A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Emperor Yuan Cong

Chapter 1242: Fireworks and Flowers

Night falls.

The lights in the Taiwei Mansion were also on, and they were particularly brilliant. The Wu family had many oil presses, and there were also whaling ships and spermaceti factories in the south. Lighting, which was very expensive for the people of the Tang Dynasty, was really nothing to the Wu family.

New Year’s Eve, of course, must be bright and glorious.

Wu Tuo came in, wearing new clothes, "Ah Lang, the firecrackers and fireworks are ready, and they will be set off soon. Please be careful, boys and girls, don't get scared."

Fireworks and firecrackers finally entered the homes of ordinary people.

Gunpowder, which used to be a top military secret, has finally been gradually opened up for civilian use. The Military Equipment Supervision Bureau has built several workshops specializing in the production of fireworks and firecrackers, but these are basically used for palace festivals.
The remaining quota was basically divided up by the top dignitaries.

The fireworks workshop of the Military Equipment Supervision Bureau produces many varieties of fireworks with advanced technology, such as ground mouse, line, shooting star, starting wheel, bamboo flower, golden basin moon, big pear flower, mud tube flower and other fireworks varieties, which are constantly innovating every year.

They not only have specialized fireworks design and production craftsmen, but also a dedicated fireworks performance team.

These fireworks are indeed gorgeous, but they are also expensive, and people without status cannot buy them.

The Wu family has ordered quite a few this year.

They also specially arranged people to come and make a fireworks rack, just like the lantern tower they made before, they grouped various fireworks and tied them on the bamboo rack, and when setting them off, they lit the fuse and they could be set off for a long time, with lights of various colors, shooting stars, etc.

As the saying goes, the noble families would gather hundreds of tricks on one frame during the Lantern Festival, pass the tricks around, and have fun all night long.

This year, the fireworks display that the Wu family erected was built on a bamboo pole more than two meters high, with a colorful pavilion that looked like a laurel wreath in the moon palace, and all kinds of fireworks and firecrackers were placed inside.

Once ignited, it will be very brilliant.

This thing was built by people from the Ordnance Fireworks Workshop, and they were even the ones who set it off. Putting on such a fireworks show would cost the annual income of hundreds of ordinary families.

"Let's go and take a look." Wu Huaiyu said with a smile.

It was he who brought gunpowder to the Tang Dynasty. Fireworks and firecrackers were just derivatives. They were invented when Shenjifang was first established more than ten years ago. At that time, the son-in-law Duan Lun and Xu Jingzong secretly arranged a fireworks show in front of the palace at the New Year's Palace Banquet without the knowledge of Wu Huaiyu.
As a result, the flattery backfired, and Wei Zheng spit on them and the emperor's faces. In the end, not only were they demoted, but Wu Huaiyu was also implicated.

At that time, everyone was against extravagance and waste and advocated diligence, thrift and simplicity. This was because the Tang Dynasty had just endured the Turkic invasion and had to fight hard, and it was not the time to indulge in extravagance.

But more than a decade later,
The Tang Dynasty was strong and prosperous, and all the barbarians were submissive.
Fireworks, once considered a luxury, were finally lifted from the ban. Not only were they set off during major court festivals and ceremonies, they were also specially displayed for foreign envoys.

Now, even nobles and princes could buy and use these gorgeous fireworks.

"Please light the fireworks, General!"

The person in charge sent by the fireworks workshop came over, wearing a dark blue official robe, at least an eighth-rank official. The other party attached great importance to Wu Huaiyu's status.

"I seem to remember your name is Zhao You?" Huaiyu looked at the green-robed official and felt that he looked familiar.

"The commander has a really good memory. My humble official is Zhao You, the commander of the Fireworks Department of the Military Equipment Bureau. When the Shenji Workshop was established more than ten years ago, I was one of the first batch of people transferred there," the green-robed official was very excited. More than ten years ago, he worked as a clerk in the Military Equipment Bureau, which was a minor official in charge of the warehouse display.

Generally speaking, he would never be able to make it into the mainstream even if he worked for his entire life.

But that year, Wu Huaiyu was ordered to set up the Shenji Workshop to develop firearms, and Zhao You was transferred there. Unexpectedly, it was a turning point in his fate.
At first, no one expected that Shen Ji Fang would become so successful later, otherwise it would not have been his turn to go to Shen Ji Fang.

