Xu Xian has seen many portraits of emperors through various channels in later generations. Xu Xian always thought that the portrait of Zhao Kuangyin was the ugliest among them. As for Lao Zhu, there are countless people who have been maliciously distorted.

In the portrait, Zhao Kuangyin is sitting on a chair with a big belly. His face is dark and full of flesh. You can vaguely see his second chin. His eyebrows and mustache are also a bit funny, especially the slender beard on his chin.

The whole fat face is extremely uncoordinated.

The nickname of such a fat and dark old man was actually Xianghai'er, which made Xu Xian unable to hold back his laughter. However, this nickname matched Hong Baoer quite well, and they sounded like two brothers.

Xu Xian was squatting outside the yard, laughing so hard that he suddenly felt someone poking his shoulder. He turned around and saw Hong Baoer looking at him as if he were a fool, "My second brother's nickname is

Is it so funny?”

"It's a little funny!" Xu Xian stood up and rubbed his cheeks that were sore from laughing, looked up at the sun and said: "It's getting late, I was thinking of having a meal with you, but judging from today's situation,

I can’t eat anymore.”

"My family only has two meals a day. It's not as luxurious as your family's three meals a day. Even if the second sister doesn't make a big fuss, no one will cook for you."

Xu Xian spread his hands and said, "Then I won't go in. Could you please say goodbye to the old lady for me." Suddenly he saw Xiaocan come out of the yard and said, "I have one more thing to ask of the old lady. I forgot to mention it just now.

.”

"You are a rich man, and you want my family, please tell me."

"You know I don't have a girl in my family. Although Xiaocan can wash and cook, she can't knit. I want the old lady to give her some guidance. I just want to make a few clothes to practice my skills. The wages are indispensable. Look at five hundred

The writing is enough."

"My mother's female celebrities are generally not as good as my second sister-in-law's. The second sister learned from her, and she didn't need 500 yuan in wages."

"The extra ones can only be regarded as Xiaocan's apprenticeship. It is said that a woman is virtuous if she has no talent, but she can't be blind. I am usually busy with business and have no time to teach her. I would like to hire you as a little girl.

Can Can's husband teaches her reading and literacy. It's enough to give her two lessons every ten days. It won't delay your studies. The salary is also 500 yuan, are you willing?"

There is nothing easier to be accepted than offering help in times of need. The Zhao family is currently living in a difficult situation, so it is the best place to lend a helping hand to win favor. However, although his family is small, it has big rules and has strong self-esteem and attaches great importance to face.

It was not possible to just throw away the money, so I had to find other ways to help.

Hong Baoer frowned and looked Xu Xian up and down with his eyes, "Why do you want to help my family like this? Although my father is a military academy, he doesn't have much salary. When it comes to power, he is really not as powerful as the dozens of young men in Liuhewan.

Well, my second sister is quite pretty, but if she beats you like that, you are probably disgusted with her, so what are you trying to do?"

I guess, this guy is indeed a shady man. He is so suspicious at a young age. If he were older, it would be okay. I have to be more cautious around him in the future.

Xu Xian suddenly had a bad taste in his heart, and reached out to pat his shoulder, "I'm going after you, Hong Bao'er." He said, then moved his hand down Hong Bao's arm and patted his little hand.

Take the photo, and at the same time, a meaningful smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, "Little silkworm, let's go home!"

Hong Baoer stood there and was stunned. Suddenly, his body seemed to be electrified. He slapped his sleeves vigorously and said with a look of disgust: "Disgusting!"

But he struck while the iron was hot. The next day, he asked Xiaocan to go to Zhao's house with two pills of medicine and a piece of linen. They stayed there for a whole day and didn't come back until evening. It was said that Mrs. Du had talked to her all morning, and she only asked Mr. He in the afternoon. The Zhao family of Shuxiu who taught her Nvhong and brought a lot of money also accepted it, saying that they would go learn to read with Hongbaoer tomorrow.

Xiaocan is indeed a good communicator. This can be regarded as a firm foothold in the Zhao family, and her thighs are embraced. Xu Xian has no interest in wearing red and purple. After all, the responsibility of being an official is too great. Waiting for the old Zhao family It would be no problem to move into the palace and become a great royal merchant by oneself. It seems that the beautiful and happy days are not far away.

While Xu Xian was snickering, the neighbors began to prepare paper-cut money to make ingots, because July 15th was coming soon. The Ghost Festival, which later generations would not care about, was quite grand at this time.

