Emperor Xiaoyao of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 182 It's New Year's Eve
After telling the story all night, and taking advantage of Yang Ying's sleep to practice the real life of husband and wife, Jin Yu was exhausted early the next morning.What could be better in winter than lying in bed and sleeping?But it failed on the first day of the new year.Yang Ying yawned and dragged Jin Yu out of the bed, because he had to worship his ancestors today.

When it comes to worshiping ancestors, it is much more grand and cumbersome now than in later generations.In fact, most festivals in later generations can be related to ancestor worship, and most of them evolved from ancestor worship activities.

As the beginning of the year, the ancestor worship procedure is particularly cumbersome. Yang Ying has been busy with today's ancestor worship for several days.After the time was determined, the maidservants offered various sacrifices one by one, and then the head of the family offered incense.Logically speaking, the incense ceremony should be arranged according to the generation of the descendants and the blood relationship, but now there are only Jin Yu and his wife in the Jin family, so most of the time is spent on arranging the offerings.

Jin Yu stood aside bored, looked up and turned around to savor the ancestral hall carefully.Yang Ying presided over the construction of the ancestral hall, all of which were made of high-quality materials, one block higher than the house Jin Yu lived in, with carved beams and painted buildings inside, extremely luxurious.If it wasn't for Yang Ying's obstruction, Jin Yu would have the heart to move in, but he is not in a hurry now, in another five or sixty years, Jin Yu may be able to get his wish.

There is a tablet of Grandpa Tang on the altar, and a sketch of Grandpa Tang behind the tablet.The sketch was originally the photo that Jin Yu brought over. Jin Yu added some things based on his own memories, such as the horse tie under Grandpa Tang's buttocks, the sweatshirt he was wearing, and the pipe in his hand. Grandpa Tang The yard behind him is also the old house in his previous life.But after Yang Ying read it, she immediately rejected it to Jin Yu, the reason is very simple - it's inappropriate!That's true, according to the current point of view, the old man can't wear such a suit, and the background behind him is also very cheap, so Yang Ying personally drew another one.Yang Ying was very surprised when she took the photo, and kept asking who made the painting, it was so vivid!Jin Yu just made up a reason and prevaricated it. Could it be that he told her that it was a photo of a black brick?It would be strange not to be regarded as bewitched by Yang Ying!
Even with the original in hand, Yang Ying still made changes. Now the Jin family is considered an upstart. It wouldn't be good if my descendants saw the shabby appearance of the old man before, wouldn't it?Therefore, the old man in the painting is dressed in Hanfu, sitting solemnly on the grand master's chair with a golden knife and a big horse, which is much more vivid than Jin Yu's painting.

"Husband, don't look around anymore. It's time to offer incense to grandpa." In front of the maid, Yang Ying spared her husband's face and didn't point out Jin Yu's impoliteness. Gently squeezed Jin Yu's waist and spun around, "I'm not afraid of the old man's blame, why are you looking around?"

"Oh." Jin Yu nodded. The winter clothes are thick, and Yang Ying's "two-finger meditation" is similar to tickling. Jin Yu took the incense in Yang Ying's hand, offered it to Grandpa Tang, and kowtowed respectfully, This process is considered complete.

There are a variety of offerings on the table, including whole pigs and sheep, as well as some small animals, dried fruits and snacks.The tossing and tossing last night consumed a lot of energy, and he didn't eat early in the morning, so Jin Yu was really hungry.After Yang Ying finished offering incense and saluting, Jin Yu conveniently took a piece of dim sum from the altar and stuffed it into his mouth. He didn't count on eating it himself, so he handed one to Yang Ying, "Are you hungry? Madam, come too?"

Terrified, Yang Ying hurriedly took it and put it back on the altar. The piece Jin Yu ate could no longer be taken out, and even if it was taken out, it would not be able to be placed again.After putting it on, I still didn't forget to salute and apologize to Grandpa Tang, muttering words in my mouth.

Jin Yu was dumb, it wasn't that he was disrespectful to Grandpa Tang, Jin Yu was just used to it.When Jin Yu was young, ancestors were also worshiped during Chinese New Year, but at that time there was no ancestral hall, but ancestors were worshiped in each household instead.At that time, Grandpa Tang also gave Xiao Jinyu those snacks from the altar table from time to time, but he was not rude.There are no grandparents who do not love their grandchildren. When they are alive, they always leave snacks for the grandson. After passing away, this kind of thinking will not change, right?

