I am not a deposed emperor of Han Dynasty

The last two days of Yuanfeng's seventh year passed quietly without any further disturbance in Chang'an City.

Many people related to Huo Guang are still imprisoned in several prisons.

Although they are still alive, their fate has been decided and there is no possibility of changing it.

This year, the emperor sympathized with the courtiers and issued an edict early. From New Year's Eve to the seventh day of the first lunar month, all courtiers, big and small, were given eight days off.

Except for important government offices such as Zhi Jinwu, the Northern and Southern Army, and the patrol guards, who had to take turns to be on duty, all officials were not required to be responsible for political affairs.

Therefore, those who are to be killed or exiled in prison can only be kept until later in the year.

The emperor also specially issued an edict to order the jailers to provide the prisoners with enough food and wine, which was considered extremely merciful.

Officials, big and small, celebrate the New Year, ordinary people celebrate the New Year, and prisoners on death row also celebrate the New Year.

The last major elimination related to Emperor Xiaozhao finally came in a complicated atmosphere.

……

During the Great Extermination of Xu in the seventh year of Yuanfeng, the back house of Guangluxun Temple in Shangguanli was brightly lit and filled with silk and bamboo. It was much more lively than in previous years.

At this time, Zhang Anshi's family still lived in the back house of Guangluxun Temple.

Although Zhang Anshi is now the Great General of Sima, he has not yet moved to the back house of the General's Mansion.

According to the old system of the Han Dynasty, after an official's position changed, he had to move to the back house of the corresponding government office.

But this year there are many exceptions like Zhang Anshi. In the final analysis, it is a big reshuffle in the officialdom of Sangong, Jiuqing and Chang'an. There are too many courtiers who want to move.

Therefore, the emperor allowed them to spend the New Year in peace in the back house of the original government office before moving.

In addition to being considerate of his subordinates, the emperor may have another consideration: those vacant houses are occupied by criminal ministers, and it would be better to leave them empty for a few days to eliminate bad luck.

This made Zhang Anshi feel a little relieved. If he moved into Huo Zhai immediately, he would probably have a restless life this year: it is said that the bottom of the well there is full of innocent souls.

Tonight, there were many people attending the funeral in Zhang's house. There were more than twenty people sitting in the main hall.

The first ones to go up were Zhang Anshi and his wife, Zhang He and his wife, and the emperor Jieyu and Zhang Anjun - this was the last time she had an eternity at home, and she would have to sit in chief alone when she came back.

Sitting in the front row are three brothers, Zhang Yanshou, and their respective relatives.

The eldest son Zhang Qianqiu and the youngest Zhang Pengzu are married and each has children; the second son Zhang Yanshou is engaged to Liu Lanzhi, the daughter of Zongzheng Liu De, and will get married next year.

On the couches on both sides further outside, there were some relatives who depended on Zhang Anshi and Zhang He for their lives.

After drinking a few glasses of wine, Zhang Anshi, whose face was flushed, looked at the happy family and felt satisfied.

The Zhang family has finally survived these dangerous months and has made progress, so how can they not be happy?The only thing that worried him was Zhang Anjun's illness.

Because it was a family banquet and there were no outsiders, toasts and speeches were casual. Pleasant laughter could be heard from time to time in the warm main hall.

As the head of the family, Zhang Anshi presided over the overall situation with ease and dignity without losing his majesty, showing the elegant and steady demeanor of the head of the family.

After giving his congratulatory speech to all the juniors and distant relatives, Zhang Anshi started talking in a low voice with his brother Zhang He next to him under the cover of dancing music.

"Brother, after the evacuation, you and I will be one year older, but we must take care of ourselves." Zhang Anshi said with a smile.

"I'm just a Ye Ting Ling with a lot of free time, but you are a Sima General with a heavy responsibility, so you have to be careful." Zhang He replied.

"Brother, do you want to change your job? This Ye Ting Ling is still too hard after all." Zhang Anshi asked meaningfully with his eyes narrowed.

"Is it easy to change this? I am a prisoner, and there are many restrictions on my position?" Zhang He still asked eagerly.

"The temple priest order in Taichang Temple has always been held by internal officials. My brother is also suitable, but the rank is only [-] stones."

"It's best this way. If you can have some leisure time, then I'll have Brother Lao Xian."

"You and I, brothers, don't need to be so polite. It's just that Peng Zu will enter the palace next year and will be the emperor's official. Brother, I still need to keep a close eye on him to prevent him from interacting with Liu Bing anymore."

"I understand the seriousness of this matter and have already told him the pros and cons. He knows what to do."

"Well, this is best. We are getting old after all, and we have to think about future generations." Zhang Anshi nodded slightly while stroking his small goatee.

"How is Anjun's illness? When will she enter the palace?" Zhang He looked at Zhang Anjun sitting on the other side and asked in a low voice.

"My body and bones are better, but they are not fully recovered yet. I'm afraid I will have to recuperate for a while. The day of entering the palace is scheduled for the Shangsi Festival. I will enter the palace with Cai Jieyu," Zhang Anshi said.

Mentioning their sister, Zhang Anshi and Zhang He both felt a little sad, and they both looked at Zhang Anjun, who looked sick.

"It won't cause any disease. If I can't give birth to an heir, I'm afraid..." Zhang He did not finish his words.