After all, in these difficult times of war and chaos, rich families were inevitably exposed to disasters and illnesses, and poor people were inevitably exposed to hunger and cold. Who hasn’t had a few close relatives die?

Aunt Liu pursed her lips and cried loudly when she mentioned her parents who died of starvation. Uncle Zhang burst into tears when he mentioned his brothers who died in the war. They all said that this year's Ghost Festival should be a good compensation for the dead relatives.

The man who usually couldn't bear to part with a popsicle took out a lot of copper coins from the hut, stove, and chicken coop and handed them to Lao Zhang. Xu Xian was so excited that he thought this was a big business opportunity and was going to find craftsmen to use it. Make a "mistress" or "mistress" out of paper and take advantage of the opportunity to make a fortune.

But when he heard Lao Zhang telling the military relatives about the arrangements for this year's Hungry Ghost Festival, Xu Xian realized how petty he was. This year, the Holy Guard Army wanted to build a three-foot-high building with 500 cows and 1,000 sheep. There are hundreds of maids and servants who use it to worship family members.

Of course, these sacrificial items cannot be real. Paper binding has become popular in the Tang Dynasty, especially in the feudal towns. They will be organized in a big way during the Ghost Festival. Although they are for the dead, they are actually for the living. , which can appease the soldiers and military family members to a great extent.

It has been passed down over time. Although the Guardian Army is a forbidden army, they all came from the vassal town before. Naturally, this custom also exists. With such a large number of paper bundles, the thousands of households in Liuhe Bay cannot produce them, but the Guardian Army More than 20,000 military families gathered together, and I heard that the imperial court would also subsidize some money and send officials to preside over sacrifices.

I really succumbed to this group of people. Normally, they would like to break the copper coins in half, but they were not at all shy about spending money on the dead. Xu Xian couldn't escape. If he didn't even participate in such an important ceremony, who would do it? He regarded it as one of his own. He paid twenty coins and handed it to Lao Zhang, just as a way to build up some good deeds for the host's family.

On July 15th, representatives from every household in Liuhe Bay were all dressed up and went out one after another. They needed to get to the sacrificial site outside Zhuque Gate before noon.

Xu Xian got up before dawn to work. As a young man recognized by Lao Zhang, he was qualified to carry paper bundles. Although the paper bundles were light, it was not pleasant to run back and forth five or six times between the city and outside the city on a hot day.

He got under the cow's belly and grabbed its two front legs, and easily carried the "big ox" on his shoulders. Aunt Liu took out a copper coin from her purse and gave it to Xu Xian, which was a good sign of bad luck. In terms of money, Xu Xian has already earned seven coins.

"There aren't many left! Brother Xian, send this over so you don't have to come back again."

Xu Xian walked a few steps when he heard a familiar voice behind him, "I took two paper figures, give me two copper coins!"

"You're the best!" Aunt Liu laughed and cursed, and then there was a rush of footsteps chasing him. Two paper-tied shepherd boys swayed beside Xu Xian, and a voice behind him said: "The big scalper is still here."

If you don’t walk faster, will you get whipped?”

Xu Xian said disdainfully: "Children's tricks are boring."

Hong Baoer poked his head out from behind the paper man and said, "I am a child originally!"

"Which kid has so many thoughts like you? How come you have to avoid me recently?"

Hong Baoer smiled and said: "I asked Xiaocan, and she said you are not good at manliness."

"Then you are asking the wrong person. Xiaocan yourself doesn't know what masculinity is, but you know a lot at such a young age."

"Although I am young, I have also read books. How could I not know what it means to divide the peach and cut the sleeves?"

"Don't talk about it. Xiaocan wasn't bullied by your second sister at your house, right?"

Hong Baoer shook his head and said: "That's not true. Although my second sister has a bad temper, she has only beaten two of our brothers. The other one is you. In fact, she is usually quite reasonable and will not bully Xiaocan.

.They get along much more happily than you and I."

The two chatted as they walked out of the Zhuque Gate in Kaifeng City and then headed east. From a distance, they saw a tall building standing on the deserted beach, but it was made of paper. I heard that craftsmen had been working here for almost ten years.

Oh my god.

Paper figures, paper cows, and paper sheep were piled around the high-rise building, occupying an area of ​​land. This scale was definitely over the limit and arrogant, but the emperor would not pursue it. After all, it was the emperor who took the lead, the founding king of the Five Dynasties.

For those of you who have never been a military envoy, I heard from Lao Zhang that there is much more fun to be had in a feudal town than here. Not to mention compared with the feudal town, even the Fengguo Army on the west side of the official road is larger than the Guardian Army. After all, they have more people.

