The Little Officials of the Song Dynasty

The stars and the moon are in the sky, and thousands of candles are burning.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Bianjing was extremely lively. Every family posted Chunsheng and peach charms, and the common people visited relatives and friends to pay New Year's greetings.The street market at night is brightly lit. From outside the Dongsong Gate of Zhouzhou to Zhounan area, the roadsides are full of colorful sheds, which are full of goods for eating, drinking, clothing and playing.

Every year at the beginning of the first month of the first lunar month, Kaifeng Mansion will be open for three days. These are all commodities to be rushed.

Gambling was very popular in the Song Dynasty. Guanpu is actually another form of gambling, but it is different from gambling and will not be banned by the government.

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

Customers spend a lot lower than the price of the goods to throw darts, dice, and throw copper coins. If they win, they can win the goods. The odds are different, and there are all kinds of objects that can be thrown. Divas, chariots and horses are offered at a reasonable price.

On Panlou Street, rows of color booths were lined up, and people of all colors came in and out of the color booths to buy what they wanted.

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

Looking at the colorful shed again, there are mostly young and handsome ladies or noble ladies, waiting in line.

Standing behind the booth was a boy of about 15 years old, wearing dark new clothes, with a circle of fur around his neck, as if to keep warm, with white skin and red lips, very delicate, bright eyes when he smiled, very Two points of likability.

But of course these women are not waiting in line to buy products just because the stall owner is good-looking, but more because the sign in front of the stall says "Xianglan skin care medicine", which is a skin care medicine made by Zen Master Yaoran of Daxiangguo Temple in recent years. It is very famous in Bianjing.

It is said that Zen Master Liaoran made this skin care medicine at first because his disciple got sunburned, and then somehow passed some of it to the hands of the eighth princess.

However, because Master Ming is not greedy for money, and has more other matters such as disaster relief and lectures, he only produces a small batch every year, making his skin care medicines priceless in Bianjing.

Now, on the day of non-shipment, they are actually waiting in the evening market?This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

Even if the conditions are very harsh, only five hundred coins can be thrown once, and the copper coins must be thrown to the pure end—that is, all the tails, to be considered a win.But the ladies still flock to them, and they have the courage to swear not to give up.

Like this little lady now, she has already thrown all the money on her body, and only threw a can of whitening mask. She was so anxious that she asked the servant to go back to her house to get the money, "Go, I also want to throw the hydrating mask!"

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

The little lady reluctantly took a look at the few hydrating 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 the 15-year-old Yun Yanhui, who can be called an old fried dough stick in Bianjing. It took time to change."

All the ladies present sighed in unison.

At this moment, another man entered the color shed. He was tall and taller than the ladies in the color shed. He was wearing a black cloak. grain.Recently, there have been light snowfalls in Bianliang, and I think this person came here to avoid the snow.

In the shed full of makeup and fragrance, the man raised his head, revealing a handsome face with thick black eyebrows and black and white pupils. When he saw so many young ladies, he lowered his head in surprise and was too embarrassed to Set your sights on the little ladies.

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

Yun Yan smiled back and said jokingly: "Mr. Lang, are you here to buy skin care medicine for your sweetheart?"

Hearing the sound, the young man tilted his head slightly, glanced back at Yunyan shyly, and asked in a low voice, "Is... anything here?"

Yun Yan replied: "You mean you don't want to spend on skin care medicine, but on other things?"

The young man glanced at him again, "I——is your scarf good? I encountered snow on the way home, so it's a bit cold."

Yun Yan replied straightforwardly: "It's ok, once for one hundred coins, and you can throw five coins for ten copper coins."

Seeing this, the woman who was next in line said, "Mr. Xiao Lang has to rush home, so come rush first."

The boy hesitated for a moment, said "thank you", and then walked to the booth with "offensive" all the way, counted out a hundred coins and put them on the table.Yun Yanhui took out ten copper coins and put them in his palm, and he began to throw copper coins.

