My father is Chongzhen? Then I have no choice but to rebel.

Chapter 358 Emperor Chongzhen's birthday celebration has finally arrived!

Originally, such a strange change in identity should have shocked Roland, but for some reason, he didn't feel particularly excited at the moment.

Perhaps I got too excited and ended up feeling calm instead?
Then he slowly said:

"No matter what, the best outcome is for the family to be reunited. You don't know, there were several times when I thought we were really going to die."

"But in the end, our whole family survived, and nothing is more important than that!"

Li Dingguo nodded in deep agreement, knowing all too well how difficult it was for a family to reunite.

Just then, Rowling suddenly asked again:

"By the way, since you were sent to Liaodong, why are you back now?"

His eyes were filled with doubt, not understanding why Li Dingguo would suddenly appear in the capital.

Li Dingguo did not hide anything from his father-in-law and immediately recounted his mission to the Jurchens and how he escorted the Jurchen envoys back to the Ming Dynasty.

Luo Lin was somewhat surprised, and an expression of disbelief appeared on his face.

But then he seemed to remember something, and frowned slightly, saying:
"So, you're going to Liaodong after the New Year? What should we do then? Should we go with you to Liaodong or stay in the capital?"

To be honest, Luo Lin was unwilling to go to Liaodong.

He had heard before that Liaodong had always been a cold and harsh place with a cold climate, barren land, and very difficult living conditions.

Moreover, Liaodong was the front line against the Jurchens, and battles were frequent; one never knew when they would have to go to the battlefield.

If I were to lose my life in the war, then everything would be over!

But he knew that this was not something an old man like him could control, so he could only place his hopes on Li Dingguo.

Upon hearing this, Li Dingguo immediately said:
"I can't go to Liaodong for the time being. After the New Year, I will go to the Sichuan area to persuade Zhang Xianzhong and Li Zicheng to surrender."

"In the meantime, you should stay in the capital! As for what happens next, we'll talk about that later!"

what?
When Luo Lin heard this, he was stunned and his breathing became rapid.

He thought that since his family had just escaped Zhang Xianzhong and Li Zicheng and completely gotten rid of their identity as peasant army members, they would never have anything to do with peasant army members again.

To his utter surprise, Li Dingguo was now getting involved with the peasant army again.

The next second, Luo Lin hurriedly advised:
"Absolutely not! You've finally escaped the peasant army and become a fourth-rank military officer in the imperial court. How can you get involved with the peasant army again at this time?"

"You must understand that once you have become an official of the imperial court, you must be loyal to the court and never have any other thoughts."

Rowling's tone was urgent, and his eyes were filled with worry and fear.

He was genuinely afraid that Li Dingguo would make the wrong decision because of his feelings for Zhang Xianzhong, thus ruining his future.

Similarly, it will also kill him and his daughter!

Upon hearing this, Li Dingguo knew his father-in-law had misunderstood. He first shook his head, both amused and exasperated, before explaining:
"Father-in-law, rest assured, I really did go to persuade Zhang Xianzhong and Li Zicheng to surrender. Now I am a fourth-rank military officer of the imperial court, and I will no longer have any involvement with the peasant army."

"Moreover, His Highness the Crown Prince has already agreed to this matter."

Once those words were spoken, Luo Lin could no longer say anything more.

After all, His Highness the Crown Prince had agreed, so what could a commoner like him say?

But then he couldn't help but advise:

"I can't control what you do, but you must remember that you have a family and a career now. You must not do anything impulsively that you will regret for the rest of your life."

Clearly, Rowling was still somewhat uneasy.

Li Dingguo felt even more helpless. His father-in-law, who had once been a peasant soldier, was actually advising him not to betray the imperial court. It all seemed rather strange.

But he understood his father-in-law's worries and concerns, so he nodded and said:

"Don't worry, father-in-law, I know what I'm doing."

Just then, Luo Yunsu walked over with a smile, carrying several plates of freshly cooked dishes.

She was wearing a light blue dress, her hair was simply tied up, revealing her fair neck.

A happy smile graced her face, and her eyes were filled with tenderness and love. She placed the dishes on the table and then looked at Li Dingguo, saying:

"Are you hungry? Eat up."

Looking at his wife, Li Dingguo felt a warm glow in his heart.

Then he grabbed a steamed bun and took a big bite.

As the aroma of the steamed bun filled his mouth, he felt that everything he had done before was worthwhile.

Time flies, and before we knew it, it was the next morning.

