On the early morning of New Year's Eve, before dawn, bursts of smoke began to drift from the chimneys of every house in the village. After breakfast, the Shen family cleaned the medicine shop in the front yard first, then cleaned the yard and the corners of each house. Corner falls.
After returning all the boxes containing medicinal materials, Grandpa Shen and his eldest grandson Shen Chuanbai continued to stay in the medicine shop. The Shen family's medicine shop is open all year round. Grandpa Shen always said, I don't care if you get sick. Is it for the New Year or the holidays!
The men hung red lanterns on the eaves of the courtyard and outside the courtyard gate, set up the table for the sacrifice in the main room, and set up a pole as high as a person outside the courtyard gate to hang firecrackers in preparation. There was an explosion, and then I started to consider whether to set up a brazier or a small bonfire in the middle of the yard!
Shen's mother boiled a large pot of paste and prepared to let it cool down so that her sons could paste the Chinese character "Fu" and the couplets on the inner and outer doors. Then, together with her second aunt Zheng, she took her daughter and daughter-in-law to prepare for ancestor worship. The offerings and the New Year’s Eve dinner should be prepared in advance. In addition, the dumplings to be eaten in the middle of the night and on the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year must also be made in advance.
The family prepared for the whole day while talking and laughing, and only had a quick lunch.
It was just after Shen Shi in the afternoon, and no one could be seen on the dirt road in the village. Mr. Shen and his eldest grandson closed the front door of the medicine shop, went back to the house to wash hands and change clothes, preparing to sacrifice to their ancestors!
After setting up candlesticks for offerings, asking for family trees, lighting incense and kowtowing, and burning paper money outside the courtyard, it was already dark after these busy days. The brothers of the Shen family lit red lanterns inside and outside and the brazier in the yard. Taking advantage of this prosperous atmosphere, the Shen family’s New Year’s Eve dinner begins!
Mr. Shen first picked up the cup, talked about the big and small things in his family this year, talked about his vision for next year, and finally gave new year's red envelopes to the juniors.
Father Shen and Mother Shen were second in line, followed by Uncle Shen and Aunt Shen. The younger generations celebrated the New Year one after another, said auspicious words, and happily collected the New Year's money.
In fact, the red envelopes given by the elders of the Shen family were not big, just dozens of copper coins for good luck, but the juniors were still very happy, as if they were getting dozens of taels of silver instead of copper coins!
While still at the dinner table, Shen Luzhu felt that something was wrong with this year's New Year's money. It seemed to be a little lighter. Taking advantage of Shen's mother and sisters-in-law to clean up the dishes after dinner, Shen Luzhu went back to the room to open the red envelope and take a look. Look, it's not copper coins, but one tael of silver, and three red envelopes are exactly three taels!
Shen Luzhu hurriedly ran into the kitchen and saw that only Shen's mother and second aunt Zheng were cleaning up the aftermath, so she went over. Seeing this, second aunt Zheng asked her: "Didn't my sister-in-law say I'll give you a holiday during the Chinese New Year? No need to Are you here to help with the work? How come you are so addicted to work that you are not allowed to come and you come here secretly?"
"My niece is here to ask my second aunt and my grandma if the harvest at home is particularly good this year. Why did I give so much New Year's money? I have to coax my brothers to buy me sweets tomorrow!"
Mrs. Zheng smiled and nodded her niece's forehead: "You little money maniac, it turns out you secretly went back to your room to check the money!"
Mother Shen washed the last plate, shook off the water on her hands, and looked at her daughter's face. This was her last New Year's Eve at home!
Suddenly feeling a little sad, he hurriedly wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes with his sleeves: "I know how many brothers bullied you. You are the only one in the whole family who has more New Year's money. Be careful. I will tell them to go and let them pester you later." Buy candy!”
Seeing Shen's mother wiping her tears secretly, Shen Luzhu still didn't understand. She thought that she was getting married soon and it was the last Spring Festival at home, so the elders gave her more!
It was the Chinese New Year. She didn't want to make Mother Shen sad, so she hurriedly stepped forward and hugged Mother Shen's arm and said coquettishly: "No, no, no, I can't tell Brother and the others! Second aunt, please help me stop Grandma!"
Zheng smiled and teased: "Then I have to see which one of you, mother and daughter, has given more benefits!"
