Da Ming: Father, step aside, I'll be the prime minister!

Chapter 352 "Lanterns Over Aoshan"! The Last Struggle Amidst the Lantern Festival Spectacularity!
What did you learn today?

Hosokawa Yusai held a copy of "The History of Mysteries" and looked up at his daughter, who was always covered in dust from her travels.

“Replying to Father,” Hosokawa Iya said respectfully in a low voice. “Today, Lord Shigen told me about the prosperous Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty. The magnificent scenery of the Tang Dynasty is truly something to admire.”

"Hmm? Why is it always about history? Don't forget the purpose of our visit."

"Of course I haven't forgotten. Lord Shiyuan was merely using the past to illustrate the present, discussing the rise and fall of the Kaiyuan era to explain the path of scientific development in Xishan. I am quite moved and wonder when we can establish a Xishan in our country."

"Yes, it's good that you think that way."

Hosokawa Yusai was clearly very satisfied with this answer.

"Then the daughter will not disturb her father's reading."

Hosokawa Iya was about to enter the house when he was stopped by Hosokawa Yusai.

"Wait a minute." He pushed a notebook to Hosokawa Iya. "The Lantern Festival is in a few days. At that time, riddles will be everywhere on Qipan Street. The Ming Dynasty has given a prize. If you can win the first prize, you can enjoy the lanterns with the emperor and even get a promise from the emperor. This is a golden opportunity that you must not miss. This is my research on the history of riddles. I think it will be useful to you."

Hosokawa Iya took the notebook and quickly explained.

"It's not that easy. There are many talented men in the Ming Dynasty. How can a daughter compare? Besides, winning first place is not easy. It's not just about solving riddles, but also composing poems."

“Poetry is your forte,” Hosokawa Yusai reminded him.

Hosokawa Iya nodded obediently: "Yes, Father."

"Go and rest."

"Yes, Father."

After bowing, Hosokawa Iya slowly walked into her boudoir. At first, she simply held the book "Mystery History" and read it carefully. Later, she carefully took out a small notebook from the compartment under the bed.

She stared intently at the densely filled notes in the small notebook, then picked up her pen and wrote another line on it.

"We must help Japanese women stand up."

Compared to later dynasties, the Lantern Festival in the Ming Dynasty was far more lively than the Lunar New Year's Eve and Spring Festival.

After several days of consecutive holidays, the festive atmosphere among the people of Beijing has reached its peak.

Several days before the Lantern Festival, colorful lanterns began to be hung in the streets of Beijing. The revolving lanterns hanging from the eaves of houses on Qipan Street and the Aoshan Mountain gradually rising in the center of the street complemented each other. Even the pair of bronze lions outside Donghua Gate looked full of spring.

"Aoshan" is not a place name, but rather a type of lantern from the Song Dynasty.

Since the Song Dynasty, during the Lantern Festival, lantern sheds were built using pine, cypress, bamboo and wood, and various colorful lanterns were hung on them. During the Yongle period, Zhu Di ordered the "Aoshan Longevity Lantern" to be set up outside the Meridian Gate to celebrate with the people. This Aoshan is said to be thirteen stories high, which is quite spectacular.

While the "Aoshan" (a type of lantern) is indeed magnificent, lanterns are highly flammable, and the fact that Aoshan is entirely made of bamboo and wood makes it even more dangerous. Fires that have occurred during the Lantern Festival throughout history are countless.

In addition, the cost of organizing such a Lantern Festival would be far more than tens of thousands of taels of silver, which would naturally attract criticism from many upright officials.

"What are you all doing? The highest level of Mount Ao is only thirteen stories, and this is almost twenty! Your actions are such a waste of manpower and resources. I will definitely submit a report to Zhang Shiyuan in the future!"

Just as the workers in Xishan were busy setting up "Aoshan", an old man with a white beard suddenly jumped out, pointed at everyone and cursed them. He even threw a tantrum and rolled around on the ground, preventing the workers from carrying out their work.

