gnovel Chapter 44 Year-End
Chapter 44 Year-End
The group continued on their journey and arrived at a pavilion only seventeen miles from Xianyang before nightfall.
Later generations called this pavilion Duyou Pavilion, and later renamed it Xiaoli Pavilion. A shrine to Bai Qi was also built here.
The group rested at Duyou Pavilion. The pavilion was rather desolate under the night sky, especially with the sound of wild foxes howling, which made it even more eerie.
However, these soldiers were all warriors who had seen bloodshed and killed people, and they were full of murderous aura, so they were naturally not frightened by these things.
"Alas! Lord Wu'an had the merit of defeating the enemy, but unfortunately he did not have the benevolence of Yi Yin and Shang Tang. This is the place where he committed suicide by sword."
Li Zuo looked around and said with some regret.
Zhang Ling glanced at him with amusement. He had always thought Li Zuogeng was a big, burly, and stubborn man, but he never expected that he would make such a remark when he came to the place where Wu'an Jun had surrendered tonight.
His father, Zhang Ruotuo, told him about the origin of this pavilion.
In the 58th year of King Nan of Zhou, which was also the 50th year of King Zhao, the Lord Wu'an, who had once been a powerful figure among the six states and had massacred 300,000 surrendered Zhao soldiers in the Battle of Changping, was forced to commit suicide by King Zhao with a sword here.
When he died, some scholars of the Yin-Yang School in Xianyang City said that Bai Qi had killed too many people and damaged his Yin virtue. They said that even if King Zhao did not kill him, he would not live for long.
But Zhang Ling didn't think so. He believed that Bai Qi had angered King Zhao because he had disobeyed orders and said those words.
"You, Li Zuogeng, you're usually so burly, how come you'd say something like that today?"
The speaker was Zhang Sili, the fifth son of Zhang Huai. He grew up with Zhang Ling and was born with superhuman strength and was extremely brave. He was the first to charge into battle dozens of times, and in every battle, he would always lead the charge alongside Zhang Ling.
Zhang Ling was also strange. Although he didn't look like the kind of fierce general who charged into battle, he seemed more like a commander who was sitting in the center of the army and making strategic plans.
But whenever war broke out, he always liked to lead the charge, and not only that, he was always victorious in every attack and battle.
Even if he doesn't need to charge into battle, as long as he sits in the central command, once he mobilizes the army, his orders are strictly enforced and extremely orderly.
Zhang Zhao knew that this was the result of the combined efforts of "Martial Might" and "Six Secret Teachings and Three Strategies".
The soldiers under Zhang Ling's command are mostly strong and capable, with one military commander, two centurions, and one captain, totaling five thousand soldiers.
Not many, but fierce soldiers!
Zhang Ling glanced at Zhang Sili, a smile playing on his lips.
Zhang Sili keenly caught his gaze, instinctively shuddered, and immediately shut her mouth.
"Zhang Junhou is just a smart aleck, but he's actually a coward. Didn't you see that the emperor only glanced at him, and he didn't dare to say a word?"
The speaker was one of the 2500 lords, named Zhao Sinong, who had the exact same name as Xunquan Jun of the Zhao clan of Liang.
However, there was no relationship between the two. Xun Quan Jun was a descendant of the Zhao family of Hanzhong. Like Li Zuo Geng, he was an old soldier who had followed the Zhang family for more than ten years.
"Big-eyed brat, do you want to fight me?" Zhang Sili blushed at Zhao Sineng's words, and became somewhat exasperated. He immediately rolled up his sleeves and pretended to fight to the death.
"Hey, General, have you forgotten that private fights are strictly prohibited in the army?" Zhao Sineng chuckled and brought up military law.
Zhang Sili was immediately put on the defensive and could only mutter, "If it weren't for His Majesty's forbidding it and military law not allowing it, I would have taught you the power of fists."
Zhang Ling smiled helplessly and said, "I didn't say anything."
"Your Majesty, no one should undermine you like this." Zhang Sili's face fell, and he immediately sat down by the fire, no longer speaking.
As soon as he said that, everyone burst into laughter.
In fact, everyone knew that Zhang Sili was just saying that; if he really fought Zhao Sineng, he would be no match for Zhao Sineng.
Once, the two sparred for a while, and Zhao Sineng defeated Zhang Sili in ten rounds. Zhang Sili was incredulous: "Damn it, how can this guy be so fierce?"
