In the blink of an eye, New Year's Eve came, and from the early morning of that day, the inside and outside of Dapanbao was very lively.
At this time, there were New Year decorations everywhere inside and outside the flag hall. Peach charm boards and general charcoal had been planted beside the door, and door gods were also posted on the two doors.
Jiangjun charcoal is made of red charcoal powder into the shape of a general and placed on both sides of the door. In later generations, it evolved into "makeup".
At this time, Wang Yunhe was equivalent to half a mistress, so she took the initiative to decorate the interior of the flag general hall. Early in the morning on New Year's Eve, Wang Yunhe and a few military women were busy outside, in the yard of the flag general hall. Pictures of the God of Fortune, Judge, Zhong Kui, etc. are posted in the house, which means bringing blessings and driving away ghosts.
There were also eight gold and silver treasures, Western prayer wheels, and dragon-like coins hung on Liu Yan's bed, which symbolized wealth and treasures in the new year.
At the same time, Liu Yan was also wearing a clean red fat coat and a black cloak. He was standing at the door of the main hall of the general flag hall. The flag officer Miao Shao and two Dunjun soldiers were busy at the door. Several people planted sesame straw on both sides of the main door, which symbolizes that sesame seeds are blooming steadily.
After a few people finished, Liu Yan led people to burn firewood from cypress and pine trees in the yard. This was "burning the New Year". Later generations of Hakkas in the south still retained this custom of "burning the New Year".
After Liu Yan and others finished their work, it was already dusk. No one had a formal meal at noon on New Year's Eve. Instead, under the leadership of Liu Yan, the inside and outside of the Dapanbao were cleaned and painted again. Dapanbao suddenly took on a new look.
Wang Jing was also picked up early and settled in the courtyard of the wine shop. At this time, looking at the lively and festive Dababa Castle decorated with lights and colors everywhere, Wang Jing's heart was also filled with joy. He smiled at Wang Yunhe who came over to accompany him after his busy work. He said: "This is a blessed land! New Year's Eve in Dapanbao is much more lively and festive than in Wangjiazhuang!"
Wang Yunhe's smile is as bright as a flower. From childhood to today, Wang Yunhe has been smiling every day. He has never been so happy. After listening to Wang Jing's words, he said sincerely: "This is natural. With Mr. Liu Qi here, we The days to come will definitely get better and better!”
Wang Jing looked at his daughter and sighed: "Yes, it's getting better and better. It would be great if your mother was still alive!"
Wang Yunhe felt grateful in his heart and said: "Dad, there is no need to feel sad. The living people of us are living well, and the deceased will naturally be at peace."
This night is New Year's Eve, and more than 1,000 military households and more than 4,000 people inside and outside Dapanbao all have to watch the New Year's Eve.
This was Liu Yan's first New Year's Eve in the late Ming Dynasty, so he naturally wanted to celebrate it with great enthusiasm, so he ordered Wang Yue, a small flag official, to lead his people to light more than 20 bonfires inside and outside the fort. Shines very brightly.
At the same time, Liu Yan also paid two months more military pay to all the Dunjun soldiers, which was regarded as the "year-end bonus" for the soldiers, allowing all the soldiers to celebrate the New Year at home and not return to the army until after the Shangyuan Festival.
In this way, almost everyone, including every household, was grateful to Liu Yan, and every household was bustling with excitement on New Year's Eve.
At night, heavy snowflakes with goose feathers floated in the sky. With the blessing of the north wind, it kept flying in the air, like countless feathers, dancing up and down. It echoed the flaming red lanterns, window grilles, etc. inside and outside the Dapan Fort. It was so beautiful.
At this time, the general hall of the flag office was already full of people. In addition to Wang Jing, Wang Yunhe and his daughter, Zhao Min, Tan Xiaoda, Zhao Hao, Chu Yunfei, and Xu Le also rushed over. These people None of them have family members, or their family members have long since disappeared, so they all gather together to celebrate the New Year.
As for the small flag officers Wang Yue, Wang Bo, Zhang Yi, Miao Shao, and Xu Ming, they are naturally here. Chen Xun and his wife Chen Jiangshi were originally going to celebrate the New Year at home, but after discussing it, they also brought The New Year goods arrived and they gathered together in a lively manner with everyone.
