I'm watching the gate in the jail

It was another Mid-Autumn Festival with a full moon, and Wanda calculated that this was already the No. 14 Mid-Autumn Festival he spent in the Ming Dynasty.

In the early years when old uncle Wan Gui was around, Wanda spent all his time with his family in Xinle Earl's Mansion, except for being delayed when going out to handle cases.

As the saying goes, "Men don't worship the moon, and women don't worship the stove", so the protagonist of the Mid-Autumn Festival in previous years is the sister-in-law Zhao.

Mrs. Zhao Zhang Luo led the maids of the Earl's Mansion to set up altars and moonlight horses. At the middle of the moon, they led the maids and women to kowtow and burn incense.Later, the eldest brother accepted his concubine Wanshi, so he changed to sister-in-law as the officiant, and Wanshi helped.

For the men in their family, it's just eating and drinking, drinking and punching, inviting opera troupes to the house to sing and so on.When Wanda is in high spirits, she will cook herself and cook a few side dishes that people in the Ming Dynasty have never seen before.

Later, when the mansion was divided, Baron Anle's mansion didn't have a mistress, so there was no such thing as worshiping the moon.

On the contrary, the clay sculptures of Mr. Rabbit that I buy for Alan every year can fill a whole room.Sometimes he would go to the palace to visit his wife in the middle of the night, or go to Yang's house or Qiu's house to enjoy the moon together.

However, whether it is Baron's Mansion, Yang Qianhu's Mansion, or Master Qiu's house, they are three veritable temples for monks.

On weekdays, these busy people only focus on handling cases and seldom go home, so they don't feel deserted.Once there are festivals and family reunions, because there is no woman in charge of the center, and only rely on the housekeeper to maintain human relations, it feels a bit bleak.

This year is different. This year's Mid-Autumn Festival may be the busiest Mid-Autumn Festival that Wanda has ever spent in his life.

Last month, because of the demon Li Zilong, most of the Guozijian and the surrounding houses were blown up, the people were displaced, and the teachers and students of the Guozijian, especially the students and teachers from other places, were lost. residence.

Although the Ministry of Households soon built a temporary bamboo shed board house in the eastern suburbs outside the city, providing it to the people who lost their houses as a temporary residence.At the same time, Shuntian Prefecture recruited civilian husbands to cooperate with the craftsmen of the household department to repair the houses affected by the explosion, and even gave Panchuan to encourage them to seek refuge with relatives and friends and find shelter as soon as possible, so as not to cause a disaster of refugees.

But the weather in the capital is not as good as that in the south. Basically, once the Mid-Autumn Festival is over, the weather basically changes every day, and soon the dripping water will turn into ice, and the breath will turn into frost.

What's more, I don't know why, but the weather this year has been particularly abnormal since the beginning of the year, and it is a bit colder than previous years.If the houses are not repaired before the weather is cold, and the thatched huts are built with those broken bamboos, I am afraid that the people will not be able to survive the winter safely.

Although the teachers and students of Guozijian were better than ordinary people, they lived in the courtyard arranged by the Ministry of Rites.Honglu Temple also vacated a few rooms for them to use as classrooms, and the students received a little more rice every month, but morale was still low.Fortunately, the latest big competition will be two years away, otherwise, with their state, the Beijing Guozijian might be completely annihilated.

Especially the most important festivals of the year except New Year's Eve and Winter Solstice are about to be celebrated, whether it is the people who have lost their homes or the "homeless" Guozijian teachers and students, when I think of the lights of thousands of houses , Every household is reunited, and I am displaced. I don’t even know how to spend the winter.

Who would have thought that one afternoon a few days ago, a group of Jinyi guards with knives suddenly appeared outside the "refugee camp" in the east of the city, and shocked the women and their children who were cooking by the earthen stove. ——Their husbands and the boys who can make the upper hand are conscripted to build houses, so there are only women's children here in the suburbs during the day.Seeing a group of warriors all of a sudden, they all looked terrified.

"August [-]th is the Mid-Autumn Festival. At the 'Xinghaihui' opposite the Longfu Temple, the fourth archway in the east of the city, Boss Wan, the shopkeeper, invites you all to have a festive gathering, have a reunion dinner, enjoy the moon and listen to the theater."

