The Little Officials of the Song Dynasty Chapter 46: The city is full of flutter

The stars and the moon are in the sky, and ten thousand candles burn together.

Bianjing on the first day of the new year is so lively that every family has a spring festival and a peach talisman, and the people visit relatives and friends to pay New Year's greetings. The street market at night is brightly lit. From outside the Dongsong Gate in Zhouzhou to the Zhounan area, the roadside is full of colorful awnings, which are full of food, drink, clothing, and play goods.

At the beginning of the first month of each year, Kaifeng House is open for three days, and these are all commodities to be held.

Gambling in the Song Dynasty was quite popular. Guanpu was actually another form of gambling, but unlike gambling, it was not prohibited by the government.

On the day when the government opened up, the city was full of Guanpu.

Customers spend a much lower price than the commodity price for throwing darts, dice, and copper coins. If they win, they can win the commodity. The odds are different, and there are all kinds of objects that can be thrown. There are even those who have bargained for the price of singers, carriages and horses.

On Panlou Street, a row of rehearsal booths was lined up, and people of all colors entered and exited the booths to buy what they wanted.

The one with the largest number of people is a colorful booth with bear-head-shaped lanterns. The lantern was only black and white, and it looked like a bear, with black eye rims and ears.

Looking at the color booth, there are mostly young and handsome little ladies or ladies lining up to pounce.

Standing at the back of the booth is a boy of about fifteen years old, wearing dark new clothes, with a circle of fur around his neck, which seems to keep warm, with white skin and red lips, very delicate, with bright eyes when he smiles Bright, twelve-pointed flattering.

But of course, these girls are not just waiting in line for the goods just because the stall owner is good-looking, but more because the sign in front of the stall reads "Xiang Lan Skin Care Medicine", which is a skin care product made by Zen Master of the Great Xiangguo Temple. Medicine has been very famous in Bianjing in recent years.

It is said that Zen master Mingran made this skin care medicine at first because his disciple got sunburned. Later, some of it was passed on to the Eighth Princess, and it became famous because of the boudoir.

But because I know that Zen Master is not greedy for money, and has more other disaster relief, lecturing and other matters, only a small batch is produced every year, which makes his skin care medicines invaluable in Bianjing.

Now, it's not the day of shipment, but it's still waiting in the evening market? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

Even if the conditions are very harsh, five hundred coins can only be thrown once, and the copper coins need to be thrown to Hunchun—that is, all the backsides can be counted as winning. But the ladies are still rushing, and they have the courage to never give up.

Like this little lady now, she has already spent all the money on her body, so she only threw a can of whitening mask. She was so anxious to ask the servant to get the money for her back home, "Come on, I will also throw the moisturizing mask. here!"

"The little lady wait here first, and let the next one jump first." The stall owner said with a smile.

The little lady reluctantly glanced at the few moisturizing masks, "Brother Yan, do you still have skin care medicine tomorrow?"

The one who set up a stall on the street on the first day of the new year was Yun Yanhui, who was already fifteen years old and could be called Bianjing's old fritters. He grinned at the little lady, "These are all of them, if they are fluttering today. It's over, tomorrow will change."

The ladies present sighed in unison.

At this moment, another man came in the color booth. He was tall and taller than the ladies in the color booth. He wore a black cloak and came in with his head down, bringing a cold wind on his shoulders. And some snow. Recently, there has been light snow in Bianliang, and I think this person came in to avoid the snow.

In the shed filled with the fragrance of powder, this man raised his head, revealing a handsome face that was just beginning to emerge. His eyebrows were thick and black, and his pupils were black and white. When he saw so many little ladies, he lowered his head in surprise, embarrassed Don't dare to look at the little ladies.

The ladies who thought this man was a bit of Meng Lang couldn't help being tolerant when they saw this situation. Although he was tall, he turned out to be a young man.

Yunyan smiled back and said: "Lang Jun, are you coming to give skin care medicine for your sweetheart?"

When the young man heard the sound, he tilted his head slightly, looked back at Yun Yan shyly, and asked in a low voice, "Here... can anything be thrown at it?"

Yunyan replied: "You mean you don't want to rush skin care medicine, but other things?"

The young man gave him another look, "I - can your scarf flutter? I encountered snow on my way home, and it was a little cold."

Yunyan replied cheerfully: "Okay, once a hundred wen, ten copper coins can be thrown out of the five pure."

The woman who was originally next in line saw this situation and said, "Xiao Lang is still in a hurry to go home, so let's go first."

