Mr. Guo's answer caused a silence in the hall for a while. Mr. Guo seemed to be waiting for the impact of these words to leave a deep impression on everyone. After being silent for a while in the hall, he continued: "If you have people, you have a land. The king must live in his land." To protect its people. Therefore, we diligently seek the way to build a noble city, fearing that we will lose something and cause worries to the people. We copy the sage’s teachings of simple etiquette, interfering with local customs, and being close to the people. We do not dare to be selfish! "
Zheng Anping didn't expect that the atmosphere would become tense in an instant. He had to tell a story to calm down, saying: "In the past, Duke Lu and Duke Jiang were both granted the title of Dongyi. Duke Lu served for government in the third year. Duke Zhou said: "How late?" Lu Gong said: "It will take three years to change the customs and etiquette. Jiang Taigong only reported to Duke Zhou in the fifth month. Zhou Gong said: "What's wrong?" Taigong said: "Simplify the etiquette of the king and his ministers, and then follow it" Its customs. Duke Zhou said: "If your government is not simple or easy, the people will not be close; if it is easy for the people, the people will return to it." The king, following the teachings of the sages and sages, wants to simplify the etiquette and follow the customs. All your ministers, help him!"
The city lord hurriedly took over the words and said: "Your Majesty is a man of good nature, considerate of his subordinates, and does not change customs. I dare not be grateful and kind in order to repay my kindness. I must be sincere and do not dare to be selfish."
Zheng Anping wanted to end the conversation in the hall quickly and said: "Sacrifice is like the presence of gods, and it is a time to criticize before the meal. After the meal, we will go to the suburbs to feel the changes in the world and find out the good and bad signs, and there will be someone who will find his love. At that time Also, I hope the elders will not regard my ministers as stubborn and obtuse, but will give them lessons early to clear my ignorance!"
The city lord bowed down and said, "I accept your order!" He went down to the hall and ordered more meals for the elders, and brought them up one by one. Finally, the city lord saluted and said, "Invite you to a meal!" Everyone started eating together.
After the meal, Zheng Anping asked the city lord to take everyone to inspect the sacrificial place. Several elders claimed to be unwell and left. Seeing that Cao Bao didn't say anything, Zheng Anping didn't try to persuade him to stay. In addition to the six people and the city lord, only four elders followed. Brother Quan and Xiao Si refused to take it easy. They led four horses each and said they could go for a walk as they pleased.
The city lord first brought everyone under the social tree. This cypress tree is so tall that it is completely different from its surroundings. Some traces of sacrificial remains can be seen under the tree. The city lord said: "This is a community sacrifice." He also pointed to a small ditch a mile away: "That ditch is the western boundary of our city. It meanders to the north and becomes the northern boundary."
Zheng Anping has a deep memory of this area. He once shot and wounded a knight who he thought was Qin Swordsman under a bridge not far away. But this was the first time he had a panoramic view of the flow of the entire river and the ancient capital of Guan Guo on the other side of the river. He didn't seem to feel at the time that the two were so close.
The city lord led everyone to the foot of the tree and said: "During each community sacrifice, each family in the village brings two guis to offer offerings, and spreads them under the tree, and the common people place tripods among them. At noon, the villagers gather under the tree, and in order Standing, the minister announced a eulogy and prayed. The elder presided over the ceremony, salute! Gather the offerings from each family into a cauldron, and then cook it together. Everyone in the gathering will get a cup and eat it. The order is to spread blessings. At night, he will get up. A bonfire is set up by the ditch, and everyone is happy. If there are people from other places who wish to come, they will not avoid them. "
Zheng Anping said: "This is a ritual, what kind of music is it playing?"
The city lord said: "How can we enjoy our city far away? If you are capable, you can use a piccolo to play folk music and attract everyone to listen."
Zheng Anping said: "Why gather people?"
The city lord said: "Every head of the family will come to my house at that time and drive all the family members out of the city. At that time, the common people and all the heads of the family will go out of the city, and the ceremony will begin. There is no need to gather a crowd."
Zheng Anping asked: "Are the offerings from each family the same cauldron?"