Gao Hui looked at the panicked women, pulled the saber behind them out of sight, and shouted.

"'Xinghaihui'? Isn't that the 'No. [-] Building in the World'?"

"Anything like this?"

"In a place like 'Xinghaihui', it is said that a dish costs a few taels of silver. Is that something people like us can afford?"

"My lord, don't joke with us. We are cooking. We will eat later when the man comes back."

"That's right. We are so poor that even our rations need to be donated by charities. How can we still have money to go to restaurants and theaters?"

After hearing this, the mothers-in-law and mothers all expressed their disbelief, and the brave ones thought that the young man from Jin Yiwei had delayed their cooking.

"Everything on that day is free, so you don't have to worry."

Gao Hui hastily added.

"Why? This 'Xinghaihui' is not a shantang, I heard it's still Jinyi...cough cough, why didn't you charge money?"

A courageous little daughter-in-law came forward and asked with a child who was only a few months old in her arms.

"Free is conditional."

A small flag beside Gao Hui said.

"If there is a man in the family, they need to show the proof of going to the east of the city to perform hard labor in the past few days, proving that they have indeed participated in the repair work of the east of the city, and they are not playing tricks, and their family members can enter the venue."

"Hey, my man goes to repair the house every day. He brings home a counting chip every day, saying that at the end of the month, the wages will be settled according to the counting chip. Can that thing be used as proof?"

"Naturally."

Xiaoqi nodded.

"In the afternoon of the same day, there were officials from the Ministry of Industry who came to check with me on the spot with Dianmao's notebook, so as to make sure nothing was lost."

This is to prevent scoundrels from going to the construction site by themselves, and using other people's calculations to try to muddle through.These officials from the Ministry of Industry are on site to supervise the work every day, so you can tell at a glance whether they are new faces.

"Well, then I'll go. My family is worried about how to spend this festival."

The little daughter-in-law said happily.

"But, but what if my family doesn't have a male at the construction site?"

Upon hearing this, an old woman stumbled over with a cane.

"My old man and I are both over seventy years old, and we don't have the energy to work anymore. We only have one daughter under our knees, and we have married to the south, so we have no way to seek refuge. What should we do?"

"Don't worry, old people."

Gao Hui scratched his head clumsily, "Master Wan...cough, shopkeeper Wan said that elderly people who have reached the age of fifty, regardless of whether they are working on the construction site, can enter the site on the same day. And there are special 'senior tables' and ordinary The dining tables are separated, and the meals on the table are all sweet, soft and overcooked things that the old man can chew and digest."

"Amitabha, Shopkeeper Wan has a bodhisattva's heart to pity the old and the poor."

The old lady clasped her hands together and chanted Buddha and Bodhisattva a few times.

"In addition, if there are only female relatives in the family, or if the man in the family is sick and injured and cannot go to work. As long as the women arrive at 'Xinghaihui' before noon on the same day, they will help the kitchen with cutting and washing vegetables, or set up a table for worshiping the moon, or It is cleaned by carrying water, and you can bring your family and children to spend the festive season at night."

After Gao Hui finished speaking, he took out a notebook and raised it high, "If you want to go, come to me and record your name."

"I'm going! I'm good at cooking, I can even kill pigs!"

"Me too, I can help sweep the yard."

"I also want!"

After a while, outside a simple pergola made of broken mats and bamboo, a team of hundreds of people snaked up.

"Is there such a thing? My little Uncle Lang, who regards money as his life, is still so generous?"

In Wenhua Hall, after finishing today's official duties, Zhu Jianshen put down his pen and sighed in disbelief when he heard the anecdote reported by Wang Zhi.

"I have heard Susu mention before that I want to have an unprecedented and lively Mid-Autumn Festival. I thought that Susu wanted to go to the Jinyiwei Yamen that day and spend it with the brothers on duty. I didn't expect Susu He actually wants to treat all the people in the east of the city who have lost their homes and the teachers and students of the Imperial College."

Wang Zhixiao's brows and eyes were curved, and his eyes were full of pride.

Really worthy of his Susu!

