A son who doesn't resemble his father? Love you, old man, see you at Xuanwu Gate!

Chapter 260 Ninefold Gate

There's a saying: "If the wheat is covered with three layers of snow in winter, you'll sleep on a flatbread next year."

However, the snow in the twelfth month of the third year of the Yuan Shou era was obviously excessive. After the thunder, two blizzards fell in Guanzhong, covering the wheat fields with a thick layer of snow.

Fortunately, during the coldest time of the year, the clouds thinned, and the moon could sometimes be seen; the snow stopped.

Weiyang Palace, Xuanshi Hall.

Jiang Bo entered and walked to the Crown Prince's side, presenting the embroidered robe directly to the Imperial Censor's memorial.

Liu Ju took the documents and quickly flipped through the charges against Princess Dou, Princess Pingyang, and the Marquis of Pingyang's family, one bamboo slip after another... He finished reading all twelve bamboo slips in a short time.

At this moment, Jiang Bo would absolutely not look at the Crown Prince's expression; he stood with his head bowed and eyebrows lowered.

“Jiang Bo, you came from Princess Pingyang’s residence with your mother. How much do you know about the ugliness of the Han imperial family?” Liu Ju asked.

Looking at the bamboo and silk manuscripts, which contain information about Princess Pingyang using her beauty to bribe the emperor and establish good relations with the imperial relatives and princes, it becomes clear that even the Han imperial family had its own "brothel madams."

What is the Han Dynasty imperial family?
Brothels and pleasure quarters?

"Your Majesty, I am of low rank and position in the Marquis of Pingyang's household, and I am ignorant of the affairs of the royal family."

"And Mother?"

"Fortunately, the Emperor is not afraid to act recklessly, and the Empress is pure and innocent, yet she is also ignorant."

Jiang Bo knew what the Crown Prince wanted to ask, and could only say that Princess Pingyang could distinguish between the pros and cons, and would not tamper with the "beauties" presented to the Emperor, much less allow others to do so.

Princess Pingyang's "Begonia" was ranked. Empress Wei and Lady Li, who is currently favored by His Majesty of the Han Dynasty, were specifically chosen to bewitch the emperor.

Liu Ju rose from his throne, his wide robes billowing as he strode about: "You are a former member of the Pingyang Marquis's household. On my behalf, along with the two ministers who participate in government affairs, go to the Pingyang Marquis's household. If Princess Pingyang is willing to surrender, she will not be charged with treason."

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Jiang Bo accepted the order.

……

Records of "meat pouches" and "preserved meat" can be found as early as in the Book of Rites of Zhou and the Book of Changes of Zhou.

The original meaning of "腊" is "dried meat". The weather in the last month of the year is most suitable for drying and making preserved meats, so this month is also known as the twelfth month or the winter twelfth month.

The twelfth lunar month is at the end of the year, a time of transition between the old and the new. In ancient times, it was the month for grand year-end sacrifices. The "La sacrifice" existed as early as before the Qin Dynasty. The sacrifices held at the end of the year during this transition were called "La sacrifices".

During the Han Dynasty, the "La Sacrifice" included the "Exorcism" ritual to ward off evil spirits.

It was the third Xu day after the winter solstice, and the wind and snow had just stopped.

When the grand sacrifice coincided with the grand celebration, countless people from Chang'an took to the streets and headed to the markets to perform exorcisms.

At the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), most people on the street near the Marquis of Pingyang's residence had gone to watch the Nuo performance, and only a few gentlemen on the street were hurrying home.

Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps sounded. Before the people on the street could react, they saw two groups of embroidered envoys appearing simultaneously from both ends of the street.

"Come on!"

"avoid!"

In this joyful atmosphere, the two team leaders were relatively polite, only shouting loudly to retreat.

The traveler quickened his pace, disappearing from the street in twos and threes at a time. Two teams of embroidered-robed officials, one every two steps, blocked off the entire street. Then, the two team leaders, each leading a group of embroidered-robed officials, stood at the entrance of the mansion, which was adorned with lanterns bearing the name "Pingyang."

Then, a carriage rumbled over and stopped in front of the Pingyang Marquis's residence. The door opened and Zhang Tang got out.

Without hesitation, the gatekeeper pounded on the door knockers with their taotie-shaped faces on both sides, shouting, "Open the door! Open the door!"

