txolops Chapter 21: Is the New Year almost here?
Chapter 21: Is the New Year almost here?
Fusu was taken aback by these seemingly nonsensical words. Seeing Zou Yun's strange expression, he frowned slightly and asked, "Grand Master, what do you mean by this?"
"Ha ha ha ha......"
Zou Yun was amused by Fusu's bewildered expression, and his previous melancholy vanished.
He stood up laughing, took a few enthusiastic steps forward, grabbed Fusu's arm without saying a word, and led him to the small bronze stove burning with charcoal.
On the charcoal stove, the plum water, boiled in an earthenware pot, was bubbling with tiny bubbles.
Without explaining his earlier offhand remark, Zou Yun simply poured him a cup of plum juice and quickly said...
"I'm fine, I'm fine! Come, Young Master Fusu, please take a seat!"
Once Fusu was seated, he didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point.
"Young master, what brings you to the Immortal Temple today? Is it perhaps another imperial decree from His Majesty?"
Zou Yun secretly speculated, after all, given Fusu's status and situation, it seemed unlikely that he would be able to visit others so casually recently.
Fusu put down the plum juice he had just taken a sip of, straightened his posture, and explained his purpose in a calm tone.
"Does the Grand Master not know? The New Year is just a few days away. Fusu has come here on His Majesty's orders to invite the Grand Master to participate in the Wax Sacrifice Ceremony in the palace."
During the Qin Dynasty, the La sacrifice was the largest sacrificial ceremony of the year.
This was a day of national celebration, from royalty to commoners.
In the strict laws of the Qin Dynasty, the restrictions on drinking and gatherings were only lifted around the Laba Festival.
Therefore, people who have worked hard all year are eagerly anticipating the Laba Festival.
"New Year?" Zou Yun was taken aback upon hearing this, and subconsciously looked out the window at the fine snow and bare branches, his face full of disbelief.
"Isn't it just the beginning of winter? How come it's already Chinese New Year?"
Upon hearing this, Fusu couldn't help but secretly sized up Zou Yun.
"Could it be that the aftereffects of Master Dafang's disintegration have not yet fully healed?" Fusu sighed inwardly. Even he had heard a little about Zou Yungang's period of madness after his disintegration.
However, although Fusu had doubts in his heart, he still maintained a respectful demeanor and explained in a gentle voice.
"The Great Master has been devoted to cultivating the Tao, and has probably been in seclusion for a long time, unaware of the changing seasons in the human world. The beginning of the year is indeed approaching."
"Haha, I see, I see!"
Realizing he had made a fool of himself, Zou Yun quickly laughed it off, "I was really confused, how could I forget the New Year? I'm so ashamed!"
He brushed it off vaguely, inwardly cursing himself for not studying history well.
Actually, Zou Yun cannot be blamed for this, because the Qin Dynasty used the Zhuanxu calendar, which took the tenth month as the beginning of the year.
This is completely different from the modern Spring Festival, and the Spring Festival that modern people are familiar with was not revived until Emperor Wu of Han.
Therefore, the Qin people's New Year was in the tenth month of the lunar calendar!
"Oh, I see, the New Year's Wax Festival." Zou Yun quickly adjusted his expression and gave Fusu a hearty smile.
"Thank you for the kind invitation from His Majesty and the young master. I, Zou Yun, will certainly attend on time and go with you to witness the ceremony."
He thought Fusu had come to invite him to travel together, but Fusu's face showed a bitter smile.
"I am afraid......"
Fusu bowed slightly and said apologetically to Zou Yun, "I'm afraid Fusu will not be able to travel with the Grand Master."
"Why is that?" Zou Yun asked, puzzled.
"Previously, Fusu acted rashly, strongly advising His Majesty in the main hall... to execute the Grand Master. However, this action has already angered His Majesty..."
Fusu took a deep breath, his tone calm, but he couldn't hide his disappointment.
"His Majesty has decreed that I shall depart immediately for Shangjun to oversee the affairs of the Great Wall border troops and atone for my crimes through meritorious service."
He paused, as if stating something unrelated to himself, his face calm and indifferent.
"Therefore, Fusu will soon... leave Xianyang City."
