On the seventh day of the first month of the thirty-fifth year of Jiajing, the zodiac auspicious said.

Although it is still early for the Chinese New Year, the city of Shaoxing is full of lights and busy scenes, and its liveliness is no less than that of the New Year.

But unlike the popular festival of the New Year, the whole city is dispatched today, just for one person's wedding - the pride of the Shaoxing fathers, the current Suzhou Tongzhi and Jiangnan City Bo Tiju Si Tiju, who has never been seen before, said silently and humbly, to win the eldest lady of the Yin family as his wife today!

And it was the emperor who gave him leave to marry! It has been more than 170 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China, and this is the second time! In the eyes of the Shaoxing fathers, all Shaoxing people are honored! They are also willing to participate in this grand wedding that is destined to be written in history!

Since it was the emperor who gave him leave to marry, Shaoxing Mansion and its two subordinate counties had to mobilize together and start preparing a few days ago. Someone is going to ask, isn't it just getting married, why do you want to be so popular? Because there are so many people who come to congratulate...... First of all, the officials of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, from the governor Hu Zongxian and the governor of Zhejiang, Ruan Yi, came to 21 prefects, and there were more than 150 county magistrates. In addition to the more than 20 generals of the military headed by Yu Dayou and Lu Boring, and more than 30 eunuchs of garrison, weaving, town guard, prison field, procurement, grain tax, and mining tax headed by Huang Jin, these people and their entourage alone reached two or three thousand.

But this is not the big one, there are also large squires in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, and even more than 500 households from Fujian, Shanxi, and Shandong who came to congratulate them...... and his retinue, four or five thousand.

The most outrageous thing is that there are even more than a dozen blonde and blue-eyed Westerners, who have come out of nowhere. But their purpose is obvious, they are all coming for the name of silence, the promotion of the city.

Finally, plus relatives and friends, celebrities in this province, it takes a thousand tables and a fraction!

If you want to hold such a big banquet, you must invite the restaurant to Zhang Luo. For the hotels in Shaoxing City, the business is a good deal, but when the government told the owners of the hotels about it, everyone looked at me, I looked at you, stared at each other, and no one dared to follow...... The banquet of hundreds of tables is already the limit of what can be opened, and now the number of tables has increased tenfold, and there are so many dignitaries and nobles, who can afford to get out of the basket? How can it be a hundredfold more difficult?

But this is not a request, but an order, you have to do it if you want to, and you have to do it if you don't have to do it!

There was no way, the owners of more than a dozen large restaurants joined forces to take over the job, and launched a boss named Chai Shouli as a big man, responsible for organizing and scheduling in the center.

First of all, there was the problem of the venue, more than 1,000 tables of banquets, which no one could open, so they had to temporarily empty the square in front of the City God Temple and set up a banquet there...... Tables and chairs are also a problem, that is, all the hotels in Shaoxing City have been emptied, and there are only seven or eight hundred sets of tables and chairs. It's easy to get together more than a thousand pairs.

After preparing the tableware, cups, and spatulas for stir-frying, I found that there were too few cooks. I had to invite more than 100 cooks from the four neighboring prefectures, and more than 1,000 assistant cooks, which solved the manpower problem.

As for the ingredients...... Boatloads of pigs, sheep, vegetables and vegetables sailed from all over the province to the wharf in front of the City God Temple, where they were unloaded, processed on the spot, prepared into raw materials for various dishes, and waited for use on this day.

Good thing it's not summer.

On the morning of the seventh day of the new year, the wharf was in full swing, turning into a large open-air kitchen, starting from the morning, the guests arrived one after another, and it was still early before the time to eat, and the guests could not wait, so they invited the famous opera troupe in Kunshan, and when the guests were a little more, they began to sing according to the babbling to relieve the boredom of the guests who came first.

It was about noon before the big men arrived one after another, waiting for the new southeast governor Hu Zongxian, the newcomer Zhejiang governor Ruan Yi, the political envoy, the inspection envoy, and the prefects appeared, and nearly 10,000 people on the field greeted each other, and the adults sat down. The Hui Ji Zhi County, who was dressed in a new robe, said in a loud voice: "Open the table!" ”

The guys who helped the cooks carried long boxes and served plates of cold platters to the banquet, but these things were mainly made to look good...... Although the sun is shining today, although Shaoxing is not too cold in winter, but after all, it is the wax moon, and no one wants to eat a cold stomach.