The Marquis of Pingyang's mansion had its own winter sacrifice and exorcism rituals. And just like ordinary families, the preserved meat used in the sacrifices would be handed over to the cooks to be cooked and eaten by the entire mansion.

This is how the Marquis of Pingyang celebrates with the people every year.

In the residences of the Princess and the Marquis of Pingyang, the servants usually ate far more "preserved food" than traditional preserved foods. However, on occasional occasions, when they reminisced about the past and appreciated the present, the entire Marquis of Pingyang's residence was filled with joy.

The gatekeeper, who had just received a bowl of preserved meat, was startled by the sudden, deafening clanging of the door knocker as he reached the door. His hand slipped, and the bowl fell to the ground, shattering with a crack, sending square pieces of meat rolling far away.

As the saying goes, "The prime minister's gate is as prestigious as those of high-ranking officials."

Even a dog is a dog of the Prime Minister's mansion, and in many ways, it is more noble than a person.

What is the Prime Minister's Mansion compared to the Marquis of Pingyang's mansion?
The doorman had never heard such a loud knocking before. He was startled, and since there were rules for knocking, his curses rang out as soon as he opened the door: "You unruly wretch, are you announcing a death?!"

The gatekeeper caught a glimpse of the torches and the imposing ranks outside the gate, and by the time his voice fell, it had become hoarse.

The action of opening the door suddenly stopped, and the door was turned to close, but it was too late. With a "bang", the door was kicked open.

The guards of the Marquis's mansion reacted immediately, stepping forward with their blades, only to be killed on the spot by the Embroidered-Robe Envoy.

The two teams of officers led the Embroidered Uniform Guards into the courtyard, where they dispersed and stood in various places. Along the central main gate, through the hall, the flower hall, the main house, the porch, the outer room, the east and west courtyards... a total of nine gates, with thousands of Embroidered Uniform Guards in between, yet it felt so spacious.

"Ninefold Gates?" Listening to the reports from his subordinates and watching the approaching Marquis of Pingyang, Cao Xiang, Zhang Tang's gaze was somewhat chilling.

The imperial palace has nine layers, considered the ultimate number.

With such grandeur, who can tell whether this is a marquis's residence or a temporary palace?
Cao Xiang, who was nearby, heard Zhang Tang's voice and bowed towards the direction of Ganquan Palace, saying, "Does the Grand Minister of Works think this is an inappropriate edict from the Empress Dowager?"

The Pingyang Marquis's Mansion was not originally like this. Later, the late emperor passed away, Empress Dowager Dou passed away, and the current emperor and Empress Dowager Wang, the mother of Princess Pingyang, became the sole rulers. That was the era of the Tian family's rampant power, and it was also the time when the Pingyang Marquis's Mansion expanded from a seven-courtyard mansion to a nine-courtyard palace.

"Who says the Empress Dowager's edict is unacceptable?"

Zhang Tang's reply was very concise: "In the second year of Jianyuan, the sixth year of Yuanguang, the fifth year of Yuanshuo, and the first year of Yuanshou, there were repeated incidents of dikes being destroyed and fields being flooded in Hedong. The Imperial Archives obtained conclusive evidence and requested that the Marquis of Pingyang accompany me to the imperial prison for trial."

Ever since Cao Shen was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Pingyang, the people of Pingyang have suffered. Every few years, natural disasters and man-made calamities would occur. Especially after His Majesty ascended the throne, disasters would strike every few years. Most of the land was now under the surname "Cao," and thousands of acres of fertile land were stained with the blood and tears of the people of Hedong.

The past is too long to recapture; even events from the last twenty years are enough.

Cao Xiang felt as if he had been punched in the heart, and cold sweat instantly poured down his forehead. He seemed to see a vast ocean before his eyes, which, after the dikes were breached, overflowed and submerged countless fertile fields and the people who protected them.

Afterwards, the Pingyang Marquis's mansion would always open its granaries to distribute grain, thus winning the hearts of the people, their land, and their people... In short, the Pingyang Marquis's mansion wanted all the people's hard-earned money.

Entering the imperial prison is not a trial, it's a death sentence!
Looking at Cao Xiang's pale face, Zhang Tang said indifferently, "Take him down!"

"Wait!"

Princess Pingyang's voice came through.

(End of this chapter)