This sacrificial ceremony is actually not very elaborate. After listening to the incomprehensible nonsense of the junior official of the Ministry of Rites, he burned the paper and tied it, and then everyone howled in unison, screaming, lunging, beating their chests and stamping their feet, and there was a lot of movement.

There doesn't seem to be much sadness at all, it's like a big party to vent your emotions.

"It's so fucking spectacular!" Xu Xian pointed to the two big fires on both sides of the official road. The flames were soaring into the sky, and you could feel the scorching heat waves even from a distance. If there were two big fires like this when the Khitan came to attack, I would probably be able to

Scared away.

On the opposite side of the official road came people No. 100, all of them young men, each holding a willow branch as thick as a finger. As soon as A Liang and Dakui greeted them, people No. 100 came over to greet them.

"Well, we, the Fengguo Army, should be more aggressive. Your Saint Protector Army lost again this year!"

Xu Xian almost flinched at his words. These people were probably so bored that they would even start a fire, but the fire on the other side was indeed higher than here.

A Liang didn't show any weakness, "Stop talking nonsense, let's follow the old rules and see the real results."

The Guardian Army seemed to be well prepared, and everyone took out willow branches more than three feet long and as thin as a finger from their arms. The Fengguo Army said: "Okay, let's go further, don't disturb the adults.

interest."

Xu Xian didn't understand why and asked Hong Bao'er beside him, "What's going on?"

"It's a good thing that you live in Liuhe Bay and don't even know this. It's a long story. Many years ago, people on both sides were doing sacrifices. I don't know who said something about their own anger. The other side didn't accept it and they argued.

They got up, then started fighting, and even used knives to kill many people."

"The person who started the trouble in the first place is really evil, and the other people are also crazy."

"Hehe... My father said the same thing. These people may not be willing to sacrifice their lives in battle. In private, they can fight to the death with just a few words. But they are not stupid. They know that they are taking heavy shots and let the children fight back.

We have set rules, such as only using three-foot-long wicker sticks. Anyway, you can't kill anyone. It's just a way to practice the courage of the son of a family. When I was young, my second brother often helped the people of the Guardian Army."

"Oh, how did it turn out?"

"I always win!"

While the two were talking, Jiubao passed by them riding a bamboo pole and holding a wicker stick in his hand, "Dakui, wait for me!"

Xu Xian grabbed him and asked, "What are you doing riding a bamboo pole?"

Jiubao turned around and said: "What do you know? Our Holy Guard Army is a horse army. What can we do without horses? This is the first time I have been selected. Don't delay my good deeds. Dakui, wait for me, drive! Drive!"

!”

Hong Baoer laughed and said, "I guess he won't be able to ride a horse next year."

"Drive! Drive! Drive!" With the rumble of horse hooves, a group of one hundred cavalrymen, holding three red flags, rushed over from the thick smoke along the official road, attracting everyone on both sides.

Attention, even a group of young men preparing to fight stopped in their tracks.

Hong Baoer said happily: "It must have been sent by Lieutenant Guo to report the victory. This battle is about to be over and my father is coming back!"

Two men were separated from the cavalry and rushed towards the crowd of worshipers on both sides of the official road. As soon as the horse was reined in, it raised its front hooves and stopped steadily. The helmeted rider shouted loudly: "Guo Taiwei"

We have suppressed the rebellion in three towns and will return soon!" After saying that, he turned around and rode away.

After a short period of silence, the family members of the Forbidden Army who were grinning and howling suddenly became happy and joyful, and returned to their nests like birds and beasts, leaving only two huge fires...

In fact, this is a difficult time. They don't know whether they will return home intact or receive sad news. They always hope that time will pass faster. In this hot summer, they have an extra anxiety, so that the popsicles

Sales volume also increased a bit.

Summer is coming to an end, and the popsicle business can only last a few days, so Xu Xian naturally tries his best to meet their needs. The speed of saltpeter reduction can never keep up with the speed of use, so he just bought a large truck back.

Thanks to Lao Zhang's relationship, he was able to purchase goods through military channels, and the price of saltpeter was much cheaper. Of course, the commission was also given to him.

After crossing the Bianhe pier and turning around, we went onto the bridge. A foreigner stood at the end of the bridge and shouted loudly in Chinese, "Come and see the exotic beasts, they are sold at low prices!"

Xu Xian subconsciously glanced at the cage next to him, and his eyes widened, "Panda?"
Chapter completed!