readsfreenovel Chapter 526: New Year's Celebration
Chapter 526: New Year's Celebration
Emperor Shenwu sighed softly, his voice barely audible: "I also don't have the confidence to do the second one."
"And that old ancestor, under his obsession, almost wiped out the direct lineage of the Human Emperor!"
Dozens of emperors who followed took this as a warning, fearing that they would become eternal sinners, causing unrest in the world and destroying the Dasheng Dynasty in their hands.
So, at the beginning, the Shenwu Emperor followed the first rule of the emperor. Favoritism was fine, but an heir was essential! However, Lan Qingwu's silent presence within the ice jade coffin ultimately persuaded the Shenwu Emperor to change his mind. Even though it was difficult, it was what Lan Qingwu wanted, and what the Shenwu Emperor wanted to give him!
Strictly speaking, the Emperor Shenwu's change of heart was a crisis for Lan Qingwu and her child! The ambitions, desires, and resentment of the concubines, who were no longer favored by the emperor, and the adult princes, would only intensify!
The two laws cannot coexist, and this is not just talk!
The deceased Concubine Yang and the unscrupulous Fourth Prince are the best proof.
The Crown Prince felt a surge of sympathy, for both his mother and his father. To a certain extent, the Emperor Shenwu had already violated two of the Imperial Laws: he didn't have nine sons, nor did he have three legitimate sons (the eldest and seventh princesses didn't count). Yet, the Emperor Shenwu resolutely chose this path. He believed the Crown Prince inherited his bloodline and that of the Emperor, and he diligently mentored him, ultimately making him Crown Prince.
At this time, the prince also remembered that the lineage of Emperor Shenwu actually had more than nine sons. Emperor Shenwu was the seventh son, and three or four more princes and princesses were born after him. However, the subsequent princes died for various reasons. However, after his royal grandfather determined the crown prince, he included the two deceased princes in the royal imperial genealogy, so that the total number of sons was nine.
At the same time, the prince was clearer and more determined about his future path.
Unlike his father and mother, the Crown Prince and his wife did not share the emotional foundation of the Emperor and Empress. Even the most basic trust was cultivated bit by bit after marriage. The Crown Prince naturally did not have to follow the second rule; his father had already decided it for him long ago.
The Crown Prince bowed solemnly to the Emperor Shenwu and said solemnly, "Father, I will live up to your teachings and expectations! I will dedicate my entire life to ensuring political clarity, peace, a lasting stability of the country, and the eternal prosperity of the Great Sheng!"
Emperor Shenwu nodded with satisfaction: "My son, you must remember this carefully. The imperial laws are secretly recorded in the Imperial Secret Records in secret language. They have been personally taught and passed down orally by emperors from generation to generation. Outsiders are forbidden to know them!"
After the Crown Prince withdrew, Emperor Shenwu was still thinking, if he hadn't been sent to the border by the late emperor for training at the age of fourteen, where he met Lan Qingwu, he would never have remembered the second law of the emperor. This is too difficult!
I wonder if his stubborn ancestor ever regretted his final outcome?
Lan Qingwu in the bedroom could imagine what Emperor Shenwu and the Crown Prince would say. This was the ideology of the entire feudal dynasty, and it was not something she could change alone.
Lan Qingwu just felt uncomfortable thinking that his son's backyard would soon be in chaos and full of competition for favor!
Soon the New Year was approaching, and Emperor Shenwu finally agreed to release the third prince.
The third prince recovered well from his injuries, but he became much quieter.
When the third prince came out of Qianzheng Hall to express his gratitude, he ran into the crown prince who was striding towards him, wearing a black robe with a four-clawed golden python.
The prince saw him from afar, his expression calm.
The Third Prince knelt on the ground: "Greetings to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"
The Crown Prince extended his hand to support him: "Third brother, please stand up!"
As the Crown Prince was about to enter the Qianzheng Hall, the Third Prince half-turned his body and said, "Your Highness, I was willful before. Thank you for your guidance!"
Although the Third Prince appeared sincere, the two officials beside the Crown Prince could not help but frown. Only the eunuch Yun'en stood to one side, his head slightly lowered, without a trace of emotion.
The Crown Prince smiled faintly, "Since Third Brother has been able to leave the Imperial Clan House, I believe Father has already determined that Third Brother has admitted his mistakes and accepted the punishment. Now that Third Brother has sorted out his inner thoughts, Father and I will be relieved!"
"Third brother, my father is still waiting, so I'll go in now! The New Year is coming soon, so I'd like to wish you all the best!"
The third prince watched the honored crown prince step into the gate of Qianzheng Hall. He turned around and walked out of the palace step by step. The third prince had not yet changed into court clothes and was only wearing a simple gray and black robe, thus forming a sharp contrast with the crown prince who walked into Qianzheng Hall.
The two of them had completely different destinies when they came and went.
Starting on the first day of the twelfth lunar month, the Lunar New Year celebrations began with Emperor Shenwu writing the word "Fu" (blessings). Chief eunuch Li Xiang ordered dragon paper, a large brush, and a large inkwell to be prepared in the Qianzheng Hall. Emperor Shenwu personally wrote the word "Fu" (blessings) on the dragon paper, praying for all the people of the world.
