Last year's Spring Festival, Zhu Youcong spent it with his family, and he thought it would be the same this year. However, an unexpected little incident forced him to give up his selfish thoughts. The matter was really small, at least
To the gentlemen, it was a trivial matter.
In the first few days, the porridge shed was crowded with people, but gradually no one came to receive porridge! Zhu Youcong originally thought that his reputation was too bad to scare the people, so he hurriedly withdrew the people from the palace and replaced them with government servants who had been carefully screened by Gu Xichou, but they still disappeared.
Improvement. Could it be that the porridge is too thin? No, you can even insert chopsticks. When Zhu Youcong was determined and asked to distribute steamed buns for a day, several children came, but before they could stretch out their thin
The little hand was taken away by his own adults. This puzzled the government officials and they had to secretly follow the villagers to see what was going on. After visiting several villages, they determined that it was not that the people were not hungry, nor that they were afraid of the people in the palace.
, but the common people who had benefited were very kind and did not want to cause any more trouble to the palace.
Zhu Youcong was so moved that he decided to hold a banquet in Luoyang. In order not to attract too much attention, he informed every household in the village through Gu Xichou in the name of the Luoyang magistrate's office, and the time was set for the 29th of the twelfth lunar month.
When the invitations with large invitation words were delivered to the trembling hands of the tenant farmers, they were so excited that they could not express their gratitude in words. Everyone knew in their hearts who the host of this feast was.
They gave a banquet and also issued invitations to us untouchables who usually face the earth and their backs to the sky. When have we, the common people, enjoyed this kind of treatment? The busiest people were the literate gentlemen in the village who were busy sending off the official errands.
The family wrote the longevity tablet. The common people who were not in a hurry simply put the invitations on the altar table, took out the dried fruits that they were reluctant to eat, burned incense and prayed.
Although Prince Fu's Mansion was large, it was still not possible to hold a banquet large enough to accommodate tens of thousands of people. After much picking and choosing, the banquet venue was finally decided on a large farm in the Prince's Mansion. As soon as the twelfth lunar month entered, the nearby villagers spontaneously
Carrying wood and door panels, he ran over to help the palace servants build the venue.
"Old woman, hurry up, why are you still dawdling?" Mr. Gao from Gaojiazhuang really couldn't understand his old woman. The old couple got up before dawn. Mr. Gao also found out what had been going on all the time.
I put on the robe that was lying at the bottom of the box. But it was almost too late, and I still couldn't get out of the door.
"Come, come, where is the soul? The prince has given you a banquet, why don't we pack it up?" Gao Auntie muttered, while carefully arranging her clothes.
"Okay, you should pack up quickly. We have heard that the people from Yangjiazhuang started rushing here last night..." Mr. Gao was also anxious. The official said on the day that he wanted to go here.
Elderly people in their sixties and above from each village sit at the front tables, and the prince will come to toast in person!
"What? They came here last night?" Aunt Gao stopped when she heard this. Although Yangjiazhuang is the farthest village, they haven't done anything like this! We don't dare to think about the prince's toast, but sit here
The chance of seeing the prince at the front is great! How can we let others take the lead?
"Eh! You..." Uncle Gao was stunned when he saw his old lady opening the curtain in a hurry. Isn't this old lady wearing the same clothes she wore when she got married? She has been looking at her for decades.
I couldn't bear to take it out and look at it, saying it was for my granddaughter to wear when she got married. Not only did she wear the wedding dress today, but she also wore the bracelet that her mother passed down to her?
"What are you looking at? You old thing, why don't you call the fool and his wife?" The anxious Aunt Gao came out and didn't see her son and his family, so she quickly yelled.
"Let's go! The fool and his wife have already taken our grandson and granddaughter to the farm to help!" Uncle Gao looked at his wife who was wearing a heavy dowry and felt that she had really suffered in the past few decades...
"Don't look at me." Gao Auntie's face turned slightly red. She patted her husband and reminded her before leaving the house, "Remember to bring the jujubes at home and give them to the prince!"
On the road leading to Wangfu Farm, people have been rushing in the same direction since before dawn, and their faces are filled with happiness. The young men are supporting the old and the young, holding all kinds of baggage in their hands.
