In the ninth year of Tianwu (1652), the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first month.

The inside and outside of the palace are lit up with lights, and everyone from the princes and ministers to the palace maids and guards are dressed in festive costumes, and the joy is beyond words.

On this day, the court painters had to follow Emperor Tianwu from morning to night, and truthfully record all kinds of lively scenes they saw.

In order to increase the festive atmosphere, the court also specially invited the folk acrobatic team, Zhu Cihong and the queen Xu Chenyun in full costume sat in front of the palace.

The crown prince Zhu Hemajesty, the second prince Zhu Heqi, the third prince Zhu Hedai, and the four little princesses accompanied him.

All kinds of acrobatic performers on the stage show their abilities, including drill circles, handstands, and some magic tricks, etc., all kinds of performances are thrilling and dizzying.

Next to the performance stage, there is a bell and drum band, they beat gongs and drums, shouting and cheering, creating a lively atmosphere.

The main entertainment of the Lantern Festival is to enjoy the lanterns, and officials from all over the world have to offer special lanterns to the palace on this day, and the design of various lanterns is exquisite, which makes people dazzled.

After the banquet in the palace, the sky was not yet dark, and the crown prince Zhu and His Majesty still felt that it was not enjoyable.

He ran to Zhu Cihong's side and begged: "Father, I heard that the folk lantern festival is very lively, and the emperor wants to go out and have a look!" ”

The Lantern Festival of the Ming Dynasty starts from the eighth day of the first lunar month, and has to be lit up for ten nights until the seventeenth day of the first lunar month, which is the longest lantern festival in Chinese history.

On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, there will be various large-scale lantern festivals in various parts of the people, which will push the atmosphere of lantern viewing to a climax.

Zhu Cihong nodded with a smile and agreed, he also wanted to see the folk lantern festival in the prosperous era of the Ming Dynasty, especially the Qinhuai Lantern Festival made by Zhu Yuanzhang, the Taizu of the Ming Dynasty.

During the Lantern Festival in the fifth year of Hongwu, Zhu Yuanzhang ingeniously aimed to set off 10,000 water lanterns on the Qinhuai River.

At the beginning of the seventh year of Yongle, Zhu Di, the ancestor of the Ming Dynasty, gave hundreds of officials a ten-day holiday on the Yuan Festival, and continued to put up lanterns to create a festive atmosphere.

At the beginning of the year, Zhu Cihong and Empress Xu Chenyun, as well as the crown prince Zhu and His Majesty, changed into micro-clothes and went to the Qinhuai River.

From the time they walked out of the noon gate, there were carefully tied Aoshan "long live" lamps everywhere, as well as lantern sheds made of pine and cypress branches, which are said to be built in the shape of the Jade Emperor's giant ao, and are called "Aoshan lantern sheds".

On Hongwu Street, there were bursts of laughter, crowds of people on the street, and many merchants were shouting loudly, and it was very lively.

Zhu Cihong wore a black hat and a light cyan embroidered gold robe (a common costume in the Ming Dynasty), carrying a beautiful belt, and watched leisurely.

Queen Xu Chenyun was wearing a plain white costume of a classical talented woman, with his beautiful lava, looking very fairy.

This pair of good-looking talented and beautiful women, standing on the street, attracted many people's frequent sideways, some envious and some jealous. (The two were the same age, at the age of 244)

Next to him, the crown prince Zhu and His Majesty were wearing a six-petal round hat made of Xuanqing crepe, also called "claw pull hat", he pointed to the front, and jumped with joy.

A few children were setting off fireworks in front of them, and an elderly man took them out of a large wooden box and distributed them to the children.

The prince, who was accustomed to seeing the grandeur of the court, saw these street scenes of the people, and was very curious and funny, and ran over with cheers.

Xu Chenyun couldn't stop it and wanted to chase after it.

Zhu Cihong gently took her hand, shook his head and smiled: "It's hard to be lively, let him play with the children for a while." ”

As he spoke, he waved his right hand slightly, and dozens of sturdy men who seemed to be tourists quietly followed.

The emperor and queen chatted while walking, followed slowly behind, and looked lovingly at the prince who was gathered around the merchant's car with the boys.

The merchant's car is full of colorful lights hanging on the top cover, and the car is filled with all kinds of toys and snacks that children love to buy.

Prince Zhu and His Majesty were holding horse-shaped lanterns with a smile, and they were communicating with a boy of the same age who was holding a toad lantern next to him.

These lanterns have a variety of auspicious meanings, the horse-shaped lantern means the success of the horse, and the toad lantern means the toad palace to win the laurels. (The meaning of the imperial examination should be obtained)

In addition, there are beautiful pictographic lamps, crab lanterns, rabbit lanterns, crane lanterns, official lanterns, and pictographic lanterns that symbolize the peaceful elephant.

Zhu Cihong looked around, and the picture in front of him made him happy in his heart.

This is the world I want, the people live and work in peace and contentment, everyone is well-dressed, happy, and there is no such ragged, numb and desperate state.

At this time, Queen Xu Chenyun pointed to the crowd next to her and said, "Husband, look over there!" ”

Zhu Cihong followed the direction of her finger, but it was a juggling show.

In the Lantern Festival night market, vaudeville performances are never outdated, and they are also deeply loved by the people.

Without the constraints of the rules in the palace, Xu Chenyun was very excited at this time, showing the mentality of a little girl.

"Wasn't there a performance in the palace today?"

Zhu Cihong didn't say such unqualified words, but directly grabbed Xu Chenyun's waist and said with a smile: "Lady, let's go over and have a look." ”

It has been seven years since the emperor and queen got married, during which Emperor Zhu took several concubines and selected three talented people in last year's draft, but he still has a deep love for the queen.

What is love? A strong attachment, closeness, yearning, and selflessness and all-encompassing emotion between the two parties.

Love is composed of two parts: love and sex, love is the soul of love, sex is an additional attribute of love, it is not necessary to exist, love is the root and core of love.

The relationship between Zhu and Queen Xu is the former, which comes from soul love!

Concubine Na is the latter, and the gap between the two is very large.

Of course, Zhu also likes to communicate with the queen very much, no, the queen seems to be happy again....... (Advance notice, the fourth prince Zhu and Qian)

The emperor and queen went hand in hand to enjoy the various juggling of the costume performance.

In the performance procession, some pretended to be Taoist priests carrying brushes, and some pretended to be Maitreya Buddha with a bald head and protruding belly.

There are also four people with swords, guns, swords, and halberds riding on bamboo horses, playing the drama story of "Three Heroes vs. Lu Bu".

Behind the vaudeville show is a treasure offering procession of foreign envoys, who lead the beasts and carry corals, and happily show the "emperor" various treasures.

The scene here is grand, and there is also a band composed of drummers and pipers, and the image of the "Treasure of the Nations" is performed.

The "emperor" in costume plays the scene where Emperor Zhu Cihong, the emperor of Tianwu, is receiving the congratulations of the envoys of all countries.

Xu Chenyun covered her mouth and smiled, leaned over and said softly: "Husband, they are playing you!" ”

Zhu Cihong smiled slightly, stood with his hands in his hands, and watched leisurely with interest.

Watching others play themselves, this kind of rarity is the first time Zhu Cihong has encountered it.

.......

Some of the scenes in this chapter refer to the "Lantern Festival Parade of Ming Xianzong", which is now in the collection of the National Museum of China.