In fact, as soon as the 'open table' was shouted, the cooks who had been waiting there for a long time, like soldiers who had received an order, immediately began to crackle and put the food into the pot, stir-fry, cook, stew, and serve it on the plate in a blink of an eye! Hot dishes are served like flowing water.

Because of the different grades of guests, the dishes are of course different, this time there are a total of 20 seats of high-quality shark fin; 50 Medium Shark Fin Banquets; 100 seats of inferior shark fin; Again, there is no shark fin directly, but the sea cucumber and abalone are still there; At the end of the day, there is only abalone.

There are definitely differences in the materials used in each banquet, but it is the chef's skill that determines the grade of the banquet. Taking the most noble shark fin as an example, the inferior one is a table full of people with a 'Cuigai shark fin', a fine porcelain ice tray, which is neatly covered with a layer of shark fin four inches long, and most of the bottom is shredded chicken, shredded meat, and cabbage, which is neither rotten nor tasteful. It's purely a cold dish that I don't like to eat, obviously the chef himself has never made shark fin, and he is learning cold dishes.

The medium 'big wings' are much better, and the high-quality 'small wings' can be called a delicacy, apparently from the hands of the master of Bao Yilou.

As for the shark fins served to the big names at the main table, it's a different story...... Although it is also called 'Shark Fin', it is completely different from the materials used to the workmanship! Choose the best small rib wings, simmer with hen soup, and then use a large purple abalone, cloud legs, and a well-bodied oily chicken, wrap them with lotus leaves, and put them in the ingredients to burn. It takes about an hour to burn, and then a new lotus leaf is placed on it, and it is steamed for a quarter of an hour in the basket drawer, and then another lotus leaf is changed to cover the dish and serve it, which is the real green cover shark fin.

However, such dishes can only be enjoyed by the chefs, and only by the most distinguished guests.

Silent this groom official, with a big red flower on the black gauze hat, followed by the father in a six-grade dress, starting from the main table, toasting from table to table, although there is no need to drink, but after a thousand tables, the two of them are already weak in their legs and feet, and they are dizzy.

The old man can go home and rest for a while, but silence is not good, because the winter is short, and the sun will set in an hour. He's got to hurry up and welcome the bride!

Why do you have to welcome it at this time? Because it's dusk! Because the word "marriage" in "wedding" is actually a separate word, the correct way to say it should be - "faint ceremony". Because the twilight is the time when yin and yang intersect, and the union of men and women at this time conforms to the will of heaven and is auspicious, so it is called the evening ceremony.

Shen Mo, who was already dazed here, was wearing a red court dress, and set off with a team to welcome relatives, and the Yin family over there was also a busy ...... Only Ruohan's embroidery building is quiet.

Because just now, Ruohan worshiped her deceased mother, so she had to whimper and cry, and the aunt and aunt on the side easily persuaded her: "We have to hurry up, I see that the auspicious time is near." ”

Ruohan nodded, wiped away his tears, and said with red eyes: "I'm sorry for you." "On this day, the bride should cry, not crying and not being filial, so you don't have to care about crying into swollen eyes or something.

Ruohan and her aunt held the colorful yarn, rubbed it left and right, and with the help of the twisted seam of the yarn, repeatedly rolled back and forth on her face to strangle the hair on the face...... Then the aunts and uncles helped cut their forehead hair and sideburns, trimmed their eyebrows and lips to make up, which is called facial plastic surgery. A woman only meets once in her life, and that is on the day she gets married.

After picking up Ruohan's appearance, the aunts and aunts brought her pleasant crown clothes! This is Ruohan's wedding dress! It's not the 'phoenix crown and xia veil' that aunts and aunts wore back then, but the clothes that can only be worn by dignified five-grade wives!