On this day, the capital was still filled with a festive atmosphere, and joy was everywhere.

However, something not insignificant happened inside the meeting hall.

Just last night, a Jurchen envoy named Xia Siyuan accidentally fell into the lake at the Huitongguan on his way back after attending a banquet.

Although the body was discovered in time, it was already completely dead by the time it was pulled out of the water.

Strangely enough, the lake is not actually deep; it was just used as a decoration and no one has ever drowned there.

But just last night, a man drowned; he was an envoy of the Jurchens.

After this incident, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Ministry of Rites, and the Five City Garrison immediately launched an investigation.

After a thorough investigation, homicide was ruled out, and the incident was determined to be a simple accident caused by alcohol consumption.

After all, no signs of a struggle were found at the scene, nor was there any evidence that someone deliberately pushed him into the water. Moreover, Xia Siyuan was already drunk at the time, and it was highly likely that he accidentally fell into the lake and drowned.

However, since it involved the death of an envoy from a vassal state, the matter was quickly reported to Emperor Chongzhen.

When Emperor Chongzhen learned of this, he did not react much. He merely symbolically punished a few ministers of the Ministry of Rites and ordered them to strengthen patrols. That was the end of the matter.

The Jurchen envoys certainly knew there was something fishy going on. After all, Xia Siyuan had just gone to make a scene during the day demanding to see Yebushu, only to die mysteriously that very night. This was clearly the work of the Ming Dynasty.

But being in a foreign country, even if they knew the truth, how could they dare to speak it out?

Revealing the truth could very well lead to his death.

Therefore, they accepted this result.

Moreover, most of them were pure-blooded Manchus, with only Xia Siyuan being a bondservant. His death was no big deal to them. Similarly, Zhu Cilang learned of this news early that morning.

However, Zhu Cilang was not surprised at all. After all, he had given such an order yesterday. If Xia Siyuan, that traitor, was not dead by this morning, then it would be the Embroidered Uniform Guard who would die!
And just like that, Xia Siyuan, this traitor who was loyal to the Jurchens, died!
As for his body, it was naturally reduced to ashes!
The corpses of traitors are not even fit to be fed to wild dogs!

In the following days, the capital city seemed to be gently shrouded in a festive veil, and no further waves were stirred.

The entire city was immersed in a busy and joyful atmosphere, with every street and alleyway making final, meticulous preparations for Emperor Chongzhen's upcoming birthday celebration.

However, to be honest, there is still a little regret.

That is, during the Battle of Songjin, Zhu Cilang made a promise to Hong Chengchou that he would bring him to the capital to join the cabinet at the New Year.

However, things are unpredictable, and the situation in Liaodong is far more complex and volatile than imagined.

Those hundreds of thousands of people who migrated to Liaodong were like rootless duckweed struggling to survive in a foreign land. How easy was it to completely resettle them?

Even after so much time has passed, Hong Chengchou has not yet fully resolved these matters.

Therefore, despite his high hopes for the cabinet position, Hong Chengchou could only continue to hold his ground in Liaodong and continue his unfinished work.

However, once Hong Chengchou had settled all affairs in Liaodong, Zhu Cilang would still keep his promise and allow him to join the cabinet as an assistant politician.

After all, it's more reassuring to keep someone as talented as Hong Chengchou by your side.

Meanwhile, on the other side, with Zhu Cilang's tacit approval, a unique meeting quietly took place.

The families of Luo Rucai, Li Dingguo, and Liu Wenxiu were finally able to meet.

At first, Luo Rucai was uneasy, thinking that these people would definitely harbor resentment towards him.

After all, his past actions had undoubtedly pushed them into the abyss of family ruin and death, and their relatives and family members had died more or less because of him.

However, to his surprise, when these people actually stood in front of him, they did not show the slightest bit of hatred in their eyes.

They all knew that if it weren't for Luo Rucai's "betrayal" and "surrender," they might have already lost their lives, let alone be able to settle down in this prosperous capital city.

This unexpected tolerance and understanding finally allowed Luo Rucai to relax his tense nerves.

He knew that in the future, he might still fight alongside Liu Wenxiu and others in Liaodong, and if he were to form a grudge now, it would cause trouble later.

Fortunately, his worries were unnecessary!

Time flies like an arrow, and in the blink of an eye, Emperor Chongzhen's birthday celebration has quietly arrived.

On this day, the capital was filled with joy and peace.

Before dawn, civil and military officials had already arrived at the palace. Dressed in various official robes, they lined up in an orderly fashion in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony according to their rank.

