The eighteenth day of the twelfth lunar month is also an important day for the people of the Song Dynasty. The shrines in the ancestral halls that cannot be moved normally can be cleaned a little, and the stoves in the east kitchen that have not been cleaned should also be cleaned. Perhaps the customs that started at this time were spread to later generations.
It's a day of cleaning.
Many Spring Festival customs have been passed down from the prosperous Song Dynasty.
Even the door of Ye An's house was hung with peach charms, and there were more hawkers on the streets of Xinlingfang, carrying poles and pushing carts, all of which were printed with door gods, Zhong Kui, peach boards, peach charms, etc.
And things with rich meanings such as the donkey of wealth, the deer and horse that turn back, and the post of Tianxing.
This was much more colorful than the single Spring Festival couplet lanterns of later generations. Ye An was so overwhelmed that he bought a few by the way. Tieniu was extremely dissatisfied as he hugged the two wealthy donkeys, and slapped his long donkey's mouth on his face.
went up, causing Jingwu on the side to laugh like a strange bell, so Ye An put two black Zhongkui on his shoulders again, and the laughter stopped suddenly...
The entire gate has changed its appearance, but Ye An still asked to take it down and replace it with a vermilion couplet, which he had written last night. People who get married in his hometown must affix this kind of couplet, and they cannot celebrate the New Year.
Replace.
The Wang Gang didn't know what the rules were, but they felt festive when they saw the bright red couplets. After posting them with Tieniu, the Yunzhong County Marquis Mansion felt even more festive.
The first couplet: "Two phoenixes perched on the branches of the phoenix tree" and the second couplet: "The mandarin ducks and mandarin ducks stand among the lotus flowers." He wrote "auspicious days and good times". Ye An nodded with satisfaction as he looked at his results.
"Uh... Mu Wu Mu Tong... Shang Mu Xi?"
Tieniu stood at the gate and muttered like a dog looking at the stars. Xuan'er beside him laughed so hard that he couldn't stand up straight. Ye An kicked this semi-literate person away. The beautiful wedding couplet was so indecent in this guy's mouth...
………
"Master Marquis! You can't wander around anymore. It's almost an auspicious time. It's already three o'clock to set off to welcome the bride. It's a rule to return home at the beginning of the hour. Don't miss it. Master Marquis sees that the time has come and you still haven't arrived yet.
Get on your horse and set off, this Madam Qin is the most beautiful woman in our city of Tokyo, do you not want to marry her back or something?!"
Matchmaker Liu hurriedly came out of the door, complaining about Ye An like a barrage of words. In her many years of "working in the industry", she had never seen such a neglectful host and groom.
Ye An confessed his crime and went into the house to prepare. Fortunately, the Hou's house had been decorated and all kinds of things had been delivered.
Yesterday, the Wang Gang invited Ge Shanshu, an official from Xinlingfang, to be in charge. He is very experienced. Whenever there are weddings and funerals in Xinlingfang, he is always in charge. He is also called "a lot of people".
total".
The current "big bosses" are so busy that they stand in the front yard of the Hou Mansion and keep shouting: "We in the Hou Mansion have to make up for everything we left behind when we welcome the bride, so as not to be disrespectful, you don't even bring the wedding geese."
You dare to come here? Didn’t I tell you a few days ago!?"
"There is also Yuanxi Shop. How do your family do business? How come the gold and silver chopsticks haven't been delivered yet? The wedding procession is about to leave, so we can't let my Marquis use bamboo chopsticks as fish chopsticks, right?!
"
"So that the officials in Gefang will know that all the fish chopsticks are needed to return the fish, but look at the money..."
"Now you ask me for wedding money?! I don't think your shop wants to open in the city of Tokyo! How can you ask for money when you are busy?! When the bride comes back, there will be no sales at the door of the Marquis' mansion.
Money?! Who do you think we are, the Marquis! You leave now, and I will send someone to Liuli Shop. They won’t do things like this! Why did you cause trouble because of the auspicious name of your family, and the Marquis blamed it?
I will not bear the blame with you!"
"This is what Mr. Duo said. The villain is confused, so I'll bring out the gold and silver chopsticks. Look, these four gold fishes and the celadon bottles are ready for you!"
"It seems to be a calculation, but this is the founding prince of Xinlingfang, and you will benefit from it!"
It seemed that it was right to hire Ge Shanshu as the leader. He could handle many rules without any mistakes. However, after seeing Ye An, Ge Shanshu came forward to "complain".
"Master Marquis, our family is really a little hasty and unruly. The betrothal geese and fish chopsticks should be given when the wedding ceremony is made. We only bring them now. As for the financial gifts, it is a bit inappropriate to bring them now when we welcome the bride.
That’s right, after all, we’re not from a place far away, so this makes people laugh, right?”