Shenjifang successfully developed firearms and shone in several major wars. The officials and craftsmen of Shenjifang received many rewards.

Over a dozen years, he had grown from a small official to the director of the Fireworks Department of Shenjifang, a rank of eighth grade, on par with the heads of Jiafang Department and Nufang Department.

In Chang'an, an official below the eighth rank was very inconspicuous, but for a man of ordinary background like Zhao You, he was able to jump over the clerk and be promoted to the official rank, which was a huge class leap for him and his family.

Zhao You has always been grateful to Wu Huaiyu. Without Wu Huaiyu, there would have been no promotions over the years.

It’s just that my status is too low, so I never had the chance to thank him in person.

This time, when he heard that Prime Minister Wu had returned safely after being assassinated in Luoyang, he personally took charge of the Wu family's fireworks.

"That's right, you have become the commander of the department. Do your job well."

Zhao You's face flushed with excitement and he almost forgot to set off the fireworks.

When he came to his senses, he quickly handed the burning incense to Huaiyu.

"Please light the fireworks, Commander."

Wu Huaiyu took the incense and lit the fuse.

It feels like setting off firecrackers during the Chinese New Year as a child again.

The fuse is lit,

Burns quickly,
Soon there was a crackling sound.

Compared with the sound of bamboo poles popping when they were burned in the past, the sound is no less than that of bamboo poles popping, and it is very dense and long-lasting, which is incomparable to the sound of bamboo poles popping.

When the cannons sounded,

From time to time, there were meteors flying and bright bullets bursting, and then thousands of flowers burst out of the door, like a leaping dragon and a startled phoenix, and finally there were thunder and lightning, and the ceiling was full of flowers.

This gorgeous and beautiful scene does not seem like the human world, it seems like you have suddenly arrived in a fairyland in heaven.

Everyone was amazed and intoxicated by it.

Even Wu Huaiyu, who came from later times, felt surprised when he saw fireworks flying out of the colorful pavilion that Zhao You had built on two-meter-high bamboo stakes.

He didn't expect that the fireworks of the Tang Dynasty had reached such a level.

Such gorgeous fireworks bloomed in the sky above Xuanyangfang on New Year's Eve, attracting all the neighbors in the square to come out and watch.

Li Qing took Huaiyu's arm and said, "So beautiful."

As soon as she finished speaking, Yang Muyun also took Huaiyu's right hand.

Wu Huaiyu smiled and said, "The night is full of fireworks, and we will have a great time tonight." In addition to the performances on the fireworks stand, there were other fireworks. Zhao You also prepared a lot of small fireworks, such as fire mice that would run all over the ground, and firework butterflies that would spin.

These were distributed to the children of the Wu family, making them cheer with joy.

"Brothers and sisters, please be careful not to get your hands or eyes hurt when playing with your younger brothers and sisters."

Wu Huaiyu also instructed the steward to take the servants with him to make preparations for fire prevention.

The children went to play happily.
Wu Huaiyu was also very emotional when he saw the gorgeous fireworks in the sky. These fireworks that looked so beautiful now were actually the sharp and powerful magic firearms. In recent years, the shadow of the magic firearms could be seen everywhere in the Tang Dynasty's foreign wars.
Fight against the Eastern Turks, Tuyuhun, Dangxiang, Tubo, Western Turks, and Gaochang, which rebelled against the Tang Dynasty in the Western Regions.
Although the development of the Shenji firearms is still limited, they are extremely useful against barbarians, whether it is for attacking a city or defeating the enemy in a field battle.
It is more and more useful against nomadic tribes.
Basically, there was no barbarian tribe's war horses that were not frightened by the Tang army's firearms.

Even the warriors of the barbarian tribes were often terrified when they first encountered firearms. They could both disrupt an attacking camp and break through a city.
To be honest, with this thing, the Tang Dynasty soldiers became more and more invincible.

The people of Chang'an saw the splendor of these fireworks, but many of the barbarians around the Tang Dynasty had already witnessed another way in which gunpowder exploded, which brought them only despair and fear.

The fireworks display lasted for an hour.
When it was over, everyone was reluctant to leave.

"Zhao You,"

"General."

"On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, can you come to my house to show fireworks again?"

"No problem, I'll arrange it right away."

