On the second day of the Lunar New Year, the streets were filled with red confetti from burned-out firecrackers.
A large group of children were looking for unexploded firecrackers among the debris. Each one held a stick of incense and lit firecrackers everywhere on the street, which attracted many passers-by to yell and curse. The children ran away laughing, making it very lively.
There were especially many children at the door of Lin Mansion, squatting on the ground and pulling at the firecrackers.
A little kid wanted to set off firecrackers to scare Cheng Wanwan, but Ninglan drove him away with her hands on her hips.
When the master and servant walked in, they saw big red lanterns and the Chinese characters "Fu". They were very festive. Mrs. Lin personally welcomed them out with a smile on her face: "People from Sui'an are really rare guests. They actually came to our home on the second day of the Lunar New Year. It's really great." It’s an honor for our Lin family to come and bring all the freshly baked snacks.”
"I don't go to the Three Treasures Hall for anything." Cheng Wanwan said with a somewhat embarrassed smile, "It's the Chinese New Year and I still come to bother you. Please don't blame Mrs. Lin."
I came back last time to ask for something, and this time I came back to ask Mrs. Lin for help. She was a little surprised.
"Look at what you said, can our two families stay apart like this?" Mrs. Lin took Cheng Wanwan and sat in the Nuan Pavilion, "If you have anything to say from Sui'an, just say it."
Cheng Wanwan took a sip of tea and went straight to the point: "I'm here this time for the marriage of my nephew Cheng Zhao."
Mrs. Lin was stunned for a moment: "Could it be that the people from Sui'an want to propose marriage?"
Her daughter's marriage has been entrusted to the Lin family in the capital, and she doesn't plan to look for it in Huzhou, but if it's Cheng Zhao, it seems pretty good?
In the future, Cheng Zhao will definitely be an official in the capital, so her daughter is not considered to be marrying far away, so this marriage is feasible.
Thinking of this, Mrs. Lin's eyes became much more eager.
"Ahem, no." Cheng Wanwan said repeatedly, "I heard before that Mrs. Lin planned to keep her daughter for two years, but I never thought about it."
Mrs. Lin smiled and said: "You are already so old anyway, you still have to marry the person you should marry. If you stay, you will become enemies."
Cheng Wanwan was ashamed.
If she hadn't seen that there was a slight intention between Shen Zheng and Miss Lin before, she might have actually followed these words and proposed marriage.
Shen Zheng and Cheng Zhao are good brothers, but they cannot have any quarrel over a woman.
She opened her mouth to break Mrs. Lin's fantasy: "Isn't Zhao'er preparing for the imperial examination in the capital now? He has a good reputation. Many big families want him to be their son-in-law. Among them is Mr. He, a second-rank court official. He is a second-rank official. Zhao My son is just a farmer, how can he climb up the ladder?"
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Lin stopped thinking. It seemed that she was thinking too much.
She took over and said: "Young Master Cheng may not be able to reach him now, but in five or ten years, you can't say for sure."
Cheng Wanwan sighed: "The He family is too complicated, so I don't want this marriage, but Mr. Shen said that the He family likes Zhaoer very much. Even if they reject the marriage, the He family may ask the Holy Father for a marriage in the future... ...No, I am here to beg Mrs. Lin. Now the marriage has not been mentioned openly, and Zhaoer herself is not very clear about it. Before everything becomes clear, it will be a matter of deciding on a marriage for Zhaoer. It’s solved.”
Mrs. Lin understood the meaning.
She immediately said: "This matter is simple. I just need to write a letter to the Lin family in Beijing. However, I have to ask clearly in advance what kind of family do the people of Sui'an want to find Mr. Cheng?"
"The family background is simple and innocent. It is best not to have those disputes between wives and concubines and concubines. It does not matter if the official position is lower." Cheng Wanwan considered, "One more thing is that I hope that before the marriage is officially settled, the two children Only when we can meet and the children agree can the matter be truly settled."
