Although they were just a few rough men, and the house was clean inside and out, they followed the etiquette of Cheng Jiaoniang's house and did not go in.
"It's a waste of hard work," Xu Maoxiu said.
Looking at Ban Qin who came out after cleaning up.
"I'm not familiar with the capital, so I don't dare to buy a maid back at random." Fan Jianglin also said.
"It's not tiring at all. It's a new house, and my wife won't be here for a long time. Just wipe the dust and it will be fine. It's not that hard work." The maid smiled and said, "It's thanks to the husband's hard work that the New Year's gifts are arranged so well.
"
"We are alone and have always done our own thing, so we are used to it." Fan Jianglin said with a smile.
Six lamps were lit inside the house, and two lanterns were added on the porch, illuminating the room both inside and outside.
The maid, Brother Jin and a few men were busy sharing the food and quickly brought it into the house. Even Brother Jin was no exception. He sat by the door with a small table. However, when it was his turn, the maid
A pot of tea was handed over.
"Sister, I also want to drink." He couldn't help but say.
"I still need you to watch the door all night. No matter what kind of wine you eat, you will get lost if you don't drink wine. But you can still do it if you eat wine." The maid said with a glare.
Brother Jin blushed, and laughter echoed in the room.
"Brother Jin is not familiar with me yet. If I go out now, I will definitely not lose him. Don't laugh at him." Fan Jianglin said with a smile.
"Yes, yes, Da Langjun is right." Brother Jin immediately said happily.
The maid smiled and sat back behind Cheng Jiaoniang.
Xu Maoxiang said goodbye to Cheng Jiaoniang.
"I personally sent the New Year's gift to Mr. Chen's family. Mr. Chen was not at home. Mrs. Chen saw it in person and gave my sister some new clothes. I thought that since she could take it out, we can accept it.
"He said, "I made the decision for my sister and accepted it."
Cheng Jiaoniang nodded.
"It's up to my brother to make the decision," she said.
"Mrs. Chen invites my sister to come over after the new year." Xu Maoxiu said.
I carefully recalled what I saw and encountered in the Chen family, and my heart beat faster when I recalled it. Chen Xianggong's family, when I thought about just coming to Beijing, I met a former brother of mine, who was just a city guard and was still left hanging.
The concierge stayed for a long time, but in the end he didn't even enter the main room.
How could he step into the court of Mr. Chen Shao and Mr. Chen in the blink of an eye? What he received was the personal reception of the Chen family's mistress, Mrs. Gaoming.
He couldn't help but look at Cheng Jiaoniang.
Under the lamp, Cheng Jiaoniang's expression remains the same, or it has always been the same since they met. It seems that nothing in the world can make this woman's expression fluctuate. It is as if she is ignorant of everything in the world, so she is not happy, angry, resentful or hateful.
Under the auspices of Fan Jianglin, toasts were given to each other, and the lively family banquet began. Although Cheng Jiaoniang was present, these rough men were already somewhat used to it, and after a few glasses of wine, they soon became
I feel comfortable talking, laughing, sitting and lying down.
We couldn't eat much food, so we asked for more and more wine. In the end, the maid simply put the wine jar in, and even Brother Jin, who was not allowed to drink wine, ate a few spoonfuls of it.
"I didn't expect that I could live such a prosperous and comfortable New Year." Xu Bangchui held up the wine bowl, his face flushed, and his drunken eyes blurred. He raised his head and poured the wine into his mouth, dripping all over his body.
"Yes, yes, a few months ago we were running for our lives in a hurry, fearing that we would be caught by the thieves and thrown into prison. Unexpectedly, we did not expect that now we are drinking freely in the capital..." Another brother stretched out his hand to take a hand.
He said with a smile on Xu Bangchui's shoulder.
As soon as these words came out, Xu Maoxiu on the side paused and subconsciously looked at Cheng Jiaoniang opposite.
Cheng Jiaoniang looked blank and looked out the door, seemingly not hearing anything.
