Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

In the fourth year of Tianshun, it was the year of Wu Zi in the last month of autumn.

The sound of stringed instruments and wind wind music was heard in the palace, and a man dressed in red and decorated with colorful ribbons led a huge team away.

On the walls of the imperial city, several figures stood there.

"Qiongying has grown up too..."

"Yes, when she first came, she was barely as tall as my waist, and in the blink of an eye she became a married woman."

"It's time to get ready. We still have to go to Yang's house."

The tall figure turned back first.

……

There are six rituals in the Book of Rites: offering the bride price, asking for the bride's name, offering good news, offering the bride price, asking for the date, and welcoming the bride in person.

Although the Song people only retained four steps of accepting the bride price, accepting the good news, accepting the bride price and welcoming the bride, Yang Bangyi, an old antique from the late Eastern Han Dynasty and a well-read man, still tacitly completed all six rituals and officially entered the day of the first county lady of Qi getting married.

The sun shone on the long street decorated with lights and colorful lanterns. There were crowds of people on both sides of the street. Soldiers in ordinary uniforms were busy coming and going, hanging bright red silks on lanterns and tall poles on the roadside.

At the entrance of the street, several burly soldiers used their sturdy hands to carefully hang up a wedding curtain with the pattern of "Harmonious Love between Lovers and Phoenix". The embroidery on the curtain shone with golden light in the sun, causing several passers-by who were watching on the side to stop and stretch their necks out of curiosity to see where the wedding was being prepared.

Since Yang Bangyi took office as the Minister of the Chancellery, he had moved into the house renovated by Tao Zongwang. It was not a large mansion, but it was one of the most luxurious houses in South City. For him, it was enough and even better than he had imagined.

As for today's wedding, the Yang family started preparing since the time of Najib.

Literary men like Jiang Jing and Liu Min, who had a good relationship with Yang Bangyi, were helping him on the side. They were all men with a family to support. None of them had any relatives in the Liao Kingdom. How could they survive without relying on friends with good connections?

So these two people contributed their manpower and effort, while Yang Bangyi himself wrote the wedding invitations and sent them to his colleagues to invite people to come.

Not to mention that he was a new noble in the court, just the fact that his family had a close relationship with the emperor and the county lady who married into the court was also raised as a daughter, so none of the civil and military officials wanted to show up on such a happy day, and they all agreed without hesitation and walked into the Shangshu Mansion together on that day.

So this place soon became a gathering place for the civil and military officials of Qi State. Many people who had good relations in the past gathered together in groups of three or five. The wives of several Jurchen generals, because their husbands were away fighting, still came with gifts and children to join in the fun. Yang Bangyi and his wife personally entertained the guests in the front and back yards.

The female members of the family naturally had a place to gather and meet guests. The maids in the Shangshu Ling's mansion led the female guests who came to watch the ceremony to the back house. Wanyan Jindanzi, who came here with his mother, was impatient to listen to his mother and other women gossiping about the Zhang and Li families, so he said goodbye and went out.

The Shangshu Ling's mansion was quite large, but Wanyan Jindanzi felt stuffy. Qiongying had rarely appeared in public for marriages recently, which made him, a child who lacked friends, feel lonely. He wandered around without knowing the way or where his people were. All he could hear was a few shouts.

"Hurry up, hurry up, send these fresh fish and river shrimps to the kitchen."

"Hey, be careful with that jar over there, go hold on to it, or you'll be dead if it breaks!"

"Hurry up and go in. His Majesty will be here today too. Don't be lazy."

Wanyan Jindanzi raised his thick black eyebrows, took two steps curiously and looked around the corner. The kitchen was surrounded by twenty guards, and Zhou Darong was leaning on his fat waist, ordering the servants around.

But he was still young and didn't recognize who it was, nor did he notice that the servants were all pale and beardless.

