Zhang Jiao has been very busy recently. Through his observation and analysis, the severe drought next year is a foregone conclusion. This is a good opportunity. A large-scale drought will produce a large number of refugees, as long as they are properly operated, these people will be his new force. He needs to gather the leaders of Taipingdao from various places to unify their thoughts, discuss the big plan, decide when to raise the matter, which areas to focus on, and many other things that need to be discussed. During the period before the Spring Festival, the population flow in various places was relatively frequent. At this time, calling the leaders to the Taiping Mountain Villa would not attract the attention of others.
At this time, Zhang Ning also brought back the news. While in Hejian, Xu Huang did not hide the slightest from Liu Xin according to Liu Xin's orders. 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 happen until the spring of the next year, and that year, he had enough time to make adjustments.
Zhang Ning looked at his father, who seemed to be a little older, and said distressedly: "Father, you are thin again. What is the purpose of doing this?"
Zhang Jiao said awe-inspiringly: "For the common people of the world, what if I am tired. Ning'er, how are you doing in Hejian?"
Zhang Ning thought for a moment and said, "Father, I saw a completely different scene in Hejian. People there live and work in peace and contentment. The prefect Liu Xin has won the hearts of the people, the military-civilian relationship is also very harmonious, and the soldiers are well-trained. Liu Xin's subordinates. The four generals all have the courage to be improper. Zhao Yun and Zhang Xi are not clear to me, but for Dianwei and Xu Huang, none of their fathers are their opponents."
Hearing what his daughter said, Zhang Jiao's expression became solemn: "It seems that this Liu Xin is really a difficult opponent, and we must find a way to get rid of him before starting the incident."
Zhang Ning saw the fierce look on his father's face, and only felt that the father in front of him was a lot stranger. He couldn't help but be surprised, and said: "I heard Xu Huang say that Liu Xin once beat a tiger to death with bare hands. You must not underestimate your martial arts. If you don’t handle it properly, you’ll be surprised.
"Oh, you seem to have a good impression of him. In that case, you can't move him yet, and you have to inform your uncle and them to keep them away from the river in their usual activities." Zhang Jiao looked at his daughter with some surprise. , "Since he can't be removed for the time being, do you think it is possible to let him use it for me?"
"Father, who has a good impression of him?" Zhang Ning said disdainfully, "It is said that he is a Han family clan, how can he be used by us."
"Hehe, who can tell the world clearly." Zhang Jiao looked at his daughter and suddenly laughed, "Ning'er is not young anymore, it's time for you to give you Zhang Luomen's marriage."
Xu Huang's shadow appeared in Zhang Ning's mind, his face was blushing, and he said strangely: "Father, what are you talking about. Ning'er is still young, and Ning'er will be by his side for the rest of his life."
Zhang Jiao laughed loudly: "Daddy has his own opinion on this matter, you are right!"
In recent days, more and more people gave gifts to the prefect Liu. The road in front of the prefect’s mansion was full of traffic and people, so it was so lively. Liu Xin is always willing to come. All his belongings are registered and put into the treasury. He knows that the next year will be a very difficult year, and these belongings will be donated in the presence of these nobles and officials. For the local people.
Xu Huang also returned from Luoyang. This year, Hejian’s tax was paid the earliest and the amount was the most sufficient. Liu Hong praised this, of course, only verbally. To the surprise of calling Liu Xin, Zhang Rang was very happy to receive the gift from Liu Xin, and asked Xu Huang to bring back a cart of New Year goods as a gift.
Zhang Rang is now overwhelmingly powerful, and the New Year is approaching. There are as many people as crucian carp who crosses the river. There are countless gold and silver jewelry. As for the New Year’s goods, there are mountains of treasures and so on, but Liu Xin only sent this." "Chair" is a novelty, and it is comfortable to sit on. Zhang makes Nature feel in a good mood. It is not a trivial thing to reward a few New Year goods.
What worries Liu Xin is that until New Year’s Eve, Dianwei has not returned. It has neither rained nor snowed throughout the winter. The road is not difficult to walk. According to the itinerary, he should have returned more than ten days ago. . But in those days, there was no telephone, no cell phone, no internet, and Liu Xin couldn't send people to look around, so he had to secretly worry.
As the New Year approaches, Liu Xin becomes more worried that the "horse thieves" will take the opportunity to cause trouble. Now all counties have built beacon towers. Originally Hejian belonged to Neijun and did not need defensive facilities such as beacon towers, but "horse thieves" were rampant. In extraordinary times, Liu Xin still allocated special funds from the county treasury for the construction of beacon towers in various counties, and selected the people. Taking turns on duty, even the Spring Festival is no exception.
On New Year’s Eve, Liu Xin, accompanied by Zhao Yun, Zhang Yun, and Xu Huang, took Zhang Jun, Wang Lei, Chen Jin and other officials of all levels to condolences to the soldiers guarding the tower and Simen. These soldiers were also responsible for observing beacon towers in various counties. The task of the situation. All soldiers in the barracks will pay double pay during the twelfth lunar month and the first lunar month. There will be extra meals during the festive days and a small amount of alcohol can be consumed, but there is no holiday. Although "only a thousand days are thieves, there is no a thousand days to guard against thieves", Liu Xin, who has been a thieves for more than ten years, can't understand it better, but the "horse thieves" in front of them are not really "thiefs". "When they go out, they are bandits, and when they go in, they are the people. There is really no good way except for "prevention."
