Chapter 32: Worshiping the moon and begging for luck, golden wind and jade dew

Chapter 32: Worshiping the moon and begging for luck, golden wind and jade dew

Chapter 32 Worshiping the Moon and Begging for Skills, Golden Wind and Jade Dew

Different from the fact that there is only one Jiao Valer shop in the entire West Market, the word "Jiao Valer" is one of the most common signboards on this street in the east of West Market. This method of bundling fabrics in various ways and then dyeing them is not only low-cost, but the dyed fabric pattern also has a special halo effect, so it is extremely popular. In the fortune-telling folder, all kinds of colorful cloths are hung all over the store. However, at this moment, Liuli had no intention of identifying which of the newly dyed patterns were, and just asked the shopkeeper of the Jiao Valer shop, "Is Sanlang coming over today?"

The shopkeeper's surname was also Shi, and he was the younger brother of shopkeeper Shi of the Jiaval Store. When he saw Liuli, he smiled like an Amitabha and said, "Sanlang is discussing business with the steward of the Lu Ming Mansion in the backyard. Madam, please wait a moment." Then he personally led Liuli to the backyard.

The backyard of Zhaocai Jianlian is larger than that of Yijiaval. There are two Guangya rooms, but the furnishings are not as elegant as those of Yijiaval. Liuli followed the shopkeeper into the private room at the west end, and the shopkeeper was chatting beside him. Liuli was polite again and again before sending the extraordinarily attentive shopkeeper away, and he knelt down on the couch. When he got down, he subconsciously stroked the purple-bottomed deer-feather twisted silk quilt on the mat, while thinking about what he had just done.

Not long after, there was a sound of footsteps. Anzaburo walked in through the curtain and said with a smile, "Why are you free to come here today?"

Liuli hurriedly stood up and met the ceremony. Anzaburo waved his hand and said, "You are the only one who has more etiquette. Sit down quickly. What do you want to see me for?"

Among Liuli's cousins, Anzaburo seemed to be the one with the nicest temper, but Liuli naturally knew how shrewd this cousin was. She didn't mince words with him and said, "It's true. Liuli accidentally caused trouble. , I want to ask brother, do you have any medicinal herbs in your medicinal shop that make people look sick after taking them? "

An undisguised surprise appeared on Yasaburo's face, "What trouble did you get into?"

Liuli sighed and said, "Brother, I also know about Mrs. Wei. She is the mother of the current queen. I made some new clothes for Mrs. Wu a few days ago, and later I found out that those clothes were for Mrs. Wu. The lady's sister is wearing it, and her sister is actually the favored concubine in the palace! That's why Mrs. Wei came to her because she had worn the valerian made by me. She had said several times that she wanted to buy it from me. Maid, Liuli is worried, if this happens, she will not give up."

Anzaburo's eyes narrowed to a slit, and he said after a while, "Just wait, brother, I have to go find out some information, and I also need to ask about the medicinal materials you mentioned. But you just don't do anything these days. It’s time to go out.”

Liuli looked at Ansaburo's unarguable face and couldn't help but feel guilty. It was her lack of thinking that led to today's trouble. She lowered her head and said "Okay" honestly, and then said, "Liu Li is a little worried. My grandpa..."

Anzaburo nodded and said, "It makes sense, I will try to let people explore more."

Liuli murmured "Thank you" and heard Anzaburo say, "Don't worry too much. These things are not difficult to do. Just leave them to brother. Today I have to beg for help. You first Go back and beg for more luck tonight.”

Liuli raised her head and saw that Anzaburo's face had returned to its usual smiling expression, and his pointed beard trembled slightly with his smile, and she couldn't help but feel a little relieved.

When she returned to An's house, Qiniang was directing several maids to catch spiders under the eaves. When she saw Liuli, she smiled and said, "I've caught several of them. Do you think they are enough?" She then took two spiders. She showed Liuli the exquisite box with small holes in it, "Look, this box is mine. There are three spiders in it. There are also three spiders in your box..."

Liuli held the box and felt that the hairs on her arms were about to stand up. She forced herself to nod, "That's enough!" She turned around and gave the box to Xiaotan.

Qiniang smiled and went to the upper room with Liuli. Not long after, Kang and Mi also arrived. On this day, the An family had dinner early. Before it got dark, Shi ordered everyone to carry the largest table in the upper room to the yard, and filled seven silver plates with fresh fruits, pancakes and meat. I put them on the table, two pots of wine and an incense burner.

Liuli originally didn’t think Chinese Valentine’s Day was an important holiday, but in this busy, chatting and laughing atmosphere, she couldn’t help but start to look forward to it getting dark soon.

With great difficulty, the crescent moon with eyebrows gradually turned from pale to bright. The women of the An family went back to their rooms to get bronze mirrors and put them under the moon. The maids also brought gold needles and colorful threads that had been prepared. This was Liuli's first time to thread acupuncture under the moonlight, so she couldn't help but feel a little nervous. The seven golden needles were very delicate, and the moonlight in the sky and the lights under the eaves were really hazy. After success, seeing that the Shi family had already put on their clothes, Qiniang came over and said, "Don't be in a hurry, don't be in a hurry, the more you hurry, the harder it will be to put them on."

Liuli nodded and tried again. Whether practice makes perfect or a blind cat just ran into a dead mouse, it actually got through. The next six strands went much more smoothly, and not long after, they were all pierced through the colored threads one by one. Everyone said hello, Liuli wiped the sweat from her forehead and laughed.