Feeling bored, he curled his lips and looked at the guards who were looking at him. As the son of Wanyan Zonghan, he knew some taboos. He retracted his head and saw a stone under his feet. He kicked it and watched the stone fly out and hit the wall with a "bang". Several guards shouted, "Go and have a look."

tsk...

With a sigh in his heart, the calf-like child turned around and ran. He didn't know the way here, and he didn't know where to go. He ran through a long corridor and saw a wide open space in front of him. The Jurchen child looked carefully and was immediately surprised: "Brother Niu, Brother Ruan, wait here!"

In front, several boys and girls in brand new clothes stood together. They were Niu Tong, Ruan Liang, Huyan Yu, Huyan Yuying, Sun Yue and other young boys.

The younger generation were brought into the mansion by their respective fathers. After they greeted each other, they became impatient when they saw their fathers talking happily with others, so they naturally went out to find places to play and gradually gathered together. While they were talking to each other, they suddenly heard a voice and turned around to see. They saw the familiar thick black eyebrows and were delighted: "Golden Bullet, come here quickly."

The boy ran over quickly and smiled when he saw them. "I thought it was boring here today. I didn't expect you to come to this mansion. What are you talking about?"

"You are." Niu Tong looked a bit like his father, with a dark complexion. He patted Wanyan Jindanzi's arm and said, "You came to the capital but didn't come to find us."

Wanyan Jindanzi's eyes widened: "I don't know where you are, where can I find you?"

"The school!" Niu Tong also stared: "Why don't you go to the school to find us?"

Wanyan Jindanzi scratched his head and didn't know what to say for a moment, but Ruan Liang said quietly beside him: "Is it possible that Jindanzi doesn't know which school we are in?"

"Is that so?"

Niu Tong looked at Ruan Liang and saw that he was speechless. He then looked at Huyan Yu and Sun Yue, who also nodded. Then he touched his head and laughed: "Forget it. Anyway, we have met today. Won't we know it later? Tell your family later and we can go together."

Then he patted Sun Yue, who was a head taller than him, and said, "You haven't seen the golden bullet yet, have you? This is the young master of General Anbei's family - Sun Yue, and he is also the oldest among us." He paused and said, "Except for the county lady and Brother Zaixing, he is the oldest."

He introduced Jin Danzi to the young man over there, and put an arm on Jin Danzi's shoulder, and said with a smile: "We were just talking about how to embarrass Brother Zaixing tonight. It's not okay to marry the county lady home so easily."

Wanyan Jindanzi's eyes lit up: "If that's the case, then count me in!"

……

outside.

The main gate of the Shangshu Ling Mansion was wide open. Outside the gate, a road was paved with bluestone and covered with a red woolen blanket. A canopy was hung high above it. A red plaque with gold characters was hung on the vermilion lintel, with the words "Auspicious Signs from the Unicorn's Hoof" inscribed on it, wrapped in red satin.

The musicians played clear and melodious music of the sheng and the xiao, and the cheerful sounds echoed in the air as the guest list was sung. Jiang Jing personally sat at the door to help take notes, and the one who welcomed the guests was the handsome Lu Fang.

Now he is just a military secretary in the army. Yang Zaixing was promoted to General Zhaoyong. Lu Bu had high expectations for him. He allowed him to lead a unit of 800 people and transferred 400 veteran soldiers from the army to him. Lu Fang happened to be among them and was transferred there. Today he was dragged by his superiors to do hard labor.

Many people gathered in the streets and alleys to watch. People in several nearby houses opened the high windows and looked outside. Yunying, an unmarried girl, had a look of longing on her face.

"Is this the home of the new Shangshu Ling? I remember it was the residence of some Khitan nobleman."

"I don't know which family this young lady is married to, tut tut... this is an old cow eating young grass." "Don't talk nonsense, this is the Princess of Pingnan marrying his young man, be careful of what you say."