The first three were all tails, and then three heads were thrown one after another, and the next throw was tails, and continued tossing, the fifth tail was lucky, it did not throw all ten copper coins, and it had already reached the standard that Yun Yanhui offered .

"Acceptance." The young man blushed slightly, and put the copper coin back into Yunyan's hand.

Yun Yanhui also took off the scarf very readily. Seeing the boy's tall stature, he weighed his feet and put the scarf around his neck across the table. The gray fur Weibo against the black cloak looked pretty big.

The young man's chin sank into the warm scarf, and he smiled sweetly at Yunyan with his eyebrows bent, and the whole canopy was about to light up.

Yun Yan couldn't help laughing back, and took out another umbrella from under the table, and put it in the boy's hand, "You're still smirking, remember to take the umbrella back to me later, or you won't be able to return the one hundred cash."

"Thank you, Brother Yan." The boy took the umbrella embarrassingly, and walked out of the shed with his head down.

Only now did the ladies in the colorful shed realize that the stall owner and the young man knew each other.

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

Yun Yan replied: "I'm sorry, that's my little brother, I was joking with him just now." Who knew that he also made a joke along with the trend, and even asked other things if they could jump.

That's right, the boy who hides the snow in the black cloak is the most silly and sweet kid in Tokyo, Zhao Yunchu who has also grown up.

……

After Zhao Yunchu left, the Guanpu business that Yunyan returned to was still booming and full of rewards.

By the time of the second watch, almost all the things had been dumped, and the people had almost dispersed. Yun Yanhui also put away the money and the remaining medicine.Because the medicine is clear, half of the proceeds 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 in a coir raincoat was standing outside driving a donkey. Seeing Yunyan come out with something in his arms, he even reached out to take a handful.

The name of this person is Fu Yunfeng, who is an instructor in a martial arts gym. He lost his wife and had no children in his early years. He met Zheng Ping through the introduction of his old neighbor Hu Sanniang about six years ago. After getting along for more than a year, they felt good about each other. Everyone agreed, so Zheng Ping remarried to him.

Therefore, Fu Yunfeng can be regarded as Yun Yanhui's stepfather.

Fu Yunfeng drove Yunyan back to Daxiangguo Temple. As soon as he got home, before the donkey was tied up, it snowed again outside, "It's a bad luck if there are tourists on the road, Brother Yan, your mother cooked spicy peppers. Tang, come in quickly, I will drive the donkey away."

"Okay, thank you, Uncle Fu." Yun Yan pushed the door back and went in, and indeed smelled the smell of Hu spicy soup, "I already smelled it, Hu spicy soup."

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

Yun Yan replied casually: "I met Yun Chu today, and 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. Their families have become rich in the past two years, but they don’t want to move back or change houses because they don’t have enough rooms. After all, the bamboo forest next to them happens to be raising Beibei. It has been expanded, and now the three children also have separate rooms.

Shuang Yi went to bring Hu spicy soup, Xiao Bao and Zheng Ping poured hot water together, and asked Yun Yan 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 the hot spicy soup in his hand.

The fresh, spicy, and peppery broth, together with the hot water under your feet, immediately drives away the coldness in your body.

Yunyan drank the soup in a few sips, wiped her feet quickly, and stepped into warm cotton shoes.The cotton shoes were specially made by Zheng Ping according to his requirements, and the toe of the white padded slippers was sewn with panda ears and eyes.

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

Zheng Ping complained and said to Yunyan: "You child, you still have to go out to set up a stall during the New Year's festival. It's not like the family is short of money now."

But Fu Yunfeng smiled and said: "Ping Niang, haven't you noticed that Brother Yan just likes it, just like when people go out to Guanpu for holiday enjoyment, his making money is also for holiday enjoyment."

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

In the past few years, Brother Yan was responsible for the expenses of the family. Even now, he is able to live a relatively well-off life.

In the past, it could be said that he was eager to make money because of poor family conditions, but now, it can only be said that he likes to work, and whether he makes money or not, he always wants to do something.

