Great Song Super Scholar

Chapter 713 New Year's Eve

Although everyone sits casually, some of the most basic etiquette cannot be wrong. Zhu Yuanfeng has the highest seniority, and he sits at the main seat. The most promising grandson, Zhu Qi, sits at the guest seat, while Fan Ning lives next to his mother, Zhang Sanniang. Below him are Zhu Pei, Ouyang Qian, Cao Xiu, Aya, and then a group of children, all of whom sit at random .

On the other side of Zhu Yuanfeng is his daughter Zhu Qi, she is the eldest daughter, and Zhu Xiaoli is still her younger brother, so sitting below her is Zhu Xiaoli's wife Jiang Shi, then his two sons and daughter-in-law, and Zhu Xiaoli's daughter Son-in-law, Zhu Jie's daughter-in-law, below are a group of children.

Zhu Jie is in charge today, she got up and clapped her hands with a smile, "We don't care about seniority or surname, all children under the age of 16 come to kowtow to the old man to get lucky money, you will definitely make your mouths crooked."

More than a dozen children came up to line up to kowtow, and Fan Zhener was the oldest, and she was the first to kowtow, "I wish the old man good health and a long life, granddaughter, no! No! Great-granddaughter Fan Zhener kowtows to you."

She spoke very smoothly, and kowtowed to her grandmother every year, almost saying her seniority wrong.

Zhu Yuanfeng couldn't even close his mouth with a smile, "Zhen'er is the oldest, Grandpa Zeng gave you the biggest red envelope."

He specially took out the biggest red envelope and stuffed it in Fan Zhen'er.

"Thank you, Grandpa Zeng!"

She said thank you, but her heart was full of confusion. Why was there only half a broken jade pendant in it? She still thought it was a silver ingot!

She ran to her father and whispered, "Daddy, what is this?"

Fan Ning took the jade pendant, his heart moved, and he looked at the red envelope again, and there was indeed a thin slip. When he took out the slip inside, Fan Ning was startled. two.

Generous!It turned out to be giving the child 1000 taels of gold as lucky money.

He was about to speak, but Zhu Yuanfeng gave him a hard look, "If you want to spoil my interest, just speak!"

Fan Ning had no choice but to swallow the rest of the words, and said to Fan Zhen'er: "This is 1000 taels of gold, which is equivalent to 1 taels of silver. You can get it with the slip and jade pendant. Give it to your mother, and let your mother put it away for you. "

When Fan Zhen'er heard that it was 1 taels of silver, she immediately smiled. These three kowtows were too worthwhile, and she hurried to her mother.

Ouyang Qian was also startled when she saw the golden ticket, she went to Fan Ning, Fan Ning smiled and said: "It's the third grandpa's wish, so let's do it!"

"Daddy, how many are we?"

The three sons and Fan Linger also surrounded them. They each received 500 taels of gold, but the eldest son, Fan Jing, also received 1000 taels of gold. Zhener, so I also gave Fan Zhener the full share.

"You all have quite a few, so give them to your mother to keep for you. Jing Er, why do you get two copies?" Fan Ning found it strange that the eldest son, Fan Jing, was holding two red envelopes.

Fan Jing pointed to his youngest brother and said, "This is my kowtow for Zhou'er, it's his lucky money."

"Okay, give it to your brother!"

Fan Ning was very relieved that the eldest son had the demeanor of an elder brother, so he didn't need to remind himself, he took the initiative to kowtow for his brother.

Zhu Yuanfeng scattered the red envelopes, and the house was full of joy for a while. At this time, the dishes began to be served. Everyone poured wine and served dishes, and laughed.

Zhu Yuanfeng was very excited, raised his glass and said with a smile: "Come on! For the reunion on New Year's Eve, we made this toast!"

"Cheers!" Everyone raised their glasses together.

After a night of fun, Zhu Yuanfeng couldn't bear the fatigue and went to rest early. Everyone chatted for another half an hour. Seeing that the children were a little tired, Zhu Pei whispered to Fan Ning: "Husband, let's go back too!"

Fan Ning nodded, then got up to leave, Zhu's family did not stop him, there was still a sacrifice at night, so he wanted to go back early.

Everyone got into the carriage, and twenty female guards got on their horses and escorted the carriage back to the residence.

On New Year's Eve, many families have to keep vigil, the reason is to offer sacrifices, and family sacrifices are generally held at Yin time, that is, at four o'clock in the middle of the night. Various preparations must be made before the sacrifice. A large family must rush to the ancestral hall in advance, so New Year's Eve Basically unable to sleep, gradually formed the custom of keeping the year old.

