Tai Shigong said: ‘Farming is the foundation of the world, and there is no greater service.’
The rulers of all dynasties have attached great importance to agriculture. Starting from the Han Dynasty, in February every year, the emperor would hold a plowing ceremony; in March, the queen would hold a silkworm ceremony to show their practice and encourage farmers to cultivate mulberry trees.
In this dynasty, Emperor Hongwu was born as a farmer who had experienced famine, so he was no exception.
In the first year of Hongwu, he set a plowing ceremony for the emperor to personally sacrifice the ancestors and cultivate the fields on the auspicious day of the second month of spring every year.
In February of the following year, the Xiannong Altar was built in the southern suburbs of Nanjing, which was shared by Houji. Under the Xiannong Altar, one-third of an acre of cultivated land was opened up by the emperor himself.
The day before the plowing, Zhu Yuanzhang personally went to the Huagai Hall to inspect the grain seeds and farm tools used in the ceremony, and then fasted all night.
Later, these things will be placed in the Dragon Pavilion and carried to the Xiannong Altar.
On the morning of the day of farming, the emperor and the prince put on the most solemn crown clothes...the ones worn by Qin Shihuang, with a beaded curtain hanging in front of them.
Then Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao rode in a dragon chariot, and under the guidance of Fa Jia Lu Bu, led the officials accompanying the sacrifice to the Xiannong Altar.
When he arrived at the Xiannong Altar, the emperor worshiped the gods of Xiannong Tai Sui, Wind, Cloud, Thunder and Rain, Five Mountains and Five Towns, Four Seas and Four Lands, and Zhongshan Gods.
After paying homage to the emperor, the emperor and the prince changed their commoner clothes and sandals in the Jufu Hall and went down to the fields to perform plowing ceremony.
In the Xiannong Altar, drums and music were blaring together, and he lyrics and songs started.
Two elders led the cows, and two farmers held the plow. The emperor held the plow in his left hand and the whip in his right hand, performing the ceremony of pushing three times and returning three times. The prince followed closely behind with a green box in his hand, and sprinkled the grain seeds.
The so-called "three pushes and three returns" means plowing the land three times. For a veteran like Boss Zhu, this is a piece of cake and it's over without even breaking a sweat.
Then the emperor climbed up to the viewing platform and watched condescendingly as the Three Gongs and Nine Qings who were working on the farming received the plow and whip in turn, performing the rituals of five pushes and five returns and nine pushes and nine returns.
"Actually, you can't grow crops with this fake method." On the high platform, Zhu Yuanzhang said to the prince: "When we go back, Yingtianfu Yin will have to take the old farmer to plow and rake the land carefully again.
Only when the grass is leveled can the seeds be sown properly."
"The ceremony is just a symbol." Zhu Biao smiled and said: "If we follow the reality, neither of us will be able to go back tonight."
"We can just show off, but your brothers can't..." Zhu Yuanzhang said calmly: "Next time we want to use their harvest to sacrifice the ancestors, but we can't do any fraud."
Although he and his father were the only two people on the viewing platform, Zhu Biao couldn't help but look around.
"Don't worry, I have sense." Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the monkey show under the viewing platform and asked in a deep voice: "How are they doing over there? Didn't they delay the spring plowing?"
"We have settled down. The brothers work in the fields, herd cows, and cook, each performing their duties and living a small life." Zhu Biao said distressedly: "I can only eat two meals a day, and they are both dark and dark.
I have lost weight. Especially the sixth child, who is so thin that there is only one chin left."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Zhu Yuanzhang said happily: "His brothers are going to practice. We let him follow, mainly to lose weight."
"Dad, are you being ridiculous?" Zhu Biao shook his head speechlessly.
"Okay, let's not talk about this." Zhu Yuanzhang immediately changed the subject and said: "Then do they have salt to eat now?"
By asking this, I mean that I still care about the health of my other sons. I don’t just care about Biao Biao.
"Yes." Zhu Biao nodded.
"They have no money, where did they get the salt?" Zhu Yuanzhang became suspicious again. "Could it be that Han Yike secretly gave it to them?"