With the Lantern Festival just two days away, the construction of this "Aoshan" was specially approved by Emperor Wanli. If anything went wrong, the consequences would be unimaginable.

During the Chinese New Year holiday, Yu Xiangdou was already annoyed by being pulled into working overtime. When he saw someone causing trouble, he immediately became furious and scolded them.

"Who are you? I'm handling things in Xishan, it's none of your business to tell me what to do!"

Although he held no official rank, as a senior member of the Xishan management team, he wielded considerable power. Even officials in the capital below the third rank had to treat him with utmost respect.

The old man, with his neck stiff, said, "I am Wang Jiguang, a supervising secretary of the Ministry of Revenue! Is Zhang Shiyuan so great? Is Zhang Jiangling so great? I have long been disgusted with them. You may just beat me to death right here in the street."

He acted like a dead pig that wasn't afraid of boiling water. Censors like the Six Ministries Censor had long been broken by the combined efforts of Zhang Yunxiu and his son Zhang Juzheng. But there were always some stubborn people, and Wang Jiguang was one of them.

Now, Yu Xiangdou was in a bit of a headache. With the old man blocking their way, it was really difficult for the workers to get up and start working. But if they actually started hitting him, that would be a huge problem.

Even if Zhang Yunxiu is now truly powerful, it is still outrageous for the world to allow his subordinates to beat up government officials in the street.

Unfortunately, Yu Xiangdou did not hold an official position and was therefore unable to subdue this man.

Wang Jiguang was a man who knew how to read people's expressions; otherwise, he wouldn't have "survived" until now. As soon as he saw that the other party couldn't do anything to him, he immediately became energetic.

As more and more people gathered around, he plopped down on the ground, hugged a corner of the "Aoshan" frame, and cried out in anguish.

“Since the beginning of the Longqing reign, the imperial court has spent tens of thousands of taels of silver every year on this Lantern Festival. If this silver could be used to provide relief to more refugees and common people, how many people could be saved from dying? You see these beautiful lanterns, but they are all made from the people’s hard-earned money!”

As more and more people gathered around him, Wang Jiguang became even more excited and shouted even louder.

"In the second year of the Wanli reign, His Majesty was lecturing in the Wenhua Hall when he asked Zhang Jiangling whether the Lantern Festival was an ancestral custom. In the past, Zhang Juzheng had advised His Majesty that the Lantern Festival was a wasteful and useless event, and that the new policy should be to save money."

The Lantern Festival had been canceled for eight years, so why is it being revived this year? Is it so that Xishan can make more money? Xishan has already made so much money, yet it's still like a glutton, never satisfied!

Having found a pretext for Wang Jiguang, he couldn't hold back his pent-up anger and unleashed all his pent-up curses.

The Qipan Street was already crowded, and after Wang Jiguang's outburst, the crowd gathered. Many scholars and literati couldn't help but sympathize with Wang Jiguang, but fearing that their words would bring trouble upon themselves, their faces showed deep sorrow and indignation.

The intellectuals were moved by their own sentimentality, but the common people felt that this old man was simply looking for trouble. Everyone was having a good time during the New Year, but he just popped out and spoiled the fun.

It feels like you've finally made it to the New Year, and your family is about to slaughter a pig and have some pork, but then someone jumps out and says, "Eating pork during the New Year? Are you even living? Have you forgotten all the hardships you've endured this past year?"

Isn't it precisely because we've endured a year of hardship that we long to relax during this festive season?
Faced with Wang Jiguang's explanation, Yu Xiangdou, though not a literary genius, was a book engraver by trade and had been learning from Zhang Yunxiu these past few days, so he naturally understood some of it.

He crossed his arms, unwilling to look at Wang Jiguang, and instead turned to the people present and spoke.

"Fellow villagers, I, Yu Xiangdou, am a businessman. Over the years, I have been doing business in the capital with integrity as my guiding principle. The reputation of Xishan is well-known. Did you all buy anything at the promotional event a few days ago?"

The crowd immediately burst into smiles.

"I've already bought it!"

