Light Dance Jiajing

This hall has not been completed yet. A team of workers are busy carrying stones. There are also more than a dozen strong men who are pushing and pulling a big wood with a circumference of more than ten meters with difficulty. It is the first time that Meng'er has seen such thick wood. Seeing Meng'er's expression, Altan said with some pride: "This hall is made of hundred-year-old sunken wood. When it is completed, you can see how it compares to the palaces of your Ming Dynasty." In fact, he had been away for a year, and many buildings were built during his absence. He had just heard about the purpose of each building.

After the main hall is the Changchao Hall, a three-story pavilion with a hip roof style, where Altan met guests, handled and planned military and political affairs, read and held banquets. The hall is three rooms wide, and the first and second floors each have two large corridor columns, which looks grand and impressive. The roof and the eaves of each floor are covered with emerald green glazed tiles. Three golden patterns are evenly distributed between the green tiles on the front of the roof. In front of the main ridge is a relief of lotus and peony, and behind is a relief of flying boys playing with beasts. From a distance, the white walls and red pillars, green tiles and golden backs, and red doors and windows give it a royal style.

Dongchan Palace is located on the west side of Changchao Hall. The east is the superior position for the Han nationality, while the west is the superior position for the Mongols, so this palace was built west of the central axis. This is Altan’s residence, and the corresponding one is Xifeng Pavilion, which is the residence of the female family members.

As Mei'er was looking at the scene with her eyes dazzled, she saw a middle-aged man running over. When he saw Altan, he knelt down and saluted. Altan raised his hand, and the man stood up and said with a flattering smile, "Great leader, you are back. Do you think this palace is built to your satisfaction?"

Altan nodded and said, "Qiu Fu, why is the main hall of Dongchan Palace only one story high? Why not two stories high?"

Qiu Fu scratched his head. His younger brother Qiu Tong was a carpenter who knew how to build palaces. Qiu Tong was responsible for the drawings and he was just a supervisor. When Altan asked him, he couldn't answer, so he said cleverly, "It's lonely at the top. Besides, the imperial palace in Beijing is like this too. There should be some truth to it." Seeing that Qiu Fu was a Han Chinese, Meng'er had some good feelings for him, but Qiu Fu's nodding and fawning face was annoying no matter how she looked at him, so she turned her head away.

At this time, Altan turned around and asked Meng'er: "Did he talk about the Beijing Imperial Palace?" Meng'er nodded, and Qiu Fu looked at her. Meng'er rolled her eyes and ignored him.

Qiu Fu continued to say to Altan: "Great leader, I have another thing to report to you. A good friend of mine from the sect has come to you recently. I believe you already know about this. It is the team of about a hundred people. Zhao Quan has long admired your reputation. I know this person very well. He is indeed a man of strategy. I am recommending this person. The great leader will surely be even more powerful if he comes to serve you."

Altan nodded and said, "Okay, since you said so, I'll keep him as a leader under you, and we'll see if he can accumulate merits and be promoted in the future." Meng'er seemed not to care, but she was actually listening with her ears perked up. She secretly paid attention to what sect this "friend in the sect" that Qiu Fu was referring to.

At this time, a group of women came in from outside. The first two women were both young women in gorgeous clothes. The one walking in front wore a colorful straw hat with a red tassel, a red tight-sleeved robe, and a light yellow boa. She should be older than Altan. Her face was very kind and ruddy, and her curved eyebrows and fine eyes were quite attractive. The woman behind wore a light blue robe and a rose-red boa. She looked younger, with fair skin and gentle steps. Both of them wore large earrings, chain necklaces around their necks, and square pendants inlaid with turquoise. When they saw Altan, they all showed joy and came over one by one to pay their respects.

Altan smiled and exchanged a few words with them. Meng'er knew that these two must be his wives. He was right next to Altan. Just as he was wondering whether he should leave, Altan took her hand and said to the two Hatuns, "This is Anan, the guest I invited back. Please help me take care of her."

Mei'er quickly pulled her hand out under the pretext of greeting the two ladies. The lady in red immediately took Mei'er's hand and said with a smile, "Don't worry, my husband. We will take good care of her." This was Altan's eldest Khatun, Ikhatun. She was originally the third Khatun of Altan's father, Barsborot. After Barsborot died, she married Altan again according to the Mongolian custom of remarriage. The second Khatun, Dwarf Khatun, was originally the first wife married to Altan by his father when he was still alive. But since Altan married Ikhatun, she had to be demoted to the second Khatun. She also smiled warmly and said, "Anan is so beautiful. My husband, please rest assured and leave her to us." Out of the instinct of life in the harem, Mei'er tried carefully to distinguish whether there was any undercurrent between the two. After watching for a long time, she could not see anything. The two Khatuns said a few more words and then sensibly took Mei'er away.