Chapter 119: This Prosperous Age Is As You Wished!

In the blink of an eye, it was the Lantern Festival of the twelfth year of Wanli.

To manifest and celebrate the peace across the four seas and the prosperity of the nation and its people, Empress Dowager Li specially issued an imperial decree that this Ao Mountain Lantern Festival must be held on a grand scale.

This Ao Mountain Lantern Festival was a court tradition, held once a year, though its scale and regulations had no fixed standard. Because it was the twelfth year of the Grand Secretary's administration, and also happened to be his sixtieth birthday.

This Ao Mountain Lantern Festival naturally appeared exceptionally solemn.

Rather than calling it a celebration of the Emperor, it was more like a celebration of this figure who held power over the entire world.

The lantern festival among the common people arrived earlier; generally speaking, after the tenth day of the first lunar month, the major streets of Beijing already had small-scale lantern festivals.

Talented scholars and beautiful women invited each other to stroll about, adding much unique charm to the chilly city of Beijing.

The Ao Mountain Lantern Festival, however, was different; it began punctually at the Hour of the Rooster on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month and lasted for three consecutive days.

Just after the Hour of the Monkey on this day, a mountain of lanterns had already been piled up in front of the Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City.

The lantern mountain was over five zhang high, standing level with the Five Phoenix Tower of the Forbidden City. Nearly ten thousand palace lanterns were lit all at once, their light dazzling and blinding to the eyes.

Looking up from the foot of the lantern mountain, there was even a staircase-like passage leading from the base to the top, like a celestial palace in the sky.

Outside the Meridian Gate, one carriage after another with fine horses and fragrant carriages drove in from the outside; the sounds of shouting for sedan chairs and clearing the way were endless.

Any official of the fourth rank or above could enter the Meridian Gate directly, while other officials dismounted from their carriages or sedan chairs and entered on foot.

Although the lantern festival had not yet begun at this time, the area in front of the Meridian Gate was already bustling with heads.

On the Five Phoenix Tower, the female relatives and wives of the high officials were all invited to accompany the two Empress Dowagers and the Emperor.

One could see the Wanli Emperor standing in the middle, wearing a bright yellow five-clawed dragon robe, with the two Empress Dowagers standing on either side.

Empress Dowager Chen was also around forty years of age, dignified and elegant, looking as noble and graceful as a blue lotus that could not be profaned.

Empress Dowager Li was wearing a velvet long dress today, and she had even specially scented the velvet with incense for an entire night; her fair, melon-seed-shaped face was flushed with a faint red glow.

"Sister, why are you dressed like a young girl today?" Empress Dowager Chen at her side wrinkled her nose, blinked her eyes, and couldn't help but say with a light laugh.

"Sister, what nonsense are you spouting? What young girl? We are both nearly forty." Having her thoughts exposed, Empress Dowager Li instantly bowed her head, revealing a rare look of shyness.

"Don't say that; if you were outside, with this outfit, you would look at most like you were in your twenties."

"Sister..."

Watching Empress Dowager Li's shy appearance, Empress Dowager Chen smiled and tilted her head to look at the Wanli Emperor: "Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore. Today's protagonist is our Emperor, right, Jun'er?"

"I don't want to be this protagonist at all; a pile of tedious rituals is enough to tire me to death."

The Wanli Emperor curled his lips, his face full of displeasure.

With so many people watching here, he couldn't have fun even if he wanted to; it would be better to go out of the palace and play however he pleased.

He missed the carefree days of being outside the palace, so he rolled his pupils, scanning back and forth below the Meridian Gate, attempting to find a familiar figure.

"Jun'er, what are you looking at?" Empress Dowager Chen asked.

"Nothing, nothing at all. Why hasn't Mr. Zhang arrived yet?"

The Wanli Emperor shook his head and turned to ask Empress Dowager Li. Empress Dowager Li smiled and chided, "What time is it now? It is we who have arrived early; Mr. Zhang likely still has some official business to attend to."

"Oh."

The Wanli Emperor rubbed his cheeks, his face full of unhappiness.

How is it that you, a minister, are busier than me, the Emperor?

