"Quick, set up the tables. There are many people today. Don't rush to burn the charcoal. Don't use coal. Place the six tables further away …"
On the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month, Song De woke up early and began to direct the workers to work.
The workshops were all closed. Everyone was going to spend the night outside.
Those who were afraid of not being able to endure would go to sleep after lunch. There were many people today.
According to the heavenly stems and earthly branches, today was the year of Yimao, the month of Wuyin, and the day of Kuwei.
Other than the villagers, the villagers of the Zhang Clan and the migrant workers were going to participate in the New Year's Vigil, including the people of the Imperial Plantation.
Xinyan from Pyong Kang Square led the team out. They would not be going back tonight. She gave everyone six tables to perform at the same time.
"Quick, quick, quick. People from the palace are here." A person in charge of the periphery ran over. "They say there is a book maker. The people who came are from Ziwei Province. There are many people."
"Why are people from the palace here?" When Li Yi heard the news, his head was full of questions.
"They are from the court. We are from the palace," Taohong said with a smile.
Cui Liu added, "Since it is a book maker, there should be benefits."
As they spoke, the eight people began to tidy up their clothes. The officials from Ziwei Province had something good to give Dongzhu. They helped to control the situation.
Li Yi went out to welcome them. As expected, a large group of people came over. The person at the front walked in front of Li Yi. "I am Xiao Song from the Imperial Secretariat."
Li Yi was stunned. "Qiao Fu?"
"Li Dongzhu knows me?" When Xiao Song heard Li Yi say his name, he was stunned.
"I have heard of you." Li Yi smiled. He knew of Xiao Song. He was once a prime minister. According to historical records, his most powerful move was to sow discord between the Tubo Dynasty's general, We Tadra Khonglo, to death.
This person was quite handsome, but he was still lacking compared to Ren Baqian. This was Li Yi's evaluation.
Xiao Song was also sizing up Li Yi. The young man was calm, but the four palace maids and four eunuchs were accompanying him. The scene was too big.
"We came from Ziwei Province. We have books," Xiao Song said as he took a box and pulled out a scroll from it.
Unfolding it, he read, "Under my tutelage, Lady Li's name is Yi. She is naturally intelligent, eager to learn, and proficient in all kinds of crafts. She is beneficial to the people of the country, and her actions … She invites a physician from the imperial court … On the thirtieth day of the twelfth month of the second year of Kaiyuan …"
A set of contents was read out. There was the name, the reason, who wrote it, who sent it, the date, confidentiality regulations, and most importantly, the position of the official.
He invited a doctor from the imperial court, secondary class fifth rank.
Li Yi pretended to be solemn as he received it. With a wave of his head, the villagers began to invite everyone in to rest. At the same time, they also prepared gifts. After all, it wouldn't be good to let them come here for nothing.
Li Yi spoke to the three officials from Ziwei Province who had accompanied him.
Everyone in the group that had come to make the announcement was observing as they walked.
"Doctor Li, I've set up a lot of tables. Do you want to eat outside?" Xiao Song asked with a smile.
"We still need to keep watch together. I said that everyone should stay in their rooms, but they didn't agree. They said that it wasn't lively enough. I had to go to Pyong Kang Square to invite 'everyone' to liven things up."
Li Yi told them about Zhuangzi's situation.
The room was warm, but it wasn't dry. Everyone wanted to freeze outside.
"It's cold at night. Is there any protection?" Xiao Song asked with concern.
He still had to go back and tell Her Majesty about what he had seen and heard today. He had seen it, but for the first time, he was in time for the imperial court meeting.
"Reporting back to Xiao Song Ren. Later, every table will be covered with four feet of cloth. Inside, there will be hotpot, barbecue meat, and charcoal.
When the time comes, the temperature of the entire area will rise, and it won't be that cold. There's a fire passage in the bungalow next to it. Whoever gets cold can go in to warm up and come out to watch the program. "
Li Yi explained how to deal with the cold.
Xiao Song noted it down. It turned out that they could use cloth to block the wind.
Someone at the side said, "Doctor Li, will the people who came later and the people from Zhang Family's village also be together?"