It is said that when Gao Hui went to the Ministry of Rites to deliver posts to Ji Siye and the others in the morning, the appearance of the Jinyiwei brigade shocked the officials of the Ministry of Rites who were working.Thinking that some adult committed the crime, Jin Yiwei came to arrest him.

In the end, when he heard that Master Wan had invited guests to post the post, Ji Siye was speechless for a long time, and the officials of the Ministry of Rituals even showed expressions of envy or disdain.

"Are the people from the Imperial College planning to go too? Aren't they afraid of being accused of colluding with Jin Yiwei?"

Zhu Jianshen said with a sneer.

He knows the twists and turns in those literati's hearts better than anyone else.

"Ji Siye accepted the post and said that he would bring everyone to join him."

Wang Zhi smiled.

"This Ji Siye is very interesting. He said that since he took refuge in the 'Xinghaihui' for two nights last time, he has always missed the cooking skills in the building, and he wanted to thank Mr. Wan face to face. His following Those teachers and students may think that the left and right have already received the favor of the adults last time, so there is no need to avoid suspicion now, and they are all ready to go."

In the past, when Wang Zhi was helping the Supervisor of Rites sort out the papers, he had to sort out many papers for impeaching Wanda every day.Although he knew that His Majesty didn't care at all, he felt very uncomfortable.I hate those scholars who don't distinguish between black and white, don't look at how much Su Su has contributed to Daming and His Majesty, but blindly look down on him and exclude him just because he is a foreign relative.

Now the Guozijian reciprocates, and the impeachment of Susu in the court is almost extinct.

Even a few days ago, someone below had no eyesight and wrote a letter saying that Jin Yiwei's commander, Wanda, was reckless and incompetent. He must be severely punished because of the bombing of a house in the east of the city because of his handling of the case, and he was directly suppressed by several adults in the cabinet.

"If someone else did this kind of thing, the servant must think that he is either a person seeking fame, or he wants to make friends with scholars in the court. In short, they all have bad intentions."

Wang Zhi smiled and said, "But I know that Susu is absolutely not. My family Susu really wants to make it lively, to make it festive, and to let the people in the capital have a good festival."

"Yeah, if it's someone else, it's definitely bad intentions..."

Zhu Jianshen nodded in agreement.

Suddenly, he heard a rush of running from inside.

"See His Royal Highness."

Wang Zhi saw the prince Zhu Youtang running out from the direction of the school behind with a brush in his hand, and hurriedly knelt down to salute.

It turns out that there is only a wall between the place where the prince studies and the study where Zhu Jianshen works.

After Zhu Jianshen went down to court, he rested outside, reviewed the memorials, and went to Anxi Palace to accompany Wan Zhener after lunch time.

The prince Zhu Youtang got up at the beginning of every day and went to the apse of the Wenhua Palace to start a day of study and life.Father and son are in the same palace, one works and the other studies, Zhu Jianshen used to come here like this when he was the prince.

But he didn't have the guts of Zhu Youtang in front of him, who dared to leave his teacher and books behind and run to the front when his father was speaking.

"Prince, what are you doing? Sir is going to be angry."

Huang Ci, the eunuch who was serving the crown prince, ran out in a panic. Seeing Zhu Jianshen's reproachful gaze, he fell to the ground in fright.

"You can't even take care of a child, what's the use of you!"

Zhu Jian said angrily.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. Here, the crown prince was still writing big characters just now, and for some reason, he slipped off his seat with a 'chiliu'. The slave can't catch him..."

Huang Ci said aggrievedly.

"Father, let's go outside the palace for the festival!"

Zhu Youtang boldly stuffed the brush into Wang Zhi's hand, then stepped forward, hugged Zhu Jianshen's thigh, and shook his body coquettishly.

Wang Zhi was so frightened that he almost threw his pen on the ground.

Zhu Jianshen looked at the third son who was so close to him for the first time in surprise, for a moment he forgot to scold him for messing around during class.

It has been about a year since the child was brought back from Nei'an Letang.

When he was carried back to Zhaode Palace at the beginning, he was afraid and distrustful of Minister Wan in every possible way. It wasn't until last month that the gangster case came out that he changed his past and became very affectionate with Minister Wan. .

Facing his own father, Zhu Jianshen knew that although he respected and loved him, he was even more afraid of him, and he felt a little unspeakable grievance.

