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Chapter 327 When should the wedding date be set?
On June 26, Zhang Cheng accompanied the monitoring eunuch Li Guofu to watch the riding camp in the martial arts hall in the south of Dushikoubao city.

After the expansion of the Nanyan Martial Arts Hall, there are now nearly a thousand elite cavalry stationed here. In fact, after the Battle of Julu, Zhang Cheng recruited the original Lu Xiangsheng's subordinate Qianzong Zhang Guodong and some elite cavalry, leaving a total of nearly [-] elite cavalry.

A while ago, when he expanded the pro-military department, he took away more than 300 cavalry. The current cavalry battalion was formed with the remaining [-] cavalry as the backbone, and he also mobilized cavalry from various forts and fortresses on Shangbei Road.

There are 100 heavy cavalrymen in the cavalry battalion. They are elite cavalry returned from King Qin. The main force of the duel, strength and explosiveness are the first requirements.

In the cavalry department, there are two hundred cavalrymen who returned from King Qin. Most of them did not accept them at night. Clever and skilled cavalry were added.

Rangers usually focus on scouting and harassment. Most of them are equipped with three-eyed guns and strong bows. Many of them are sharp riders who are good at riding and shooting, and their riding skills are even more exquisite.

There are still dozens of fine cavalry returned from the return of King Qinqi, and there are less than 100 cavalry left on the North Road. Among the newly recruited sergeants, more than 200 people were barely selected.

Up to now, the Cavalry Department has just collected more than 300 cavalry, and the remaining insufficient number can only be slowly selected to supplement qualified sergeants. The cavalry cannot be rushed.

Fortunately, Zhang Cheng's requirements for sudden cavalry are not high at present. The first is to be able to ride a horse and gallop, and the second is to dismount and be able to fight. Of course, it would be even better if he could ride and fight.

The cavalry has different combat requirements from the infantry battalion, so the battalion system is also different.

Among the various divisions of the riding battalion, five people form a team, and there is a leader of the team inside; The team consists of 11 people.

Then there are three teams for one post.There is one member of the hundred sentry officers and two guards and flag commanders. There are a total of [-] people in the whole sentry.

Under the heavy cavalry department, there are 310 and five sentries, plus one member of the battalion commander, and four guards and flag commanders, for a total of 320 cavalry.

There are 520 five sentries under the Ranger Department, plus one member of the battalion commander, four guards and flag commanders, and a total of 530 cavalry.

According to the regulations established by Zhang Cheng, the Tuqi Department should have 730 and five people under its jurisdiction, plus one member of the battalion commander, four guards and flag commanders, and a total of 740 cavalry. There are only 320 people in Sanshao.

Zhang Guangda, the general of the battalion, now has 200 elite cavalry under the command of the central officer, and the cavalry battalion has not yet been formed. The most powerful battalion of elites!

…………

He inspected the infantry camp and the cavalry camp for two consecutive days, and the eunuch Li Guofu, the eunuch who supervised, was generally satisfied with Zhang Cheng's recruitment of soldiers and training his bravery.

Although there is an element of Zhang Cheng's tricks here, he took advantage of the opportunity to cleanse the forces of Xue Liangqing and Wu Youlu, and included the guards in Dushikou and Chicheng into his new army.

He also forcibly recruited the garrison of the forts and fortresses on the North Road, and the cavalry under Qianhu's command to supplement his own cavalry camp, but these were not Li Guofu's concerns.

His mission is to come to see whether Zhang Cheng is dedicated to the king's affairs, and supervise Zhang Cheng to recruit soldiers for the court, Ming Dynasty, and Chongzhen.

Now, Li Guofu is also happy in his heart when he sees that Zhang Cheng has really put his heart and soul into recruiting and training soldiers, and is almost impeccable.

Now he only hopes that Zhang Cheng can train this new army into a powerful force as soon as possible, and in the future, he will be able to return to the palace to report to Emperor Chongzhen if he finds an opportunity to make meritorious deeds on the battlefield.

