In the two or three days before he ascended the throne, Guo Shao came to the Xu'en Hall as soon as he was on duty. Today he left in a hurry because the model had already been cast and it should have cooled down by the time he returned.
Guo Shao hurriedly got out of the car, went into the yard and came to the blacksmith's shop, first cleaning the sand mold on the threaded rod. After cleaning it, he looked at it and was stunned. This thing looked like a bone that had been gnawed by a dog.
He picked up a crowbar and cleaned it again, looking at it from left to right, he didn't think that this thing could bite into the large amount of sand holes and impurities in the thread. It was too rough and it would be difficult to pass the test after careful polishing.
The charcoal in the furnace was still hot, and there was a glow underneath the ash on the surface. Guo Shao sat on the stool in a daze. He thought for a long time and felt that there must be something wrong with the purity of the iron material and the cooling was uneven.
If we don't use iron, how about using copper
But even if the copper material would be better after being cast, it would take too long to polish it. Guo Shao returned to his original purpose, which was just to make a few toys by himself. Now that his attempt to make tools has failed, if he continues to bury his head and go further, he may not have enough time to make toys.
I will have to find someone to help make the vise later, or even set up an organization; but now I am afraid it is not too late to make gold and silver articles entirely by hand.
Guo Shaoxian recorded in a new booklet that on March 29, the sixth year of Xian De, he tried to make a vise thread but failed. He also described the iron thread that was made and summarized the reasons.
He started making toy models and sand molds again, and did not do so until it was completely dark, then he asked people to fetch water for him to bathe and change clothes.
After taking a shower, Guo Shao sat in the study for a while, feeling relaxed. He found that there were study decorations on both sides of the window. On the right side was written Jingtian, and on the left side was Weidi. Together, they were Jingtian Weidi. These two pieces of paper were a bit old, and they might not have been hung here by the emperor of the Later Zhou Dynasty. The Imperial City of Tokyo was not built during the Zhou Dynasty. Guo Shao didn't know who hung these things, but he suddenly realized a kind of psychology of emperors of all dynasties: extreme desire for control.
Even in such a small courtyard with a blocked view, the emperors still wanted to control the world remotely. Guo Shao thought: It's a pity that many things in this world are not controlled by subjective will.
At this time, the door was gently opened, and Li Shanggong came in carefully with a wooden tray, "Your Majesty, I have made a cup of tea for you." Then she walked over slowly, took the teacup down and placed it on the table. Guo Shao immediately smelled a faint fragrance of tea.
He sat there doing nothing. The books on the bookshelf next to him were not what he was interested in reading tonight. He glanced at them casually and saw that there seemed to be books like the I Ching and the Book of Rites.
Li Shanggong probably also found that Guo Shao was doing nothing, so she whispered: Many people in the palace envy me for the great favor I have received and being able to serve you. I heard someone say that your majesty is doing this out of pity.
After hearing this, Guo Shao turned to look at her and thought that she was of average appearance.
Li Shanggong said dimly: But there are so many poor people in this palace, and I feel that His Majesty really loves me.
On such a quiet night, Guo Shao was ready to kill some time before going to bed, so he was particularly patient and said gently: Sit down and talk.
Li Shanggong gently sat down on a waist-round stool, looked at him expectantly, lowered her head and said: Am I right
Guo Shao pondered for a moment, nodded and murmured: You are right, a woman like you is not like those little girls, who know what is good and what is bad. If I treat you a little well, you will care about it from the bottom of your heart. Why do I have a good impression of you? Maybe it is also a kind of sympathy, or
He smiled: There are many things in this world that cannot be explained, they can only be felt.
The next day was the first day of April. The weather was clear and the sun was rising. There were people inside and outside the Jinxiang Hall, at least several thousand people. Today was a ceremony. Guo Shao did not ask about most of the specific arrangements. In terms of etiquette, he had only learned a little bit of manners before. The etiquette at this time was not particularly strict. The freedom and openness of the Tang Dynasty changed a lot of the previous etiquette. Since the end of the Tang Dynasty, the world has been in chaos and no longer pays attention to strict rules.
Even the pattern on Guo Shao's robe was rather crude, because it was rushed out in the past few days. The blue-based robe was embroidered with many patterns. But what does it matter? As long as there is strength and majesty, props are just a symbol.
He first heard a grand and slow music on the imperial chariot, with the sound of chimes and drums being particularly obvious, and other instruments that Guo Shao could not distinguish. He did not know much about music, but he could still appreciate it. This symphony, called Shao music, was very imposing, grand and calm.
Guo Shao got down from the carriage. The wide robe he was wearing and the crown on his head looked like a lid with a beaded curtain. To Guo Shao, it looked like the hat worn by ghosts and gods on paper money for the dead, and was very inactive, so he moved very slowly.