Aunts and aunts looked obsessively at the crown decorated with heavy beads, pearl peonies, green clouds, green peony leaves, and gold and silver treasure flowers, there were dozens of ornaments in all kinds of places, and they felt dizzy just by looking at them. The large-sleeved gown was made of real red silk silk. The mandarin duck text is embroidered on the xiaxia veil, which is extremely gorgeous...... When they easily looked away from their eyes, and then looked at Ruohan's gaze, they were a little jealous on top of envy. This is not difficult to understand, after all, for women, a decree is a symbol of status and status, and it is the highest pursuit!

Soon realized that something was wrong with them, and the aunts and aunts hurriedly wiped their saliva, buried their jealousy in their hearts, and dressed Yin Yiren. But they all secretly vowed to make their sons and grandsons angry, and in the future, they would take the Jinshi exam and become an official, and they would earn a life for their mother...... Even if it's an edict, it's okay.

As soon as Ruohan finished dressing it, she heard the sound of 'crackling' firecrackers in the front yard, and the women said in unison: "The sedan chair is coming to the door!" ”

It is indeed the man's sedan chair to welcome the family, but after the woman's family set off the cannon to welcome the sedan chair, she immediately covered the door and 'blocked the sedan chair door', which is the woman's young man to benefit the city, although the hard break will definitely be able to break open, but no one has done such a bad thing since ancient times!

After the man paid a considerable price and satisfied the people inside, the door was reopened, and the eight-lift sedan chair finally hit the ground.

But what made Shen Mo more strange was that the door of the sedan chair was facing outward, and he really wanted to remind him out loud: 'Hey, buddy, how convenient is it to turn the sedan upside down?' But he remembered that he was a puppet panting for a while, and said in his heart: 'The woman is not too troublesome, what do I have to do?' When the words came to his lips, he held them back.

The woman came out with an uncle or something, holding a red candle in one hand and a bronze mirror in the other, and shone into the sedan chair, which made Shen Mo so depressed, are you still afraid that there is no Mazha inside?

As the so-called interlaced lines are like mountains, Shen Liushou has such a big knowledge, but he doesn't know that this is called 'searching the sedan chair', in order to expel the ghosts hiding in the sedan chair. And the reason why the sedan car is facing outward is to avoid bringing ghosts into the house.

Then the man's bride went into the woman's house to urge the sedan chair, because the woman would pretend not to marry, and had to urge three times, so she took advantage of this time to silently go in to toast the old father-in-law and a 'relative', because she had to make a big salute at dusk, and she couldn't salute them one by one, so she only kowtowed to the old father-in-law and toasted alone, and the rest of the people saluted together.

Master Yin's mood today is a mixed mood, not only happy for a woman to find a good husband, but also reluctant to give his heart and soul to others, and sad to think of his wife. In the end, all kinds of emotions turned into a force, patted his son-in-law's shoulder hard, and threatened in a low voice: "If you don't treat my daughter well, look at me... Look at me and I don't ......" It's hard to say anything like 'fight and kill', but that's what it means.

At this time, the backyard shouted: "The bride is out!" Shen Mo quickly avoided it, rubbed his shoulders and waited outside...... In fact, he shouldn't come in to toast, but when he thought of the old father-in-law's loneliness and pitifulness, if he didn't even say hello, he would take her daughter away, which was really not a son. So he went in, but fortunately, no one dared to say anything about him.

Ruohan came out of the backyard with a red hijab, and at this time it was time for the mother to feed the sedan chair, which means not to forget the grace of nursing. But now she can only be held by her father and let her aunt feed her, but this makes her more and more sad, and she can't stop crying.

When he finished eating the sedan chair meal, Ruohan kowtowed to his father, and Master Yin, who had always been relatively strong, finally burst into tears, don't look over and say: "Get on the sedan chair, have a good time." ”

The father and daughter cried, and the aunt and aunt helped Ruohan, who was crying, and walked outside the gate, and when they arrived in front of the sedan chair, the aunt cried: "Ah, ah, you can lift it, it makes a sound!" Nong is going alone, leading the tide!" My aunt also cried: "Nong respects her in-laws, respects her blessings, and respects her husband for having food ......to eat."

