"Bell... Clang... Bell ......"

Maybe it was after pacifying Xiyangha, it was difficult to have opponents outside the border, or the heavy snow made the world much cleaner, in short, after returning to Jilin, Zhu Gaoxu only felt that time passed quickly.

Just in a blink of an eye, with the ringing of the bell, the soldiers and civilians of Jilin City also ushered in such an important festival as the winter solstice.

As soon as the morning bell rang, the square in front of the Bohai Palace in Jilin City was full of men wearing coarse cloth aprons.

Some of them boiled water, some sharpened their knives, in order to spend a lively winter solstice today.

Zhu Gaoxu was wearing a black round-necked robe and a bearskin cloak, and sat at the gate of the palace like this, observing this lively scene.

"Baa ......"

"It's coming, it's coming!"

With the appearance of the sheep, hundreds of men instantly became lively, and they rushed up to watch the sheep, and even Zhu Gaoxu stretched his neck, wanting to see more clearly.

"Your Highness, you are really willing......"

Looking at the two hundred sheep that were brought in, Yi Shiha, who was sitting next to Zhu Gaoxu, was roasting the fire with his hands on the stove in front of him, but his face was painful: "Two hundred sheep and two hundred stones of grain, you have a good time on the winter solstice." ”

"Celebrate with the people......" Zhu Gaoxu smiled while roasting the fire, and watched the lively scene of killing sheep and cooking rice in the square.

As he said at the beginning, on a big day like the winter solstice, he was determined to have a lively festival with the soldiers and civilians of Jilin City.

Those 200 sheep were the ingredients for this festival, and if nothing else, they could make a feast that was enough for the whole city to eat.

"Sheep tripe, sheep liver, sheep lungs, sheep heart, sheep intestines, I like to eat them."

Zhu Gaoxu explained to the open-air kitchen in the palace, where there were two cooks brought by Zhu Gaoxu from the south.

At this moment, they were also preparing to go out to participate in the slaughtering of sheep, and when they passed by the place where Zhu Gaoxu and others were resting, the two of them saluted one after another, and then hurried to the crowd that was "dividing" the sheep, picked up two sheep, and returned to the palace happily.

In a short time, two hundred sheep were divided, and the people began to deal with them in groups of three or five.

All the wool is scraped off and collected, and many of the women who come to help put the wool in bags and prepare it to be washed at home, and then dried on a warm spring day to make wool wool for their husbands or fathers to wear.

This move was approved by Zhu Gaoxu in front of the banquet, but even so, Yi Shuha still looked at the pain.

Soon, as the sheep was processed, pots of fatty mutton began to be put into the pot.

There is no hot pot sliced in later generations, no roasted whole sheep with many spices, and no variety of bells and whistles to make it, some are just dozens of cauldrons.

The fatty mutton is thrown into the pot in chunks and boiled with the lamb bones, without spices and various crafts, and the only seasoning is the ginger, shallots and garlic preserved in late autumn.

But even so, as the water for cooking the mutton began to boil and time began to pass, the smell of the mutton still wafted around, attracting many people to come and watch.

Among them, many dolls squatted in the corner of the square with drooling, looking directly at the boiling mutton pieces in the pot.

Many of them had never eaten a piece of mutton since they were born, so they were eager and urged to cook it quickly.

The lamb is cooking, and other meals are being prepared.

In addition to the 200 sheep, Zhu Gaoxu also prepared hundreds of chickens and ducks for today's winter solstice banquet, as well as a small number of pigs in the guard.

The pigs raised by the military households in Jilin and Liaodong are all Yimeng black pigs from Shandong, which are not comparable to the Yorkshire white pigs of later generations, and need to be raised for a year to grow to a weight of 300 catties.

The military households who moved here brought only six Yimeng black pigs, and even after seven years, the number was only about 200.

Zhu Gaoxu had ten big heads arrested, in order to let the soldiers and civilians of Jilin City eat all the meat they could eat on the day of the winter solstice.

The reason why he was willing was not only because today was the winter solstice, but also because the Bohai Navy had not held a celebration banquet so far.

"Let everyone let go, eat at the table when you should eat, don't slack off."

Zhu Gaoxu turned his head and ordered Fu Rang and the others, who had not spoken, and several people also smiled when they heard the words and looked at the streets and alleys leading to this square.

In those streets and alleys, tables, chairs and benches have been set up from the beginning of the square, and more than 1,000 households in the city have participated in them, just like a long table banquet.

"It's time to eat!"

