The ministers either rode in sedan chairs in groups of three or five to the palace, or set off alone from their residences with their families. The wheels of the carriages left tracks on the snow and made rolling sounds.
The capital city was brightly decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations. Large red lanterns hung high, and vendors on both sides of the street were enthusiastically setting up stalls to sell sesame cakes, steamed buns, hot noodle soup, dumplings, and braised meat. There were also stilt walkers performing acrobatics and setting off firecrackers, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.
Upon arriving at the palace gate, the ministers, carrying beautifully wrapped gifts and accompanied by their families, greeted each other as they walked inside.
"Grand Historian Zhen, is that cloak you're wearing today made of fox fur? It looks really impressive!" The Vice Minister of Rites looked at Lord Zhen behind him, who was dressed in a magnificent brocade robe, wearing a black cloak and a fox fur hat, with eyes full of envy.
This cloak looks expensive.
"Grand Historian Zhen is truly dressed in a wealthy and noble manner. If you didn't know better, you would think he was a prince!" The Minister of Rites reached out and gently touched the fur collar of Grand Historian Zhen's outer garment.
"Truly a superior fur."
"Hey, you have such a sharp eye. Today we're going to the palace to pay our respects to the Empress Dowager and His Majesty for the New Year. We have to dress up nicely so His Majesty doesn't think we're too shabby!" Zhen Taishi said with a squinty smile. He was not tall, with small eyes, a silver hooked nose, thin lips, and a round belly. He walked with a swaying gait.
“Yours is quite nice too!” Zhen Taishi said casually, glancing at the short jacket worn by the Vice Minister of Rites.
A thick layer of snow had accumulated on the eaves of the houses on both sides of the palace gate. There hadn't been any sunny days recently, and since the houses were all on the shady side, the snow hadn't melted.
After entering the palace gates, the guards conducted a routine check on the ministers and then let them pass. The eunuchs and palace maids leading the way respectfully guided the imperial relatives and important officials towards Anqing Hall.
Upon arriving at the main hall, one finds it resplendent in gold and jade. Inside, there are six red inner pillars, each carved with a lifelike, coiling golden dragon. Above the pillars are carved auspicious clouds, and below are carved blooming peonies.
Several red ribbons were hung on the beams of the eaves, making it look very lively and festive.
The roof inside the hall is painted with patterns of various colors, showcasing the prosperity and flourishing of Nanyang.
The ground was covered with almost flawless white jade, inlaid with golden pearls from the East Sea, shaped like lotus flowers, and the gaps between the pieces of white jade were filled with gold.
The ministers found their seats and sat down with their families.
The passageway was lined with fine purplish-black sandalwood tables, each with a red jade and gold candlestick, and some cold dishes, including fresh fruit in red glass plates, aged wine in ruby-patterned jade porcelain bottles, and sweet snacks with auspicious meanings such as rice cakes, sesame brittle, peanut brittle, and peony cakes in purple jade and coral plates.
One by one, the ministers arrived, and it was almost time to start the banquet.
"Take your seats!" the eunuch at the entrance of Anqing Palace called out in a high-pitched, drawn-out voice.
Upon hearing the eunuch's shout, the ministers who were walking around and talking in the main hall returned to their seats.
"The banquet is about to begin!" the steward called out again, reminding the ministers who were still talking to quickly return to their seats. The highest leader of Nanyang was about to come out, and they should be prepared to greet him.
"The Empress Dowager has arrived!" the steward eunuch shouted loudly, drawing out the last syllable.
The Empress Dowager carried Yun Duoduo to the main seat in Anqing Hall and sat down, looking at the crowd below, with Zhang Mama following behind.
Yun Duoduo lay in the Empress Dowager's arms, turning her head with difficulty to look at everything at the banquet.
This was Yun Duoduo's first time visiting Anqing Palace, her first time attending a royal banquet, her first time celebrating the Spring Festival in ancient times, and her first time seeing living, breathing ministers.
Wow, there are so many people down there!
Are these the same people who usually offer advice to Father, but also the ones who occasionally cause him trouble?
Are these the ministers mentioned in history textbooks and folk tales who left behind famous poems and timeless stories?
[So this is what civil and military officials look like, and this is how they greet each other.]
Is this what the ancient New Year was like? It's so lively and grand!
Yun Duoduo looked like Grandma Liu visiting the Grand View Garden, her eyes full of surprise and curiosity, blinking her big eyes as she stared at the people below, afraid of missing any detail.
The Empress Dowager noticed Yun Duoduo's movements. Seeing that her granddaughter seemed very interested in everything, she changed the way she held her and let her sit on her lap.
In this way, Yun Duoduo could clearly see everything at the banquet, and at the same time, the ministers could also clearly see the little princess's appearance.
Yun Duoduo's gaze fell on the table in front of her. Although she didn't have any teeth and couldn't eat anything except soup, she was still very curious about what the best meal of the ancient royal family would be.
Countless delicious dishes flashed through her mind, but when she took a closer look at the food on the table, she pouted and was quite disappointed.
That's it?!
Although the dishes on this table are beautifully presented, the ingredients are definitely not as good as those used in modern New Year's Eve dinners. Modern New Year's Eve dinners have a much wider variety of dishes, such as four-happiness meatballs, braised pork, pork and scallion dumplings, braised pig's trotters, boiled fish, as well as hot pot and eight-treasure rice...
Looking at the dishes laid out on the rosewood table, the variety wasn't very extensive, and the cooking methods were quite simple. It seems that the culinary skills of the ancients still needed improvement!
For a moment, she felt it was all unreal, as if she were in a TV drama, watching a group of ministers in court attire bow to the Empress Dowager.
"Your Majesty, the Empress has arrived!"
A loud announcement came from the entrance of Anqing Hall.
Upon hearing that Yun Beiye and Empress Zhaoyuan had arrived, the ministers who had just finished their greetings and sat down stood up again.
Yun Beiye walked in under everyone's gaze.
Wearing a yellow dragon robe and a golden court hat, Yun Beiye slowly walked into the main hall, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, and he nodded slightly.
He was followed by Empress Zhaoyuan and several concubines from the harem.
Empress Zhaoyuan wore a palace dress embroidered with large peonies, her skin was fair and her lips were bright red.
Consort De wore light makeup and a brocade robe with azure cloud and pearl patterns and peacock patterns. Her smooth, black hair was half-draped.
Consort Chen wore a brocade robe woven with colorful flowers and butterflies, and an outer cloak embroidered with pink and blue peony patterns. She looked so delicate and beautiful that she seemed to be able to squeeze water out of her skin. She was as beautiful as a flower.
When the empresses and concubines entered, the ministers below all bowed their heads.
Their movements were so synchronized that Yun Duoduo thought to herself, "Wow, this is a model of male virtue!"
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