Records of Strange People and Strange Events in the Old Mansion

Chapter 54 Ci

“The flowers are the same every year, but the people are different every year.” This year’s New Year’s Eve, there were three more people at the dinner table in the old house, and it truly felt like a family reunion.

But the feeling is still the feeling. Although there are three more people, the New Year's Eve dinner is not as happy and stomach-churning as when Zhu Badger and Mayaksha were alone. The dishes were more abundant than in any previous year. Not only was the table full, many of them were still hot on the stove. Zhu Yunshan and Ma Yasha kept asking Lan Yuliu and Lu Huan to eat. Lu Huan and Lan Yuliu kept saying "Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay," but they never reached for the food bowls with their chopsticks in their hands.

The embarrassment stems from the fact that Zhu Badger did not "stabilize" when "taking over the stove" and "worshiping ancestors", which made Zhu Yunshan, Ma Yasha, Lan Yuliu, and Lu Huan very embarrassed.

According to the custom of donkeys in the village, people must "take the stove" before having the reunion dinner on New Year's Eve. The ceremony of "taking over the stove" is similar to that of "giving away the stove". It is nothing more than placing a rice sieve on the ground next to the kitchen stove, placing three cups of old wine, three plates of vegetarian dishes and three bowls of rice on the rice sieve, lighting incense and candles, and then burning Putting paper money and affixing a new statue of the Kitchen God to the kitchen niche is like welcoming the Kitchen God who was sent to heaven on the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month back home.

As the head of the family, Zhu Yunshan is naturally responsible for welcoming the Kitchen God. I wonder which nerve is wrong? (This is Zhu Badger's original words) Lan Yuliu and Zhu Yunshan actually welcomed the Kitchen God side by side, and also asked Ma Yasha, Zhu Badger and Lu Huan to walk out of the kitchen, saying that the Kitchen God didn't like too many people in the kitchen.

At first, Zhu Badger didn't think or say much. He walked out of the kitchen with Ma Yasha and Lu Huan, feeling relaxed. In the past, when she and Mayaksha were alone, Mayaksha would always ask her to do this or that, which was really annoying. Lu Huan's words made Zhu Badger furious and Ma Yasha's face turned livid.

Lu Huan said that Uncle Yun and Sister Liu are not an ordinary match when they stand together. The Kitchen God will definitely come back as soon as possible to ensure that everyone has enough to eat in the new year.

I don’t know if the Kitchen God came back immediately. Anyway, Zhu Badger cursed him immediately, and he cursed loudly and heartily.

Zhu Badger scolded: "It's a good match for a candlestick. If you can't speak human language, go to the pig pen. My thin dog and pig badger haven't opened their mouths yet. What are you talking about when you're neither a pig nor a dog? And that thing that's neither a human nor a ghost." It’s not completely dark yet, why are you acting like a monster?”

"What fairy words are you talking about? Let's go over together and lift the table." Ma Yaksha stopped Zhu Badger from scolding in time, pulled Zhu Badger into the hall, and whispered in her ear: "Today is the day of farewell on New Year's Eve, can you be calm?"

Stay steady? Zhu Badger immediately suppressed his anger. Didn't Zhu Yuanzhang tell me to "steady"? Why didn't I stabilize?

"You have to keep the state you were in when you wrote the Spring Festival couplets, don't you know?" Ma Yasha returned to the kitchen door after attaching his ear to the red badger. He took off his scarf and said with a smile: "The Kitchen God welcomes you back, so you don't have to worry about eating and drinking. Let's go on to worship our ancestors at home. Good ancestors have New Year’s Eve dinner.”

After "receiving the stove" and "sacrifice the ancestors", these are the two most solemn rituals in Lvbuo Village at dusk on New Year's Eve. "Receiving the stove" is a bit unpleasant. "Sacrificing the ancestors" must not get angry and curse again. Be sure to stay steady, Zhu Badger warned himself.

Fortunately, Lan Yuliu and Lu Huan didn't seem to hear Zhu Badger's scolding, and were still happy. However, Zhu Yunshan was very unnatural, always deliberately avoiding contact with Lan Yuliu, and even handed over the money for ancestor worship. Give two big candles to Lu Huan and ask him to light them.

It is the rule of the old house to light a big candle to worship ancestors at home. This big candle is very big, almost half as tall as a three-year-old child. After the big candle is lit, it cannot be blown out. It must be allowed to burn out until the first day of the first lunar month.

Lu Huan took the big candle and lit it happily, then inserted it into the big candlestick on the altar table in the hall. Zhu Yunshan lit incense and began to salute Grandma Taizu.