Fu Rang got up and shouted at the soldiers who were busy in the square, and the people who heard his voice ran back to their positions, and the soldiers on the square also began to stir-fry and serve vegetables.

A four-foot-long plate holds a bowl of meat on the table, and the dolls who have not seen meat for many months do not care about the high temperature, pick up the chopsticks and pick up the meat and stuff it into their mouths, even if it is scalded, they just exhale loudly, and are reluctant to spit out the meat.

Fish, chicken, duck, pork, lamb, ......

All kinds of meat dishes appeared, and the people at all tables also stretched out their chopsticks to feast.

The one where Zhu Gaoxu and the others were sitting also ushered in the meal of the small stove in the palace.

Roast lamb legs, lamb chops, fried chicken, duck, fish, pork, as well as plates of dumplings, bowls of wontons, and pots of staple food.

They are of different categories, but they have one thing in common, that is, they do not have too many spices, except for green onions, ginger and garlic, the only thing that can enhance the flavor is the handful of green salt.

For Zhu Gaoxu, who has experienced the baptism of many wine banquets in his previous life, the wine banquet in front of him is so simple, but the people at the dinner table and around him are so enthusiastic.

Their enthusiasm made Zhu Gaoxu, who had lived in the cold city for more than 30 years, touch the temperature of enthusiasm again.

The bench of ordinary material under him is more comfortable than the Jin Si Nan chair in the Wuying Palace.

Looking around, both adults and children are tanned because they are precocious and need to work, but their swarthy color gives people a different feeling.

The children make people feel a lively and lovely innocence jumping, and the young men have green tendons on their arms, and then add dark colors, they seem so energetic and capable.

Although the old people are old and their dark skin is loose, they seem to make people feel strong and gentle.

Looking around, the clothes of the people on the long table banquet in those alleys are also very simple, almost everyone has the same style, but some colors are brighter, some are darker.

Seeing them talking and laughing, the laughter lingered in Zhu Gaoxu's ears, and he was reluctant to leave for a long time.

"Come, celebrate the winter solstice, and celebrate our triumphant return!"

Raising his glass, Zhu Gaoxu looked at each other with Yishiha, Lin Su, Fu Rang, Zhang Chun and Wang Yi, and the smiles on their faces were difficult to contain.

After a glass of wine, the whole person warmed up a little.

Looking at the lively scene in front of him, Zhu Gaoxu seemed to be glad that at least compared to his grandfather, he could still feel the human touch around him.

"!"

"Grandpa Huangfu is ...... healthy"

Almost as Zhu Gaoxu and the others raised their glasses and drank bitterly, Zhu Yuanzhang of Nanjing City also returned to the Huagai Hall after a brief court meeting, and accepted the winter solstice singing ceremony of the descendants in Beijing here.

Sitting in the canopy hall, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the descendants who seemed to be on the road, although he knew that these people were his descendants, but he couldn't pronounce everyone's name.

Such a feast seemed to him to be no different from a meal with a courtier.

Looking at the colorful canopy hall, Zhu Yuanzhang's somewhat cloudy gaze fell on Zhu Yunwen beside him, and he opened his mouth to remind:

"During the holidays, don't have too many courtesies, let them all sit down and have a reunion dinner."

"Yes......" Zhu Yunwen responded, at this time he was much more mature than more than half a year ago, and the confidence in his body could not be concealed.

He rediscovered himself, because his position was already solid, and with Zhu Gaoxu's departure, his self-confidence naturally returned.

Turning sideways, Zhu Yunwen instructed the eunuchs on duty to inform the kings and princes and let them all relax.

The eunuch on duty didn't dare to delay, so he did it immediately, but he couldn't stand the kings and princes and couldn't let go, and this family banquet was still in order, which made Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes flash a trace of disappointment.

He didn't show it, but such disappointment greatly reduced his appetite.

"Stir-fried mutton, fire ben sheep's head and feet, salty drum mustard lamb tripe plate, garlic vinegar lamb blood soup, yuan sauce lamb bones, mutton crystal dumplings, three fresh soup, mung bean chess noodles, minced pepper mutton, fragrant rice, garlic cheese, bean soup, tea ......"

In the hall, the eunuch on duty kept singing the name of the dish, which is suitable for eating mutton in the winter solstice festival, everyone waited for Zhu Yuanzhang to move his chopsticks.

Zhu Yuanzhang was in no mood for this, in front of dozens of children and grandchildren, he slowly got up and bowed his head to explain to Zhu Yunwen:

"You are presiding over this banquet, I am a little tired......"