Ye An shook his head: "I am following my own rules. It doesn't matter. You can just hire a car to take these things. There are many cars in Tokyo."
Ge Shanshu smiled bitterly but nodded helplessly: "The Marquis has said so and I will obey him, but the sheep and the gift must be sent first."
Looking at the anxious Ge Shanshu, Ye An nodded and said, "That's how it should be. You take the people to deliver the things first and then make arrangements in advance."
Ge Shanshu finally breathed a sigh of relief. The wedding team would leave for a while, so he could go ahead and see how the layout of Lan Kwai Fong was going. It was worrying to say that Lan Kwai Fong, as a gathering place for women, the most indispensable thing was understanding.
A well-behaved person must be better than the Marquis, which is a bit embarrassing.
In fact, Ye An could delay the three letters and six appointments until now, and it was also the result of discussions with Qin Mumu. They did not want the wedding to be so lengthy and entered the preparation stage early. Once the three letters and six appointments were decided,
The two could not see each other before they got married.
It is not impossible to make up for all the six owed gifts at once, but it just feels a bit rude to the woman. Of course, this is nothing to Qin Mumu, otherwise Ye An would not dare to make such a decision alone.
To ordinary people, a wedding in Xinlingfang is nothing, but for the Qin family in Lan Kwai Fong to marry the prince of Yunzhong County, that is something extraordinary!!
Whether it is Qin Mumu or Ye An, their names have been widely spread in Tokyo during this period.
The transformation of Qin Mu Mu's Lan Kwai Fong was very successful. It was transformed from a place for entertainers to show off their laughter to a place of elegance. The phrase "showing off one's art but not selling one's body" made many libertines return home with melancholy, and also attracted the praise of many "artistic youths".
It can be said that Lan Kwai Fong's performance is one of the most elegant places in Tokyo. What's more important is that Lan Kwai Fong has opened three branches in succession on Nanmen Street. They don't do anything else, they only do women's makeup parlors.
This small courtyard is a common place for ladies in Tokyo. They get their hair done, manicures, massages, and beauty treatments. Many new words in Tokyo’s women’s circles are spread from there.
Countless women come in and out of this yard every day, and no one knows how much they earn every day.
And Ye An's business has resounded throughout the city of Tokyo. If Lan Kwai Fong is only the focus of women, then the tavern in Daxiangguo Temple is the focus of men in Tokyo.
Anyone who has never tasted the Taibai wine in a tavern is not considered a man who is generous and good at drinking. This Taibai wine has even become a symbol of Chinese literati in Tokyo.
Who doesn’t wish that he could write hundreds of poems over wine like Li Bai?
This Taibaijiu is just what I like. The white porcelain flask has an elegant pattern of a poetry fairy. What? Don’t you think that’s a poetry fairy? Can you see the auspicious clouds under his feet?!
The wine pot not only has the image of Shixian Taibai, but also has a unique leaf-shaped emblem belonging to the tavern on the lid.
The outrageously refined wine flask, the unique emblem, and the name of the poet all reflect the nobility of this drink. Of course, with such a good meaning and appearance, the drink inside is also the only one in Tokyo.
Once the lid of the pot is opened, the aroma of wine overflows. The Khitan people from the north, who are known to be good at drinking, cannot last long under this wine. At most, they fall down after two pots and fall asleep unconsciously. There is no one at all.
One can drink three pots of wine without getting drunk, so this Taibaijiu is also called "three pots of drunk".
Unlike other genuine stores in Tokyo, fine wine like Taibaijiu is not something that even the rich can’t buy.
Although the price is high, as long as you are willing to buy it and wait patiently to queue up to get a number, you can still buy it. Not only can you buy it at the tavern next to Daxiangguo Temple, but you can also buy it at Mrs. Zhang’s Hotel in Xinlingfang.
Who doesn’t know that this was originally a small shop selling medicinal materials, but later became a wine shop due to an entanglement with Ye Hou. All her drinks come from Ye Hou’s tavern, including ordinary drinks and the famous Taibai wine!
And buying it at Mrs. Zhang’s shop is a little cheaper than buying it in a tavern. Although it’s only less than ten cents, it’s still cheaper, isn’t it?
For those who can afford to drink Taibaijiu, they don't care about the few pennies, but for ordinary people who treat guests and give gifts, they can save as much as they can! Small discounts have become a winning tip, which does not affect the sales of the tavern, but also opens up new areas.
A new channel.
As for how much money the Yunzhong County Marquis Mansion made from this wine business? No one knows!
The people in Tokyo City are curious, but it is said that even the accountant of the tavern, Mr. Gu, does not know. He only knows the tavern's daily turnover. At the end of each month, the money account must be sent to the Hou Mansion. He has no chance to do the accounting.
He also casts a blind eye on costs and net profits. Ye An's emphasis on and protection of business secrets is unparalleled by people of this era...