As for the winery's brewmaster Qian Zao, Liu Yan had appointed him as the deputy director of the winery two years ago. He planned to hand over the winery to Qian Zao's management after Wang Yunhe came over. Qian Zao did not come over tonight, but instead took a group of masters, apprentices, and family members of the winery to celebrate the new year at the winery.
It was already approaching midnight, and everyone had already finished drinking. Liu Yan was also a little tongue-tied. At this time, he picked up the wine glass and stood up. He smiled and said to everyone: "Today is New Year's Eve. I am here to wish everyone a happy new year." May everything go well in the coming year, and I wish our Dapanbao will get better and better!"
Everyone picked up their wine glasses and drank with Liu Yan.
After a while, bursts of firecrackers were heard outside. In the whole Wangjiazhuang, only people were setting off firecrackers in Dapanbao. Liu Yan sent people to buy them a year ago and bought almost half of the firecrackers sold by thousands of households in front of Xiahe Village. When he came back, other Huoludun and Tunbao were very jealous, and even people from Wangjiazhuang Hundred Household Office and Xiahe Village Qianhu Office were jealous.
"It's Chinese New Year!"
The flag officer Wang Yue shouted in a flattering manner, and then ran to Liu Yan and clasped his fists to wish him a happy New Year: "Have a happy New Year, Commander A!"
Only then did the rest of the people react and gathered around Liu Yan to congratulate them on the New Year. Liu Yan also smiled and returned the greetings one by one, and then led everyone to the yard of the general flag hall and set off firecrackers together.
That night, the sound of firecrackers continued throughout Dapanbao. Many people in the surrounding Huolu Dun and Tunbao did not bother to stay up late and looked towards the direction of Dapanbao, just to take a look at how dazzling the firecrackers they had not seen for a long time were. .
The next morning, Liu Yan got up early to wash up.
At this time in the Ming Dynasty, people would get up around five o'clock on the first day of the Lunar New Year, and then continue to set off firecrackers to celebrate the first day of the New Year. Of course, not many people continue this custom now, and only Dapan Only a wealthy place like Fort exists.
Liu Yan put on his cotton-padded clothes and came to the yard. Then he picked up the door bolt while holding it against the door bars, and threw it three times in the yard, euphemistically calling it "dropping a thousand pieces of gold." After we finish, we will go out to pay New Year greetings.
At this time, you need to drink specific wine during the New Year, such as Sichuan pepper wine, Tusu wine, etc. During the Ming Dynasty, there was no such thing as dumplings. At this time, dumplings were called "Bianshi". When making Bianshi, you should put something in one or two of the Bianshi. If anyone in the family eats the silver coins, it will be auspicious this year.
During the Ming Dynasty, the New Year's Eve food consisted of snacks with beautiful meanings, such as longan, lychee, ripe dates, persimmons and other round foods, which symbolized reunion. There is also a special food in the Ming Dynasty - donkey head meat. Eating donkey head meat is called "chewing ghosts". In traditional customs, donkeys are called "ghosts".
Wang Yunhe took care of all these meals. As soon as Liu Yan reached the gate of the general flag hall, Wang Jing and Wang Yunhe rushed over to prepare "bianshi" and other food for Liu Yan.
At this moment, Miao Shao, the flag officer, walked quickly. Liu Yan saw him and smiled and said: "Haha, it seems that I will be the first to wish you the New Year today."
Miao Shao also smiled and clasped his fists to wish Liu Yan a happy New Year, then stamped his feet and said, "It snowed all night, and my shoes got wet when I walked."
Liu Yan sighed: "It's good to have snow. The auspicious snow heralds a good year. We had a severe drought in Shandong last year. How many people were affected and how many people died in various places! Now it's finally snowing. It seems that this year's situation will be better than last year." A lot.”
Speaking of this, Liu Yan felt a little heavy in his heart: The situation is getting better, but this year the Jiannu will rush into Shandong. Will they fight against the Jiannu Tatars then?
Although the expansion of Dapanbao's troops and horses has been basically completed, after the Lantern Festival, the outposts will start training. However, Liu Yan still lacked some confidence in the face of the notorious Tatars who established slaves.
"call!"
Liu Yan then exhaled and said to himself: "Never mind him, just kill the Tatars when they come!"
