Chinese New Year's Eve, Beijing people are commonly known as 'Chinese New Year's Eve'er...... and most of the Spring Festival rituals must be completed on this day, so the New Year's flavor on this day is also the strongest.

In order to embellish the year, Nafu welcomes auspiciousness. From the morning, even the men and women of the toiling family are dressed neatly. The women arranged flowers on their heads, pasted red Spring Festival couplets and big blessing characters in front of the door, and pasted window flowers on the windows that symbolized auspiciousness, which created a prosperous New Year's atmosphere.

However, some royal doors or larger mansions often do not use these decorations, and they only hang the big red velvet lanterns marked with their own hall numbers high, which shows a rich and noble atmosphere, but it is incomparable to the common people's homes.

However, although there is a difference between the high and the low, in the New Year's procedure, it is very different. For example, the most important thing is to chase the distance and sacrifice the ancestors. Large families have ancestral halls, and the main cards of the three generations of the clan are all opened, and the portraits of the ancestors are all hung. Those who do not have an ancestral hall should also set up a place in the main house, and the ancestors who came back for the New Year should not be left homeless.

As soon as it was dark, the sound of crackling firecrackers sounded in all corners of the capital, and the rich and noble families lit up brilliant fireworks, decorating the night sky of Beijing with extraordinarily enchanting. In the middle of the night, the firecrackers and fireworks are set off all the time, creating a lively and festive atmosphere.

At this time, after the family finished making dumplings and offering their ancestors, the whole family sat around the table and had a Chinese New Year's Eve dinner. The so-called Chinese New Year's Eve dinner and reunion dinner, the members of the first family should be together, and the meals should be rich at the same time, so that people can look happy, so that they will live a happy life in the coming year.

The whole city of Beijing, no matter rich or poor, no matter how difficult it is this year, the whole family is reunited at this moment, lively and lively, and enjoy this rare happy time. It's really called a fire tree and silver flowers that never sleep, and only loves the world and does not envy immortals.

But in the center of the city, the forbidden palace of the Ming Dynasty seems to be extremely deserted. Because of the concubine city's cultivation of Xuan, pay attention to ruthlessness and sexuality, and cut off worldly concerns, this Spring Festival that hooks people's affection is of course the most taboo.

The emperor is not old, and the eunuchs and palace maids can only steal the fun, except for those who must be on duty in the Shengshou Palace, the palace people are all hiding far away, eating, drinking and having fun. As for a personal eunuch like Huang Jin, he didn't have such a good life, so he had to accompany the emperor and do magic in the ghostly hall.

The main hall of the empty Wanshou Palace was very quiet, only the candle flame burst out in the west with a crisp sound, but it even more set off the kind of silence that made people dare not breathe......

Around the white jade platform in the middle of the main hall, according to the heavens and the earth, one hundred orders and eight candlesticks were placed, plus the three candlesticks representing the three talents on the high platform, a total of 999 white candles were lit.

Emperor Jiajing was dressed in black and wore a silk robe embroidered with gold dragons, holding a neat bun, and sat cross-legged on a high platform. The candle flame flickered, the light smoke wafted and curled, and sitting in it, his figure also fluttered, as if he had really entered the realm of immortal mysteries.

The folk have the custom of inviting gods in the thirtieth year of the Chinese New Year's Eve, and Jiajing is also inviting gods, of course, the emperor's standard of inviting guests is relatively high, and the gods of wealth and fortune invited by idlers cannot enter his eyes. What Jiajing invited was the Taishang Laojun who lived high in Sanqingtian.

For a long time, Jiajing has devoutly worshiped the ancestor of Taoism, and he firmly believes that it is Taishang Laojun who has been protecting his troubled Jiangshan Society from chaos; Protecting his weak and sickly body from the wind and invading him, he has been able to live a long life to this day. In the past, when he entered such a situation, he would reach an indescribable state...... It seems that the room is full of strange fragrances, all the dirt and noise in the world have disappeared without a trace, and the heart is empty and clear, just like the old monarch ancestor came and blessed him.

But what's going on today? Why is there a noisy sound in your ears that your heart can't be stilled for a moment? You can't invite Lao Jun in this way. It's just that the more he cares, the more upset he becomes, and gradually, as if he was blocked with firewood and grass in his chest, he finally gave up, and let out a faint sigh: "I am restless, there are demons in my heart......"