"How could Second Aunt take the opportunity to extort money?" Shen Luzhu said and used his other hand to hug Mrs. Zheng!
The mother, daughter, and sister-in-law were making a fuss in the kitchen!
As soon as midnight arrived, the Shen family lit the firecrackers set up high outside the courtyard. With the lively sound of firecrackers, the New Year's Eve dumplings were also cooked together, and the family ate the dumplings lively. After saying auspicious words to each other, they went back to their houses to rest.
Shen Luzhu washed his face and was about to go to bed on the kang. Suddenly he remembered the purse Chu Yi gave her a few days ago and hurriedly took it out from the kang cabinet on one side.
She suppressed her curiosity and didn't open it before, but she almost forgot about it today. There was only one copper coin in her purse, which was different from the copper coins she usually used for spending. One side was engraved with the six-character Buddhist mantra. The other side says 'Longevity and Wealth', and both sides are decorated with yin and yang fish patterns. It must be the money that the temple asked for to ward off evil spirits and pray for blessings. This new year's money is quite special!
After the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the New Year is basically over. Until the beginning of spring, it is the most leisurely time for farmers in the year. The Chu family and the Shen family have been busy these days. For no other reason than the eighteenth day of the first lunar month. Chu Yi We are about to marry Shen Luzhu!
In the past few days, the Chu family has been busy decorating Chu Yi's new house. The Chu family's yard is in the shape of a flat mouth. The five rooms in the main house are longer, and the two side rooms on both sides are shorter. The main house is facing the courtyard door. In the main room, the two rooms on the east side of the main room live in the two rooms of Grandma Chu and Grandma Chu. On the west side, Uncle Chu’s family used to live. The house has been idle since the classification. There are some sundries piled up by the uncle’s wife. Only Grandpa Chu or Grandma Chu live in the two rooms on the east side of the main room. Uncle Wang will clean it from time to time.
Chu Yi and Chu Yi originally lived in the outer room in the east chamber. Now that he was getting married, Chu A'nai led Chu Xiuxiu to decorate the empty room in the east chamber where Chu Yi's father and mother originally lived. Got a new house.
On the seventeenth day of the first lunar month, the Shen family wanted to send Shen Luzhu's things to the Chu family in advance. The Shen family's parents really felt sorry for their daughter. Apart from tea, wine, and pastries, the Chu family's betrothal gift was all given to Shen Luzhu. It was sent to the Chu family as her private property, and she also bought a lot of dowry, including a set of mahogany furniture that Grandpa Shen asked someone to buy, and a dressing table with a bronze mirror that Father Shen asked someone to buy. , there are ten dragon and phoenix quilts sewn by Shen's mother and her second aunt Zheng, two large wooden boxes, and some rice, flour, oil and other ingredients for Shen Luzhu to make breakfast for her husband's family on the second morning of their wedding.
Such a generous dowry is still rare even in the relatively wealthy villages nearby.
Shen Luzhu watched these things being carried out of her house one by one. She didn't know that her elders had prepared so many things for her in private. Suddenly, her chest was filled with the emotion of parting. If the wedding could have been later, then Just later!
On the eighteenth day of the first lunar month, Dingzi day, there are no taboos and everything is appropriate!
Yesterday, Shen Luzhu slept with Shen's mother in her room. Mother and daughter cuddled up and chatted until midnight. Shen's mother was made to cry and laugh at the same time!
The result of sleeping too late was that Shen Luzhu was urged several times by Shen's mother before she reluctantly left the bed!
After washing up and eating the noodles specially cooked for her by Shen's mother, Shen Luzhu put on a wedding dress sewn by herself, sat on the kang and let her second aunt Zheng apply makeup on her face. After that, Shen's mother invited I went to the village's Quanfu woman to comb Shen Luzhu's hair.
"If you comb your head with one comb, you don't have to worry about wealth; if you comb your head with two combs, you will be free from illness and worry; if you comb your hair with three combs, you will have more children and live longer; if you comb your hair with another comb, you will have eyebrows even; if you comb your eyebrows with two combs, Flying together with wings; combing three combs to the end, we will always be united with one heart; having a head and a tail, we will be rich and noble together in this life!"
After everything was prepared, all he had to do was wait for the groom to come to marry him. Shen Luzhu stayed in the house and exchanged greetings with the female relatives who came to get married from time to time.
