Chapter 34 New Year

It is customary not to be on duty on Zhengdan (Spring Festival), and the entire Gongan County is in a joyful atmosphere.

Many locals in Gong'an County today go to the winery to drink pepper and cypress wine and worship their ancestors nearby. A year ago, unexpectedly, a total of 50,000 immigrants came. Even today in the west of Gong'an County, there are still people building houses. But today is the Spring Festival, so money is naturally provided.

This sudden increase in population has caused long queues at the only two wineries in the county. Every time Ma Di passes by the winery in the past few days, he can see the owner grinning.

Just like Zhang Fei, the conquering general, Ma Di thought to himself.

Yesterday, the fourth brother Ma Liang had already asked for leave early and returned to Yicheng, but Ma Di, who had just come to the police from Yicheng for a month, chose to stay and see this new city.

There were already people who knew how to make a living selling peach soup and glutinous rice cakes at the street corner. Ma Su remembered that his fourth brother had said that the military advisor had two children in his family.

"How to sell gum teeth?"

"Half a catty costs five cents, and a pound costs nine cents. How much does the gentleman want?"

The hawker diligently opened the lid and showed Ma Su the yellow-brown gum paste inside:

"They were just cooked last night."

"Not bad." Ma Su thought about it and said, "Two kilograms...two and a half kilograms."

After taking the gummy toothpaste wrapped by the vendor, Ma Su also counted twenty-three five-baht coins and handed them over.

When the business was opened, the hawker became much more enthusiastic and continued to solicit:

"Do you want anything else, sir? We also have peach soup and a five-spice plate here!"

The vendor was not disappointed when he saw Ma Su shaking his head, and ended the transaction with auspicious words:

"Jun Yi ascends the throne."

Ma Su nodded and replied: "The profit will be huge per day."

The military counselor's house was empty. It seemed that the concierge had already gone out to play. Ma Su thought for a while and walked to the county house with his gum teeth in hand.

As expected, before entering the door, I heard Zhang Fei’s unique loud voice:

"How can the military advisor be so unhappy when he drinks?"

The main hall was filled with mist, and there was enough firewood under a copper tripod. You could see the white lamb meat floating in the soup.

Both sides of the main hall were filled with people drinking wine and drinking wine.

"You Chang is here!" Liu Bei was very happy, with a little blush on his cheeks: "Come on, come on, take a seat, you're welcome!"

Ma Di first bowed down and saluted: "My lord, you will live in peace forever, and you will love your country for the sake of your country!"

Liu Bei laughed and pulled Matsu to stand up, then put the wine glass and winning money into his hand:

"You're welcome, you have to drink this cup!"

After a glass of wine, Ma Su felt that he seemed to have merged into this hall for a short time. When he was in Yicheng, his elder brother also took him to the prefect's Zhengdan Banquet. The cold and rigid banquet was completely different from the one in front of him.

Ma Su moved to Kong Ming's side and put the gift he bought next to him and explained the situation.

"You are very interested." Kong Ming smiled while holding a lacquer-eared wine glass with the words "You are lucky to eat" without saying too much.

Ma Su turned his eyes and saw Mrs. Huang, who was also sitting next to her. She was also holding an identical lacquer-eared wine glass in her hand, with the inscription "Jun Xing Liquor" written on it.

It seems that he has disturbed the military advisor and his wife, Ma Su secretly thought, so he resigned.

Looking at the court full of civil servants accompanied by their wives, Ma Su felt that he seemed a bit redundant for a moment. Fortunately, there was an equally lonely figure at the end of the table.

Unfamiliar face? Ma Su moved over curiously.

"My name is Ma Su, and my courtesy name is Youchang. I am currently working as a military advisor. What do you call me, brother?"

"Jiang Wan, courtesy name Gongyan." The scribe opposite, who looked a little sleepy, also greeted him kindly: "General Zuo's disciple."

Shu Zuo? Ma Su was very surprised. He was so humble that he could have a banquet here? I couldn't help but attach great importance to Jiang Wan.

