Kushangli is located in the township of Humu, named because it is close to the warehouse in the township, there are forty or fifty families in it, both rich families with millions of family fortunes, and poor people who are poor in the alleys and take the bad seats as the door.

But every year on the first day of October in Mengdong, no matter the nobles, more than 200 people in the library will gather at the community under the big locust tree. "She" is the god of the land, and the sacrifice on time can bless the wind and rain in the coming year, so that the farming work has a good harvest.

The social festival is held four times a year, and the three times in spring, summer, and autumn are just routine and small sacrifices, but the social sacrifice in the month of Mengdong is called "big cut". At this time, all the people in the library went out to bring the newly harvested corn rice and offer good food to the shrine god. It is also jointly funded by all households in the whole village, killing a group of animals and making contributions, or killing chickens and dogs, or cooking sheep and slaughtering pigs, beating drums and bells and dancing.

Since it is so important, the person who presides over the festival cannot be sloppy, and it is often Lizheng, or a respected elder in Lizhong.

But the shezai elected by Ku Shangli this year is a young scholar in his early twenties......

Chen Ping is more than eight feet tall, and his appearance is beautiful, different from the brown clothes a few years ago, now he is wearing a brand-new silk clothes, his hair is neatly combed, wrapped in a white scarf, and he is doing the established etiquette one by one, saying sacrificial eulogies.

"With me, with me, with me, with the sheep, with the community. My field is both Zang, the celebration of the farmer. Qin Se drums to Mida Zu. To pray for rain, to introduce my millet, to the valley of my daughter! ”

Chen Ping, who claimed to be a "Huang Lao", also looked like he read the poems, and the onlookers secretly sighed:

"I never thought that Chen Ping, who was not engaged in agriculture and business, wandered all day long, was slandered as a thief, and was the laughing stock of the county, has now become the most famous person among the young generation in Yangwu County......"

All these changes can be traced back to five years ago, when the Qin State occupied this county, Chen Ping washed away the false accusations of the thief and went to the Qin camp to do a translation.

Since then, Chen Ping has climbed to the high branches, and he first made meritorious service to become a public servant and received a lot of gold. Qin officials also courted the townsman Zhang Cheng for Chen Ping, and married Zhang's daughter and grandson for him. Because Chen Ping was poor, the Zhang family also lent him money to hold a banquet, which was simply upside down.

At that time, there were many people gloating and speculating, how often would Chen Ping be killed by the daughter of the Zhang family, who had been married five times? But Chen Ping not only did not die, but his career rose day by day. In the year when Qin destroyed Chu, the Zhang family paid money and paid thousands of stones for him in exchange for the title of "Shangzao", and now he is a official in the township, and his social status is very different from before.

Behind the scenes, there are also some jealous people who secretly slander: Chen Ping was committed to Qin Heifu early, and later married the widow Zhang of Kefu, who only got to where he is today by selling his hue, and he has no talent.

But at today's social festival, Chen Ping slapped those people in the face with his actions!

Not only did the degree of sacrifice go wrong, but the eulogy was subdued and frustrated, and even the division of the sacrificial meat after the sacrifice could satisfy every family.

Dividing the sacrificial meat is not only as simple as cutting it evenly with a knife, but also taking into account the status of each household in the middle of the house and the contribution of the social sacrifice: who should get more, who can have less, and who should share it with unique parts? is both mother-in-law and mother-in-law, and trivial and trivial, how can it be fair and reasonable, and the heart of the people in Le Yili is the most worrying and troublesome, and non-shrewd people cannot deal with it thoughtfully.

But Chen Ping did it, he invited several of the older people in the middle of the house to sit at the table, and Lidian, Tian Dian, Lijianmen and others lined up in turn, and personally held the blade, cut off the most suitable part and size of the sacrificial meat for them, and respectfully placed it in front of the table, and then divided the meat of the remaining thirty or forty households one by one!

Now, even the old Confucian who looked down on Chen Ping the most in the past couldn't find fault with it, holding the cold pork on the case and sighing: "Good, Chen Ruzi is slaughtered!" ”

The voices of praise are endless, most of them are from the heart, and a few are flattering, Chen Ping has always maintained a kind smile, and his eyes are looking at the brother and sister-in-law in the crowd, as well as his wife.

When his brother Uncle Chen heard people praise his younger brother, he puffed up his chest with pride.

Chen Ping, the sister-in-law who was once abandoned and later reunited with Uncle Chen, boasted that her brother-in-law was erudite and knowledgeable, and even Xianyang's big official "Right Chief" sent a wedding card to invite.

Chen Ping's wife, Zhang's daughter, touched her round lower abdomen and looked at her husband affectionately.

