The carriage rocked and the boat swayed leisurely.
The Jiangnan water town never lacks tenderness. The meandering river crossing the city, a boat, and a bamboo pole tell a story.
"The tail of your black hair is twisted into a circle, entwined with all my attachment to you. The words spoken through the translucent curtain are completely without deception..."
Song Che leaned against the car window, admiring the night view of Hangzhou, and couldn't help humming a tune.
"You sing this song very nicely." Shen Wenjun couldn't help but praise.
Zhou Yazhao also nodded in agreement.
"This song is called "Little Love in the Big City", and it tells the love story in the water town in the south of the Yangtze River." Song Che sang to Shen Wenjun with a smile: "Oh, it's all about you in my head, all in my heart, little love in the big city quite sweet……"
Shen Wenjun added blush.
Zhou Yazhao clapped his hands together.
At this time, I suddenly heard a flute sound coming from outside the car. By coincidence, it was very inconsistent with the accompaniment of the song.
Another time, I heard someone outside the car exclaim:
"Look! Look! The singing girls from Tianxiang Tower are out on the boat again!"
"The one playing the flute on the bow of the boat, could it be the red girl from Tianxiang Tower? She is so beautiful that she looks like a fairy..."
Are there beauties? That had to be seen.
Song Che went to look for the flute, and saw under the moonlit ditch, a flower boat covered with red lanterns. There were five musical prostitutes sitting on the bow, two on the left and two on the right, each holding a pipa and a long harp. In the middle stood a woman in red clothes, with a gold hairpin and jade scratching her head, half hanging with a light gauze and half covering her face, wearing a silver bracelet on her wrist, jade pendants on her waist, amber eyes and ear beads.
She holds the jade Xiao in her hand, touches her red lips lightly, and plays the divine music that is rarely heard in the human world.
The flower boat swam past the carriage, and he could only see her side face. Song Che was almost fascinated by it. On the one hand, she was so beautiful, and on the other hand, she seemed familiar.
"This woman..." The more Song Che looked at it, the more he felt that he had seen it somewhere before. He picked up the telescope and planned to take a closer look. Unexpectedly, his vision went dark. When he looked up, Shen Wenjun covered the lens with one hand and asked with a smile: "Uncle Song. Aren't you afraid of being seduced by that prostitute?"
Song Che coughed twice, "I seem to have seen her somewhere..."
"Oh! This is the first time you came to Hangzhou, and have you seen the prostitutes in the city?" Shen Wenjun closed the car door and said angrily: "One moment, you were saying that you were all about me in your head and heart, but now you are seeing other women. , hum... a man’s mouth is a liar!”
Zhou Yazhao nodded in agreement.
Song Che said bitterly: "Let's not talk about whether the person is beautiful or not, but her music is played well..."
Shen Wenjun said: "80% of those are official prostitutes in Hangzhou city. They have learned music in the art hall since they were young, and they are naturally good at playing. But their ancestors have committed serious sins, and no matter how glamorous they are, they are of low status."
Ancient laws often included the crime of sitting together, and the relatives of prisoners were demoted to "low status". Women served as official prostitutes and men served as official slaves. They were not allowed to become scholars for their entire lives, and this was passed down from generation to generation.
If those singing girls were really untouchables, Song Che was probably wrong.
…
After returning to Zhou Mansion, they got off the carriage and the three of them hurried to the dining hall.
I thought it was already around this time and the family banquet should have ended long ago, but when I walked in, I found that no one in the family had touched their chopsticks.
The room was full of relatives, most of them with displeasure on their faces.
"Oh, I'm finally back. The food has gone cold waiting for you." Zheng Xiu'e said in a strange tone.
"I'm really sorry. We were out for fun and I didn't know there was a family dinner tonight..." Shen Wenjun apologized quickly and politely.
The old lady, who was sitting alone at the table, waved her hands and said with a smile: "No problem, no problem, I gave you a short notice. Please take your seats quickly."
The three of them took their seats at the bottom table one by one.