"Lao Liu would collect some herbs while grazing cattle, and Lao Wu would dry them and go to the market to exchange for things." Zhu Biao explained hurriedly. He knew the truth, but he must have helped hide it from Lao Zhu. p>
"Han Yike is so stupid, don't you know how to secretly stuff some salt into them?" Zhu Yuanzhang said angrily from another angle: "What if those guys can't get salt? Their bodies will become swollen!"<
/p>
"..." Zhu Biao is so sweaty. If he tells the truth, his father will definitely scold Han Yike for cheating.
It's the lesser of two evils. At least for Lao Zhu, it's better to be regarded as a deadhead.
"Besides taking care of his brothers, what else did he report?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked again.
"I said nothing more." Zhu Biao shook his head.
"It's just a lump of elm wood!" Zhu Yuanzhang said angrily: "Don't he think about it carefully? Is it just for the convenience of looking after the prince when we give him the right to secretly report? Why don't we say something else by the way?"
"Perhaps Magistrate Han took office not long ago and didn't find anything," Zhu Biao said.
"It's been half a year, which is not too short." Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head decisively and said: "Besides, he is the magistrate of Fuguo County, what can Fengyang Mansion hide from him?"
"That might mean everything is fine." Zhu Biao said softly.
"Boss, do you believe this?" Zhu Yuanzhang said coldly: "The mansion of our pro-military captain is dirty, how can Fengyang's hometown be clean?"
"Alas..." Zhu Biao sighed.
He actually doesn't quite understand why his father is so obsessed with digging up dirty information from Fengyang?
Because it is obvious that even if the black material is dug out, there is no way to thoroughly investigate it. Instead, it may be possible to alert the snake... Unless you are ready for a showdown with the Xungui Group.
But now, Wang Baobao is still alive, Yungui has not recovered, and his brothers have not grown up. It is obviously far from the time for a showdown.
"Biao'er, our old Zhu family doesn't live long. You are forty-eight, how many years do you still have to live? Stop protecting your brothers all the time." Zhu Yuanzhang also sighed deeply and looked towards his hometown in the north.
Said: "We have to force them to mature quickly and be able to take charge of their own business as soon as possible. Only then can our Zhu family's empire be stable and passed down."
"Yes, Father." Zhu Biao nodded. He had read history books and naturally knew that the Ming Dynasty was about to reach the most dangerous point of a new dynasty.
At this time, the rule was short, and people's hearts had not yet fully surrendered. The idea of "the emperor will be conquered by those with strong soldiers and horses" still remained in the hearts of a generation.
And the world is not at peace, and it is impossible to completely cleanse the heroes and ministers who hold military power and political power. And these heroes and ministers also know that their destiny has reached a crossroads. I wonder if what is waiting for them is the rabbit dying and the dog being cooked, or is the monarch and his ministers always the same?
At this time, these heroes and powerful officials who gained wealth by taking desperate risks are the most likely to take desperate risks again.
It's just that the founding monarchs are often the most talented and strategic people, and they can suppress them by relying on their huge reputation among the army and the people.
But after the founding monarch dies or becomes old, a dangerous outbreak stage will often occur. If it cannot survive, the new dynasty will be completely doomed.
There are countless examples like this. Why did Qin II die? Why did Liu Bang drag his dying body to defeat Yingbu?
How was Cao Wei usurped by the Sima family? Why did Song, Qi, Liang, and Chen change so frequently? There was also the similarly short-lived Sui Dynasty.
In fact, the Xuanwumen Incident in the Tang Dynasty, from Li Yuan's point of view, was it not a mutiny against his own regime by the military group coercing Lao Er?
After listening to so many books, it is impossible for my father not to realize that this huge crisis is approaching the Ming Dynasty that he worked so hard to create.
"Children of poor people should be in charge early! Send the message to Ping Bao'er and ask him to find a way to add some difficulties to your brothers and speed up their growth!" Zhu Yuanzhang finally ordered: "For example, find a way to make them run out of food..." p>
Zhu Biao almost fell off the observation platform after hearing this.
Dad, be a human being...
ps. Chapter 10, 4000 subscriptions for additional updates, this is the end of today’s update. I’m going to catch up on my sleep... Please vote by the way~~~