"The items at the promotional event are so cheap. I wish there were promotional events every day."

"Xishan has a conscience; he gave us ordinary people a way to survive."

Immediately, the crowd began to chime in with their own opinions.

Xishan is now an unshakable mountain in the hearts of the people. It is not because of any propaganda or education, nor because of the praise of any literati, but because of the reputation it has accumulated over the past six months, which has truly brought benefits and convenience to the people.

Yu Xiangdou cupped his hands and said, "I, Yu Xiangdou, would like to thank everyone for your support."

He turned his head to look at Wang Jiguang.

"However, today we need to distinguish right from wrong. This official from the Ministry of Revenue said that my Xishan spent hundreds of thousands of taels of silver, which is a waste of manpower and resources. I disagree with this statement."

Yu Xiangdou raised his head: "Ten thousand taels of silver is far from enough for this year's Xishan Lantern Festival. It will cost at least six or seven hundred thousand taels of silver!" As soon as he said this, the crowd was in an uproar. Six or seven hundred thousand taels of silver! What a sum of money! No wonder this year's lantern festival is so different from the others. It turns out that the cost has increased several times over!
"You!" Wang Jiguang was furious. "This is utterly lawless! Absolutely lawless!"

Yu Xiangdou, showing no fear whatsoever, continued speaking.

"It is indeed three to four hundred thousand taels of silver. Xishan will reflect this amount in its financial statements, so it's not a big deal for me to say it out loud."

"Beasts!" Wang Jiguang's lips trembled. He felt he had seized the moral high ground, and that the Zhang family father and son were doomed! No powerful minister in history had ever dared to do something so outrageous.

But suddenly he realized something was wrong.

"Financial report?" Wang Jiguang said incredulously. "What nonsense are you talking about!"

Then, a slightly childish yet terrifying voice was heard.

"Does Censor Wang still not know?"

Zhang Yunxiu, dressed in a flying fish robe, had somehow arrived outside the Daming Gate. He rode a tall horse and looked down at Wang Jiguang, speaking to him.

"This year's Lantern Festival is entirely covered by Xishan. All expenses will be borne by Xishan, without requiring a single penny from the imperial court. So how can it be considered a waste of public funds or the people's hard-earned money?"

"This is impossible!" Wang Jiguang exclaimed in disbelief.

Has Zhang Yunxiu gone mad? What can he possibly gain from spending hundreds of thousands of taels of silver to organize this Lantern Festival? Is he trying to curry favor with the Wanli Emperor? But the emperor already listens to him almost without question.

Is it really just for the sake of sharing joy with the people?

Seeing the other person's expression, Zhang Yunxiu smiled without saying a word.

But Wang Jiguang knew from that expression that the other party was obviously not bluffing him, and he pointed at Zhang Yunxiu and cursed.

"West Mountain is royal property; how dare you..."

But when he said this, he had lost his confidence. What is the imperial treasury? It is the emperor's private money!

Xishan has always been popular with the people. If he were to say anything that criticizes Xishan, he would probably be met with a barrage of criticism.

Zhang Yunxiu countered, "Does even Wang, the Imperial Censor, know that Xishan is a business owned by the imperial family?"

He suddenly glared and demanded an answer in a stern voice.

"What crime should be committed for damaging royal property? Who gave you the audacity to vandalize His Majesty's 'Aoshan'?"

"I...I didn't!" Wang Jiguang was startled and tried to argue.

"Then why are you still clinging to that dragon's leg on Mount Ao? What if you scratch the next layer of paint?"

As if electrocuted, Wang Jiguang abruptly pulled his hand back.

"Hey, hey, hey, you've made the lanterns wobble. If one of the glass lanterns breaks, can you afford to pay for it, Wang Jushizhong?"

Wang Jiguang immediately jumped up, as if avoiding a plague god, and moved three feet away from the lantern. He looked weak, but his figure was agile. He cupped his hands towards Zhang Yunxiu from a distance and said.

"Commander Zhang, I have some matters to attend to at home. Today is my day off, so I will not disturb you any longer. I will take my leave now!"

