Idle courtiers

Chapter 89 The Sacrificial System of the Ming Dynasty
The weather was very cold, and the ground in the courtyard was covered with thin ice, but there was white heat rising from the mouth of the well.

Sister Su showed her white and round lotus root-like arms, surrounded by white air, which is really beautiful.

Zhou Nan couldn't help being stunned, and praised in his heart: This woman is really well-read, and she can discover her hidden beauty every time she sees it.Although she has a small nose and small eyes, she has a different kind of charm.I was also blind at the beginning, and I missed such a beauty.

Seeing him staring intently at her hand, Sister Su couldn't help blushing, hurriedly pulled down her sleeves, and shouted: "What are you looking at, Zhou, what do you want to do? Breaking into a private house, I'm going to call someone."

Zhou Nan collected his thoughts and said: "Minister Tang Su, the pundit wants to ask you about a case, you have to answer truthfully without hiding anything."

Tang Su is the name of Sister Su's natal family. Since she married Anton more than ten years ago, people either call her Mei Tang's or Grandma.Or, simply call her Miss Su.

Zhou Nan called her by her name with a serious face today, but Sister Su couldn't recover, and subconsciously asked, "What are you asking?"

Zhou Nan: "Minister girl Tang Su, let me ask you this scribe. Did your husband Mr. Mei have a hidden disease and needed to take medicine for a long time, what kind of medicine did you take, and where did you buy it?"

The reason why Zhou Xiucai was expelled from his meritorious service and sent to serve in Liaodong for ten years was because he accidentally killed Mr. Mei in a fight.

This was an unresolved enmity between the Zhou and Mei families. Ever since Zhou Nan returned to Andong, the Mei family had been thinking day and night to take his name.

Now because Zhou Nan gave Mei Pu a reputation as a scholar, the enmity between the two families was put on hold.

According to normal logic, Zhou Nan should not mention the past, and everyone should live their own lives.

Today he suddenly mentioned this matter, when Sister Su thought that the reason why she suffered so much from her mother-in-law in the past ten years was all thanks to this person in front of her.Moreover, Zhou Nan claimed her own body again, ruining her reputation.Suddenly, hatred welled up in my heart, and I said with a sad smile: "My surname Zhou, my late husband died because of you. Do you have the face to mention what happened to him in the past?"

Zhou Nan: "Daughter Tang Su, it's a private matter between you and me, and between me and the Mei family. Today, I represent the Yamen and come to ask questions. Don't mention any irrelevant matters. Just answer my questions. "

Sister Su said angrily: "My husband was able to eat and sleep back then. If it wasn't for the pawns, he would have lived a long life. I heard that the pawns searched for flowers and willows all day long, and indulged in drinking, so he must be safe every year. Here, the people My daughter also wishes you a happy life."

This is already a very vicious curse, but Zhou Nan is not angry.

He rubbed his chin and said again: "I'm not asking this. Mr. Mei was normal when he performed Zhou Gong's ceremony. Did he use medicine to cheer him up? If so, where did the medicine come from, and who gave it to him?"

This question is really embarrassing, but since this matter is related to my own future, I can only bite the bullet and ask.

After speaking, Zhou Nan felt his face was very hot.

Sister Su's face was also flushed, and she scolded sharply: "You thief, are you here to humiliate me today? Well, well, since you are shameless to say such dirty words, I will answer you, my husband is better than you, No matter where it is. The surname Zhou, don’t forget the ten-day period, get out!”

Zhou Nan: "No, no, sister Su, I'm not trying to belittle you, it's really important... don't be impulsive%"

Before she finished speaking, Miss Su poured a basin of water over.

If Zhou Nan hadn't seen the opportunity and jumped aside suddenly, he would have been drowned.

He ran out in embarrassment, and said while running: "Sister Su, I misunderstood, what a big misunderstanding, please calm down first, I will explain after two days."

"The relationship between that woman and me is a mess of emotions. I can't ask anything from her. I have to look for clues from other places." Back to the yamen, sitting in the ceremony room, Zhou Nan was still in shock.It's dangerous to cry secretly.

If she was really covered in water by Sister Su, Andong County would be a little bigger.Maybe within a day, the scandal of "letting you rape like a ghost and eating my old lady's footwashing water" will spread throughout the county again.

"Sister Su didn't find anything there. Should I go to Mei's house... But, it's too stupid to ask whether Mr. Mei took aphrodisiac. I'm afraid that the relationship between me and Mei Kang that I have worked so hard to repair will soon break down and be killed People can be killed.”

"No, I can't escape. For the sake of my future, even if the Mei family is a dragon's lake and a tiger's den, I must go there tomorrow."

In the midst of worry, a secretary came over and said: "The yamen are all scattered, and the pawns return to the yamen. They are really a role model for my generation. It just so happened that the county lord had something to come down and let us do it in the ceremonial room."

Zhou Nan was amazed: "It's the end of the year, what else can happen?" Yes, all taxes in Andong County have been reduced or exempted by the court this year.The place is calm and peaceful, and everyone is bored. Just waiting for the Spring Festival to come, Shizhi County will reward everyone with a few New Year's money for the sake of everyone's hard work without hard work, and fatigue without hard work.

The book office: "This year the snow fell early, and the weather was very cold. The auspicious snow is a sign of a good year, which is the blessing of the heavens. According to the rules of the yamen, an altar will be set up every winter solstice to pray for rain and snow."

