Spring comes at the end of the year, and the branches are three-quarters tender.
The old man is right. In the entire Ming Dynasty, the most important thing now is not other state affairs, but Zhu Yunxi's marriage. The grandson's wedding is a state matter.
The ceremony of accepting the bride's name and asking for her name has just passed, and a few days later it is the ceremony of accepting the conferment and canonization. In these two ceremonies, the man sends the betrothal gift to the woman's home. The first time is a slight formality, and the second time is a full set of betrothal gifts.
When you marry a man, you have to wear clothes and eat with a man. Betrothal gifts have been around since ancient times. Even if you are an emperor, there is no such thing as a free gift. But the betrothal gifts vary from person to person, and it is impossible to ask for excessive prices. Those who have money will give more, and those who have no money will give more.
Giving less is mainly a metaphor and a courtesy.
No one sells girls, right?
If the marriage is between an official and a wealthy family, the woman will have to give as dowry as much as the man gives her as a bride price, or even more than the man. Because if she gives less, she is afraid that her daughter will be wronged.
The dowry is a woman's private property in her husband's family. If the woman dies without children in the future, the dowry will be returned. If there are children and the woman dies young, only the woman's children can control and inherit the dowry. Even the husband and parents-in-law will not use it.
principle.
Early in the morning, Zhu Yunxi's two uncles, together with Li Yuanming, the Minister of Rites, and officials from Honglu Temple and Guanglu Temple. Guards in royal robes cleared the way, escorted by the army, and banners were rolled high. They came towards the Zhao family's house in Niangniang Lane with great momentum.
.
The middle door of the Zhao family has been opened long ago. Zhao Sili is in front, wearing official uniform, and his wife is kneeling in front of the door, dressed as a married woman. Zhao Ning'er, the future imperial concubine, is in the hall of the house and cannot go out now.
At the front of the procession in the palace, two whip-swinging captains opened the way, and the Jiaofangsi musicians played music. Then, a beaming Chang Sheng, wearing a red python robe, came to Zhao Sili holding a bright yellow scroll.
"Master Zhao, I have a will!" Chang Sheng said with a smile.
"My lord, Zhao Sili accepts the order!" Zhao Sili and his wife kowtowed.
"The Holy One has decreed that I and you will form a good family relationship and we will be married. The daughter of the Zhao family is the wife of the Zhu family and is the mother of the East Palace." Chang Sheng smiled brightly and said, "Now I accept the gift of conquest, Zhu Cui.
A Yanju crown. (Decorated with large pearls, 2 golden phoenixes, 27 golden treasures, 1 pair of gold hairpins, and a pair of coral phoenix crown mouths)"
(The National Museum has a prototype, the Queen’s Phoenix Crown unearthed from the Wanli Tomb.)
"Four sets of Yanjufu. (One each of scarlet ramie silk, scarlet Luo, scarlet plain gauze, and Qingluo)"
"The big belt has four jade belts and a pair of jade flowers and ribbons (one jade ribbon flower, six jade beads, four gold hanging flower panels, and six gold leaves)."
"Nine pieces of jade, two pieces of gold ornaments, four pairs of bead-faced flowers, and four branches of bead flowers."
"One pair of four-beaded rings on gold legs, one pair of plum blossom garlands, one pair of golden plain chandeliers, one pair of gold eight-jeweled bracelets, four hundred taels of gold, one thousand six hundred taels of silver, twenty-four taels of pearls, fifty guan of precious coins, riding on a horse
Four pieces of ramie and damask, sixty pieces each of gauze, Luo, and brocade, four pieces of big red Luo, thirty-two northern sheep, sixteen pigs, thirty-two geese, two hundred bottles of wine, and six hundred round cakes.
A..." (There is so much water, please pay for it!)
(From the book "Kingdom Ceremony" by Zhu Qinmei, Clan of the Ming Dynasty.)
The long gift list showed the wealth of the Tian family. Whenever Chang Sheng finished reciting a sentence, there would be palace attendants in auspicious clothes behind him, either holding or carrying it, and placing it into the Zhao family hall. After a while, the Tian family's
The betrothal gifts piled up like mountains.
"O minister, thank God for his grace!" Zhao Sili raised his hands above his head and received the imperial edict.
"Master Zhao, please get up!" Chang Sheng smiled and helped him up, "Your Majesty loves me so much, this reward is even more than what I received when the Crown Prince got engaged!"
Zhao Sili's face froze with laughter. These days seemed like he was in a dream. Today, when the betrothal gift came, he felt relieved and finally felt relieved.
At this time, the reception ceremony had just begun. The Jiaofang Si played music again, and then the palace officials came in and began to set up incense tables, incense burners and other items in Zhao's house.
Li Yuanming, the Minister of Rites, held a jade box in his hands with a respectful expression and walked in with the praise officer of the Ministry of Rites.
Accompanied by the female officials in the palace, Zhao Ning'er stood respectfully beside the incense table.