"Has it progressed this far?" Zou Yun pondered. "If I remember correctly, Ying Zheng probably only has a few years left to live."
Zou Yun vaguely remembered that it seemed that after Ying Zheng exiled Fusu to Shangjun, Fusu died of illness on his inspection tour less than two years later.
"That's actually good news, it's just that Fusu..."
Zou Yun looked up at Fu Su, who had no expression on his face. He opened his mouth but didn't know what to say. In the end, he could only squeeze out a dry word of comfort.
"Young master, there is no need to worry too much."
"His Majesty likely only intends to give the young master some experience in the army, and will soon transfer him back to Xianyang."
"What the Great Master says is very true."
Fusu nodded slightly, accepting this empty consolation.
After that, he said no more, slowly stood up, and solemnly bowed to Zou Yun, saying, "Take care, Master. Fusu takes his leave."
Zou Yun rose to see him off, his gaze following Fu Su's receding figure in the first snow, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
A gust of bleak autumn wind swept through the courtyard.
The last withered yellow leaf, stubbornly resisting, was rolled off the old tree branch.
The leaf drifted in the air for a moment before finally falling helplessly onto the two still-warm lacquered cups.
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"A little to the left, yes... too much, too much, a little to the right!"
As dawn broke, Feng Zhixue and Zheng Ze were already busy under Zou Yun's guidance.
Each of them held a freshly carved peach stem and carefully adjusted its position on either side of the gate according to Master Zou's instructions.
"Okay, this is it. Put it down." Zou Yun said with satisfaction.
Upon hearing this, the two placed the dolls they were holding on the ground.
The two puppets were about a foot tall and as thick as a wrist, emitting a faint fragrance of peach wood.
Feng Zhixue steadied the wooden figure, then took the brand-new thick hemp rope handed to him by Zheng Ze, and wrapped it around the figure, securing it firmly to both sides of the gate.
If you look closely, you can see that although the peach wood figure is carved in a simple and ancient style, its features are rugged.
But surprisingly, it was the form of Shen Tu and Yu Lei, the legendary guardians of the gates of hell.
Although the peach stem is not finely carved, it exudes a majestic and awe-inspiring aura.
It was created by Wang Chunsheng, the master craftsman.
It is different from the couplets posted in later generations, and even from the peach wood charms that people think only appeared in the Han Dynasty.
During the pre-Qin period, every household would take a piece of peach wood before the beginning of the year and carve it into a peach wood doll by hand.
And before the New Year arrives, the old peach stalks that have been guarding the whole year will be replaced with these new peach stalks.
So that the new peach branches can use the yang energy of the new year to sweep away the filth and old energy of the end of the year.
On this day, in addition to changing the peach branches, newly woven reed ropes must be hung on the lintel, and a fierce tiger shape must be carved on the door panel.
People firmly believed that with the triple protection of peach branches guarding the gate, reed ropes binding ghosts, and fierce tigers suppressing evil, they were able to achieve great things.
In the new year, the whole family will be safe and sound, and will be free from evil spirits and disasters.
Therefore, while Feng Zhixue was focused on fixing the peach stalks...
The master carver, Liu Qingsong, was holding a sharp carving knife, leaning over the heavy door panel, holding his breath and concentrating, his wrist moving steadily with the knife.
The knife tip scraped across the wooden board, making a soft rustling sound, carving carefully, one horizontal and one vertical stroke.
As the blade rose and fell, the majestic image of a crouching tiger gradually emerged on the door panel.
The ferocious tiger's eyes were wide open in anger, its claws and teeth were sharp, and its lines were vigorous. Although it was just a carving on the door panel, it was full of vitality and tension.
After finishing the carving, Liu Qingsong took out the prepared cinnabar and used a fine brush to lightly draw the tiger stripes.
The crimson color spread across the brown wood, adding to its imposing presence.
There were also sorcerers hanging replacement reed ropes on the lintel; everyone was very serious about their work.
After all, not to mention that the Qin people believed in ghosts and gods, the alchemists, as the leaders of superstition, also needed to set an example and show reverence for ancient rituals.
Fortunately, everything proceeded smoothly without any mishaps.