Li Zhi kicked someone to the other sofa and sat down happily next to the Empress of the Tang Dynasty. After carefully listening to the dozen or so political opinions Wu Mei proposed to Li Hong, he even praised her with satisfaction, and He kept attacking someone with his queen's political views.
Li Hong listened helplessly to Father Long's instructions and ignored Li Lingyue, who was leaning on his ear and asking him to take him out of the palace to play. When he was about to get up and leave, he heard his father Long open his mouth: "Wait a minute. I have something else to tell you."
"Don't open your mouth, I won't agree." Li Hong refused directly without waiting for Li Zhi to speak.
"Eh? The little bastard turned against you? You rejected me directly before I even said anything? Believe it or not, it's disrespectful for me to treat you as a minister!" Li Zhi puffed his beard and stared at Li Hong.
"Don't you just want to say that our Tang Dynasty is now much richer than the previous dynasty. The previous dynasty was able to fully bear all the expenses of foreign envoys during the Yuan Dynasty. How can we, the Tang Dynasty, be stingy?" Li Hong said disdainfully.
"What? You don't agree?" Wu Mei asked curiously.
"Of course I don't agree. They came to congratulate me on the Great Tang Dynasty. It would be nice if I didn't kill them ruthlessly, but also paid for them? I don't dare to do something stupid like that."
"Who do you think is stupid and has a lot of money? Who do you think is stupid and has a lot of money? Queen, give me the feather duster, let's see how I teach this unfilial son..." Li Zhi took the feather duster from Wu Mei's hand and stood up to hit her. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has run away all the way.
"How dare I speak against you? I'm talking about myself, myself. Is that okay?" Li Hong carefully looked at Father Long who sat down again angrily. He had no choice but to walk up to him again and said patiently: "Father, your Majesty , Mother, our Tang Dynasty seems to have a lot of money now, but now there are more places to use money. There is still a tail left to exchange old money for new money. When these foreign envoys come, they will have hundreds of thousands or even more. We have to pay out millions of dollars. After all, when they came, they must have used my Datang Que Jin Shaoliang's old money. Therefore, I think it is best not to worry about them and let them pay the bills themselves. of."
In the eyes of Li Zhi and Wu Mei, Li Hong, the crown prince of the Tang Dynasty, was good at everything. It was his narrow-mindedness facing people from foreign lands that made them unbearable the most, but it also left them unable to refute.
As foreign envoys arrived one after another before the first day of the Tang Dynasty, Luoyang, the eastern capital, suddenly made the already bustling Luoyang even more prosperous.
Whether they are foreign envoys, princes, princes or princesses, they have all arrived in Luoyang in the past few days to attend the imperial meeting. The two unlucky guys Li Xian and Li Zhe, who had been confined in Chang'an, also arrived in Luoyang on Yuan Day. Just before arrival, we finally arrived in Luoyang.
At this time, Luoshui had been artificially thawed. Following the example of some flower shops in the south, they docked on Luoshui in Luoyang City. The constant flow of passengers made the madams grin and buy a lot of money every day. money into his pocket.
The figures of orioles and swallows are occasionally seen on the side of the boat. Standing by the river, you can hear some green laughter and singing from the boat from time to time. The heroic poets recite poems and poems to cheer them up, and the sound of music It is endless on the long Luoshui River embankment.
Walking along the river bank from west to east, there are boats one after another. Whether they are prostitutes, boatmen, or the scholars, scholars, and dignitaries who come to have fun on the boats, they all have smiles on their faces and a kind attitude.
Since the beginning of the late Emperor's reign, some local governors, governors, and officials had to rent common people's houses or live with merchants after coming to Chang'an or Luoyang, so they had long been ordered by Taizong to pay tribute to them in Chang'an City. The local officials prepared 300 residences.
By the time Li Hong's prodigal father Long held a great congratulations in Luoyang, his official residences had been completed. After each official arrived in Luoyang and reported his official position and other procedures, he could live in a few squares east of Luoyang. He can find a residence that matches his official rank, and no longer has to rent a house or an inn like before.
At this time, the busiest ones were the Ministry of Rites and Honglu Temple. They needed to provide all necessary arrangements for local officials and foreign envoys.
As for other officials, those from three provinces, six ministries, nine temples and five eunuchs, ranging from ministers to ministers or even lower ranks, will be in contact with other local officials in these days to increase their relationship, or to conspire with themselves. Xiao Jiujiu, should he be promoted, or should he continue to earn seniority in another place.
In short, no matter whether they are the ministers of the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Officials, the Ministry of Industry, and the Ministry of Household Affairs, even Li Hong would be hard-pressed to find them in their residences at this time. Everyone is busy socializing at this time, hanging out on boats and restaurants. , between the inn.
According to Li Hong, if you really want to find them, you might as well stand on the bank of Luoshui River and roar a few times, so that you may be able to shout out the official you are looking for.
Li Sujie and Li Shangjin naturally came over from their fiefdoms. Compared with officials, they, the princes of His Majesty the current emperor, are much better off. Although they do not have as lavish palaces as Chang'an, compared with others, their The mansion can be regarded as a mansion. After arriving in Luoyang, the first thing they and their families did was naturally go into the palace to pay their respects to their father Long.
Nowadays, except for Li Zhong who is still spending the New Year alone in Loulan, there are only six heirs of His Majesty the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty: Li Shangjin, Li Sujie, Li Xian, Li Zhe, Li Dan, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and three princesses. .