This made Shen Mo, who was a decoration on the side, very unhappy, and said in his heart: 'That's my daughter-in-law, can I abuse?' ’

Although it is a pity, the bride still gets on the sedan chair, and after sitting down, she can't move her hips, which means "peace and stability".

And another of the woman's blessed women put a brass stove burning with charcoal and spices under the bride's seat. It's okay in winter now, but if it's summer, you'll have to cover your butt with prickly heat.

Then after setting off the cannon battle, and sprinkling the top of the sedan chair with tea leaves and rice grains to drive away evil spirits, you can finally blow and blow the sedan chair!

When the eight-carried sedan chair passed through the street, it attracted the envy of countless onlookers, because when ordinary people got married, they all sat in a four-carried sedan chair -- only the lady of the decree could sit in an eight-carried sedan chair.

The time calculation is very accurate, and the sedan chair enters the gate of the Shen family, which is just the moment when the sun is setting in the west and the sky is full of red clouds. The Shen family opened the middle door and played music to welcome the sedan chair.

The sedan chair fell, the music stopped abruptly, and the two county orders of Huiji Shanyin, who served as the prime minister, stood on the left and right of the gate, and one of the two was 'Yinzan', and the other was 'Tongzan'.

I only listened to the praise and said: "The bridegroom stands in front of the sedan chair." Shen Mo hurriedly got off the horse and stood in front of the sedan chair according to his words.

Tongzan said again: "Start the sedan chair, and the newcomer will get up." The sedan door was unloaded, and Ruohan, who was already sitting numb on half of her body, dared to move her waist for the undetectable activity, and stood up with the arm of the bride.

The praise continued: "The bridegroom bows! Shen Mo hurriedly invited his bride, and the bride handed the red silk with a big red hydrangea in the bride's hand to the groom.

Or praised: "The bride and groom are in front of the straight flower hall." The two newlyweds were connected by the red silk and red hydrangea, the man on the left and the woman on the right, along the long red felt on the ground, entered the gate, and went straight to the main hall.

Incense candles have been placed in front of the main hall, and the ancestors have tablets. Put on the grain bucket, which is filled with cereals, peanuts, and red dates, and the word double happiness is pasted on it.

When the quote says, "The bride and groom are in place." At that time, the two newlyweds were already standing in front of the offering table.

Tong praised: "The bride and groom enter the incense." Then someone gave the bridegroom two bunches of incense, and silently lit the candles, and then gave one bouquet to Ruohan. At this time, he praised: "Kneel, offer incense!" ”

The two knelt down on the tablet of their ancestors, kowtowed with Tongzan's order, kowtowed again, and kowtowed three times, and worshiped the ancestors of heaven and earth.

"Second worship high hall!" Tong praised.

A couple of newcomers kowtowed three times to Shen He, who was sitting on the top and couldn't close his mouth, Shen He's tears flowed down uncontrollably, and they couldn't wipe it.

"Husband and wife worship each other!" Shen Mo and Ruohan kowtowed to each other three times! Since then, it has been destined for three lives!

"After the ceremony, send it to the cave room!" With this fairy sound, the elaborate worship ceremony was finally completed. Two young women holding dragon and phoenix candles in the front, the groom holds a colorful ball ribbon to lead the bride into the cave room. On the red carpet on the ground, there are five sacks, and the feet of the bride and groom must walk on the sacks.

Stepping on one, several of the man's brides were handed to the front and paved in the road, which is the legendary 'inheritance'! It also means 'five generations meet'.

After sending Ruohan into the cave room, Shen Mo was only seated for a while, and he was kicked out by a group of mothers-in-law, and he had to toast his relatives and friends outside...... By noon, the guests had largely dispersed, and only those who were particularly close to them would stay and attend the table.

So those who stay in the house now are considered very close people...... Hu Zongxian insisted on not leaving, Tang Shunzhi was also there, as well as Master Shen, the eldest son, and Shen Jing who appeared with Hu Zongxian, and Shen Xiang who represented Shen Lian, it can be seen that it really doesn't matter whether it is respectful or inferior, it only depends on relatives.

Everyone knew that he couldn't drink, and they didn't want to disturb the silent cave room for a candle night, so they toasted him alone and let him go to the cave room......

(To be continued)