On the first day of the first lunar month, the first thing in the morning is to light firecrackers. This is called "opening firecrackers" to see off the old and welcome the new. After the sound of firecrackers, the ground is filled with red, shining like clouds and brocades, which is called "full house red".
The first day of the first lunar month is also the time to welcome the New Year, also called New Year greetings.
After getting up in the morning, Zhang Cheng and Ji Xuanzhu burned incense together to pay respects to heaven and earth, ancestors, and the New Year God.
Then he rushed to the backyard to pay New Year's greetings to the three old ladies in turn. Ji Xuanzhu stayed behind to chat with the old ladies, but Zhang Cheng hurriedly went out to pay homage to the surveillance eunuch Li Guofu, the military commander He Chongwu, the grain supervisor Qin Shizheng, and Xuezheng. Shao Congyou and others wished New Year's greetings.
After returning to the mansion and having breakfast with the old lady, all the generals under his command came to pay New Year's greetings. Zhang Cheng went to the official hall of the General's Office to receive them.
Ji Xuanzhu, on the other hand, accepted everyone's kneeling in the inner courtyard of the back hall, and sent out red envelopes one after another. Everyone's face was filled with joy.
Not only Zhang Guodong, Chen Dakuan, Jin Yong and others, but also Lin Fangping, Zhang Chengfang, Zhang Jintai and others came to wish Zhang Cheng the New Year one by one. In addition, the commanders and chiefs of the Chicheng Infantry Camp also came in groups to wish the New Year. .
Most of them were veterans who had followed Zhang Cheng into King Wei Qin and had no relatives in Chicheng. Only some of them had brought their families to settle here in Chicheng, while the others had not yet brought their relatives over.
Zhang Cheng left everyone to dine in the mansion. At noon, a banquet was arranged in the official hall, and everyone had another feast.
The second day of the Lunar New Year is commonly known as the "Welcoming Son-in-law Day".
This day is the day when the married daughter and son-in-law return home to pay New Year greetings to their parents-in-law. However, Zhang Cheng has already agreed with Ji Xuanzhu to set off back to the capital on the sixth day of the lunar month, and will only return to Xuanfu North Road after celebrating the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month in the capital. .
It was a quiet day, and Zhang Cheng only spent a warm day with his family in the mansion. It was also a rare leisurely day.
On the third day of the Lunar New Year, the big merchants in Chi Castle, as well as thousands and hundreds of households from some small castles, came to visit Zhang Cheng to wish Zhang Cheng a happy new year. He received them one by one, but he did not let them have dinner in the house.
He was busy until the fifth day of the first lunar month, with people visiting his door every day. Even Wei Zhice, Chi Yuan, Shi Tiegen from Yunzhou, Jin Xinpeng, Yan Qingrong, Chen Zheng, Zhang Guangda and other generals from Dushikou Castle also came to pay him New Year's greetings.
These people all stayed in the Chicheng General Counselor's Office for one night. Zhang Cheng also explained all the affairs and told everyone to strictly guard the North Road when he left, and no mistakes were allowed.
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On the sixth day of the first lunar month, at Chen hour, fine snowflakes floated in the sky again, like handfuls of fine salt thrown down from the sky, crystal clear.
Five carriages were ready in front of the General's Office in Chicheng. Zhang Cheng and Ji Xuanzhu were riding in the same carriage. Wu's cousin and Wu Tingyue were riding in the same carriage back to the capital's home. Sister-in-law Jia, who was in charge, was with Yu Rui and Xiu Yue. The two maids shared a carriage, and the other two carriages contained gifts that Zhang Cheng had brought to Lao Taishan.
Originally, there was a carriage prepared for his wife's uncle Ning Guangyuan, but for some reason this guy refused to leave Dushikou Castle. He claimed that he did not want to betray Zhang Cheng's trust. Not only did he not rest during the New Year, he even went back to the capital to celebrate. I don’t even want to celebrate the Lantern Festival.
Zhang Cheng and Ji Xuanzhu were helpless and had no choice but to leave it to him.