"Yes, my grandson will take care of it." Zhu Yunwen probably guessed Zhu Yuanzhang's thoughts, so he obediently said "grandson".

Hearing this self-proclaim, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes felt a trace of warmth, but he still turned around and left after Zhu Yunwen's gesture.

"Long live the imperial grandfather......"

Seeing him leave, everyone in the hall hurriedly got up and sang to give gifts, while Zhu Yunwen looked at his grandfather's back, and there was an indescribable feeling in his heart.

He knew very well why his grandfather was so depressed, and the reason for this was nothing more than the death of Xinguo Gongtang and Xue three months ago.

Fu Youde, Feng Sheng, Xie Cheng, Wang Bi, Tang He......

There are fewer and fewer names that his grandfather can pronounce, and perhaps the departure of these people has made him feel cold......

Zhu Yunwen's expression was complicated, but when he thought of the chair on the Fengtian Palace, he still sorted out his mood, turned his head and began to operate this family banquet in the Huagai Palace.

"Sit down, grandpa is gone, you can also let go of some food."

With a smile on his face, Zhu Yunwen greeted his uncles and brothers kindly, and at the same time raised his glass: "I'll give you uncles, aunts, and younger brothers a glass first." ”

"Taisun Ankang ......" saw that Zhu Yunwen drank it all, and the kings raised their glasses one after another and accompanied them to drink.

After a glass of wine, Zhu Yunwen also sat down again, and his eyes glanced at his table.

Similar to the original Chinese New Year's Eve family banquet, those who can sit at this table, in addition to their own lineage, are several princes who stayed in Beijing.

Zhu Yunwen lowered his head to eat, and from time to time he pushed cups and exchanged cups with Zhu Zhi, the king of Liao, and others.

They were lively, but at the banquet at the next one, Zhu Gaosui looked at the scene at the first table, and his eyes were full of envy:

"If the second brother is here, I guess I will sit at that table......"

Suddenly heard about Zhu Gaoxu, Zhu Gaochi, who was eating fragrantly next to him, raised his head and followed Zhu Gaosui's gaze, but quickly lowered his head again:

"Maybe he left the venue after the emperor's grandfather left, he shouldn't like such a banquet."

Anyway, Zhu Gaochi still knows Zhu Gaochu very well, even before his personality changed two years ago, he was not the kind of character who liked to eat with a bunch of people of higher age and status than himself, let alone after the personality change.

"It's true, alas......" Zhu Gaosui shook his head and sighed: "The second brother is really bitter, he was divided into the kind of place where birds don't......"

As he spoke, Zhu Gaosui picked up a sheep's hoof, tasted it deliciously, and said while tasting: "I'm afraid that in Jilin City, it's not easy to eat some mutton." ”

As he said this, Yu Guang saw a military attache of the fifth rank hurriedly walking into the gate of the hall.

He was not the only one who saw the arrival of this military attaché, but many people saw it.

The movements of these people attracted the attention of other people, and they all looked at them, and then they saw the facial features of entering the hall.

"Military Attache of the Governor's Mansion of the Five Grades, what happened?"

"It should be a big deal, otherwise I wouldn't have sent a military attache of the fifth grade."

"South or North?"

"In winter, the north should be fine, it must be the south, haven't there been a few traitors in the southwest who have rebelled recently?"

"It seems that it is, I heard that the movement is not small, but there is Wei Guogong in the southwest, so I think it should be fine......"

Seeing that the military attache went straight to Zhu Yunwen, the kings and princes exchanged speculations.

Most of them felt that something had happened in the southwest, and so did Zhu Yunwen.

Therefore, when he turned his head to listen to the answer whispered in his ear by the military attaché, the expression on his face suddenly stiffened.

"Grandpa Huang is not here, you go to the Qianqing Palace and pass this music over......

Looking at the note handed by the military attaché, Zhu Yunwen asked him to leave with a stiff smile, and the military attache also retreated when he saw this.

"What's wrong?"

Zhu Zhi, the king of Liao, watched Zhu Yunwen's expression change, and asked curiously, but Zhu Yunwen smirked and said: "It's a big matter, and only after the emperor's grandfather can he know if he can ......talk about it."

As he said this, his eyes were fixed on the back of the departing military attaché, and he didn't know what to think in his heart.

As for the kings, they also looked at each other, as if realizing the importance of the matter.

However, they are wrong in the association, because things are not on the bad side, or this thing is not on the bad side for the Ming Dynasty.