Before he could finish speaking, several Imperial Guards surrounded him.

"What does Zhang Zhangwei mean by this?" Wang Jiguang panicked. If he didn't have to worry about his "reputation," he would have knelt down on the spot.

Zhang Yunxiu chuckled and said, “You need not worry, Wang. I am a reasonable person and would never hurt anyone easily. However, this ‘Aoshan’ is something His Majesty personally selected, and it must not be damaged. I will not make things difficult for you, Wang. You don’t need to go to the Northern Garrison today. Just rest here. If there is any problem with ‘Aoshan’, then compensate for it at the price. I think His Majesty will be lenient after we pay the money.”

This is a staged accident!

Wang Jiguang was practically cursing under his breath. He had only managed to grab the foot of that "Mount Ao" once. The "Mount Ao" was made of thick, sturdy materials and was even covered with iron plates. If something happened to him, the "Mount Ao" would be fine.

But the other party clung to this point, constantly referring to His Majesty, and I couldn't find any reason to refute it.

Seeing Wang Jiguang's fate, the restless students in the crowd suddenly shuddered.

Zhang Yunxiu was too wicked. He knew that taking action would be against the greater good, so he threatened people with compensation money.

This enormous "Mount Ao" was made of wood and even covered with sheet metal. Many of the lanterns had glass shells. It was indeed not difficult to build it in Xishan, but the compensation that ordinary officials would have to pay would be an astronomical figure.

If anyone in the capital truly intends to challenge this "Mount Ao," they should really think twice.

After dealing with the troublesome "little devils," Zhang Yunxiu turned around and smiled at everyone, a smile that sent chills down the spines of many.

"Please excuse my poor appearance. You absolutely must come and support me at the Lantern Festival in a few days! There will also be a special event at Xishan with generous prizes, first come, first served!"

"Don't dare~"

Many students and scholars looked embarrassed, but dared not remain silent.

Some officials hidden in the crowd immediately shrank back, as if afraid of being seen by Zhang Yunxiu.

Zhang Yunxiu smiled but remained silent.

The onlookers were excited. Zhang Yunxiu, this "powerful minister," was doing a great job. In the past, all the "powerful ministers" were just plundering the people's wealth, but he was just throwing money around every day!

We need more powerful ministers like this! Ideally, he should remain a powerful minister forever!

The Lantern Festival is just around the corner.

Starting from the thirteenth day of the first lunar month, lights were lit on Qipan Street, reaching their peak on the night of the fifteenth.

Especially noteworthy is the Aoshan Mountain in front of the Daming Gate, adorned with colorful lanterns bearing the inscription "All Nations Paying Homage." From top to bottom, lanterns, primarily made of glazed tiles, swirl on the lantern frame, depicting scenes such as "Qilin Offering Auspiciousness" and "Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea."

Chessboard Street was bustling with tourists, and various riddles were hung at the entrance of each shop.

In previous years, some shops would reward those who guessed the lantern riddles correctly, but this year is very different. The imperial court has issued a special regulation that hundreds of lantern riddles have been set up on Qipan Street. Each person who solves a lantern riddle will receive a waist token. The person who has the most waist tokens will be able to climb the city tower of Daming Gate and enjoy the lanterns with the emperor.

If he could also compose a fitting poem that would stand out among all the literary figures, the emperor might grant him a reasonable wish.

This news undoubtedly further boosted the popularity of this year's Lantern Festival.

Many scholars who had failed the imperial examinations for many years, as well as those who considered themselves talented but unappreciated, were all eager to win in this grand occasion.

If one could truly gain the emperor's favor through this, it would truly be like "seeing all the flowers of Chang'an in a single day."

In an inconspicuous corner of the Daming Gate tower, Zhang Juzheng and Shen Shixing, dressed in crimson official robes, each held a telescope and stared intently down at the city gate.

Shen Shixing said rather urgently.

"Where is His Majesty? I just spotted him, but he vanished like an arrow released from a bow."

(End of this chapter)