The Prosperous Era of Longwan

When Wei Guangde woke up, it was already the first day of the Lunar New Year.

After eating the glutinous rice balls sent by the guild hall, Wei Guangde was thinking about whether to go out for a walk with his classmates and see how the first day of the new year was spent in the north.

After going out, Wei Guangde took Zhang Ji and walked forward. When they arrived at the lobby, they saw many Jiujiang disciples discussing which temple fair to visit later.

Wei Guangde naturally joined in, but he definitely had no say in which temple fair in Beijing was stronger, so naturally he could only watch them argue.

Not long after, the Beijing City God Temple Fair was decided.

"Zhang Ji, call Li Santai and let's go to the City God's Temple to have a look."

Some time ago, Li San took some time to wander around Beijing, and he was basically familiar with the city.

Zhang Ji heard the young master's instructions and immediately agreed and walked back.

There were many people in the guild hall, and they all chose not to read today but to go to the temple fair. Wei Guangde's carriage with more than 20 people would definitely not be enough for them.

Fortunately, the waiter of the guild hall quickly went outside to find a few carriages, and then the group set off in great force.

Along the way, Wei Guangde asked how the Spring Festival was celebrated in Beijing.

"Aoshan Lantern Festival, when the Lantern Festival comes, I will take you there to open your eyes."

Zhu Shilong laughed.

“The Aoshan Lantern Festival is really beautiful, and there are also fireworks that cannot be seen in other places.”

Xia Kefan, who was riding in the same car, also said, "Also, I don't know if Guangde likes theater. There are all kinds of theater here in Beijing, which is also a good pastime."

"Forget watching the show, I can't understand how to pick up things."

Wei Guangde shook his head, "You can go and see the lantern festival."

In fact, there are many things to see in Beijing, but there is a Ming Dynasty song and dance performance that Wei Guangde loves to watch. Wei Guangde will never go there before the examination.

Without him, I am afraid of bumping into the future exam chief.

Wei Guangde doesn't believe that those officials don't enter brothels. Low-level officials don't have the money to enter brothels. It's hard to say for high-level officials.

At this time, on the streets of Beijing, there was an explosive increase in the number of people wearing student uniforms rushing to take the exam. Wei Guangde looked at the many students outside the car and felt how serious this exam was.

When he arrived at the place, Wei Guangde was dumbfounded by the bustling scene of huge crowds of people.

Temple fairs are full of vendors, selling everything people use in their daily lives.

A large group of people got off the car and walked along the flow of people. Both sides of the market were filled with famous products from all over the country, such as Su embroidery, Sichuan brocade, silk and satin, pen and ink rice paper and other goods.

Some of the better shops even display a dazzling array of items such as Yi tripods from the Shang and Zhou dynasties, mirrors from the Han dynasty, calligraphy and paintings from the Tang and Song dynasties, porcelain from famous kilns, jewelry, ivory, jade, coral trees, etc.

Wei Guangde didn't plan to buy anything in the capital. Although these products were eye-catching, he didn't plan to buy anything. He just wanted to join in the fun.

In the car, I heard Zhu Shilong talking about the Aoshan Lantern Festival. To be honest, Wei Guangde was more interested in that one.

In later generations, Wei Guangde also saw the Lantern Festival, and saw it more than once.

On the fifteenth day of the year, Wei Guangde planned to go there and see how different the lantern festivals of the Ming Dynasty were from those of later generations.

To their north, in the majestic imperial city, the first court meeting in the thirty-fifth year of Jiajing had begun.

On the first day of the first lunar month, there was a great court meeting. At this moment, the morning drums sounded on the palace wall. The civil and military ministers who had already stood outside the left and right gates in sequence waited for the sound of the drums and the ringing of bells. They entered through the left and right gates, crossed the Jinshui Bridge, and entered. Fengtian Gate stands on the east and west sides under Danqi.

On both sides of Danqi, Yudao, Jinshui Bridge, the square outside Fengtianmen, Yemen and other places, there were one hundred and twenty-nine Han generals, two from a thousand households, four from a hundred households, and 500 generals. Standing inside and outside the Meridian Gate, one is a guard, and the other is sounding whips and holding guard of honor.

Because it was the Zhengdan Dynasty Meeting, not only the civil and military officials in Beijing gathered, but also the Imperial City Guards were lined up with brand-new honor guards on both sides.

The generals of the Han Dynasty wore bright armors of various colors, while the imperial guards all wore goose hats and bright blue cotton armor, and carried embroidered spring knives at their waists.

The imperial officials of the fourth rank and above continued to move forward and entered the Fengtian Hall.

In the Fengtian Hall, under the throne, the imperial guards closest to Emperor Jiajing were waiting around in flying fish uniforms, waiting to be dispatched.

After entering the palace, the ministers still stood on the left and right sides of the hall, divided into civil and military groups, waiting for the arrival of Emperor Jiajing.