Even His Royal Highness Li Hong felt for Father Long that he had fewer heirs, but he did not dare to tell him casually. As long as he said anything, it would definitely reach Mother Long's ears, and she would inevitably be beaten. It was Chinese New Year, and he didn't want to make the couple uncomfortable.
Li Sujie frequently wanted to find opportunities to talk to Li Hong alone, but was gently rejected by Li Hong. Now all the officials are busy with the Yuan Ri Dynasty Congratulations, so don't cause trouble at this time. As for the Yuan Ri Chao Congratulations and the Yuan Dynasty Congratulations, After the festival is over, it can be a different matter.
Of all the princes and princesses, only Prince Li Hong can live in the Luoyang Palace in the overcrowded Luoyang. He still lives in the East Palace to the east of the palace as he did in Chang'an. The architectural design and level of luxury here are not as good as those in Chang'an. Compared with Luoyang Palace, it couldn't be more shabby.
Even Li Lingyue, who always liked to follow Li Hong as his tail, chose to live in Luoyang Palace because the East Palace was not as good as Luoyang Palace, abandoning the prince and brother who could tell stories.
In Chaori, the hall is equipped with futons, sleeping mats (tables), incense burners, and incense tables. Everything here is set up according to the old system. If tables and chairs are put in, the Qianyuan Hall of Nuo Da is not enough for all officials, so we still use them. Remove the futon and table to save space.
The imperial censor led the officials to the west veranda of the palace, and the officials in red robes called out to urge all officials to take their seats. The two supervisors and censors stood in the east and west halls to come.
At Pingming, after the transmission was completed, the inner door was opened, and the supervisory censor led hundreds of officials in. They crossed the steps, and the two supervisors and school captains held the door registration.
The three provincial officials, Zhongshu, Menxia and Shangshu, faced each other in front of the incense table, and the hundreds of officials gathered around the palace. The first class was first, then the second class, then the third class, then the fourth class, and then the fifth class. In each class, the minister is headed by the provincial official.
Officials in the East Palace were ranked second, followed by officials in the royal palace and relatives of the emperor.
The attendant said: "Foreign Affairs Office."
The emperor and the queen stepped out of the West Gate, closed the fans, and the emperor ascended to the throne and opened the fans. Then leave three fans on the left and right.
The officials of the three provinces paid homage to the Emperor and Queen of the Tang Dynasty and were promoted to the palace. The internal visitors accepted the order and called for battle. The Yulin troops on the left and right took wooden deeds and entered from the East and West Pavilion. One person of rank five or above from the Ministry of Internal Affairs will lead him, and one person from each of the generals and generals of the left and right guards will escort him.
During the whole ceremony, the birthday ceremony was first presented by Crown Prince Li Hong, and then the princes and others presented gifts. The Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China reported the local congratulations, the Minister of Huangmen reported the auspicious omens, the Minister of Hubu reported the contributions of the various states, the Minister of Rites reported the contributions of the Tibetans, etc.
At this point, nearly two hours have passed by in a hurry. Someone was sitting in the middle of the hall and was already drowsy. Although Bai Chun didn't bother Bai Chun last night because of today's Yuan Day Great Congratulations, he got up early and took a bath and burned incense again. , and various sacrifices must be performed in the East Palace first.
Shangguan Yi, Li Yifu and other immortals were like robots at this time, with solemn expressions on their faces. Li Hong had no chance to discuss simplifying the ceremony with them. Instead, they were carried around like puppets. Just do whatever you want.
In Li Hong's view, all this torment is more tiring than going to the battlefield, but there is really no other way. At this time, the officials in the East Palace have no mercy at all, so he said a few more words , which attracted the censor to prepare for impeachment, and he simply followed it gloomily.
However, what made Li Hong a little relieved was that other princes such as Li Xian, Li Zhe, and Li Dan were even worse than him. They were gathered outside the palace gate by the imperial censor in the morning and stood with other officials. Together, we were shivering in the cold wind of dawn, but we had to wait patiently.
Because Li Sujie and Li Shangjin had families, they also needed to perform rituals such as offering sacrifices to heaven and praying for blessings in the temporary palace. After they were busy, they could go to the ranks of officials.
As for local governors, governors, officials, princes, and princes, everyone's auspiciousness made Li Hongxiao's stomach cramp, but looking at everyone's solemn face, and his father smiling and stroking his beard, he felt With a satisfied expression on his face, Li Hong had no choice but to suppress a smile and lower his head under Wu Meifeng's glare, trying not to laugh out loud on such an occasion.
Most of them are gold, silver, jade and the like, but there are also weird people. Pei Ciyuan, the governor of Fuzhou, actually carried a large bunch of dried kelp after learning that kelp was edible, and looked serious and solemn. As an auspicious gift to Father Long, Li Hong wanted to give Pei Ciyuan a few slaps.
But in addition to kelp, Pei Ciyuan also composed a poem expressing his loyalty to encourage all ministers. Li Hong naturally shook his head in disdain, but he still had to endure it.
In short, no matter which local official or royal family member offered auspicious blessings, he would say some auspicious words or express loyalty. However, after everyone had finished offering auspicious blessings, Li Hong discovered that he seemed to be the only one who was doing the birthday ceremony. It seemed the most insincere, because his dragon father was looking at him dissatisfied.
(End of chapter)