This time he accompanied his wife to her parents' home for the first time. In addition to bringing many gifts, Zhang Cheng also brought fifty personal guards under the personal command of Lin Fangping, and fifty strong women under the command of Sister-in-law Jia. In addition, Zhang Chengfang and Zhang Jin Tai also brought ten soldiers from the boy battalion with him, making the team quite large.
After bidding farewell to everyone, the convoy, surrounded by guards and healthy women, set off slowly against the flying snowflakes and headed south out of Dadingmen.
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Liu Zhongshi, a member of the Thousand Households of Gu Diao Hao Fort, also tried his best to persuade Zhang Cheng to stay when he passed by. However, Zhang Cheng was in a hurry and did not stop in Diao Hao Fort. He just rested for a while and then set off.
Liu Zhongshi met Zhang Cheng once when he passed Diaohao Fort for the first time. Later, when Zhang Cheng was attacked, he passed directly through Diaohao Fort. The situation was delicate at that time, so Liu Zhongshi quietly avoided it.
But now, Zhang Cheng is already a staff general, and he has been ordered by the emperor to supervise the military affairs of the North Road. Anyone with a discerning eye knows that Zhang Cheng will never stop being the admiral of the North Road, and may even become the commander-in-chief of Xuanzhen in the future.
Therefore, Liu Zhongshi naturally worked very hard to curry favor with Zhang Cheng. When he saw that Zhang Cheng was unwilling to stay in Diaohao Fort, he personally sent Zhang Cheng on a journey of more than five miles, and also gave him a large number of special products as gifts.
Before dark that day, the convoy slowly drove into the Chang'anling fortress. Chang'anling guard Liu Shizun had been notified by Lin Fangping before and was waiting outside the fort gate early.
Last time, when Zhang Cheng was passing through Chang'an Mountains, he was attacked in his territory. This made him feel really uncomfortable and felt extremely sorry. He even wanted to lead the army to help Zhang Cheng return to the North Road for revenge, but Zhang Cheng was killed. Cheng refused directly.
After the carriage entered the castle, Liu Shizun stood beside the carriage until Zhang Cheng got out of the carriage and then stepped forward and saluted with clasped fists: "Liu Shizun, guard of Chang'an Ridge, pays homage to General Zhang!"
"Brother, World Honored One, why are you so polite? Come on, come and meet your sister-in-law!" Zhang Cheng said cheerfully after getting out of the car.
Ji Xuanzhu also poked his head out of the car, and Zhang Cheng helped him get off the carriage.
"Liu Shizun pays homage to Madam!" Liu Shizun still bowed and said.
A smile appeared on Ji Xuanzhu's face and he said: "Liu Shoubei, why should you be so polite? The general has asked you to call me sister-in-law, but you have to show off like this."
After she finished speaking, she smiled slightly. This made Liu Shizun feel embarrassed. He lowered his head and secretly looked at Zhang Cheng.
But Zhang Cheng stepped forward, took Liu Shizun's hand, and said, "You and I are our brothers, why do we need to see each other outside? Have we arranged the place where we will stay?"
"Don't dare to be rude about etiquette."
He continued: "Everything has been arranged properly. The commander-in-chief and his wife are living in the general's house. There is no need to worry about their safety. The guards under his command are resting in the barracks in the next courtyard. Food and wine have been prepared. We are calling tonight. Have a good rest, brothers."
"Okay, great!"
Zhang Cheng strode forward and said: "This will cost Brother Liu a lot of money!"
That night, Zhang Cheng, Ji Xuanzhu and other female relatives stayed at Liu Shizun's house, while the guards and healthy women rested in the nearby military camp, where all the best wine and food were available.
Last time, something happened to Zhang Cheng in his territory, which made him feel very sorry and he has always been worried about it. This time, he made preparations in advance. Not only was he well-fed and entertained, but the security was also very important. Don't dare to neglect.
The next day, after breakfast, Zhang Cheng set off. Liu Shizun also knew that he could not stay, so he only briefly expressed his feelings and sent him twenty miles away before he was done.
In the cold wind, the convoy slowly moved eastward under the protection of more than a hundred strong guards. Lin Fangping's guards were in front or behind, exploring the guards in the distance, while the strong women were closely guarding the carriage. Don't dare to leave!