As the "Music for Saint An" played, Emperor Jiajing slowly walked into the Fengtian Hall, stepped onto the stage and sat on the throne.

The officials of the Ministry of Rites followed the procedures of the Zhengdan court meeting step by step. After singing "Hundred Officials Congratulations", the civil and military ministers on the stage knelt three times and kowtowed nine times to Emperor Jiajing. At this time, the musicians also began to play "Zouo" Long live the music of the emperor."

Emperor Jiajing was sitting on the throne, looking down at his ministers. Perhaps at this moment, he still felt bored.

Such an event is held every year, and he has gone from looking forward to it to being excited at the beginning, and now it feels normal. Perhaps in his heart, he even feels that sitting here is more meaningful than going back to Xiyuan for a ritual ceremony.

In the next few days, Wei Guangde and many others were not in the mood to read, as the market was too busy.

As time came to the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month, after an early dinner in the afternoon, everyone got on the carriage and rushed to the Meridian Gate to watch the Aoshan Lantern Festival.

Starting from the Lantern Festival in the seventh year of Yongle, this grand lantern festival has been opened with a high profile - "Listen to the subjects to go to the Meridian Gate to view Aoshan Mountain for three days." The joy of the monarch and his subjects is of great significance. When the subjects watch the lantern festival, a large number of fireworks will be set off .

When the fireworks were set off, the palace maidens danced gracefully to the beautiful music of the bells and drums, which was a wonderful audio-visual enjoyment. It can be called the Ming Dynasty version of the "Spring Festival Gala".

Being in the capital at this time, Wei Guangde would never miss such an audio-visual feast.

Well, the ancient song and dance performances, from the costumes to the dancing postures of the dancers, attracted Wei Guangde deeply. They were completely different from those he had seen in later generations.

I used to look at Jiangxi, but now I look at Beijing. Compare each other to see which one is the best.

In the early Ming Dynasty, Zhu Di created the Aoshan Lantern Festival, which cost tens of thousands of taels of silver each time. By the Jiajing period, the cost of a lantern festival has soared to hundreds of thousands of taels of silver.

Although he was obsessed with fasting and praying, it is said that Emperor Jiajing still liked to watch lanterns and set off fireworks. Therefore, during the Jiajing Dynasty, the number of fires in the palace was far greater than before.

The emperor likes it, and both the inner palace and the outer court are naturally very attentive. They usually start preparations from December of the previous year, stacking various uniquely designed "fancy flowers" and "artillery" layer upon layer. They are usually stacked thirteen stories high and several feet high, making them look majestic and majestic.

As the sky darkened, Wei Guangde and the others also arrived nearby, got off the carriage, and followed the crowds to the outside of the Meridian Gate. At this time, the place was already brightly lit and extremely lively.

Countless people crowded here, looking at the various lanterns placed on Aoshan Mountain, the fireworks and the sound of drums, and there were many palace maidens dancing to the music on the palace walls and Aoshan Mountain.

This place will be open to the subjects for three consecutive days. How can ordinary people come here on weekdays?

However, apart from looking at the lights and fireworks, the group of officials actually focused more on the city tower illuminated by the lights at this time, Chengtianmen, which will be known as Tiananmen in later generations.

Wei Guangde looked around, constantly searching for memories of future generations in his mind.

His family background is relatively good, and Wei Guangde also likes to travel around. Naturally, he has been to Beijing.

But at this time, the only memory he could find seemed to be the city gate building.

Although the Tiananmen Square at that time was obviously different from what it is now after years of baptism, the shadows of that time can still be found, and even Wei Guangde felt that it seemed that the later generations saw it more vividly and dazzlingly.

Perhaps it is due to proper maintenance and protection. It seems that Tiananmen Square is regularly maintained and overhauled, so it always looks like new.

Although there are people taking care of and repairing the current Chengtianmen, in Wei Guangde's view, it seems that just like the Ming Empire, no matter how glorious it was, it will still have its twilight days, which is reflected in the mottled marks on this building. .

When we returned to the Jiujiang Guild Hall, it was already very late, but the store owner still arranged for people to prepare late-night snacks and hot water for them, and the charcoal basin was also burning brightly.

When Wei Guangde came here, he saw something close to that of later generations for the first time.

Wei Guangde was active in Jiangxi in the past, but he himself had never been to Jiangxi, so naturally he could not find any sense of future generations.

But today when I saw the Aoshan Lantern Festival, I saw Tiananmen. No, it should be said to be the Tiananmen Gate, which carries the destiny and destiny from the sky. Now it is not a symbol of the people, but a symbol of the emperor, a symbol of the emperor.

The present and the future are connected for the first time in Wei Guangde's world.

In the past, Wei Guangde actually felt that he was living in a dream, just like playing a game, but he couldn't die and restart.

