Zhang Jiao has been very busy recently. Through his observation and analysis, next year's severe drought is a foregone conclusion, which is a good opportunity. A large-scale drought will produce a large number of refugees. As long as it is operated properly, these people will be his target.
A new force. He needs to gather the leaders of Taiping Road from all over the country to unify their thoughts, discuss the big plan, decide when to launch an attack, which places to focus on, and many other things that need to be discussed. During this period before the Spring Festival, the population moves from place to place.
Relatively frequent, summoning the leaders to Taipingshan Villa at this time will not attract anyone's attention.
At this time, Zhang Ning also brought back the news. When they were in Hejian, Xu Huang followed Liu Xin's order and did not hide anything from her. She saw everything she wanted to see and heard everything she wanted to hear.
Both the military camp and the city defense were completely open to her. Liu Xin dared to do this because he knew that the Yellow Turban Uprising would not occur until the spring of the following year, and this year, he had enough time to make adjustments.
Zhang Ning looked at his father, who seemed to be a little older, and said with some distress: "Dad, you have lost weight again. Why are you working so hard?"
Zhang Jiao said righteously and solemnly: "For the sake of the world, it doesn't matter if I am tired. Ning'er, how are you doing in Hejian?"
Zhang Ning thought for a moment and said: "Dad, I saw a completely different scene in Hejian. The people there live in harmony and live and work in peace and contentment. The prefect Liu Xin has won the hearts of the people, the relationship between the army and the people is also very harmonious, and the soldiers are well-trained. Liu Xin's men
All four generals have courage that no man can match. I don't know about Zhao Yun and Zhang He, but Dian Wei and Xu Huang, none of my father's men can match them."
After hearing his daughter's words, Zhang Jiao's face became solemn: "It seems that this Liu Xin is really not an easy opponent. We must find a way to get rid of him before the incident starts."
When Zhang Ning saw the ferocious look on his father's face, he felt that the father in front of him was a lot stranger. He was shocked and said, "I heard Xu Huang said that Liu Xin once killed a tiger with his bare hands. This man
Don't underestimate your martial arts skills. If you don't handle it well, it will scare the snake."
"Oh, you seem to have a good impression of him. That being said, you can't touch him yet, and you have to inform your uncles and ask them to stay away from Hejian during their normal activities." Zhang Jiao looked at his daughter in surprise.
, "Since I can't get rid of him for the time being, do you think it's possible to make him work for me?"
"Dad, who has a good impression of him?" Zhang Ning said disdainfully, "It is said that he is a member of the Han family, how can he be willing to be used by us?"
"Haha, who can explain things clearly in this world?" Zhang Jiao looked at his daughter and suddenly laughed, "Ning'er is not young anymore. It's time for you to marry Zhang Luomen."
Xu Huang's shadow appeared in Zhang Ning's mind, his face turned red with embarrassment, and he said angrily: "Dad, what are you talking about? Ning'er is still young, and Ning'er will stay with her father for the rest of her life."
Zhang Jiao laughed loudly: "Dad has his own opinion on this matter, you are right to listen to him!"
In recent days, more and more people have given gifts to the prefect Liu. The road in front of the prefect's mansion has been busy with cars and people coming and going. Liu Xin did not reject anyone who came, and all his property was registered.
After sending it to the treasury, he knew that the next year would be a very difficult year, so these properties were donated to the local people in front of these nobles and officials.
Xu Huang also came back from Luoyang. This year, Hejian paid the earliest taxes and the largest amount. Liu Hong praised him highly, but of course it was only verbal. What surprised Liu Xin was that Zhang Rang accepted Liu Xin and sent it to him.
Xu Huang was very happy with the gift and asked Xu Huang to bring back a cart of new year's goods as a return gift.
Zhang Rang is now extremely powerful. As the New Year approaches, there are as many people giving him gifts as crucian carp crossing the river. There are countless gold, silver and jewelry. As for the New Year's treasures, there are even more piles of treasures. But only this "
The "chair" is a novelty, and it is comfortable to sit on. Zhang Rang is naturally in a good mood, and it is not a trivial matter to reward a few New Year's goods.
What worries Liu Xin is that Dian Wei has not come back until New Year's Eve. It has neither rained nor snowed all winter. The road is not difficult to walk. According to the itinerary, he should have returned more than ten days ago.
.But at that time, there were no telephones, mobile phones, or Internet. Liu Xin had no way to send people to search everywhere, so she had to worry secretly.
The closer the New Year approaches, the more Liu Xin worries that "horse thieves" will take the opportunity to cause trouble. Now every county has built beacon towers. Originally, Hejian belonged to the inner county and did not need defensive facilities such as beacon towers. However, "horse thieves" are rampant, and in extraordinary times
, Liu Xin still allocated special funds from the county treasury to build beacon towers in each county, and selected electors to take turns to be on duty, even during the Spring Festival.
On New Year's Eve, Liu Xin, accompanied by Zhao Yun, Zhang Hen, and Xu Huang, took Zhang Jun, Wang Lei, Chen Jin and other officials, big and small, to visit the soldiers guarding the tower and four gates. These soldiers were also responsible for observing the beacon towers in various counties.
The task of the situation. All the soldiers in the military camp are paid double pay in the two months of twelfth and first month. During the holidays, there are extra meals and a small amount of drinking, but there is no holiday. Although "you can only be a thief for a thousand days, but there is no one for a thousand."
