The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Although the national mourning was over, Emperor Yongchang issued an edict that all noble families were not allowed to have banquets or music for a year. Dashun also advocated ruling the country with filial piety, so as an emperor, he naturally had to set an example. There were no banquets in the palace this year, and even the 30th and first day celebrations were cancelled. The upright officials rushed to submit memorials to praise the emperor, praising his filial piety and benevolence.

Although it was snowing heavily, the sky was gradually getting brighter.

In the twelfth month of the sixth year of Yongchang, there was only a sparse snowfall in the capital. This snow fell in the second half of the night. It was the first snow in the seventh year of Yongchang, and it was a heavy snow. Naturally, it was a great auspicious sign. Not only the Qingliu, but also all the officials in Beijing submitted congratulatory messages.

In the snow, Emperor Yongchang, wearing a fox fur cloak, walked towards the Yangxin Palace with the Crown Prince.

The Spring Festival in the palace was the same as that in the folk. Starting from the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, the palace began to prepare for the New Year. In addition to preparing New Year goods, from this day until the 17th day of the first lunar month, the palace would set off fireworks in front of the Qianqing Palace every day. At the same time, Aoshan lanterns and fireworks would be installed in the imperial city. When the emperor went to watch, fireworks would also be set off.

On the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month, the eunuchs and palace maids became even busier. They planted peach charms and general charcoal beside the door, pasted door gods, and hung paintings of the God of Fortune, the Judge, Zhong Kui, etc. indoors; they hung eight treasures of gold and silver, prayer wheels, or weaved yellow lines into the shape of a dragon on the bed; they inserted sesame straw on the eaves and burned cypress branches in the yard.

At the same time, the emperor would order royal relatives to offer sacrifices at the imperial mausoleum, while the emperor himself would offer sacrifices at the Taimiao.

On the first day of the first lunar month, all the palace maids and eunuchs had to get up at the end of the fourth watch, light lamps, burn incense and set off fireworks at the fifth watch. The emperor, royal family members, nobles and civil and military officials first went to pay their respects to the retired emperor and wish him a happy new year. Then, the emperor accepted the congratulations of the royal family members, nobles and civil and military officials in the Fengtian Hall.

At the same time, all women with imperial decrees had to enter the palace to wish the Empress Dowager and the Empress a happy new year.

Next, the emperor gave a banquet and gave out “red envelopes” as rewards.

This year, many things happened at the same time, so we had to keep it simple, but of course we couldn't reduce the ancestor worship. The crown prince was not in good health, so Emperor Yongchang took the crown prince to the ancestral temple Fengxian Hall to worship the ancestors.

It was as warm as spring in the West Warm Pavilion. The Minister of War, Duke Zhenguo Niu Jizon, the Commander of the Imperial Guards, Marquis Zhongjing Shi Ding, and the new Governor of the Beijing Camp, Duke Xiuguo Hou Xiaokang were sitting on chairs by the window waiting.

The door curtain was lifted, and Emperor Yongchang walked in with the Crown Prince.

Niu Jizong, Shi Ding and Hou Xiaokang stood up immediately.

Emperor Yongchang smiled and waved his hand: "Please sit down." Then he took the Crown Prince's hand and walked to the couch on the south side.

The eunuch on duty immediately brought a chair and was about to place it in front of the couch.

Emperor Yongchang stopped him and said, "Grandson, please sit with me." Then he said to the Crown Prince, "From now on, you will sit next to Grandpa Huang."

The Crown Prince hummed, then knelt down and kowtowed three times respectfully.

Emperor Yongchang laughed and said, "Get up quickly, the ground is cold." He hurriedly said to the eunuch on duty, "My grandson wishes me a happy new year!"

"Everything is ready."

The eunuch on duty brought a tray with a smile. On the tray, on the bright yellow satin was an extremely delicate purse with the words "Peace Every Year" embroidered on the purse. There was also a small golden ruyi about two inches long inserted in the mouth of the purse, and the words "Good Luck Years Ago" on the chin.

Emperor Yongchang personally handed the purse to the Crown Prince and said with a smile, "No need to kowtow anymore. Sit down and have a rest."

Niu Jizong, Shi Ding and Hou Xiaokang looked at each other.

Emperor Yongchang sat down on the couch, "What about the express from outside the pass? What's the matter?"

Niu Jizong stood up and said: "Your Majesty, Fukangan has been defeated."

Emperor Yongchang: "Defeated? Didn't Fukang'an obtain the weapons and equipment of the Rakshasa people and stabilize the front line?"

Niu Jizong: "He was the leader of Xilin Gol League and the prince of Xisunite Banner. He betrayed Fukangan and joined forces with the Jurchens to attack Fukangan's coalition forces at a critical moment, leading to Fukangan's defeat."

Emperor Yongchang sneered after hearing this: "The foreign races are really all shameless villains who are fickle-minded!"

