July 15th is the Hungry Ghost Festival. All the soldiers in the military camps, except those who are ordered to take turns, take a three-day leave to go home to visit and worship their ancestors.
According to Zhang Cheng's order, each sergeant on leave received some pork and mutton according to his official position, with the minimum being half a catty, while the soldiers who were left on duty had a whole sheep slaughtered in the military camp.
In the early morning, Zhang Cheng, his mother, aunt, and cousin Zhang Lifang paid homage to his uncle Zhang Cheng from afar, and placed offerings and fruits in front of the memorial tablet.
At noon, he led the Kaiping Guard officers to the City God's Temple in the city to worship, and presented the tallest and largest spring wheat ears picked from the fields, in order to pray to the City God to bless this year for a good year.
In the evening, Zhang Cheng was escorted by the two sisters Liu Ying and Liu Yan, and together they went to Zhenwu Temple, two miles south of Dushikou Fort City. Lin Fangping led four personal guards beside him.
Because today is the Ghost Festival, the temples inside and outside the city are crowded with people. From time to time, there are a few river lanterns floating on the streams. They are of different sizes and shapes. They follow the streams and eventually gather in the Baihe River and flow down the river. , drifting further south.
There were also the most people inside and outside the Zhenwu Temple, and opera was being sung on the big theater next to the temple. Liu Yan walked in front of a dough-making stall and was unwilling to leave. Zhang Cheng had to buy two lifelike ones with her. Only when you meet someone can you move on.
When everyone came out of the Zhenwu Temple, Lin Fangping and his bodyguards already had dough figures, candy figures, and a lot of various small ornaments in their hands. Everyone had their hands full and had something for each.
After they listened to the opera for a while, Liu Ying proposed to put river lanterns in the Baihe River. It was rare for Zhang Cheng to accompany the sisters out for fun, so he would not stop them, so everyone left the theater and headed for the Baihe River.
From a distance, you can see the lights in the White River, reflecting the twinkling stars in the sky. The White River in front of you is full of lights flashing up and down. It is particularly beautiful under the bright moon.
"General, I want to put up that big river lantern." Although Liu Yan is small, she has a big heart, and she fell in love with the biggest river lantern at a glance.
Zhang Cheng smiled and shook his head: "You, that river lantern is almost bigger than you."
Everyone walked forward with a smile. Zhang Cheng gave Lin Fangping a look, and he stepped forward and took out some silver to settle the bill with the boss. Here Zhang Cheng said to Liu Yan: "The biggest one is yours, what do you wish for?" Just write it on the lamp.”
Seeing Liu Yan trotting happily over, Zhang Cheng turned around and said to Liu Ying: "My dear Ying'er, please choose a river lantern that you like."
Liu Ying looked at Zhang Cheng with a pair of charming red phoenix eyes, and said tenderly: "The slave family wants the general to help me choose one, is that okay?"
Seeing Liu Ying's shy look, Zhang Cheng couldn't help but feel a little drunk. He held Liu Ying's little hand tightly with his right hand, walked forward, chose a pink river lantern, and whispered in Liu Ying's ear: "This I have no choice but to be as pink and tender as my orioles."
Liu Ying leaned her body against Zhang Cheng's strong body and said softly, "I will serve the general tonight, okay?"
Zhang Cheng lowered his head slightly, looked at Liu Ying's pink little face, and said softly with an evil smile: "No, general, I want to hug you tonight and fight with the two heroines until dawn!"
Liu Ying's face turned red with embarrassment. She stretched out her little hand, grabbed the pink river lantern from Zhang Cheng's hand, and walked slowly to the Baihe River. Looking at the graceful figure, Zhang Cheng couldn't help but I remembered the beautiful lady I had seen in the palace of Wu Langzhong in the capital.
After letting go of the river lanterns, the sky was getting dark, so Liu Ying and Liu Yan got on the carriage and ran back to Nanguan. Zhang Cheng held his children tightly in his arms in the carriage, laughing and teasing them.
Although the sky has dimmed, Dushikoubao Nanguan is full of colorful lights. Since Zhang Cheng took charge of North Road, the business here has become much more prosperous than before.
As the exiled military households were recalled, the number of people inside and outside the castle was increasing. In the past two months, many workshops had started working in Akagi, Yunzhou, and Dushi, especially in Yunzhou.
Military households work in these workshops. Unlike joining the army, wages are not calculated until the fourth month. They are paid monthly. Many people are the first batch to work in the workshops. They have already received two months of wages. of ICBC.
When you have money in your hands, you naturally want to spend it. And although Mongolians from the border areas have secretly come to trade monoliths before, they are still more or less underground, mostly secretly, and they don't dare to show up openly.
However, after Zhang Cheng eliminated the forces of Xue Liangqing, Wu Youlu and others, he boldly announced that as long as the Mongolians outside the border did not bring ordnance and registered their population at Beizha Pass, they could trade freely at Dushi South Pass.
To this end, rows of collapsed houses, stables and warehouses were built outside Nanguan for them to stay and store goods. At the same time, Zhang Cheng also clearly informed these Mongolian caravans coming to trade.
As long as there are horses, silver, wolf skins and other furs, any goods can be traded with them, even iron materials and even iron tools are not a problem. Of course, the more prohibited goods are, the more good war horses are needed in exchange.
What Zhang Cheng needs most now is war horses, followed by various furs. After all, the army cannot all be made of iron armor and iron shields. For many sergeants, leather armor and shields are more suitable. As long as there is enough fur, it is easier to make.
The carriage entered Yong'anmen and walked on the street. Although it was not as noisy as Nanguan, Yong'an Street was still bustling, with bright red lanterns in front of the shops along the street.
Rows and rows of red lanterns lit up the entire market. Shouting and bargaining voices came from time to time. There were also the sounds of children chasing and laughing. People were coming and going on the street, which was actually a bit more lively than during the day. .
Zhang Cheng sat in the carriage and listened to the hustle and bustle of the market outside, but his hands did not stop at all. He kept tossing the Yingying Yanyan who was in the carriage with him.
When the carriage stopped in front of the General's Office, the two sisters Liu Ying and Liu Yan were already squealing and panting. Suddenly, they heard a slightly childish voice from outside the carriage: "Zhang Chengfang respectfully welcomes his adoptive father back to his home."
Zhang Cheng then let go of the two sisters in his arms and asked loudly: "Is that Cheng Fang and my son outside the car?"
"It's Chengfang. The sons and daughters roasted a lamb tonight. I would like to ask if the adoptive father is free to have a feast with the children." Zhang Chengfang bowed politely outside the car and replied loudly.
Zhang Cheng watched the Liu sisters in the carriage all night, and then said loudly: "That's fine, Fang Ping, let's bring the carriage directly into the martial arts arena. Tonight, I will have a feast and drink with the children."
Just as the carriage started to move, Zhang Cheng called it to a halt again. He raised the curtains and stuck his head out and asked, "Chengfang, are there also roasting sheep at the Jianfu Camp?"
Zhang Chengfang followed the carriage and replied: "Reporting to my adoptive father, the Jianfu camp is also roasting sheep. They roasted two extra sheep to raise. The pro-military department is also roasting sheep."
Zhang Cheng turned back to Lin Fangping and said: "Fangping, go and ask Su Zhenxiang to ask the two ladies to see if they can go to the martial arts field to eat roast lamb together."