At this time, the sky will be dark, but the shrine festival has just entered the climax, it is not only a solemn sacrifice day, but also a grand festival, the whole night, a mile of people, banquet drinking, gods and men rejoicing.

Not only in the library, but also in the entire household township, the poor society, buckle the urn and bottle, sing in harmony, and think they are happy, as for the big shrine sponsored by the rich and powerful, it is even more drumming and blowing sheng, advocating excellent opera, and the grand occasion is unprecedented.

After returning home after the carnival and washing off the greasy on his hands, Chen Ping'an's wife lay down, but he took the lamp and looked at the invitation from Xianyang under the anointing lamp......

……

This is Heifu's wedding card, the vermilion leather paper is the cover, the inside is the best hemp paper, the words are modest, the title is "Heifu again", and sent it two months in advance, inviting Chen Ping to enter the customs.

"When will the beloved leave?" The Zhang girl asked softly.

Chen Ping felt a little guilty, turned his head to look at the lamp and said: "The long wedding period of Youshu is on the first day of the lunar month, and I will go all the way to Xianyang, and I will be on the road tomorrow." ”

His wife was pregnant in August and was going to give birth in December, and when he went west to Xianyang, he would definitely miss the delivery period, but Chen Ping did not hesitate at all when he received the wedding card.

He's going! A must go too!

Chen Ping stroked his wife's hand and explained: "First, this right chief Heifu, when he was a servant in his hometown, personally told the Ru family for me, and when he left, he gave a lot of money, and I couldn't repay it. Now he is the right chief, and it is said that he is still a close minister of the emperor, but he still remembers me and sent a wedding card two months in advance! ”

The faint friendship five years ago still remembers him, which Chen Ping didn't expect.

"Second, although I am now a village official, I have no worries about food and clothing, but I don't want to be confined to a poor countryside all my life, and now Heifu invites me to Xianyang, maybe it is an opportunity!"

Marriage is profitable, Chen Ping married a Zhang girl, in addition to fancy her beauty, but also coveted Zhang's status in Yangwu County. In the past five years, holding this thigh, he has not only increased his prestige, but also has become more and more wealthy, and his contacts have become more and more extensive.

But Chen Ping was not satisfied!

"Today, as the head of the society, everyone is good."

"But, my talent can only slaughter a mile of meat?"

Although the sacrificial meat is small, it carries the norms of the ritual system. The etiquette is correct and the world is decided, and the etiquette is chaotic. When Lu Hou did not send him sacrificial meat after the sacrifice, Confucius was also disheartened, resigned from his position, and left the country of Lu.

In the Spring and Autumn Period, the head of the retainers under the Qing Doctor was called the "family slaughter", and Confucius was the head of the Gao family of the Qi State Qing clan.

The lord of the city is "Yi Zai", that is, what Ran Qiu said: Fang sixty or seventy, such as fifty or sixty, ask for it, and compare it to three years, which can make the people sufficient. Confucius also did the Zhongdu Zai, it is said that in one year, it will make the men and women in the capital of China go on a separate path, the road is not left behind, and the instrument is not carved and fake.

Chen Ping's ambition and ambition far exceed that of Shezai, Jiazai, and Yizai.

His ultimate goal is to be the "prime minister" of a country's hundred officials!

"Wow, so that Ping can dominate the world, and he can be as competent as today's meat!"

Today, when the meat was praised, he sighed in his heart.

But this ambition can't be spoken, people are poor and ambitious, and when others hear it, they will only laugh at him for being stupid and dreaming.

However, there was only one day, five years ago, Chen Ping's hidden ambition was revealed!

"This gentleman, he may be able to dominate the world one day?"

This was Heifu's parting words, which made Chen Ping shocked and inexplicable, and it took a long time to recover.

How big the world is, I thought that from now on with the black man or the future will be indefinite, I never thought that five years have passed, Chen Ping is still rolling in Humu Township, the former small wanderer, has become the court, become the right chief, the emperor's close minister!

Chen Ping's wife's Zhang family's backer is Zhang Cang, but now, I heard that Zhang Cang has to work under Heifu......

Chen Ping's utilitarian heart sprouted again, Heifu still remembered him, and did not hesitate to invite him, showing that he liked Chen Ping's talent, and Heifu, who was the next secretary, was already qualified to recruit staff and disciples.

Being a guest in Xianyang is much better than being a small official in the township, Chen Ping has also seen it clearly in recent years, although Qin Law treats everyone equally in theory, but in fact, as the remnants of the Six Kingdoms, their careers and titles have a ceiling, and it is difficult to cross the level of the township chief.

And Hefu may be able to help him get over this moat!

"Therefore, I should go to the feast."

Chen Ping explained a lot, just asking his wife to understand, they have been married for more than three years, and Zhang's finally got pregnant, but he went out when she needed it most, so he felt guilty.

