As the sun sets, the night gradually closes, the glow of the sky gradually dims, the color of crimson slowly turns into a touch of red, and when all the red light disappears, bright stars appear in the dark blue sky.

Zhao Haisheng was alone, sitting in a small confinement room, listening to the sound of firecrackers one after another outside, and through the small window, he saw the fireworks blooming in the night sky outside at night, and his heart was full of loneliness and melancholy.

Bonfires are lit in the open space outside the camps. On the fire, a large cauldron was shelved, the water in it boiled to a boil, and a Ming soldier put the chicken into the pot, and then put in the pork bones, and stewed a large pot of fragrant soup. Beef and mutton, whole fish, pork strips, and seafood such as shrimp and oysters grilled on hot stone slabs are grilled on the bonfire. Everyone sat around the campfire, and in front of them were plates of southern fruits such as bananas, citrus, pineapples, coconuts, and two fruits that Chen Shuigen had never seen before.

Chen Shuigen didn't know what it was, so he called the Ming soldiers who were standing in front of the bonfire roasting mutton and asked.

"This pentagonal shape is star fruit, which was brought back by Liu Qi and Liu from Yanping Port; This red one is called rambutan, and it was also brought back by Lord Liu from Yanping Port. The soldier replied.

Chen Shuigen peeled off a rambutan and tasted it, feeling that it tasted very similar to lychee, but it was lighter than lychee, and the entrance was particularly sweet. I tasted another star fruit and felt that it was very watery.

The children are the happiest to see the sweet and delicious fruits.

A few soldiers were busy, carrying a jar of wine.

At this moment, I suddenly heard someone shouting: "Lord Liu is here!" ”

A group of soldiers walked in with a man in a red official uniform and a saro scarf on his head.

Someone whispered to Chen Shuigen: "That's Lord Liu Qi Liu." ”

Liu Qi walked to the middle of the crowd, raised his voice and shouted loudly: "Fellow villagers, you have left your hometown and come here, and I, Liu Qi, left my hometown with my family and went to Nanyang in the early years. I had the honor of being General Wang's subordinate and came to Qiongzhou Island again. Today is Chinese New Year's Eve, so let's all those who are far away from home get together and spend this festive season together! From now on, we are all family! Because we all have a common name: Han Chinese! ”

The applause in the venue was thunderous, and it could not be subsided for a long time.

Liu Baorui was also enthusiastic when he heard it, and couldn't help but say to himself: "Yes, we are all Han!" ”

Liu Qi shouted: "Let's start eating!" ”

The leader of the Ming army in the pergola took out a pot of freshly cooked dumplings and carried them to everyone. A group leader picked up a colander and filled everyone's rice bowl with steaming dumplings.

The jar was opened, and the mellow wine was poured into the bowl. The grilled fish and seafood are served on a large plate for everyone to enjoy; The steaming broth is well boiled and fragrant, and when you take a sip, it feels delicious.

Also celebrating, there is also the camp of the Ming army.

In the camp, lanterns were hung on the trees, and the soldiers gathered around the table to revel as quickly as possible.

More than a dozen people gathered around a square table, on which dumplings, sweet and sour fish, braised pork, boiled prawns, steamed crab, white-cut chicken, sweet and sour pork ribs and other delicacies were placed. There is no prohibition on Chinese New Year's Eve, and except for the sentries who have to stand guard at night, other people in the barracks can drink as much as they want.

Listening to the continuous sound of firecrackers outside and listening to the laughter outside, Zhao Haisheng, who was locked up on Chinese New Year's Eve, felt even more lonely. He couldn't help but think of his parents, wife and children again, and tears wet the battle clothes on his body.

With a "squeak", the door opened, and someone walked in with a torch.

Zhao Haisheng raised his head and saw that the person who came in turned out to be the soldier who had a conflict with him at noon!

The soldier's name was Wu Guoming, and he walked in with a wooden box in his hand.

"What are you doing here? Come and see my jokes? Zhao Haisheng said indignantly.

Wu Guoming stuck the torch on the wall, put the wooden box on the ground, and then knelt on the ground and arched his hand: "Brother Zhao! Little brother, I don't know about you, I offended at noon, and I came to ask for it. ”

Zhao Haisheng sat on the bed and turned his head: "You go!" I don't want to see you, and I don't need you to excuse myself! ”

"If the eldest brother refuses to forgive the younger brother, the younger brother will not be able to kneel here!"

