Chapter 22: Jiajing spent his whole life repairing houses

Xiyuan.

Since October of the 21st year of the Jiajing reign, the palace maid Yang Jinying led other palace maids who were also oppressed to launch the Renyin Palace Rebellion to resist oppression.

Emperor Jiajing moved from the Forbidden City to the Wanshou Palace in the Western Garden.

He has lived here since the 21st year of Jiajing's reign to the 40th year of Jiajing's reign.

Nineteen whole years!
At this time, several people in the house were shocked when they heard the news that Xiyuan was on fire.

Zhu Zaigui rushed out immediately.

Yan Shaoting, Zhang Juzheng and others followed behind. Concubine Li in the nearby compartment also followed after handing the swaddled baby Wanli to Feng Bao.

Everyone stood in the courtyard and looked towards the West Garden.

Although there were many houses blocking the view, anyone could see the thick black smoke in the sky in the direction of Xiyuan.

The sky over the entire Xiyuan was gloomy.

The gloomy sky above the Western Garden instantly shifted to the faces of Zhu Zaigui, Zhang Juzheng, Concubine Li and others.

Yan Shaoting just looked at the dark sky of Xiyuan calmly. He was not surprised that Jiajing's cottage caught fire.

Ever since Jiajing came to Beijing to inherit the throne, he has spent his whole life practicing Taoism and building houses for himself.

Zhang Juzheng's face was solemn. He turned and looked at Prince Yu: "Your Majesty, there was a fire in the West Garden, and your Majesty was frightened. Your Majesty should write a memorial and send it to him."

Zhu Zaigui was also a little frightened at this time, and nodded repeatedly: "Yes, I will write it. Master Zhang, please go to the West Garden and have a look. I and Tan Lun have finished writing the memorial in the palace and sent it over."

The two kings did not meet.

No matter how anxious Zhu Zaigui was, he could not go to Xiyuan to meet his father Jiajing without an imperial decree.

Zhang Juzheng nodded and was about to go to the West Garden, but suddenly stopped and looked at Yan Shaoting.

Zhu Zaiqi also reacted at this time and hurriedly said, "Master Yan, you are now accompanying Lord Yan. If something happened in the West Garden, you should also go and take a look."

Yan Shaoting also nodded and accepted the order.

The smoke in the West Garden became thicker and thicker. Zhu Zaigui did not stay any longer and led Tan Lun and Concubine Li back to the house.

Yan Shaoting and Zhang Juzheng looked at each other.

Yan Shaoting actually had no opinion of Old Zhang, but Zhang Juzheng had been holding a grudge since the last imperial meeting.

After looking at each other, Zhang Juzheng seemed to be fed up with each other, so he turned around and walked out of Prince Yu's mansion on his own.

Yan Shaoting just smiled and followed behind.

The two men left the palace, Zhang Juzheng sat in a sedan chair and Yan Shaoting rode a horse.

He did not go to the Forbidden City, but instead headed for Xi'an Gate, east of Anfufang.

When you arrive outside Xi'an Gate, Xiyuan is right in front of you.

Yan Shaoting was sitting on horseback and saw that the entire area behind Xi'an Gate was filled with thick smoke, and there were constant shouting sounds from behind the palace wall.

Zhang Juzheng also got off the sedan chair at this time, looked at the direction where the smoke came from, and said worriedly: "It's the direction of Wanshou Palace."

Since the emperor moved to Xiyuan in the 21st year of Jiajing, he has been living in Wanshou Palace.

A few days ago, because there was no snow, Jiajing moved from Wanshou Palace to Yuxi Palace to fast and pray. Later, when it snowed, he moved back to Wanshou Palace.

Yan Shaoting couldn't help but laugh when he thought of this.

The Taoist priest had just moved back to Wanshou Palace from Yuxi Palace a few days ago, and now he had to go back to Yuxi Palace to live.

Zhang Juzheng had already arrived at the palace gate by then. He did not need to reveal his identity as the imperial guards in front of the palace gate would naturally recognize Lord Zhang.

The officers and soldiers opened the palace gate and Zhang Juzheng and Yan Shaoting entered the West Garden.

Zhang Juzheng walked quickly: "The West Garden is on fire, I think the cabinet has arrived by now."

