Chapter 450 449 Fire Exile

Emperor Jiajing himself also likes to watch fireworks. When he heard that his beloved concubine wanted to watch, he naturally agreed.

Soon, several large fireworks stands were carried into Yongshou Palace and lined up on the square outside the palace. They were placed closer to the palace for the emperor to watch.

"Your Majesty, isn't this too narrow?"

Huang Jin frowned when he saw the fireworks stands carried in by the eunuchs, and couldn't help but whispered to Emperor Jiajing.

"It doesn't matter."

Emperor Jiajing didn't pay any attention to Huang Jin's worries. He didn't see that the two rows of fireworks stands were facing the side of the palace. The fireworks they released would only fly past the palace gate and would not fly into the palace at all. What was there for him to worry about?

Emperor Jiajing did not leave the palace, but asked people to open the palace gate. He and Concubine Shang sat in the palace to watch. When the preparation procedures were completed, he ordered the fireworks to be set off with great interest.

In an instant, the fireworks on the fireworks stands were ignited by the little eunuchs, and then spewed out colorful fireworks, illuminating the entire palace square.

The fireworks racks were arranged in two rows. After the first row was lit, the second row of fireworks racks was lit immediately.

Various fireworks were arranged on the fireworks racks. In order to increase the lively atmosphere, the palace fireworks were often not set off one by one, but were combined. Various kinds of fireworks were tied to wooden racks in groups, and then connected in sequence with gunpowder lines. Once ignited, they were set off continuously for a long time.

After the eunuchs lit the fuse, the first to be sprayed were the "Hundred Beasts Spitting Fire", "Golden Cup Silver Platform" and "White Peony" and other flower-spraying fireworks, and then the fireworks that were ejected into the sky were ignited, and the "Grape Rack", "Pearl Curtain", "Eternal Light", "Hornet Out of the Nest" and so on were set off in sequence, making people dazzled.

"It's so beautiful, so beautiful."

Concubine Shang is not yet the age of 10. When she was a palace maid, she was more restrained, but now because of the favor of Emperor Jiajing, she is no longer so restrained. Seeing the fireworks show, she danced excitedly and clapped her hands non-stop. She couldn't sit still and soon appeared in front of the palace gate.

Now, after the fireworks on the fireworks stand were launched, those sitting in the palace could no longer see the spectacular sight of the fireworks soaring into the sky, so they naturally had to run out. Although Emperor Jiajing was old, he also liked to watch fireworks, so he quickly stood out.

As the fireworks on the fireworks stand reached a climax, dozens of fireworks were ejected at the same time, and the sharp-eyed people had already discovered something was wrong.

The ones who discovered it were naturally the eunuchs behind the fireworks stand. The directions of the fireworks tubes on the fireworks stand were obviously somewhat offset, either aiming at the palace gate or the main hall.

This discovery scared them half to death in an instant.

It was not known whether the vibration when moving the fireworks stand caused the fireworks tubes to shift or the recoil generated when the fireworks were launched. In short, the directions of the fireworks were getting more and more wrong.

In the past, this kind of fireworks would not be moved to the palace. They would look for an open space outside to set them off. After lighting a few fuses that were twisted together in order, they could leave them alone. But today, the venue was full of palaces and pavilions on both sides.

The buildings in China during this period were mainly made of wood, which was then carved and painted. They looked beautiful but were flammable. The palace was always very taboo about fire.

But the Zhu family also praised the virtue of fire, so fires in the palace were common.

Seeing that things were not going well, several eunuchs hurriedly gathered together to discuss in a low voice, not knowing what to do.

Emergency stop the fireworks?

The fireworks were set off by the emperor's order, how dare they act without an order, and at this time, they didn't know how to stop.

It's easy to set off, just light the fuse, but you have to stop.

"The two fireworks are about to hit the top of the hall."

A eunuch said with a trembling voice.

"Yes, I'm afraid it's..."

"What should we do? Who makes a decision?"

Several people whispered, but no one dared to make a decision.

"Tell Eunuch Feng and ask him to make a decision, otherwise what if..."

Someone said this, but he didn't dare to continue talking before he finished speaking. It was really a taboo. If he said that word on weekdays and was heard by the eunuch in charge, he would be punished.

"Then you go and tell Eunuch Feng, he is at the palace gate."

"I dare not go. The emperor and the queen are still there. How can I tell them?"

"Let's play finger-guessing games. Whoever loses goes to tell them."

Soon, an unlucky guy was chosen. Although he was unwilling, he didn't dare to deny it with so many people watching. He had to turn his head back every few steps and quietly leaned towards a red-robed eunuch by the palace gate.

"Fuck grandpa."

This red-robed eunuch was Feng Bao, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department. Today, Gao Zhong asked him to deliver the memorial to Yongshou Palace. After the emperor reviewed it, he summoned Concubine Shang to have fun, but forgot to let him leave with the memorial.

