Three Kingdoms

Exams are exams, and new years are new years.

The place of Sanfu in Chang'an is a bustling scene.

Chang'an and Lingyi are generally considered to be the prototypes closest to the big cities of later generations. Residential areas, commercial areas, agricultural areas, and industrial areas have initially taken shape under Fei Qian's planning, and there is almost no time to stop on the official roads.

Except for the heavy snowfall in the past few days, Chang'an seemed to have slowed down a little.

However, when the New Year is approaching, even heavy snow cannot suppress people's enthusiasm for the New Year.

In the streets and alleys, there are crowds of people everywhere.

Needless to say, there are long queues at ordinary grocery stores, such as grain stores, dried fruit stores, miscellaneous sauce stores, etc. Even the spice and silk stores are full of people coming and going, and business is booming.

Even those who have lived a tight life in the past year still managed to squeeze out some money to buy some things during the New Year, such as making some white bread and dumplings, or grabbing some cloth to buy clothes. Even if they couldn't afford cloth, Also find some scraps, or half of a red headband, etc. Anyway, when the New Year comes, there is always something new to wear.

Talking about dumplings, they actually existed a long time ago. After all, Fei Qian, a greedy guy, has invented dumplings, so he definitely has no reason to let go of dumplings.

There is a theory that the origin of dumplings is related to Zhang Zhongjing. It is said that the original name of dumplings is "Jiao Er". In order to help poor people heal their frostbitten ears, Zhang Zhongjing wrapped the cold-repelling ingredients in dough to look like ears and made the cold-repelling Jiao Er soup. Later, people imitated the Jiao Er soup. The way to make food is to turn it into dumplings.

In fact, just listen to this statement.

Just like how steamed buns evolved from steamed buns, dumplings also evolved from wontons. It has nothing to do with Zhang Zhongjing or Er Er, it's just to find a place to start.

The evolution process of dumplings from wontons is very long, and the name has been changed many times, from "Lao Wan" to "Bian Shi", and then from "Dumpling Bait" to "Fan Jiao". In Feiqian, it was not changed to dumplings. Before, it was also called "Crescent Wonton".

If Fei Qian had not entered, this thing would have been renamed "jiaozi" in the Song Dynasty, and it was not really called "dumplings" until the Qing Dynasty.

For the New Year, a little white flour, a little meat, a little vegetables, the joy of reunion and the expectation of the New Year are all included in the food, which has become a busy matter for every household like Sanfu in Chang'an.

Because there is a certain scale of poultry and livestock breeding, meat is not so scarce in the Sanfu area. In addition, on both sides of Sanfu, there is Longxi on the left and Hedong on the right, both of which are connected to the livestock land, so Beef and mutton are still available, and even if the situation is bad, you can buy some pork. Therefore, before the New Year comes, the butcher's butcher's shop is so crowded that it is difficult to even turn around. The waiter at the butcher shop was so busy that he was sweating profusely and even his voice became hoarse.

If there is meat, there will naturally be wine. After all, there is no separation between wine and meat.

Of course, drinks are not as crowded as butcher shops, because in addition to specialized liquor stores selling liquor, grocery stores also sell liquor, and there are even sellers selling loose liquor in the streets and alleys, carrying two jars of liquor, a corner and a corner. I would give the scattered items to people in need of drinks to earn some hard-earned money.

The streets and alleys are full of laughter.

The faces of the people are also full of expectations for the coming year.

They believe that not only in the coming year, but also in the future, they will live better day by day...

Ordinary people really don’t have much demand.

Someone who stutters, someone who wears something, and a place to stay, that's it.

This New Year, the people of Chang'an Sanfu are in a happy mood. To use official language, they are full of joy and confidence in victory. Everyone is closely surrounding...ahem...

Whether a country has hope or not can be seen on the faces of its people.

The frightening situation in the early years has been constantly changing. If the confidence of the people of Sanfu in the past few years was not so strong, then now when the people of Sanfu in Chang'an mention Qiusi, they are like Worship like a god.

When people who know each other meet, they give blessings. Bright red peach charms were affixed to the lintel, and colorful silk cloth was wrapped around the archway, bringing joy to the entire city.

Hope and light are all around you.

