The Lantern Festival is actually not an important festival in later generations. Apart from the fact that there are more dumplings in the supermarket, it has almost no impact on the lives of ordinary people.

There is no way. Everyone has to work and make money. Generally speaking, work will start around the seventh day of the lunar month, so who is still caring about watching the lanterns... Besides, there is no place to go if you want to enjoy the lanterns.

But in ancient times, the Lantern Festival was a very important festival, especially in the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Yuanzhang was a workaholic and took a few days off every year, but the emperor behind him could not hold on. During the Jiajing period, he was placed in the yamen three days before the New Year and did not recover until the end of the Lantern Festival.

Therefore, the Lantern Festival is the last carnival of the longest holiday of officials in the Ming Dynasty. Starting from the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, officials, people and female family members will go out to enjoy the Lantern Festival for ten consecutive days.

However, this year's Lantern Festival is a bit special.

The Earth Dragon turned around before the New Year. In the congratulatory statement on the first day of the Lunar New Year, a large number of officials advised the emperor to save money and not to be extravagant. They did not have the courage to accuse Emperor Jiajing of practicing Taoism and refining alchemy, and pointed the finger at the Lantern Festival.

Because every Lantern Festival, the royal family has to make huge Aoshan Lanterns. This thing is not something that can be made by the royal family, but only the royal family can be so big. No one else will steal the limelight. You should know that each bottle costs thousands of taels of silver.

Therefore, this year, Emperor Jiajing ordered that the lantern market should be kept as usual, but the Aoshan lanterns were banned.

The Wanshou Palace in Xiyuan.

Emperor Jiajing lay lazily on the couch, Huang Jin muttered beside him, "Even if a Aoshan lantern is used to consume money, it is not the money of the user department. I really have to eat too much."

"Okay, let's talk a little less. The one below shut up. You're talking too much." Emperor Jiajing looked at Lu Bing, "Is there much less people going out tonight to enjoy the lanterns than in previous years?"

"There is indeed a lot less." Lu Bing smiled and said, "But those who go out are not just those who enjoy the lanterns. The moon rises to the willows and people make an appointment after dusk."

Seeing Huang Jin next to him giggling with his mouth, Emperor Jiajing laughed and scolded: "Don't look at Huang's companion laughing, be careful to turn around and wear your little shoes!"

"Your Majesty, I dare not take this from me." Huang Jin smiled and said, "I still remember that I first arrived in the capital. On the Lantern Festival of the next year, I accompanied the old man out of the city to enjoy the lanterns. Commander Lu was the clan of the Jinyiwei at that time, and he was also with me."

"Remember, remember." Emperor Jiajing fell into deep thought, "and met several couples... I remember that someone was holding me and not letting go."

Lu Bing smiled and said, "That's because he has taken a fancy to His Majesty and wants to catch his son-in-law under the light."

"Hahahaha..." Emperor Jiajing nodded, but his laughter gradually lowered, "It's been thirty-five years, now I'm old, you're old too..."

Lu Bing and Huang Jin did not dare to respond. After a while, Emperor Jiajing smiled and asked, "It's a pity that I'm too lazy to leave the palace, otherwise I could go and see Qian Zhan to catch my son-in-law under the lamp."

Huang Jin said with a slight interest: "Why don't the old slave ask me to ask?"

Before Emperor Jiajing could speak, Lu Bing stepped forward and smiled bitterly, "No need."

"Qian Zhan was very busy tonight, I'm afraid he didn't have time to go out to enjoy the lanterns." Lu Bing smacked his lips, "Suiyuan has a great reputation in the past two months, and all the candidates for the exam are gathered there."

"What a great reputation?"

"Well, Your Majesty, Qian Zhancai was in the southern Zhili township exam... He was very good at cooking!" Lu Bing said with a laugh and cry: "After the New Year, there were more scholars entering Beijing. Many scholars from the southeast ran to Suiyuan every day, which were delicious and delicious, and also played mahjong..."

Lu Bing paused and coughed, "As far as I know, the censor of the court is ready to impeach Qian Zheng, the left senator of Tongzheng.

"What crime?"

"Gathering to play gambling."

"The mahjong was also made by him." Huang Jin chuckled, "This is Mengchangjun, so he let the scholars eat and drink?"

"How is that possible!" Emperor Jiajing had some understanding of Qian Yuan, "I must have some tips behind him."

"Your Majesty is wise." Lu Bing said with a smile: "In his own words, this is someone who comes to try it, then season it and modify the recipe... and then set up a restaurant and it will start business tonight."