At this moment, footsteps were heard, and then the door curtain was lifted, and the eunuch on duty at the Meridian Gate came in holding an urgent document with chicken feathers stuck on it: "Your Majesty, good news from Hubei!"

Emperor Yongchang took the urgent letter, tore open the seal and read it. After reading a few lines, he slapped his palm on the couch and said excitedly: "Well done!" Then he stood up and said loudly to Niu Jizong, Shi Ding and Hou Xiaokang: "Li Hu has stopped Shui Rong in Xiaogan. Except for Shui Rong and a few other White Lotus rebels who fled into the mountains, the rest of the White Lotus rebels have all been brought to justice!"

Niu Jizong, Shi Ding and Hou Xiaokang stood up suddenly.

Emperor Yongchang said excitedly: "The battle in the Central Plains has finally been accomplished!" The Crown Prince also stood up, walked to Emperor Yongchang, knelt down, and said crisply: "Congratulations to Grandpa Huang!"

The eunuchs on duty and the eunuchs on duty at the Meridian Gate knelt down immediately and said, "Your servant congratulates the emperor!"

Niu Jizong, Shi Ding, and Hou Xiaokang also knelt down one after another: "Your Majesty, we congratulate you!"

Emperor Yongchang laughed, and his laughter was so comfortable and hearty: "Get up, everyone get up."

Everyone bowed their heads and said, "Yes." Then they stood up one after another.

"Dai Quan." Emperor Yongchang suddenly called out.

There was silence in the warm room.

Niu Jizong, Shi Ding and Hou Xiaokang looked at each other. A big event happened two days ago. Dai Quan, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department, was suddenly sent to the imperial mausoleum to repair the tomb of Emperor Taizu Gao.

Repairing the imperial mausoleum on this day? Apparently, something big happened in the palace, which implicated this eunuch, who was then exiled to the imperial mausoleum to guard it for Emperor Taizu Gao.

The eunuch on duty swallowed his saliva and said softly, "Your Majesty, Dai Zong and Dai Quan are in the imperial mausoleum."

Emperor Yongchang was silent for a moment, walked to the couch and sat down, picked up the victory report and began to read it. Suddenly, he hummed and his face suddenly became gloomy.

Everyone was shocked by his demeanor.

After a long while, Emperor Yongchang folded the report tightly and turned to look at Niu Jizong: "Was that Sun Shaozu introduced by Jia She?"

Niu Jizong was stunned. What Sun Shaozu? Who was introduced by Jia She?

Emperor Yongchang realized that Sun Shaozu was just a commander of a small border town, so how could Niu Jizon, the Minister of War, know him?

Thinking of this, Emperor Yongchang couldn't help but think of Dai Quan again. However, calling him back after just a few days would be slapping himself in the face!

Emperor Yongchang turned his gaze to the eunuch on duty at the Meridian Gate and asked, "Where is that Sun Shaozu?"

The eunuch on duty at the Meridian Gate said: "Your Majesty, I am waiting outside the Meridian Gate for your punishment."

Bai Hongzhi walked the same distance in seven days, but Sun Shaozu only took four days. No, Sun Shaozu walked more than 200 miles more than Bai Hongzhi, which shows that he was physically strong.

Emperor Yongchang held up the victory report and said: "This Sun Shaozu was born into a family of generals in Datong and holds a hereditary military honor. His family has been deeply blessed by the court, but he has no intention of sacrificing his life to serve the country. Instead, he is ungrateful and has turned against the court. Not only did he join the traitor and capture Xiaogan, he slaughtered the people and raped the women, he also made plans for the traitor Shui Rong and attempted to overthrow the court. This is truly an unforgivable crime!"

When these words were spoken, everyone was shocked. How could Sun Shaozu be so bold and presumptuous!

Emperor Yongchang: "How many cuts did Bai Hongzhi make?"

The chief eunuch on duty said: "If you are less than third grade, you will get one thousand one hundred and fifty-eight knives."

The Dashun regime inherited the Ming system, which divided the punishment of lingchi into three levels. The first level required cutting with 3,357 cuts, the second level required cutting with 2,896 cuts, and the third level required cutting with 1,585 cuts.

Emperor Yongchang: "Sun Shaozu has committed ten unforgivable crimes. He does not need to be handed over to the Ministry for trial. He should be taken to Caishikou and executed by slow slicing. His entire clan should be exterminated! The slow slicing lasted three days, and his feet were cut with 3,357 cuts."

The eunuch on duty said: "As you wish." He bowed and left.

The three of them looked at each other. Killing someone on a holiday?
Emperor Yongchang put down the victory report and walked back and forth, saying as he walked: "Li Hu quelled the rebellion and made great contributions to the court. He should be promoted to Duke, but this is just the title."

At this time, a red-robed eunuch from the Imperial Household Department came in holding an urgent letter: "Your Majesty, an urgent letter from General Huang."

Emperor Yongchang took the urgent letter, tore open the seal and read it. He was shocked: "Li Hu is sick!" (End of this chapter)