Your Excellency Zhu, this Saji field was opened by His Holiness at the beginning of the 10th year of the Sacred Calendar, and in the middle of the rice field are the two altars of the first silkworms and the earth and grain, oh yes, the earth and grain altar has been renamed the Emperor’s Society and Emperor’s Jik altar at the beginning of this year.”
Eunuch Zhang saw that Zhu Pingan was very interested in the Dishangji field in front of him, and that there was still enough time now, so he explained the causes and consequences to Zhu Pingan.
“At the beginning of the ninth year of the Sacred Calendar, Former Minister Xia Yan submitted a letter requesting the Empress to hold a pro-silkworm ceremony, and the Sacred Emperor granted the decree, abiding by the ‘ancient system of the Emperor’s pro-ploughing in the southern suburb, and the Empress’s pro-silkworming in the northern suburb,’ and establishing the First Silkworm Altar outside of the Andingmen Gate. The next year, the emperor took into account the inconvenience of the empress out of the city, and there is no water outside the Andingmen Gate to bathe the silkworms, and also considered that since the Tang and Song dynasties, the ceremony of kissing silkworms is carried out in the inner garden, and there is the water of the Taiyiquan Pond in the West Garden to wash the silkworms and irrigate the water, so the emperor has built the first silkworms and the Emperor’s Social Jikji altar here, and has opened up Jikji Field to hold the ceremony of ploughing and kissing silkworms, and to teach the whole world through both farming and mulberrying.”
“If Ta-Jen Zhu is interested, there is an imperial record in the Hall of Wuji of the Emperor’s ‘Western Garden Viewing the Valley and Goddess of the First Silkworm Altar Position Fugue’, which is even more detailed, and Ta-Jen Zhu can take a look at it at his leisure.”
The causes and consequences of the Saji Fields, Eunuch Zhang explained very clearly, so that Zhu Pingan, while arching his hand in thanks, could not help but look at him one more time, this kind of person with a heart, there will always be a time for him to get ahead in the palace.
The Jikji field is located in front of Renshou Palace and Wuyi Hall, Eunuch Zhang guides Zhu Pingan to continue along the imperial road and soon arrives in front of the courtyard of Wuyi Hall.
From the outside, the Hall of Wuji looked a lot more simple than the palaces such as the Yuxi Palace and Shen Yingxuan that he had just passed by.
“Lord Zhu, this is the Hall of Wuji where the cabinet offices are located. Without a summons, the chamberlains are not allowed to enter the place where the cabinet offices are located, so the miscellaneous family will be sent here.”Eunuch Zhang pointed at the Hall of Wuji and said to Zhu Pingan.
“Many thanks to Eunuch Zhang for guiding us.”Zhu Pingan arched his hand and thanked him.
“Ta-Jen Zhu is polite.”Eunuch Zhang smiled back before excusing himself and leaving.
Zhu Pingan did not come too early, at this time, there were already quite a number of people in the Wuji Palace, going in and out of the main hall and the supporting halls of the office in a well-ordered manner, Zhu Pingan had been delayed a little bit at the entrance of the palace, but he was not late.
Into the courtyard of the Palace of Wuji, Zhu Pingan has a more intuitive understanding of the Cabinet office location.
The main hall of Wuyi Hall has three rooms, the form is simple and simple, another in the east and west courtyard wall there are two rows of low compartments, as the supporting hall of Wuyi Hall.
In the main hall on the left and right sides of the two pavilions, respectively, named “Imperial Palace of Wuji left pavilion” and “Imperial Palace of Wuji right pavilion”, left and right pavilion style and the State Council’s Jingyi Pavilion is similar to a small hall-style building.
In front of the main hall, there is a pavilion, the name is “Bin Feng”, Bin (sound bīn) wind, is the “Poetry” one of the fifteen national winds, Bin is the name of the pre-Qin ancient place, the Zhou tribe of the auspicious place.
This pavilion is the closest to the main door of the Wu Yi Hall compound, Zhu Ping An approached the front, a glance was attracted by the pavilion’s north wall of the gold brick wall, tsk, there really is a gold brick paved wall, Zhu Ping An smacked his lips a little, from the outside of the pavilion can be seen on the bricks engraved with the “imperial inscription Bin wind map poem”, the title is relatively large to see clearly, the specific verses can not be seen too clearly.