Shitou finally decided to replace Li Er. Shitou has also asked many people, and they all said that taking money directly is not a good idea. After all, Shitou has never done any business. After taking the money, Shitou will at most buy four or five acres of land. After all, the land price is very high near Chang'an. high.

But after moving to Longxi, on the one hand, I can have an official position, and on the other hand, I can also get some monetary compensation from the difference in house prices between the two places, which can be used to marry Yue Meizi, settle the family business, and provide Yue with money. The girl’s father is taking care of himself until the end of his life…

Of course, what was lost was the household registration in Chang'an Lingyi.

After the New Year, Shitou will go to Longxi to take up his post. Yue Meizi and Dad both went with us. So this time, it can be regarded as the last New Year they spend in this old house.

These days, they have been cleaning. Although they don't have to do this at all, after all, if they clean it up, it's not them who lives there. But whether it was Shitou, Yue Meizi, or the father who had even more inconvenient legs and feet, they did not slack off, but became more serious. Every corner was cleaned, and even the broken tiles on the roof were replaced with new ones.

Li Er came here. In order to thank Shitou for his willingness to exchange, he personally sent a mule to Shitou. He was afraid that Shitou would not accept it, so he said that it would be included in the exchange money.

If horses are regarded as four-wheeled carts in later generations, then mules can be regarded as three-wheeled agricultural vehicles. With such a mule, it will be much more convenient to carry gifts and other things along the way.

Then Li Er saw Shi Shi cleaning the old house so clean, and was very moved. He repeatedly said that there was no need for this, and he would just ask someone to clean it when the time came. But he couldn't resist Shi Shi, so he finally smiled and left.

The luggage is almost packed.

Among the chickens raised in the yard, in addition to keeping some for the New Year and taking them on the road, the remaining hen and several chicks that luckily escaped with their lives were given to Uncle Wang. There are also some things that cannot be taken away or used, and people come to reserve them one after another, waiting to be divided up when Shitou and others leave.

Of course, these people didn't come here for free. They would bring some dry food, white flour, salt cubes, tea cakes, etc. to the Shitou family. If they didn't have any, they would collect a few coppers as a token of appreciation. Basically, they didn't say anything. A beggar takes advantage.

After all, Shitou still has half an official body, and the inspection that has not yet taken office is also an inspection.

What's more, when Shitou and Yue Meizi got married the day before yesterday, even the inspection chief of Chang'an City, Li Yong, personally came to congratulate them. Shitou didn't expect Li Yong to come either. Li Yong not only reassured Shitou to take up the post in Longyou, but also told Shitou that Li Er told him that Shitou was an honest man and worthy of friendship, so he came.

That's how things are, that's how friendships are built.

Yue Meizi went to the backyard to lick some fodder for the mules. When she came back, she saw Shitou standing in the yard, touching the tree trunks in the yard with some reluctance. "Brother Stone..."

Shitou turned around and smiled, "It's okay. Trees will die if they are moved, and people will live if they are moved. This is a good thing!" 』

"Well...Brother Shitou..." Yue Meizi asked with some longing, "We...will be better next year?" 』

"right! Shitou looked at the sky, "Don't worry!" Next year will definitely be better! 』

However, not all places in Han Dynasty are so happy when the New Year comes.

Compared with the bustling Sanfu in Guanzhong, during this period of time in Yuzhou and Xu County, where the Emperor of the Han Dynasty was located, actually life was not very good.

Perhaps for ordinary people, living in the manor of a small peasant economy day after day, they have neither access to the outside world nor the ability to see beyond the original barriers, so even if they have feelings, they may not have any ideas.

But the problem is that in Yuzhou, which was originally the area with the largest number of Han nobles, these people faced the current difficult situation of the Han Dynasty, and it can be said that they have a deeper understanding...

But the problem is that they only have knowledge but no solution.

This was also shown in the subsequent Jin Dynasty.

I see the problem, but I don’t know how to fix it.

I thought it was too troublesome, so I gave up, lay down, and lived in a state of intoxication.

Anyway, since I feel that the future prospects are not very good, it is better to seize these peaceful years, live one day at a time, and have a good time.

It is said that there is another problem in Youzhou, and there is also a problem in Hanoi. Various rumors are circulating in the community, and there is also talk that the Hussar General may send troops to Hangu in the coming year and attack Yuzhou directly.

If you want to resist, what can you use to resist?