"Kneel down!" sang the praise officer of the Ministry of Rites.
Zhao Ning'er knelt down and opened her hands slightly.
"According to the imperial edict, I canonize Zhao Ning'er as the imperial concubine and the mother of the East Palace!" Li Yuanming said loudly, and carefully took out the gold plate with Zhao Ning'er's birth date from the jade box.
The golden book is a symbol of Zhao Ning'er's status. When she is alive, this golden book will be kept in her palace. When she dies, this golden book, together with the jade box, will accompany her into the tomb.
The golden book made of one hundred taels of pure gold was a bit heavy, and Zhao Ning'er's arms trembled slightly.
"My concubine, thank God for your kindness!"
Afterwards, he put away the gold book, faced the incense table, and knelt three times and kowtowed nine times in the direction of the palace.
The praise officer of the Ministry of Rites continued to sing, "The ceremony is completed!"
"Hurry and help the empress up!" Li Yuanming said to the palace attendants.
The moment Zhao Ning'er stood up, the Chang family brothers, Li Yuanming, officials from various ministries, and the palace people all bowed down.
"I see you, the great concubine. I am a thousand years old, a thousand years old!"
Suddenly, Zhao Ning'er, who was originally nervous and shy, panicked.
A pair of beautiful eyes looked around, frantically looking for her parents, but suddenly she found that her parents, like everyone else, were kneeling humbly, kowtowing to their daughter.
Tears filled her eyes unconsciously. After receiving the royal book of canonization, even if the wedding ceremony had not yet been held, even at home, her parents would kneel down in front of her.
Zhao Ning'er stubbornly held back her tears, waved her hand, and said solemnly, "Stay flat, no courtesy!"
"Thank you, empress!" The ministers stood up, but everyone lowered their heads and did not dare to look directly at her.
In the side door of the nave, her younger brother was looking at him doubtfully. Although there was a hint of intimacy in his eyes, after seeing her gaze, he also lowered his head silently in the palace's low voice.
From now on, there is no home, only country.
From then on, kindness from relatives is far away, and kindness from king is great.
From then on, I was no longer the woman who made soup and walked in the market.
After the emperor's grandson accepted the wedding ceremony, there was a sensation in the capital. Just after the New Year, the people of the capital were lucky enough to welcome the emperor's grandson's wedding. The excitement on the streets was even better than during the Spring Festival.
The common people are joining in the fun, and so are the ministers. All the distinguished ministers are racking their brains as to what gifts to offer.
At this time, the civil servants of the Ming Dynasty were poor, but the military generals were extremely rich. And compared to the civil servants, the military generals had no scruples in giving gifts.
But how to give gifts and what to give are a profound knowledge.
Xicheng, Duke Cao's Mansion.
Li Jinglong couldn't help but pull his hair out in worry, and searched through the inner treasury, but couldn't find anything he liked. There was quite a lot of gold and silver in Cao Guogong's house. The emperor gave many rewards back then. Li Jinglong's father, Li Wenzhong, fought in the north and south.
At that time, there was no shortage of snatching and pulling...to the house.
"What are you giving me?" Li Jinglong muttered to himself as he sat in front of the warehouse door, scratching his ears and heart.
"What's so difficult about this?" Li Jinglong's wife, Deng Shi, said, "Just choose some gold and silverware, but because of your heart, who can choose you?"
"Vulgar!" Li Jinglong said, "The palace lacks our gold and silver? The emperor's grandson is getting married. The gift is not only for His Majesty the grandson, but also for the old emperor!"
"You are the most thoughtful!" Madam Deng curled her lips and said, "I heard that the Chang family did not send gifts to the palace, but instead gave the Zhao family the title deed to several hundred acres of paddy fields in the suburbs of Beijing. How about you also go to the Zhao family?"
"The Chang family is His Highness's mother clan, so it's natural for others to give it to you. What's going on with us?" Li Jinglong said impatiently, "Besides, I am a close minister of His Highness, so naturally this gift must be different!"
"Having you taken to Hangzhou once to get you close to the ministers?" Deng said with a smile, "You are already a hereditary prince, how much closer can you get?"
"The Duke is just a title. If I don't make progress, our son will only have an empty title in the future. What's the use?" Li Jinglong said, suddenly slapping his forehead, "Madam, I remember that your mother-in-law had a former imperial concubine.
The Hundred Sons Picture, right?" He said with another smile, "Your Highness is getting married, and the Emperor is looking forward to having a great-grandson. This Hundred Sons Picture has a good color, and both the Emperor and His Highness will be satisfied if I send it to you!"
"You tampered with my dowry last time, and this time you are targeting my mother-in-law?" Ms. Deng raised her eyebrows, "You are so shameless!"
"Madam, aren't I doing this for our son?" Li Jinglong took his wife's hand and smiled, "You are just aggrieved, just come back to your parents' house." After saying that, he came closer and laughed in a low voice, "Your Majesty and
Your Highness the Grand Sun is so happy, can you forget me? Can you forget our son?"