After Zhu Yunshan finished the ceremony, Ma Yaksha continued to salute. Waiting for his own mother to salute, just as Zhu Badger was about to pass by, Lan Yuliu took the lead and knelt down under the portrait of Grandma Taizu and bowed respectfully.

Zhu Badger got angry and wanted to kick and scold Lan Yuliu. Ma Yasha grabbed her arm tightly and whispered softly: "Hold on!"

"Hold on!" Zhu Badger said silently in his heart, suppressing the anger in his belly, looking at the back of Lan Yuliu kneeling on the ground, gritting his teeth. Lan Yuliu stood up after saluting, and Lu Huan immediately knelt down to salute, completely ignoring Zhu Badger who had not yet saluted. The anger in Zhu Badger's belly couldn't be restrained, so he tried his best to break free from Mayaksha's hands. In addition to saying "Stay steady" again, Ma Yasha also added: "I am a guest, your friend. You have to be more considerate if I can't go home for reunion during the New Year."

guest? friend? Have the two of them properly positioned themselves as guests? Do you consider me a friend? Do you blame me for not being able to go home for a reunion during the Chinese New Year? Hum, I can't bear it for a while, sooner or later I will deal with you.

Zhu Badger finally saluted Grandma Taizu and stared at Grandma Taizu's portrait. Zhu Badger's anger slowly dissipated, but after the ceremony, he did not help serve the food, and went to mix the food for the small dogs and pigs and badgers.

"Eating on the 30th night, wearing clothes on the first day of the first lunar month." The meal on New Year's Eve should be the richest and most meaningful in the year. The New Year's Eve dinner in the old house is even more exquisite, and every dish has a "premium".

Braised whole carp is called "Yuanbao Fish", which not only means that the carp jumps over the dragon's gate, but also indicates that there will be more than enough every year and there will be a lot of gold ingots. Therefore, this carp can only be seen but not eaten on New Year's Eve. After the New Year's Eve dinner, it must be served under the portrait of Grandma Taizu, and it cannot be eaten again until distinguished guests come to the house.

A plate of chicken must be topped with two chicken feet, which is called "attracting wealth". The cold dishes of lotus root, sugar cane, red dates and water chestnuts must be eaten at the end, which means "sweet and prosperous days come together". Pickles, dried fragrant vegetables, mushrooms, bean sprouts, winter bamboo shoots, sesame seeds, shredded pork and carrots stir-fried together are called "Babao Cai", also called "Wishful Cai", which means everything goes well in the coming year.

The New Year's Eve dinner had only been eaten for a short time when Zhu Badger excused himself to turn on the lights and left the table.

"Lighting up" means that all rooms in the house must be lit up on New Year's Eve and stay on until dawn. In the past few years, no matter how much oil or candles were used, every room in the old house would be brightly lit until dawn on New Year's Eve. Now that there is electricity, a light bulb can shine brighter than ten oil lamps before when the switch is pressed.

Zhu Badger turned on the lights in each room and went to the room where Lu Huan and Lan Yuliu lived on the second floor. He looked at the two suitcases, one red and one black, beside the bed with mixed feelings.

Due to emotions and reasons, she should treat them with a smile tonight. After all, they are guests. No matter they came to Lvbu Village or the old house with such purpose, at this moment they are far away from their relatives and cannot reunite with their families. There is always a sense of loneliness and loneliness in her heart, so it is normal for her to be a little out of line in her words and actions. She must understand, forgive, and even give them a family-like care.

Zhu Badger felt apologetic and guilty, but after staring at the two suitcases, one red and one black, for too long, her apologies and guilt were immediately replaced by another thought, and the mysterious look of the squinting Po-god appeared in her mind. He Shen's mysterious words: "She has a big suitcase at our house." Then Lan Yuliu and Zhu Hu's whispers under the persimmon tree that night filled their minds: "Watch that suitcase. Don’t let her move around.”

What kind of big box is it? What is hidden inside? How did Zhu Hu and Lan Yuliu move from the county seat to Lvbui Village and into their old house?

Nao Xi is in prison, how could I not know that Zhu Hu is coming home? Did you even bring a blue jade willow?
No, from now on, in addition to being stable, I have to keep an eye on all directions and listen to all directions, otherwise I won’t even know about the treasures that people are moving out of the old house.

"elder sister……"

Dan'er shouted outside the door, and Zhu Badger knew that he was here to "separate the years" with her. To put things in perspective, why don't I call Lan Yuliu and Lu Huan to go to each house in the name of "dividing years"? To further explore their background, stop by Zhu Hu’s house to take a look at the big box.

