The fertile water of farming does not flow to outsiders' fields

Sacrifice is a very traditional event in ancient times. The big sacrifice is to worship the gods of heaven and earth, and the scale of ordinary people should be small, and only burn some incense sticks and paper money to worship ancestors.Generally speaking, it is firstly to bathe and change clothes with fragrant soup, and then the elders take the lead to pay homage to the ancestors and pray for blessings.

I ate breakfast late today, and it was almost noon when the adults and children in the family finished eating. After washing the quilt, Xue Yinsong began to boil hot water to prepare for a bath.In the summer, he specially basked in some medicinal herbs such as cinnamon wormwood, and boiling some of them in the water can play a calming and tranquilizing effect.

Xue Yinsong first boiled a large pot of Cen Ai medicine soup for Xiao Xiucai and Changhui to wash first, followed by Father Xue and Zhang Binghuan, and finally himself.This washing lasted until the afternoon, and the afterglow of the sun was already relatively weak. Xue Yinsong felt that the quilt washed in the morning was already dry, so he took it into the room and asked Mrs. Huan to sew the quilt.

Here, he and his father were busy setting up the offering table. First, they cleaned the front yard carefully and placed the table facing north.

Xiucai and Changhui sat at a table, the three of them set up a table, and the tables on both sides were prepared with skulls, pasta and fruit, cold cuts, whole chicken and duck, etc., and they were slowly set up on clay plates.

The paper money to be burnt is ingots folded with paper and tin foil. Aunt Huan helped to make them when she was free. Xiaoxiucai and Xue’s family each had a bag of [-] pieces. Father Xue drew a big circle on the northeast corner with white powder. , Burn it here after the sacrifice.

When everything was ready, Father Xue asked Xiao Xiucai to pay homage first. According to the rules, he is the master, and the size and quantity of offerings should be higher. .

A few days ago, he wrote a parallel prose in ancient style with gorgeous words, and he read it in cadence and rhythm before he and Changhui knelt down and kowtowed.

In contrast, Father Xue was ashamed, he didn’t have enough ink in his stomach, but he said something in a hurry. Feast', and kowtow with their son and daughter-in-law.

Xue Yinsong silently stood behind and looked at his father's back. The years are really unforgiving. Before he knew it, his father's temples had already covered some silver threads, and the side face was tanned by the sun, revealing the vicissitudes of the years. Sighing, respectfully kowtowed to his father.

After the sacrifices on both sides were completed, Father Xue relaxed his expression, and beckoned his son to carry the altar back, and then started to cook the New Year's Eve dinner.

Xue Yinsong was busy posting couplets with Xiucai during his spare time, and hung firecrackers through bamboo poles in the yard. Zhang Binghuan was busy pasting the window grilles with inverted blessings that he had cut all night last night, although they were just simple decorations. , but standing at the door and looking in, I saw that everything I looked at was bright red, which was very festive.

Vegetables cool down quickly in winter, so Father Xue only fried four hot dishes in a hot pot, stewed tofu and vermicelli in the hot pot, and simmered over the embers for the last meal.The rest are cold dishes and appetizers, and a large table is filled like a mosaic, which is very rich.

A blazing charcoal fire was burning in the room, and Auntie Huan set up a basin of hot water to scald the wine. Xiao Xiucai and Chang Hui were sweating from the heat in the room, took off their big cotton jackets and sat on the bed waiting for dinner.

Although women were not allowed to sit at the table in ancient times, it was only when entertaining guests. Nowadays, it’s just my own family who don’t pay much attention to it. Father Xue greeted Binghuan to take a seat. For a while, adults and children sat around, and Changhui sent a message alone. A big drumstick.

Xue Yinsong poured wine for several people and toasted: "Today, my father is finally settled, thanks to Aunt Huan for being willing to accept my father. I am very happy as a son. Today, I would like to use this glass of water and wine to wish the two elders a happy marriage. , a happy marriage for a hundred years."

Father Xue and Aunt Huan both laughed and drank, and Xiao Xiucai toasted Chang Hui on his behalf. Everyone talked and laughed, and the atmosphere became lively. Everyone scoops up a bowl of hot soup.