Deng felt relieved and rolled her eyes at Li Jinglong.
"In the future, when our son grows up, His Highness will think of me as a good thing, and it will be more than loving the house and the bird!" Li Jinglong laughed evilly, "Don't say that we are just one legitimate son, even if there are seven or eight, they can't stand poverty.
Don't worry about having no future." After saying that, he came closer, pressed his wife's forehead against his, and said with a smile, "Madam, you see, we do have fewer heirs, why not..."
"You!" Mrs. Deng pointed her finger at Li Jinglong and said angrily, "There is a joke in Beijing that the King of Tang loves to scratch things from his uncle's house. I think you are even more ridiculous than him. After all, he is Uncle Scratch.
Family, you are always thinking about taking advantage of my father-in-law!"
"My son-in-law is half a son, so how can I take advantage?" Li Jinglong said with a smile, "Besides, my father-in-law is gone, so those good things can't be made cheaper by two brothers-in-law!"
At the same time, someone else had a headache giving gifts.
Also in the west city of the capital, in a huge mansion, Lan Yu sat in the garden holding a wine glass and meditating secretly.
Lan Yu is now dressed in common clothes. After taking off his armor, he looks much older than before. The wind moves slightly, and the white hair on his temples also sways. Moreover, his eyes no longer have the excitement and heroism of the past, but are a bit thicker.
Deserted.
The good thing is that he closed his door to reflect on his mistakes, but the bad thing is that he was banned by the emperor. It was also a ban that deprived him of all honors. Even if the heart of a famous general in a hundred battles is iron-clad, he can't help but feel depressed.
However, only he himself knows whether there is unwillingness and resentment, secret hatred and complaints in this decadence.
"Father!" Lan Chun, the eldest son, whispered from the other side, "My son thinks that we should not let our grandson have a wedding......"
"I know what's appropriate!" Lan Yu's voice was cold, "Now the Lan family is a guilty family, it is not the time to show loyalty. But His Highness Taisun is not someone else, but a blood relative of mine. I grew up watching him.
Her mother is my niece, and I treat her as my own daughter!"
"He's getting married. As an elder, I can't go. I'm sorry for the late prince and the late princess. If there are no gifts, how can I go to see them after I die?"
Lan Chun lowered his head, "Father, be careful..."
"How can we be cautious? It's just to add some happiness to His Highness's wedding. Isn't it prudent?" After saying that, Lan Yu glanced at her son sideways, "Are you so cautious, are you afraid that your father will get involved and ruin you?"
future?"
"Son, I don't dare!" Lan Chun quickly knelt down, "Father, it's just that His Highness once confessed..."
"Okay!" Lan Yu waved her hands impatiently, "As an uncle, even if you give me gifts, the emperor won't pick them!" He continued, "Follow me and open the secret vault in my room!"
Aristocratic families have secret warehouses that contain the most precious things in the family. As the eldest son of Lan, Lan Chun also entered the secret warehouse for the first time.
He didn't bring any servants, just the two of them. The secret warehouse was dark and gloomy, but the torch light passed by, and the golden light shone. Before he knew it, Lan Chun was dumbfounded. He didn't expect that his Lan family still had so many treasures.
"When the cannon goes off, there is ten thousand taels of gold." Lan Yu walked to the end of the secret warehouse, "Isn't it just for the sake of wealth and wealth that you fight with your head in your belt?" Then he pointed to an inconspicuous box at his feet, "
Open!"
"Yes!" Lan Chun nodded.
Maybe it had been left there for a long time, and the box was covered with dust. Lan Chun opened it carefully, and suddenly took a breath of air, "Hiss! This is it!"
There were no gold or silver treasures in the box, but the light emitted almost illuminated half of the dark warehouse. Lan Chun blinked a few times, adjusting to the bright light in front of him, and looked down.
"Father, is this... golden armor?"
A pair of exquisite armor lies inside the box, wrapped around the golden dragon's golden helmet, coiled around the golden dragon's arm guards, and leg guards. Inlaid among the golden fish scales is a round breast mirror, which shines like a mirror.
.
"Well, this is the most precious thing between you and me. Take it and give it to His Highness!"
Lan Chun's fingers fell on the cold golden armor and kept rubbing, "Father, whose armor is this?"
Lan Yu smiled slightly, "The original owner Tuogu Si Timur!"
"Ah?" Lan Chun was frightened and turned around, "Emperor Tianyuan's imperial armor?"
Emperor Tianyuan Tuogu Si Timur was the second son of Emperor Yuan Shun. In the battle at Yuerhai, his horse was beaten by the Ming Dynasty and fled, and all the concubines and ministers were captured.
Although he was the emperor of the Northern Yuan Dynasty, he was still an emperor.
"Father, this is trespassing!" Lan Chun said in horror.
"I'm not wearing any clothes, why are you arrogating?" Lan Yu said angrily, "Why are you such a bitch?"
~~~~
Who can give me a driver's license that allows me to speed?