Three Kingdoms: Jiangdong is no longer a rat

Chapter 247 The Three Letters and Six Rites: Indeed Strange

On behalf of my father, I wish you, my lord, a long and happy life!

Five-year-old Ling Tong didn't push forward like his other friends. Instead, he stood quietly outside the crowd and waited until everyone else had received their lucky money before walking up to Yan Yi. He looked up at Yan Yi with his innocent face and his bright eyes full of admiration: "My lord, I was born in the year of the snake."

Before he arrived, Ling Cao had instructed him to be "humble and courteous, steady and respectful" after arriving at the Yan residence.

Ling Tong always kept his father's teachings in mind.

Yan Yi squatted down, patted his head, took out a 'red envelope', and handed it to him with a gentle smile.

The 'red envelope' was made of silk, which was light and thin and soft to the touch. It was embroidered with a tiger head pattern, which was one of the patterns commonly used by the Yan family. In Wucheng, it was known as the 'tiger head pouch'.

Unable to contain his excitement, Ling Tong took the silk pouch. First, he bowed to Yan Yi like a little adult, and then reached into the pouch and took out a lucky charm coin.

This amulet coin is about five centimeters in diameter. The obverse features a coiled serpent with its head raised, while the reverse is exquisitely engraved with a stern profile.

The coin has a hole cast at the top, with smooth and rounded edges, which can be used to thread a rope and hang it.

The Imperial Workshop minted several thousand such amulet coins, mostly in copper, with a small number in silver and gold. They were distributed to soldiers and officials in the prefecture according to their rank and achievements.

The reward and punishment system personally drafted by Yan Yi, named the "New System for Performance Evaluation," is now becoming increasingly sophisticated and is reflected in many aspects; the amulet money is just the tip of the iceberg.

Under the pretext of giving lucky money to a group of kids, he lingered outside the main hall for about half an hour before stepping inside.

The hall was brightly lit and bustling with people. Eight vermilion pillars rose from the ground, supporting the roof, and thirty or forty lacquered tables were neatly arranged between the pillars.

Each lacquered table was filled with people, some two or three, some four or five. Some were playing drinking games, some were chatting, and others were watching the pitch-pot game.

Sandalwood screens stood on either side of the pillar. Through the gaps in the screens, one could see lively games like Liubo and Touhu playing behind them. These games involved gambling and attracted forty to fifty people to participate and watch.

The vast majority of people in the hall were members of the Yan clan, ranging from elders to young members, all gathered together.

As the saying goes, "When one person attains enlightenment, even his chickens and dogs ascend to heaven." The Yan family, which had been declining, became increasingly prosperous after the efforts of Yan Baihu and his son Yan Yi, especially with Yan Yi's strong rise to power.

As Yan Yi stepped into the hall, the previously noisy chatter and playful sounds receded like a receding tide, and even the breeze seemed to soften. A multitude of admiring or flattering gazes focused on him, moving slowly with his steps.

Yan Yi didn't particularly like the Yan clan. Firstly, his identity as a transmigrator and his fragmented memories meant that he had almost no emotional connection with the vast majority of his clan members; secondly, the Yan clan was dwindling in talent, and apart from Yan Baihu and Yan Yu, it was difficult to find many outstanding individuals.

Although he disliked it and was even disappointed, he still spared no effort to support the Yan family, trying to cultivate a few people in the clan who could stand on their own and be entrusted with important responsibilities.

To this day, none of the expected talents have appeared; on the contrary, his reputation is at its zenith, to the point that his words have become law.

As he passed by the lacquered tables, the people around them rose and bowed, only slowly sitting down after he had gone far away. It was like waves of people rising and falling, spreading from the hall to the upper hall.

In the main seat of the hall, Yan Baihu leaned against the brocade couch, his face flushed red from the alcohol. When he saw Yan Yi approaching, his drunken eyes widened suddenly, and his rough laughter instantly echoed around: "Yi'er, come quickly, your uncle wants to have a few drinks with you, he has been waiting for you for a long time."