Leaving the Huagai Palace, the military attache followed the trail to the Qianqing Gate of the Qianqing Palace, and arrived a quarter of an hour later, handing the important note in his hand to the eunuch on duty.

However, after a long time, this recital was sent to the Qianqing Palace, and Zhu Yuanzhang, who had just returned to the Qianqing Palace at this moment, was sitting on his own stepping bed, holding a painting in his hand.

The person depicted on the painting is the deceased Empress Ma of filial piety, although the person in this painting is very different from the person in Zhu Yuanzhang's memory, but this may be the only existence that he can see the person's face.

"No matter how many people there are in the canopy hall, there is no human touch in this room and this bed......"

Looking at the painting in his hand, Lao Zhu lay on the bed, his posture relaxed, and he was no longer holding it.

"Your Majesty, there is an urgent report from the Governor's Mansion of the Left Army."

Suddenly, the voice of the eunuch on duty sounded in the hall, and Zhu Yuanzhang sighed when he heard this: "I really can't rest for a moment......"

He got up and sat up, rolled up the painting in his hand again, and said to the outside world, "Come in!" ”

When the sound fell, the footsteps rang out.

Lao Zhu put the rolled-up painting on the head of the bed, sat on the stepping bed and sat for a while, and then saw the eunuch on duty walking in with a book of letters in it.

"Your Majesty, there is an urgent report from the Governor's Mansion of the Left Army, and there is also a handwritten letter, the slave and maid haven't read it, and I don't know whose it is."

The eunuch on duty presented the music with both hands, Zhu Yuanzhang was also satisfied when he heard the words, and at the same time stretched out his hand to take the music, and what he saw after opening it made his originally stiff face show a little warmth.

[Grandson Zhu Gaoxu personally enlightens his grandfather]

The name of the handwritten envelope made Lao Zhu unconsciously happy, and the favor that he had received in the Huagai Hall seemed to be broken up by this line of words at once.

At this moment, Lao Zhu had the idea of reading the handwritten book first, and then reading the song.

However, his imperial instincts and habits still made him pick up the handbook and look at Song Shu.

[In September, the king of Bohai led more than 1,000 horse infantry to the north, and traveled by land through the woodlands of Lali, Cuiha River and other places. 】

[Wushen, the king of Bohai crossed the Songhua River, entered the Great Black Mountain Ridge, and the next day ordered Jilin Wei to command Fu Rang to set up an ambush of 600 soldiers, Fu Xiyangha, broke the enemy and beheaded more than 600 levels, and beheaded Shuerha, the son of Xiyangha, Xiyang Ha Wenzi was not in the array, and led his troops to flee north]

[Ji You, the King of Bohai led more than 200 horses across the Great Black Mountain Ridge, attacked 10,000 people in Xiyang Ha, Xiyang Ha led more than 1,000 horses to fight, Bohai King led 100 cavalry to rush into battle, and there were dozens of enemies in the second shot, Xiyang Ha was not in the array, and his son Bald Chaha fled eastward, capturing more than 8,000 of his subordinates, and nearly 10,000 cattle, horses and livestock......]

[Gengxu, the king of Bohai Fu Buyan Fort, renamed Andong City, and stationed 500 horse infantry to guard against the eldest son of Xiyang Ha, Atai Wailan......]

A detailed military report appeared in front of Lao Zhu, although he also avoided the important and lightly put down the pen, but he couldn't hide Lao Zhu's eyes.

Among them, Zhu Gaoxu led more than 1,000 horsemen to charge into battle, which made him the most alarming.

Fortunately, nothing happened to Zhu Gaoxu, and he also killed Xiyang Ha, otherwise Lao Zhu would have to let Yizha and them give Zhu Gaoxu a funeral.

"Things are doing well, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to bargain for favors like his father again......"

Lao Zhu was in a much better mood, even though he knew that the content of the handbook was an excuse for Zhu Gaoxu to cry poor, he still put down the song and opened the handbook.

[It has been half a year to Jilin, and I have not reported safety to adults, and now Sun Dun Shou, Dun Shou, and then Dun Shou ......]

