli seemed to have something in his words, but at this moment, his blood was boiling all over his body and his brain was blank. He could only follow the established routine: "Yuan Fu is so noble, I feel so relieved!" After saying that, he felt that his words were not right, so he quickly turned to the eunuch and said, "Give wine!"

The old eunuch who was over fifty years old was about to pour wine, but the emperor changed his mind and handed him the wine bottle in his hand and said, "Just use my golden bottle!"

Many ministers immediately changed their faces.

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Chapter completed!
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