New Year can always bring new hope, even if this hope looks...

In the blink of an eye, the New Year is approaching, and no matter what, the lights and decorate colors are beginning to be decorated in Xu County, adding a lot of festive atmosphere. The people of the gentry in and out of Yuzhou also have more smiles on weekdays. Even Xun Yu knew that the situation in the Cao family was turbulent and heavy-hearted, he would occasionally show some sincere smiles and prepare some things about the New Year, which made some relaxation.

The streets in Xu County are full of festive atmosphere of New Year. Children are running laughing and laughing, vehicles and pedestrians are passing through the streets, and greeting each other with smiles.

It seemed that the festive atmosphere slightly diluted some of the cold weather. In this street market, the snow was swept aside, and there was no sign of melting, and it seemed to be piled up in the hills.

In a house in a tavern, a properly burning stove is arranged to heat the room, while ensuring a slight circulation of air. The room is luxurious. The incense is scattered in the bead curtains. At the same time, there is also an ethereal and graceful piano sound as accompaniment. The woman playing the piano is beautiful and has a bright appearance. At this time, she only serves as a foil and does not speak much.

Everything seemed normal, but, strangely, on the table, on the side of the pastry, there was tea, not wine.

"This year, it seems that it's even more noisy...

"I went out of the city yesterday? I paid homage to the elders in my family, and the same was true for me..."

『…This time I left the city, I heard that there was another snow disaster in Youbei? Where is Yijing? It is even rarer? The bridges and roads were destroyed, and the goods were transported in Jizhou. The road encountered an avalanche? I lost all my money? Tsk, pitiful, pitiful...』

"The land of Jizhou? A large population? I can always get through it if I work hard. Haha? It's just that my fortune has been a little worse in the past two years..."

"Is that true? I think back then...haha..."

"But this tea owner... has a bad start, and now he needs to take the exam, which is really worrying... I originally thought that only Xijing would drink tea, but I didn't expect that Tokyo is also drinking it now. Although it is elegant, it is a bit bitter...

Both of them looked at the tea? They couldn't help but sigh slightly.

It was originally a bit unreasonable to drink tea in a tavern? But these days, there are many "unreasonable" things, and compared with some bigger things, such things seem insignificant.

"I want to start the exam in the first lunar month? I wonder if there is any news on my brother's platform?"

"Myong is also worried about this matter..."

"What are your worries about brother? The emperor has also been appointed as a county magistrate? He has some feelings... In my family, not to mention two thousand stones, even thousand stones have been withered for a long time, and it is even more difficult..."

"How can these Western Qin and Han people know that the Chinese articles are wonderful? I heard that they have won many achievements in the Western Regions... The son here can be considered as seeking wealth and danger..."

"I heard that the court was also talking... The day before yesterday, I drank with Cao Guan from Sikong's mansion and learned about something... Can you tell me that Wang Xiang of Langya was Xiu Zheng?"

"I heard a little. What's the matter?"

"Even if it is like this... Alas, I never thought that the Wang family of Langya was also a dignified clan, Alas... but today I ended up like this..."

"This... I'm afraid this is a person from Jizhou, so I'll just do it?"

"Isn't it the same? If this is the case, I'm afraid it will be very peaceful in this first month of the exam..."

『Ah, it's really...』

The two sighed again.

The sigh and the ding-dong dong sound mixed together, and followed the eaves of the rising white smoke and slipped out.

And this kind of discussion is not only in the tavern, but also in other places. It is mixed with the joy of the New Year in Xu County. It seems not so harmonious, but it seems to be very reasonable and reasonable...

The day before New Year's Eve, a middle-class eunuch came to the Shangshutai and on behalf of Emperor Liu Xie, he gave condolences to the officials on duty, expressing the emperor's kindness. "At the end of the year, everything is very complicated. I am afraid that my dear friends will not be able to take advantage of the time to pay tribute to the clan, so I gave some sachets and brocade to express my wishes to you."

The one who came to announce the emperor's condolences was naturally a middle-aged official. If it weren't for the needlessness under the jaw, he would even look more central and loyal than Xun Yu, and he was extraordinary in character.

Xun Yu, Liu Ye and Man Chong all thanked them one after another.

The other minor officials of the Shangshutai also worshiped each other. After all, they also shared some things. Although there were not many, they meant it after all. What was given by the emperor, the meaning was different.

After the middle official was paid, he was about to leave urgently, as if the task was quite large today and everyone around him had to go there.

Xun Yu naturally needed to give him a free official. Man Chong and Liu Ye looked at each other and saw some different meanings from each other's eyes.

When was the last time the emperor rewarded him?

It seems that the memory is blurred...