If you want to hold on, how long can you hold on?

To escape, where to escape?

In desperation, some gentry children in Yuzhou developed a morbid escape mindset. Anyway, they couldn't solve the future problems, so they would just eat, drink and have fun, and that would be the end of the matter. This also caused people in Xu County, Yuzhou to The same pathological exuberance emerged.

On Xu County West Street, a new sign has been put up.

Yushitai.

Xi Xi, the imperial minister who was appointed as the new official, was somewhat depressed when he took office.

Although this Yushitai is open for business, there is nothing going on. Although he is a royal doctor, he still has nothing to complain about. After all, the censors at this time were very different from the censors in the early years of the Han Dynasty.

The Yushitai when the Han Dynasty was founded had overwhelming power!

In the Western Han Dynasty, the prime minister and the imperial censor were equal, and the censor was even a head taller than the prime minister! The Prime Minister's Mansion and the Yushi Dafu's Mansion are collectively known as the Second Mansion. On all major military and state plans, the emperor often made decisions together with the prime minister and the imperial censors. When the position of prime minister is lacking, the imperial censor is usually directly promoted to the post. The imperial censor was also closer to the emperor, so the imperial censor usually conveyed matters to the emperor from the ministers, and the emperor usually issued edicts first to the censor, and then to the prime minister, princes, princes, or ministers.

But what about now?

Although there was a sign posted, there was no government affairs at all. In addition, the New Year was about to catch up, and all officials, big and small, were sealed until after the New Year. It made Xi Liu feel like he would grow hair even in his spare time...

But what can be done?

Is it really possible to follow the emperor's idea and go to the ring with Cao Cao and Prime Minister Cao?

He came here to get an official job, to put money on his face, but not to really risk his life and get blood all over his body.

Even if blood is really spilled, it may not be able to splash on Prime Minister Cao, so why bother?

Moreover, many petty officials knew that Xi Liu had suffered a big setback before.

Although it was not directly related to Kong Qian's incident, it was also found out that the Qingzhou soldiers incident was passed on to Kong Qian by Xi Lu. Xi Lu escaped death outside Xu County at that time, but the question is whether this matter will be brought out again in the future and it is unknown...

At this moment, in a small pavilion in the backyard of Yushitai Yamen Office. Xi Lu held a small drinking party and had a casual chat with several of his close aides. A curtain was put up in the small pavilion and a charcoal basin was set up, so it didn't look too cold.

It's just that my heart feels cold.

Although the scene after the snow is a unique sight, when thinking about their own future or their money's future, several people here are hesitant and confused, and naturally they have no intention to enjoy the snow scene.

After drinking a glass of wine, Xi Lu slightly opened some curtains and looked outside.

The cold wind rushed in suddenly and hit Xi Lu's face, making him shiver and couldn't help but sigh: "It's a pity that the scenery now is not what it used to be~!" 』

In front of the Emperor Liu Xie, Xi Lu of course showed his attitude by patting his chest, but after retreating from the main hall, he really encountered some troubles, and Xi Lu couldn't help but slap his thighs and buttocks.

It’s not hard to say nice things.

The difficulty lies in doing things beautifully.

He is the imperial censor...

But now, not to mention him, even the entire Yushitai, how many things can be done, and how much authority does it have?

Cao Cao had monopolized power and was in charge of people's livelihood and political affairs. Even Xun Yu had to leave Xu County to avoid suspicion when Cao Cao was cleaning up Yingchuan in Yuzhou.

Even Xun He has grown small, could it be that Xi Wu still jumps out?

Of course, the emperor Liu Xie hoped that Xi Lu could jump out, so he proposed to rebuild the Yushitai at the court meeting. It's just that the Yushitai sign was delayed again and again, and it was barely hung up until now, which made everyone feel discouraged.

People are really depressed here.

Hearing Xi Lu sigh, with a hint of decadence in his tone, a confidant couldn't help but comfort Xi Lu and said: "Tai Zun, Yushitai has finally returned for the first time... Although the weather is slightly off... but the emperor pays attention to it. With our efforts and a little delay, the scenery of Yushitai can be restored again! 』

"Yes, your Majesty, you can be relieved..."

"There will definitely be a new atmosphere in the new year!" 』

Several of his confidants were basically from lower backgrounds like Xi Liu. I finally saw some bright spots, but I just held on tightly and never let go.

