"So this junior is showing off this time, right?"
Jian Yong's words were full of laughter, along with undisguised satisfaction and a trace of envy.
As for this so-called electric light, aside from being brighter, he could not really see what else was special. But how grand and flourishing the lantern displays on the light screen were, Jian Yong could clearly tell.
Compared to that, Tang's seven-layer revolving lanterns and lantern towers, even though he had never seen them personally, surely could not compare to what later generations had.
Power not overstepping, offices not in disorder, officials carefully handling their duties, superiors supervising name and reality, subordinates not violating instruction, rewards and punishments not based on joy or anger. This was the great order pursued since pre-Qin times.
Yet what he now saw in later generations shattered that understanding again and again.
For Jian Yong, the vast lands of China could still be traveled by mule and horse, recording their customs and scenery.
As for Rome, though one could not reach it by mule and horse, once shipbuilding and navigation were mastered, one could still ride favorable winds westward to visit foreign lands.
But now it seemed that later generations could not only reach up to the blue heavens and down into deep seas, but in food and entertainment as well, they were already close to the Dao.
How could that not move Jian Yong's heart?
But after the excitement came the biggest problem.
He truly could not go to that future world.
Oceans and continents could be crossed by ships and horses. But time itself. How could that ever be crossed?
The only hope left was naturally to recreate as much of that food and entertainment as possible.
So, without thinking, Jian Yong looked toward Kongming.
But Kongming had no time to give him a definite answer, because he was currently busy talking with Pang Tong beside him.
"This Kongming Lantern. Could it really be Zhuge Kongming's lantern? Kongming actually understood that heat… heat thermodynamics?"
"Shiyuan, you are mistaken. The word Kongming in sacrifices refers to completeness and clarity. Over a thousand years, there must be countless people using this name. Zhuge Kongming would not dare steal it."
"Then does Kongming really understand this heat thermodynamics?"
"I…" Kongming was momentarily speechless.
A mischievous smile appeared on Pang Tong's face. He leaned over and tapped the drawing in front of Kongming.
"Looks like this lamp will end up being called a Kongming Lantern after all."
What Pang Tong pointed to was Kongming's earlier sketch. Bamboo frame, paper skin, a short candle inside, able to rise into the sky. Beside it were Kongming's casual notes.
"When grass and firewood burn, much ash follows the red flame upward before slowly falling. The principle may be the same as this lamp. Air qi may also separate into clear and turbid…"
Kongming could only laugh helplessly. He did not want to steal a name from later generations, but this lamp really had no name. It was drawn after seeing later generations' New Year scenes.
Could it truly end up being called a Kongming Lantern?
Before he could think it through, Pang Tong had already grabbed him again in excitement.
"And this electric light. What is it? Later generations can already command lightning and use it for the people?"
"If later generations can build heavenly palaces in the void, then what is strange about controlling lightning?" Liu Bei said casually.
He even felt the strategist was making too big a fuss.
If someone now claimed they could command lightning and roam the void, Liu Bei would treat them as a charlatan of ghosts and spirits and drive them out with sticks.
But if it was in later generations, Liu Bei would only want to ask one thing.
How did you do it?
Fa Zheng held back a smile and exchanged a glance with the confused but pretending-to-be-calm Lu Su beside him. From Lu Su's eyes, Fa Zheng saw pure confusion, and even the mouth shape seemed to be silently forming the words "heavenly palace."
Kongming felt helpless. He felt his lord's words made some sense, yet also felt completely wrong.
"Yin and yang clash to produce lightning. Its form resembles Heaven's wrath. Thunder surges like a great calamity, cleansing heaven and earth, its sound shattering the clouds."
"But these electric lights of later generations. Their glow is steady and constant, completely opposite to the nature of thunder."
Pang Tong nodded softly, agreeing in part.
"Later generations must have methods to tame lightning."
At least now one doubt was resolved.
Before, when seeing the brilliant lights of later generations, they had wondered what kind of lamp oil could light up all of China.
Now they finally understood.
They used lightning instead of flame.
But such a method was even harder for them to imagine.
Turning Heaven's might into human use.
That thought alone made everyone in Han Chang'an fall silent for a moment, only raising their heads to quietly watch the lantern displays of later generations.
From a structural perspective, these later lantern displays did not escape what the junior had described earlier.
Many lantern shapes imitated humans, mountains, rivers, plants, insects, and beasts.
But unlike Tang and Song, most of these huge electric lanterns actually moved.
Human-shaped ones blinked and waved.
Mountain and river lanterns had the sound of waves and streams, with lights brightening and dimming, like real flowing water.
