Mr. Guo said: "As the elder wishes, how should the sacrifice be?"
The old man said: "We, the common people, sacrifice no more than three animals, five grains, and five fruits. We offer them to the gods, and everyone kneels down and kowtows. At night, we set up bonfires and sing and dance all night long. This is not the case when we hear the sacrifices of the officials. They set up altars, dig pits, and kill and drain animals. Blood. The common people have not seen it, so they dare not speak nonsense."
Mr. Guo said: "Wherever there is land, there must be a community. May I ask where the community in Guanyi is?"
The old man said: "About two miles from the west gate, there is Bai Ai Ran. This is the community of my city."
Mr. Guo asked: "When should we offer sacrifices to the community in the city? Why should we offer sacrifices?"
The old man said: "There is no set date for social sacrifices, but they are sacrificed when there is an occasion. They may be family sacrifices, clan sacrifices, or town sacrifices, and the shapes are different. Dasuo is just offering three animals, five grains, and five fruits, and everyone bows and worships them. "
Mr. Guo asked: "Who is the chief priest in the city?"
The old man said: "The person who presides over the sacrifice is naturally the elder. The eldest person in each family. For example, in our family, the old slave is the eldest, and he is the elder. All those who perform sacrifices in the family are in charge. The chief only takes charge of family sacrifices, and is not as good as the one in the city."
Mr. Guo said, "Uncle Guan is quite capable, isn't he?"
The old man said: "In Guan Bo's sacrifice, it is common for the wind and clouds to change color and be shrouded by auspicious clouds, which is also a god!"
Mr. Guo said: "Who is next?"
The old man said: "There may be one or two that are similar to each other. They may be effective or not effective, but they are not as good as each other."
Mr. Guo took out the money from his arms, counted out sixty coins, handed it to the old man, and said: "This is where the six of us will stay today. I hope the elder will accept it."
The old man excused himself: "The doctor is here. How can we dare to value the blessings of the common people?"
Mr. Guo said: "The city was besieged by soldiers and it was difficult to make a living. Now we are willing to manage the common people in the city. The elders should take the value appropriately as the basis of management." He put the money into the old man's arms, counted out six more coins, and said : "If you add a meal at night, I hope the elders will prepare it."
The old man's eyes were actually wet, and he choked with sobs as he said: "If this, if this,... how can a humble commoner be so embarrassed!"
Mr. Guo said: "It is also the sacrifice of Yueming. I hope the elders will assist in the sacrifice."
The old man said: "I would like to offer you my humble concubine!"
Back in the room, everyone took out their money and handed it to Mr. Guo. Mr. Guo said: "How can we get a lot?"
Zheng Anping said: "Maybe it can be used for other purposes, sir, hide it." Mr. Guo thought about it for a while, then accepted it and said, "If there is more, return it."
Sitting on the Datong bunk, Mr. Guo asked everyone: "What do you mean by the Yueming Festival?"
Zheng Anping said: "As long as you follow your Majesty's wishes, how can you have him?"
Xiaosi said: "Brother Zheng's words are correct. We are just about to watch the Wang family's sacrifice ceremony. It will be a glorious event!"
Brother Su and Brother Quan also looked very excited and said: "It's not difficult to dig a hole in the altar. We are just trying to show off the majesty of the Wei Dynasty and prevent the common people from infringing."
Cao Bao said: "When you enter the country, you ask about the taboos. When you enter the country, you ask about the customs. When you enter the country, you ask about the taboos. This is etiquette. Although the king's etiquette is still high, it should not be inferior to that of the common people. It is the king's intention that the sacrifice of the moonlight should be combined with the village sacrifice to regain the spirit of the royal family. "
Mr. Guo said: "That's what Mr. Cao said. If you manage a country for a hundred years, the gods will be blessed, so you shouldn't take it lightly. The sacrifices may be uneven, but they shouldn't be discarded. Therefore, you should seek the method carefully to win the heart of the gods."
Zheng Anping asked: "How do you get the method of offering sacrifices?"
Mr. Guo said: "The person who presides over the sacrifice in Guanyi is the city lord. The person who presides over the sacrifice in each family is an elder. Every day, I visit the elders and the city lord to ask for their sacrifice method."
Xiaosi said: "I think the city lord is sincere and difficult to accept. If you ask him, you may not get it."
Mr. Guo said: "Among the elders, which one is Yiyu? The sacrificer is not something that comes from the outside, but is born from the heart."
Zheng Anping said: "Sacrifice as if you are here, offer sacrifices to gods as if gods are present."