Xue Yinsong toasted to Father Xue: "Father, you have worked hard all your life, and I am happy to be married again now. I also know that I am not easy to worry about. I have caused you trouble since I was a child. Today, my son I can't afford to borrow this glass of wine to make up for you, I have made you angry in the past, and you have forgotten a lot, so please work hard to give me a younger brother."

Father Xue said yes again and again with a smile, causing Auntie Huan next to him to sip a few mouthfuls. The father smiled and said: "You and I are still young, and there will be no problem with two more children, Tiger, I love what you say, so it's settled !"

Aunt Huan laughed and scolded at the side: "There is no one in good shape, and you don't know how to be ashamed when I am an old man. There are scholars beside me!"

Little Xiucai hurriedly waved his hands: "Don't worry about me, don't worry about me, I'm just focused on eating." The old man smiled and tried to persuade Changhui to drink with vegetables, and even gave Changhui a piece of smoked fish.

Xue Yinsong raised his cup and said again: "Father, my son didn't work hard before, and he didn't learn this farm work well. Now that the scholar has promised to take back the land next year, I'm thinking that father and son soldiers are needed to go to battle. I should join hands with my father and son to do it. Auntie Huan sells wine as usual, Dad, you will still farm with me, the wages you should pay are a lot, and I will give you more rice at the end of the year, what do you think?"

Father Xue naturally said yes, squinted his eyes and took a sip of his wine and said cheerfully: "About farming, I really don't want to be humble. I really don't know anything except hunting and farming in my whole life, let alone helping others." Why don't you help your son, then it's settled, I'll be the two of you in farming."

Xue Yinsong said with a smile: "You have raised me for 20 years, even if you want to enjoy life, you should be happy. It's just that I'm still in the early stage of starting a business, so I have to trouble you a little bit. But don't worry, don't worry about anything else, you can get your fill of wine. "

Father Xue waved his hands triumphantly: "My daughter-in-law is a wine seller, do you need some wine from you?"

Aunt Huan laughed and scolded at the side: "People who run restaurants are afraid of big belly men. Of course, I am a wine seller who is afraid of drunkards. Xue Dayong, you should be careful. I only sell my wine without credit. If you want to drink it for nothing, you must do it for nothing." impossible."

Xue Yinsong winked and said, "Look, it's still my son?"

Speaking of this, everyone laughed together, even the little scholar laughed and said: "Uncle Xue made a mistake in his wishful thinking. He originally wanted to find Aunt Huan for drinking." Father Xue also laughed and said: "Sure enough, tigers understand me. ah."

A table full of people eating, drinking and drinking was so lively. As they were talking about midnight, firecrackers suddenly exploded in the distance. Father Xue laughed and said, "Tiger, take the two little ones to blow up the firecrackers." Xue Yinsong took the order I went, and after a while, I only heard the crackling of the yard and the buzzing of the eardrums.

Standing at the door with his ears covered, Pei Changhui was caught by a firecracker. He rushed into the house screaming and threw himself into Father Xue's arms. Father Xue hugged him with a smile until the firecracker was gone.

Only then did the little scholar put down his hands covering his ears and said: "This cannon is really loud, the animals in the backyard must have been frightened, right?" Father Xue couldn't help curling his lips: "This bombing will at least lose weight tomorrow, and we have to give up some fodder to survive." grow back."

Aunt Huan laughed and said, "You see, you're a money addict. You even count livestock so carefully."

Everyone laughed again, and Mr. Xue had the cheek to accept it. He refilled the lamp and refilled the wine several times, until the three big jars of wine were all empty.

Aunt Huan said with a smile: "It's almost eaten, and people will feel dizzy when the alcohol comes up, so let's go, this table will be cleaned up tomorrow, I will come to help in the morning."

Father Xue was [-]% drunk, so he also agreed to get up, and Zhang Binghuan agreed when he agreed to live in a wine shop.

The little scholar was a bit reluctant, he seldom felt the lively atmosphere since he was a child, especially with such a warm family, he only hesitated for a few seconds before he boldly proposed: "Uncle Xue, look at the three main rooms in this compound, only Brother Xue and I would be wasted if we lived empty. Aunt Huan’s place is a wine shop, and if you want to sleep, you can only set up a bed in the back cellar. Naturally, the conditions are not as comfortable as living in the main house. If you want me to say, stay if you don’t mind. Come down and live, you live in the main room, so the house is lively, I am also happy to see it."