Yan Yu had his collar open and sleeves rolled up, and a flush spread from his face to his chest, indicating that he had drunk quite a bit.

Yan Yi sat down at the table, picked up his cup, and drank a few cups with him.

Yan Yu had an amazing capacity for alcohol. Although he seemed a little drunk, he was actually quite sober. He asked, emboldened by the alcohol, "Yi'er, now that you have more territory and a more prestigious status, do you no longer respect your uncle?"

Seeing that he was deliberately lowering his voice, Yan Yi knew that he was pretending to be drunk, and said calmly, "I have always respected my uncle. Why do you say such a thing?"

Yan Yu took another sip of wine, leaned forward, and muttered, "If that's the case, why have you rejected my request to fight time and time again?"

Since the Battle of Rencheng, his status in the army and within his clan had plummeted. The soldiers' gazes shifted from awe to indifference, and the clansmen's words changed from warmth to coldness. The guests who once surrounded him gradually dispersed, leaving his home deserted, much to his dismay.

He was only able to briefly return to service when the Battle of Wucheng broke out, but soon after the battle, he was sidelined again. Along with his two sons, their official positions were also reduced from substantive to nominal, and they spent their days doing nothing and suffering from cold shoulders.

Yan Yu knew that Yan Yi was deliberately suppressing him; otherwise, given his status, even if he were down on his luck, he wouldn't have fallen to the point where nobody cared about him.

Seeing that Yan Yi's power was growing and that he was gradually gaining the momentum to pacify Jiangdong, Yan Yu could no longer sit still. He poured out his grievances to Yan Baihu with tears streaming down his face, feeling extremely wronged.

Didn't we already agree that the past is the past? Why are you treating me like this?
Yan Baihu comforted him, saying, "Don't worry! If I really wanted to make things difficult for you, I would have sent you to guard the ancestral graves long ago."

Yan Yu was skeptical and wanted to ask Yan Yi in person, but he was hesitant. He was now quite afraid of his nephew. After much thought, he decided to take advantage of the New Year's Day holiday and pretend to be drunk to ask him the question.

Yan Yi glanced at him, said nothing, and slowly finished his cup of wine before casually placing the wine cup on the table.

Yan Yu quickly picked up a wine ladle, filled his glass, and then eagerly picked it up.

Yan Yi took the wine cup and played with it for a moment: "Wucheng is the root of our clan, the place where our bloodline is connected, so I let my uncle guard it."

Yan Yu thought to himself, 'You're kidding me!' But he asked urgently, 'I've heard that our army is about to go to war with Xu Gong. If we can penetrate into the heart of Wu County, could I join the army on this expedition?'

In the past few days, the number of people in the clan who have volunteered to fight for Yan Yi has increased significantly. Everyone knows that if they want to rise in the future, they must seize this opportunity.

“Xu Gong is powerful and should not be underestimated. For at least the next six months, our army will not launch an offensive and should focus on consolidating our foundation. Father and Uncle can convey this message to the clansmen so that they are aware of the situation.” Yan Yi took a sip of wine, put down the wine cup, and said calmly, “When the situation reverses in the future and the roles of offense and defense are reversed, the position of vanguard will undoubtedly belong to you, Uncle.”

Yan Baihu and Yan Yu nodded together, their faces showing a hint of solemnity.

The consensus was that the combined forces of Xu Gong, Wang Lang, and Zu Lang would launch a thunderous attack in the spring. Faced with such a powerful offensive, Yan Yi could consider it a minor victory if he could hold his territory; no one believed he would launch the first attack.

"Don't worry, Yi'er, your father and I will firmly guard Wucheng for you and will never let Xu Gou cross the border even a step." Yan Yu's face showed a clearer smile, Yan Yi's promise dispelling the gloom in his heart. After Yan Baihu echoed a few words, his attention turned to another matter: "Your marriage to the Bu family girl, are you really going to follow the six rites? After all, she is only a concubine, and doing so will probably attract criticism."

