Even the sub-zero temperature could not freeze people's enthusiasm for the first New Year's Party.
The snow on the street was swept to the side of the road, revealing the blue stone road, which neatly extended all the way to the large square in front of Guangming Church.
Early in the morning, people get up and paste couplets, paste blessing characters, offer sacrifices and pray for blessings. After doing this, they go out with various gifts to complete the traditional etiquette of paying homage and congratulations.
By the time I finished all this, it was already eleven o'clock in the morning when I got home. Those who moved quickly had already finished a simple breakfast and were carrying long benches to gather in the square.
The children at home watched everyone else leave and stood outside the door anxiously urging: "Mom and dad, please hurry up!"
The mother in the kitchen was still preparing lunch. When she heard the child's urging, she stuck her head out to observe the situation outside. Seeing that all the neighbors were gone, she felt panicked and hurriedly urged the child's father to lead the children to occupy their seats.
"You go first, my mother-in-law and I will make rice balls from these things, and we'll eat them directly in the square later!"
When the child's father heard this, he immediately picked out a bench and handed it to his eldest son. He took another one, led his younger son, who was still unsteady in walking, and rushed out of the house.
Around 11:30 in the morning, the square was already full of people.
Soldiers of the Xu Family Army in military uniforms are maintaining order in the square, sitting in neat rows according to the city's zones.
The noisy people calmed down and obeyed Xu Jiajun's arrangements.
However, there are always people who are dissatisfied and feel that their house is located too far back. They are not convinced that their neighbors, who usually have conflicts with them, sit in front of their house and argue with the soldiers, asking for a change of position.
As a result, the soldiers drove the family out of the square and ordered them not to enter!
Because Zhuojun and other counties were recovered relatively smoothly along the way, the liquidation carried out by Xu's army when they entered the city was done quietly, and was far less bloody than the killing in Yuyang.
The only meetings that could be regarded as intense confessions were held in various Uburgs.
So much so that the people in the city have forgotten that they are all the "Xu family" who are charged with a high ransom. Anyone who does not abide by the rules will be directly beheaded and expelled in serious cases, and severe punishment will be imposed on minor cases.
The family was driven out of the square simply because the soldiers did not want to spoil the New Year atmosphere. Otherwise, for disturbing public order, the troublemaking family would have to be sent to the mines for half a month.
With this family as a negative example, no one in the square dared to argue loudly anymore, they just sat in their own place on a first-come, first-served basis.
Thirty thousand people in the city, everyone who could move, came to the square.
When it was almost twelve o'clock, many villagers came from several nearby villages.
There was no place to sit in the square, and the villagers didn't mind. Standing outside the square, just looking at the crowd of heads in front of them, they felt that their day was not in vain.
Some villagers lamented: "I have never seen so many people in my eight lifetimes!"
"Yes, yes, looking at the large area of black water, those who don't know better would think that we are on the battlefield!" Others echoed.
Just as he was talking, the bell tower on the roof of the church made a muffled sound, reminding everyone that it was twelve o'clock at noon.
People unconsciously became quiet and looked towards the performance stage in the center.
Dozens of male and female soldiers in military uniforms walked up, and the crowd suddenly became excited.
"It's started, it's started!" people shouted excitedly.
A drumbeat of "Boom!" came from behind the curtain. After a pause, intensive drum beats sounded. As the performing soldiers rushed onto the stage to make a shining debut, the audience's adrenaline surged.
There was another loud "dong" sound, and all the drumbeats stopped suddenly, and the neatly arranged soldiers also stopped, motionless, like a statue.
Immediately afterwards, people saw another blue beam of light rising into the sky from the roof of the church, emitting a dazzling light in the broad daylight.
This blue light was like a thread, quickly spreading in the air, until it enveloped the entire square, and then the light dimmed.
But when I look up at the sky, I can still see the light blue halo disappearing and appearing.
At this moment, people suddenly realized that the cold wind disappeared, and a warm air flow slowly flowed over the square, and their bodies warmed up.
"It's the Goddess and the Son of God!" Someone pointed at the bell tower on the roof and shouted.
People looked towards the bell tower and saw the goddess in white robes, standing majestically on the bell tower with a staff, overlooking the entire square.
The two little gods, also dressed in white robes, sat on the high chairs behind her, one on the left and one on the right.
The light blue barrier in the sky and the warm air current in the air were created by the mother and son.
Thanks to his son's honor, Sima Fang could sit in the same row as the leader and his family. He looked at the beautiful woman on the bell tower in surprise, and his whole body was shrouded in holy light, and his heart was shaken.
If someone told him that this woman with compassionate eyes, a kind and gentle smile was not the true God, he would not believe it!
"There really are gods in this world!" Sima Fang murmured in horror.
Sima Yi, who was already accustomed to seeing strangers, patted his old father's arm and asked him if he was warm and if he wanted to take off the fox fur outside.
Sima Fang nodded, and Sima Yi helped him take off his fox fur and held it on his knees.
There is warm air in the air, so I guess you won't feel cold even if you only wear single clothes.
Xu Yue, who was sitting between her parents and brother, looked at Sima Fang and his son, and then secretly gave a thumbs up to her sister and nephew on the bell tower.
The heating effect of this air conditioner is amazing!
The first opening performance began. The male and female soldiers performed a set of military boxing amidst the fierce drum beats, which made the audience excited.
The place became heated. Wen Qing, the leader of the theater troupe, and Zhao Yu, the special guest, took the stage together. They recited a poem first, and then moved on to the next program - "Double Act" under the auspices of the two.
I saw Zhang Fei wearing a large red flowered jacket, with a beard and a sky-high bun, carrying a chair, and appeared on the stage with Wang Junmei.
Zhang Fei put down the chair and sat up. Wang Junmei's petite figure was blocked behind him, not revealing at all.
Zhang Fei wore a funny look and spoke in a girlish voice as soft and clear as an oriole: "Hello, fellow villagers!"
The entire audience laughed their heads off. Sima Fang spat out a mouthful of hot water and his eyes widened.
The dignified general actually went on stage to perform for the people?
Sima Yi usually doesn't laugh unless he can't help it.
Seeing Zhang Fei, who was usually irritated with him, look like this, I couldn't help it, and burst out laughing.
Zhang Fei's face was expressionless, as if the laughing audience did not exist. With a serious look on the face of a strong man, he said the lines he had compiled long ago in a pretty girl's voice:
"My surname is Zhang Fei and my courtesy name is Yide. I am the deputy general of the cavalry battalion. In the new year, I wish you all smooth sailing, double happiness, prosperity in the three suns, peace in the four seasons, exquisite blessings in the five years, good luck in the six and six years, good luck in the six and six years, seven stars in the sky, and eight stars in the sky.
When fortune comes from face to face, everything will turn into one, perfect!"
Where have the people of Zhuo County seen such a funny, novel and down-to-earth performance?
Wang Junmei's smart voice, coupled with Zhang Fei's look of being kidnapped and forced to perform, made the audience laugh.
Read this non-stop blessing idiom and win the applause of the whole house!