Mr. Guo said: "The master's words are true. The master said, if you don't offer sacrifices, it's like not offering sacrifices."
Zheng Anping said: "That's why a wise man must receive blessings from his sacrifices. Whoever is above should be obedient to ghosts and gods, outwardly obedient to the emperor and elders, and inwardly filial to relatives. Only the wise can prepare the sacrifices, and then they can offer sacrifices. Your Excellency Prepare for the highest virtues, and all sacrifices will be successful!"
Mr. Guo praised the festival and said, "You are so sincere. This is what you said. Therefore, your Majesty will definitely want to show your dignity by offering sacrifices from the people of the city."
Zheng Anping said: "Sir, do you want to follow his wild sacrifice ceremony?"
Mr. Guo said: "We don't just follow it, we also want to make it bigger. Sacrifice jade and silk, and make altar ridges, all have to be added to show our sincerity."
Zheng Anping said: "I already know a little about what you mean. I will visit the elders every day and ask them for the way to sacrifice. I will consider the increase or loss as a courtesy."
Mr. Guo said: "However, there is a sequence of etiquette. If you visit on the same day, you must first visit the city lord and then the others."
Zheng Anping said: "On the next day, all the officiating priests will go to the outskirts to inspect one by one, express their own opinions, and follow the good ones."
Mr. Guo said: "The young master's words are in line with the emperor's policy. From now on, the master will take charge and we will assist."
Zheng Anping said: "How dare you, sir? Sir, I should take the lead, and ministers and others will assist you."
Mr. Guo said: "It's not us who dare to resign. The young master is in charge of the order and is responsible for the sacrifice. Besides, the young master is skilled in the sacrifice method, so there will be no mistakes."
Zheng Anping said: "I dare to say that I am skilled in sacrificial techniques, but I can't force myself to recite the old poems."
Mr. Guo said: "When the young master was in Xiang, did he practice etiquette?"
Zheng Anping said: "In addition to poems and books, there are only three or five chapters on etiquette."
Mr. Guo said: "This is God's help."
Zheng Anping knew that now he was completely pushed to the front line, and he couldn't retreat even if he wanted to. He couldn't help but regret that he shouldn't have been in the limelight. At this point, there is nothing we can do, not even discussing with Zhang Lu. Let’s wait and see what happens tomorrow!
The next day, the city lord came over early and invited six people to come over for dinner.
Under the leadership of Mr. Guo, everyone, headed by Zheng Anping, advanced in order of official position. Mr. Guo, who did not have any title, came last.
After everyone sat down, the city lord first made some pleasantries about being in a remote country, saying that he had wronged the doctor, etc. Zheng Anping expressed his satisfaction with the reception on behalf of everyone. After the leisurely conversation, Zheng Anping said: "When you enter a country, ask about the customs, and when you enter a home, ask about the taboos. This is etiquette. Now I am offering sacrifices to your noble town. I would like to hear about the customs."
The city lord said: "How can a sacrifice made of wild grass from the countryside be considered a sacrifice in a great country? I hope you don't care about it."
Zheng Anping said: "How can you manage a city and establish it for hundreds of years without blessing? The person who presides over the sacrifice must be virtuous, and the people of the city are sincere. Don't ignore it. The person who offers sacrifices does not come from the outside, but is born from the inside. You must also get it. The hearts and minds of the people reach up to heaven to listen. May the city lord clearly show his way, and the ministers will be willing to follow it, expand it and spread it, and they will not dare to betray it."
The city lord said: "The doctor's words are in line with the sacrificial method. There is no other sacrifice in my city, but sincerity. Whether it is chickens or fish, whether millet or fruits, as long as you put your heart into it, there is nothing that cannot be sacrificed."
Zheng Anping said: "You are sincere! I hope the city lord will reveal his condition in detail. Fortunately, the blessings will come from the city lord's power."
The city lord said: "Wei Shuan is the lord of the city, but there is a sacrifice, and there is no fixed method for how to do it independently. But according to what is being sacrificed, consult the elders and control it easily."
Zheng Anping said: "That's true, I would like to invite all the elders!" He bowed down on his seat.
The city lord felt the pressure and hurriedly avoided the table and returned the greeting: "I accept the doctor's order!" He went down to the hall and called a son and asked him to invite the elders, but he said that he would strictly control the visiting customs.
After a while, the elders arrived one by one. When each elder arrived, Zheng Anping knelt down to greet them and asked questions diligently. The city lord introduced them one by one. The elders either responded thoughtfully or were somewhat in agreement, and were led by the city lord to sit on the main seat.