"Husband, don't do this anymore. You are disrespectful to the old man. Just now, my husband cut off a stick of incense. Don't mess around with me in the future." Yang Ying also knew that her husband didn't understand the rules of the Tang Dynasty, so the apology was just a matter of I have to bear it with all my strength, but some education is unavoidable, just like an old lady teaching an ignorant child.

Jin Yu nodded his head, what else can he say?Yang Ying is also doing it for her own good, isn't she?But I can't blame myself for cutting off the incense. Who makes the quality of incense bad these days?Although it is mixed with sandalwood, the smell is better, but the toughness is not good.

At this time, there was no talk of New Year's greetings, so after breakfast, Jin Yu had nothing to do, and couldn't sleep early in the morning, wandering around the yard.Chen Rui, Han Wu, and Hu Yue were not as relaxed as Jin Yu. Chen Rui was leading the way, Hu Yue was holding a large roll of colorful paper in his arms, Han Wu was holding a small pot in his hand, and a pair of papers with large letters from a certain era. Reported posture.Jin Yu looked curious, so he walked out of the yard, and stopped the three of them, "Uncle Chen, the two priests, happy Chinese New Year! I wish the three of you a happy new year and all the best!"

Jin Yu's New Year's greeting speech is too advanced, where have these three seen such a posture?Hearing the master's blessing, he was excited for a while, Han Wu hurriedly put down the iron pot in his hand and bowed for a while, but Hu Yue hugged the things in his hands tightly, as if he was afraid of losing them. "Happy New Year, young master."

"Early in the morning, what is Uncle Chen doing?" Jin Yu waited for the three of them to finish their salutes, and then returned the salute, asking politely.

"Get rid of the old and bring out the new, the old slave invited all kinds of gods into our house while it was still early." Chen Rui pointed to the paper in Hu Yue's arms and explained.

Jin Yu nodded. Chen Rui was very enthusiastic about this secret letter activity, and Hu Yue was also very respectful, and he didn't forget to put this thing down when he saluted. "Let's go, piece by piece, young master, I'll follow along to have a look." Jin Yu is also idle when he is idle, and there is no harm in learning more, no matter what, it is regarded as the folk custom of Tang Dynasty, in case one day in a dream, he meets a good friend from later generations, There are insights to brag about, aren't there?
The host said he wanted to see it, but the three of them had no reason to refuse, instead they worked even harder.The first stop was the gate, Han Wu applied the paste, Hu Yue found out the portrait of the door god, and Chen Rui posted it up. This might be the earliest sticker, right?
"Is this `````` door god?" Jin Yu looked left and right, the two brothers on the door were very handsome, and they were colorful, but Jin Yu just didn't know him, now Qin Qiong and Yu Chigong The Duke is still alive, and Li Er is not suffering from paranoia and insomnia. The two in the painting must be two heroes that Jin Yu doesn't know.

Chen Rui respectfully pointed it out to Jin Yu, "It's the gate god. The one on the left is the Immortal Shentu, and the one on the right is the Immortal Yulei. The two immortals are brothers, and they are very capable. They can drive away ghosts and evil spirits, and can protect the house from being Monster attack."

Jin Yu nodded, and bowed his hands to the two door gods, which was regarded as acquaintance.Chen Rui looked weird, but when he thought about it, he understood that it might be that the customs of the master's family were different outside the region, so he told Jin Yu what he knew, "It used to be carved in peach wood. Door God, but the imperial court has encouraged the cultivation of grain in recent years, and there have been fewer peach trees, so now they are all printed on paper.”

Chen Rui made a gesture of invitation while talking, indicating that he would start the next step.Jin Yu looked at both sides of the bare door and asked, "Uncle Chen, don't you want to post couplets?"

"Couple? What kind of god?" Chen Rui was a little confused, he had never heard of this word, and asked tentatively: "Young master has a custom of posting couplets to gods outside the domain?"

