The mutton on the fire is sizzling with oil, and the chicken and duck stewed in the iron pot are sizzling and fragrant.
What a person spends his whole life is not just a piece of silver, food and drink, being distinguished in front of others, and having a healthy family.
Suzhuang was full of laughter and laughter at night, children were playing, fires were piled high, and tables were placed on the school grounds of Suzhuang. The roaring flames warmed the cold air.
"Honor the heaven and the earth, may the weather be smooth and the grain may be plentiful!"
"Respect the emperor, be wise in civility and rule, and flourish in martial arts!"
…
After having enough wine and food, everyone went home to watch the New Year with their families.
To summarize the first New Year’s Eve in Suzhuang, we ate meat and drank to our fill.
In the early morning, Su Ce took a nap and was woken up by Wang Lan.
Today is Su Ce's big day. He was conferred a title by the Duke of Daqianlu, and his uncle conferred it on him. He met him in front of the palace at the big court meeting.
Su Ce was in a daze when Wang Lan called him out, cleansing his body and face, and playing around like a wooden man.
The Su family is a small family with no servants. The farmer just came here this year. He keeps the good things of his master in mind and will go to the Su Mansion to help when he has nothing to do. Although the guards have a life-long friendship with Su Ce, they have been with Su Ce before. Policy has no identity constraints.
But Li Chang knew that there would be no rule without rules. No matter how kind and peaceful Su Ce was to them, the status of the master's family could not be ignored just because of these.
He wears a two-beam Jinxian crown on his head, a crimson six-leaf crown, his clothes are embroidered with three chapters, a buckle plate buckle on his waist, a rhinoceros belt on his belt, and a pair of black riding boots on his feet. Take it. The silverbait bag hangs around the waist.
He stepped out and arrived in front of the main hall of Su Mansion.
Li Chang held an unopened ceremonial knife in both hands and looked at the guards in the courtyard. Su Ce was a little surprised. Li Chang nodded and Wang Lan went to the main hall.
"Wait for me, you don't have to do this!" Su Ce looked outside the house. Guards in leather armor, armed with swords, guns, bows and arrows, stood in the courtyard.
"I wish the general great military success!"
All the guards shouted in unison, which was both a blessing to Su Ce and a spur to themselves.
From now on, when one is prosperous, everyone will be prosperous, and when one is lost, everyone will be harmed.
The shouting made Heizi kick his front hooves excitedly. Su Ce looked back at his parents sitting in the main hall, looked at his parents and wife, and nodded.
"Son, I'm going!"
Su Ce walked up to Heizi, and bodyguard Lin Quan held Heizi's hand. His fiery eyes made Su Ce understand that from the moment he stepped out of this family, the Su family was no longer a small family, but a real noble family.
Honors and nobles are distinguished by their merits. Every distinguished noble is like a racing chariot, moving forward bravely.
After getting on his horse, Su Ce took Li Chang, Lin Quan and two other personal guards to Chang'an in the night.
On New Year's Eve, King Wu couldn't help himself.
On the way, Su Ce saw rows of red lanterns on Chang'an City from a distance.
On the streets, people were all wearing new clothes. There was a large court gathering, including civil and military officials, princes, nobles, literati, and filial sons.
The imperial court was holding a grand meeting, and all the civil and military officials were gathering in the main hall of the palace. Su Ce didn't know anyone, so he found a corner to bask in the sun, which was quite comfortable.
Also coming to see the emperor were the envoys from various places who came to report on their work, as well as envoys from various countries.
At the great court meeting, Su Ce met the emperor of Daqian for the first time. The temperament of the superior man, his words and deeds were worth pondering. Su Ce followed the other conferees and stayed for less than half a day. Tea was taken aside by the father-in-law in the palace to watch the ceremony.
Envoys from all over the country took advantage of today to pay tribute to the emperor. Others kowtowed, and Su Ce also kowtowed.
Prostrating does not mean kneeling down, cupping hands in salute, embracing each other with the left hand and the right hand, which means to promote good and hide evil. This is because the left hand is good and the right hand is evil.
Raise your hands in front of your chest, stand upright without bending down, and bow in salute. On one side, you bow, and on the other hand, you clasp your hands in front of your abdomen, and salute to people from bottom to top, with your hands no longer than your nose.
Three rites and nine knocks are also called three rites and nine knocks. Repeating one rite and three knocks, the sum total is three rites and nine knocks.
Before each repetition, a music official will knock the big chime three times to indicate another salute.
After the ceremony, he bowed and left.
The greatest salute in Dagan is three bows and nine kowtows. As for kneeling in Dagan, this kind of salute can only be performed if someone makes a mistake.
Generally speaking, this day's court meeting was more like a purely ceremonial activity, and no substantive administrative matters were handled.
On this happy day, the officials were bustling and lively when they went to court, and the court hall was also a joyful and prosperous scene with the sound of bells, drums, harp, and harp.
Su Ce walked around in his mind and said that he had learned a lot, but one thing he felt was very uncomfortable, that was, eating was not pleasant.
The emperor said something and asked for a drink. Everyone sitting at the banquet looked like puppets. This atmosphere made Su Ce very uncomfortable.
Su Ce was young and didn't know anyone around him. He thought Su Ce had just become a knight, so he didn't think much of it when he spoke.
Su Ce, who was sitting in the last few rows, couldn't see the dance music at the banquet, and felt a little regretful in his heart.
When the banquet was over, the emperor left, and everyone also left to go home.
The Great Court Meeting does exactly the same thing every year, so many people are unwilling to participate, but they have to participate. As the saying goes, people inside and outside the city envy each other.
After leaving the palace, Su Ce saw Li Chang and four others holding horses and standing at the corner of the street. Su Ce entered the palace for a day, and they waited outside for a day.
Compared with other nobles who set up their residences in Chang'an City and went home in carriages, Su Ce had to ride a horse.
However, the appearance of Li Chang and the four men in full armament was still noticed by many people.
"Which martial lord is this?"
"I don't know! It should be the new one awarded this year. Brother Li, why don't we go to Zhuangyuan Building to get together. I heard that Baiguo Nong is delicious, and we want to try it too."
"Invite Brother Liu to join us. We have all joined the court as officials. It has indeed been a long time since we got together."
"I haven't seen the prince show up today."
"We won't talk about business today."
…
The prince did not show up, which invisibly cast a layer of gloom over this lively court meeting.
If the prince does not leave the East Palace for a day, all the officials will not have peace of mind.
The Crown Princess was demoted to a ceremonial status, and the status of the three-year-old grandson was not guaranteed. The royal affairs were not family affairs, but related to orthodox state affairs.
A few years ago, many ministers were working on the matter of the prince, but the emperor was still undecided, and even sent the second prince to the Dingbei Governor's Mansion. All the governors of Daqian were led by the prince, but the second prince was the only one who was actually granted the title. .
However, the succession of the eldest son has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. Even if the second prince on the grassland does well, the important officials in the court will not support the second prince to ascend to the East Palace.
The imperial court was in chaos due to the seizure of the heir. Years ago, the Shangshu Province transferred more than 100 officials who were friendly to the second prince out of Chang'an City, clearly demonstrating their support for the prince.
Now it is no longer a matter of the crown prince, but has become a dispute between the imperial power and the prime minister's power. As for who will take a step back, it has not yet been decided.