After threading the needle, it was time to worship the moon. Shi first lit the fine incense in the incense burner and everyone prayed silently. Liuli whispered in her heart, "Please bless Liuli to live a free and worry-free life as soon as possible." After thinking about it, she felt that this request was a bit too high. In this era, let alone a **** who depends on others. Woman, even if she is the emperor, she is still far away from these eight words...

Seeing that the new moon was gradually rising, and there was a rare coolness in the night wind, the women set up tables, chairs, and other items under the grape trellis, and ate wine and chatted at will. Qiniang took Liuli to look for the Cowherd and the Vega. At first, I just felt that the densely packed starry sky was so unfamiliar. The Milky Way was really like a milky-white river of starlight flowing through the sky, which made people feel awe.

Qiniang pointed to the sky and shouted, "Found it, found it! Those are the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl." She then sighed, "It would be great if we could build this Magpie Bridge several times a year!"

Liuli looked in the direction she pointed, and saw only a patchwork of bright and dark stars. She couldn't tell who was the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, but she clearly remembered the saying "Gold, wind, jade and dew meet countless people in the world." Seeing that Liuli was silent, Qiniang pulled her and asked with a smile, "What wish did sister make today?" Before she could finish her words, Shi Shi said, "Can you ask this? You can't say a wish!"

Qiniang and Liuli were both startled. When they turned around, they saw that Shi had walked up behind them. Qiniang said angrily, "Aniang, if you can't say it, you can't say it. What are you doing to bluff people?"

Shi Shi smiled and said, "Hurry over there, my sister-in-law has something to ask you."

Qiniang hurried over, but Shi took Liuli a few steps further and said, "I heard that you went to win fortune and winch today?"

Liuli was slightly frightened and nodded. Just when she was not sure how to talk about that matter, Shi said, "What do you think of Shopkeeper Xiao Shi?"

That middle-aged fat man with a smile? Liuli subconsciously wanted to say "very good", but suddenly realized the meaning of Shi's words. She couldn't help but take a breath and shook her head decisively, "I don't quite understand."

Mrs. Shi sighed, "I don't think he's good either, but shopkeeper Xiao Shi is a relative of your sixth sister-in-law. She insisted on asking me to ask, saying that the shopkeeper's wife went away last year and now he wants to find a replacement. Ami He said that he comes from a good family, he is honest and reliable, and he relies on our family, so there is no need to worry about anything bad happening in the future. I think he is older and his daughter is almost fourteen, so I really feel wronged by you. "

Only then did Liuli think of the attentive face of shopkeeper Xiao Shi today, and suddenly she felt extremely ridiculous: Could it be that in the eyes of this shopkeeper, and in the eyes of the sixth sister-in-law, she... couldn't help but smile bitterly, "Auntie, Liuli is really I don’t want to get married.”

Shi laughed and said, "What are you talking about? Your sixth sister-in-law is a little confused about this matter, but don't be confused. Your uncle and I have been paying attention and we can always find the right one. Don't be discouraged." , I will never delay it until the age of seventeen, and leave it to the official matchmaker. "

Liuli was startled and asked quickly, "What kind of official matchmaker is this?"

Shi Shi asked curiously, "Don't you know this? If a woman in the Tang Dynasty doesn't marry after seventeen, official matchmakers will come to her door."

Liuli looked at Shi blankly, and the tall and powerful figure of the official mediator Madam He suddenly appeared in her mind, and she felt her heart become cold. Could it be that celibacy was not feasible in the Tang Dynasty? Why are there still rules that force people to meet randomly?

Shi Shi whispered something in Liuli's ear again. Liuli heard it but had no idea what she said.

Shi Shi also noticed that Liuli was in a daze and thought that what happened today was too sudden, so he smiled and pulled her to sit under the grape trellis. Seeing Mi's questioning eyes again, he shook his head at her, and Mi dropped his eyes and stopped talking.

They didn't break up until nearly three o'clock in the morning. When they returned to the room, Xiaotan helped Liuli spread her hair and muttered, "I don't know what to think, but shopkeeper Xiao Shi can be the father of my aunt. Why?" I have the nerve to mention this.”

Liuli had been absent-minded all night. After hearing this, she couldn't help but wonder, "How come you know this too?"

Xiaotan smiled and said, "What is going on in this yard that I don't know about? Auntie, you are so well-born and so capable, you will definitely become an official's wife!" He sighed again, "Some people are good at everything. ,pity…"

Liuli smiled bitterly and interrupted her, "Aren't you sleepy yet? I'm going to bed, so you should hurry back."

This night, she really lost sleep. Seventeen years old is only the age of a sophomore in high school, right? Here, she turns out to be an older young woman who must let the government make the decision to marry. What kind of world is this? Does she still have to find a way to marry herself off quickly? She thought about it until it was almost five o'clock before she managed to close her eyes for a while. When she got up, she was a little listless, and she didn't even have the interest to see if the spider in her clever box had spun a web. After a few more days of depression, I didn't even have to pretend that I had lost a lot of food. Shi Shi hurriedly asked a doctor to come over. The doctor came over and took a look at it. He just said something about liver qi stagnation, spleen and stomach disharmony, etc. If so, I prescribed a few medicines.

 In a blink of an eye, there are only three days left before the Hungry Ghost Festival, which is also the Buddhist Obon Festival, so Mr. Shi started busy preparing a hundred-flavor rice. In the afternoon of this day, shopkeeper Shi of Ruyi Jiaval asked the boy to deliver a letter. Liuli took it into her hand and saw that the handwriting on it was Pei Xingjian's. She quickly opened it, and there were only eight words written inside. Liuli read the eight words twice, stayed blank for a while, then turned around and asked Xiaotan, "Where are uncle and third brother at this moment?"

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 (End of this chapter)