The boy hesitated, said "thank you", and walked all the way "offended" to the booth, counting out a hundred coins and putting it on the table. Yun Yanhui took out ten copper coins and put them in his palm, and he started tossing them.

The first three are all backs, and then three heads are thrown in succession, and then the backs are thrown again, and the fifth is back. Luckily, I have not thrown ten copper coins, and I have reached Yunyan Huikai. out standard.

"Acceptance." The boy's cheeks were slightly red, and he put the copper coin back into Yun Yanhui's hand.

Yun Yanhui also took off the scarf very readily. Seeing that the boy was tall, he put his feet on his feet and put the scarf around his neck across the table. The gray fur Weibo lined the black cloak. , quite big.

The young man's chin was sunk into the warm scarf, and he smiled sweetly at Yun Yan with his eyebrows and eyes, and the whole color booth was lit up immediately.

Yunyan couldn't help laughing, she took out another umbrella from under the table and put it in the boy's hand, "You're still smirking, remember to bring the umbrella home to me, or you won't be able to pay you back a hundred wen. "

"Thank you, Brother Yan." The boy took the umbrella embarrassedly and walked out of the color booth with his head lowered.

By this time, the ladies in the color booth will understand that the stall owner and this young man are acquaintances.

"No wonder this young man wants to go in here to hide from the snow!"

Yunyan replied, "I'm sorry, that's my little brother, and I made a joke with him just now." Who knew that he also made a joke, and even asked if something else was fluttering.

That's right, the snow-hiding boy wearing a black cape is the number one idiot in Tokyo, and the same grown-up Zhao Yunchu's child.

……

After Zhao Yunchu left, Yun Yanhui's Guanpu business was still so hot and full of rewards.

When it was the second watch, almost all the things were thrown away, and the people were almost scattered. Yun Yanhui also put away the money and the rest of the medicine. Because the medicine is clear, half of the income from tonight will be donated to the temple after deducting his cost.

Outside the shed, the people who came to pick him up also came.

A tall, middle-aged man wearing a scorpion, standing outside with a donkey, watched Yun Yan come out with something in his arms, and reached out to pick it up.

This person's name is Fu Yunfeng. He is a teacher in a martial arts gym. He lost his wife and no children at an early age. He met Zheng Ping about six years ago through the introduction of his old neighbor Hu Sanniang. After getting along for more than a year, they feel good about each other. A few of them agreed, so Zheng Ping remarried him.

So, Fu Yunfeng is Yun Yanhui's stepfather.

Fu Yunfeng drove Yunyan back to the Daxiangguo Temple. As soon as he got home, before he tied the donkey, it snowed outside again, "It's not a coincidence if you get off the road, brother Yan, your mother cooks. Hu spicy soup, come in, I'll catch the donkey away."

"Okay, it's hard work Uncle Fu." Yun Yan pushed back the door and went in, she could smell the spicy Hu soup, "I already smell it, Hu spicy soup."

Zheng Ping came out of the room, "Wash your face first, the soup is warm for you—hey, where's your scarf?"

Yunyan replied casually: "I met Yunchu today, it was snowing at that time, so I gave him the scarf and umbrella. Fortunately, it didn't snow on my way back."

Shuangyi and Xiaobao also came out of their rooms. The family has become wealthy in the past two years, and the room is not enough and they don't want to move back or change houses. After all, the bamboo forest next to it happens to be raising Beibei. Later, the place was expanded, and now the three children also have separate rooms.

Shuang Yi went to bring the Hu spicy soup, Xiao Bao and Zheng Ping poured out the hot water together, and asked Yun Yan Hui to wash her face and wipe her hands. Then he sat at the table, soaked his feet in a pot of hot water, and drank Hu spicy soup in his hands.

As soon as the fresh and spicy broth with the aroma of pepper was entered, and the hot water under the feet was added, the cold all over my body was expelled.

After taking a few sips of the soup, Yunyan swiftly wiped her feet and stepped into the warm cotton shoes. These padded shoes were specially made by Zheng Ping according to his request. The toes of the white quilted slippers were sewn with panda ears and eyes.

Fu Yunfeng also came in, also drinking a bowl of Hu spicy soup.

Zheng Ping complained back to Yun Yan: "You kid, you have to go out to set up a stall during the festival, and the family is not short of this money now."

Fu Yunfeng said with a smile: "Pingniang, don't you see that Brother Yan just likes it. Just like going out to fight is a holiday pleasure, he makes money is also a holiday pleasure."