[At the beginning of September, Jinsun led the army out of Jilin, and was blessed by the adults, except for the traitors in the east, and Tai'an outside the Guan, and finally got the face and the adult's handwriting]

[I heard that Lord Wen has been infected with wind and cold since his age, and his grandson is difficult day and night, how about not judging recently? ] If the body is not strong, you must rest in peace, and give your grandson a chance to take care of your adult! 】

[Now the east is a little flat, but the hidden ones are still unpredictable, and the number of old slaves is not less than the temperature of Hula, and they are afraid of coming back, and they will re-establish Andong City to control the east]

[Although there were gains in this battle, the food and salary were not continued, the horses were exhausted, the guards were tired, the thieves coveted it, and the city of Jilin was destroyed]

【Look......】

Not surprisingly, Zhu Gaoxu first sold a wave of filial piety, cared about Lao Zhu's body, and then began to cry poor.

Even though he had written clearly on the good news, saying that nearly 10,000 cattle and horses had been captured and 8,000 people had been captured, he still cried poverty with Lao Zhu like a child who was splashing and rolling in his family letter.

Of course, some of the things mentioned in his letter are not lies, such as the power of Xiyangha's sons has not weakened too much, and they still have the ability to threaten Jilin.

As for the lack of food, the lack of horses and the fatigue of the guards, I can't think of too much, after all, there is a shortage of food outside the customs, and Zhu Gaoxu has captured so many people and horses, so the original grain in Jilin City is naturally not enough to eat.

In addition, the sudden reception of so many Jurchen populations, and the balance of Jilin City was also broken, these various things were a challenge for Jilin City.

Because of this, this kid will cry to himself in the end, hoping to move some military households to enrich the population of Jilin City, and at the same time please increase the amount of grain allocated by Jilin City.

"What's the situation in Jilin City, is there any news to send out before winter?"

Zhu Yuanzhang did not respond directly, but raised his head and asked in the corner of the dormitory.

As soon as he opened his mouth, a forty-year-old eunuch came out from behind the screen in the corner of the dormitory and waved at him:

"Back to Your Majesty, a letter arrived in Nanjing on September 26, and at present there are nearly 6,000 heads of horses and cattle in Jilin, and nearly 30,000 acres of wasteland opened up this year, and the yield per mu in the coming year may not be more than 14,000 stones."

"As for the rest...... The official position of the brothers in the north is not high, and they did not find out, but reported that the number of captives of cattle and horses was nearly 10,000. ”

Zhu Gaoxu's words sounded flawed in public and private, but even so, Lao Zhu still asked the brocade guard in his hand.

Lao Zhu was not very satisfied with the eunuch's answer, because the news reported by Jinyiwei in Jilin City has become more and more sloppy recently.

Although the content is true, it does have some spring and autumn brushwork.

However, in this regard, Zhu Yuanzhang did not intend to withdraw them, after all, it was easy to startle the snake by doing so, even if he trusted Zhu Gaochu very much, but he had to guard against Zhu Gaoxu.

"Draft a decree to let the household department move 1,000 households from Shandong to Jilin City, and increase the annual loss of Jilin City to 70,000 stone of rice, 5,000 stone of horse bean material, 150,000 bundles of forage, 30,000 stone of grain, 50,000 jin of salt, 10,000 horses of cotton cloth, and 30,000 jin of cotton flowers......

Lao Zhu's words made Zhu Gaoxu's annual grain available from the capital of Liaodong increase to 100,000 stones, and the rest of the various types of annual losses have also increased or even doubled.

Of course, the amount of materials lost in these years is still tightly controlled by Lao Zhu.

Today, there are more than 19,000 soldiers and civilians in Jilin City, counting the 1,000 households that are about to move over, which is almost less than 25,000 people.

Although 100,000 stone of grain is a lot, even if Zhu Gaoxu's annual income is added, it is only enough to supply 20,000 people, and the remaining 5,000 people will be fed by Zhu Gaoxu with the cultivated land in Jilin City.

In this way, even if Zhu Gaoxu wants to do something bad, he doesn't have much food to achieve his idea.

Thinking of this, although the smile on Zhu Yuanzhang's face was restrained, the action of holding Zhu Gaoxu's handwriting in his hand did not relax.

Looking at Zhu Gaoxu's unique handwriting, Lao Zhu reluctantly closed it slowly, and sighed at the same time.

The situation is always under his control.

It's just that such a situation is not what he personally wants to have, but he is the emperor, and the emperor must master such a situation.

"Ming Taizu Record": In November of the 28th year of Hongwu, Xin Youshuo winter solstice, heard that the king of Bohai Pingnu thief Xiyang Ha, very happy, rewarded thousands of soldiers and horses, tens of thousands of platinum, and left and right said, "An Liaodong, my grandson also." ’

(End of chapter)