"It's not a child anymore." Yun Yan corrected her.

Zheng Ping said: "You, don't talk about this. Many neighbors came to celebrate the New Year today. If you are not here, they all ask about you. You may come to the door anytime."

"Don't be in a hurry. If you want to worship the festival, it's not too late for the cold food." Yun Yan was not in a hurry when he returned, besides, those like Abbot, Liao Ran, and Hui Chong, he had also paid homage to the early years, and it would not be too late to go back to find a time .

Although after the New Year’s Eve, festivals come one after another, until March, but it’s impossible to pay New Year’s greetings only during the Cold Food Festival. It’s just a description, so Zheng Ping just poked Yun Yanhui’s forehead, “Do you remember Just fine."

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

"You are not allowed to go out." Zheng Ping pushed her back with one sentence, "I will check your cooking."

Shuangyi has reached the marriageable age, and is almost eighteen now.

Fortunately, at this time, Buddhism and Taoism are worshiped, and there are many literati and special orders, so there are many late marriages and late children. It is not too strange not to get married in the [-]s. People who love their daughters always have to stay a little longer, but Zheng Ping is also a little anxious , I always urged Fu Yunfeng to also inquire about the acquaintances if there is a suitable son-in-law.

Shuang Yi always likes to wield knives and guns, and it just so happens that Fu Yunfeng is also an instructor in the martial arts school. Zheng Ping thinks that it might be more in line with Shuang Yi's preferences to look at Fu Yunfeng.She pushes others by herself. Although she is anxious, she also likes to find a husband whom Shuangyi likes.

And now they are also paying close attention to Shuangyi's cooking skills, so they can't make it too unpalatable.

Yun Yanhui also coughed, "Learning how to cook is also good. You should at least master a few of my brother's private dishes. If you master it well, it won't be too late to go out to play again during the Lantern Festival."

Shuang Yi: "You don't know, I heard that a well-known chivalrous man in Jianghu has come to Bianjing and has an appointment with someone for a duel tomorrow. I want to go and see, but only tomorrow."

"Hey, what kind of chivalrous man?" Zheng Ping thought wrongly, "How old are you, are you married yet?" It was rare for her to see that Shuang Yi was interested in men. Although warriors were not valued in Song Dynasty, Zheng Ping always acted like this , do not ask this.

Shuangyi: "...it's quite big, enough to be my father's old bachelor."

"You changed from a knight to an old bachelor in one fell swoop?" Yun Yan smiled back, "Mother, don't worry, Uncle Fu and I have taken care of her, the big deal is to stay with you for a few more years, and we must meet the right one." to marry."

"Of course it should be appropriate, 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." Yunyan patted the back of Shuangyi's head, yawned, and went to sleep.

……

The next day, Yunyan got up early again, drove the donkey cart by herself, and went to the flower garden of Daxiangguo Temple to pick up the seasonal flowers she had ordered. Regardless of silk flowers, fresh flowers, good-looking will do.

However, although Yunyan is also selling seasonal flowers this time, unlike others, she does 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 "Fat Ye" and wished them a happy New Year. Yun Yanhui also returned the salute and asked, "Is everything ready?"

The three of them took out animal-shaped skeletons made of bamboo slices, including piglets, bears, rabbits and other animals. "Only made twenty of them."

"That's enough. It should be sold out in the afternoon. Go home early today and stop setting up a stall tonight. It's so cold." Yun Yan replied.

And in the morning, they are naturally here to fix the freshest seasonal flowers on the animal-shaped bamboo skeletons, and finally form flower animals one by one.It is best to use more small flowers, which are more delicate.

In the Song Dynasty, the art of flower arrangement was already very popular. People with a bit of taste would pay attention to how to put flowers in vases, and there were many people who sold exquisite flower arrangements.But when Zhisheng and the others heard that Yunyan said that they would sell such a "bouquet", they were still surprised for a while.

However, when they tried to make a sample, they felt very amazing.It's not hard to imagine how those little ladies would rush to throw all their money today.