When the city lord signaled the elders to arrive, Zheng Anping asked: "Now, Lord Xinling is offering sacrifices to your noble town. I am afraid that the customs and taboos may be different, so I have specially ordered my ministers to consult with the city lord and the elders. Up and down are in harmony, and both humans and gods are at peace. May the elders teach me!"
As soon as Zheng Anping finished speaking, one of the people in the seat immediately replied: "I was just about to see how Lord Xinling's sacrifice was going to be, but why did you ask me instead?"
When he suddenly encountered an unreasonable attack, Zheng Anping suppressed his displeasure and said: "When Confucius entered the Ancestral Temple, he asked about everything. It is not a matter of courtesy for Confucius to ask questions. If you have any doubts, ask the three elders. The great affairs of the country are sacrifice and military affairs. Jun The purpose of entering the administration is not to seize people's land and destroy people's ancestral temples, but to govern the people in accordance with the sky. The construction of the city is hundreds of years old, and it must have divine blessings, so I don't want to abolish it. Therefore, I ordered the ministers to visit diligently. , it will be suitable, and the people will be blessed."
An older elder responded and said: "You have to endure the hardships of being in the grass. You are sincere and wise. When you come in, ask about the customs and etiquette. But we, the wild people in the grass, don't know how to sacrifice. Burning, burning, and burying are the only way to show off." There are rules for peace of mind. No matter how much the doctor asks, there is nothing he can do."
Zheng Anping said: "I am asking someone, how many gods govern the city, and what are they dedicated to each one?"
The city lord said: "The most revered god in Guanyi is Uncle Guan, or Guanzu. He has no plant and no place, so he is built on a stubborn stone. He is worshiped every year. The second one is the society. Two miles outside the west gate of the city, there is a cypress Airan. , that’s it. Again, pipes are sacrificed by merchants in this industry. The rest of the sun, moon, stars, mountains in all directions, and those who may be sacrificed are not the whole city. Most of the sacrifices are the same, and each family does its part. He used his strength to produce sacrifices, whether animals, grains, or fruits. Even the poorest people could get a piece of water. In addition to enjoying the gods, all the sacrifices were put into a cauldron and cooked together. Each household received one of them, and its name was Sanfu. "
Zheng Anping said: "Is there anyone who offers sacrifices to Guanzi? Is there anyone who offers sacrifices to the God of Ji?"
The city lord said: "Many of the people in charge of me call them Guanzi, and I offer sacrifices to them in order to get more wealth. But the God of Ji has not heard of this?"
Zheng Anping said: "The real estate is prosperous, so why not sacrifice it?"
The city lord said: "That's true, but there are few farmers in the city, and there are only three or five families who worship regularly."
Zheng Anping said: "I heard that Su Yinong, the lord of the city, must sacrifice him."
The city lord said: "Yes. Our city is called the Grain God. During the harvest in autumn, whether it is bean sprouts, millet, dates or peaches, we must have a bottle of wine and sacrifice it in the south acres. But if we don't spread the blessings, we will all be blessed." It fell to the ground and was mixed with wine."
Zheng Anping said: "Your Majesty, the one who presides over the ceremony is only praying for the people. If the elders have other people to pray for, they are willing to teach them. You should only pray for blessings, not to avoid disasters, especially not to curse."
An elder said: "The worship of Guan Zu is done at home and not in the field, but only for public worship. The city lord is the main worshiper and the elders help. The worship of Guan Zi is also done by each family, not public worship. The worship of the Grain God is also Family worship."
Another elder said: "The sacrifices we offer in our city are nothing more than the two shrines of Spring and Autumn. On the vernal equinox, we offer sacrifices to Guan Zu, and on the autumnal equinox, we offer sacrifices to the gods of the shrines. Now, in addition to the main sacrifices, your Majesty should add another sacrifice. You should have something to ask for." It's not a serious sacrifice. May I ask what you are asking for?"
This sentence stopped Zheng Anping from asking. He didn't know how to answer, so he turned his head and looked at Cao Bao. Cao Bao closed his eyes, indicating that he could not answer. Mr. Guo, who was in the last seat, sat up and said: "Guanyi returned to the Wei Dynasty for the first time, and Lord Xinling first took over his land. His sacrifice was to call to the heaven, earth, mountains, rivers, sun, moon and stars that Lord Xinling should live in his land and pray for his blessings." Of!"