As if in order to confirm his words, a gust of evil wind blew out of nowhere, and more than a dozen candles were blown out by 'poof', and then countless more were blown out ...... 'poof, poof, poof', and the light and shadow in the hall shook, becoming more and more eerie and suffocating.

Jiajing didn't have time to pay attention, just looked ahead fixedly. Standing on the top of the world, seeing all the ups and downs of his life, how many people appeared on the stage, and how many people took a curtain call at the same time, they could no longer make the emperor's heart rise a little bit again. Emperor Jiajing, who was deeply grasped by loneliness and boredom, now only seeks immortality! It's just that becoming an immortal is slim, but the body may collapse at any time. As the candle flame went out, he could almost smell the cold breath of disillusionment. He was frightened and anxious, "There was nothing he could do, and he couldn't calm down!"

The way of heaven cannot be relied on, and the way of immortals cannot be proven! For the sake of this ethereal immortal path, he wasted the country, gave up all his feelings, and devoted decades of his years to cultivation, which ...... Is it really worth it?

Jiajing clearly saw that a few shadows appeared in the void, looming at first, and gradually becoming clear, and suddenly it was Empress Chen, Empress Zhang, Empress Fang, Concubine Cao Duan and Concubine Lu Jing, these five noble and beautiful women, although there were no good results in the end, but there were three thousand fans in the harem, and the five of them could leave an impression in the heart of Emperor Jiajing, who was cold by nature.

I saw their eyes complaining, and their shadows fluttered and flickered away

Near, he suddenly transformed into Prince Aichong and Prince Zhuang Jing, the two princes who had received their father, but at this moment they made Jiajing restless, the sleeves of his robe turned over, and he roared angrily: "Get out!"

But the next moment, his movements froze, because those women and children actually transformed into the appearance of Emperor Xingxian and Empress Dowager Zhangsheng, standing in the void and looking at him. Jiajing finally couldn't hold back her tears, stretched out her hand, and murmured in her heart: "Father, queen mother, do you also know that the child is lonely, and he came to accompany me for the New Year?" ’

"Master, master......" Jiajing was brought back to his senses by a male duck's voice, the illusion disappeared, and only a fat face was left in front of him...... But Huang Jin looked at him stunned, and cautiously stepped forward to inquire.

Deeply hating this guy for interrupting his meeting with his parents, but he couldn't speak, Jiajing could only stare at him in annoyance and said, "What are you doing? ”

"The emperor has finished pleasing God." Huang Jin just smiled and said, "It's time to eat dumplings." After speaking, with a wave of his hand, a little eunuch came up with a food box.

"Don't eat ......" Jiajing didn't think about it, and refused in one bite.

Huang Jin took the food box and asked the little eunuch to go down, while he took a small table and put it next to Jiajing. Then he opened the food box, took out a plate of hot dumplings, and sang a small song in Beijing films: "This is the noodles of Houtu Niangniang, the emperor of Donghua has the filling, the Taishang Laojun is on fire, and the queen mother has to get the pot," and then put the plate in front of him, pretended to smell it, and then sang: "Smell it, the fragrance is dead; Eat one heart, eat two hundred diseases, if you eat this plate, you are guaranteed to be old...... Longevity and 100 years old...... "Don't rap with a tone, it's really like that."

Jiajing was so amused by him that he couldn't hold back, and scolded with a smile: "You slave has also learned to talk about it?" Let Huang Jin make such a joke, the emperor's mood was much better, and his stomach growled, and he remembered that he hadn't eaten for a day. So he asked, "What stuffing?" ”

"Shiitake mushrooms, fungus, carrots, peppercorns, sesame oil; Vermicelli, tofu, daylily, green onions, garlic, and vinegar. Our vegetarian dumplings are much more fragrant than the meat filling. Seeing that the emperor had an appetite, Huang Jin shouted more and more vigorously, and his movements were not slow at all, he set up small bowls and plates, and offered ivory chopsticks to Jiajing's hand.

"Then eat two?" Jiajing took the chopsticks and said with a rare smile.