He did not turn his head to look around, but saw the scene in the square from the corner of his eye. There were countless officials and soldiers, and among them there were even people dancing. Men holding shields and feathers were dancing there, doing a weird dance like a god. Guo Shao really did not understand it, but fortunately many civil servants in the court understood it.
He walked slowly into the main hall from the middle gate, and the eunuchs and palace maids followed him from a distance, bending over. Guo Shao felt a little lonely at this moment. No one approached him, and no one spoke. Only the rhythmic sound of chimes and drums echoed slowly.
There was actually a group of women in long skirts dancing in the hall, with their sleeves particularly long and swinging back and forth. However, when Guo Shao stepped over the threshold, they lined up in two rows and retreated to both sides, leaving the carpet in the middle leading directly to the throne above.
Ding-dong-dong Guo Shao heard the rhythm of the magnificent music and walked forward slowly with his head held high. Hundreds of civil and military officials stood in the hall with their heads bowed.
Guo Shao's movements were very artificial. He put his hands on his belt, walked steadily and slowly with his head held high, and kept his neck straight. He couldn't move his head, otherwise the crown on his head would be crooked. He felt like he was acting, but fortunately everyone was serious and solemn, so acting like this seemed natural.
Gradually, he was immersed in this grand and solemn atmosphere from his distracted state. Maybe this was just a play, but it was the only place in the world where it could be performed. Anyone who dared to perform it elsewhere would be considered an usurpation of power and the whole family would be punished if caught.
Guo Shao walked up to the high and lofty throne for the second time. Compared to the first time, this time the feeling was different. He turned around to face the hall, smoothed his sleeves, sat upright, and released his hands from his belt, spreading them on the armrests on both sides. The bead curtain on his forehead was still shaking.
At this time, the ministers below knelt on the ground, kowtowed three times and bowed nine times, and shouted: "Your Majesty, may you live forever!"
More voices came in from outside the open palace door. The sound of "Long live, long live, long live" lingered over the vast imperial city between the magnificent temples, as if it would last for a long time. The music gradually stopped.
My dear ministers, please stand up. Guo Shao tried to slow down his speech and spoke loudly.
Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace. The crowd shouted in unison, as if they had rehearsed it.
At this time, a civil servant came out, stood at the top, and began to read a scroll of articles. Guo Shao did not understand most of the words. He could understand some words written on paper, but it was difficult to understand what they meant when they were read out. Guo Shao looked down and saw some familiar people, such as Wang Pu, Wei Renpu, Li Chuyun, Wang Pu, Zuo You, etc., but now they all seemed to have become strangers. Everyone did not look at each other and was minding their own business.
Then the eunuch Yang Shiliang bowed to the emperor. Guo Shao did not say anything or make any move. Yang Shiliang then stepped forward, unfolded a scroll of imperial edict with auspicious cloud patterns, and said loudly:
Guo Shao understood what followed, because he had read the edict yesterday. He then took the imperial seal and stamped the words "Mandated by Heaven" and "Long Live Eternal Prosperity" on it.
The content of the edict was quite long. It first explained the legitimacy of the ascension to the throne, and all kinds of reasons why one could not refuse to ascend the throne. Then there was a general amnesty, and most people except those sentenced to death were pardoned; taxes and corvée labor were reduced within a year. The purpose was to grant the new monarch a title and bring favors to the world. Finally, it was about conferring official titles and promotions. This was something that Guo Shao and the ministers had discussed. For the more important people, Fu Yanqing was changed from the King of Wei to the King of Wei, and was given the title of Grand Master. There was no substantial change, but he was nominally a king who was favored by the new monarch; Li Chuyun was promoted to the Palace Front Inspector, and the generals behind him were successively promoted; Li Yun, the governor of Zhaoyi Army in Luzhou, was changed to the governor of Tianping, and governed Yunzhou in Hebei.
This imperial edict can be spread far from this hall; not through sound, which may not be heard clearly outside the hall, but through the personal connections of officials and state institutions, such as the official reports of local government offices. The farther the decree can be effectively spread, the farther the tentacles of imperial power can extend.
But intuitively, Guo Shao believed that the sound near the throne had some kind of mysterious power that radiated in the air. The emperor controlled the vast land and everything on it through this radiating power.
Guo Shao did not say anything for a long time, and the four unknown words appeared in his mind. Those who must listen to the voice here are naturally the subjects under his rule. The Liao Kingdom can not listen, and sometimes even force the person on the throne to listen to them. The farther away are too lazy to listen, because it has nothing to do with them. The power of radiation is still very limited now.
Then the ministers began to write letters of congratulations, and Guo Shao also responded with some words on the spot. Today's ceremony is still going on. Guo Shao has learned that after the worship here is over, he will have to go to the Taimiao to offer sacrifices and tell the gods that his ancestors of the Great Zhou have succeeded to the throne.
Guo Shao did not feel tired. When a person is noticed and valued by billions of people, he would feel excited and thrilled by the novelty of the experience.