"Dividing the year old" means staying up until midnight on New Year's Eve, and this is how a person's old and new years are divided.

In addition to keeping vigil on New Year's Eve, the owner of the old house has to go to each house to "divide the year" in the village.

In the years when Zhu Yunshan was away, the owner of the old house was Ma Yaksha. Later, when Zhu Badger became an adult, Zhu Badger would "divide his age".

The first time Zhu Badger went to "divide the year" as the owner of the old house was when she was sixteen years old. After the New Year's Eve dinner, she went to each house to "divide the year" with a portrait of Grandma Taizu. Each family knelt in front of the portrait of Grandma Taizu. After bowing in front of them, Zhu Badger distributed red envelopes to them, and each family returned with their own specialties, such as fried mountain rice dumplings and pastries.

Dan'er likes to follow Zhu Badger to "divide the year". After dividing the year, all of Dan'er's pockets are full, and he can take out enough to last a full month when he gets home.

Zhu Badger went downstairs and saw Zhu Yunshan, Lan Yuliu, and Lu Huan still sitting at the dinner table. He deliberately asked Ma Yasha loudly: "You don't need me to go tonight, right?" "You'd better go. If he goes, I'm afraid it will be five. We can't even tell each other apart. When we sit down to talk, we don't know how to stand up and say goodbye." Ma Yaksha responded to Zhu Badger in the kitchen.

Zhu Badger went into the study and brought out another portrait of Grandma Taizu. This portrait was only one-third the size of the one hanging above the hall. It was carefully framed and usually placed on the desk in the study.

"Age? What age?"

"You still need to bring a portrait when you are old? How to divide it?"

Lu Huan and Lan Yuliu both ran to Zhu Badger.

"Let's go together out of curiosity." Zhu Badger said as he walked, his tone arrogant. "Okay, okay, I must go!" "I must go, thank you fairy." Lu Huan and Lan Yuliu followed Zhu Badger closely.

Walking to the door of the kitchen, a big cloth bag in Ma Yasha's hand was put on Zhu Badger's shoulder. Zhu Badger straightened the bag, turned back to Lan Yuliu and Lu Huan and said, "Go and change clothes. The one with more pockets will be better." One kind." "Why?" "Why?" Lu Huan and Lan Yuliu were confused.

"If the fairy tells you to change, go and change quickly." Zhu Yunshan sat at the dinner table and talked.

"Okay, change."

"Hey, you have to wait for us."

Lan Yuliu and Lu Huan rushed upstairs and kept looking back at Zhu Badger, fearing that Zhu Badger would abandon them. Zhu Badger smiled at Lan Yuliu and Lu Huan. Lan Yuliu and Lu Huan stepped forward and disappeared into the corner of the stairs. The two of them dressed up for half an hour before going downstairs. Not only did Zhu Badger not sneer, he also smiled and said to them: "Very good, let's go."

After walking out of the main house, Dan'er jumped out from the screen wall and followed closely. The first house was naturally Zhu Hu's house.

The cross-eyed woman had been waiting at the door. When she saw Zhu Badger passing by holding a portrait of Grandma Taizu, she hurriedly greeted him with a smile. Zhu Hu lit three sticks of incense and waited for Zhu Badger to place the portrait of Grandma Taizu on the confession table in the hall of his house. He first bowed to the door and bowed three times, then turned around and knelt down to salute Grandma Taizu, and the squinting woman also saluted at the same time.

Seeing Lan Yuliu and Lu Huan standing aside and looking at him, Zhu Badger said: "Grandma Taizu protects you. You should go over and kneel down together to salute. Be focused and don't look around." After saying that, Zhu Badger said to Dan'er With a wink, Dan'er waited for Lan Yuliu and Lu Huan to kneel down together with Zhu Hu and Xian Yanpo to salute Grandma Taizu, then sneaked into the bedroom of Zhu Hu's house.

After the ceremony, the eggs had not yet come out. Zhu Badger walked to the portrait of Grandma Taizu and said pretentiously: "Send off the remaining snow and welcome the new year. This year is different, and next year will be even different. Grandma Taizu has mercy. This is the first store to receive New Year’s red envelopes for everyone.”

"Thank you, Grandma Taizu!" Zhu Hu thanked her, and Granny Xianyan was so happy that she shouted her thanks loudly. Seeing that Lan Yuliu and Lu Huan wanted to get up, he hurriedly grabbed their clothes and whispered: "Grandma Taizu, please forgive me. You all have the red envelopes for the New Year, so hurry up and kowtow."

Lan Yuliu and Lu Huan continued to kowtow with Xieyan Po. When they finished kowtowing, Dan'er came out and stood beside Zhu Badger with a smile. Zhu Badger said, "Get up, Grandma Taizu is very happy."

