Chapter 234: New Year's Surprise
It's Chinese New Year's Eve. [No pop-ups. 】Basket color ,..
This year's Chinese New Year's Eve is much more lively than last year. The people had surplus food in their hands, and they exchanged them for cloth, oil, salt, meat, and eggs. The gunpowder workshop also made some firecrackers, which were also replaced by the people. And the grain that was exchanged for it went to Li Yan's hands and was used to distribute food to the workers in the workshop.
At night, after offering incense to the ancestral tablet, the sound of firecrackers began to sound inside and outside the city, crackling for a while.
At this time, Wu Niang and Qiu Niang also came to Li Yan's house. Originally, they were preparing for the New Year in the small courtyard, but they were called over by Li Yan, and there were more people. The main thing is that there are too many meals and it's a pity to waste them. He was the only one in his family except for his subordinates. Zhang Yi was also taken on vacation by him and went back to Kaifeng to reunite with his family, after all, Zhang Yi had followed him for more than a year and had not returned home.
Li Yan instructed: "Let's go, let's also set off firecrackers." ”
"Go ahead, it's too loud." Wu Niang shook her head and said with her mouth covered. After being told by Li Yan that she had a bad breath, she went to see the doctor, and she was really angry, so she took three pairs of medicines in a row before she lost the fire. After that, pay special attention to oral hygiene, and brush your teeth with a special change of green salt.
Wu Niang stood up and wanted to go out to have a look.
Li Yan said with a smile: "It's fireworks, but if you don't go out, you can't see it." ”
"Fireworks, that's great." Qiu Niang said happily. She saw it last year and thought it was beautiful, but she was ruined by Shi Jincai's guy and didn't see enough.
Wu Niang still shook her head and said, "I watch it every year, it's not interesting, you can go." It's still warm in the house. "Every year in Kaifeng, there will be large families competing to set off fireworks, especially in the palace, where there are all kinds of fireworks. It exploded in the sky, and as long as you could see it when you looked up, it didn't distinguish between high and low.
Li Yan didn't invite again, and then came to the courtyard with a paper tube more than two inches thick and two feet long, and the bottom of the paper tube was sealed with thick clay. At this time, an iron pier five inches thick and one foot square had been placed in the courtyard, and there was a hole as thick as the outer diameter of the paper tube, four inches deep. This is after the fireworks last year, Li Yan asked Blacksmith Zhou to do it, in order to make it more convenient to set off fireworks. The reason why iron is used is because it is afraid that the stone is not hard enough, and it may crack after being shaken by gunpowder.
After Li Yan put the paper tube in the iron pier, he went back to another room and brought out a wooden box with twenty-five fireworks in it. This is the fireworks to celebrate the New Year in Qixian County this year, and he felt that it was fresh, so he took the fireworks home to release them.
He left the box in the far side of the yard, came over with a firework, lit the fuse with a stick, and put the fireworks in the paper tube.
"Back off, back off." He reminded Qiu Niang.
After both of them pushed back five or six steps, there was a loud "bang", and the fireworks rushed out of the paper tube and flew into the sky.
With a "boom", fireworks exploded in the sky, flashing red and green light.
"Wow, two colors, it's so beautiful," Qiu Niang craned her neck and shouted loudly.
Li Yan also looked up his neck. However, he felt that it was too tiring to look at his neck like this, and he still had to be some distance from the release place to look good. He said helplessly: "I won't take this job next year." ”
After that, there was no appreciation left, just ignition and release one after another. The fireworks flew to a height of more than 20 zhang, and when the fireworks exploded, the sound was particularly loud, like thunder, and the people of the whole county could see it. In addition to the county seat, all large forts also have fireworks, but not as many as the county seat, only ten.
After Li Yan had set off all twenty-five fireworks, he packed up and prepared to go back to the living room. At this time, he saw Wu Niang also standing in the courtyard and looking up, in the end, it was the New Year, and he could see some excitement at this time of the year.
After returning to the living room, I began to eat Chinese New Year's Eve dinner, which was quite hearty, eight dishes and two soups. But Qiu Niang went to the kitchen in person, and after making it for half an hour, she came in with a few large plates.
"Mashed potatoes, potato flour, hash browns, potato cakes. Ask Childe to taste it. Qiu Niang put the plate on the table and reported her name. It is also topped with a variety of green leaves, mixed with spices and pepper, and it really has a good taste and flavor.
Li Yan nodded and said, "Yes, yes, so many staple foods have been made in a short period of time." "After that, I put all kinds of food in a bowl and tasted it, and I thought it tasted good. Satisfied, he said, "Well, that's good." Write it down and leave it to me. ”
Qiu Niang said happily: "As long as the son likes to eat, I will make it for the son every day." ”
Li Yan waved his hand and said, "No, I want to promote these potato staple foods." You can also sit and eat together. ”
Qiu Niang nodded in disappointment and sat down.
After eating, Li Yan asked Wu Niang and Qiu Niang to go back, and it was better to go home separately for things like keeping the New Year.
When Qiu Niang and the others came out of Li Yan's house, Shi Jin, who was hiding in a dark corner, watched them come out, his face turned pale.
He already believed that Qiu Niang and Li Yan had nothing to do with each other, but this Chinese New Year's Eve actually went to Li Yan's house and said that they had no relationship. As for Wu Niang also going to Li Yan's house together, Shi Jincai believed that this was some special hobby of Li Yan. He left silently, leaving only the anger burning in his heart.
During the Chinese New Year, the troops take turns on holidays so that soldiers can return home and reunite with their families.
On the eighth day of the first lunar month, Li Mu came back and reported that none of the twelve border soldiers he had brought with him was willing to leave Li Yan's troops and defect to Li Zicheng, who was thriving in western Henan.
Li Yan frowned and asked, "Are you sure no one plans to leave?"
Li Mu nodded and said, "I have talked to them one by one, and they have all made it clear that they will not leave our team." Even if they want to fight Li Zicheng in the future, they will not hesitate. ”
"Is it credible?" Li Yan asked, "You know them better." ”
In fact, Li Mu was also a little surprised by this result. But these people are all old brothers he brought, and since they are all willing to stay, he is naturally very happy. So he nodded and said: "They are all straight men, one says one, and some says two." Since they said that they would not leave, then even if they were right to Li Zicheng, they would not be merciful. ”
With Li Mu's assurance, Li Yan finally put his mind at ease. He was also worried that the new firecrackers would not be able to train before Li Zicheng's arrival, and since there was no one to enhance Li Zicheng's training and tactics, he didn't have to worry too much.
"Okay, in that case, then I'm relieved." Li Yan nodded and said, "Give you a holiday, and I'll report on it again at sixteen." ”
Li Mu nodded and said, "Then thank you Fourth Brother." I've been running back and forth for hundreds of miles in the past few days, and the horses are tired and out of shape. ”
"There are two good horses given by the Zhou Wangfu in the stable, you go and pick one first, it can be regarded as compensation for you." Li Yan commanded.
"That's just right, you're welcome." Li Mu said happily. ~ Search the basket color, you can read the full text of the following chapters
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