In fact, Jiang Wan was also very confused. He had been doing well in the position of Shu Zuo, but suddenly he was notified to come over for a small banquet today.

After arriving, he was toasted by the lord and the military advisor in turn, which made him feel like he was in a cloud.

I always feel that the days of fishing seem to be drifting away from me...

Having Jiang Wan as his companion finally made Ma Su less embarrassed.

After talking to each other, Ma Su was shocked. Even if Jiang Wan was handsome, how could he be so talented and talented? If you are not familiar with the art of war, you may show your clumsiness in your conversation!

Jiang Wan stared in admiration at Ma Su's chin, which had just begun to sprout a beard:

"You have just been crowned, and you are so knowledgeable in the art of war? You are worthy of being a strategist!"

For a while, the conversation between the two became even more heated. Seeing this, Liu Bei and Kong Ming, who were in charge, couldn't help but look at each other and smile.

After continuing to drink a glass of wine, Liu Bei stared at the peach soup on the table in a daze. Mrs. Gan, who was accompanying him, noticed it in an instant and whispered:

"Husband... the well is connected to the river and the sea. How about we bring pepper wine and go to the riverside to worship sister Mi Zhu in the evening?"

Holding Mrs. Gan's hand tightly, Liu Bei nodded heavily: "Okay!"

As soon as Zhang Fei opened his mouth to speak, Mrs. Xiahou pinched her around the waist. The words were instantly cut off in her mouth, and her face turned into a grin.

"What's wrong with Yide?" Liu Bei asked curiously, looking at Zhang Fei who looked even uglier.

Feeling the slender jade hands still on his waist, Zhang Fei said loudly: "I just want to wish my eldest brother eternal peace!"

The sound was as sonorous and powerful as a bell. Seeing this, other people raised their glasses one after another. Their voices differed but they unanimously said in unison:

"May you have more food, may you live in peace for thousands of years, and may you serve your country and love yourself!"

Liu Bei also calmed down, laughed and toasted:

"Douban returns to Yin, another year has passed. In the new year, all of you join hands to work together for a great cause!"

The banquet didn't last long. It ended before lunch. Ma Su felt it was a pity. In the end, he didn't have the nerve to ask his lord for the mutton in the cauldron.

Before leaving, Ma Su looked back at the side hall that had become Zhuge Liang's office. There was a big lock on the door of this hall.

After coming to Gong'an for a while, Ma Su had heard that being in this side hall seemed to be a sign of entering the core of Liu Bei's command.

The lord and Liu, Guan, Zhang, Zhao and Zhuge would discuss something here regularly. They were all the core of the core.

Last month, Mr. Jian and Mr. Mi were also able to come in for the discussion after they came back. These two gentlemen were also people who worked hard for the lord.

I don't know when it will be my turn? Touching the short stubble on his chin, Ma Su had his own worries.

Although it is customary to rest during the Spring Festival today, the people of Jianghuai who had just crossed Tianzhu Mountain obviously didn't care about this. They just wanted to have a stable livelihood as soon as possible.

After leaving the county government and crossing the public street to a big willow tree in the west of the city, Ma Su waited for a while. After noon, thirty or fifty people had gathered in front of him.

"Are you all craftsmen?" Ma Su asked loudly.

"Young master, my family has been blacksmiths for generations!"

"Young master, I heard you send someone to recruit workers the day before yesterday, and I've been waiting for today! I'm really a paper craftsman!"

"I dare not deceive you, young master, my family has been carpenters for generations!"

Young master is young master, what's the point of adding "young master"! Ma Su thought angrily, and an idea almost immediately popped up in his heart.

"Well! Now follow me! Go to the north bank of the river first!"

A group of people were in a mess and had no discipline at all, but they couldn't ask for much. Ma Su endured the noise and took them to the riverside, pointing to the river and said with a smile:

"Okay, jump in!"

Thanks to [Book Friend 20191224130804040] for the hundreds of gold and five-zhu rewards!

The Spring Festival was formerly called Zhengdan, but I’m still not used to it, so I used this name at the beginning and in the title, so everyone knows what it means.