Some people suggested that it is better to change the family sacrifice to the morning of the first day of the new year, just get up earlier, but this arrangement is basically unworkable. First, the time is particular. There is also a New Year's Court Ceremony to be held, so the officials in the capital cannot worship their ancestors!
But there are still some families who worship their ancestors on the fifth day of the first lunar month. This is mainly to let the children of outside families rush back to their hometown. Why do wanderers from other places must go home during the Spring Festival? This is a thousand-year tradition that has been passed down to this day. In the long years, the main reason is not In order to go home for reunion, but to rush home to worship ancestors. Of course, going home for reunion is also very important, but ancestor worship is the root cause.

Sacrificial offerings in Fanning's mansion were relatively simple and did not require much preparation, so when we returned to the mansion, everyone went to bed early.

As soon as Yinshi arrived, the whole family was woken up. Except for Cao Xiu's one and a half year old son, the rest of the family hurriedly washed up, then changed into black sacrificial robes, and came to the sacrificial hall in the northeast corner of the mansion.

The sacrificial hall is a pavilion with a maximum area of ​​[-] square meters. Outside is a small courtyard. Inside the sacrificial hall are the spiritual plaques of Fan Ning's father Fan Tiezhou, grandfather Fan Dachuan, and cousin Fan Zhongyan. Although Fan Ning doesn't like his grandfather very much. Fan Dachuan, but that is his grandfather after all, the rules cannot be broken.

The lights in the sacrificial hall were brightly lit, and Zhang Sanniang had already placed the sacrifices. She came to the sacrificial hall half an hour earlier and put all the sacrifices prepared in advance on the altar.

The altar table is already filled with various sacrifices, and the sacrifices are divided into three rows, with sheep, pigs and ox heads in the back row, chickens, ducks and fish in the middle, incense burner and two big red candles in the front, and trays on both sides. Inside are various dim sum fruits.

Jian Meizi has already arrived with eight female disciples. This is also a tradition. Many rich and powerful families will invite monks or Taoist priests to participate in ancestor worship, mainly because they need them to ward off evil spirits and protect spirits.

Fan Ning and his family were already waiting in the small yard. At this moment, Jian Meizi tapped the chime lightly with a jade hammer, 'Dang! 'The time has come.

Fan Ning led the whole family into the sacrificial hall. His mother Zhang Sanniang and his wife Zhu Pei followed him. Fan Ning took three sticks of incense and did not need to light them first. Finally, the whole family's incense was burned together in the incense burner, mainly to prevent the incense from burning the back. child.

Fan Ning held incense in front of his eyes and said silently: "When the new year is approaching and all things reincarnate, the descendants and grandchildren Fan Ning brought the whole family to worship their father and ancestors, offering sacrificial animals, performing worship rituals, and comforting their ancestors. Protect the descendants, the descendants will continue, and the family will prosper!"

After finishing speaking in a low voice, Fan Ning inserted the three sticks of incense into the incense burner, knelt down respectfully and bowed three times. He got up and said, "Everyone come to kowtow and offer incense to our ancestors!"

"Boom!"

The Jingzhong above the Daqing Hall rang, and thousands of ministers of civil and military affairs, dressed in court clothes, took their seats on the square of the Daqing Hall.

Today is the first day of the first lunar month, which is the time of the New Year's Ceremony every year. All civil and military officials above the ninth grade in Beijing must participate. The emperor and the queen mother will also attend, remembering the past, looking forward to the future, and praying for the Song Dynasty in the new year.

The time will not be too long, and then there will be a New Year's feast, where all civil and military officials can enjoy the delicacies and fine nectar of the palace.

The weather is beautiful today, the sun is shining all over the earth, the snow on the square has been cleared, and the snow on the roof is shining magnificently under the reflection of the morning glow.

There are twenty rows of thousands of seats on the square of the Daqing Hall. Officials above the fifth rank have their own seats, and officials below the fifth rank can sit at will.

Fan Ning and the other six phases sat in the first row. Ouyang Xiu changed a seat temporarily, sat next to Fan Ning, and said in a low voice, "My son-in-law, come and have a gathering tomorrow night!"

Fan Ning nodded, "There is no arrangement for tomorrow, I will bring Aqian and the children together!"

"If it's convenient, it's best to come with the whole family!"

A wry smile appeared on the corner of Fan Ning's mouth. Ouyang Xiu's step-wife and several children were too snobbish. Last year, his mother went to Ouyang Mansion as a guest. When they learned that his mother was from a rural woman, their attitudes became obviously cold, which made her no longer want to go to Ouyang Mansion.

Fan Ning had no choice but to apologize: "Mom didn't sleep all night last night, she was a little tired, she may have to rest for two days, Aqian and I will come tomorrow!"

Ouyang Xiu knew well that his wife and daughter behaved too rudely last year, making people afraid to come, and they didn't want to come, so he could only sigh secretly, nodded and said, "Your son-in-law decides for himself!"

At this time, several eunuchs came out and shouted loudly: "The Empress Dowager is here! Your Majesty the Emperor is here!"

(End of this chapter)