There is no need to head towards the eastern suburbs, spring is in thousands of households.
The sky is getting darker, and the New Year atmosphere in Mojing City is getting stronger. Naughty children have set off sporadic fireworks on the streets, and the vendors have closed their stalls and gone home. Regardless of the harvest, their faces are always beaming with joy, looking forward to spending time with their wives, children, and children. Have a reunion dinner. Smoke drifts from the chimneys of passers-by. A woman with skillful hands kneads the dough, mixes the meat and vegetable fillings, and the whole family gathers together to make dumplings to celebrate the New Year.
When the blue sky was slightly ominous, Shen Yuan still had more fun and wanted to go to the east end of the city to see if there was any preparations for the lantern festival. Sheng Qiuxiao persuaded her to get back on the carriage. The boy whipped up his whip and set off, but he couldn't make it home. It takes two cups of tea.
The silk fish lanterns in Lengxiang Pavilion were old. Mrs. Mo Zhang ordered Shui Zhi to lead the girls in person, opened the warehouse, took out five-color new yarn, selected new and clever shapes, tied them into lanterns, and hung them everywhere in the building. The oiran master and servant When I came back with Sheng Qiuxiao, what I saw at the door was a red gauze lantern with a double-petal plum blossom top and a tall bamboo pole, which also illuminated the small alley opposite the side door.
"It's so beautiful. I've never seen it before." Mrs. Sheng helped the oiran get out of the car and looked at the lights: "We are back late. Sister guessed that dinner has been prepared in the kitchen. All I have to do is take a seat with chopsticks. Is it done?”
Shen Yuan opened the curtain of his hat, stretched out his hand and slightly brushed the hanging tassels of the lantern with tender goose-yellow tassels: "You should have made a good plan. What time is it? I'm afraid Sister-in-law He and the others have just heated up the stove. If you are impatient, go to the kitchen." With help, I might be able to eat my first bowl of dumplings."
Sheng Qiuxiao raised the hem of her skirt with one hand and carefully stepped across the threshold: "When I left, I said I wanted to steam pastries, but I forgot about dumplings. Mo Jing likes to cook them with boiled water. I remember that at home, we eat sour soup during the Chinese New Year. It’s best to put some seaweed on the dumplings. What’s the custom in my hometown?”
"It sounds delicious. If you have time, I can ask Sister-in-law He to try it and try it." The court lady recalled the scene at Mo Jing's house during the New Year's Eve when she was in Qifeng: "Qifeng is similar to Mo Jing, they just eat dumplings. , I don’t care much about the soup, I at most use clear chicken soup to make it more delicious, or if there are elderly people at home, it can be more nutritious.”
"I'm afraid everyone is busy tonight, so I'll wait until tomorrow morning to make sour soup dumplings and give New Year greetings to the lady in the past." Qiu Xiao's eyes were bright and she had already integrated into the New Year atmosphere. The oiran nodded and smiled. Without saying a word, he held Feiyue's hand and returned to the garden first, instructing Feiyun to deliver the fruit basket to the front. Later, he wandered around the market and brought several green cabbage clumps to the kitchen, leaving only a pack of ginger plums. Shen Yuan left him behind and took him back to his room.
The small building was brightly lit. Headed by Xu Jinshu, the singers and dancers were all waiting in the front hall. They put on the same rose robes, lotus pink pleated skirts, and a silk shirt underneath which was pure and white. The piano master still retained the hand-made pieces of Sheng Qiu Xiao. Her hair was combed into a bun, with a pair of gilt mandarin ducks holding emerald hairpins on the side - left to her by the barbarian. The jade pendant was also hung around her waist. The little maid who had served Xu Jinshu some time ago came out with her body covered in green. He was wearing a green coat and trousers, holding a five-stringed qin, standing in the corner, waiting for orders at any time.
There will be singing and dancing to be performed later, and there is no time for dinner. I am afraid that they will be hungry, so the kitchen brings freshly baked assorted steamed cakes, which are sweet, soft and very beautiful. They were also distributed in Lengxiang Pavilion during the previous Xiaonian. Fruit, the old people who have been working here for a long time also follow the old routine every year, but no one finds it boring, and they all say thank you and feel satisfied in their hearts.
Xu Jinshu came late. It was his first year to experience this rule, and he found it quite new and interesting. He also remembered that in his home, his biological mother was still alive, and she would try her best to get some thin white flour, candied nuts and the like to steam a basket of cakes during the holidays.
Adding to the joy. Her aunt is good at music and has a gentle and low-key temperament. No matter who she is in front of, she will always be submissive. Only with her own daughter and personal maid can she relax and have a good meal.
There was a little maid in the kitchen who was familiar with Master Xu Qin and specially hid a heavy candied date cake for her. The dark red dates were inlaid on the glutinous rice cake. It didn’t need any more embellishments and it was tempting to move the index finger. Xu Jinshu wiped his hands and said,
I took a big bite with no one on my back, and the aroma of dates and glutinous rice penetrated my throat together. I suddenly felt hungry even though I wasn't hungry at first. I couldn't help but wolf it down, and ate it all in three or two gulps.
Filling your stomach will make you feel more at ease. Most people in Lengxiang Pavilion understand this truth, and the piano master is no exception. When she was very young, her biological mother's maid secretly told her this, and took out some food from the front yard.
The milk and white fungus soup she came back told her to drink it up so that she could grow up quickly and stand out. She looked up at the layout of Lengxiang Pavilion and recalled her childhood words.
Go wash your hands at the well in the backyard to avoid contaminating the strings with pastry residue.
The world is changing, the characters are the same, but the shadow in my heart will no longer stride through the door, sit down at a table, listen to her playing the piano and singing, and then order the food and wine to be prepared so that she can eat them when she gets off the stage.
Hot soup and rice. Xu Jinshu tried hard to tell himself that he didn't have time to go back and wash his face today, so he must not shed tears and wash away his makeup.
"Sister, what's wrong with you?"
The piano master had been stunned for too long, and the little girl was worried, so she came up quietly and greeted her softly. Xu Jinshu's eyes were slightly red, but he was smiling sweetly. Instead, he comforted the maid not to be nervous. She was fine, but she was moved by the scene and felt a little homesick - "
Everyone gets together during the Chinese New Year. You see, there are even fewer guests. We only spend time with our relatives and friends, but we are still here, all alone and helpless."
Jin Shu took out the handkerchief and gently dipped it into the corner of his eyes to prevent the tears from falling. The silk handkerchief was light lake blue, and the tears stained it and gradually turned into dots, as if unknown flowers were blooming quietly on it.
Accidentally touched by her fingertips, she felt a slight chill. The little maid had a simple mind and believed it to be true. She patted Jin Shu's vest and comforted her, saying that although she could not see her family, the sisters in the building could accompany each other and it was the same.
"It's natural. I heard Sister Shuizhi say in the afternoon that after this song and dance is over, dumplings and meat fillings will be prepared for us all in the backyard, so that the sisters can satisfy their cravings." Jinshu pulled the girl's hand.
He held his hand and his demeanor returned to normal: "If you can help me a few days ago, we will have dinner together later. I will ask Sister-in-law He to get whatever you want to eat for you."
When the little girl heard this, she was overjoyed. The two of them chatted for a while, then they heard firecrackers going off outside the building. Tea and rice were served to the guests in the backyard one after another. Mother Zhao also came down from upstairs to cheer up the girls.
The New Year's songs and dances are about to begin. This chapter has been completed!