The second day of the second lunar month is commonly known as the Qinglong Festival, which is also the day when the legendary "dragon raises its head". It is a traditional festival of the Chinese nation, also known as the "Spring Plowing Festival", "Farming Festival" and "Spring Dragon Festival" , "Dragon Head Festival" and so on, people often worship the dragon and pray for rain on this day, so that God can protect the land and harvest.
Historically, it is said that this day is the birthday of the father-in-law of the land, so it is also called "Land's Birthday" in some places to give the father-in-law a "warm birthday". In other places, a "Land Fair" is held, where every household collects money to celebrate the birthday of the father-in-law. , go to the earth temple to burn incense and offer sacrifices, beat gongs and drums, set off firecrackers, etc.
As the saying goes, "On February 2, the dragon raises its head, and our small households use cattle to farm."
At this time, when the Yang Qi is rising, spring returns to the earth, and the soil begins to thaw, spring plowing will officially begin at this time, and people must prepare to transport manure for plowing.
Legend has it that as early as the time of Fuxi, the head of the Three Emperors, he had been advocating "emphasis on agriculture, mulberry, and plowing the fields." On the second day of February every year, "the emperor would send food, and Fuxi would do the plowing himself." An acre is three-thirds of a field.
From then on, Huangdi, Tang Yao, Yu Shun, Xia Yu and other emperors all followed the example of their ancestors. Later, during the period of King Wu of Zhou, he not only followed this traditional practice, but also regarded "emperor's personal farming" as a This important state activity was carried out and continues to this day.
Even in the Ming Dynasty, this tradition was still not lost. Every king in the past dynasties would go to the Shanchuan Altar on the west side of the southern end of Zhengyang Gate to worship the mountains and rivers.
Then he was led by Taichang Qing to the middle of one-third of an acre of land. After the plowing ceremony began, the Minister of Household Affairs and the officials of Shuntian Prefecture knelt down to the emperor respectively and presented grass and whips.
At this time, the emperor held a whip in one hand and supported the grass with the other, and plowed the three-thirds of an acre of land three times, while the Shuntian government officials followed behind the emperor to sow the seeds.
Afterwards, the emperor would return the grass and whips to the officials, and then go up to the viewing platform on the north side of the one-third-acre land, where he could watch the nobles and court officials plowing the fields. Among them, the princes and nobles went back and forth to plow the fields five times. , and the six ministers and nine ministers had to go back and forth to cultivate the fields nine times.
In the past, there was a New Year painting called "Picture of the Emperor Plowing the Fields", which very vividly described the scene of the emperor personally plowing the fields, and the limerick mentioned above: "On February 2, the dragon raises its head, the emperor plows the land, and the ministers drive cattle, the main palace The empress always brings food, but the ministers of the court throw away the seeds. In the spring and summer, the world is plowed, and the harvest is abundant and the autumn is peaceful."
It fully illustrates how much people hoped at that time that there would be an enlightened emperor who would personally plow the fields in spring and summer, so that the common people could live a life of plenty of food and clothing!
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Even the emperor and his elders did not rest peacefully in the palace. They also led the princes, nobles and civil and military officials to the Shanchuan Altar to worship the mountains and rivers in order to adapt to the farming season, pray for good weather and hope for a good harvest.
Naturally, Yongning Bo and Zhang Cheng could not turn a blind eye to this. After all, people in this era still believed in gods. Even if it was to win over the people and show his wisdom and love for the people, he would still go to the fields to take the lead in cultivating and praying for blessings. .
As a dynasty founded on agriculture, farming is naturally a major national event, and the plan for the year lies in spring. If there is no plowing in spring, there will be no hope for autumn, so spring plowing is a major event of the year.
Uncle Yongning's wife Ji Xuanzhu also got up early to dress up and get ready, and the General's Office was also very lively, with people making noodles and frying beans very busy.
At this time, groups of people gathered on the streets in the Red Castle, and colorful dragons were danced to create strings of light and shadow, running back and forth on the streets.
And in the early morning, when it was still dark, people from almost every household went out of the city to pick up buckets of water from the Baihe River, then sprinkled a few copper coins into them, sprinkled the water all the way back home, and poured all the remaining water into the water jar. This is called "Si Qianlong".
Now it seems that there are still water stains on the streets that are about to dry up. They are obviously the traces left by those people who acted too late.
Yongning Bo Zhang Cheng also got up early. He came to the house of his wife Ji Xuanzhu and saw the maid Yu Rui. She was instructing several elderly women to prepare moxibustion and incense.