Yan Shaoting looked forward and said, "Your Majesty should be fine, Master Zhang, don't worry."

In front, the Wanshou Palace had been engulfed in flames. A large group of people gathered near the Taiye Lake in the direction of the Yuxi Palace, with the imperial guards and eunuchs of the inner court gathered at the outermost circle.

Zhang Juzheng was a little surprised. Yan Shaoting no longer called him Zhang Ge Lao, but addressed him by his job title in Prince Yu's Mansion.

However, there was a fire in Wanshou Palace at that moment, and he had no time to pay attention to the matter. Soon the two of them arrived at Taiye Lake.

Yan Shaoting looked over and saw that Yan Song, Xu Jie, Gao Gong and others had indeed arrived here, and were leading officers and soldiers with Lu Fang and others to guard Emperor Jiajing. When he and Zhang Juzheng came over, this group of people were already heading towards Yuxi Palace.

When Gao Gong saw Zhang Juzheng coming, he immediately waved and said, "Taiyue is here. Please follow your Majesty to Yuxi Palace."

He simply ignored Yan Shaoting who was beside Zhang Juzheng.

Yan Shaoting did not say anything, but followed the crowd and escorted the frightened Jiajing into the Yuxi Palace.

When they arrived at Yuxi Palace, Lu Fang carefully waited on Jiajing and leaned back in the chair.

The people from the Imperial Household Department and the Cabinet gathered before the emperor, while the eunuchs and soldiers from the inner court stood guard outside.

From the direction of Wanshou Palace, there were constant sounds of firefighting and explosions from burning wooden buildings.

After a long while, the noise outside gradually died down.

In Yuxi Palace, Jiajing's expression calmed down a little.

Jiajing sat on the throne and looked at the ministers in front of him.

"Lu Fang."

Lu Fang hurried forward and bowed: "Master."

Jiajing's face was gloomy: "Haven't you figured out the reason yet?"

Lu Fang looked at Chen Hong and others behind him.

Then he said, "We have found out. Now that spring has arrived, it was the thunder that struck the side hall of the Wanshou Palace today that caused the fire."

Hearing this, Jiajing's expression changed, and his expression became a little gloomy: "Lightning caused the fire..."

The atmosphere in Yuxi Palace was somewhat depressing.

For people today, a lightning strike in the palace causing a fire is not a good thing.

Yan Song even glanced sideways at Lu Fang.

At this point, it would be better to say that someone in the palace accidentally set fire to the Wanshou Palace.

Facing the silent ministers, Jiajing sneered twice: "I am devoted to my spiritual practice, why did the heaven send thunder to the Wanshou Palace?"

This is waiting for those present to find a reasonable reason for him, and this reason must have nothing to do with Jiajing himself.

But no matter whether it was Yan Song, Xu Jie or Lu Fang, no one dared to make any comments on such matters.

Yan Shaoting moved his feet silently.

Jiajing immediately set his sights on him.

"Yan Shaoting, tell me, why did my Wanshou Palace attract thunder and catch fire today?"

This statement came out.

Yan Song, who did not have time to wait for a seat today, immediately glanced at his eldest grandson.

Old Yan couldn't help feeling a little nervous at this moment.

Yan Shaoting didn't care at all.

Since ancient times, the palaces within the imperial city have always been prone to lightning strikes.

Since Jiajing ascended the throne, he has been repairing the house.

It can be said that his entire life was closely related to building houses.

From the construction of the Temple of the Emperor and the palace of his biological mother at the beginning, to the construction of the Renshou Palace and the Yude Hall later, as well as the magnificent Three Halls and Nine Temples built after he completely controlled the court.

It can only be said that Jiajing attached great importance to these palaces.

Today, the Wanshou Palace was struck by lightning and burned down, so naturally he would have some wild thoughts.

But Yan Shaoting couldn't let this happen.

Otherwise, who knows what the Taoist priest who practices Taoism all day long will do because of this matter.

Yan Shaoting immediately said, "Your Majesty, I think the lightning strike has nothing to do with mystery, and it has nothing to do with the people's claim that it is a sign from heaven. It is a natural thing."

(End of this chapter)