"It's settled." Huang Jin was relieved, smiled and said, "Eat two more." ”

"Let's try it first, and then let's talk about whether it's delicious or not." Jiajing sandwiched a dumpling, followed it with a small dish, put it in his mouth and chewed it slowly, and nodded after a while: "Yes, it's this flavor." "After eating half a bowl in a row, I felt full. Put down the chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and said approvingly: "It is worthy of being an old man in the hidden mansion, and he still remembers the taste of Zhong Xiangshi." ”

Huang Jin said embarrassedly: "From the year Zhong Xiang came to the capital, the slave maid was only four years old, how can I remember...... This is all later taught by the Queen Mother to the slaves and maids, saying that you love to eat such vegetarian dumplings, and when you say the New Year, don't forget to wrap it for the emperor. ”

Jiajing's eyes were a little wet when she heard this, and she sighed with emotion: "The queen mother is always worried about me!" You don't know that this is also the Queen Mother's favorite food during her lifetime. He sighed and said, "I've been in poor health in the past few years, and I've been slack off in the New Year's offering, so you can let the dining room wrap up some more and offer it to my father, queen and mother."

"The master is benevolent and filial, and the spirits of the first emperor and the queen mother in heaven will definitely be pleased." Huang Jin wiped his tears and said: "But just after the dumplings were made, the slave maid had already offered them to the two saints, and they couldn't offer the second one again." ”

"You've got a heart." Jiajing nodded approvingly, was silent for a long time, and suddenly asked Huang Jindao: "You said that I cultivated immortals, can I succeed?" ”

Huang Jin didn't think about it, and hurriedly said: "What the master said, you have strange roots, excellent talents, unique conditions, and the assistance of Taoist priests all over the world, if you can't become an immortal in the end, then who can become an immortal?" said with a smile: "For the New Year, the master can't say anything depressing." He knew that it was impossible for the emperor to give up cultivating the truth, so he simply didn't even persuade him.

Jiajing thought deeply when he heard this, nodded and said, "Yes, folk monks, how can there be such conditions as me, I can't cultivate for no reason." He explained himself: "More than ten years ago, Shao Zhenren said that cultivation is about quiet and inaction, and not getting red dust. As the king of a country, how can I be quiet and unhindered by worrying about state affairs all day long? So he regained his confidence and said, "When I have passed my sixtieth birthday, Tao Tianshi's Nine Turns Golden Pill has also been refined, and at that time, my Xuandu View and Chaotian View have also been repaired. I had already thought about it, so I let King Yu take over the throne, and I went to Xuandu to cultivate immortals with peace of mind, and no longer asked about state affairs and secular affairs, so that I could rise in the daytime. ”

Listening to the emperor's words, it involves the inheritance of the throne, Huang Jin didn't dare to take a breath, lest he say the wrong sentence and lose his life. But Jiajing chattered for so long, he couldn't keep silent, so he had to be careful: "Master think twice, the Ming Dynasty can't do without you, King Yu can't do without you, and it's impossible for the Manchu Dynasty to agree." ”

"You're wrong." Jiajing said with a sneer on his face: "This Ming Dynasty, it is the same without anyone, the wise and martial Taizu and Chengzu can be emperors, and the Yingzong and Wuzong who mislead the country and bring disaster to the country can do the same." At this time, the emperor's tone became calm, and he said: "As for King Yu, he wishes I would abdicate the throne sooner for many years

The daughter-in-law became a mother-in-law. Not to mention those officials who 'eat the king's fortune and stab the king' have never been with me, and they can't wait for me to return to the west as soon as possible so that they can flatter their new masters. ”

The emperor suddenly became murderous again, which made Huang Jin stunned, and opened his mouth and said: "No, no, Prince Yu is benevolent and filial, and all the adults do not pray for the emperor's longevity, and the master is too careful."

"Hmph......" Jiajing snorted coldly: "I originally thought that they would make trouble again after a hundred years, but now I found out that some people can't wait for a long time, and they want to give their masters to seize power!" Speaking of the back, his voice became hoarse and terrifying, containing great anger.

The words showed the ambivalence of the emperor who wanted to let go and was unwilling to let go.

"The master was angry...... Huang Jin quickly knelt down and said: "No one will think like this, no one."