Not long after, three salute cannons boomed, and four tall knights riding uniform date-red horses, wearing golden helmets and hanging golden plaques at their waists, rode out, leading more than ten sedan chairs behind them.

Walking at the very front was a large, embroidered apricot-blossom-colored sedan chair carried by sixteen men. As soon as this sedan chair arrived, the officials who had been chattering just a moment ago fell silent at once.

Each of them wore a solemn expression, standing with their hands hanging down, looking at the large sedan chair with great respect.

This was Zhang Juzheng's sedan chair.

As soon as the sedan chair was set down, the head of the guards, Li Ke, lifted the curtain, and Zhang Juzheng bent over and walked out from inside. The surrounding officials crowded around all at once, pouring out flattering words.

Zhang Juzheng nodded slightly, bowed to the Empress Dowagers and the Emperor on the Five Phoenix Tower, and lifted his official robe to walk up.

Zhang Yunxiu and his brothers also got out of their sedan chairs, following closely behind.

This was Zhang Yunxiu's first time seeing such a lantern festival; the scale was so grand that it far exceeded his imagination.

The city walls were hung with all kinds of palace lanterns, crystal lamps, oil lamps, red lanterns, and colorful silks... Under the city walls, officials of all sizes were squeezed into a mass, so dense that one could hit a sixth-rank official with a single brick.

The dukes, marquises, and nobles wore python robes and jade belts, looking even more extraordinary under the reflection of the lantern mountain.

Zhang Yunxiu had sharp eyes; as soon as he reached the Five Phoenix Tower, he spotted Wuqing Marquis Li Wei huddled to one side.

Seeing each other, Zhang Yunxiu stepped forward and greeted him with a smile: "Marquis, you've been well? Seeing you now, dressed in vermilion and purple, with a python robe and jade belt, you look truly majestic."

"Sigh, what's so majestic about it?" Li Wei frowned and complained, "This is all just for show. My inner substance has long been empty. It is you who are now rich enough to flow with oil; I should be the one envying you."

"Rich? I'm almost so poor I'm about to pawn my trousers," Zhang Yunxiu said modestly.

"Don't pretend with me. I've heard it all; you earned several hundred thousand taels on your last trip to sea, and you're still telling me you have no money?" Li Wei curled his lips, his tone carrying a bit of dissatisfaction.

"Who said that?"

"Never mind who said it; just tell me, do you have it or not?"

Zhang Yunxiu gave a sheepish smile. Li Wei grew anxious, his neck turning red as he asked: "Don't laugh, you haven't answered me yet. Do you have it or not? Give me a straight answer." Li Wei hated two types of people most in his life: one was those who took money from his bowl.

The other was those who didn't let him take money from their bowls.

Watching Zhang Yunxiu earn silver by the bucketload, he felt extremely uncomfortable all over, as if ants were crawling on him.

"Marquis, I treat you as a friend, so I won't deceive you." Zhang Yunxiu thought for a few seconds, looked up at Li Wei, and said, "Actually, I'm just an errand runner; the lion's share belongs to the Emperor."

"My grandson?"

"Correct, I am just running errands for the Emperor."

Li Wei was stunned and slowly shifted his gaze toward the Wanli Emperor. The Wanli Emperor happened to shift his gaze over as well. The three men's gazes met, and the Wanli Emperor seemed to be saying—stand there, wait until I finish my business and I will come find you.

At this moment, the Wanli Emperor was surrounded in the center by Zhang Juzheng and a crowd of high officials and dignitaries.

Until the Hour of the Rooster had passed, a gong sounded from the Zhonggu Office, and the eunuch in charge of rites and music shouted in a shrill voice: "Begin playing—"

In an instant, drums and music sounded in unison. The officials who had come to attend the lantern festival tidied their clothes and hats, knelt toward the direction of the Emperor, and said: "We subjects pay our respects to the Emperor. Long live, long live, long live the Emperor."

The Wanli Emperor hurriedly stepped forward to help Zhang Juzheng up, then waved a hand and instructed: "All beloved ministers, rise. Today happens to be the Lantern Festival; since we are all here to celebrate, I hope you officials will not stand on ceremony and will each show your true spirits."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." The ministers replied in unison, then slowly rose from the ground.