This is a great opportunity to curry favor with the emperor. Although they are all eunuchs from the Imperial Household Department, he doesn't have many opportunities to come to Yongshou Palace. Most of the time, Gao Zhong comes. Feng Bao naturally cherishes this opportunity.

When Emperor Jiajing agreed to let Concubine Shang watch the fireworks, Feng Bao naturally jumped out first to arrange it and arranged his men to bring the fireworks rack. He was also happily watching the gorgeous fireworks in the sky.

In the era of more entertainment projects in later generations, fireworks performances can still attract many people to watch, which shows the Chinese people's love for fireworks.

However, by the time Wei Guangde came through, the setting off of fireworks and firecrackers by the people had been banned, and an entertainment project that had been passed down for thousands of years was ended.

Of course, the ban is not a complete ban. The government can still set it off. During major events, they often spend a lot of money to hold fireworks shows.

Feng Bao, who was watching with great interest, was interrupted and was very unhappy. He asked in a bad tone: "What's the matter?"

"Grandpa, there are a few fireworks on the fireworks stand that are a little crooked. Look."

"It's okay if they are crooked. It doesn't affect the viewing."

Feng Bao replied unhappily.

"No, if the fireworks are sprayed out and fall on the hall."

The eunuch did not dare to hide it at this time, and hurriedly explained, and gestured to the palaces on both sides.

Feng Bao was scared to death instantly.

Every year, hundreds of houses in the capital are burned down because of fireworks. Although the loss is so huge, the people still enjoy it.

There are many rules for setting off fireworks in the palace, but this time Concubine Shang wanted to watch it, and he was busy pleasing the emperor and forgot about it.

If something really happened because of setting off fireworks, his life would be in danger.

Feng Bao hurriedly ran to the fireworks stand to see that several fireworks were obviously sprayed in the wrong direction.

Faced with such a scene, Feng Bao had no good ideas.

He wanted to ask someone to straighten the crooked fireworks, but he was at a loss when he saw the fire behind the fireworks stand.

He had never seen such a scene before, and he was instantly panicked.

Thinking that these bastards dared to come to him, Feng Bao was instantly at a loss, but he quickly thought of a solution.

Like the ideas of several eunuchs, he didn't know how to deal with it, so he went to his superiors.

Who else was above him in Yongshou Palace now? Naturally, it was the admiral Huang Jin beside the emperor.

Just when he made up his mind to throw the disaster away, a firework sprayed out and shot straight at the eaves of Yongshou Palace.

"Pop."

After a sound, the firework was blocked by the eaves and refracted, and bounced onto the wooden beams under the eaves.

But at this time, the wooden beams still emitted a bright light, and it was obvious that the fireworks did not go out due to the accidental collision.

"Ah."

Feng Bao only had time to scream in surprise, and then looked at the beam stupidly.

Yongshou Palace was on fire. This was the only thought left in Feng Bao's mind at this time.

Just after the firework that hit the beam, several more fireworks were ejected one after another, some landing on the roof, or hitting the eaves and falling down as before. Some fell on the ground, but many fell on the beams.

When Emperor Jiajing was stunned, Huang Jin was the first to come to his senses. He hurriedly called the eunuchs and palace maids around him to protect Emperor Jiajing and walk out of Yongshou Palace.

They couldn't go straight through the square, because this meant that they might be burned by the fireworks set off by the fireworks tube. They could only go around behind the fireworks stand.

At this time, fireworks also fell on the gate pavilion of Yongshou Palace. Although they didn't know what the consequences would be, no one dared to gamble here. They could only protect the emperor and run out of the palace in a hurry.

The fireworks stand was lifted before Yongshou Palace, and the imperial guards patrolling the West Garden saw it. After that, the gorgeous fireworks launched attracted countless eyes.

It was also the only light in the dark Forbidden City and its surroundings.

When the beams were on fire, the sound and light of the fireworks that were still spraying perfectly covered the shouts of "fire" from the people escaping from Yongshou Palace, and only a few people near the palace could hear it clearly.

When they rushed to the palace, they saw people pouring out of Yongshou Palace like a tide, and they couldn't rush in to put out the fire for a while.

By this time, they already knew what had happened in the palace.

Those who were far away only realized that something was wrong when they saw the red sky, and hurried to Yongshou Palace to check the situation.

Emperor Jiajing was protected by Huang Jin and others. At this time, there was no talk of the emperor's majesty. He ran to the nearest Yuxi Palace on foot without waiting for the emperor's guard to arrive.

And Concubine Shang behind him also knew that she had caused trouble, and followed behind crying.

Tired of being cried, although he doted on Concubine Shang, Emperor Jiajing did not want to keep her around anymore, so he ordered: "Send Concubine Shang back to the palace."