“Zi Hou, you are here.”
Just as Zhu Pingan was about to walk into Bin Feng Pavilion to take a look at the inscriptions, he heard a gentle greeting from behind him.
Zhu Pingan turned around and saw his superior colleague from the Hanlin Academy – Hanlin Academy Scholar Li Chunfang, so he turned around, arched his hand and smiled as he greeted Li Chunfang, “Greetings, Lord Li.”
Zhu Pingan was not surprised to run into Li Chunfang at the Hall of No Ease. In the Ming Dynasty, all the Pavilion Bosses came from the Hanlin Academy, and it made sense that the auxiliary officials who assisted the Pavilion Bosses in the Cabinet would come from the Hanlin Academy. Li Chunfang is the Hanlin Academy reading scholar, seniority than his own, and is one of the future cabinet boss, the early Secretary straight no Yi Hall, more than normal.
In addition, Li Chunfang is the famous “green words prime minister”, the duty of the Wui Yi Hall is not only the cabinet ministers, Jiajing Emperor Jiaojiao activities, the demand for green words is increasing day by day, the ministers of the service of the green words are also resident in the West Garden Wui Yi Hall.
“Zi Hou, there is no need to be polite.”Li Chunfang smiled back gently, then signalled for Zhu Pingan to join him in paying respects to the Pavilion Elders, “Follow me, I will first take you to pay respects to the next three Pavilion Elders. This Bin Feng Pavilion, it’s not too late for Zi Hou to see it later when he has the time.”
“Many thanks to Lord Li for reminding me.”
Zhu Pingan arched his hand and thanked him, Li Chunfang’s reminder was right, he was new to the city, he always had to pay his respects to the pier first.
“You and I are from the same Hanlin Academy, why be so polite.”Li Chunfang smiled and waved his hand before leading Zhu Pingan towards the main hall.
Zhu Pingan tidied up his official uniform and incense leaf crown, and walked along with Li Chunfang towards the main hall.
“The main hall in front is where the Pavilion Master has his office.”Li Chunfang while leading Zhu Pingan forward, while with Zhu Pingan briefly introduced, finished the main hall and pointed down the way to the supporting hall, continued to Zhu Pingan introduced, “These two rows of supporting halls, each with more than ten rooms, is for the rest of the duty ministers, you will also be divided into a room.”
“Hehe, in the future, Zi Hou will certainly remember this place well ……”Said Li Chunfang as he laughed.
Zhu Pingan looked close to the Li Chunfang pointed to the supporting hall, the heart of the heart, this supporting hall low and simple, east and west, looking like a small toilet like, can imagine the summer sun, winter cold soothing taste.
“Of course, the cabinet ministers are not here to rest, in the east of Wuyi Hall on the left side of the official road, there is another southwest of the value of the hut, well, it is that four courtyards sixteen buildings, inside the five rooms are complete. The halls and rooms are all south-facing, and that’s where the courtiers rest, and the largest of them is where Courtier Yan rests.”Li Chunfang not without envy pointed at the row of four courtyards outside the allotment hall and said to Zhu Pingan.
Zhu Pingan nodded, having known about this for a long time, and also knowing that this row of duty huts was specially built by Emperor Jiajing to show his favour after Yan Song entered the Western Garden.
Soon entered the main hall.
Into the main hall, Li Chunfang let Zhu Pingan a moment later, he first went to the cabinet ministers informed.
Zhu Pingan in Li Chunfang briefing, standing in the main hall to observe, the main hall is very large, in addition to the throne in the middle of the hall, left and right inside and was divided into a number of single rooms, the largest one should be auxiliary Yan Song office room, Li Chunfang briefing into the room is this room.
The main hall on the throne hangs a plaque above, the inscription book “no escape” two words, this “no escape” two words is from Jiajing emperor’s handwriting, from the Zhou Gong admonished King Cheng in the words of “the meaning of quit escape”. Behind the throne is another wall paved with gold bricks, inscribed with a capital “Farmer’s Busy Poem”, from the poem after the poem, you can know that the poem was written by Emperor Jiajing’s father, Emperor Ruizong, and the poem was made by Emperor Jiajing.
“Zi Hou, Auxiliary summoned you in.”
Zhu Pingan had only finished reading the poetic notation when he saw Li Chunfang push out the door from inside Yan Song’s office room and beckoned.
