March 5, 258 B.C., stunned.

It is not a place name, but one of the 24 traditional Chinese solar terms.

"Seventy-two Candidate Explanations of the Lunar Order": "February Festival...... Everything is out of the earthquake, the earthquake is thunder, so it is said to be stung, it is the stinging insect that is frightened and runs away. ”

Previously, animals were hidden in the soil in winter, not drinking or eating, which was called "stinging".

When it comes to the "Surprise Festival", the spring thunder in the sky wakes up the dormant animals, which is called "Shock".

Therefore, when the sting, the stinging insect wakes up, the weather becomes warmer, there is gradually spring thunder, and the whole Central Plains region begins to enter the spring ploughing season.

In ancient times, it was divided into three waits: "one is the beginning of the peach; Two waiting for Cang Geng (Huang Li) to sing; Three migratory eagles turned into doves. ”

It can also be used to represent the three stinging marquis, which is the so-called "one peach blossom, two apricot blossoms, and three roses." ”

For the vast majority of farmers on this land, the arrival of the sting means that the time of staying at home every day is over, and the busy year is about to begin.

On this day, Zhao Dan led the ministers of Zhao State to a piece of land outside Handan City that had been prepared for a long time, and began to carry out the spring ploughing and sacrifice ceremony.

This ceremony of sacrificing to the sky is not Zhao Dan's initiative, in fact, Zhao Dan is now busy all day long, and he will not be full to find something to do for himself.

In fact, this ritual of sacrificing the heavens and opening spring ploughing has existed since the founding of the Zhou Dynasty, in order to encourage people to cultivate the land more.

Since the Zhou Dynasty, all dynasties in later generations have basically had such a ceremony.

To put it bluntly, this is also the emperors making an appearance for the people to see, indicating that our rulers still attach great importance to you mud legs, so you mud legs can farm the land well, and only by farming can you eat, don't think about doing business all day long, that's sacrificing the basics......

As the saying goes, the people take food as the sky, so this spring ploughing ceremony is actually very grand.

This can be seen from the various sacrificial personnel present, there are a total of chief priests, accompanying priests, priests, sacrificial wine, Sinong and so on, almost all the sacrificial personnel in Zhao Guoguo are all present.

Not only that, but a large number of people gathered, because it is said that as long as you participate in the spring ploughing ceremony, you will be able to rub a little blessing from the land god, so as to bless your family with good weather and abundant crops in the coming year.

However, when Zhao Dan climbed the sacrificial platform and looked at the grand scene of the crowd of people nearby, Zhao Dan couldn't help but sigh secretly in his heart.

"In fact, the blessing of the land god is simply made up by those guys who want to see the excitement, and the widow feels that this should be the genes of pure Chinese people who like to watch the excitement at work......"

On the high platform, the livestock sacrifices used to sacrifice to the heavens had already been arranged, and the white-haired chief priest stepped forward and respectfully handed a piece of sacrifice to Zhao Dan's hand.

Zhao Dan coughed lightly, unfolded the sacrificial text, and began to chant aloud:

"On the eighteenth day of the first month of the year of Wei Xuanfang, Zhao Danxian, the monarch of Zhao State, gathered all sentient beings, and dared to announce that before the sun, moon, stars, wind and rain masters, the Holy Emperor Ming and Huang said:

Alack! But the heavens benefit the people, and the heavens open up the soil; There is a way in the sky, and there is only a manifestation of the kind.

Fuwei God, Xi Fu Xiang in the Three Realms; Listen to the high and humble, and be true to the ten directions.

May the gods of yin and yang be unexpected, to show the full spirit of selflessness......

The wind and rain are smooth, and there is no disaster; The five grains are abundant, and the six animals are prosperous......

…… Looking down on the heavens to send God, the majesty of the Immortal Mansion will avoid the catastrophe of the world.

Not only I, Zhao Guo, have the immortal grace, but the people are also blessed with boundless benefits! Fu Wei is still feasting! ”

After reading this sacrificial text aloud, Zhao Dan bowed down and led the ministers of Zhao State behind him to salute towards the altar in front of him.

After all this was done, Zhao Dan walked off the stage and came to a field on the edge of the stage surrounded by everyone.

In this field, a very sturdy big green ox was dressed in red silk and had a plenta, waiting for Zhao Dan's arrival.

This plough is actually an ancient plow.

Zhao Dan walked down the field, holding the big green cow, and someone on the side drove the big green cow forward, and with the big green cow's steps, the old man separated the still somewhat stiff land piece by piece.

After walking about 200 steps back and forth, that is, the length of one acre of land back and forth, this spring ploughing ceremony ended successfully.

On the return carriage, Zhao Dan said to his eldest son Zhao Heng, who was sitting beside him: "Heng'er, in your opinion, what is the significance of this ritual of sacrificing to the sky?" ”

Zhao Heng is dressed decently today, wearing a crown and robes, and he looks like a little adult, and I don't know if it is because he is in the same car with his father or because he is far away from participating in this kind of sacrifice ceremony for the first time, the whole person's face is flushed.

After listening to Zhao Dan's words, Zhao Heng thought carefully for a while before he spoke: "Father, this ceremony of sacrificing the heavenly spring ploughing should be to sacrifice to the gods, please bless the people of Zhao Kingdom......"

Before Zhao Heng's words could be finished, he was interrupted by Zhao Dan: "Heng'er, you are wrong. ”

Looking at the eldest son who was surprised but still a little unclear, Zhao Dan said earnestly: "Although this spring ploughing sacrifice to the sky, although it seems to be focused on sacrificing the sky, what is really important is the word spring ploughing. ”

"Spring cultivators are the most important time of the year for the people of Zhao State. As the saying goes, the people take food as the sky, if the people can't eat enough, then the strength of the Zhao State is impossible to talk about. Farmers are the foundation of the country. If there is not enough agricultural population and not enough food supply, then the strength of Zhao State cannot be said. Do you understand? ”

Looking at Zhao Heng, who seemed to understand whether he understood or not, Zhao Dan smiled and said, "Wait a few days for my father to take you to the fields in person to experience the life of a farmer." ”

After all, Zhao Heng was born in the palace since he was a child, and by the standards of this era, he can definitely be regarded as a fine cloth and jade food, and he obviously lacks enough understanding of the suffering of the people at the bottom.

As soon as he returned to the palace and was about to start handling government affairs, Zhao Dan saw Mi Xian's somewhat anxious face.

"Something's wrong?"

Mi Xian nodded, and handed an urgent report to Zhao Dan's hand: "King, Yan Guo has an urgent report!" ”

Zhao Dan picked up the urgent report and looked at it, and then he was stunned for a moment.

The above content is actually not much, but it makes Zhao Dan have a feeling of disbelief.

"Yan State Xiangbang Rong led 150,000 Yan troops to win more with less, and broke the Qi army Kuang Liang's headquarters outside Linle City!"

Zhao Dan took a deep breath and asked after a moment of silence, "How about the Qi army's casualties?" ”

Mi Xian replied: "The Qi army suffered heavy casualties, and there were about 100,000 people who retreated to Pingshu City under the leadership of Kuang Liang. ”

Zhao Dan's brows were furrowed so deep that it was called a deep, special, a good spring ploughing and sacrificing ceremony, why couldn't this Qi people give some strength?

I can't even beat a straw bag like a grub, what are you doing!

"Miqing, immediately summon Zhuqing to Longtai to discuss this matter!"