Zhao Haisheng turned his head, helped Wu Guoming up, and said a little reluctantly: "You get up!" Can I forgive you? You hurry up and go outside and spend Chinese New Year's Eve with them. I'm going to sleep. ”

Jiang Zhiping's voice came from outside: "Stepping into this barracks, they are all their own brothers, what knot can't be untied?" As the saying goes, those who don't know are not guilty, Brother Wu, he doesn't know Brother Zhao's situation, he offended at noon, and came to ask for guilt at night, don't you want to forgive him? ”

Hearing Jiang Zhiping's voice, Zhao Haisheng hurriedly got off the bed, knelt down and arched his hand outside: "Lord Jiang is here, his subordinates don't know, the crime deserves death!" ”

Jiang Zhiping walked in, helped Zhao Haisheng and Wu Guoming, and said with a smile: "It's all a family here, what else is there that can't be overcome?" In the future, everyone will be brothers! In the future, when you go to the battlefield, you must work together to defeat the fierce enemy! ”

On Xiamen Island, every household hung up red lanterns, firecrackers, and fireworks.

In the Wang family compound, Mrs. Wang's family and a group of children spent Chinese New Year's Eve together.

White chopped chicken, spiced beef, fruit platter, a variety of seafood and delicacies are placed on the table. This is the Chinese New Year's Eve meal that the children have never enjoyed, and it is also the most hearty meal they have ever eaten, not to mention how happy the children are.

Each child also received 50 yuan of New Year's money, which was threaded with red thread to celebrate the New Year for these children. In addition, Mrs. Wang also asked the children to make a new set of clothes.

Wearing brand new clothes, carrying New Year's money in his arms, he let go of his belly to enjoy the delicious food, and after eating, he went to set off firecrackers and fireworks, and every child was very happy.

"Lord Wang, like our father, is as kind to us as a mountain! In the future, if you go to the battlefield, if you are greedy for life and afraid of death, I, Wang Wuquan, will be the first to cut off his head, don't blame me for turning my face and not recognizing people when the time comes! Wang Wuquan said.

Zhang Wang said unconvinced: "The turtle king bastard is greedy for life and afraid of death!" ”

"That's right! It's the turtle king bastard who is afraid of death! All the children shouted in unison.

Wang Wuquan proposed: "Why don't we become brothers today, what do you think?" ”

"Good! Everyone agreed to Wang Wuquan's proposal. ”

Twenty-seven children came to the seashore, and knelt on the sand and swore to heaven, that there was no incense, so they took branches instead of trees, and there was no blood wine, so they found a clay pot, filled it with water, and cut their fingers with knives, and each of them dripped the blood into it, mixed it evenly, and gave it to each of them to drink.

"From this day onwards, twenty-seven of us will be brothers! From then on, our brothers lived and died together, and swore to serve the king to the death! I, Wang Wuquan, swear that I will kill all the traitors in the world who Lord Wang hates the most! Wang Wuquan was the first to swear.

All of them took vows, and from then on the twenty-seven became sworn brothers.

In the future, these children became the backbone of the youth battalion, except for the more than ten people who died on the battlefield, the rest eventually became famous generals with great achievements.

Wang Xinyu drank a lot of wine that night, and after lying down, he covered his head and fell asleep. The next morning, when my head was still hurting, someone came to visit me and send a New Year's greeting. Then there were people coming to the door constantly, and it was impossible to sleep beautifully.

Finally after leisure, Wang Xinyu made people boil porridge and drank a bowl of steaming hot porridge, feeling a lot more comfortable.

"Mother, I'll go to the barracks and take a walk to see if they are doing well during the New Year." Wang Xinyu said.

Mrs. Wang blamed distressedly: "This child, he doesn't stay at home during the Chinese New Year, and he still walks around." ”

"Mother, the child will come back when he goes." After speaking, Wang Xinyu walked out of the house.

When I came to the barracks, I saw that the barracks were much more deserted than usual, at least half of the soldiers had gone back to reunite with their families, and the rest were bachelors from other places, or homeless orphans, or no parents at home, and their brothers were all soldiers here, and they all stayed in the barracks for the New Year. But most of the soldiers who stayed here for the New Year also went out for a walk, and the huge barracks were deserted, except for the soldiers on duty, the soldiers who had drunk too much last night and were still sleeping in the barracks.