Over there, Miao Shao said hello to Wang Jing and Wang Yunhe, and then said to Liu Yan: "Captain Jia, Dun Jun came to report just now. A man who claimed to be the medical officer of the inspection department of the ancient town came in the snow with a bag on his back. , said he wanted to see Commander A."
Liu Yan looked happy. He had long wanted to have a medical officer in the fort, but he had never found a suitable candidate. He was preparing to recruit from various places after the Chinese New Year. Today, on the first day of the new year, a medical officer came to his door.
"Let people in!"
"yes!"
Although Liu Yan didn't know why the medical officer came here, he had something to do, and Liu Yan made up his mind to recruit him.
Soon, Miao Shao brought a thirty-five or six-year-old man with a thin build and a sallow complexion. As soon as he entered the main room of the general flag office, the man staggered and almost fell to the ground.
Miao Shao hurriedly helped him, and Liu Yan asked the man to sit down quickly and asked someone to prepare hot tea and meals.
Soon hot tea and a bowl of sorghum rice were brought in. The man didn't think much of it and started eating and drinking. Like a wind and a cloud, a large bowl of sorghum rice and a pot of hot tea were eaten and drank.
Neither Liu Yan nor Miao Shao urged him. When the man swallowed his last mouthful of food, Liu Yan asked, "I don't know your surname, sir. I'm here in such a cold weather. What advice can you give me?"
The man seemed to have returned to his soul. He let out a sigh of relief, then stood up and clasped his fists and said, "I'm in Bao Xuezhen. May I ask if you are Liu Yan, commander of the general banner of Dapanbao?"
"I am Liu Yan."
Liu Yan had just finished speaking when he saw the man who called himself Bao Xuezhen kneeling on the ground and said loudly: "Bao Xuezhen, the medical officer of the inspection department of the ancient town, is willing to ask Mr. Liu to take him in. From now on, he is willing to do his best in Dapanbao. Do your best to serve Mr. Liu Qi like a dog or a horse!"
Miao Shao looked at Bao Xuezhen in surprise, while Liu Yan smiled slightly and said, "Mr. Bao, please get up."
After Bao Xuezhen sat down again, Liu Yan asked: "Isn't it very good that Mr. Bao serves as a medical officer in the Guzhen Inspection Department? Why do you want to join me in Dapanbao?"
Bao Xuezhen explained with a grimace.
It turns out that Bao Xuezhen and Tan Xiaoda are the same kind of people. They are both obsessed with academics and despise interpersonal relationships.
Bao Xuezhen is like this at the Inspection Department in Guzhen. Because he is obsessed with studying medical skills and does not know the ways of the world, he often has conflicts with the inspection department. Moreover, because he can't stand the corrupt officials in the inspection department, he often treats those People ridiculed him, so he was unanimously excluded by the inspection department of the ancient town.
Even Song Gongming's cronies who were on patrol were like this, and they would always find trouble to bully Bao Xuezhen.
In order to have a bite of food, Bao Xuezhen had no choice but to endure his anger in the inspection department of the ancient town until Bao Xuezhen heard that Liu Yan led his troops to defeat the Song family's troops. Not only did they kill Song Long and Zhao Maqun, but they were also safe and sound. After hearing various rumors about Dapanbao, Bao Xuezhen felt the joy of seeing new hope, so after several considerations, he braved the snow and wind to come to serve at the end of the year.
Liu Yan was worried that he had no medical talents under his command. When he heard what Bao Xuezhen said, he laughed and immediately agreed to keep Bao Xuezhen. He planned to let Bao Xuezhen recruit some apprentices in Dapanbao after the Chinese New Year. Serve yourself.
When Bao Xuezhen saw this, he cried with joy. He didn't care about his face at this time and knelt down directly on the ground.
Liu Yan pulled Bao Xuezhen up, comforted him with kind words, and asked Miao Shao to take Bao Xuezhen to settle down first. After the Lantern Festival, he set up a place in the fort as a medical center.
After Miao Shao took Bao Xuezhen down, Liu Yan thought: "I will send someone to bring a message to Song Gongming another day, and ask Song Gongming to transfer Bao Xuezhen's official post, and also check the background of Bao Xuezhen. Is it true?”
Liu Yan thought so, standing at the door, seeing the white snow, his heart was full of hope.