On the one hand, it is because Liu Xie is still young and does not understand these twists and turns. On the other hand, it is because Liu Xie has always been embarrassed, so even if he wants to give something, he doesn’t know how difficult it is.

However, on every major festival, the emperor sends middle officials to the ministers to express condolences. This is also a custom. Even for some Kyoto officials who live a tight life, middle officials and envoys on these major festivals will be very popular. After all, the two people who come with these middle officials and envoys have some exquisite items.

For example, this time, with the arrival of the Zhongguan, some candles, peach talismans, sachets, etc. may not be precious and difficult to find, but they are all things that are obtained in the New Year, which are more like the emperor's gift, and they cannot be measured with the value of ordinary items.

This surprised both Man Chong and Liu Ye.

Because although these things are not expensive, they have many categories and are both simple and traditional. If you don’t have some thoughts, you may not be able to be fully equipped. This is very interesting.

According to Liu Xie's personality, or from Liu Xie's life experience, it is difficult for Liu Xie to understand, or to have the intention to understand the New Year items needed by an ordinary gentry and the common people's families. If it were before, even if Liu Xie wanted to reward the ministers, it would be mostly just some gold, silver, money, meat, brocade, etc., not that gold, silver, money, and other things are not good, but rather arbitrary and empty, and there are almost no such extremely targeted rewards for the New Year.

And now, it seems that Empress Cao, well, I don’t know if this is a good thing or...

Many officials in Xu County are quite contradictory to Liu Xie's attitude.

On the one hand, it is because Liu Xie is the Emperor of Han after all, and on the other hand, this Emperor of Han is just like that.

This relatively contradictory psychology has led many officials to stay away from it. After all, this is the nature of human nature. When a very difficult problem is in front of you, every day, but you cannot solve it yourself, subconscious escape becomes the best way to anesthetize yourself.

Otherwise what can I do?

Fighting with Cao Cao? What I wanted to do before has already had an example. Even my old friends said they could kill him. What else could Cao Cao not do?

This is not a saying that there are any villain behaviors. It is selfish. After all, living is a basic claim for a person. To be fair, Cao Cao treats ordinary officials not evil and demands and blames them. If he does not infringe on Cao Cao's fundamental interests, Cao Cao still has a certain tolerance for some minor problems.

Therefore, even if Cao Cao dominated the court and undermined Liu Xie, he might have some opinions for most officials in the middle and lower classes, but these opinions were not enough to make these people jump out of opposing Cao Cao, because these people are also slaves of power. At most, they sighed and complained when there was no one.

The palace is Liu Xie's prison, while power is the prison of most Xu County officials. Although these people may have different identities, they are also prisoners and slaves of power. At the highest level of the Han Dynasty, they can speak in the world, and they can keep silent. However, whether they have real happiness or a lot of happiness is like drinking water, and they know their own warmth and coldness.

Mr. Lu once said that the happiness of rich people is unimaginable. Similarly, being at the top of a dynasty, being close to power, all kinds of intrigues, love and killing each other is probably something that ordinary people cannot imagine.

A person's mind and wisdom generally comes from experience or growth environment. So Liu Xie's mind and wisdom was originally very transparent, so it was almost plain, but now, there seems to be some changes.

Man Chong and Liu Ye didn't say anything, but they mostly had some conspiracy in their minds.

Xun Yu sent the Zhongguan away, then turned around and came back. He looked at the utensils in front of the hall, pondered for a moment, and then asked Man Chong to distribute them to everyone on behalf of him...

What was assigned to Liu Ye was a pair of candles, two sachets, ten peach talismans, and some small objects such as New Year pictures drawn in the palace.

Liu Ye unfolds his paintings. What are the New Year paintings? They must be some auspicious meanings and beautiful things, such as pine, cypress, turtle, crane, etc. "The pine, cypress, are also well painted, and they will not wither during the winter, and will not be spotless in the dust."

Xun Yu didn't even raise his head, as if he didn't hear it at all.

Man Chong glanced at Liu Ye and said nothing.

After a little look, Liu Ye also put down the painting and continued to be busy with what he had at hand, as if he was just a casual taste.

All the things during the year are trivial and fulfilling, and they must be done on the last day of duty, so the three of them are busy until the afternoon, and they are basically done. They all show a little tired look, and then rub their slightly sore wrists and say Happy New Year, and they all go back to their homes.

On New Year's Eve, all families reunited, and the emperor was no exception. He would not come to the main hall until the fifth day of the first day, and feasted for the titles, dispersed, and honored the envoys of the foreigners.

However, as soon as Liu Ye walked to the door, a yellow door came out from the corner of the street, bowed and called Liu Ye, saying that the emperor would invite him...