On the street, people were chattering and saying that they knew the news. It was a chaotic and noisy scene, but no one dared to surround the street where the soldiers were guarding. On the cleaned armor, you could still see traces of knife and axe cuts, which clearly showed that they were not just for show.

Some young girls and wives looked at the distance with curiosity. When they didn't see the wedding procession, they turned their eyes to the surroundings and saw the handsome young men and officials talking to their companions, which caused a burst of laughter from their friends.

There were also peddlers who took the opportunity to come over with their loads, shouting a few words to attract customers. Many people called them over, took out their wallets to buy some dried goods and candied fruits to satisfy their cravings. Those who were not short of money bought some fresh fruits, wiped them with their sleeves and bit into them, the juices flowing out of their mouths while they talked to others with saliva flying.

Some people, seeing that there were so many people here, sneaked over here in the hope of fending for themselves, but they were always caught by the police officers and constables who were watching them in the crowd, and were taken away crying.

All kinds of life are happening on the small street at once, and this is a frequent occurrence in this small place.

Amid the chaos, someone suddenly shouted "Here they come, here they come!", and the sound of stringed instruments and orchestras rang out in the distance. Figures dressed in red and decorated with colorful ribbons came into view. There were maids scattering picked flower petals in front, and behind them were court musicians with their cheeks puffed out, holding up their instruments and playing desperately.

There were children running around happily, and the palace maids and guards walking on both sides did not try to drive them away. Instead, a person holding a bucket at the back walked forward, reached in, took out a handful of food and scattered it aside. The straw, peas, red dates, walnuts, copper coins, and bran inside fell like rain.

Then, the singing voices of men and women rang out at the same time:
"One scatters bran, two scatters food, three scatters the daughter-in-law gets off the sedan chair; four scatters gold, five scatters silver, six scatters the daughter-in-law enters the house;

Seven scatter walnuts, eight scatter dates, nine scatter couples to live happily forever; ten scatter a handful of red, the sun and the moon will last forever and the family will prosper.

The custom of spreading hay also began in the Han Dynasty, in order to suppress the "Three Evil" gods.

The three evil spirits refer to the gods of the green sheep, black chicken and green cow. If the three evil spirits are at the door, the newlyweds are not allowed to enter. If they are violated, it will harm the elders and cause childlessness. Therefore, in order to ensure the safety and prosperity of the newlyweds, they are warded off with grains, beans and grass. Then the three evil spirits will go away and the newlyweds can enter.

It's just that ordinary families would marry their daughters when they get married, but now Lu Bu was being extravagant by marrying Qiongying, and he sent her directly from the imperial city to Yang Bangyi's mansion.

But this is also true. All under heaven belongs to the king. Sowing the seeds anywhere in Linhuang Prefecture is like scattering them at home.

The wedding procession was huge and majestic. In front of the red sedan carried by eight people, the ceremonial guards in golden armor and holding spears stood in uniform. The palace ceremonial guards held up colorful banners, and the dragon and phoenix patterns symbolizing the emperor's grace were particularly eye-catching.

He changed out of his military uniform and wore a dark shirt with bat and cloud patterns on it, and a bright red wedding gown on the outside. He was riding on a tall horse, his body rising and falling with the horse, his powerful hands holding the reins tightly, his forehead faintly stained with sweat, and he was looking at the onlookers on both sides with stiff smiles.

"Zai Xing, your smile is too stiff, relax a little."

"You are getting married, not going to war. You are not so nervous even when you are on the battlefield."

"Are you afraid of the county lady?"

"Ha ha ha ha--"

He could hear the laughter of his entourage. All those who could come were young generals in the army, including Xu Wen, Dong Xian, Zhao Li, Han Shizhong, Di Lei, and An Renmei, a handsome man whose exact age was unknown. Now, they were all looking at Yang Zaixing with smirks, and the teasing in their smiles was obvious.

Yang Zaixing turned around and rolled his eyes at them: "Wait until your wedding, and see how I will repay you."

