The Sixteen Kingdoms of the Eastern Jin Dynasty: The Competition in the Central Plains

"Are Xiaohua and Xiaocao literate?"Murong Shan asked. Xiaohua and Xiaocao nodded. When they heard that both daughters-in-law were literate, the Murong brothers were very happy. Murong Shui said:"In the future, we will all learn from Han wives and strive to understand these Confucian classics.."

Xiaocao looked at Murong Shui angrily, with a smile on his face and said nothing.

"In addition, these writing brushes, inkstones and ink cubes are the three indispensable treasures for us Central Plains people to learn Chinese characters. I will leave one set for each of you couples, so you can have time to read and practice calligraphy."Tao Liao said, taking these things out of the box and putting them on the wooden table. Tao Liao picked up a brush and showed the brothers how to hold the brush. He also dipped it in water and wrote the word"hi", and then wrote"Double Happiness" was written. Murong Shan and Murong Shui also picked up the brushes and drew on the wooden table. Seeing the two brothers holding the brushes like chopsticks, Tao Liao and the others laughed. Tao Liao took the trouble again. , explained to the brothers the knowledge of holding a pen and grinding ink.

"My foster father, it was not Cai Lun of the Eastern Han Dynasty who invented paper. It was already two hundred years ago. Why don't you use paper to write, but still write words on bamboo slips? Murong Shan asked. Tao Liao smiled and said,"It seems that you know the culture of the Central Plains and the development of society very well." Although it has been many years since Cai Lun invented paper, this 'Cai Hou Paper' has also undergone many improvements. But until now, all kinds of books, whether official or private, are still written on bamboo slips. For important official documents, some were written on cloth. The emperor's imperial edicts must be written in fine silk. I think maybe the quality of the paper is not very good."

"Foster father, what is another important thing?!"Murong Shan asked Tao Liao again

"When we Han women get married, their heads must be covered with a red cloth. Fortunately, in these boxes I brought, there were some silks of different colors and patterns. I will take out a few pieces of silk to make clothes for Xiao Hua and Xiao Cao. I will also pick a piece of the reddest silk and cut out two pieces of red cloth. Is that okay?"Tao Liao said. The two brothers listened and nodded happily.

It was already midnight. Tao Liao asked eight soldiers and the Murong brothers to rest in the east tent. The remaining people slept in this tent for a while. After all, it was As a post station tent, there are still beds inside. Eight soldiers insisted that every two people take turns guarding the entrance of the tent, and Tao Liao agreed. The soldiers followed Tao Liao's instructions and gave Xiaohua and Xiaocao beds. They surrounded the felt and placed it a long way away from other people's beds.

Early the next morning, Cheng Hui, Wu Fu, two cooks, and eight soldiers got up and were busy pasting up red double happiness characters. Two On both sides of the door of the big tent, in other places on the tent, and on the pine trees in the open space, the two carriages were pasted with the words Double Happiness in red. Brother Murong also used the red silk leftover from cutting the red hijab to simply decorate the two carriages. It was decorated. Others were busy with their own affairs, and it was a lively scene. A simple wedding of Han and Xianbei people was about to be held as scheduled. After all, time was short, and some etiquette was not so particular. Brothers Tao Liao and Murong, also Two followers were walking back and forth between the two tents. Suddenly Tao Liao said to the Murong brothers:"There is another problem, how can we solve it?!"

"Foster father, what's the problem? If there is any problem, we will discuss it."Murong Shan said. Tao Liao said:"In fact, it's not a big problem, but it is still a problem. When we Han women get married, the husband’s family sends someone to the woman’s natal family to marry her. The natal family of these little flowers and grasses are thousands of miles away. Your tent can be used as a new house or a bridal chamber, but what to do with your natal family? This is a thorny issue!"

Brother Murong thought about it and realized that this was indeed a thing. After thinking for a while, Murong Shui said:"Father, when you came, didn't you come in two big boats? After breakfast, the adoptive father sent a few people to take Xiaohua and Xiaocao to the boat on the seaside in a carriage, treating the boat as their natal home. After an hour, how about my brothers riding horses to get married again?"

"Okay, this is a good idea! Ok, deal!"Tao Liao happily agreed.

After breakfast, Xiaohua and Xiaocao, the two brides-to-be, went to the open space south of the tent to whisper. Tao Liao, Murong Shan, Murong Shui, and four soldiers came Go to the stable behind the tent to lead the horses. There are a total of twenty horses here, and each of them leads one horse. Two soldiers brought by Taoliao, each holding a horse whip, came to the front of the tent to park the carriage Under the pine tree. Tao Liao said:"Let's hurry up and hitch the car. After we hitch the car, we took the two girls and went to the boat on the beach to wait for the Murong brothers."

The carriage was parked in the northwest corner of the open space in front of the tent, very close to the tent on the west side. Seeing the Murong brothers coming, Xiao Hua and Xiao Cao were a little shy, so they hurried to the southeast corner of the open space. However, these two people were getting married. The brides still looked at their grooms affectionately. The Murong brothers even looked at their brides from time to time.

After the two carriages were hitched, the Murong brothers looked at the bride who was still in the southeast corner. Xiao Hua and Xiao Cao reluctantly entered the tent. When the Murong brothers entered the tent, Tao Liao shouted to Xiao Hua and Xiao Cao in the southeast corner:"Xiao Hua, Xiao Cao, come to the carriage quickly.! We are getting ready to go to your parents' home on the boat at the beach!"

Seeing that Murong Shan and Murong Shui had returned, Tao Liao's two followers put big red flowers on their chests respectively. The two brothers took photos in front of the bronze mirror, and then came together to the Buddha statue in the north of the tent. Kneel down. The two people clasped their hands and prayed each.

One of the two attendants came out of the tent with two pieces of red hijab in his hand, and the other with two pieces of clothing worn by the bride. Tao Liao took it from the two hands, and then said to They said:"Today is a special event, the two chefs stayed behind and have already started preparing for the noon wedding banquet in the tent. You two will temporarily pretend to be members of your husband's family and ride here with the Murong brothers. We, the mother-in-law's family, will go to the beach to wait for you!"

"Okay, Master Tao!"The two attendants agreed and returned to the tent. Tao Liao said to Xiaohua and Xiaocao:"You two brides, let's get in the carriage and go to our parents' home on the beach!"

"Okay, let's get in the car now!"Xiaohua and Xiaocao agreed. The two carriages were about to go on the road, and there was a rush of horse hooves on the west path. Tao Liao and others looked west, and it turned out that they were the two Xianbei Murong soldiers who sent them to the inn. Two people When they came to Tao Liao, they dismounted and tied their horses to the pine tree. A soldier said:"Master Tao, we know that the Murong brothers are getting married, so we came here to drive the carriage for you!""