Xu Maoxiu swallowed his words to stop drinking, and then heard a pop sound. Xu Bangchui dropped the wine bowl, and he fell on the mat, laughing and drunk.
At this time, looking at the other brothers, they were all drunk, lying down, or muttering along with each other.
Even Brother Jin was lying on the ground drunk and fell asleep.
"I made my sister laugh." Xu Maoxiu said with a smile.
Cheng Jiaoniang looked at him.
"I'm very happy that my brothers made me laugh," she said.
Xu Maoxiu was stunned and then laughed, and Cheng Jiaoniang raised the wine bowl.
Cheng Jiaoniang picked up the water glass in front of her.
The two of them took a drink each.
The maid poured charcoal into the brazier in the house, and then went outside to see the earth dragon. The house was so hot that the drunken men who fell asleep did not feel the chill at all. Instead, they groaned and pulled their clothes.
"It's getting late, sister, let's go and rest first." Xu Maoxiu coughed and said.
"It's time to keep vigil, I won't sleep anymore," Cheng Jiaoniang said.
"Well, Ye Liang, my sister also wants to have a drink." Xu Maoxiu thought for a while and said.
"This wine is not delicious." Cheng Jiaoniang said.
Xu Maoxiu smiled and took a sip himself.
"Is the wine not delicious, or is this wine not delicious?" he asked, with a bit of curiosity.
"This wine." Cheng Jiaoniang looked at him, curved the corners of her mouth and said, "It doesn't taste good."
Xu Maoxiu laughed.
"Let me tell you, if my sister can beat the fou and sing, how can she be a non-drinker?" He said with a smile.
Accompanied by laughter, the scattered sounds of firecrackers outside suddenly gradually became louder.
The men who had been sleeping for a while were awakened and looked outside in a daze.
"It's New Year, it's New Year." Xu Bangchui shouted, "Let's light the firecrackers, light the firecrackers."
He shouted and stumbled out, and the others woke up and followed him out with a smile.
A bonfire was lit in the yard, and bamboos were thrown in one by one, making a popping sound.
The maid couldn't help but cover her ears, and stood close to Cheng Jiaoniang, watching with a smile.
"Ban Qin, bring me a cloak for my sister. It's cool in the wind." Xu Maoxiu said.
The maid stuck out her tongue and hurriedly went into the house to get a cloak and put it on Cheng Jiaoniang.
"Sister Banqin, come and burn one too to bring good luck." Brother Jin shouted, holding up a bamboo.
The maid was still a young man after all. She smiled and said yes, lifted her skirt and passed.
Xu Maoxiu and Cheng Jiaoniang were left alone, standing side by side in the corridor.
"Brother, go and play by yourself." Cheng Jiaoniang said.
"I am a scholar and I don't play with this." Xu Maoxiu said seriously.
Cheng Jiaoniang curled her mouth again.
"Oh, one more thing." Xu Maoxiu thought of something and took something out of his sleeve and handed it over, "It's the New Year and I don't have anything good. This is a New Year's gift for my sister. I hope you don't dislike it."
My, New Year's gift?
Cheng Jiaoniang looked at his hand for a moment, then reached out to take it. Under the light of the jumping bonfire and lanterns, what she held in her hand was a silver comb, made of old silver and simple in style.
"This was left by my mother. It's useless for me to hold it." Xu Maoxiu said slightly uncomfortably, and smiled again at this point, "I was wrong. Donate it with sincerity. This is the best thing I have."
It’s a valuable thing, I hope my sister can accept it calmly.”
Cheng Jiaoniang raised her hand and put the silver comb on her head. She looked up and saw Xu Maoxiu curling her lips and smiling.
Firecrackers exploded in the courtyard one after another, connecting with the sound of firecrackers in the surrounding areas and on the streets. The east became brighter, signaling the beginning of the new year.
At dawn, groups of worshipers were filing out of the palace. The densely packed crowd in court uniforms was silent.
After walking out of the palace gate and reaching the Royal Street, the crowd seemed to have been loosened from their throats and exhaled and became noisy. (To be continued)