Don't these confidants know Yushitai's current predicament? They knew, but they not only pretended not to know, but also comforted Xi Liu in return. Not only had they formed a master-servant relationship with Xi Liu, but more importantly, they left Xi Liu and left the Yushitai. Just nowhere to go.

In fact, strictly speaking, none of these people, including Xi Liu, can be said to have "nowhere to go" in absolute terms, but "nowhere to go" relative to the ideal in their hearts. Once they leave the current situation, Position, whether it is their ability, reputation, or other indicators, cannot support them to obtain a considerable position and income.

Therefore, Xi Lu could only continue to hug the emperor Liu Xie's lap, and Xi Lu's confidants could also only follow Xi Lu's promiscuity.

It's just that the Yushitai has been restored for the first time, and there are many positions, so these confidants are also eyeing some pits. If they can squat for a while, they can be regarded as people who have squatted in that pit, even if they may be removed in the future. Therefore, when these people saw that Xi Lu was showing some signs of decadence, they all wanted to help Xi Lu cheer up, at least do something about his career, and plan for the future.

Xi Lu forced a smile, "Someone heard some rumors... Prime Minister Cao will continue to rectify the government after the new year... This fire, I don't know when it will stop..."

This was said sadly, and it was indeed what Xi Liu was worried about at the moment.

Xi Lu knew how much weight his family had.

When he was in Chang'an Sanfu, Xi Liu knew that there was a certain gap between his talents and some guys. It was not easy to stay on top and grab a slot, so he took the opportunity to turn around and come to Shandong, thinking that he could open up a new team. Xintiandi, but I didn’t expect that I would still have to face similar problems even if I changed jobs.

Not only was Xi worried that he could not stand firmly, but even the emperor...

This time, Kong Qian and the others were bruised and swollen, and secretly lost their virginity... Ahem, losing their power also made Xi Liu feel hairy in his heart, and he began to wonder if his behavior of riding on the wall would end up hurting him?

Maybe, invite yourself to a certain county to be a prefect?

According to the practice of the Han Dynasty, these three princes and nine ministers must have at least some qualifications as local governors, and then ascend to the Three Sophora Hall, and then they can be regarded as serious "important ministers" with a lot of disciples and former officials. , can stand up and speak when the situation is unstable...

For example, Xi Lu, even though he was now a censor, no one listened to the calls of the big cats and kittens around him.

Living outside, Xi Liu could still maintain a somewhat calm demeanor on the surface, but now he was in the backyard of Yushitai, surrounded by his own people, and with some worry and wine, it was inevitable that his true attitude would be revealed.

Several close aides looked at Xi Liu's behavior and looked at each other privately, and they couldn't help but sigh in their hearts. However, they were all promoted by Xi Lu and could be regarded as his disciples. In the officialdom, it was important to stand in line. They had already been marked by being associated with Xi Lu. They had a relationship with Xi Lu where both prospered and suffered losses. Therefore, in order to plan for the future of his own family, he must cheer up Xi Liu.

Several staff members looked at each other. After a while, an older man pondered for a moment and said with a smile: "Master, I have an idea. I don't know whether to talk about it or not..."

"Say it. ” Xi Lu said slowly.

The older staff member coughed, "Since the north wind is blowing now... then why go against the wind?" It’s better to follow the trend...』

The senior staff member gestured with his hands, and then showed a smile, "Impeach...Kong..."

"Kong?" ! ” Xi Lu immediately drank the wine glass.

The older staff member was startled and turned a little pale. "Tai Zun, this, I am... ahem, um, I mean..."

"good idea! Xi Lu suddenly clapped his hands and said, "What a great idea!" Just do it! 』

Xi Liu agreed so readily, which actually made the surrounding staff a little unbelievable.

Because even if we don’t mention how Xi Lu and Kong Qian called themselves brothers before, they still have the reputation of being the successors of Confucius...

Xi Liu looked around, cursed in his mind that drinking was causing trouble, then coughed and added, "This is the emperor's intention!" Corrupt officials are the bane of the great Han! It’s natural for us to share the emperor’s worries! Don't lose big because of small things, and don't pay for private expenses for the public..."

The staff listened, then looked at each other from left to right, and finally said in unison, "What the Master said is true!" 』