I know that as long as there is a master in one day, the Ming Dynasty will not be able to turn the sky. ”

"Well said!" Jiajing's face was abnormally red: "As long as I live for one day, this Ming Dynasty will always be my country!" As he spoke, he grabbed the bony palm, and almost jumped out of his teeth: "I can give, but no one wants to take it!"

Looking at the somewhat frenzied emperor, Huang Jinxin rose into a haze again, not knowing what was going to happen

Yes.

・When ...... When the ...... 'at this time, the big bell of the hoofs on the north bell and drum tower rang, and then, the big bell temple, the Jietai Temple, the Guangji Temple and other famous temples and ancient temples also rang the bell, the New Year has arrived! The celebratory atmosphere in Beijing has reached its highest point.

Hearing the call of the bell, those officials who had been waiting for this moment for a long time held the notebook, resolutely left the house, gathered on Chang'an Street, and walked to the Xiyuan Gate......

The sound of the bell, as if injecting strength into Jiajing, made the emperor suddenly energetic, and he suddenly faintly said Huang Jin: "It's coming." ”

"Ahh Huang Jin couldn't help but be creepy, and looked around and said, "What's coming." ”

"Those people." Jiajing's gaze passed through the palace and fell in front of the gate of the West Garden

A pair of eyes that have no brilliance, but they seem to be able to penetrate everything.

Huang Jin was completely confused by Jiajing, and whispered: "Who are those people?" ”

Jiajing actually laughed nervously and said: "It is my Ming Dynasty's science and Taoism official and Qingliu minister." "They made an appointment on this Chinese New Year's Eve to use the New Year's bell as a signal to congratulate the future!"

As if to prove the emperor's words, a eunuch rushed in, knelt on the ground and said: "Emperor Qixi, there are 100 officials of five or six grades, all of them are running to the forbidden door!"

"They're going to show me how good they are." Jiajing ignored the little eunuch and said to himself: "But I forgot how powerful I am...

Immediately afterwards, another eunuch rushed in and knelt down and said: "Your Majesty, in the affairs of the six branches and the imperial history of the Imperial Procuratorate, there are more than 100 people, each holding a book in their hands, and they are all kneeling outside the palace gate!" These eunuchs on duty in Xiyuanmen are not very old, and they only think that the officials of the Ming Dynasty are all pugs who wag their tails and beg for mercy, but they have never seen this kind of scene of ministers fighting against the emperor.

"More than forty years, long enough." Jiajing fell into his own memories and muttered, "It's enough to make people heal the scars and forget the pain." ”

"Your Majesty, what should I do?" Huang Jin was anxious in his heart, but it was not the posture of the congratulatory table, but he poured

It's like you're trying your best!

"Do you remember the three years of Jiajing?" Jiajing asked him.

"At that time, the slave was only six years old, and she didn't remember anything." Huang Jin whispered. This is not the truth, how could he forget that the biggest incident of that year was that more than 200 officials collectively practiced outside Zuo Shunmen. At that time, the emperor was furious, and killed more than a dozen people on the spot, disabled dozens of people, and arrested more than 100 people. The backbone of the Ming Dynasty was broken at one time, and since then, although there are also officials who have been negligent, they generally act alone, at most a few people, and for more than 40 years, there has never been such a scene.

But today, the Spring Festival of Jiajing's 45th year, at such a sensitive moment, there are more than 100 officials gathered outside the forbidden door again, how can people not think of Zuo Shunmen back then?

Obviously, Jiajing connected the two things, his eyes flashed, and his tone became excited: "This time they are all officials of the fifth or sixth grade? That's far worse than Zuo Shunmen's time, there were two or three hundred people at that time, all of them were high-ranking officials, five of the six Shangshu came, and two of them all arrived, and there were thirty senior officials above the third grade, and there were countless officials of the fourth and fifth grades!" said with a proud face: "I was only seventeen years old back then, and I didn't even have a helper by my side, so I killed them all by myself!" It's a pity that you were too young to see my majesty, and although you didn't see it enough this time, it was better than nothing......"

Listening to the emperor's incomparably proud counts, Huang Jin's heart was about to jump out of his throat, and the whole person was stunned, he didn't understand why the half-dead Emperor Jiajing, when he mentioned fighting with the minister, it was like he was twenty years younger?

One after another, the gongs started one after another......