Nativity

Because he was a guest at someone else's house, Master Zhu could only share a room with his daughter.

The bed they slept on was also very simple, with a layer of straw on the ground, a bamboo mat on top of the straw, and a quilt.

But the bamboo mat and quilt were new, and they smelled of cotton. It seemed that the Busang family had done their best to entertain their master.

From childhood to adulthood, Zhu Susu ate and lived with her nanny, and had very few opportunities to spend time with her father.

It was the first time that she shared a room with her father and felt his father's love for the first time. Zhu Susu was both happy and frightened.

Seeing his daughter's strange expression, Master Zhu asked in confusion, "What's wrong with Susu?"

Zhu Susu couldn't hide her sadness and said, "I miss the nanny! Susu is not with the nanny. I wonder if the nanny is asleep at this time?"

Master Zhu could hear the meaning of his daughter's words, and apologized to her daughter with guilt. "It's my father's fault! These years, my father has neglected my Susu!"

Mr. Zhu, who was used to sleeping on the big wooden bed, tossed and turned and couldn't fall asleep.

Zhu Susu couldn't sleep either, so she started a private conversation with her father.

Zhu Susu asked her father, "I would rather stay overnight at the farmer's house than participate in tomorrow's spring plowing sacrifice to Du. Is spring plowing sacrifice to Du very important?"
"The people want to eat, and they can't be hungry. Whether they are full or not depends on the face of the sky, so spring plowing and sacrifices are very important to the people. The people are busy and have nothing to ask for. They just want a good weather and a good harvest. Year."

What does it have to do with the sky whether we can have enough to eat?Why look at the face of the sky?
Zhu Susu didn't quite understand the meaning of his father's words.

Grandpa Zhu laughed, and told his daughter Zhu Susu very seriously about the relationship between man and nature, and between heaven and earth.

Zhu Susu was too young to be able to understand these profound philosophical truths, listening to them half-understood, and fell asleep unknowingly.

As Master Zhu was talking, he also felt sleepy.

oh oh oh...

Before dawn, the roosters in every household were crowing.

Zhu Susu and her father got up early, and the Busang family got up earlier and had already killed the pig used for worship.

The sacrifice is set at the head of the field, and a stone is chosen as the altar to worship in the open air.

The woman packed the prepared sacrifices in baskets and carried them to the sacrifice place in the field.

The men worked together to carry the roasted fat pig to the sacrifice place at the head of the field.

A respectable old man burns incense and prays to the god "Da Si Ming".

A respectable old man?
This time, the villagers unanimously recommended Mr. Zhu.

Although Mr. Zhu is not old, he is a man of high morals and high prestige.

The red sun setting in the west is slowly rising on the hilltop in the east!
As soon as the time comes, the spring plowing and sacrifice officially begins.

The women put on clean and beautiful clothes, the men tied their foreheads with red cloth, and the children were dressed up for festive occasions.

The strong man happily carried the sacrifice and shouted towards the field.

The drums and music are beating together, the gongs and drums are loud, the crowds are rushing, and the fireworks are curling up. The lively scene is not inferior to the temple fair.

Master Zhu, on behalf of the people in Buyi, first offered incense and prayed devoutly to the god "Da Siming".Pray for disaster relief and blessings, the weather in Youbuyi will be smooth, and the people in Baibuyi will have enough food and clothing!

'Buyi' is a place name, meaning the county seat.

After the prayer ceremony, the men and daughters gathered around a tied ox and a pair of iron plows, singing and dancing...

After singing and dancing, everyone had a feast and shared offerings.

The sacrifices are mainly a roasted pig, a portion of cakes, and some fresh fruits and vegetables.

Because of poverty, the serfs were reluctant to eat meat on weekdays, and they could only eat meat when they had a wedding with someone on festivals.

To divide the offerings, choose a piece of flat ground to divide.

The ground will be covered with washed banana leaves or rectangular mats woven from bamboo.Sacrificial roast pigs, cakes, and fresh fruits will be cut into small pieces and served in small pottery bowls, one for each person.

Everyone will sit around banana leaves and bamboo mats.

Looking at the bowls of golden and crispy roast pigs in front of them, the serfs were so greedy that they drool.

When it was time to start the feast, everyone grabbed a piece of meat and devoured it hungrily, as if they couldn't wait.

The man has a big bowl of wine in his left hand and a large piece of meat in his right hand, as if all the hard work is worth it for this meal.

Although Zhu Susu would not run out of meat, it can be seen that everyone is so happy to eat, she followed suit by grabbing a piece of meat and eating it in big mouthfuls!
Wow, crispy, crunchy, full of oil, really delicious!

Zhu Susu had never eaten with so many people, and Zhu Susu suddenly felt that the food here was better than the food at home.The most important thing is that everyone here has a pure smile on their faces, and they don't look at people with winking eyes, making Zhu Susu happier than ever before!
Seeing the bright smiles on everyone's faces, and seeing his daughter grinning and gnawing on the two little rabbit teeth, that eating looks very embarrassing, yet cute, Mr. Zhu immediately felt full of happiness!

The spring plowing festival is over

The serfs returned to the real life of working at sunrise and resting at sunset, with their backs to the sun.

After the spring plowing sacrifice to Du, Zhu Susu will go back with his father.

Zhu Susu reluctantly looked at the farmland, which was as beautiful as an ink painting, and was reluctant to get into the carriage for a long time.

"Father, can I come again?" Zhu Susu asked his father.

"Hehe! Susu likes this place, and I will bring Susu here again in Autumn Harvest!"

"it is true?"

"of course it's true."

With father's assurance, Zhu Susu got on the carriage happily.

..........................................

Autumn harvest season is here!
"Father, why has this place changed!" Zhu Susu and his father came again to their own farmland.

In the month of spring plowing, this farmland will be an ink painting of spring plowing; in the month of autumn harvest, this farmland will be an oil painting of autumn harvest; there are golden wheat grains beyond the horizon; there are fruits full of trees, full of red , Jin Cancan... The abundant autumn scenes that can be seen everywhere and the joy of the serfs' busy autumn harvest!

"Wow, it's so beautiful here! Why does it always feel different every time I come here?"

The cool autumn wind blows, rolling up golden waves of wheat, the sleeves swaying in the breeze, and the cool breeze blowing across the face, Zhu Susu seems to be in the golden ocean.

Zhu Susu is the daughter of the Zhu family, so naturally she doesn't have to work, and sits by the field alone to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

For fear of sudden rain, Mr. Zhu urged the farmers to harvest quickly, and ordered the housekeeper to load the sun-dried grains into the cart.

In just half a month, the golden rice fields became bare, and the grains were dried and packed.

At this time, Mr. Zhu will sell some of the packed rice to the rice merchants, and leave some for the serfs to eat. Finally, he will take the rest of the rice back and store it in the large warehouse in the backyard of Zhu's house.

Zhu Susu asked his father in puzzlement, why not sell all the grains to the rice merchants?Wouldn't it be possible to make more money by selling all the grain?Sell ​​all the grains, so you don't have to hire so many servants to guard the warehouse, and you don't have to worry about the grains getting wet and spoiled?

Master Zhu told his daughter that not every year is a bumper harvest year, there will always be natural disasters and man-made disasters, we farmers must have a far-reaching vision, and it is true to store grain, so that the people will have rations to eat that day.

"Oh! So that's the case." Zhu Susu nodded in understanding.

Zhu Susu, who was about to follow her father back to the house, heard that there would be a bullfight performance today, so she wanted to watch it before going home.

After the autumn harvest is over, the serfs will find some fun for themselves in their spare time.