That's right, since the day he was born, he has been ignoring their mother and child.

And not long after he was taken out of Nei'an Letang, his biological mother Ji, after being named concubine, died in the Yongshou Palace that had just moved in because of illness.

He resents himself, and he should not be intimate with himself...

So now seeing that the child is not only not afraid of him, but actually hugging his thigh and acting like a baby, looking like a young boy admiring his father, Zhu Jianshen didn't know where to put his hands and feet for a while.

Only when he was with the deceased second prince Zhu Youji did Zhu Jianshen experience such a father-son relationship.

Thinking of this, Zhu Jianshen had mixed feelings for a moment, and couldn't help but his eyes turned red. He stretched out his hand and touched Zhu Youtang's little head, "What did you just say? Father didn't hear clearly, please say it again."

"Father, let's go out of the palace to celebrate the festival. Let's go to 'Xinghaihui' to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, shall we?"

Zhu Youtang's eyes were full of longing and anticipation, "Brother Ah Lan told me that there are hundreds of rabbit masters in his family, as well as all kinds of toys, which will be displayed in the 'Xinghaihui' to cheer everyone up that day. Go and see."

A few days ago, Wan Lan entered the palace and brought Zhu Youtang a lot of goodies.It is said that it was the toys and special products that his father brought back when he was handling cases in the past few years and traveling around Daming.

Brother A Lan also brought him a little rabbit who was not much bigger than a thumb, but was so delicate and amazing.They are much more beautiful than those made by the palace and the inner government, and the small flag behind Master Rabbit can still move.

Zhu Youtang looks like a baby, whether it's sleeping or going to class these days, he always takes it with him.He was so moved by Wan Lan's words that he dreamed of going to see for himself what Wan Lan's house full of rabbits looked like.

Besides, he has never seen what it looks like outside the palace.

"Oh, prince, don't talk about it. Go back to your studies. I beg you."

The personal eunuch Huang Ci was about to cry when he heard this.

"Father, okay? Besides, doesn't Father want to spend the festival with brother Alan and little uncle?"

Zhu Youtang just pretended that he didn't see Huang Ci knocking his head on the ground "dang dang dang", hugged Zhu Jianshen's thigh, and said in a delicate voice with reluctance - this was taught by Brother Alan.

Brother Alan said that every time he made a mistake or asked his father Wan for something, he just hugged his father's thigh—now that he has grown taller, he hugged his waist—and glared at him. With big eyes and a sweet voice, his old Wan has nothing to say no to.

Alan also said that this method is actually more useful for the empress, and I warmly recommend him to try it when he has the opportunity.

Of course, the only disadvantage of this method is that it cannot be used more often, and it will have no effect if used more.It is best to have a difference of three months to half a year or one year between each use. The longer the interval, the better the effect.

Although Zhu Youtang had been "taught" by Wan Lan a long time ago, and had been taught to Concubine Wan Gui once a few days ago.As a result, he cheated and ate an extra bowl of cold drink called "Bing Qilin", which was said to have been invented by Wanda's little uncle.

But facing his father Zhu Jianshen, this was the first time he acted like a baby.

You must know that he has always been afraid of this father who is not very familiar with him and who always keeps a straight face.

Now, according to Wan Lan's guidance, he has concocted this "thigh hugging" method in the same way, and in order to achieve the goal, he even increased the dose, twisting his butt while acting like a baby, but he couldn't get a response from his father for a long time. Yutang raised his head worriedly...

"Do you want to see Alan and your little uncle?"

Zhu Jianshen put down his hand and said softly.

"Yeah! Erchen wants to celebrate the festival with Brother Alan."

Zhu Youtang nodded his chin vigorously.

Wang Zhi smiled helplessly.

Since entering the palace, every Mid-Autumn Festival and New Year's Day have been spent in the palace.

If possible, he also wants to spend the holiday with Susu and Brother Xiaoqian...

But before he can leave the palace, I'm afraid it's all just wishful thinking.

The annual Mid-Autumn Festival in the palace is also very grand. The imperial dining room has to prepare all kinds of seasonal melons and fruits, as well as moon cakes of various sizes, and pile them up into a nine-story pagoda.It is also necessary to set up a moonlight horse for nine festivals of lotus root, cockscomb and vegetarian wine, and the queen of Kunning Palace will lead all concubines and maids to worship the moon.