Zheng Ping said helplessly: "Yes, this child..."

A few years ago, Brother Yan was responsible for the family's expenses. Even now, he can live relatively well, because in addition to errands, Brother Yan also has unexpected income from time to time.

In the past, it could be said that he was in a hurry to make money because of poor family conditions, but now, it can only be said that he likes to work, and if he makes no money, he always wants to do something.

"I'm no longer a child." Yun Yan corrected her back.

Zheng Ping said: "You, don't talk about this, many neighbors came to pay New Year's Eve today, and they all asked about you when you weren't there. You have to come to the door when you think."

"Don't be in a hurry, if you have the heart to pray for the festival, it's not too late for the cold food." Yun Yan returned but was not in a hurry. Besides, he was like the abbot, Luran, and Huichong. He also paid his respects to his early years, and he will go back to another time. Not too late.

Although the festivals after the New Year's Day are one after another, and they will be lively until March, it is impossible to go to the New Year's greetings during the Cold Food Festival. It is just a description, so Zheng Ping just poked Yun Yanhui in the forehead. "Just remember."

Shuang Yi held her face and said, "Brother Yan, can you take me to set up a stall tomorrow?"

"You are not allowed to go out." Zheng Ping pressed her back, "I'll check your cooking."

Shuang Yi has reached marriageable age and is almost eighteen now.

It is fortunate that at this time, there were many literati who were advocating Buddhism and Taoism, and there were many literati and special orders, so there were many people who married late and had children. I was a little anxious, so I urged Fu Yunfeng to also inquire if there was a suitable son-in-law in the acquaintance.

Shuang Yi always likes to dance with knives and guns, and it just so happens that Fu Yunfeng is also an instructor in the martial arts hall. She pushes people by herself. Although she is in a hurry, she also likes to find a gentleman who Shuangyi likes.

And now I'm also paying close attention to Shuangyi's cooking skills, so I can't make it too bad.

Yun Yanhui also coughed, "Learning to cook is also good. You should at least learn some of your brother's private dishes. If you learn it, it will not be too late to go out to play during the Lantern Festival."

Shuangyi: "You don't know, I heard that a famous chivalrous warrior came to Bianjing and made an appointment with someone for a duel tomorrow. I want to go see it, it's only tomorrow."

"Hey, what kind of chivalrous person," Zheng Ping thought crookedly, "How old are you, are you married?" It was rare for her to see that Shuang Yi was interested in men. It's always been this way, don't ask this.

Shuang Yi: "...It's big enough to be my dad's old bachelor."

"You turned from a chivalrous man to an old bachelor right away?" Yun Yan smiled back, "Mother, don't worry, Uncle Fu and I have both taken care of her, the big deal is to stay with you for a few more years, and you will meet each other. You can get married when you are suitable."

"Naturally, it's suitable, and I think so too." Zheng Ping also reiterated her position, and then said to Shuang Yi, "But you still can't go out tomorrow."

Shuangyi: "..."

"Work hard." Yun Yan patted Shuang Yi on the back of the head, yawned, and went to sleep.

……

The next day, Yun Yanhui got up early again, drove a donkey cart, and went to the flower garden of Daxiangguo Temple to pick up the flowers she ordered. Arrange flowers, no matter silk flowers or fresh flowers, as long as they look good.

However, although Yun Yanhui is also selling seasonal flowers this time, unlike others, they do not sell them one by one.

The three Zhisheng brothers had already been waiting for him in the flower garden. When they saw him coming, they sang a fat sing and said hello to the New Year. Yun Yanhui also returned the salute and asked, "Is everything ready?"

The three took out animal-shaped skeletons made of bamboo pieces, including pigs, bears, rabbits and other animals, "only 20 were made."

"Enough. It should be sold out in one afternoon. I'll go home early today, and there will be no stalls at night. It's very cold." Yun Yan replied.

And in the morning, they naturally want to fix these freshest flowers on the animal-shaped bamboo skeleton, and finally form a flower animal one by one. It is best to use smaller flowers, which are more delicate.

The art of flower arrangement was very popular in Song Dynasty. People with a little taste will pay attention to how to put flowers in vases, and there are not many who sell exquisite flower arrangements. But when Zhisheng and the others heard Yunyan reply that they wanted to sell such a "bouquet", they were still surprised for a while.

However, when they tried making a sample, they were amazed. It's not hard to imagine how those little ladies would grab all their money today.