The city lord said: "Maybe the rate is not bad, but the slight increase or loss depends on the amount of water added."
Zheng Anping asked: "Do the elders have anything to teach you?"
An elder said: "Although each family has two guis, there are actual surpluses and deficiencies. Place them around the cauldron. If there are any deficiencies, return them and make up for them. From the time you set up an offering to the time of sacrifice, you can add more to the offering. Blessed. I only ordered the two elders to guard it. They only prohibited stealing, but he couldn't."
Zheng Anping said: "Can it be withdrawn?"
The elder said: "If I wish to have less happiness and a longer life, I might as well withdraw."
Cao Bao said: "Each family has two guis, and its family may be many or few. The one who is many will gain much, and the one who is few will gain nothing?"
The elder said: "Those who have many will have few blessings; those who have few will have many blessings. Which one gains and which loses?"
Zheng Anping said: "The Master said, if etiquette is lost, seek help from others. Trust is lost!"
Turning to the south, opposite the small city, is a piece of cultivated land, about the size of eight or nine cities. Although the farmland has been cultivated, it is obviously poorly maintained, with overgrown weeds, disorderly paths, and unclear boundaries with the surrounding wilderness. When everyone came to the edge of the field, the city lord stopped at a place near the ditch and said: "This is a place for worshiping the God of Grain. Every time you harvest something new, kill it here and drink it with wine. The whole city can only be reached by three or five households. .”
Zheng Anping asked: "What did you get in Sui?"
The city lord said: "There are thousands of acres of fields outside the city, and only three or five households, only planting millet ears. Every year, we get thousands of stones. If there is no other disturbance, we can barely survive the hunger. But if there is a famine, we can buy grain to help."
Zheng Anping asked: "Where is the place where the city lord is?"
The city lord pointed to the ground and said: "It's about here."
Zheng Anping said: "Since we are still struggling with millet, why can't we see seedlings?"
The city lord was stunned when he saw the question, and then he worshiped: "The teachings of the humble doctor, a humble concubine will miss his life! The sacrifice of a humble concubine is not Dharma, and it is a blessing to the gods! The emperor is like this, but if he doesn't see, he is blind, he is a fool!"
Zheng Anping said: "It's a blessing to be blessed by God. I can get a thousand stones at a year old. I'm blessed to be as rich as a prince!"
The city lord said: "How dare you, a humble commoner! God's blessings are all the virtues of a great man!"
Several elders behind him also seemed to have realized something, and they all worshiped together: "It's all thanks to the doctor's virtue!"
Walking along the city, to the east of the city, a road trampled by countless people runs right in front of you, and in the distance is the Great Wall of Wei.
Zheng Anping said: "Is there no sacrifice in the east of the city?"
The city lord said: "No sacrifices are allowed in the east and north of the city near the main road."
Everyone turned to the north of the city, and the small river that formed the western boundary of the small city lay not far ahead. Mr. Guo, who had been silent all this time, suddenly asked: "I heard that there is a big river north of this river?"
The city lord said: "Yes. That is the river of gold water. It may be said that the virtues of Zheng Min's son were born, and the gold was not received, so he threw it into the river, hence the name."
Cao Bao said: "Go to see it?"
The city lord said: "If you want to cross the river to see it, the humble concubine calls the dog to hold the staff to clear the way. There are insects and snakes on the north bank, and I fear there will be harm."
The few elders who followed him out of the city were already exhausted and retired one after another. Zheng Anping saluted and sent them into the city, where he respectfully said goodbye. The city lord called out his four sons, each holding a wooden stick, to open a road ahead, cross a bridge, and enter the north bank of the river.
If the south bank of the river is still barren, the north bank is simply barbaric. The grass is waist high, and small animals pop out from time to time, indicating that there are few people here. Alarmed by the city lord's four sons, all kinds of small animals jumped out and ran away. After traveling no more than five miles, we arrived at the Jinshui River.