Thinking of this, the key is that the eunuch Li Guofu is also in a good mood. Although he has been running around for days and patrolling the infantry camp and the cavalry camp one after another, he has never felt a little tired.

…………

In the backyard of the Admiral's Office in Dushikou Castle, Zhang Cheng had just finished dinner with his mother and aunt.

The wives were clearing up the leftover plates and cups on the table, Zhang Cheng, his mother and aunt had already moved to the tea room in the east wing of Jiaoxiang Bieyuan, drinking tea and chatting.

"Cheng'er, Ji's Mansion has accepted the letter of engagement, and now it's time to prepare the gift of acceptance." Aunt Zhang Han looked at Zhang Cheng and reminded softly.

Zhang Cheng was taken aback when he heard the words, and after a while, he recalled the appearance of Miss Ji's family whom he saw when he was in the capital, she was shy and generous.

He asked anxiously: "Cheng'er really doesn't understand, how to prepare for this, and what items are needed?"

……

Zhang Cheng really didn't understand the wedding procedures in the Ming Dynasty. Although he knew about the matchmaker's words and the three letters and six engagement ceremonies, the details were messed up.

In fact, the three letters and six appointments are the three letters and six ceremonies. The three letters refer to the documents used in the process of passing the "six rites", including the appointment letter, ceremony letter and welcome letter.

The "six rituals" refer to the entire marriage process from proposal to marriage, which are the six etiquettes, which mean accepting, asking for names, Naji, accepting, asking for a date and welcoming.

Now Zhang Cheng has entrusted the aunt of the Wu family in the capital to ask the matchmaker to perform the Najib ceremony on her behalf, and handed over the letter of appointment to the Jifu, and the Jifu has also accepted it, so the next step is to perform the Najib ceremony and hand in the ceremony letter.

The so-called Nazheng ceremony, also known as Guoda ceremony, is an ancient Han marriage custom, which belongs to the fourth of the "Six Rituals", also known as "Nacheng".

"Book of Rites · Shihun Li" Kong Yingdashu: "The one who accepts the levy is also the one who accepts the money. The levy is also done. First accept the money and then get married." It means that after this ceremony, the marriage contract is fully established.

That is, one month before the big wedding, the man invites two or four female relatives, who must be all blessed, to go to the woman's home with a matchmaker, and at the same time bring all the ceremony books and gift money to the woman's home. At this time, the woman also needs to return the gift.

Regulations in the Ming Dynasty advocated thrift in betrothal gifts. "History of the Ming Dynasty 31" ranks official weddings: "Acquisition is like an auspicious ceremony, with Xuanxuan, silk, and letters, and geese are not used."

Although at the beginning of the founding of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang had specifically issued an order to practice strict frugality, including marriages and funerals, but since the middle of the Ming Dynasty, the trend of extravagance has gradually flourished, and the comparisons between high-ranking officials, wealthy businessmen, and powerful families have gradually begun. Come.

……

At this moment, when Aunt Zhang Hanshi heard Zhang Cheng's question about what dowry gifts to prepare, she felt apprehensive. Although she knew something, she was also afraid that she didn't know what she knew.

Immediately said: "Auntie, I don't know much about this matter, but when accepting the levy, the man's family needs to prepare the dowry money and dowry gifts, and everything needs to be in even numbers, which means 'good things come in pairs'. Red bean strings, red envelopes, gold ornaments, dragon and phoenix candles, and a couplet.”

"It seems that this matter needs to be specially entrusted to those matchmakers who are good at this matter. Cheng'er is getting married for the first time, and she is also a lady of the imperial family of the capital. Don't make her laugh at me for being stingy, and lose the favor of all parties for nothing. Face." Zhang Cheng's mother also said the same.

"I will send people to Beijing tomorrow to find the officials from the Ministry of Rites and the matchmaker in the capital to handle this matter, but when should the wedding date be set?"

(End of this chapter)