Tonight, Liu Xin took the three families of Tian Feng, Jushou, and Fan Jing to the Prefect’s Mansion. The inner house and the outer house each opened a table, and everyone gathered for a New Year’s Eve dinner. Naturally, the dishes are much richer than usual. What's more unique is that now everyone is sitting around a strange round table, which was also designed by Liu Xin and Ma Yun. The distance between everyone is close, and the atmosphere is very warm after eating.
After dinner, Zhao Yun and Fan Juan brought some children from Tian Feng and Jushou's family to set off firecrackers in front of the door. The firecrackers at this time are actually real bamboo. At that time, there was no gunpowder. The bamboo node was burned, and the air enclosed in the bamboo node was heated and expanded. The bamboo burst and made a "puff puff puff" sound to ward off evil spirits, so it was called firecrackers. The children were running and jumping happily around the "pounding" bamboo, and there was a special fragrance in the air.
Ma Yun also came to the door. She was five months pregnant and her belly was obviously bulging. She looked at this scene and suddenly asked Liu Xin strangely: "The New Year's Eve sticks the door god, why is our prefect mansion still bare on the gate?"
"Yeah, why didn't you post the couplet?" Liu Xin also asked Jushou and Tian Feng strangely. They are literati, so of course they should be asked for this.
"What is the couplet?" Both Jushou and Tian Feng were puzzled.
Liu Xin looked at the inexplicable two people, a little strange, is there no couplet at this time, when did the couplet appear? Can't help looking at Ma Yun, now you make a joke.
Ma Yun was also dumbfounded. Could it be that the couplet hasn't appeared yet? She had no choice but to bite the bullet and explain: "In our hometown, during the Chinese New Year, we use red paper, oh no, it's red cloth, and write the auspicious words on the opposite side and stick it on the door to seek good luck and avoid evil. Happy and bodes well for next year."
As she talked, Ma Yun became excited and continued: "There is a poem: The sound of firecrackers will eliminate one year old, and the spring breeze will bring warmth to Tusu; thousands of families will always exchange new peaches for old talisman. In this poem The Tao and Fu refers to the couplet."
Ju Xie praised: "Good poem! I'm just a little talented, and I want to ask Madam, who made this poem?"
Ma Yun was awakened by Jushou with a sentence, and it was broken. This is the "Yuan Ri" written by Wang Anshi of the Northern Song Dynasty. How can this be explained? I caught a glimpse of Liu Xin with a dazed face, secretly smirked, and pointed his hand to him: "This is my master sitting at home yesterday. I feel it."
Tian Feng applauded: "I can't imagine that adults still have such a literary talent, good poetry!"
Liu Xin was stunned and complained about Ma Yun. I really don’t know who wrote this poem, but it’s definitely not written by me. I know this. If they ask me to write another poem, I’ll feel bad in my stomach. There is nothing in stock. Hurry up and make a haha: "Don't talk about this, hurry up, find two red cloth strips, and ask the two gentlemen to write a couplet. Well, just write: Firecrackers leave the old year, Taofu welcomes the new year."
Thus, the first pair of spring couplets in the world was born. Looking at the pair of red cloths hanging on both sides of the door, Ma Yun smiled contentedly. Everyone also dispersed. Tian Feng and Jushou took their families back to their homes, and Jia Zhangluo hung the couplets on the door. Zhang Xi 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: "What's the matter, husband, do you want to keep your years old?"
Liu Xin sighed: "Oh, I can't sleep. I always have an ominous premonition that something will happen tonight."
Ma Yun comforted: "Are you worried about Dianwei? He is a big living person, and you are afraid that he will be lost, and there are fifty flying tiger guards following. I think you are also tired during this period of time. Rest early, too."
Liu Xin stroked her hair: "It's okay, you go back to sleep first, I'll wait."
The sound of firecrackers sounded again. It was dawn and nothing happened all night. What Liu Xin was worried about did not happen. Suddenly there was a commotion outside the gate. It turned out that the county officials, large and small officials, gentry and gentry came to pay a New Year greeting to the prefect, and everyone was surprised to see the couplet on the gate of the county mansion. After hearing the story of the couplet, some people had made up their minds secretly, and after returning home, they would draw a gourd in the same way, and put one to hang in front of their door. However, Liu Xin came out and said, this thing is called couplet, also called spring couplet, also called peach talisman. It is only valid when it is hung on the New Year's Eve. If you want to hang it, wait for this year's Eve, everyone can't help but feel sorry.
After more than ten days, nothing happened. Seeing that it was the fifteenth day of the first lunar month in two more days, Liu Xin was still a little worried about Dianwei, but gradually relaxed about other things.
That night, Liu Xin was sitting idly in the hall when a soldier ran in and shouted: "Report! Sir, there is a beacon in the direction of Gaoyang County."