However, the etiquette in the palace is cumbersome. Although there are all kinds of lanterns and festoons, and there are also plays "Chang'e Flying to the Moon" and "Tianxiang Festival" presented by the Shengping Administration, they are not as good as he remembers. The reunion and festivities in his hometown in Guangxi.

Thinking of this, even Wang Zhi couldn't help being moved, and looked at Zhu Jianshen expectantly.

"If Ah Tang can memorize the entire "The Analects" before this month's NO.13, I will promise you..."

Zhu Jianshen pointed to Wang Zhi, and said with a smile, "Let Ah Zhi take you to the 'Xinghaihui' to see your elder brother Alan."

"Really!"

Zhu Youtang didn't expect his father to really agree, and couldn't help screaming.

Wang Zhi looked at Zhu Jianshen in disbelief, and almost forgot to breathe.

"You don't want to be happy too early."

It's rare to see Zhu Youtang look so gawkish, not like a grown-up, following the rules, but with a touch of A Lan's lawlessness, Zhu Jianshen decided not to pursue his "disrespect in front of the palace" mistake.

"There are only two and a half days left until the thirteenth day. Can you do it?"

He bent down and smiled, "When the time comes, I will test you personally. If I say the first half of a sentence, you have to say the second half. If you can't answer, even if it's just a wrong sentence, you have to Obediently stay in the palace and celebrate the festival with all the ladies."

"I can! My son can, my son will definitely do it."

Zhu Youtang lowered his hands and pounded his head like garlic.

"Then why don't you go back to school?"

It was the first time for Zhu Youtang to see him like a child, and he was also full of love.

"My son is going to study now."

Zhu Youtang pulled the arm of Huang Ci who was still kneeling on the ground and was about to walk into the inner hall.

After walking two steps, he ran back and took back the writing brush that Wang Zhi had been holding.

"Prince, you have to work hard. Whether the servant can go out of the palace to see Susu depends on you, Your Highness."

Wang Zhi couldn't help jokingly said.

Zhu Youtang nodded heavily, then puffed out his small chest, patted his chest, and replied crisply, "Brother Azhi, just watch!"

Said, Diandian ran to the study hall again.

"Tell me, who does this kid look like?"

It was not until the sound of reading was heard from the back of the Wenhua Hall that Zhu Jianshen turned his back and smiled at Wang Zhi.

"I'm afraid this is all the 'precept and deed' of the eldest son of the emperor."

Wang Zhi couldn't help laughing.

"My sons, how can you be so rascal."

Zhu Jianshen shook his head, clenched a fist with one hand, put it on his lips, and said with a smile, "It looks like Uncle Lang, who didn't teach the children well. One or two, they all imitated his monkey appearance!"

On the Mid-Autumn Festival on August [-]th, the bright moon rises to the east, and the fragrance of fruit fills the capital.

Specially dressed in new clothes, Ji Siye and Master Tang of the Imperial College, brought the teachers and students of Bailaihao to the gate of "Xinghaihui".

Because "Xinghaihui" is facing Longfu Temple, and today is the [-]th day, which catches up with the temple fair, so the four archway is really full of people, more lively than in the past.

However, what attracted Ji Siye's attention was not the crowds rushing to the temple fair and the street vendors that almost filled the street, but the long queue at the entrance, with hundreds of people.

In this line that was almost endless at a glance, Ji Siye recognized quite a few individuals.They were all residents living near the Guozijian, and some even rented the vacant houses behind the Guozijian. They were displaced like their teachers and students.Ordinarily, they should all be arranged in the eastern suburbs now, so why did they appear here?

"Ji Siye, you're here, but I'm waiting for you."

Standing at the entrance of "Xinghaihui", the mistresses and accountants who had been waiting for these nobles for a long time came up to greet Ji Siye, Master Tang and the teachers, "Everyone, go upstairs quickly, my shopkeeper is upstairs. Waiting up. The shopkeeper has reserved a good place upstairs for everyone, basically by the window, which is the most suitable for watching the moon."

"Hey, what's going on with this team? Aren't they all disaster victims?"