The first written character "Fu" would be hung in the Qianzheng Hall, followed by Fengqi Palace, Cining Palace, and Dongde Hall. The others would be posted in the harem, the imperial garden, and other places. The remaining characters would be awarded to princes and ministers, and everyone would consider it an honor to receive this character.
Starting on the 24th day of the 12th lunar month, various palace lanterns were hung. Sixteen longevity lanterns and 128 large and small lanterns were placed in front of the Qianzheng Hall. Five lanterns were hung at the Qianzheng Hall gate; one lantern each was hung at the Rijing Gate and Yuehua Gate; 120 lanterns were hung along the two corridors; 194 lanterns were hung on the railings; and lanterns were also placed in the Imperial Garden.
Fengqi Palace followed closely behind, with slightly fewer lamps there, while the other palaces each had a fixed number.
Some of these palace lanterns were made by the Imperial Household Department, while others were special and beautiful lanterns sent as tribute from various regions. The materials ranged from commonplace bamboo, paper, and silk to the more expensive red sandalwood, rosewood, ivory, and gemstones, and the lanterns were also decorated with exquisite embroidery and paintings.
Every evening, a brief lantern-lighting ceremony was held within the palace: the chief eunuch led a band of musicians to form a line at the entrance of the Qianzheng Hall, where they knelt in worship. As the band played, the lanterns were lit. Other eunuchs also lit lanterns in various palaces, corridors, and railings.
The Spring Festival couplets in the palace were written by Confucian officials in the Hanlin Academy who were proficient in calligraphy. They mainly used elegant words to express the hope for a stable country and peace for the people.
On the 26th day of the 12th lunar month, Emperor Shenwu sealed his pen and seal, halting government affairs until the first day of the 1st lunar month. This ceremony symbolized a new beginning and heralded a fresh start.
On the day before New Year's Eve, Emperor Shenwu held a grand sacrifice ceremony in the front hall of the Taimiao to offer sacrifices to the ancestors and show filial piety.
On New Year's Eve, Emperor Shenwu held a banquet in Qiulu Palace. The Emperor and Empress walked hand in hand, while Imperial Concubine Jiang led the imperial concubines in standing respectfully awaiting the Emperor's arrival. The Empress's phoenix-shaped carriage was accompanied by loud chants: "Long live His Majesty! Long live the Empress!"
The imperial banquet officially began on New Year's Eve. Every time the Emperor Shenwu raised his cup to drink, everyone stood up and knelt in greeting. The banquet was filled with clinking glasses, singing and dancing, and the atmosphere was extremely lively.
Until the end of the banquet, the emperor and the empress left the table together, and everyone knelt down to pay their respects again.
In addition, during the Spring Festival, Emperor Shenwu held a family banquet and a state banquet. The family banquet was a grand feast for the royal family and concubines from the six palaces to gather together, while the state banquet was a banquet for the ministers to reflect the emperor's authority and grace.
Fireworks and firecrackers were not normally allowed in the imperial palace, but an exception was made during the Spring Festival. When Emperor Shenwu left the Qianzheng Hall, firecrackers were set off at each gate he passed, adding to the festive atmosphere of the New Year.
During the Spring Festival, the palace would have lively performances of various singing and dancing, acrobatics, and ice skating performances with superb skills every day.
When they had nothing to do, the second prince and the seventh prince stood on the highest palace wall and, from a bird's-eye view, carefully described the entire picture of the imperial city during the New Year, from Zhengyangmen Street, Daqingmen, Tiannan to Wumen, Taihe Hall, and even the conditions of the people in the inner city.
The two presented the painting to Emperor Shenwu. Coincidentally, Lan Qingwu and the Crown Prince were also in Qianzheng Hall, and they had a good discussion about painting techniques.
The prince took out a picture of Lantern Festival and said, "This was painted by Xiaoqi during the Lantern Festival last year!"
The scene of the market suddenly appeared before everyone: the peddler's cart was hung with children's favorite toys and snacks, the children were chasing and playing with elephant-shaped lanterns, horse-shaped lanterns, and toad-shaped lanterns, and the people watched with great interest the artists performing pole climbing, hoop jumping, and pyramid stacking... The noise of gongs and drums seemed to ring in their ears.
Emperor Shenwu also became interested. "Last year, your mother painted a picture of the imperial city during the Spring Festival."
Li Xiang hurried to the warehouse to look for it.
The palace depicted in the painting is magnificent and splendid. The sky lanterns and the longevity lanterns in front of the Qianzheng Hall are enormous and towering. The sky lanterns, suspended high above, remain illuminated throughout the night. The longevity lanterns shimmer in the night. The hexagonal lantern tower is painted with six immortal fans, rotating like an exquisite revolving lantern. Sixteen enormous lanterns, inscribed with auspicious messages of congratulation, are magnificent and exquisite.
Between the red walls and golden tiles, the ancient charm accumulated for thousands of years and the dignity and solemnity of the imperial home seem to appear before your eyes.
The Second Prince was sincerely impressed by the lifelike brushwork every time he saw it.
During this period, Emperor Shenwu summoned foreign envoys from various nations and all officials in the Imperial City. The foreign envoys gathered in the Imperial City to meet the emperor and congratulate him on the New Year. The grand spectacle of the Dasheng Dynasty's New Year left the foreign envoys in awe and awe!