"A Brief Introduction to the Scenery of the Imperial Capital, Volume 2 Spring Field" mentions that "On February 2, when the dragon raises its head, we fry the remaining cakes for New Year's Day sacrifices and fumigate the bed, which is called fumigating insects and attracting the dragon. It flushes out the insects and prevents them from coming out. "
The second day of February is usually around the time of the Waking of Insects and the Spring Equinox. It is the time when spring returns to the earth. The temperature begins to gradually warm up and everything revives. Even many ants and insects that have been dormant in the cold winter begin to show their signs.
At this moment, the activities of various ants and insects, especially some poisonous insects, begin to become more and more frequent. They have been dormant all winter. Once they wake up, the first thing they do is to find ways to look for food everywhere.
Therefore, the activity of ants is most rampant during this period, and many harmful things happen at this time. In order to avoid the poisonous insects as much as possible, people hold widespread deworming activities on February 2nd.
Folk proverbs also say, "On February 2, if you shine on the beams of the house, scorpions and centipedes will have nowhere to hide." On this day, people will take advantage of the darkness to light candles and shine them on the beams and walls to drive away scorpions, centipedes and other poisonous insects. It will fall off on its own when exposed to bright light.
Of course, you can also use sticks, brooms or shoes to knock on the beams, walls, doors, beds and other places of the house to drive away snakes, scorpions, centipedes, mice and other poisonous insects that spend the winter.
Usually when doing these things, they will also recite or sing the long-passed song "On February 2, the dragon raises its head, but the scorpion and centipede do not show their heads."
In addition to getting rid of these poisonous insects, it also smokes the interiors of various houses, especially commonly used tables, chairs, bedding, etc., which not only avoids poisons that may hide inside to escape the cold spring, but also effectively repels them throughout the winter. The stuffy stale moisture.
Ordinary people cannot afford any aromatherapy at home, and even moxibustion seems a bit luxurious. Most of them use cattail grass and common weeds to light and fumigate their houses.
The person responsible for the smoke naturally covered his mouth and nose with wet cloth, and at the same time opened all the doors and windows to allow those poisonous insects who could not stand the smoke to escape.
Under such an environment, people could not stay indoors. They all gathered in the streets and alleys. They followed the dragon dance and stilt walkers, sometimes heading east and sometimes west, adding to the prosperity and excitement of the streets. lively.
Now, in the back hall of the General Counselor's office, Madam's maid Yu Rui is instructing her mother-in-law to use good mugwort to fumigate Madam's room, and the clothes and bedding must be fumigated with fine sandalwood. Madam doesn't like other smells. .
Seeing that she had ordered the ladies to do things, Uncle Yongning asked with a smile: "Yu Nizi, has Madam finished dressing up?"
"In reply to my uncle, the young lady has finished dressing up and is waiting for your arrival."
Listening to her silver bell-like voice, although it was not as gentle and graceful as Ji Xuanzhu's, it still had a different charm. I couldn't help but blurt out, "How old are you, Nizi?"
Yu Rui, a girl with a cherry-like face full of smiles, replied happily: "It's the New Year, Yu Rui is already sixteen years old."
"Um."
Zhang Cheng responded softly and said casually: "Yes, I said you are getting cuter and cuter. It turns out that you have reached the age where you should comb your hair..."
Although his voice was soft, Yu Rui was not far away from him, and when they saw the two of them talking here, other maids and women consciously stayed away, so this place seemed very quiet.
Yu Rui heard Zhang Cheng's words so clearly that her pretty face turned red with embarrassment, and looked even more adorable in Uncle Yong Ning's eyes.
At this moment, an equally clear and sweet voice came: "Who is talking outside?"
Yurui was also startled when she heard this voice. She replied slightly panicked: "Sister Xiuyue, it's me outside."
She turned her head again at this time, her big eyes on her slightly charming pretty face kept blinking, like twinkling stars in the night sky, which actually made Zhang Cheng a little drunk.
"Sister Xiuyue, my uncle is here."
With Yu Rui's reply, the door was pushed open almost at the same time, and a chubby little face was revealed from the crack in the door.
There was a smile on the corner of her mouth, and her two shallow pear holes made her more playful and cute. Before she even came close, she bowed deeply to Zhang Cheng and said, "It turns out that my uncle has arrived. I will report it to the young lady right now. "
As she spoke, she turned around. Zhang Cheng looked at Xiu Yue's tall and graceful back and sighed softly: "I have grown up, I have grown up so damn much!"
"What did uncle say?"
After Yurui asked, Zhang Cheng came to his senses and thought to himself: "What happened today? It seems like a sperm has got into his head."
But naturally he couldn't say these words to the little maid Yu Rui, so he shook his head and said to her: "No, I didn't say anything."
Yu Rui also very obediently stopped asking questions and said to Zhang Cheng from the side: "Uncle, please come into the lady's room for a glass of water."