Master Tang asked Ji Siye's question.

The accountant stepped forward and explained Wanda's intention to have fun with the people of Dongcheng.

I also said that since the afternoon of the day before yesterday, many family members of the disaster victims have volunteered to come to the building to help, otherwise they would feel uneasy about eating and drinking for nothing.

Shopkeeper Wan simply hired a few people whose families were most affected by the disaster to work in "Xinghaihui". Even if they rebuild their homes in the future, these people can have something to eat and earn a living.

"Hey, you really don't know what you look like... I never imagined before that Mr. Wan is such a kind and righteous person."

Ji Siye sighed and shook his head twice, and the teachers and students behind him also looked ashamed.

In the lobby on the first floor of "Xinghaihui", there is a special "booth" that catches the eye today.

This "booth" is what their shopkeeper Wan said.

In fact, three Eight Immortals tables were put together to form a long table.Then on this long table, a three-story wooden shelf was built with wooden boards.

The shelves are not other things, but they are specially packed from the baron's mansion. There are about two or three hundred of them. The most cherished treasure of the young master Wan Lan, the special product of the capital-Master Rabbit!

"See, these are mine."

Standing in front of the booth, wearing new clothes and new shoes, and wearing a nondescript hat with long rabbit ears, Wan Lan raised her head in a big way, and flicked the white rabbit ears hanging from her head back .

Standing in front of him were more than 100 children ranging in age from a few years old to teenagers, all of whom were children of disaster victims.

These clothes are not decent, even a few children who can be called rags opened their mouths in unanimous agreement, showing envy in front of Huanghuang's hundreds of ingenious, vivid and lovely statues of Master Rabbit. To the expression of explosion.

"These are all I have accumulated over the years, my lord. This one was bought in Changping. That one was bought in Liangxiang. Have you ever been to Liangxiang? In previous years, these rabbits were used in the big garden of our baron's house. This time, my dad invited everyone to dinner, so I will invite everyone to look at my collection."

The children stepped forward to look at these extremely delicate rabbit-head clay dolls.

On August [-]th, it is a festival only in the capital to offer clay sculptures of rabbits.

The craftsmen use fine yellow clay to shape the image of a rabbit, usually wearing armor, wearing a fox tail, ears pricked up, and a flag behind them, sitting on a tall horse, or a unicorn, or a lion, looking mighty and cute.

Generally, if there are children in the family, they will buy one before the festival, and put it together with the moonlight horse to worship on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

But this thing is really not cheap. Ordinary craftsmanship will cost a few dollars. If it is painted with paint or gold paint, the value will be incredible.

What's more, the Master Rabbit sitting on the table is not just a general Rabbit in armor and battle robe.

Here was a fairy rabbit that they had never seen before, dressed in palace attire, with two ears simply pinched into a flying fairy bun.There is an official master rabbit in a men's official uniform and a black gauze hat.

There are more than a dozen rabbits, which were specially put together, and they were actually made into the appearance of common people's traders!

There are fruit sellers, wonton sellers, cloth sellers, drummers, rope skippers, fans, and bamboo poles. All these kinds of rabbits together form a bustling street full of ordinary people. The breath of life.

When these children celebrate festivals in previous years, they will also prepare a rabbit master at home, but how can it compare with the ones in front of them?

The eyes of the children were shining, and some couldn't help clapping their hands.

"Hey, it looks good. In the whole of Beijing, you won't find another one that has more collections than mine!"

Wan Lan turned into a madman showing off his wealth and kept whimpering.

In the old days, there was no other child besides him in the baron's mansion during the holidays. Even though there were hundreds of toys, Wan Lan was still lonely.

What Uncle Qiu said was indeed true, "It's better to be happy alone than to be happy together", let these little poor children look at his collection, and he really felt a lot happier!

Just when Wan Lan was shaking her head happily, she suddenly felt her rabbit ears being pulled.

"Who?"

Wan Lan turned her head angrily.

You must know that this hat with rabbit ears is very rare, what if it gets damaged?

However, when he saw a group of people appearing behind him, he threw this little bit of anger out of the sky.

"younger brother!"

Wan Lan laughed so much that he opened his mouth, which just lost a front tooth yesterday.