Envy

He remembered that Lizhou had the custom of singing love songs duet on the boat.This day is the Wulan Festival in Lizhou. Men and women who love each other will be blessed by the people of Lizhou.

After singing the three love songs, the man expresses his heart to the girl he likes. If the girl nods shyly and quietly, the boatman will swing the boat close to connect the two flower boats, and the man will jump onto the boat where the girl is.There were also men who were so excited that after getting the answer, they plunged into the water and swam to the side of the girl's boat regardless of the cold weather.

Of course, if the girl is unwilling, the man has to go back to the shore in a boat, and the people on the shore will give him encouragement and enthusiastic praise.

He thought that the customs and customs of Lizhou and Fulian were not much different, and the outline of Fulian was found in Lizhou that he had dreamed about.He did not expect that the folk customs of Lizhou were so simple, and that men and women could express passionate love so generously and naturally.

He watched silently from the bow.On the boat, the people of Lizhou whispered among themselves which one sang the best and which girl was lonely this year, and no one looked down on them.Sometimes they also praised which young brother was handsome, which young lady was born juicy.If there is a man and a woman who are in love with each other, they will clap their hands to congratulate, and the excited sound will almost set off the painting boat.

He only saw this one time, and then the boat swam back, they went ashore, and another group of Lizhou people poured in.

Lizhou is a good place.he thinks.

Too bad he's leaving.

After he landed, he walked out of the upstream with difficulty, turned aside, and saw a little girl in a pale yellow dress.With her hands behind her back, she looked at him with a smile and said, "I found you, Shaojun."

"What are you looking for from me?"

She walked to his side and raised her head to look at him: "You finally came to Lizhou, so you must be visiting our house. It's fine to be a guest."

He wanted to decline politely, but Meng Xi said to the servants behind him before he could speak: "Go to the New Moon Inn on Luhua Street, and ask the shopkeeper to tell the girl Lingxi there that Shaojun is staying at my house tonight, and let her Don't worry about it, just go."

The servant responded and walked away in a hurry.

Meng Xi put her hands behind her back, turned around playfully, tilted her head and smiled: "Oh, I've made all the arrangements, Shaojun, let me go to Meng's house with me."

...She really looks like Meng Tou in this rascal.

He couldn't find any reason to refuse for a while, so he had to follow.On the way, he asked Meng Xi how he found him.

Meng Xi kicked the pebbles on the road, and replied: "I wanted to go to the inn to find you, but I saw someone singing love songs duet on the river. It was so lively, so I stopped to take a look. There are a few people standing in front of me. A girl who is about to take a boat to sing love songs on the river, they are talking about which family's son is the most handsome tonight, I heard a girl say that none of them are very handsome, but the one on the boat is the most handsome."

"The boats are not too far away. I was curious, so I took a look, and then I saw you. You don't even know, those girls looked at you for a long time. Hmph, the girls are so unreserved." She said, "I Let me tell you, my eldest brother and second brother met their daughter-in-law at the Wulan Festival. Both of our sister-in-laws are beautiful boudoir ladies. My younger brother also wants to go this year, but he is away to study. Can't come back."

"In the past, every year during Wulan Festival, there were girls looking forward to my third brother going. Some high-minded girls believed that as long as my third brother went, he would definitely fall in love with them. They kept waiting until my third brother followed Sister Zhao got engaged, so they gave up their hearts and found another happy relationship."

Having said this, Meng Xi stopped and asked hesitantly, "Young Master, can I ask you something?"

Yan Zhaohan looked at her and said, "Ask."

"They said that you insulted and killed Sister Zhao. Is this true?" She looked into his eyes very seriously, waiting for his response.

"No."

"Then young master, do you know who killed Sister Zhao?"

Yan Zhaohan didn't respond directly, and continued to walk forward, saying, "Your sister Zhao is a poor person. She was involved in the struggle between sects and drowned."

Meng Xi followed, walked to his side, and then asked: "A struggle between sects? What does Shaojun mean..."

"The Zhao family has speculations in their hearts, but they don't dare to offend them. Just pretend you don't know anything, don't ask anything, and don't cause trouble for the Meng family."

Meng Xi nodded thoughtfully.

They walked along the alley.

Meng Xi said: "Brother and young master are also poor people. It's hard to see each other, and it's hard to stay together."

Yan Zhaohan didn't speak, he didn't know what to reply, and it took him a long time to make a soft "um".

Meng Xi walked to the door of Meng's house, saw that the swaying red lantern was a little blurry, and quietly wiped away some tears from the corners of her eyes.She led Yan Zhaohan into Meng's house, into the front hall.

Mrs. Meng was sitting upright drinking tea.When she heard her daughter's voice, she got up to greet her. When she saw Meng Xi coming back with a stranger, she was taken aback for a moment, then she asked with a smile, "This is what you said, the guest you brought back? Is this your third brother's friend? Please sit down quickly."

After the two sat down, she ordered the servant girl to bring some candied fruit, and then she sat down and asked Yan Zhaohan's name.

"Aniang, let me tell you, this is my brother's...friend...his name is..." Meng Xi's voice suddenly softened, and she lowered her eyes in thought.

"Song Jingran." Yan Zhaohan said.

Mrs. Meng said: "I seem to have heard it mentioned before, what two words are it?"

"The scene of chasing after the wind is obvious."

"Yes, I often hear Tuer mentioning you. The name Jingran is wonderful."

Mrs. Meng said polite words, Meng Tou didn't seem to have mentioned his apprentice Song Jingran to his family.She looked at Yan Zhaohan, and praised: "Tou'er's brother, he is really handsome, his face is like a crown jade."

Meng Xi rested her chin, her eyes rolled sharply, she interjected with a smile: "This one is the most handsome."

Mrs. Meng gave her a reproachful look, and said in a low voice, "Meng Xi, the girl's family..."

Meng Xi said "I know", and said no more.

Madam Meng turned around and chatted with Yan Zhaohan for a while.Yan Zhaohan lowered his eyes, a little worried that Mrs. Meng would see his color and recognize him as Yan Shaojun from Xiqigong.That Yan Shaojun who dragged down her son Meng Tou and killed her daughter-in-law.

Fortunately, the candlelight in the hall was dim, so Mrs. Meng couldn't see clearly.

She was generous and kind, spoke softly and decently, said that he had worked hard all the way, thanked him for personally sending Meng Xi back to Lizhou, and also told him about Meng Tou, and said that he would be troubled to take care of Meng Tou.

Later, it was late at night and it was not early, so she arranged a guest room for Yan Zhaohan graciously.

Meng Xi moved closer to her mother, looked at Yan Zhaohan, bit her lips and smiled.She hooked her mother's arm, tilted her head and said, "There's no need to arrange a guest room. Younger brother Song is closest to third brother, let him just let him sleep in his room. I think brother won't mind. "