Taking the red envelope from Zhu Badger, Zhu Hu served the brown sugar tea with a smile on his face, and the squinting woman put the gift in Zhu Badger's cloth bag. When the cloth bag was full, Xianyanpo took the big basket and put it into Dan'er, Lan Yuliu and Lu Huan's pockets.

Dan'er allowed the cross-eyed woman to fill his pockets. Lan Yuliu and Lu Huan were a little embarrassed and kept saying, "Okay, okay, I can't hold it anymore."

After leaving Zhu Hu's house, Zhu Badger asked Lan Yuliu and Lu Huan to take the cloth bags back to his home, saying that they would return immediately after emptying the cloth bags and his own pockets. When Lan Yuliu and Lu Huan walked away, Zhu Badger asked Dan'er, had he seen the big box? Dan'er replied: "I saw it. It's such a big box, bigger than the pig-haired tofu bucket of the Pig Butcher." "What's in it?" "It can't be opened. It's four or five years old." Lock it."

What are you doing with four or five locks on your head? Zhu Badger was surprised and wondered why there were four or five locks on that big box. I was even more surprised at how Zhu Hu and Lan Yuliu brought such a big box to their old house in the village. Putting four or five locks on it means that the things inside must be very important. So what are you doing bringing important things to Lvbucun and bringing them to the old house? Isn't it a bomb or a gun? Thinking of this, Zhu Badger couldn't help but laugh out loud. Why did he think of bombs and guns? What era is it now? And bombs and guns?

"Are you laughing at us two? So greedy."

"How can you say it's greed? That's because people are hospitable."

Lan Yuliu and Lu Huan returned to Zhu Badger talking and laughing. The two of them changed their clothes again. The pockets were even larger than the clothes they had just worn. It seemed that they were not sure why Zhu Badger asked them to change their clothes with more pockets at first. clothes? Faced with the facts, they chose to change themselves.

Seeing Lan Yuliu and Lu Huan eagerly walking towards Weasel's house, Zhu Badger stopped them and said to wait for Dan'er.

"What are you doing, Dan'er?" "You want to empty your pockets and he doesn't need it?" "He used to follow you in dividing your age like this?" "You can do it in the future too." "I'm afraid that after the old house is demolished, he doesn't need to divide it. It’s over 10 years old.” “Old houses can be demolished anywhere, but not anywhere.”

Zhu Badger strode forward and bumped into Dan'er, who was jumping over. Dan'er was knocked to the ground. Zhu Badger bent down to pull him. He slipped a note into Zhu Badger's palm. Badger calmly held the note in his hand, turned around and called Lu Huan to get up. She was holding a portrait of Grandma Taizu in her other hand.

"Dan'er, you still have some weight." Lu Huan pulled Dan'er up, and Dan'er responded to Lu Huan with a smile: "Sister Huanhuan, your ambition lies in your age, and your weight does not depend on appearances."

Lan Yuliu joked: "You kid, you follow your fairy sister and you talk the same way. When you grow up, Sister Liu will find you a good sister."

"I don't like my younger sister, but I like my elder sister. Sister Liu and Sister Huanhuan are both good. Please marry me." Dan'er laughed playfully.

"Yo yo yo, you don't even know if this bird can fly? You just want to build a nest with two beautiful sisters? Let's get your two balls back first." Huang Doujiang stood there. Welcoming Zhu Badger at the door of his house, he heard Dan'er's conversation with Lan Yuliu and Lu Huan, and couldn't help teasing Dan'er.

Seeing that Dan'er's little face was red and unable to answer Huang Doujiang's words, Zhu Badger said, "How did Aunt Wolf know that Dan'er had lost two eggs? When did she check it? Besides, beauties are not just for building nests. You Look, Uncle Wolf sees two beauties walking as fast as flying."

"It's a joke, I'm here to greet the fairy and Grandma Taizu." The weasel-skinned smile was not a smile, and a pair of mouse eyes stared at the blue jade willow.

Zhu Badger really laughed: "Uncle Wolf can't say anything when he sees two beauties? You are greeting Grandma Taizu, how can I be qualified? Even if I were, I would have to be ranked behind Grandma Taizu. "

"That's right, you didn't just run out to see the beauty, why can't you move now? Go in and light incense to welcome Grandma Taizu to celebrate her birthday." Huang Doujiang went over and stood in front of Lan Yiliu.

Zhu Badger was happy, thinking that taking Lan Yuliu and Lu Huan to their houses tonight would be a great success, and the note in his hand should also be related to this.

(End of this chapter)