Insect and beast lanterns were even more vivid. Phoenixes flapped their wings and cried softly. Divine dragons opened their mouths and sprayed mist.
Thinking that lightning was hidden inside all these giant lanterns, the people of Han Chang'an could not help but feel more solemn.
For the civil and military officials in Ganlu Hall, the thoughts were simpler.
"Truly a scene of unmatched prosperity."
This was almost everyone's shared conclusion.
After all, the junior had said that lantern burning during Shangyuan existed since pre-Sui, and Tang inherited Sui customs. So Ganlu Hall's officials could more easily immerse themselves in the mood of lantern viewing.
The one most immersed was Empress Zhangsun.
After all, grand ministers lived outside the palace. No matter how busy festivals were, they could still return home to enjoy themselves.
She was different.
After Erlang was enthroned, she had lived long within the deep palace and rarely went out. Now she even recalled how Li Xian and Empress Wei once went out incognito to enjoy Shangyuan.
So at this moment, the way she looked at Li Shimin inevitably carried a hint of grievance.
But what Li Shimin cared about now was something else.
"That Sui emperor burned agarwood to boast of wealth. Compared to this scene, it is like fireflies against the bright moon."
As for seven-layer lantern towers and 150-chi lantern buildings, Li Shimin had already completely let it go.
It was just Shangyuan.
No matter how luxurious, could it compare to Wu Zetian's second Ming Hall? Could it compare to the hundred-billion-cash Heavenly Pivot bronze pillar?
Even compared to Yang Guang, that spendthrift, it still fell short. So what was there to demand?
Shaking his head slightly, Li Shimin even felt a bit embarrassed.
After all, that Sui emperor was the last ruler of the previous dynasty, right next to him in history. When he first ascended, he inevitably used him as a reference.
But now it seemed there was truly nothing worth comparing.
Watching this far, Du Ruhui also began to grasp the deeper meaning.
"The gap between Tang and Song likely lies mainly in the people's wealth."
Fang Xuanling nodded slightly and added.
"And also in civil governance. Song's paper must be extremely cheap."
Compared to this, they were not skilled in manufacturing, so there had been many blind spots. But since Tang and Song differences had been mentioned many times, they now saw the gap in civil governance more clearly.
Cheap bamboo paper, the emperor promoting examinations, a flourishing culture of learning, opening the people's minds, encouraging craftsmanship, and fewer official restrictions. Thus came Song's wealth.
After New Year, Fang Xuanling had already gone to Yan Lide and asked the Directorate of Works to seek bamboo paper methods.
But now the only lingering doubt was why Song was so weak in warfare.
Thus, when Zhenguan ministers studied Song methods, they were extremely cautious. Debates over the cause of Song's weakness happened month after month.
"But this idea of legal holidays…"
Du Ruhui immediately understood the meaning, and then could not help but marvel.
"Even when it is not a rest day, there can still be such grand scenes."
Yan Lide's eyes flickered.
"Electric light, electric…"
…
Zhao Kuangyin's gaze shifted, and he felt slightly stifled.
Whether it was New Year celebration or Shangyuan lantern viewing, later generations clearly said Song surpassed Tang.
He had thought this would let Tang Taizong see Song's strengths.
But in the end, what was shown were always later generations' scenes, casually labeled as unrivaled in five thousand years, leaving the Song emperor momentarily speechless.
Yet seeing those exquisitely crafted, lifelike, moving lanterns, he had to admit.
They truly could not compare.
Looking at Tang celebrating without restraint, then thinking of Emperor Wu of Han pursuing cultural unification while facing the Xiongnu, then thinking of later generations' prosperity, there was even less to say.
Then looking back at the Northern Song he founded.
No, the Great Song.
Defeated by Liao, defeated by Xia, destroyed by Jin.
The royal house fled south, dividing the river and barely surviving.
For a moment, he even felt his face heat up.
So a natural hope rose in his heart.
If in my lifetime I can imitate Han Gaozu and Tang Taizong, unify the realm, then even if later northern and southern disasters cannot be resolved, they should at least be eased, right?
Zhao Kuangyin carried many thoughts in his heart, planning various things, while also admiring the beautiful lanterns on the light screen.
As for what electric lights were, Zhao Kuangyin thought about it for a single breath, then tossed it aside.
Whatever it was, it was surely beyond this age. Thinking about it was useless.
Zhao Pu and Zhao Guangyi had long since focused purely on lantern viewing, occasionally exclaiming at wing-flapping phoenix lanterns, mist-spitting dragon lanterns, and various moving scenes.
