In the afternoon, Yunshang was free, and met several ministers of the Ministry of Rites in the Tai Chi Hall.
"The preparatory work for the Longevity Festival has already begun, and the official kiln has been ordered to make all the cups, bowls and dishes for the palace banquet of the Longevity Festival." The Minister of Rites held a memorial with both hands.
"This is the pattern of cups, bowls and plates, the empress can take a look."
Qianzhuo walked over quickly, took it, and presented it to Yunshang.
"This is used by Your Majesty. The cups, bowls and plates are all designed with the pattern of longevity. This is used by the Supreme Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and the Empress. It is a gold dark cloud dragon pattern. The concubines and concubines, as well as the ministers of the court, just use it." It's a pattern of a yellow dragon on a blue background."
The Minister of Rites said, and took out another booklet: "This is the schedule for the three days of the Longevity Festival."
"The first day is mainly for the congratulations of the courtiers and the celebrations of the common people. There will be flower street tours and temple fairs in Jincheng during the day, and there will be lantern festivals at night."
"The next day is His Majesty's birthday. There will be a banquet in the palace, and His Majesty will also go to the tower to accept people's kneeling and birthday celebrations."
"On the third day, there will still be a palace banquet in the palace, but it will only be a palace banquet in the inner palace. A prayer table will be set up in the city, and one hundred and eight eminent monks will be summoned to chant scriptures and pray for blessings."
"In addition to these, the flower street tours, temple fairs, and lantern festivals in the city will last for three days. There will also be a stage in the palace for three days, and the opera will be sung day and night for three days and three nights."
Yun Shang listened to him, and her brows became tighter and tighter: "Is it a bit too extravagant?"
"Your Majesty, this is His Majesty's Longevity Festival, which only comes once a year. Due to the change of His Majesty's birthday this year, there is too much time for preparation, and many things are too late to prepare. It has been simplified a lot. In the past, the Supreme Emperor's birthday was every year. It’s even more grand than this.”
Yun Shang pursed her lips, still feeling a little inappropriate: "This year is also different from the past. Now the border war is fierce, and a lot of food and grass are being consumed every day. It really shouldn't be for a birthday. It’s like extravagance. Your majesty has already seen this thing? What did your majesty say?”
Minister of the Ministry of Rites lowered his eyes and said honestly: "Your Majesty, like your empress, said that it was a little too grand. However, after discussing carefully with other courtiers, I felt that this is already the most streamlined. It’s not appropriate to reduce anything.”
A courtier kneeling one step behind Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites continued: "Your Majesty is the king of a country, and the birthday of a king of a country is sometimes not just a simple celebration banquet, but more, from this Longevity Day The degree of luxury, to see the prosperity of a country, to see whether the people of a country live and work in peace and contentment, so as to show the prestige of the country... "
Yun Chang naturally understood this truth.
Yun Shangzai looked at the book carefully: "You said, the official kiln has already started making this set of cups, bowls and plates?"
"The pattern has been sent over, and it should have started to make blanks."
"Hundreds of these sets of things were made, which cost a lot of money, but they can only be seen during banquets in the palace. Besides, there are really a lot of these things in the palace, so there is no need to make them again. Cancel it."
The Minister of Rites was stunned: "But you should have already made a lot of blanks."
"The blanks of these utensils haven't been painted with the patterns of dragon and phoenix. You ask someone to repaint the patterns, draw some auspicious patterns, and write this year's special offering for His Majesty's birthday. Put them out for sale, and the one with the highest price will get it."
"The official kiln in the palace is specially made, and the meaning is good. It is also for celebrating His Majesty's Longevity Day. There is only such a unique batch. If you try to spread the news to the rich and noble families in the city, you should be able to sell it for a good price. The selling price is silver. Take it all back to the national treasury and add some good food and clothing to the border guards."
After Yun Chang finished speaking, without waiting for the Minister of Rites to speak, he said again: "There are also opera troupes in the palace, what are they doing singing for three days and three nights? Are they still singing operas in the middle of the night? Why don't people sleep? Now in the palace There are only His Majesty and this Palace, and the Empress Dowager and some concubines, and there are no concubines, who will listen to this play? It’s fine during the day, and it’s withdrawn at night.”
"yes… "
Several people from the Ministry of Rites left the Tai Chi Hall and descended the long stone steps before they all heaved a sigh of relief.
Minister of the Ministry of Rites raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, but he pursed his lips tightly and remained silent.
"My lord, what should we do? Do you want to report to His Majesty?" the official of the Ministry of Rites who followed behind asked in a low voice.
"Your Majesty asked us to ask the empress's opinion." The Minister of Rites was silent for a moment: "Do as your empress said, ask someone to redraw the pattern, and then ask someone to think of a way, how to sell those we want to sell. The news of the cups and dishes spread."
"This is too much... Xiaojiazi is a little angry, right? We are not businessmen." Another official seemed a little dissatisfied, and snorted lightly: "After all, it is His Majesty's Longevity Day, but hands are tied, and there is no show at all. Didn't you say that the empress is also the princess of Ning Kingdom's royal family? Why does she look so picky?"
"I heard that although the Empress is Princess Ning, she is not born of Empress Ning. Her biological mother has even stayed in the cold palace for several years."
"Oh... princess concubine, it's no wonder you're petty."
The group of people lowered their voices very low, turned around a corner while talking, and saw Liu Wen'an standing there quietly with four palace servants.
The few people were shocked enough, their heads shrunk and their bodies tensed up, secretly wondering whether Liu Wen'an had heard what they just said.
"Director Liu came from the meeting hall?" The Minister of Rites' heart was beating extremely fast, but he still pretended that nothing had happened.
"He came from the meeting hall." Liu Wen'an smiled, his eyes were slightly cold: "Your Majesty asked the servant to go back to the Tai Chi Hall and talk to the empress, and asked the empress to have dinner together after he finished handling the political affairs. "
Liu Wen'an's eyes swept over the people who lowered their heads: "Your Majesty said that the empress is a bit picky, so he has to keep an eye on her."
"Your Majesty has nothing to say to your empress."
Minister of the Ministry of Rites smiled awkwardly: "Yes, it is well known that the emperor and empress love each other deeply."
"That's what the empress is capable of." Liu Wen'an still smiled: "Being able to defend the enemy on the battlefield, and also guarding the peace of the harem."
"Even now, nearly half of the food, grass and clothes of the soldiers on the battlefield are earned by the Queen's empress sending people to do business. It can be said that half of the current stability of the Xia Kingdom is due to the empress."
"Although, the empress is just a... princess concubine."