Before Quan Rou took up her post in Moling, Yan Yi arranged a marriage between them, intending to follow the traditional six rites and formally marry Bu Lianshi. This caused quite a stir, and many people were discussing it.

Bu Lianshi was merely a concubine. According to the current etiquette, all that was needed was to establish a 'concubine's certificate. There was no need to inquire about her name, accept her as a concubine, or perform any other rituals such as a personal welcoming ceremony, a nuptial ceremony, or a temple visit.

The treatment Yan Yi gave Bu Lianshi went far beyond the scope of taking a concubine.

"Indeed, I have already promised the Quan and Bu families that a grand wedding banquet will be held," he replied calmly.

Seeing his resolute attitude, Yan Baihu stopped asking questions and hesitated, saying, "Should the welcoming ceremony be brought forward? March 25th is the day when Xu Gong could send troops at any time, and it's easy for problems to arise."

Yan Yi shook his head: "The time has been set and cannot be changed."

Yan Baihu gave a wry smile: "Since it's already decided, let's proceed at this time."

Yan Yi nodded slightly, glanced around, and seeing signs that his clansmen were gathering, he made an excuse and got up to leave. He left Yan Baihu and Yan Yu behind, who were exaggerating the impending difficult battle and encouraging everyone to weather the storm together.

On New Year's Day in the second year of Xingping, a light snow quietly arrived, falling like shattered jade.

In the dim morning light, a thin layer of glistening snowflakes accumulated on the eaves, only to be swept up by the cold wind and fall back into dust.

Yan Yi got up very early, and with the help of his maids and concubines, he put on his official hat and robes, put on his seal and ribbon, and hung his sword at his waist before heading to the front courtyard.

In front of the main hall in the front yard, many people stood in groups of three or five. At a rough glance, there were at least a hundred people, making it quite lively.

These were all officials from Wucheng who came to offer their congratulations. There were senior officials with copper seals and black ribbons, officials with a salary of 600 shi (a unit of grain), and minor officials who were not qualified to wear seals and ribbons. There were even village chiefs and township assistants wearing red turbans.

"Didn't the Lord already order the cancellation of this year's congratulatory ceremony? Why are there still so many people?" The accompanying attendant clicked his tongue in amazement.

Greetings and greetings were very important social etiquette and political activities at the time, and had become a set of rules and regulations. Every year on the first day of the Lunar New Year, after New Year's Eve, the prefect would receive greetings and greetings from officials of all ranks within the prefecture. At the hour of Mao (5-7 AM), all officials would go to the prefect's residence to wait.

Considering the impending war, Yan Yi ordered the cancellation of this year's congratulatory ceremony. Officials from other regions had all received strict orders not to come to Wucheng. However, Wucheng officials were nearby and spontaneously organized to come and offer their congratulations, so it was not appropriate to stop them from entering.

By the time they finished dealing with the officials, it was nearly noon. Yan Yi changed into a black scholar's robe and followed Yan Baihu toward the mansion gate, preparing to participate in this year's ancestral worship ceremony.

People at that time revered the ritual of "serving the dead as if they were alive," and ancestor worship was prevalent. The system of sacrifice had changed from the ancient temple sacrifices to tomb sacrifices.

After Yan Baihu conquered Wucheng, he moved the ancestral graves to Huailiting, ten miles southeast of Wucheng. Every year on New Year's Day, the Yan clan members would gather together to pay their respects at the graves.

The street outside the Yan residence was now completely packed with carriages and palanquins, roughly sixty or seventy in total. Many members of the Yan clan stood in front of each carriage. Most of them wore black robes, and regardless of whether they were dressed elaborately or simply, they were all impeccably clean.

As Yan Baihu, Yan Yi, and several elders of the clan walked out of the mansion one after another, the whispers disappeared, and everyone's expressions turned solemn. They all bowed and silently lined up according to their seniority.

Soon after, the group left the Yan residence, exited the city gate, and headed towards the ancestral tomb with the rumble of wheels and the clatter of hooves.

After the ancestral worship ceremony, Yan Yi no longer needed to personally participate in many subsequent activities. This allowed him to free up his energy to focus on military affairs.