Liu Xin, who has been a thief for more than ten years, understands the meaning of the phrase "Beware of Japanese Thieves", but the group of "horse thieves" in front of him are not "thieves" in the true sense.
For the people, there really is no other good way except "prevention".
Tonight, Liu Xin brought the three families of Tian Feng, Ju Shou and Fan Jing to the Prefect's Mansion. A table was opened in the inner and outer houses for everyone to gather together for the New Year's Eve dinner. The dishes were naturally much richer and more unique than usual.
What's surprising is that now everyone is sitting around a strange round table. This round table was also designed by Liu Xin and Ma Yun. Everyone is closer to each other, and the atmosphere is very lively as they eat.
After dinner, Zhao Yun and Fan Juan took Tian Feng and several children from Jushou's family to set off firecrackers in front of the door. The firecrackers at this time were actually real bamboo. There was no gunpowder at that time, so they just lit the bamboo joints.
The air enclosed inside expands due to heat, and the bamboos burst and make a "cracking" sound to ward off evil spirits, so they are called firecrackers. The children are running and jumping happily around the "cracking" bamboos.
There is a special fragrance in the air.
Ma Yun also came to the door. She was already five months pregnant and her belly was obviously swollen. Looking at the scene, she suddenly asked Liu Xin strangely: "On New Year's Eve, where is the door god of ours?"
Why is the door still bare?”
"Yeah, why didn't you post the couplet?" Liu Xin also asked Jushou strangely, "Tian Feng and the two are literati, so of course they should be contacted about this matter."
"What are couplets?" Jushou and Tian Feng were both confused.
Liu Xin looked at the two people who were incomprehensible, and was a little surprised. Is there no couplet at this time? When did the couplet appear? She couldn't help but look at Ma Yun, now you are making a joke.
Ma Yun was also confused. Did the couplet really not appear? She had to bite the bullet and explain: "In our hometown, during the Chinese New Year, we use red paper, oh, no, it is red cloth, with neatly written couplets.
Auspicious words are posted on the door to seek good luck and avoid bad luck. It is both festive and a good omen for the next year."
As Ma Yun talked, she became excited and continued: "There is a poem: The sound of firecrackers eliminates the year, the spring breeze brings warmth to Tusu; thousands of households always replace old talismans with new peaches.
The peach and talisman refer to the couplet."
Jushou praised: "What a poem! It's just that I have little talent and knowledge. I would also like to ask my wife, who wrote this poem?"
Ma Yun was awakened by Ju Shou's words and realized that this was "Yuan Ri" written by Wang Anshi of the Northern Song Dynasty. How could this be explained? She caught a glimpse of Liu Xin with a confused face, secretly smiled evilly, and pointed her hand at him: "
This is what my master came up with while sitting at home yesterday."
Tian Feng cheered: "I didn't expect you to have such literary talent and good poetry!"
Liu Xin was stunned and complained to Ma Yun in her heart. I really don’t know who wrote this poem, but it was definitely not written by me. I still know this. If they ask me to write another poem, I will feel terrible in my stomach.
It’s nothing. I quickly made a haha: “Stop talking about this, hurry up, go find two pieces of red cloth, and ask the two gentlemen to write a couplet. Well, let’s write: Firecrackers bid farewell to the old year, and peach charms welcome
new year."
Thus, the world's first Spring Festival couplets were born. Looking at the pair of red cloths hanging on both sides of the door, Ma Yun smiled with satisfaction. Everyone also dispersed, Tian Feng and Jushou took their families back to their homes.
They hung up the couplets on the door. Zhang He and Zhao Yun did not go to the military camp again, but stayed in the prefect's mansion.
Back at the back house, Liu Xin urged Ma Yun to rest early, while she sat in the yard and stared at the stars in the sky. Ma Yun was worried that he would catch a cold, so she took a brocade robe and put it on him, and asked with concern: "Why?
Well, hubby, do you still want to stay up late?"
Liu Xin sighed: "Oh, I can't sleep. I always have an ominous premonition that something is going to happen tonight."
Ma Yun comforted: "Are you worried about Dian Wei? He is a big living person, and you are worried about losing him, and there are fifty elite soldiers of the Flying Tiger Guard following him. I think you are also tired during this period, why not
Also go to bed early.”
Liu Xin stroked her hair gently: "It's okay. You go back to sleep first and I'll wait."
The sound of firecrackers sounded again, and it was dawn. The night was uneventful, and nothing that Liu Xin was worried about happened. Suddenly there was a commotion outside the door. It turned out that the officials, big and small officials in the county, the gentry and the gentry had come to pay New Year's greetings to the prefect. Everyone was watching in surprise.
There was a lot of discussion about the couplet on the gate of the Sheriff's Mansion. After hearing the story of the couplet, some people had secretly made up their minds to follow the same pattern when they returned home and hang one in front of their door for good luck. However,
, Liu Xin came out and said that these things are called couplets, also called couplets, and also called peach charms. They are only effective when hung up on New Year's Eve. If everyone wants to hang them up, they will wait until this New Year's Eve. Everyone can't help but feel regretful.
More than ten days passed, but nothing happened. Seeing that it would be the fifteenth day of the first lunar month in two days, Liu Xin, in addition to being a little worried about Dian Wei, gradually relaxed about other things.
That night, Liu Xin was sitting in the hall. Suddenly a soldier ran in and shouted: "Report! Sir, there is a beacon fire in the direction of Gaoyang County."