"It doesn't matter. The imperial doctors in the palace are skilled in medicine, and the county magistrate also knows some Qihuang techniques. I don't think Anjun will get the root cause of the disease. At most, he will recover later." Zhang Anshi replied.

"But I'm afraid it's too late. Don't forget that the queen is here... why hasn't the county magistrate..." Zhang He swallowed back the remaining half of the sentence. "Brother! This matter is a family matter of the emperor and concerns the foundation of the country. We cannot discuss it arbitrarily. We only need to believe that the county magistrate is a wise king."

"My dear brother is right, but my brother is worried."

"Brother, my Zhang family is not what it used to be, but we must not forget what happened to our late father, and we must be careful in our words and deeds at all times." Zhang Anshi poured a glass of wine for himself and Zhang He respectively.

"I will never forget this matter. I must restrain my family members and prevent them from bullying others."

"Brother is more sensible than me. You and I must make the Zhang family stay in the Han Dynasty for a long time!"

The two brothers didn't say anything more. Amidst the getting better sound of silk and bamboo dance and the laughter of their family members, they raised their wine glasses, looked at each other, smiled, and drank down the wine in one gulp.

When someone falls, someone will naturally stand up. Chang'an City is never quiet.

……

At the same time, in Jiazilu, Ping'an Village, Beicheng City, in the main hall of the Meng family, a family was having a reunion dinner.

There are more than ten members of Mengban's family. Except for the young children, almost all of them work as labor officials under the jurisdiction of Menxia Temple.

They earn a lot more money than ordinary craftsmen, but in the final analysis they are still ordinary people with no rank or rank.

Therefore, this reunion dinner will naturally not be as luxurious as the Zhang family's, let alone musicians and dancers.

The food on everyone's table was no different from usual, except for an extra half of boiled and roasted mutton.

This sheep is in the year of Gao Delong, so it has to be cooked in this way before it can be eaten.

However, although the food was meager, the family's happy atmosphere was no less than that of the Zhang family.

Moreover, perhaps because the main hall of the Meng family is more cramped and crowded, it needs to be a little warmer: the wind and snow outside cannot blow in at all.

Before dinner, the young and old in the family greeted Meng Ban one by one. Meng Ban also followed the emperor's new custom and wrapped two five-baht coins in red paper as a New Year gift to his grandchildren.

Afterwards, Meng Ban's wife and daughters-in-law brought their grandchildren to the hall to have a meal, while Meng Ban and his three sons were eating, drinking and talking at the table.

"Boss, how much food surplus does the family have this year?" Meng Ban said as he stuffed an old broad bean into his mouth. He would no longer call them Zhu Zi.

"There is a balance of [-] yuan, which is three to four thousand yuan more than in previous years!" Meng Ri, the eldest son who is as dark and thin as Meng Ban, stretched out a palm and gestured.

"It's really the blessing of God Taiyi and the kindness of the county magistrate. Our old Meng family is finally getting better and better."

Meng Ban raised his glass as he spoke, and his three sons quickly imitated his example and drank it down in one gulp after their father.

After putting down the wine glass, these faces that were dark and red from working all day finally showed a little smile.

Three to four thousand dollars could not even afford a pair of fine saddles, but it was enough to make the Meng family and his sons happy.

After all, there is no deficit this year. After all, there is still some surplus this year.

People must be content. There are countless people in this world who have not made it through.

"Father, I heard that the county magistrate will introduce some reforms and new policies in the coming year. Our money and food will not be 'changed', right?" Meng Yue asked with some worry.

"Don't listen to people's nonsense. County officials are the most benevolent. They will not become less, they will only become more. We just need to work hard," Meng Ban said.

"Father, I also heard from Li Shijun that the work officer will have a new secret method next year." Meng Xingliang, the youngest, said with clever eyes.

"Then you follow Li Shijun and learn your skills. It's up to you whether our Meng family can provide a messenger!" After Meng Ban finished his praise, his two brothers also urged him.

"Don't worry, father and brothers, I will study hard!" Meng Xing is the youngest, and he is finally an adult after coming to Chang'an, and is no longer as crazy as before.

"Speaking of which, you will be fifteen next year and it's time to get married. Brother Guan from Xianheng Winery has a daughter who is three years older than you..."

"What!? Is father talking about Guan Xijun?" Meng Xing stood up suddenly.

"Exactly, Zhang San has told me many times that although you will still have hair in the future, you don't know when it will happen, so it is better to get married as soon as possible."

"That Guan Xijun is half a foot taller than me. You must not do it. If you marry her, I'm afraid I will have to obey her!" Meng Ban put on a posture of refusing to obey until death.

"You're such a fool, you're just fooling around. You're so strong and so fertile!" Meng Ban kept talking, but Meng Xing still didn't agree at all.

At the end of the story, Meng Ban, who was so angry and annoyed, almost took action, scaring the grandchildren in the hall and crying...

The family was noisy, and the good news was over.

……

In Chang'an City, the rich are like the Zhang An family, and the poor are like the Meng Ban family...the excitement is different in each case, but also similar.

I want to ask, which part of this huge city is the most deserted and lonely?
Naturally, it is the Weiyang Palace, which is located high above. (End of chapter)