"Mom, what's the matter with your sudden summons to the family dinner? I haven't even finished settling the accounts in this shop yet." Second bedroom Zhou Gui sounded impatient.
The old lady said in a deep voice: "What? The last dinner we had at home was the Spring Festival. Isn't it okay if I invite the whole family to have a lively meal together?"
Zhou Gui urged: "Then if you have something to say, please tell me quickly. It is the pearl fishing season now and everyone is busy!"
"Pah!" The old lady stamped the bowl in her hand and scolded: "No matter how busy you are, can't you even find time for a meal?"
Zhou Gui suppressed his blush, and all the children and grandchildren bowed their heads in silence.
"What are you doing with your heads down, picking up vegetables to eat!" The old lady was unable to do what she wanted, and her eyes were full of helplessness.
Everyone lowered their heads to eat the food, and the dining hall was completely silent. There were more than 20 people in the family, and the excitement became a luxury.
The old lady sighed and said to Aunt Fang: "Xiaofang, bring the things up."
Aunt Fang nodded, took out a sandalwood box from the desk drawer and handed it to the old lady.
All the people in the hall gathered their eyes on the wooden box.
The old lady patted the wooden box and said, "Let's finish the meal in a hurry first, and then we can slowly talk about what's in the box."
As soon as he finished speaking, the dining hall was no longer depressed, and everyone was feasting and drinking. Finally found some excitement in the hypocrisy.
After a while, the table was full of delicacies on jade plates, and they were all eaten.
The old lady's sighs became heavier and heavier. Seeing that the time was almost up, she opened the wooden box, took out a Xuanwu jade seal, and said to everyone:
"I'm getting old, and it's time for this palm print to change hands. However, the eldest son died early, and the eldest grandson was born with insufficient talent. The second and third sons are all descendants of the Zhou family. I'm afraid some people will feel uncomfortable if I favor anyone. I thought about it for a long time and decided to call him Let’s have a fair competition——
Half a month later, there will be the annual "Pearl Conference" in Hangzhou. All descendants of the Zhou family who own a business can participate in the conference on their own. If anyone can come out on top in the conference, I will give him my palm print. . "
The eyes of Dafang mother and son lit up.
The second brother and his son are gearing up.
The father and son of Sanfang are sitting in peace.
The youngest daughter Zhou Yazhao cannot see or hear.
Song Che and Shen Wenjun looked at each other. There was a rapport between the husband and wife, and they instantly understood what the other person meant.
The old lady deliberately invited them to attend the banquet together, and waited until they arrived before using chopsticks. Her intention was self-evident.
"You said you said..." Shen Wenjun elbowed Song Che.
Song Che elbowed him back, "You are my granddaughter, so you think it's better."
"That's why I want to avoid suspicion. Speak quickly or I'll pinch you if you don't." Shen Wenjun squeezed Song Che's arm.
Song Che immediately raised his hand and said, "Grandma, I have a question!"
"You have a grandson-in-law, and her surname is not Zhou. What's wrong with you?" Zheng Xiu'e asked immediately.
"It is true that my surname is not Zhou," Song Che pointed to Zhou Yazhao beside him, "but my aunt's surname is Zhou. Is my aunt also qualified to participate in this palm seal dispute?"
Several children and grandchildren focused their attention on Zhou Yazhao at the same time. Although there was no ridicule on their lips, their contemptuous eyes were full of ridicule.
The old lady smiled: "Yes, Yazhao is not married, he is still a son and daughter of the Zhou family, and he is also qualified to participate."
At this time, the second roommate Zhou Gui said: "Mother said before that there are two conditions for participating in the meeting. One is the children of the Zhou family, and the other is having a business under her control. My younger sister has been in the boudoir for many years and has never participated in business. What qualifications does she have?" Fighting for the palm print?"
Zhou Yazhao tugged on Song Che's sleeve, trying to drag him back to his seat.
However, Shen Wenjun held Zhou Yazhao's hand and signaled her not to make any sound.
Song Che chuckled, looked around at his relatives and said, "Uncles and aunts, you own so many businesses, why don't you just give one to my aunt?"