Wu Huaiyu smiled and called the butler over, asking him to coordinate with Zhao You and give him the right amount of money. Besides, today's performance was so perfect that the reward should not be less.

"Today is New Year's Eve, and you still have to come out to perform fireworks here. It's really hard work. Butler, please come into the mansion for dinner and go home after dinner. It's so late, and I can't let you go home hungry."

Zhao You thanked his men repeatedly.

Wu Huaiyu also returned home with his wives, concubines and children who were reluctant to leave.

The New Year's Eve reunion dinner has begun.

There were many tables, and the dishes were very rich.
I also made dumplings specially.
Huaiyu also asked people to put gold, silver or copper coins in some of the dumplings when making them. Whoever eats the first one gets it as a lucky draw.

The meal took more than half an hour.

After dinner,

Give red envelopes to Lao Wu and his concubines, and give New Year's money to his wives, concubines and children.
Even the housekeeper, accountant, groom, doorman, and servants in the mansion all received a reward. This year, because Huaiyu returned safely after the assassination attempt, Xuanfu doubled the reward.

The excitement continues.

Let's stay together to celebrate the New Year.
It was not until the end of the 15th year of Zhenguan that the 16th year of Zhenguan arrived.

Everyone then dispersed and returned to their rooms.

After a quick wash, Wu Huaiyu felt very sleepy.
Xuan Fu stripped him of his clothes and carefully examined his two wounds. The wounds had almost healed, but two dark red scars were still left.
Fan Xuanfu touched the scar and couldn't help crying.

"Is it true that his achievements have overthrown his master and the bird has been put away?"

"The current saint is not that kind of emperor." Wu Huaiyu wiped away her tears and comforted her with a smile.

"Ah Lang, take advantage of this injury and use it as an excuse to resign from your post. Simply leave Chang'an and go to Luzon."

Wu Huaiyu shook his head. "Now is not the time."

Xuan Fu snuggled in his arms and said softly, "I might be pregnant again."

The last time I went back to Beijing, I stayed at home for only one night. "Take my pulse."

"It's not even a month yet. The pulse will be more accurate when it's forty or fifty days old."

Xuan Fu said confidently, "I calculated the date and it's certain that she's pregnant."

"If you get pregnant, give birth,"

"Erlang, doesn't His Majesty really want to hide the bow after the birds are killed? Otherwise, you should go directly to Luzon."

"I can't go now. After this assassination, the murderer has not been found yet. Now many people suspect that Your Majesty wants to kill him and then exile him to the South China Sea. That's why Your Majesty hurriedly summoned me back to Chang'an. How can you let me go to Luzon at this time? Wouldn't that make people in the world believe that Your Majesty wants to kill him and then exile him to the South China Sea if you can't kill him?"

He hugged his wife and gently stroked her hair. "Don't worry, after this failed assassination attempt, I dare say no one will dare to assassinate again for a while.

I will stay with you in Chang'an with peace of mind. After a few years, I will find an opportunity to ask the Saint for permission to go south."

Without the emperor's permission, Wu Huaiyu could not have simply abandoned his official position and fled to Luzon. Even if he escaped, the Wu family could not escape.

Moreover, the Tang Dynasty was in its heyday, and Luzon could not be separated from the Tang Dynasty. Once blocked by the Tang Dynasty, even if Luzon could be preserved, it would be impossible to talk about rapid development.
Those were not the results Wu Huaiyu wanted.

Fortunately, he believed that after this assassination attempt, the emperor would not trouble him any more in the next few years due to pressure from public opinion.

Just relax in Chang'an for a few years.

Think about Li Xiaogong, Li Jing, Qin Qiong, and Yuchi Gong, they have been doing nothing at home.

Now no one is impeaching Li Jing for treason or anything like that, because Li Jing, who has no power in his hands, will no longer pose a threat to the imperial power.

Wu Huaiyu now retains the position of Tongzhongshumenxia Pingzhangshi, but is still on sick leave at home and does not even go to the Council of Ministers. What's the use of being the Grand Marshal or the Prince's Grand Tutor? They are just honorary titles without real power.

The emperor had previously carried out a round of purges against the Wu family, and many people were demoted or transferred from important positions. This should have reassured the emperor.

I just don't know if Changsun Wuji will hold a grudge against him after this incident.

The king's uncle is very petty. If he holds a grudge, it will be very troublesome in the future.

(End of this chapter)