On the third day of the first lunar month, military orders were sent out from Wucheng to various places. Troops, weapons, and provisions moved in response to the orders, and everything was being prepared in full swing.

While Yan Yi was busy, Wu County, a hundred miles away, was still immersed in days of jubilation and excitement.

Xu Gong's way of thinking is completely different from Yan Yi's. Yan Yi is worried that He Bai will affect the preparations for the war, while Xu Gong believes that He Bai can unite people's hearts and boost morale.

Therefore, the celebrations in Wu County lasted for five or six days before finally ending. The official roads leading from Wu County to other parts of Wu Prefecture were crowded with the carriages of officials returning home.

Several days later, the officials of Wu County ended their holiday and began to perform their official duties. Xu Gong also calmed down from the excitement of the past few days of celebration and convened the first meeting of the new year in the council hall.

After learning about the combat readiness situation in various regions, he was quite satisfied. All preparations were proceeding in an orderly manner, even faster than originally planned.

Liu Yao also made a rare public appearance at this meeting. Given his status, he should have been seated at the head of the table. However, at this moment, two mats were placed side by side at the head of the table, one of which was set up for Xu Gong.

Taishi Ci stood below the hall, extremely dissatisfied with this situation. After the officials finished reporting, he immediately stepped forward, deliberately ignoring Xu Gong, and bowed to Liu Yao, saying, "Your Majesty is wise. Speed ​​is of the essence in war. Now that all the war preparations have been completed ahead of schedule, in my humble opinion, we should take advantage of the fact that the spring floods have not yet arrived and the enemy is complacent, and send troops ahead of schedule."

He was a man of military expertise and immediately saw that the greatest advantage of the Xu Gong coalition was the combined attack of the three armies. As long as they could send troops before Yan Yi, they would immediately gain the upper hand.

Sun Xiao was very dissatisfied with his attitude of ignoring Xu Gong. He strode out of the ranks and looked at him with disdain: "Military orders are like mountains, not child's play. You dare to talk about changes? Do you want to disrupt my military law and discipline?"

Taishi Ci flew into a rage: "The way of a general lies in assessing the situation and making decisive decisions. Now that our army has joined forces from three directions, we can seize the opportunity and decide the fate of the world in one fell swoop. If we delay and wait and miss this opportunity, can you bear the responsibility?"

Sun Xiao let out a few cold laughs: "The key to a joint attack by three armies lies in coordination! Once a military order is given, how can it be changed at will? If any route is lost because of your reckless discussions, the entire operation will be ruined, and you will be punished with ten thousand deaths! A mere military commander can actually attend such an important military meeting? Does Lord Liu have no one else under his command?"

These words immediately provoked strong dissatisfaction among Liu Yao's generals, and the two sides engaged in a heated debate, arguing fiercely.

Xu Gong's good mood vanished in an instant. He flung his sleeve and said, "You are all pillars of the county. How can you make such a scene in public? Ziyi, you only know one side of the story. Our army is scheduled to set out in late March. This decision was made after taking into account many factors. It is a matter of timing and cannot be changed!"

"I wonder where the opportune moment is?" Taishi Ci was slightly taken aback. He hadn't expected Xu Gong to actually mention the opportune moment. What kind of opportune moment was this?

Xu Gong glanced at him coldly: "I have received intelligence that Yan Yi is planning a grand banquet on March 25th to marry his new bride. At that time, all his generals will surely gather to offer their congratulations, and the defenses of the various cities will inevitably be lax. Our army can take advantage of this opportunity to strike with lightning speed!"

"I have also heard about this matter, and it is indeed strange. Yan Yi is merely taking a concubine, yet he has gone through the elaborate rituals of formal marriage, with a pomp and circumstance comparable to that of a wedding. Doesn't Your Excellency find this unusual?"

Taishi Ci frowned deeply, dumbfounded. This was the "favorable timing" Xu Gong had mentioned? What utterly ridiculous!
(End of this chapter)