Today, the Shen family's work of receiving the female family members has been handed over to the second aunt Zheng and her sisters-in-law. Shen's mother has been staying with her daughter, telling her whatever she thinks of. Shen Luzhu watched her mother talking and asking. Wiping away her tears, she hurriedly picked up the handkerchief to help Shen's mother wipe her tears: "Mom, please stop crying. My daughter is going to tell her father and grandfather that her daughter is not getting married!" After that, she stood up and was about to go out!
When Shen's mother saw this, she still remembered to wipe away her tears. She patted Shen Luzhu's arm and hurriedly pulled her to sit down: "What a nonsense! It took a lot of effort to make a marriage, and the ceremony was all done. How can you not marry if you don't want to marry!" "
Seeing that Shen's mother was in trouble, Shen Luzhu diverted her attention. It didn't matter if she got beaten a few times, so she quickly continued: "My daughter only wants her father and mother to be happy. If mother is not happy when her daughter gets married, then the daughter will spend her whole life." Just don’t get married!"
"Who said I'm not happy? I'm happy now. I finally got to marry my enemy like you!"
Shen Luzhu hugged Shen's mother's arm, rested her head on Shen's mother's shoulder, and comforted her softly: "Then please don't cry anymore. It's not like my daughter will never come back, but it's just across the river. Don't worry." My daughter will definitely come back when she has nothing to do in the future, and I won’t even bother my mother!”
Just as she was talking, the eldest daughter-in-law Zhou and the second daughter-in-law Zhao came in: "Mom, the new son-in-law has come to the door. He is being stopped by my husband and brothers in the front yard. I have to go to the hall to wait for the new son-in-law to greet him. !”
"We, my sisters-in-law, are accompanying my sister-in-law, don't worry!"
Chu Yi was wearing a robe today, with big red flowers hanging on his chest. He was standing in front of the Shen family courtyard with his back to the sun, looking particularly handsome. In order to embarrass the groom, the Shen family's courtyard door was blocked by children from inside. As guests, Zhao Cheng and Chu Ping had no choice but to lie on the wall of Shen's house, scatter wedding candies and copper coins into the courtyard, and ask the children to open the door!
After entering the courtyard, the team welcoming the bride was stopped by the brothers of the Shen family. With Chu Yi's repeated assurances, they finally entered the hall to meet the elders of the Shen family.
Shen Luzhu was helped into the main room by her sisters-in-law, and she and Chu Yi said goodbye to everyone in the Shen family one by one. Shen's mother covered her daughter with a red hijab. Finally, in the reluctant eyes of the Shen family, she was passed down by Chu Yi. He left the Shen family behind his back!
According to custom, a newlywed's feet are not allowed to touch the ground on the way from her mother's home to her husband's home. Most girls in the town will ride in a rented sedan chair. The dirt roads in the village are not easy to walk, so the groom usually carries it on his back. Brothers Shen Chuanbai and Shen Songjie were afraid that Chu Yi would lose strength on the way and throw his sister, so they did not stay at home to use the banquet, but protected them all the way. After seeing their sister safely entering the Chu family gate, they quietly Return.
Chu Yi carried Shen Luzhu across the brazier in front of the Chu family's door, and put him down after entering the main room. At this time, the Chu family's main room had been decorated as an auditorium, and the inside and outside of the house were filled with relatives and fellow villagers who came to celebrate. The grandpa and grandma of the Chu family were sitting on the main seat.
Matchmaker Qin, who was wearing a festive floral jacket today, stood in front of the hall. Seeing that the two newlyweds were already in place, she hurriedly told the onlookers to wait quietly for the auspicious moment.
At three o'clock, Matchmaker Qin cleared her throat and said loudly: "The auspicious time has come, salute!"
Upon hearing this, Chu Li and Chu Xiuxiu took out two futons and placed them in front of Chu Yi and Shen Luzhu.
"Worship heaven and earth!"
"Two thanks to Gaotang!"
"Couple greetings!"
Shen Luzhu covered her head and could only see her toes. Fortunately, there was a little girl beside her who had been supporting her from the beginning. Chu Yi also whispered to her from time to time, and then she finished the ceremony smoothly!
"The ceremony is completed and sent to the bridal chamber!"