"It's the winter solstice, and the days go by so fast!" Zhou Nan sighed, touched his forehead, and said, "Look at the snow this year, and next year will be a bumper year. The weather is good, what rain and snow are you praying for?"

The secretary said: "Because of this, we must pray even more. Otherwise, if the heavens are displeased, disasters will come down."

Zhou Nan: "This matter is easy, has the county lord allocated the money?"

"It's dialed, but it's not enough. It's only ten taels of silver." Speaking of this, the secretary said with a wry smile: "It's not enough at all. It's hard for a smart woman to cook without rice. But if you mess up the errand, our New Year's reward will be nothing." Don't even try to take it."

To be honest, Shi Jieren is lazy in political affairs, governs by doing nothing, and he is considered generous.For everyone, it is indeed a good leader.But it's not good at all. After the county magistrate was commended by the court, he wanted to be famous and upright, and he became stingy with the people below.

Zhou Nan thought for a while: "Ten taels of silver... In fact, this matter is also easy. Speaking of offering sacrifices to heaven and earth, the biggest expense is actually setting up an altar. Isn't there an altar outside the east water gate of our county town? It was built by a big family in the past to worship Han Xin, Marquis of Huaiyin, can be used after repairing it, and it will not cost a lot of money. At that time, feel free to ask a monk to recite a scripture. Enough."

The secretary was shocked: "Master, it is true that the jar can be used. But if you go to invite monks or temple blessings in the Town God's Temple, you will cause big trouble for the old man."

Zhou Nan's heart moved, and he suddenly realized: "Yes, you have to hire a Taoist priest, and you have to be an expert with cultivation."

The major affairs of the country are only worship and Rong.

It means that the biggest thing in a country is sacrifice and war.

Therefore, since the founding of the Ming Dynasty by Zhu Yuanzhang, a complete set of strict sacrificial system has been established.Almost every major festival has corresponding sacrificial activities: spring plowing, autumn harvest, winter solstice, New Year's Day, and Spring Festival.

When encountering natural disasters, you have to pray to God.

In addition to heaven and earth, Sanqing, and Tathagata, there are also historical celebrities of all dynasties who are worshipped.For example, Bigan and Jiang Ziya in the Shang and Zhou Dynasties; Qu Yuan, Bai Qi, and Li Mu in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States; Liu Guan Zhang Cao Cao in the Three Kingdoms; It is well-known in history, and anyone can pay homage to it.Anyway, there are many rituals and gods are not strange, it is always beneficial.

Just because there are too many gods to worship, the image of many people in the history books is not very good, which is quite controversial.In addition to the huge waste, when Emperor Jiajing arrived, the Taichang Temple wrote and canceled many unnecessary sacrificial activities, which can be regarded as reducing a lot of burden for local officials and common people.

Emperor Jiajing believed in Taoism and liked to meditate.He has been in power for more than 30 years, practicing in Xiyuan all day long, and almost ignoring political affairs.What is good at the top will be effective at the bottom.

The reason why Yan Song and Xu Jie were able to join the cabinet as the first and second assistants was deeply favored by the emperor.That's because both of them wrote good Ci, which was favored by the emperor.

The so-called green words are the poems written by practitioners when offering sacrifices.It got its name because it was made of green paper.

Because of this, Yan Song was also called Prime Minister of Qingci.

In the Jiajing Dynasty, whenever there are major sacrificial ceremonies in the country, there will inevitably be Niubi's figure, and the market of Taoism is bullish.

If you don’t invite a few Taoist priests who are well-cultivated this time, and replace them with monks or temple blessings from the Town God’s Temple, you are going against the court and are dissatisfied with the emperor.

After finishing speaking, Zhou Nan asked again: "Which is the largest Taoist temple in our county, and which Taoist priest is the most famous?"

Secretary Office: "The largest Taoist temple in our county is Miaotong Temple, and the abbot Xuanzhen Immortal Master in the temple is the most famous."

Zhou Nan asked: "But the one with a brick tower in the temple?"

"Exactly, Master Xuanzhen learned from the God of Longhu Mountain and Shaoyuan Festival." The secretary smiled wryly: "This person is too famous, I'm afraid it's not easy to invite him."

"Shao Yuanjie's disciple, Xuanzhen really has some background." Zhou Nan nodded: "Don't these Taoists always like to associate with the government, the county lord invites him, he is too happy, how can he refuse?"

Shao Yuanjie is a Taoist priest of Longhu Mountain, the leader of Taoism in the world, who has been immortal for many years.In the early years of Jiajing, he once entered the palace to serve at the imperial edict, and was awarded the Minister of Rites by the emperor, and gave the first-rank service salary, platinum, wenqi, treasure crown, legal clothes, and mink fur.

It would be appropriate for his disciples to preside over this sacrifice.

The book office: "Yes, yes, what the master said is true." But there was a look of disapproval on his face.

When I came out of the yamen, it was already dark.The snow was still falling, and the air was filled with the smell of mutton and tonics.

According to local customs, the common people eat beef and mutton and tonics to nourish their bodies in the days before and after the winter solstice.In the Ming Dynasty, cattle were important means of production and strategic materials, killing cattle was illegal, and mutton was king.

Back home, Yunniang's mutton had already been stewed, and she asked him to eat it.

The taste is very good, this raw mutton is really good.

There was nothing to say all night, and on the second day, Zhou Nan didn't care about what happened to Mr. Mei back then, so he took the book office and went straight to Miaotong Temple.

(End of this chapter)