Xue Yinsong actually wanted to keep them, but he was afraid that his relationship with the scholar would be seen through. Now that the scholar had already spoken to keep them, he also said: "Father, Aunt Huan, we are also a family now, and a family should live together." Together, if you want to stay, I can move the bed to the main room for you in a short while, let’s make do with sleep today, and make arrangements tomorrow, what do you think?”

Father Xue looked at his daughter-in-law and saw that she was a little moved, so he agreed: "That's good, I will live with you in the future, and we will take care of each other. When you and I get old, Aunt Huan will have to take care of you. "

Zhang Binghuan scolded with a smile: "You just think that you will need someone to serve you in the future, but don't think about how much trouble you have caused them! Since you have said so, I will not refuse. It is natural that a family will live more lively. Life at home Dayong and I bear half of the expenses, and I don’t have any problems with sewing and mending.”

Xue Yinsong smiled and said: "Then it's settled, you sit for a while, my father and I will move the bed, and then I will burn a charcoal pot for you." Father Xue quickly agreed, and went to find a clay pot to hold charcoal I lit a fire, and went to dismantle the bed with my son.

The bed was made after busy work, Mr. Xue and his wife were a little tired, so they naturally turned on the light to sleep. Seeing that Chang Hui had eaten too much, Xue Yinsong suggested going out for a walk, fearing that he might be holding on.

The little scholar blushed a little, and was a little reluctant to go out: "Where are you going in this cold weather? It's too cold outside, so it's better to be at home."

Xue Yinsong patted his son's belly, it was already bulging like a frog, he was afraid that he would have a short meal, and he was afraid that he would be exposed to the cold wind outside, so he had to hand over his chopsticks and not allow him to eat any more.

Changhui pursed his lips and dared not speak out, but he was eating too much today, and he didn't care about missing a few bites, so he ran around the room chasing the fox to play.

Xue Yinsong walked to the window and opened a gap to let in the air, only to hear the rustling outside, hurriedly opened the window and saw that pure white snow fell silently, spreading a thin layer on the ground.

Xue Yinsong hurriedly called the two to come and see the snow, and the three of them gathered by the small window, breathing in the cold air. Changhui seldom saw the snow, so he quickly picked it up and played with it.Xue Yinsong was afraid that the scholar would be cold, so he brought the padded jacket for him to put on: "It's cold carefully, and then close the window." The little scholar refused, put on the padded jacket and said: "Look at it for a while, Qinchuan City used to be It rarely snows. I haven’t seen snow a few times in my life.”

Xue Yinsong stood behind him with a smile, put his arms around him and said, "What's so interesting about this snow? One year, my father and I went to the mountain to hunt for winter. We spent the whole winter on the mountain. The snow was as big as goose feathers." , all eyes can see, nothing but white is still white, and snow can step on thighs when you walk out the door, so if you look too much, you will find it meaningless."

The little scholar smiled and said: "That's you, I don't see too much." He stretched out his hand to catch a few snowflakes, but it was a pity that they turned into water droplets as soon as they landed on his hands, and put down his hands regretfully: " It would be great if there were snowflakes that could continue to form."

Xue Yinsong said with a smile: "It must be colder, the ground must be at least one foot thick, and the snowflakes caught that day can keep their original shape." I think it's really nice to have you, Changhui, your father and Aunt Huan, it's nice to have you, and we will be a family from now on."

Xue Yinsong stood behind him and hugged him, sniffing the faint fragrance of hair, only felt something called happiness overflowing from the bottom of his heart, flowing through his whole body: "Okay, from now on we will be a family, no matter the difficulties and dangers, we will always be together." Death is not parted."

Little Xiucai giggled: "What's not dead? You talk nonsense again during Chinese New Year." Xue Yinsong sniffed in his ear and said, "I'm talking nonsense, you love to hear it the most." Little Xiucai glanced at him With a glance, he said with a smile: "Auntie Huan is right, you just don't have a proper shape."

Xue Yinsong pulled his face and kissed him: "If you are not in shape, you are not in shape with you." Xiao Xiucai smiled and kissed him back: "Then let's not be in shape together."

Xue Yinsong kissed a few times, only felt that the alcohol was coming up and his whole body was hot, and he was thinking about doing something else, Pei Changhui stared at the side, and suddenly said after a long while: "Aba, what are you doing?"