After all, while military law forbids private fights, how often do they happen? It would be strange if a group of grown men who get together year after year didn't fight.
Zhang Ling smiled and then waved his hand, "Alright, that's enough."
"Xianyang is just ahead. After we enter the city tomorrow, keep your mouths shut. Those retainers in the Prime Minister's residence, who knows which one might be his spy. I don't want what you said tonight to be heard in Xianyang tomorrow."
He said this casually, in the same tone as when he was joking earlier.
But Li Zuogeng and Zhao Sineng almost simultaneously stopped laughing and straightened up to reply with a "Yes."
Having followed Zhang Ling for so many years, they had long since figured out the temperament of this Lord Jingning. The more stern-faced he was when he reprimanded someone, the less effective his words were; on the contrary, it was his gentle and mild tone that carried the real military orders that could not be compromised.
As dawn broke, the rested troops set off again towards Xianyang City.
As the year drew to a close, Zhang Ling's return to Xianyang from the Lantian camp was not only to report to King Zhuangxiang, but also to pay respects to his ancestors.
During this period, there was no concept of celebrating the Lunar New Year. However, similar activities already existed.
People hold sacrificial ceremonies at the end of each year or the beginning of the new year to worship their ancestors and gods and pray for a bountiful harvest and peace in the coming year.
These sacrificial activities typically include offerings of food, wine, and other items, as well as performances of song, dance, and music.
In years of abundant harvest, people celebrate the fruits of their labor with feasts, dancing, singing, and other activities.
The Zhang family naturally did not allow the worship of deities representing mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas, but they did allow the worship of household gods.
As for the matter of ancestor worship, it was naturally not Zhang Ling's place to worry about it, as there were people from the main lineage and the Hanzhong Academy.
The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and a thin layer of frost had formed on the withered grass on both sides of the official road, making a soft crunching sound as the horses' hooves stepped on it.
As Zhang Ling rode on his horse, gazing at the outline of the Xianyang city wall gradually emerging in the morning light, he suddenly turned his head and glanced at Li Zuogeng.
"Zuo Geng, has the academy sent anyone to inquire about the ancestral worship ceremony at the end of this year?"
Hanzhong was the fief of the Jingning Lords throughout history, and now it naturally became Zhang Ling's fief.
As it was a place where scholars from all over the world gathered, the students of Hanzhong Academy came and went in an endless stream. In addition to worshipping their ancestors, the Zhang family also worshipped the great scholars Jingzi and Zhenzi (Zhang Zhen).
Li Zuo spurred his horse closer and, after a moment's thought, replied, "Your Majesty, last month the Chief Minister did send a letter to the Lantian camp, but we were out at the time, so the letter was left in the camp. Before I left, I asked the garrison commander, who said the letter mentioned the sacrificial animals and asked if Your Majesty wanted to bring some millet from Liangyi this year."
"There's no need to bring the millet from Liangyi," Zhang Ling shook his head. "The harvest in Hanzhong is good this year, so let's buy it there. Go back to the city and find Zhang Sili, and have him handle it."
"promise."
Hearing his name called, Zhang Sili rode up from behind, leaned forward, and asked, "Brother, what errand is it now?"
"Um?"
"Your Majesty!"
"I'm sending you to buy millet for the ancestral worship." Zhang Ling glanced at him. "You decide on the quantity, but don't be extravagant, and don't be stingy either."
Zhang Sili curled her lip: "This kind of woman's job..."
"Um?"
"This subordinate obeys the order." Zhang Sili immediately changed his words, which amused Zhao Sinong next to him, who chuckled again.
Zhang Ling did not speak again.
The matter of ancestor worship is to be handled by the main lineage and the people from the Hanzhong Academy. His lineage is a collateral branch, so it is not his place to preside over the ceremony.
But the necessary offerings could not be omitted; this was a Zhang family rule, and something his father, Zhang Ruotuo, had to do every year at the end of the year when he was alive. Now that his father was gone, this responsibility fell on his shoulders.
The procession continued onward, and the outline of Xianyang became increasingly clear in the morning light.
The drawbridge at the city gate had been lowered, and early-rising merchants were carrying their wares in and out, while the gatekeepers were inspecting the procession. Upon seeing the procession bearing the banner of the Prince of Jingning in the distance, the gatekeepers had already sent word to the palace.
Zhang Ling straightened his armor, dismounted, and entered the city.