There was a slightly weird smile on Zhang Cheng's face, and he took another step closer to Yu Rui, his eyes staring brightly at Yu Rui's beautiful little face, he licked his tongue and said, "No. Just talk to me here."
The little girl Yu Rui had never seen such a scene before. Her beautiful and fair face immediately turned as red as a ripe apple, and she hurriedly stepped back.
But in her panic, she missed her foot, and her whole body fell backwards involuntarily. Zhang Cheng rushed forward, grabbed Yu Rui's catkins with his left hand, and used his strength to pull her towards him. At the same time, His right hand reached out and was hugging her willow-like waist.
"ah!"
Yu Rui blurted out with an exclamation, and she was already in Zhang Cheng's arms. This change came too quickly, making the beautiful little girl who was not deeply involved in the matter very shy, leaning on Zhang Cheng's arms and looking like a Looked at a loss.
Zhang Cheng originally came to pick up his wife Ji Xuanzhu to attend the plowing ceremony outside the fort today, but as he was busy with military affairs for days, the moment he saw Yu Rui's shy attitude, he couldn't help but make some teasing remarks.
But he never thought that Yu Rui would miss the mark. It was purely an accident that he held her in his arms now, but now that Yu Rui is warm and fragrant in his arms, he can't bear to let her go.
One of them was biting her pink lips shyly, while the other one had a heart beating wildly, breathing rapidly, and his blood was gushing. Even his handsome eyebrows and handsome eyes were slightly bloodshot.
The sound of heavy breathing and the breath of male hormones hit Yu Rui's shy and tender face, invading through her mouth and nose, and penetrated straight into her heart.
The sound of "squeaking" the door opening came, but stopped instantly.
"Yu Rui, go to Jia Ma's place and ask her to come quickly with the young master in her arms."
Ji Xuanzhu's words made Yurui wake up instantly and gave her a good reason and excuse to get out of this embarrassing and indecent situation.
"Yes, miss."
Sure enough, Yu Rui quickly escaped from Zhang Cheng's body, whispered back, and ran away as fast as she could.
Zhang Cheng also saw Ji Xuanzhu at this time, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of regret in his heart: They have given birth to a baby for us, and we are still thinking about their personal maid, so damn shameless.
However, Ji Xuuzhu seemed to be giving a few instructions to Xiuyue, who had just come out, and then walked towards him alone. After she stood in front of Zhang Cheng, she softly said softly: "Husband, why should you be impatient? Yu Rui is mine." The dowry maid will be yours sooner or later, but there are a lot of people in this courtyard talking, and if you are not careful, the gossip will be spread, which will damage your husband's reputation. "
When Zhang Cheng saw her saying this, he knew that the matter could no longer be explained. Moreover, once the two sides confronted each other, he had made frivolous remarks, which was hard to escape the suspicion of teasing, so he stopped explaining immediately.
He smiled and stepped forward to hold Ji Xuanzhu's hand, and said softly: "What kind of virtues have I cultivated in my previous life, so that I can have such blessings in this life and be able to marry a virtuous woman like Madam."
Ji Xuanzhu took advantage of the situation and grabbed Zhang Cheng's hand, and said softly: "I only have these two dowry girls around me. They have been with me since they were children. They are as close as sisters. I will not treat them badly."
She turned her head and winked at the door, then turned around and walked forward with Zhang Cheng. As she walked, she continued: "Yu Rui and Xiu Yue have been accompanying me to marry into your Zhang family since then. From that day on, I have been ready to move in together, and the rest depends on when you are in the mood."
When Ji Xuanzhu said this, he seemed to sigh softly, and then continued: "But I thought you took in two girls just to relieve the depression in the army. How could I have thought that you would be like this after you got married? Whenever I go to war, I will definitely bring back a woman as beautiful as a flower and a jade!"
Her words were so straightforward that Zhang Cheng looked ashamed. Although no woman was obtained through other means, it was true as Ji Xuanzhu said, every time he went to war, he would bring back a woman. This seemed to have become a It is Yong Ningbo’s standard equipment.
"dare you laugh?"
Seeing the sneer on Zhang Cheng's face, Ji Xuanzhu couldn't help but laugh angrily. She lightly slapped Zhang Cheng and then said: "If it weren't for this, I would have advised you to put the two Yurui and Xiuyue together." The girl has checked into the room, so you can keep her by your side so that you can be my companion forever.
I can see your various performances, but I can't make up my mind for a moment. I see that you seem to be interested in Yu Rui today, so why not take this opportunity to bring her into the room first. "
He suddenly stopped when he said this, and stared at Zhang Cheng with a pair of beautiful eyes, as if to see his inner thoughts, and asked: "Husband, do you think it's okay?"
(End of chapter)