Emperor Chongzhen, on the other hand, was dressed in a magnificent imperial robe and wore a crown with twelve strings of jade beads on his head. The beads swayed gently with his steps, making a clear and melodious sound, as if telling the story of the majesty and solemnity of imperial power.

Then, Wang Jiayan, the Minister of Rites, stepped forward first and shouted loudly:
"Long live the Emperor!"

The sound was like a great bell, resounding through the sky.

Immediately afterwards, the band played "Zhonghe Shaoyue," a piece of music used by the Ming Dynasty court for celebrations such as the Emperor's birthday and New Year's Day. The lyrics mostly praised peace and prosperity, and the general meaning revolved around auspicious wishes such as "peace throughout the world and the eternal stability of the universe."

As the melodious music began, the officials performed the ritual of kneeling three times and kowtowing nine times.

Of course, Zhu Cilang was also among the other princes in the capital, since the crown prince and princes were also subjects in the eyes of the emperor.

Immediately afterwards, the ceremony for foreign vassal states to pay tribute officially began.

Envoys from vassal states such as Korea, Annam, and Mongolia, dressed in their respective national costumes, slowly entered the palace, bringing various tributes to celebrate Emperor Chongzhen's birthday.

When the envoys faced Emperor Chongzhen, they had to perform the "five bows and three kowtows" ceremony, which was two more than that of the officials, to show their submission and respect to the Celestial Empire.

Then, the segment where the female officials presented birthday gifts quietly began.

Twelve female officials from the Imperial Kitchen walked gracefully in, carrying golden platters on which were placed meticulously prepared "longevity noodles" and "longevity peaches".

"Longevity noodles" are made primarily of thin, hair-like noodles that are resilient and unbreakable. They are also topped with gold leaf, which shimmers with a dazzling light.

As for the "longevity peach," it is carefully shaped from flour, with a lifelike appearance, just like a real immortal peach.

The ladies-in-waiting presented these two treasures to the emperor, symbolizing his long life and boundless blessings.

At 9:00 AM, the royal family banquet officially began.

Meanwhile, the chefs in the imperial kitchen were already extremely busy.

Because of the ample funds available for this year's birthday celebration, they meticulously prepared over a hundred dishes, each a work of art.

In addition, the emperor would also host banquets for his officials, totaling more than a hundred tables.

To prepare for this grand feast, the imperial kitchen mobilized more than 600 chefs, and those who were not enough were recruited from various restaurants in the countryside. They each performed their duties and used their strengths to present a grand feast for the emperor.

During the banquet at home, the emperor also had to eat the "Nine-Ripe Immortal Peaches" from the "Peach Banquet".

Of course, the so-called immortal peach is actually a steamed longevity peach dipped in honey. To put it more bluntly, it is actually a big steamed bun. However, because the preparation method is quite particular, it has a soft, sweet and fragrant taste, and symbolizes longevity.

Empress Zhou presented the emperor with a dragon robe embroidered with twelve imperial symbols, which she had sewn herself, to show her respect.

Then the performers from the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau) began to dance, adding joy and liveliness to the family banquet.

At noon, under the arrangement of the Five City Garrison Commands of the capital, porridge kitchens sprang up like mushrooms after rain.

Whether they are ordinary citizens or commoners, everyone can receive a bowl of hot "longevity porridge," in addition to "longevity cakes," with the main theme of sharing joy with the people.

At Shenshi (3-5 PM), folk celebrations unfolded in full swing.

Three thousand "Longevity Lanterns" were hung along Qianmen Street and Chongwenmen. The lanterns were decorated with auspicious patterns such as "One Hundred Children" and "Magu Offering Longevity", and were colorful and beautiful.

Under the lamplight, vendors set up various stalls, selling seasonal foods such as "longevity peaches" and "longevity noodles".

This prompted the people to buy it in celebration of the emperor's birthday.

At 7:00 PM, a grand fireworks display was launched at Wanchun Pavilion in Jingshan Park.

The "Longevity Fireworks" were of various shapes and colors, and they burned continuously for an hour, illuminating the entire capital city as if it were daytime.

This scene drew crowds of onlookers, who marveled at the emperor's majesty and the grandeur and liveliness of the birthday celebration.

From this point on, the Emperor's birthday celebration was practically over.

Why do we say "about the same"?

According to tradition, the fireworks display should last for about three days, right before Lunar New Year's Eve!
Then, New Year's Eve will be extended for several days in a row.
(End of this chapter)