At this time, the fire in Yongshou Palace had spread. Even though the eunuchs in the palace and the guards who came nearby helped to put out the fire, the fire was still not suppressed.

After Emperor Jiajing escaped from Yongshou Palace, Feng Bao was appointed by Huang Jin as the leader here, with full authority to deal with the fire. Seeing the current fire, Feng Bao was desperate.

"You guys, go and call people, find more guards to put out the fire."

Seeing a few eunuchs carrying buckets, Feng Bao rushed over and shouted loudly.

The eunuchs put down the buckets under Feng Bao's scolding, and ran out to find people.

There is a significant difference in the materials of Eastern and Western architecture. Eastern architecture is mainly made of wood, while Western architecture is mostly made of stone.

The ancients believed that stone was dead, and wood was a tree growing upward, representing life.

In the theory of the five elements that became popular after the Han Dynasty, wood symbolizes vitality, with the blue dragon as its symbol and the east as its direction.

In ancient architectural technology, rammed earth is used, and buildings are called earth and wood.

The most feared thing about wooden buildings is naturally fire, which is difficult to control once it starts.

Seeing that the main hall of Yongshou Palace had already caught fire, Feng Bao almost collapsed to the ground.

He only blamed himself for being nosy. If he had taken the memorial back to the Silijian, there would not have been these things.

Not to mention, it was the fireworks rack that he had people carry that caused the fire.

Although he was doing things according to the emperor's order, now that such a big thing has happened, he can only bear it himself.

Seeing that the fire could not be controlled, Feng Bao began to look for a way to get out. After thinking about it, he could only ask Huang Jin for help.

Xiyuan was the old palace of Emperor Taizu Wen. During the Renyin Palace Change, Emperor Jiajing moved here and settled down, and never returned to the Forbidden City.

The fire came suddenly. After the fire started, everyone was first busy rescuing the emperor and leaving, and then they were busy putting out the fire. No one thought of anything else.

When the fire was brought under control, Yongshou Palace was almost completely burned. When the fire damage was counted, they were shocked to find that Emperor Jiajing's Chengyufu and ancestral treasures stored in Yongshou Palace were all destroyed.

The yamen of the inner court had work to do again, so Cheng Yu obeyed these and quickly arranged for people to make them and send them to Yuxi Palace for the emperor's use.

When Emperor Jiajing woke up in Yuxi Palace, it was already three o'clock in the morning. The fire last night didn't frighten him too much, so he didn't feel any discomfort after moving to the palace and fell asleep quickly.

After looking at the slightly unfamiliar palace, Emperor Jiajing felt that it was not much different from Yongshou Palace, but he was a little surprised why no one was around to wait on him.

After getting up and putting on his Taoist robe, Emperor Jiajing took a few steps to the door of the side hall and looked out through the gap.

At this time, in the main hall of Yuxi Palace, Huang Jin stood with his hands folded, and in front of him an eunuch was kneeling on the ground, still wiping tears with his hand.

"Eunuch Huang, I'm serious. I have never encountered such a thing. At that time, I only asked people to put out the fire and forgot to ask people to move things out of the palace."

That was Feng Bao's voice. Emperor Jiajing already roughly understood what was going on. The items in Yongshou Palace were burned by the fire.

Thinking of those things, Emperor Jiajing's heart still ached a little. They were all his beloved things, and then he felt a little dizzy.

"We'll talk about it after the emperor gets up. You, you, tell me what to say."

Huang Jin only said a few words and then stopped, "I'm going to see if the emperor is awake."

Having said this, Huang Jin turned around and was about to go to the side hall. At this time, Emperor Jiajing also opened the door and walked out directly.

"Your Majesty."

Huang Jin was startled when the palace door suddenly opened, and immediately bowed when he saw Emperor Jiajing coming out of the side hall.

"What's going on in Yongshou Palace? Tell me."

While talking, Emperor Jiajing walked to the throne in the middle of the hall and sat down.

"Your Majesty, I."

Feng Bao said again what he had said to Huang Jin before with tears and snot in his nose. Yongshou Palace was burned to the ground, leaving nothing behind.

For experienced eunuchs, when a fire breaks out but has not yet taken hold, they usually organize people to rush and transport things in the house, and then put out the fire. However, when encountering Feng Bao, they only knew how to call people to put out the fire.

"Go down."

Emperor Jiajing did not treat the eunuchs as harshly as before, but just said it lightly.

No one was asked to fork him out. Feng Bao felt lucky and climbed out of the hall.

As long as the emperor didn't punish him on the spot, it meant that he was fine.

"I don't want to see this Feng Bao again. He should be sent to Prince Yu's Mansion as an errand."

Emperor Jiajing ordered Huang Jin.