The Sixteen Kingdoms of the Eastern Jin Dynasty: The Competition in the Central Plains

Xiaohua was sitting on a decorated bed in the east tent, with the Hun maid standing beside her. Seeing Murong Shan come in later, the maid stepped out knowingly and came outside the tent. It happened that the maid who was supporting Xiaocao also came out, and the two maids went to look at the horse in front of the pine tree, and then led the horse back to the stable. At this time, except for the two couples of newcomers, everyone in the two tents gradually walked out of the tents and came to the open space in front of the tents. The two newlyweds were intimate with each other in the two tents, so intimate that it goes without saying.

After about half an hour, the two couples came out of their respective tents one after another. Tao Liao said with a smile:"The two newlyweds have also entered the bridal chamber, and the wedding banquet will begin soon!".

People in the open space came to the west tent one after another. Murong Shan, Xiao Hua, Murong Shui and Xiao Cao stood at the door, welcoming relatives on both sides. Several delicacies with Xianbei characteristics have already been placed on the carved wooden table. Tao Liao and his entourage, including the two brides, totaled fifteen people; the Murong brothers, plus two Hun maids later, totaled nineteen people. Including the two Murong soldiers driving the carriage, there were twenty-one people in total. Tao Liao, brothers Murong, Xiaohua, and Xiaocao sat on the north side of the wooden table, while the others sat around the wooden table casually. Murong Shan arched his hands and said:"We are very happy that all our relatives have come to attend our wedding today. Please taste our Xianbei people's delicacies and drink more of our wedding wine. Because we are short of time, we only have a few kinds of game. It's not respectful, I also want to ask my adoptive father and the distinguished guests from afar to forgive me!"

"Sisters, go get our best 'Jicheng Zui'!"Murong Shan said. Two Hun maids came to the east, opened the cupboard, and took out four jars of wine. The two maids opened the corks and poured some for Tao Liao and Murong brothers, as well as small flowers and grass, and then Then pour it for others. The two maids returned to their seats, and Murong Shui said:"The wedding banquet is about to begin, please ask our foster father and Yue Lao to say a few words! Tao

Liao picked up the pottery bowl and said:"Whether it is an ordinary banquet or a wedding banquet, the Han people pay attention to 'three rounds of wine and five flavors of food'." Although today's wedding was simple, with a small number of people, it didn't look very lively. But in my opinion, this was the most unpretentious wedding. Marriage means a couple living together, isn't it? Come, let's have a drink first!"

Putting down the pottery bowl, Tao Liao continued:"I went to Liaodong from Jiangnan twice, but this second time is different from the past. People from the Central Plains have two sayings,"If we are destined to meet you thousands of miles away, if we are not destined to meet you, we will never meet in the opposite direction." I am very happy to be able to help two newlyweds. Today, I would like to give a pair of couplets to two newlyweds: the first couplet is, the cabin is my hometown, and true love will remain in my heart forever; the second couplet is, the tent is the bridal chamber, and the love between husband and wife is as deep as the sea. Hengbiao is a match made in heaven."

After hearing Tao Liao's meaningful couplet, other people at the scene applauded and cheered. Murong Shan said:"Father, this couplet is so wonderful, wonderful, and wonderful! I hope you will write it down for us and post it on the outside of this tent.

Xiaohua said with some annoyance:"My adoptive father has been very busy these days for our marriage." You don’t know why you ask your adoptive father to write a couplet when you have a glass of wine to honor him!"

"What my wife said makes sense, let me give my adoptive father a drink first!"Murong Shan said, picked up the pottery bowl and drank it all in one gulp. Murong Shui was not to be outdone and said:"I also drink a glass of wine to my adoptive father!"

Xiao Hua and Xiao Cao looked at it and laughed. Xiao Cao said:"That's pretty much it."

Unable to resist the warm welcome, Tao Liao drank two glasses in a row. Then it became lively. The Murong brothers and others toasted each other and clinked glasses, enjoying themselves. The two Murong soldiers and the soldiers brought by Tao Liao, And the two Hun maids, they drank the wine very happily.

Everyone was full of wine and food, and the two Hun maids very consciously went to clear away the pottery bowls and plates on the wooden table. Wooden table The top was also wiped clean, and Murong Shan quietly said to Tao Liao:"Father, the couplet just now is very good, can you write it down and post it outside?"

Tao Liao nodded and agreed to Murong Shan's request to write a couplet. Tao Liao said:"This unexpected wedding of yours is indeed a bit hasty. Due to limited conditions, some procedures were omitted. Now posting a couplet on the outside of the tent can also add some festive color to the wedding. I hope you two will have more children and less quarrels in the future."

Hearing Tao Liao talk about having a baby, Xiaohua and Xiaocao's faces suddenly turned red.

Seeing that their adoptive father Tao Liao was willing to write couplets, Murong Shui quickly brought a brush, inkstone and ink sticks, and Murong Shan brought them in a pottery bowl. A little cold water. Murong Shui took the cold water and began to grind the ink. Murong Shan went to get two pieces of narrow red silk left over from cutting the big red flowers. Tao Liao used scissors to cut the red silk into two pieces, two inches wide and one person. From the tall strip, I cut a small strip two inches wide and as long as an arm, and placed it on the table as a horizontal strip.

Tao Liao stood up and was about to write a couplet, and everyone else also stood up and watched. Tao Liao He took the brush handed over by Murong Shan, dipped it full of ink, and then followed the order of upper couplet, lower couplet, and horizontal batch. He finished writing the couplet in one go, and the people around him applauded and cheered.

"take it! Stick it on both sides of the door outside the tent!"Tao Liao said. Murongshan and others came out to post the couplets, and others followed. After a while, Tao Liao thought they had finished posting the couplets, so he came out to take a look. Tao Liao saw it and smiled:"You two brothers posted the couplets backwards. Got it!"

"Why is it posted backwards, adoptive father?"Murong Shan asked. Tao Liao said with a smile:"After the upper and lower couplets are determined, the key is that the upper and lower couplets must follow the horizontal batch. It’s okay to post the horizontal batch on the door. The horizontal batch is read from right to left, and the first couplet should be posted on the east side of the door."

When the two brothers heard what Tao Liao said, they quickly took off the upper and lower couplets slowly, exchanged them and put them on again. After the couplets were pasted, the Murong brothers read the couplets several times. People returned to the wooden table. After sitting down, everyone's face showed excitement. Not to mention the two newlyweds, their joy and joy were beyond words. Murong Shan said:"Father, you have to leave here temporarily, and you will go north to see us in the afternoon. The great Murong Chanyu. The emperor has official duties, and we dare not let you stay for a long time. We say goodbye today, and I don’t know when we will see each other again. We have one last unkind request, please accept it"

"Now that we are all a family, if you have any ideas or requests, you can speak directly without having to look forward or backward."Tao Liao said. Murong Shan said:"Father, it was you who brought us brothers such a wonderful marriage. We will never forget it. I want to give our possible children a meaningful name before you leave here."