Zhao Guangyi even thought about summoning more craftsmen this year to try to imitate later-generation lanterns and make even more beautiful ones.
Time passed in the blink of an eye. The lantern scenery on the light screen quickly faded, and the junior's voice sounded again.
[Lightscreen]
["As we said earlier, even ancient people could not avoid social obligations and sacrifices during New Year. It was extremely tiring.
As a result, Shangyuan Festival instead became the most relaxing day of the New Year holiday period.
By Shangyuan, preparations before the year were already finished, and sacrifices and social duties during New Year were also completed. On the fifteenth, families could finally sit together without worrying about any affairs and eat a truly meaningful reunion meal.
As for the yuanxiao we are familiar with today, it only appeared in the Song dynasty. At first, based on how it floated when cooked, it was called floating balls. Later, merchants renamed it ingot balls and yuanxiao for good luck.
Because it is made of glutinous rice flour with sweet filling, it was also called sugar balls in Song, later evolving into today's name tangyuan.
Later, north and south developed different methods of making them, wrapping or rolling, but in the end, they are all eaten to pray for blessings, and from Song onward they also gained the meaning of reunion.
After a family goes through sacrifices and social obligations before and after New Year, sitting together on the fifteenth to eat yuanxiao, then going out to view lanterns and pray for reunion in the coming year, is the meaning this food gave to ancient people.
In addition, early Song tangyuan were quite expensive and were called a rare delicacy in the market in Song poetry. For ordinary people, even buying a bowl could be a burden.
From this, we can also extend the discussion. In Song, after passing the examinations, officials had about one third of the year as long holidays.
In modern times, Shangyuan is no longer a legal holiday. If it falls on a workday, people still have to work, and can only view lanterns after getting off work.
Compared to this, Song seems happier. But for ordinary people, even eating a bowl of tangyuan required gritting one's teeth. So this happiness was still at a distance from the common people.
Modern history textbooks say that prosperous ages in feudal times were only special periods of national prosperity. They could not resolve the irreconcilable conflict between peasants and landlords, nor the land annexation caused by private ownership. They were not earthly paradises.
From 104 BCE, when Liu Che set the fifteenth to light lamps to worship Taiyi, to today, more than two thousand years have passed.
After more than two thousand years, through persistent struggles in various forms by ordinary people, we have finally achieved tangyuan freedom.
Although there is no holiday, at least this gives thousands of years of New Year history a complete ending.
That concludes this episode. Thank you for watching, dear audience. Love you."]
Jian Yong happily recorded another food-making method.
And from its meaning, it was quite good.
In chaotic times, reunion.
How difficult that was.
As for later-generation gifts, that was not for Jian Yong to worry about. He was more moved by the thousands of years of New Year evolution.
Tangyuan freedom he half understood, but roughly grasped the meaning, and sighed.
"For a thousand years, what the people seek is nothing more than full granaries."
Such a basic request.
Like in Emperor Wen's time, praising good governance meant saying the imperial granaries' grain rotted from abundance.
Like Du Fu recalling Kaiyuan, saying even small towns stored grain for ten thousand households.
Jian Yong paused his thoughts, glanced at Liu Bei, and silently thought.
Perhaps this is why later generations favor Lord Xuande.
If one were like Cao the bandit, driving the people like livestock, slaughtering cities at the slightest resistance, then even if one built a great foundation, it would only let Wang Xun and the like enjoy nightly revelry. In later generations' eyes, it would likely be worthless.
Liu Bei had not thought so far.
At this moment, he stared at the phrase prosperous ages are not earthly paradises, frowning, unable to look away. He faintly felt that these simple words clearly explained the rise and fall of dynasties.
They even seemed to hint at a solution.
Did later generations truly found their state using this method?
Liu Bei's thoughts became tangled.
Looking at the simple bowl of tangyuan on the light screen, he was genuinely happy for later generations and imagined.
"If we can make all Han people free to eat, then the revival of Han could be called unshakable."
Ma Chao laughed loudly.
"If Lord Xuande can make both Han and Qiang people free to eat meat, then even if you tell me to trample Xuchang and Ye City, I, Ma Mengqi, will not hesitate!"
This made Kongming and the others look sideways.
You, Ma Mengqi, better mean trampling Cao the bandit, and not anyone else.
After recording the content, Kongming slowly let out a breath. He felt that the mysterious veil of later generations had been lifted a little.
But at this moment, on the already dim light screen, a line of text slowly floated by.
[Zhao Kuangyin: Marquis Wu and General Tiance, may I ask for clarification. That giant sphere seen after the lanterns shrink China to a small view. What is it?
Zhao Kuangyin: Also, what does paying mean?]