The year ends with the sound of firecrackers, and the spring breeze brings warmth to the wine.
On the morning of New Year's Eve, you can already hear the intermittent sound of firecrackers.
Standing on the wall of the Imperial City, Li Zhuo watched the curling fireworks in the capital, gently stroked the wall with his palm, and couldn't help but sigh: "It's great, another year has passed."
Looking back on this year, although the first half was full of twists and turns and the entire Great Qi Dynasty was in a precarious situation, Li Zhuo was in despair at that time. He was so exhausted that he thought that the Great Qi Dynasty would not survive this year.
But who could have imagined that this year Lu Chen suddenly appeared and forcibly changed the fate of this dynasty with an extremely powerful attitude.
Yes, no one knows the situation of his own dynasty better than Emperor Li Zhuo.
Even Li Zhuo felt that the corrupt empire was beyond salvation.
But Lu Chen managed to turn this disastrous situation around through a series of operations.
In Li Zhuo's view, this is more like a means of defying fate and changing destiny, and what is changed is not the fate of an individual, but the rise and fall of a dynasty.
Every time when talking to Lu Chen about immortality and immortal arts, Lu Chen always evaded the question by saying that he knew nothing about them.
But looking at what he had done, Li Zhuo felt that it no longer mattered whether Lu Chen knew the art of immortality.
Compared with prolonging one's own life, prolonging a country's destiny is the real great ability.
After experiencing numerous hardships, especially the two brutal battles before, the Great Qi Dynasty has embarked on the fast track to revival. This can be seen by him, the six ministers and the officials under him.
It was also at this time that Li Zhuo finally felt relieved. Even if he went to see his ancestors in the future, he would be able to hold his head high.
Looking at the smoke rising from cooking fires all over the capital and the deserted imperial palace, Li Zhuo suddenly had some ideas. He asked Hua Bule beside him, "What do you think the people do on New Year's Eve?"
Hua Bule was stunned when he heard this. After a brief thought, he said, "Women should naturally prepare the New Year's Eve dinner. It's the most important meal of the year. As for men, they should naturally offer sacrifices to their ancestors."
"Ancestor worship?"
The royal ancestor worship had been completed several days ago, and unlike the folk worship, unless there was something particularly big going on, the ancestor worship was done by officials from the Ministry of Rites.
It's really frustrating. If the emperor didn't have any special achievements, he wouldn't have an excuse to visit his ancestors' graves. Who could he turn to for justice?
"Let's go out of the palace and take a walk!" Li Zhuo said this on a whim without thinking.
This sentence completely confused Hua Bule. It was New Year's Day, and the palace was making preparations. You were going to have dinner with the princes, grandchildren, concubines, and the empress dowager in the evening. Why did you suddenly run away?
But since Li Zhuo had already made up his mind, Hua Bule naturally didn't dare to say anything more.
Soon, several horses galloped out from the palace gate.
Dou Hezhang was a city gate officer guarding the north gate of the imperial capital. On New Year's Eve, his work was relatively easy.
In fact, according to custom, there are few people walking on the streets on the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month. These are rare days of peace and quiet at the city gate.
Just when Dou Hezhang was thinking about whether to go for a couple of drinks or find a brothel and hug a girl to warm up after getting off work today, Li Zhuo had already brought his men here.
When had Dou Hezhang, a city gate official of such a small status, ever seen the emperor of the time?
When he saw the badge that Huabuler handed him, he was almost scared to death.
As an emperor, the New Year is approaching. Why don’t you stay in the palace honestly? Instead, why do you run out to cause trouble to us?
Dou Hezhang followed behind with trembling legs, his mind racing, wondering if he had done anything during this period of time.
"I heard that this was the most tragic place in the battle. Xiang'er brought people here to support, right?" Li Zhuo asked this question just when Dou Hezhang's brain was working at full capacity.
"It's like this. This section of the city wall was lost several times, but was recaptured under the leadership of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. At that time, this section of the city wall was covered in blood."
"His Royal Highness is truly worthy of being His Majesty's dragon offspring. Though still young, he already possesses the aura of a latent dragon rising from the depths. If His Royal Highness hadn't led the charge, the outcome of that initial offensive and defensive battle would have been uncertain."
Hearing this, Li Zhuo was in high spirits and laughed heartily, saying, "The emperor is certainly good, and you soldiers are also very good. Huabule, reward! You are still stationed here to guard the city wall during the New Year. Thank you for your hard work."
Dou Hezhang and others knelt on the ground excitedly. When had they, the lowest-level officials and soldiers, ever been treated with such courtesy?
At that time, everyone expressed their willingness to repay Li Zhuo with their lives.
Li Zhuo waved his hand and went down the city wall with a smile. It was really a good idea to go out for a walk today.
Thinking of this, Li Zhuo turned to Hua Bule and said, "Where do you think we should go next?"
Hua Bule wanted to say, why don't we go back, but seeing that Li Zhuo was in high spirits, he could only say tactfully, "This world belongs to your Majesty, of course your Majesty can go wherever he wants."
Li Zhuo stroked his beard, thought for a while and said, "It's not very interesting for us to go shopping alone. How about this, let's go to Wei Yong's house and find him to go shopping together."
"Everyone says our Imperial Censor is noble and elegant. I want to go and see what their family's New Year celebrations are like."
Soon, several people and horses arrived at the gate of Wei Yong's mansion, and then they saw a long line of carriages outside, carrying various gifts, which were obviously gifts for Wei Yong.
Seeing this, Li Zhuo was so angry that his eyes turned red!
"Alright, alright, you all keep claiming you're as clear as water and as bright as a mirror, right? I just wanted to build a garden for myself, and you're hanging me up and scolding me, right? And now, the people who have come to give gifts to you, the Imperial Censor, are lining up all the way to the main street. I want to see what you, old Wei Yong, have to say."
Thinking of this, Li Zhuo took a step forward and wanted to go inside, but before he could go in, he saw a man stumbling out from inside, and then some boxes containing gifts were thrown out, accompanied by Wei Yong's shouting and scolding.
Ding San, who was beaten out, said helplessly: "Old man, why are you doing this? The young lady will get married sooner or later anyway. It's okay to go and exchange feelings with the sisters today."
"Get out! Get out of here! I'm a clean and honest person, how can I let him treat me like this! If Lu Chen wants to marry my daughter, he should just go through the three matchmakers and six betrothal gifts. Now there's still no explanation. How can he let my daughter go during the New Year? Does he have any sense of propriety or shame?"
Li Zhuo stopped outside, and Hua Bule, standing beside him, came up and said tactfully, "Your Majesty, it seems something has happened at Lord Wei's home. Why don't we go away for a while?"
"Uh-huh, okay, okay, shh, don't talk, I can't hear you clearly!"
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