Mr. Guo observed the relationship between Guan Guo’s old capital and this place. Guandu is simply a geomantic treasure land, surrounded by two rivers, almost forming a natural moat. There are large areas of wasteland on the east and west sides. As long as they are cultivated, they will become fertile farmland. And near the intersection of the east of the old capital and the north of the small town, and on the bank of the Jinshui River, there is a small piece of terraced land, which can be used as a place to offer sacrifices.
The group of people stood on the platform, overlooking the surroundings, with a wide field of vision and an unobstructed view of the surrounding scenery. As you can see from above, there are rivers flowing through it on the east and west sides, which are simply dedicated to the land. After crossing the bridge, Brother Dog and Xiao Si let go of the reins and let the horses play freely. He followed the crowd.
Mr. Guo said: "The altar for worshiping the land is set up here. The day before the sacrifice, we hunt with the four rivers as the boundaries. After hunting, we will set fire to the land in the middle of the river in the south of Henan and use it as land for cultivation." Acres. What does the city lord think? "
The city lord said: "I would like to serve you as a doctor!"
Mr. Guo said: "As for the sacrifices of the society, it is necessary to show the appearance, is it okay?"
The city lord said: "We are so scared that we are so virtuous to come here!"
Mr. Guo said: "Mr. has been here for a long time and is familiar with community sacrifices. It is just right! ... The sacrifice of Nanmu should be in charge of its master, and the city lord should be his prime minister! Your Majesty, please give me your praise."
Zheng Anping was also a little frightened and said: "How can I treat him as a minister and praise him as a king?"
Mr. Guo said: "It is the duty of an order to encourage farmers to work on their fields. It is their duty to control the order!"
Zheng Anping had no choice but to respond: "Here you go!"
Mr. Guo said to the city lord: "I will return to Daliang as a humble concubine. I will report back to you and give you a ritual. I hope that the three prisons will be here tonight, and the city lord will put them in prison. I will meet him well."
The city lord said: "The humble concubine should be placed in his own place."
Mr. Guo said: "The three prisons are enjoyed by God, and they must be pure."
The city lord said: "Here you go!"
Mr. Guo said: "The person who sacrificed only had three sons. There is a capable butcher in your town. Can you help me?"
The city lord said: "Zou San, a butcher from a neighboring village, is in the city with his accomplices. Please help me!"
Mr. Guo said: "Good! The three pigs are in the city. Can I see them?"
The city lord said: "The wild people in the countryside are afraid of bumping into the sage."
Mr. Guo said: "This is a matter of sacrifice, so you have to be cautious!"
The city lord said: "I call you to see him."
Mr. Guo said: "I will go and invite him."
The city lord said: "Barbarians, why should you be invited by a doctor!"
Mr. Guo said: "If he is a virtuous person, what's the problem?"
After deciding on the most important sacrificial matters and setting the time for each event in a very specific manner, Brother Quan and Xiao Si gathered their horses, and then the group of people returned to the city with Si'er clearing the way.
After entering the city, Brother Quan and Xiaosi tied up their horses, and everyone took a short rest. The city lord first went to Nilv to inform Zosan that a guest from Lord Xinling's family was visiting. When I was young, the city lord came back, followed by three pigs.
As soon as the city lord finished his introduction, Mr. Guo stood up immediately, bowed his head and said: "I am waiting for a visit to a strong man, so how dare I bother a strong man to come to the door. I heard that there is a strong man in the same place, where is he now?"
Zhi San bowed and said: "The common people are all wild people and dare not see the noble man. The companions push the common people to accept orders under the noble man's seat."
Mr. Guo said: "How many accomplices does the strong man have? How many people are there like the strong man?"
Zhi San said: "The four people traveling together are all stronger than the common people. The common people are the least effective, so we have to deal with it!"
Mr. Guo said: "A strong man was hired to slaughter three animals. Does the strong man have any intention?"
Zhi San said: "Common people make a living by slaughtering animals. How can they dare to quit if they have servants? Do you dare to ask what it's worth?"
Mr. Guo said: "This slaughter is extraordinary. It is sacrificed to the ghosts and gods of heaven and earth. It has too big a prison or a small prison. How can a strong man do it?"