"At this moment?" Liu Ye frowned a little.

The eunuch of the Yellow Gate nodded.

"Well, lead the way."

Liu Ye had no choice but to board the yellow gate vehicle and staggered towards the palace.

As he approached the hall, Liu Ye heard some rituals and music. He opened his eyes slightly and saw that at the base of the hall, some musicians were playing rituals and music. The repertoire was elegant and solemn, and quite graceful.

The eunuch of the yellow sect who had been observing Liu Ye on the side smiled and said, "This is your Majesty's instructions. The musician in the palace used his diligence to wish the country on the fifth day of the first five, and combined the ancient rituals to enjoy the same food with all the officials..."

Liu Ye nodded, but looked up and saw the sun shining slanted on one corner of the hall, which made half of the hall look brilliant, and the other half was indeed dark. He couldn't help but move, and then he urged him to look back again, and stopped looking around, until he walked into the hall and paid homage to Liu Xie.

Liu Xie was wearing casual clothes. When he saw Liu Ye, he bowed his hand slightly and apologized.

The rituals and music outside the hall are dingdong.

Liu Xie said: "Your dear may as well come in... The vocal music outside the hall is noisy, and you must practice diligently. Otherwise, if there are some mistakes in the fifth day of the lunar month, it will inevitably damage the country's dignity..."

Liu Ye smiled bitterly, but he still followed Liu Xie's words and moved forward for a while and sat under the alchemy steps.

The dense and smooth music music came from outside the hall, and various instruments were coordinated. Although Liu Xie is no longer the emperor's authority in the prosperous Han Dynasty, the musicians in the palace usually rely on these music to make a living, so they are naturally very skillful. How can they practice it before New Year's Eve?

Then the purpose of these musicians playing music near the main hall is that one is left.

"Your Majesty is so, it's even more eye-catching..." Liu Ye sighed slightly, "Your Majesty has any questions, so he said it, and I will naturally say everything..."

Liu Xie smiled awkwardly, then pointed to some extra utensils that had been prepared on the side, which were also small miscellaneous items such as incense, candles, agarwood, and said, "I also know that this move cannot be hidden from others, but it is also good to cover up a little bit... All of this stuff is here. At that time, my dear friend can be said to be of the same bloodline, so I will give you one more..."

Liu Ye is a descendant of Liu Yan, the son of Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu, and is a serious descendant of Liu Xie. Therefore, before the New Year, I specially invited me to give you an extra New Year's goods, which is not completely unreasonable.

Liu Ye nodded, not saying that Liu Xie's actions were useless in Cao Cao's eyes. After all, Liu Ye still had his surname Liu.

Liu Xie also knew that time was tight, so he said directly: "Now, Xijing and Jizhou all use the method of examining the right way, but their reactions are different, and they don't know if you can understand the truth? To solve my confusion."

The golden bell rang outside the hall, but Liu Ye's heart circled, focusing on Liu Xie's issue, and seemed to feel that the music outside the hall was intermittent.

"There are all kinds of people and things that I don't know. Your Majesty asks me about this, but I really dare not answer." Liu Ye said slowly, "However, if Your Majesty asks about the music rules, although I don't know the richness of the music, I am a little bit small... If there is no leader in the vocal music, I will be afraid that the sound will lose its leadership, and the music will be scattered. Although the music is the same, the musicians' differences also make the golden bell different..."

Liu Xie took a breath, nodded, and said, "The music... is also the ritual of etiquette. Please give me some advice..."

Liu Ye looked at the blood-red elixir in front of him. The sound was not loud, but it was enough for Liu Xie to hear it. "In the "Book of Zhou", there are eight musical instruments, namely "gold, stone, earth, leather, silk, wood, tulle, bamboo". It is combined with the sky above and responds to the earth below, which is the music of the eight directions. "Gold" means bells, bells, hangs, yongs, chubs, and chubs, which are sonorous and sharp. "Stone" means jade chimes, sheng chimes, chanting chimes, and singing balls, which are clear sounds, which are singing. "Ground" means

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After saying that, Liu Ye looked up slightly and glanced at Liu Xie.

Liu Xie nodded in a vague way.

"However, today, the music of the eight directions can be divided into three..." Liu Ye continued, "The music of hitting is like bells and drums, the music of pipes, like flutes and shengs, strings, like zithers. The music of bells and drums, the sound of metal and stones, is strong and powerful, suppressing evil and warding off evil, is the sound of force. The sound of flutes and shengs is endless, with a long breath, intermittent and difficult to understand, is the sound of qi. The music of zithers and zithers, jumping, swaying, wiping and picking, is the sound of human beings..."
To be continued...