But today, after Wei Guangde saw the tower, he seemed to feel that he was really a person of this era. He was closely connected with this era and was no longer a tourist player.

Zhang Ji served him and heated his feet, then went to bed and turned off the lights before leaving.

Wei Guangde was lying on the bed, tossing and turning a little unable to sleep. He thought of what would happen in the future. The last emperor of the Ming Dynasty was Chongzhen. After Li Zicheng's army conquered Beijing, he killed his daughter and concubine, let his son flee, and he He chose to hang himself because he had no face to see his ancestors.

Then, the Qing Dynasty came to unify the country. Kangxi was very famous and was touted as the eternal sage. He fought with Russia and gave away many places after winning the battle. The same was true for Qianlong after that. After winning the battle, he gave away large tracts of territory. .

Win or lose?

After that comes the dark history, the Opium War, and the burning of the Old Summer Palace.

Wei Guangde has been to the Old Summer Palace and seen the ruins. Here and there are the sweat and wisdom of the ancient people.

Comparing the impression of the late Qing Dynasty with the Ming Dynasty he saw now, Wei Guangde felt that if the Ming Dynasty had dealt with the Opium War, the results might have been very different.

Although the Ming army is still weak in combat power, it is not shameful to brag about it. The Wei army is indeed shameless to compare with the Qing soldiers. They are all the same. Wei Guangde came from the Wei army and he knows it well.

Although I have never lived in the Qing Dynasty, I can still roughly estimate what I saw in later generations.

However, there is still one advantage for Han people to be emperors, that is, they are willing to learn, but they are much better than the Tungus people in this regard.

When he arrived in Wuhu from Zhongxi Town two months ago, Wei Guangde saw the most advanced artillery of the Ming Dynasty in this era, the Folang machine gun, which was equipped for the Jiujiang Guards.

During the battle between the Ming army and the Western Yi people, the Ming army discovered and learned that this device was easy to use and powerful. They immediately learned to imitate it and used it in large quantities.

Jiujiang Wei received not many Folan cannons, only two. It is said that they are small Folang cannons, which are convenient for field battles. Most of the large Folang cannons are installed in big cities and fortresses, which are not convenient to carry, and there are many They are all modified from previously manufactured general cannons.

The newly-made Xiaofolangji is distributed, which is intended to turn Jiujiang Guards into Jiangnan's rapid reaction force, ready to be thrown into the battlefield at any time.

The same goes for bird guns. Western firearms discovered during the war against Japanese invaders were imitated immediately if they thought they were good.

If we want to extend the life of the Ming Dynasty, we must solve the current natural disasters.

If there is no way to solve natural disasters, then we can only solve the problems of money and food. Only by solving these two points can the Ming Dynasty survive the most difficult period.

It seems that there is only sea trade.

Wei Guangde thought a lot, but in the end he didn't know where he thought and fell asleep without knowing it.

After the fifteenth day, the imperial court began to operate again, and the official affairs that had been squeezed out began to be handled in an orderly manner.

During the vacation, only very important matters involving military affairs will be dealt with urgently.

The work of Wei Guangde and others to protect their names during the conference also began at this time.

"Let's wait two days."

As for the National Examination, I don’t know how many students in Beijing are crowding in the etiquette department to go through the registration procedures. This is definitely not a good time to go.

A few days later, as the servants inquired about the news, the number of students enrolled in the Ministry of Rites was reduced by more than half, so the candidates from Jiujiang Prefecture went together.

The imperial examination is the central examination in the ancient Chinese imperial examination system. Because the examination is held in spring, it is also called the spring examination or spring examination.

The examination is presided over by the Ministry of Rites and held in the Gongyuan in the southeast of the inner city of the capital. The examiners of the examination are two persons called presidents. They are bachelors with Jinshi background and officials below the level of Shangshu, deputy capital censor or above. They are appointed by the emperor upon request from the ministry. .

On the sixth day of February, Emperor Jiajing approved the memorial of the Ministry of Etiquette's invitation to the examination in Xiyuan, and ordered Lu Ben, the cabinet scholar, and Zhan Shiyin, the young master of Zhan Shifu, to be the presidents of the imperial examination and to take charge of the examination.

The general examination will start on February 9th as usual, and there will be an examination on the 12th and 15th respectively. Each session lasts three days for a total of nine days. The rules are the same as the provincial examination. You need to stay in the examination room for three days and two nights. The examination ends. You can go home to rest for a night and continue the exam the next day.

However, at this time, Wei Guangde looked gloomy.

Damn it, going to Gongyuan to take the exam on such a cold day, isn’t that going to kill people?

Although the examination etiquette department will prepare a brazier for candidates, this thing is also a time bomb. Who knows if someone may accidentally cause a fire.

Forget it, at this point, Wei Guangde could only endure it and prepare more clothes to keep out the cold.

Later, Wei Guangde couldn't help but shudder when he thought about the checks he had to undergo before entering the examination room.