Jin Yu was dumbfounded. It seems that there is no custom of posting couplets in these years. Couplets should have only appeared after Tang poetry became popular, and there are still some days before the popular date. "Uh```Picture an auspicious thing, not a fairy. What do you do next?" (There is a legend that the couplets originated from the Five Dynasties and Houshu, but the Dunhuang murals handed down from the middle of the Tang Dynasty already have couplets. It should be After Tang poetry became popular, it was a kind of performance of the folks following suit.)
"Invite the gods!" Chen Rui counted his fingers to Jin Yu, "The God of Wealth, the God of Wells, the God of Land, and the God of Stove are invited into the house."

Jin Yu nodded and said: "Well, I'm quite busy, so let's go ahead and invite you, don't delay the auspicious time." Now Jin Yu can also say auspicious time, people are superstitious these days, and they have to pinch when doing some superstitious activities Come to think of it, it's a pity that they don't have a watch, so they can only make a rough estimate.

Where did the three of Chen Rui go and where did Jin Yu follow, now he didn't ask any more questions, just watched.Please God don't do much, find a place to post it, it's not as grand as sending the Stove Lord to heaven on the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month.No wonder the saying goes, "It's easy to invite God, but it's hard to send God away." Maybe that's where it came from?
After all the gods were posted by Chen Rui, the work was over, which was very boring.Jin Yu despises the ancients from the bottom of his heart, is it easy for them to be gods?On the first day of the new year, I went to work in various households. How dedicated and dedicated!Not to mention offering a bowl of tea, but despising them, we must set off a few fireworks in front of all the gods at night, it can be regarded as a welcome ceremony for them, Jin Yu thought to himself.

After Chen Rui and the others invited all kinds of gods, they went to their own business, and Jin Yu started wandering in the backyard again.Now the lion doesn't take care of Jinyu very much, because it has three "loved concubines" to take care of. It is said that those female dogs gave birth in the first spring. The lion is the first father, and he is very responsible.

It's the Chinese New Year, and Eunuch Sun didn't take off work. He hangs high in the air, making people feel sleepy from the sun. Jin Yu stretched and yawned.Forget it, this year's past is meaningless, it's not as lively as the later generations, there are only people who are left to toss, go back to the room and sleep in the cage!

Jin Yu just finds it boring, and he is still worried about the New Year's Eve at the National People's Congress. This person is Chu Xuan!

According to the efficiency of work these days, as long as he can escape from Chang'an, the possibility of being caught is very small, because the portrait on the arrest warrant is too inaccurate, so why is Jin Yu determined to find Chu Xuan this time?
Chu Xuan originally thought that he had escaped from birth. At that time, he scolded the little fat man as nothing. If he hadn't been so careful, he might have gone to love his concubine "Chrysanthemum" by now, right?

The situation was fine two days ago, Chu Xuan pretended to be an outdated scholar, and hitchhiked in a caravan all the way east.Although he was an outdated scholar, the merchants still respected the scholar. They treated him with delicious food and drinks, and they didn't ask for money. Chu Xuan was very contented.

It's not easy to do business these days. You have to rely on your legs to go back and forth, carrying goods to Chang'an for sale, and then buying some goods from Chang'an to sell to Luoyang. If you go back with an empty car, you will lose money.The accident happened at the gate of Luoyang City. Chu Xuan planned to find another family in Luoyang to earn some money to spend, but he was recognized at the gate.

The post stations in the Tang Dynasty were very developed, but they were only used by officials, but they were enough as a way to arrest important criminals.The wanted portraits that came down this time are impressive, just like real people, it is hard to forget, especially the reward of 50 taels of silver behind it.When it comes to money, no one dislikes it. What is the concept of 50 taels of silver?If you marry two more concubines, you can afford it. No one wants to earn money, especially the urban management who stands guard at the gate of the city all day. Is it easy for them?In the winter, I don't even have a cotton-padded jacket, and my face and nose are red from the cold.

Since the posting of this new arrest warrant, the enthusiasm of the urban management has increased a lot. Pedestrians who come and go must be checked, but the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. After a few days, I am very tired, but no one complains. After all, it was for the reward.If you are lazy and let others get it first, it will be too late to regret.

The arrest warrants at the gate of the city are basically posted for the urban management to see, but the common people don't read much, and they can't read after reading it!But it's different in the city. The neighbors in the neighborhood know each other. After posting, the most enthusiastic ones are those rangers who don't have a serious job, that is, the punks as the saying goes.