"Together, including the Imperial Plantation above. Supervisor Wang said that he had to spend money to buy fireworks. It's better to bring people to Zhuangzi to eat and watch the fireworks at night."
Li Yi had an official today, so he was in a good mood. Everyone was pleasing to the eye.
This was fifth-rank. Secondary fifth-rank was still a fifth-rank official. He could participate in the imperial court meeting on the first and fifteenth day of the month.
If it was a small place, even the county magistrate's rank was not as high as his.
Of course, he didn't have much authority to invite a doctor to the imperial court. He didn't make any actual arrangements. He could only receive his salary every month, or they would send it to him.
If he wanted to write a memorial, he didn't know who to find to hand it to and who to hand it to.
Li Longji was a stingy person. For example, if you hand over the management of the Ba River to me, I can help manage it. A ninth-rank official with real power is enough. I don't think it's small.
Li Yi cursed in his heart. Although he would take the initiative to clean up the Ba River in Zhuangzi after the New Year, he didn't have an official position. In theory, he needed to ask for instructions from his superiors.
Xiao Song didn't know that Li Yi was secretly complaining about Li Longji. He asked about another matter. "I heard that wherever Zhuangzi is, fireworks and firecrackers must be accompanied by people from Zhuangzi before they can be set off."
"Yes!" Li Yi nodded. Yes, if someone set them off, they would leave behind a pile of firecrackers to blow up the Imperial Palace. He would be implicated.
"The city will be sealed tonight. Will the people from Zhuangzi be sealed inside?" Xiao Song asked again.
"It will be handed over to Chang 'an's magistrate, Pei Mingfu. Tonight, the city of Chang' an will be very lively, especially the Imperial Palace."
Li Yi explained the situation. The villagers couldn't be locked up in the city at night.
The bailiffs would go or arrange for trustworthy people to go. When the time came, the fees for setting off the fireworks would be handed over to them.
Xiao Song noted this down and reported it to the Emperor. He estimated that he would need to send more people to keep an eye on things.
While they were talking, the gifts were prepared in the manor. Each person received a package. The others received the same gifts as the people who came, but were received separately by Li Yi.
Each package had a small booklet in it, with the weight of each item written on it.
Song De personally brought people to deliver the gifts to the others. He said, "They are all cucumbers, watermelons, and braised vegetables. They are not worth much. Other than that, there are a few copper coins."
When the people who came along heard this, they pretended not to care, but they were happy inside.
They knew that they would be able to get something good this time. They couldn't give the other officials much money even if they wanted to.
Li Yi and Zhuangzi were different. The packages were so big. When they went back …
"There are carriages in the manor that will accompany you on your return journey." Song De added. Don't worry, we will send them back. We know that you can't carry them.
After Li Yi and Xiao Song exchanged a few more words, Xiao Song got up and said goodbye. He was in a hurry to go back. Today was New Year's Eve, so it should be a holiday. He specially came here to report to the Emperor and then go home.
Li Yi walked them all the way to the outside of the manor. Zhuangzi's ox cart was set out. It was loaded with things for a group of people who couldn't help but look expectant.
These people could leave the ox cart at the yamen in Chang 'an and send someone to bring it back the next day.
The group gradually disappeared from sight. The villagers didn't know who shouted first, but the others followed and cheered.
"Dongzhu is an official, a fifth rank official."
"Secondary fifth rank."
"Secondary fifth rank is still fifth rank."
"In the future, Dongzhu will be an even higher official. He won't need to take the imperial examination to be an official."
Li Yi looked back and shook his head. They didn't know the difference between a scattered official and real power.
This official … eh? They could submit a petition to Pei Yaoqing and then complain? They could sue whoever they didn't like?
Li Yi thought of a way. Who said that a scattered official was useless?
Just as he was thinking, the sound of horses galloping could be heard. Four cavalrymen wearing red clothes and red cloaks rushed over.
Before they got close, they started shouting, "Dongzhu, twenty miles, we are back. There are still twenty miles left. We can't hold on any longer. The horses are tired."
"Song De." Li Yi shouted.
"I know. Men, bring Zhuangzi's carriage over." Song De turned and ran.
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