"Of course." Mrs. Lin nodded, "If the children are willing, it is a match made in heaven. Everyone knows this."
The big stone in Cheng Wanwan's heart finally fell to the ground.
In the next few days, Cheng Wanwan stayed at home to entertain guests. Because of her special status, people from many nearby counties and towns came to pay her New Year greetings. There were guests at home all day long, and the kitchen never stopped. To pass the time, she had mahjong made.
Thicker bamboo slices are made into squares, pictures and text are carved on the bamboo slices, then dyed, and polished smooth before serving.
The first people to enjoy this kind of entertainment were Cheng Wanwan, Meng, Mrs. Shen, and Mrs. Lin.
After all, Mrs. Shen was older and was the first to learn, followed by Mrs. Lin. Meng had been losing money in a daze. Of course, Cheng Wanwan also lost several times. She was a little crying. If she couldn't win the Landlord, forget it. How to fight? Mahjong still can't beat these ancients.
"Two tubes, haha, touch yourself!"
Mrs. Shen poured down the cards and drew them all. These were big cards, and her winnings would be doubled and doubled again.
Meng couldn't resist anymore, pushed the mahjong, waved her hand and said: "I won't play anymore. If I keep playing, I will lose all my pocket money."
As soon as she got up, someone immediately took over. Cao Yingying's hands were itching for a long time. After looking around for several times, she understood what was going on and melted in instantly.
The maids and ladies waiting on the side had nothing to do, so they pooled their money and asked Old Man Zhao to make another pair of mahjong. They could also play mahjong to pass the time if they were bored.
During the seven or eight days of the New Year, Mahjong, an entertainment form, has spread unknowingly in Hekou County, Ping'an County and other counties and towns. Like Landlords, it has become a new way of leisure for everyone to gather and play.
We continued eating, drinking and having fun until the seventh day of the first lunar month, when the soap and glycerine workshops, embroidery workshops and coal mines in the village started working.
Dahe Academy also started classes on this day.
With the investment of businessmen, the school was built a year ago. The school is very large. There are two white pillars at the entrance. There is a plaque above the pillars with the four characters "Dahe Academy" written on it. When you enter, you will find a square, which is used for collective meetings and teaching. Through this open space, you will find the classroom.
The new school has set up four-level classrooms: A, B, C and D. Students who are about to take the college examination are A-class students, students who are about to take the children's examination are B-class students, students who plan to try their studies on the road are C-class students, and enlightenment is a class C student. For Class D students, there are one classroom for Class A and Class B, three classrooms for Class C, and as many as five classrooms for Class D students.
Because there are many people in the village who just want their children to learn to read and do arithmetic, there are the most students in Grade D.
Many parents in the city sent their children to school on the first day of school, and the school entrance was extremely busy.
"This school is built with great style, not inferior to Nanfu Academy at all."
"Aren't you talking nonsense? There are so many businessmen raising money to build a school. It's not short of money. Of course it has to be spacious and grand."
"The headmaster of Nanfu Academy is not good enough. He even expelled an outstanding student like Cheng Zhao. His reputation has plummeted."
"Look, Master Yu is here."
Master Yu is now the headmaster of Dahe Academy and is in charge of all educational affairs in Dahe Village. He is very elegant in his actions.
The parents quickly brought their children to pay homage to the mountain chief.
Master Yu smiled and touched his beard: "Children can go to the classroom first. Masters are already waiting. Shopkeepers can go to the stone monument in the square. Dahe Academy has engraved the names of the contributors on the stone monument. Everyone has Children who can read books will be grateful for everyone's kindness."
There is indeed a monument erected in the square. The inscription on the monument is the name of all the donors. In addition to these businessmen in the city, some people in the village also donated money. Some people had no money to donate, so they provided coolies to work. The names of these people are also engraved on it. Above.
Under the sunshine of late winter and early spring, those simple names shine brightly.
In the neat and bright school, the sound of children reading loudly came, and everything was full of hope.
