Looking at his grandfather's determined eyes, Zhang Junping did not persuade him any more.
In this life, the old man has enjoyed blessings and suffered sins. He has looked past everything and the safety of his children and grandchildren is a blessing.
The gentlemen said this in the main room, while several women and unmarried daughters outside were busy with the New Year's Eve dinner.
This year's harvest is good. Even without Zhang Junping's dividends, every household still has chickens and fishes.
The Zhang family’s New Year’s Eve dinner was even more sumptuous.
My father took his nephews to work in the greenhouse and made a lot of money, and he didn't treat them badly.
There are all kinds of chicken, duck and fish. In my grandfather’s words, it’s almost like the days of my family before liberation.
Before liberation, the Zhang family were country squires, not ordinary landowners, so they lived a very good life.
Many young people and former landowners have some misunderstandings.
I think that in the old days of landlords, it was just a meal of chicken, duck, fish, delicacies from the mountains and sea, and silk and satin.
Actually this is wrong.
In the past, the food in landlords' homes was actually not as good as that of ordinary people's homes today.
In those days, all landowners who could eat meat were considered to have a relatively good life.
Most landlords are guaranteed to eat white flour steamed buns.
Even some landowners are reluctant to eat white flour steamed buns every meal.
As for wearing Lingluo, it is even more impossible. The rules of the Forbidden Dynasty were strict, and landowners without fame could only wear commoners.
If you dare to wear silk and satin, you are violating the rules, which can range from confiscating your home to genocide.
Those who can truly live well are country squires and noble families.
What is a squire?
A squire is a family whose ancestors have been officials or have a good reputation.
During the feudal dynasty, the real local masters were not county magistrates, but squires and prominent families.
The famous family is also called the famous family, which can be regarded as the aristocratic family before the Tang Dynasty.
The officials from the squire's family were all minor officials or even just civil servants, and their reputations were generally those of being a Jinshi but not becoming an official.
The situation is different for noble families. For the first time in the family, there have been senior officials of the fourth and fifth grades. In all dynasties, there have been people who have obtained titles and worked hard in the officialdom.
During the Song and Ming Dynasties, noble families were the top ruling class. Without the support of noble families, the emperor's position would not be stable.
The squire class was the lowest ruler of the Forbidden Dynasty.
Without the support of the squire, the county magistrate is nothing and can't accomplish anything.
The Zhang family used to belong to the squire class.
Although he is only the lowest-level country squire, he is not comparable to ordinary landowners.
A squire is raised in his hometown, has a good reputation in the local area, and belongs to a good family.
This is also one of the reasons why the Zhang family, as country squires, was not much implicated after liberation.
Of course, the more important reason is that before liberation, the Zhang family contributed and helped our army and our party.
That's too far.
The women at home were busy preparing for the New Year's Eve dinner.
Chicken, duck, and fish are easy to prepare, and most housewives can cook them, but the seafood Zhang Junping brought back made everyone worried.
Not to mention doing a lot of things, I have never even seen them.
Finally, Zhang Junping's grandma was invited over, "Mom, Pingzi brought these things and said they were seafood, but we can't cook them!"
In the past, it was important to be well-matched. Zhang Junping's grandmother was also the daughter of a wealthy family when she was young.
In addition, Yuandu is close to the sea, so there is no shortage of seafood. Zhang Junping's grandma also ate it when she was young and knew how to make it.
"Ouch! Such good things, I thought I would never see them again in this life.
I didn’t expect that, thanks to my grandson’s blessing, I would still be able to see him even when he is old.
This is a large yellow croaker. It can be steamed or braised in sauce.
This is grouper, the same, it can be steamed or braised.
These shrimps are really big. They must be as long as a bunch, right?
Just boil this in water, then dip it in ginger juice and eat it.
Ouch, this swimming crab is so big! Such big swimming crabs are rare.
Just steam this!
………
This is a sea cucumber, the head is really big, let’s put it aside for now, we don’t have time to cook it...” Zhang Junping’s grandma sighed while explaining the method casually.
After knowing how to do it, a few people moved quickly and cooked a large New Year's Eve dinner in a short time.
More than a dozen dishes filled a large table.
This was something that would have been unimaginable in previous years.
"This is all thanks to Tuopingzi. Even in the past, when our family was at its most prosperous, there was no such big scene.
If a family wants to last for a long time, it must first be united, and secondly, it must have talented people from generation to generation...
With Pingzi in your generation, as long as you brothers are united, our Zhang family can prosper for another hundred years..." Grandpa said with emotion as he looked at the dishes on the table.
Over there, my father had already taken out the Moutai wine that Zhang Junping had brought back.
"Dad, try Pingzi's fine wine as a tribute to you. In the past, this wine could only be drunk by the emperor.
It's a pity that Pingzi doesn't drink, so he won't follow me!" Dad poured wine for grandpa and uncle, still sighing.
Zhang Yingyao is really not bragging about this. His drinking capacity is fully worthy of his position as captain.
It's a pity that this point was not passed on to Zhang Junping.
Today is the Chinese New Year, and we are not so particular about it. The younger members of the family are also at the table.
Of course, this only refers to male juniors.
The rule that women don't go to the table still exists.
Seeing this, I picked up some vegetables and ate them in another room.
Zhang Junping took out the champagne he brought back and sent it to the next room, "Grandma, this is champagne. You can drink some and see if it tastes good during the Chinese New Year."
Auntie, mother, third aunt, this champagne is low in alcohol, you all should drink some!"
"Oh, it's better for my grandson to still be thinking of us!
Okay, grandma, let’s try the wine my grandson bought!” Grandma’s eyes narrowed as she laughed.
Here the food is served and the wine is filled.
Outside, the second and third elders led a few juniors and started setting off whips.
After the whip was released, the banquet officially began.
During the Chinese New Year, you have to burn whips to have the flavor of the new year.
One year has passed in such a lively way, and a new year has begun.
Yuandu doesn't pay attention to staying up late on New Year's Eve. After the New Year's Eve dinner, everyone goes to bed early.
Tomorrow, the first day of the Lunar New Year, I will get up very early to pay New Year greetings.
It was still dark when Zhang Junping was woken up by his two younger brothers.
They can't wait to pay New Year's greetings.
Put on new clothes and come to grandpa's house.
First they kowtowed to their grandparents and paid New Year greetings, then they went to the eldest uncle, aunt, father, mother, third uncle and three aunt. After a round, the second and third children earned several yuan of New Year's money.
Even Zhang Junping made several dollars without getting married and having children.
But that's it, the gifts in Yuandu are not very heavy, and only close relatives will give you lucky money.
After breaking off the whip, eating dumplings, and going out to pay New Year greetings, there was no new year's money to take.
Grandpa and Second Grandpa, who were a little further away, also kowtowed to pay New Year greetings, but they only had peanuts, melon seeds and fruit candies.
However, the children don't care about this. They just want to have fun. Groups of people, in groups of three, five, and more than a dozen, go from house to house to pay New Year greetings.
All you want is fun.
Anyway, children all know that the new year's money is just to warm their hands, and will be taken away by their parents later.
Peanuts, melon seeds and candies are more affordable.