Zhang's is everyone's best girl, although she has killed five husbands, but only for Chen Ping, she has true affection.

Before getting married, Zhang Cheng warned her: "Don't be distracted from serving others because Chen Ping's family is poor, although Chen Ping is not rich now, he will definitely do a career in the future!" ”

She firmly remembered her grandfather's words, served her brother Uncle Chen as her father, served her sister-in-law as her mother, and raised her eyebrows to Chen Ping, which was very considerate.

She said understandingly: "The lover should go to Xianyang for a banquet, and I have my own sister-in-law, concubine, and Fu Mu to take care of me." ”

But then she frowned again: "It's just ......"

Chen Ping was very happy to get his wife's understanding, and asked, "Just what?" ”

Zhang's face was a little crimson, and he didn't know whether to mention it or not, so he held back for a long time before he said softly: "I heard rumors in the township that the reason why the black man took a fancy to his lover was because of ...... Because ......"

She peeked at Chen Ping's handsome face with a hint of elegant beauty, and stopped talking.

Needless to say, Chen Ping already understood his wife's intentions, and he had a good temper, and he scolded:

"This is the jealousy and delusion of the contemptible people in the village! Back then, he accused me of stealing my sister-in-law, and now he slanders and slanders, how vicious his intentions are! If you think about it, don't say that Heifu likes my talent, just say that he is about to get married, and there is no lack of joy in the letter to marry a bride, is it a person who likes Longyang? ”

……

Chen Ping left home in mid-October, and rode the carriage given by Zhang Cheng to the west, passing through a ruin, and there seemed to be countless ghosts flying in the night. After passing through Xinzheng, Yingchuan County, stopping in Luoyang, Sanchuan County, observing the old customs of the Zhou people, and together with countless merchants and scholars, they were quarantined in Hanguguan.

Because Chen Ping had Heifu's wedding card and the accompanying charm, so people could enter the customs smoothly, but the horse pulling the cart had a problem, and was quarantined and found to be sick, so he was detained, Chen Ping could only use the gold silk he brought with him to rent an ox cart in Taolin again, and when the first snow fell at the end of November, he could rush to Xianyang......

Chen Ping was frozen and tired, he thought that he was going to go into Xianyang alone to find Heifu's mansion, but he didn't expect that Heifu calculated the date of departure after his reply, and specially sent a servant to wait at Baqiao, holding a wooden sign of "Chen Ping" high in the snow, and after successfully receiving him, let people quickly inform the master, and then took Chen Ping to Heifu's mansion.

Heifu's mansion given by Qin Shi Huang was located in the main city of Xianyang, so the carriage that picked up Chen Ping first traveled west along the south bank of Weishui.

The snow fell one after another, and Chen Ping saw the looming buildings of Zhangtai Palace in the distance, and the Xiongdu on the other side of the Wei River was also magnificent.

Thinking that he came to the center of the empire from a distant county township, every choice here, the abolition of feudalism in the past year, the establishment of counties and counties, the same track of cars, and the same text of books, all affect the fate of tens of millions of people, young people are inevitably a little excited, when the carriage and horses are in the middle, and they feel that they are walking on the Milky Way overpass......

"Chen Sheng!"

When the car drove to the bridge, he suddenly heard someone calling for him, Chen Ping looked fixedly, but saw a crane crown secretary wearing a thick bear skin coat, standing at the head of the bridge with a few servants, and bowed his hand to himself.

He was slightly stunned and recognized it, it was Heifu!

"Right Chief!"

Chen Ping almost jumped off the moving carriage and almost slipped, but Heifu helped him.

"Chen Ping is humble, how can he dare to let the right chief come here to greet him......"

"Chen Sheng and I are old acquaintances, we worked together back then, and we were also a matchmaker for you, the ancients said well, there are friends from afar, and they are happy, how can I not come out to greet them?"

As soon as he looked up, Chen Ping found that he didn't know if it was because of the snow, or because Heifu had been out of the army for a long time, and his face didn't seem to be as dark as five years ago.

Heifu was not angry at all, and patted him on the shoulder and said:

"When I was in Humu Township, I said to Chen Sheng that there is a time when life meets. Sending you a thousand miles, you must say goodbye in the end. You and I are five years apart, five years is enough for a lot of things to happen, I have made an appointment with Zhang Cang, prepared a feast for you, and first drink some wine syrup, eat some Xianyang soup cakes, let the body warm, tonight you and I should sleep on the same bed, have a good talk! ”

"Same ...... Sleeping together? ”

This is an excellent etiquette for scholars to express friendship, but hearing this, Chen Ping, who was originally very moved, trembled slightly, his face was a little weird, and his smile gradually stiffened in the wind and snow......