"I squeezed in and took a look on the way I came, and my shoes were almost stepped down... The door was crowded, and I'm afraid the threshold was broken!"

Emperor Jiajing's cheeks bulged, wanted to laugh but held back, and cursed: "A great juren, I'm going to be able to test in one and a half months. I actually run a restaurant. It's really a waste of time!"

"But it's really good to make money." Lu Bing smiled bitterly and said, "I'm afraid I won't be able to eat it for a few days... It's too expensive!"

Emperor Jiajing scolded: "The only salary in your pocket?"

Lu Bing smiled dryly and said nothing.

"How expensive?" Huang Jin asked curiously.

"When I went out, I met Huang Zhubo from the Imperial Heavenly Prison, and he was cursing... Two people took four dishes and collected five taels of silver." Lu Bing said, "I still got a 50% discount."

Huang Jin was stunned, "This business is faster than the bandits robbing silver!"

Think about it, four dishes and five taels of silver are quite exaggerated data. The Imperial Heaven Supervision is another clear-water yamen, so it would be strange if you don’t scold me.

"But they recognized it, it's real." Lu Bing's mouth moved, "It is said that there is a separate courtyard inside, but the price is even more expensive."

Huang Jin glanced at Emperor Jiajing. He knew that the Huating Juren had a great status in Emperor Jiajing's mind. The time when the Earth Dragon turned over before the New Year... It is no exaggeration to say that as long as the emperor is still in power, Qian Yuan will be as stable as Mount Tai.

"Prince, why don't we go and have a walk?"

Emperor Jiajing didn't say anything. He hadn't left Xiyuan for a long time. The last time he went out was the Lantern Festival of the previous year.

Lu Bing was a little nervous, "Your Majesty, there are mixed things outside..."

Emperor Jiajing put down the Yu Ruyi in his hand and said with a smile: "I remember Qian Zhancai met the saint for the first time. I even gave him a banquet, but the result..."

Huang Jin smiled and said, "I'm not hiding it from the emperor. Later, he secretly said... he hadn't eaten 30% full yet and went out hungry."

"Hahaha, OK, then go and try it!"

...

There are many people who want to find Qian Yuan tonight, but I don’t know if he is too busy to come over.

Xu Mansion.

The whole family was having supper, and the old god Xu Jie was listening to his daughter acting cute. The Lantern Festival was originally a legal festival for men and women to have a tryst.

"Okay, stop making trouble. People have sent so many dishes, why are they going to cook?" Zhang frowned and said, "The woman who delivered the dishes also said that there are so many people in the restaurant tonight and there is no place to stand."

Xu Can curled his lips aggrievedly and gave Xu Fan a wink.

"Don't look at me." Xu Fan said expressionlessly: "I won't go out tonight."

A few days ago, Xu Fan said to the woman who delivered the food, "The pickled fish is good... As a result, this dish never appeared on the Xu Mansion's dining table again for three consecutive days.

Zhang glared at his daughter and glanced at Xiaoqi from the corner of his eyes. He has been quite at peace these days, but I don’t know if he is still trying to make a fool of himself.

In fact, this was the most nervous moment in Xiaoqi's heart. He counted rice grains unwillingly and had not picked up food for a while.

"Who do it for!" Zhang scolded, "Okay, let's go back."

Xiaoqi got up and took the wet wipes to wipe his hands. According to his past habits, he was ranked fourth after giving the court and left the main courtyard. He went straight back to his yard, and his steps couldn't help but speed up.

Zhang left his daughter alone, and poked her forehead with a smile, "You, I'm making money, what are you doing?"

"..." Xu Can flattened his mouth and said nothing.

"It's not so easy to marry the Xu family. The Qian family was almost swept out in the early years. The family was not well-off, so they got a restaurant to make money." Zhang smiled and said, "When you come over at this time, can you want to use the dowry to subsidize others?"

"Mother!"

The mother and daughter were joking here, and Xu Jie returned to the study room. The Xu family gradually became quiet, but the two figures appeared quietly at the side door.

"Mom Chen." Xiren held the old lady's hand, "In the afternoon, I handed in my family and said that my grandfather was in poor health and couldn't breathe. I'll go back and take a look."

The woman leaned over and looked behind Xiren, "But..."

"Miss is kind-hearted, afraid that I will have no money to get medicine." Xiren stuffed something into the old lady's hand, "I'll be back soon."
Chapter completed!