The life of the punks in the Tang Dynasty was not easy. They were basically native-born people, and they knew a lot. Besides, they didn’t dare to collect protection fees or anything. They made a lot of noise. Then throw the board in the cell and be locked up for ten days and half a month.If the food is good, that’s fine. You can eat it everywhere. The key is to have one meal a day. This meal is only two moldy corn buns. The first thing you do when you come out of the cell is to look for food against the wall.Why are you supporting the wall?Because I was too hungry to walk.

Seeing that the Chinese New Year is about to come, everyone is jubilantly tearing up a few feet of new cloth to make a new dress or something. The life of a gangster is hard, and they are almost squatting in a corner with the gang of beggars.

It is said that there are such two little gangsters in Luoyang City, Xunzhuer and Gouwa. After studying for a few days, they can't bear the hardship of working in the fields. Scolding, the father can't afford to lose this man, every time he is beaten severely.After the two brothers discussed it, they agreed, go out to make a living and mix in the society.How could society be so difficult to mix?

No, Sao Zhuer took out someone's money bag yesterday and succeeded, but seeing the mother and son crying in panic after losing the money, one couldn't bear to return it and was scolded.Who told him not to be careful and say that he picked it up?
Gouwa was even worse, today he took out a rich man's purse, but he was found out, not only scolded, but also greeted by the rich man's servant.Although no bones were injured, don't even think about walking normally after three to five days.Although the Tang Dynasty had clear regulations on the punishment of thieves, few folks followed them. They usually caught them and beat them up. Is the government not manned enough?It's not like in a certain dynasty, where there are more than a dozen deputies, and countless temporary workers. These days, they are all posts with one radish and one pit, commonly known as "radish post".

Fortunately, Sao Zhuer was loyal and didn't leave his brother behind.Now I have to take care of a patient, and the money bag is not so easy to take out. In desperation, Sao Zhuer gave up his face and became a beggar for a day.How could he expect to be beaten up without finishing his day's work? Beggars also have their own territory. How can he not be beaten when he grabs business at the door of the beggar gang?Smell Zhuer couldn't help feeling "I'm not afraid of the underworld, I'm afraid of the underworld"!
Smell Zhu'er was thinking about how to fill his stomach with two black and blue eyes, when he saw that the yamen servant posted a statistical reward.Sao Zhu'er was so moved by the 50 taels of silver, she lay down under the wanted warrant behind her brother's back, and uncovered the wanted warrant at night when no one was around.Although he hasn't found anyone yet, the more people he knows, the less hopeful he is. This idea was given to him by the dog lying on the ground.

Just when the two of them had hope, the boss of the local gang came to the door, this is their territory!When I first came here, I didn't know the heights of the sky and the depths of the earth, and there were many conflicts. The two brothers always avoided others.It's good now, there is nowhere to hide, and after being beaten again, the two of them really had no choice but to discuss it, and go home with the cheek, at least they can still have a warm meal.

Xaozhuer carried Gouwa on his back, and talked about bad luck all the way, and finally got tired of talking, and the two found Jianpo Temple to make do with it and fell asleep. They also hypnotized themselves: Sleeping will not be hungry.

People were unlucky, and they couldn't stop them. Not long after the two walked out of Luoyang City, the caravan that Chu Xuan was on also arrived at the gate of Luoyang City.The strict inspection at the door blocked many people. It was already dark at this time, and the caravan steward was very anxious.Chu Xuan was doing nothing at all, and volunteered to go forward to find out the news, but he was scared back when he squeezed into the crowd.There is no other reason, the painting on the wanted warrant is so realistic!
With a steady mind, Chu Xuan returned to the caravan, lied that there was a big man going out of the city ahead, and now he had to give way to others, tidied up his things, found an excuse, and thanked the steward of the caravan with a smile Just want to slip.How did the steward of the caravan think that Chu Xuan was a wanted criminal?Still thinking about it so late, why would a big shot want to leave the city?After the retention is invalid, he can only be allowed to leave.When they queued up to enter the city, it was already dark, and the people in the caravan rushed into the city again. They were stunned because they didn't find the wanted notice posted on the wall!
It was dark, and Chu Xuan didn't bring a fire bag. From time to time, there were scattered sounds in the woods, and occasionally there was the howling of wolves. Chu Xuan became more and more afraid as he walked, and finally ran straight away.After sprinting for a while, Chu Xuan was out of breath. Seeing the fire in front of him, Chu Xuan was overjoyed.

(End of this chapter)