Immediately following this, the eunuchs beside the Emperor read out the etiquette and the program flow, and the entire Ao Mountain Lantern Festival was officially underway.

Zhang Yunxiu and Li Wei found a spot to sit down and continued their previous conversation.

"Marquis, there is a great deal of silver to be made overseas. If you trust me, take your fleet and head south."

"South? South to where?" Li Wei asked.

"Sumatra, and further to the Southeast is Oceania. There is a massive piece of land there; it is sparsely populated now. If you go there, you are guaranteed to fill your pockets to the brim."

"How big?"

"So big you cannot even imagine it."

Zhang Yunxiu smiled mysteriously.

Because of its remote Geography, Australia was not discovered by outsiders until the seventeenth century, after which it was colonized.

Therefore, Australia did not leave anything of its own in the long river of history.

Because most of its land has a harsh environment and is unsuitable for human habitation, it was used as a place to exile prisoners.

Even so, that cannot hide the fact that the territory is vast and rich in mineral resources.

Moreover, the distance from Great Ming is not as far as it is from Europe; now is the most suitable time to go.

"Then why don't you tell the Emperor?" Li Wei asked with some suspicion.

"I already did. The Emperor has agreed to build large ships to go south and bring warmth to the natives."

Li Wei opened his mouth, just about to reply, when a voice filled with anger suddenly rang out: "A fine Zhang Yunxiu you are, running off here to hide and relax. Why did you not come before Me to pay your respects just now?"

The two turned to look and saw the Wanli Emperor had walked up at some point, with Wei Qing following behind.

"You are surrounded by high-ranking officials; if a sesame-sized official like me went over, wouldn't I just be a laughingstock?" Zhang Yunxiu blinked his eyes and replied to the Emperor with a smile.

Li Wei, standing to the side, also prepared to bow, but the Wanli Emperor stopped him.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Li Wei said "Thank you," but his gaze kept sweeping across the lantern mountain.

"Grandfather, what are you looking at?"

The Wanli Emperor followed his gaze and asked with some suspicion. Li Wei wiped his mouth, a flash of excitement in his eyes: "Your Majesty, this lantern festival must have cost a lot of money. It cannot be wasted; I would like to take these lanterns back."

Well, he wouldn't even let such a small advantage go.

Zhang Yunxiu and the Wanli Emperor exchanged a look, then said: "If you want to take them, then take them. Even if you take them all back, no one would dare say anything to you."

"Hey, good."

Li Wei's brows smoothed out, and he laughed until he couldn't close his mouth.

The Wanli Emperor glanced around and, seeing the Empress Dowager chatting with Zhang Juzheng, seized the opportunity to slip away toward the city gates with Zhang Yunxiu.

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty, you are the guest of honor today. If you leave, it will cause a huge mess." Wei Qing, behind them, grew anxious and followed, panting as he shouted.

"Shh, you old dog, don't you know how to say I went to the latrine?" The Wanli Emperor glared fiercely at Wei Qing and barked.

"Your Majesty..."

Wei Qing's face turned purple, filled with worry. The Wanli Emperor puffed out his cheeks and glared, waving his hand as if shooing flies: "Go back, get back for Me. I will be back in at most an hour; you stall for an hour for Me."

Having said that, he ignored Wei Qing and took the opportunity to slip out of the Forbidden City with Zhang Yunxiu. With the Emperor traveling, Zhang Yunxiu dared not be careless and hurriedly sent Zhang Fu to call Han San to bring men for protection.

Before long, the group had changed into plain clothes and were strolling swaggeringly along Erlang Street.

The Wanli Emperor looked at the beaming faces of the commoners on both sides and smelled the festive atmosphere of the street, unable to help but praise: "This is what a lantern festival should be. I have long since grown tired of the red tape in the palace."

"Your Majesty is right. The peace of the commoners in this world is the only true peace. If one day the smiles on these people's faces disappear, then this world will be in trouble."

(End of chapter)