Wang Xinyu walked into the gang room and saw that the gang leaders were already busy. Although the dishes in the barracks last night were sumptuous, in front of these soldiers who could eat, there was nothing left, not even cold dishes and fruits, and the soldiers were preparing lunch.

"Your Excellency!" When a gang leader saw Wang Xinyu, he hurriedly put down his work and turned around to salute.

"At noon, General Ben is here to celebrate the first day of the new year with you!" Wang Xinyu said with a smile.

Thousands of miles away, Yanping City.

Wang Wusheng rubbed his sleepy eyes, sat up, and stretched.

"I drank too much yesterday!" Wang Wusheng tried to remember what happened last night, but his head hurt as if it was about to explode.

Last night, prisoners of military reclamation like Wang Wusheng also spent a happy Chinese New Year's Eve here.

Although these prisoners of the development army reclaimed the land, although they lived in a single barracks, they did not have their own quarters, and they were all cooked in the dining hall on weekdays. After coming here, the captives who planted the army and cultivated the fields ate quite well, they could be full of sweet potatoes, sorghum, and corn every day, and the vegetables were potatoes, green vegetables, and tofu, and occasionally they could eat a meal of rice, fish, and meat. And they don't work in vain, and they still have money to get. As long as you behave well and regain your freedom after three years, you will be paid a silver salary.

In addition, there is another dish here, which is especially suitable for Wang Wusheng's appetite: a red, spicy dish. When you eat it, it feels very spicy. Jiangxi people like to eat spicy food, but originally they ate dogwood. And this thing called chili pepper tastes many times better than dogwood!

Every time he has free time, Wang Wusheng always thinks in his heart: Such a day is simply not to be a coolie, but to enjoy happiness!

It turned out that when he was at home in Jiangxi, Wang Wusheng was a tenant, not to mention eating rice, even eating enough was a problem. Later, after becoming a soldier, Gao Jinku deducted military salaries and food expenses, and the green battalion soldiers did not eat well. Some of the "methodical" green battalion soldiers tried their best to go outside to make extra money, but they made a little money to drink wine and eat meat. However, after the defeat of Gao Jinku, those green battalion soldiers who "had a way" were either beheaded, or sent to repair castles and docks, ate pig food, did the hardest and most tiring hard work, and were often whipped.

Fools have fortune! Wang Wusheng thought so. If he had also learned from those "methodical" green battalion soldiers at that time, even if he hadn't landed now, I'm afraid he would have lived a life that was inferior to pigs and dogs.

But those green battalion soldiers really deserve it, they scourge the people on weekdays, and do many hurtful things. Except for those who were cut off, those who were sent here did not have a good life, and even yesterday and today, those prisoners were taken to work, and there was no Chinese New Year's Eve to eat.

Last night was Chinese New Year's Eve, and the military reclamation households in Yanping City had a good banquet that they had never eaten before, and the fish, meat and seafood could be eaten casually, and the wine could be let go to drink.

At the banquet, there was also a beautiful woman with a beautiful national color, and a group of little girls were brought to participate in the banquet together. I heard from others that the girl's name is Pan Ying, and she is the general manager of Nanyang Company! And he is also the lord of Yanping City.

What the general manager is, Wang Wusheng doesn't know, but it must be a big official. Anyway, that girl was really beautiful, and Wang Wusheng felt that she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. However, Wang Wusheng was self-aware, knowing that he was just a captive, and he didn't dare to think anything wrong about Miss Pan at all, even Miss Pan's personal maid, a young girl with a lot of water, didn't dare to think anything wrong.

Wang Wusheng took a fancy to a round-faced and well-behaved girl who came last night, about twelve or thirteen years old. I heard that this girl was also from Jiangxi, and later the whole family fled to Fujian, and her father became a soldier. Later, my father was captured by the Ming army in the Battle of Zhao'an, and then the whole family was sent here.

I heard that the little girl was a female soldier of the art troupe. What is the art troupe, Wang Wusheng didn't know, and after asking people, he knew that it was singing and singing.

Although I was a prisoner, her father was also a prisoner, and he worked with him to cultivate the military fields, and she was also a dramatist. Wait another day, and propose to her father. Wang Wusheng was a little thoughtful.