Chapter 35 Sacrifice to the Stove

Early the next morning, Cheng Nuo was going to call Li Laosan and ask him to take her to invite people to the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of China.

But I walked around most of the yard without seeing anyone, and finally found me in the kitchen.

"What are you busy with, Lao Li? If you have nothing to do, come with me for a walk and buy some things over at Dashilar. Let's go see some people today." Cheng Nuo stood at the door and shouted into the house.

"Okay, but sir, you have to wait a little first. Isn't it the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month today? Let's send the Stove Lord to heaven first and let God say more good things for us." Li Laosan replied.

Stirring the batter in his hands, he smeared it on the back of the Stove God statue, took a few steps back, and then solemnly posted it on the wall next to the stove.

After posting it, Li Laosan muttered something: "Master Stove, please eat well and drink well. We and our boss just moved here this year. If there is anything we can't do, please be considerate of us. When you go to heaven, please speak kind words for us."

A few words"

There are a lot of things placed in front of the statue, such as Tang Guang Guang, Nan Tang, Guandong Tang and other snacks. They are all sticky candies that are only seen during the Chinese New Year. The more you chew them, the stickier they become.

Speaking of which, the Stove Lord is quite pitiful. Although the sacrificial objects in the north and south may be somewhat different, one thing they have in common is that sticky gums are indispensable. When you want to say something good, you can say it casually. When you say something bad, you will immediately stick your mouth. I don’t know Qian Bai

What did the old man think when he looked at this candy?

In addition, there was a bowl of cold water and some hay beside it. Cheng Nuo was confused: "Old Li, what do you mean by putting water and grass? Is there any other meaning?"

Lao Li Xiaoxiao was not in a hurry to answer. After the sacrifice, he pasted a couplet next to the statue of God saying "God says good things, and the lower realms keep you safe." He clapped his hands and said, "Those two things are for the Stove Lord's horse."

Yes, it allows him to leave earlier and come back faster to keep our whole family safe."

Cheng Nuo was shocked. He didn't expect Lao Li to think so far ahead, so he immediately gave a thumbs up.

Seeing this, Lao Li rubbed his hands and said sheepishly: "Sir, our family is rich now, so we are willing to come up with so many tricks. In previous years, I couldn't even afford candy, so I could only feel wronged by the Stove Lord."

"Isn't it reasonable not to pay homage to the statue of a god you bought?"

"Sir, you don't know, there is a way to live rich and poor, and there is a way to live poor." Li Laosan, perhaps afraid of disturbing the Stove Lord, pushed Cheng Nuo out of the kitchen, closed the door, and whispered: "We talk about 'Stove Lord' there.

Because of his natural nature, a bowl of cold water and three sticks of incense are enough, and he has nothing to eat. A bowl of cold water and three sticks of incense are enough."

Cheng Nuo couldn't laugh or cry after hearing this: "Our Stove Lord's horse is living a better life with us, and we have an extra bale of grass."

Li Laosan clasped his hands and said: "Sir, you don't know, some people are even more exaggerated. When I was buying candy yesterday, I heard someone say that the Liu family of Tianbao Gold Store this year overwhelmed the official who was carrying eight people when delivering stoves this year.

The sedan, Guandong Sugar is stacked like a big tower, look at it, even the horses are spared."

"The wine and meat of Zhumen stink, and there are people freezing to death on the road. I don't know if this is ironic to gods or humans." Cheng Nuo looked sad.

Li Laosan has never been to school. Just when he was about to ask what it meant, Goudaner came running over with three children, singing nursery rhymes.

"Tanggua is offered as a sacrifice to the stove. When the New Year comes, the girl wants flowers and the boy wants cannons."

Li Laosan heard this clearly, so he ignored the first half of the sentence and said in a rough voice: "You bastard, you want to buy some guns again, don't you? Let's see if I don't give you a few. Your mother made them for you last time."

If you wear new clothes with Ni Dan'er and donkey dung, there won't be any clean spots on your body."

Goudan'er was obviously a habitual offender. He circled around Cheng Nuo and said aggrievedly: "I didn't know the firecrackers were so powerful and the donkey manure was so wet. I just didn't buy it. Give Nidaner Wenhui the money to buy flowers for me."

Also happy."

Li Laosan said: "Hey, you have taught me that your father is here, right? You don't have to worry about buying flowers. Your mother went to buy them a long time ago. If you can live in peace for a few days, I will burn incense and worship Buddha."

Cheng Nuoxin said that this was nothing, so he took out some loose money from his pocket and gave it to the child, and touched his head: "Goudan, please put the money away and go to the street to buy some food for your brothers and sisters."

Goudan'er's eyes lit up, he took the money, bowed and ran away with the other children: "Thank you, sir, I will never do anything stupid again."

Next to him, Li Laosan snorted coldly: "Remember, you are not allowed to buy cannons. Even if you buy them, you can't blow up donkey dung, nor can you use cow dung!"

"I know!"

After the children walked away, Li Laosan said: "Sir, the older the children are, the harder it is to manage them!"

Cheng Nuo smiled and said, "There's no way a boy can be naughty. As long as he doesn't do bad things like bullying others, it's fine. After the new year, he goes to school and you don't have to worry so much."

I have been getting along with these children for a while, and I have found that their personality traits are all outstanding, especially as the oldest Goudaner. Although he always brings his younger brothers and sisters into trouble, he basically takes all the blame afterwards.

He knows how to share and not eat alone, and he has become the boss of this small group.

Without violating the basic premise, Cheng Nuo still pays more attention to protecting their nature and respecting the children. This is also the code of conduct for his future students.

Seeing that Li Laosan was hesitant to speak, Cheng Nuo smiled, patted him on the shoulder and said, "Let's go, Lao Li, I have something serious waiting for you to do with me, so don't dawdle here."

Seeing this, Li Laosan stopped insisting and said, "Okay, sir, your matter is a big one and there is no time to delay. I will pull the car out right now."

Li Laosan couldn't afford the previous rickshaw, so he rented one from a depot and had to pay a sum of money for repairs every month in addition to his share of the rickshaw. Cheng Nuo found it quite troublesome, so he planned to buy a new one.

But then I thought that Li Laosan was not young anymore. Not only was it slow to drive in the cold weather, but it was also harmful to his body. So he simply converted an old rickshaw into a pedal tricycle just as he remembered it.

Riding on it is a little more strenuous than the cars of later generations, but it is much more convenient than a rickshaw.

At this time, it was still a rarity. Tricycles were really popular in Beiping City, and bicycles were only in the 1930s, starting from the large-scale influx of Japanese "Chrysanthemum" and "Fuji" cars.

At the same time, it would be five years before Puyi, the famous cyclist, pioneer of bicycles, terminator of the Forbidden City, and the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty, owned his first bicycle.

Whenever Li Laosan takes him out, he always attracts many people to watch, especially some children who like to run behind the tricycle.

Slowly his reputation spread, and people may be confused when his name is mentioned, but when he talks about the Peking University teacher who rides three-wheelers, people will suddenly understand.

"Oh, it turns out it's him!"

Looking at Li Laosan who was carefully wiping the tricycle, Cheng Nuo secretly planned:

"We need to recruit people quickly and get the bicycles started as soon as possible, so as not to let the little devils make all the money."

"Especially Puyi, a prodigal son, I asked him to beg him for some educational funds, no more, no less, a 28-inch bar in exchange for a cloisonné!"
Chapter completed!