Han Shizhong chuckled and said, "You guys should just get through this first."

Dong Xian turned his head to look at the sedan chair behind him, with a mischievous look in his eyes: "Young man Yang, be careful or the county lady will ride on your head in the future."

Xu Wen laughed: "He has never been there."

"You... you are making a fuss now, but don't forget that you are also going to get married with Madam Hua soon." Yang Zaixing's young and resolute face turned red, and he finally squeezed out a sentence: "When I wait for your wedding, you see what I will do!"

Xu Wen's expression also changed. His wedding date was also this year, but later than Yang Zaixing's. However, this man was not to be outdone. He straightened his neck and said with a stiff face: "I am not afraid of anything if I dare to make trouble."

A few people were laughing and joking when they suddenly heard An Renmei say, "Be serious, we're almost there."

These unruly people just put on a serious look. Not far away, the street entrance to the Shangshu Ling Mansion was just around the corner.

The sound of the music suddenly increased. The musicians in front of the Shangshu Ling Mansion stopped playing immediately. The old musician in charge listened for a few breaths and shouted, "I'll count to one, two, three. Play along with the rhythm of the wedding. Be alert and don't make any mistakes."

The old man put the instrument to his lips and narrowed his wrinkled eyes, "One..." "Two..." "Three!" The increased volume seemed to be a signal. The musicians blew the instruments as hard as they could, and indeed matched the beat with the music over there. They did not stop but slowly retreated to make way for the open space in front of the mansion.

The guards carrying the sedan chair walked towards the front door and stopped in front of the red felt. The guards who put down the sedan chair stepped aside and then someone asked Qiongying to get out of the sedan chair.

The county princess naturally wore formal attire when she got married.

She had taken off her usual tight-fitting short clothes and now was wearing a phoenix coronet and a bridal robe. On her head she wore a golden phoenix coronet embellished with pearls and jade. The colorful phoenix pattern on the bridal robe was extremely gorgeous. Her previous coquettish look was gone. She lowered her head slightly, and her demeanor looked dignified and reserved. Her face was as beautiful as a flower, and with rouge and powder on her face, she looked even more gorgeous.

A maid from the Shangshu Ling's mansion, who had been waiting here for a long time, came up with a small bucket and gently threw the grains and beans in the bucket at her. The plump grains hit her body and bounced to the ground, making crackling sounds, but they were covered by the music.

Yang Zaixing had never seen her like this before. For a moment he almost didn't recognize her and stood there in a daze.

Behind the two of them, the palace maids and eunuchs who were escorting the bride were carrying gift boxes symbolizing the emperor's grace, and further behind them were guards carrying dowries in pairs. The team was neat and solemn, extending all the way out of the street. Although it was not a ten-mile-long wedding, it was also extremely wealthy. The guards carrying the wooden boxes of dowry were all big and strong, but now they were all sweating profusely, and it was obvious that there were a lot of things in the boxes.

"Come down! Don't just stand there!"

"Zaixing boy, don't be distracted on horseback!"

The soft call startled Yang Zaixing, who responded with "Oh, oh, oh!", jumped off his horse, and ran over quickly. He was led in front and entered the mansion. Qiongying was supported by a maid and went in behind him.

"Qiongying is here." Madam Yang, who had a kind face, had been waiting at the door for a long time after hearing the news of the new bride's arrival. She reached out and took out a gold bracelet and handed it over: "From today on, we are a family. This bracelet is a lucky item. Just take it in and go in."

But Madam Yang believed in "bringing wealth into the house" and was just waiting for someone to deliver the jewelry. Qiongying had heard of these rules before, so she responded, "Thank you, Aunt Jun."

He reached out to take it and walked inside again.

Outside, there was a sudden commotion. It turned out that the guards and maids holding buckets threw the contents to the people outside, causing a scramble.

Amidst the voices of blessing, the newlyweds walked towards the inner hall. (End of this chapter)