, carrying their elderly elders on their backs; the older girls and younger daughters-in-law wore clothes that they would not bear to wear on ordinary days, and some even took out the cheap rouge they had collected for many years to dress up specially; the children were jumping around under the careful dress of their elders.
, cheering.
A passing scholar stared at the villagers passing by with his mouth open. He really couldn't figure out what was going on. He was going to pay New Year's greetings, but he had never seen so many people leaving the village at the same time, and they even brought their elders with them;
Speaking of fleeing, who has seen refugees still laughing, wearing their best clothes, and dressing up carefully?
"Old man, are you going to attend the temple fair?" When the scholar saw the oncoming man Gao, he quickly stepped forward and saluted. In his opinion, this should be the only explanation.
"Temple fair? What kind of temple fair! Are you from other places, young man?" Although Old Man Gao was a little unhappy at being stopped, he still had the patience to chat with this polite scholar.
"The student is from Yancheng and is here today for a study tour, so I take the liberty to ask."
"I asked you juniors, why are you running so fast? The seats in front belong to our seniors!" Old Man Gao yelled at the team in front of him unwillingly, and then he pulled the scholar and chased after him, "
Let’s go, let’s talk as we go, we won’t be able to find a good place if we’re too late!”
"What? The prince gives a banquet?" The scholar has never heard of any prince giving a banquet to common people.
"Yes, this is the first time I have met an old man in my life!" Old Man Gao was as energetic as a man in his forties, not like an old man in his seventies who could walk faster than a scholar. "
Now it is thanks to the emperor's blessing that such a good prince is sent to our place in Luoyang. Today you are lucky enough to go with me to see what he has to offer!"
"Then the student will take advantage of you!" Looking at this situation, there must be tens of thousands of people going to the banquet today. How much will it cost to entertain so many people at once? The prince of Luoyang? Isn't he the one spurned by scholars?
Are you the lucky king? The scholar immediately showed up and stopped refusing, and followed Old Mrs. Gao on his way.
Entering the farm, the scholar found that the farm was already crowded with people. Of course he was not qualified to go to the front. After being introduced by Mr. Gao, he found a seat and sat down. There were not many dishes on the table, only a few.
A cold dish and two bowls of meat were just enough. But in the eyes of the people, it was already rich enough. Who could eat meat these days? This was a banquet given by the prince. Even a bowl of gruel was already a great favor!
"Oh? It seems that this prince..." The scholar did not move his chopsticks, not because he could not eat such a simple meal, especially the two pots of fatty meat, but because he learned from the conversation with his tablemate.
The news shocked him so much.
"Let me tell you, our emperor is wise. Look at the title of our prince in Luoyang, King Fu! Isn't he the prince who brings blessings to our people!" said the fool, not forgetting to put some food in his son's bowl.
Meat.
"Prince Fu? The prince who brings blessings to the people..." The scholar muttered silently, and suddenly found that the huge manor fell silent, and the people at the same table stood up and looked forward!
"Look! Look! Your Majesty! It's really Your Majesty! It's Your Majesty and the four princes who are toasting to our father's table!" The fool suddenly screamed in a low voice, his red face full of pride!
Who can say that we are untouchables in the future? Didn’t you see that the princes of Ming Dynasty are toasting to our father? When we go back, we must find our husband and record this in the family tree!
Just when the idiot was still intoxicated with happiness, he felt someone tugging on his lapel, and everyone at the same table knelt on the ground. Not far away, a young man with a cheerful smile was walking slowly.
"Everyone, get up. People celebrating the New Year don't have to give so many gifts!" The young man came to Lunzi and the others with his smile still intact, and bowed deeply. "Here, kid, I wish you all a happy New Year!" After saying that, he said:
The guards behind him took the red envelopes and handed them to Lunzi and the others one by one. The children got an extra bunch of candied haws. Lunzi clutched the small red envelope, which contained about five coins, but he decided to go home.
You should treasure it well and pass it down as a family heirloom. This is a red envelope given by the prince, and it was handed over to him personally by the prince!
"New Year's greetings to Your Majesty! Your Majesty is a thousand years old!" Without anyone taking the lead, everyone shouted their simplest and most unpretentious words from the bottom of their hearts.