After putting all the prepared steamed buns and vegetables into the basket, I heard the crackling of firecrackers coming from the direction of the ancestral hall, indicating that the banquet was about to begin.
Lin Dazhu and Lin Erzhu each picked up a basket and stepped out of the door through the crunching thick snow. The others followed them, and the family went to the ancestral hall together.
No, it can't be said that they are a family, because Lin Yuanqiu is still two days away from his annual vacation.
However, even though he, a young scholar, was not present today, it did not delay their family being invited to sit in the top position.
The same was true even at the women's table. The Wu family and the women of Lin Youzhi's family all sat at the two tables in the front row.
This was the first time for Wu to be in such a high-profile position, and she felt that her life was not in vain if she could have such a prestigious position in her life.
When Wu went out today, she specially put on all the gold lilac and silver bracelets. She wanted to let everyone know about the filial piety of her children and grandchildren.
Like Wu, Old Lin was very excited to be able to sit in the top position.
But when he recalled his mood when he was sitting in the wind in previous years, he felt much calmer.
…
On the day of the annual holiday, Lin Sanzhu took an ox cart to the town early to pick up people.
In the past few days, people in the village are rushing to the town to buy new year goods, so the oxcarts are very crowded.
Before going out, Lin Sanzhu asked his parents and asked them to think about what else they wanted to buy at home, because Lin Sanzhu planned to hire a carriage to come back after picking up his son later.
Wu shook her head. As early as ten days ago, she asked the eldest and second eldest son to go to the town to buy all the new year's goods.
As for Lao Lintou, it suddenly occurred to him that he had not yet bought the red paper for writing couplets on. Also, do you want to write couplets for the villagers this year?
…
Chapter 81 Three Years
Regardless of whether you want to help the villagers write couplets or not, you must buy your own red paper.
Lin Sanzhu went to shopkeeper Gao and bought a large pile of red paper, and by the way, he gave away all the last batch of embroidery work from the year before.
The book cover with the buckle has always sold well, perhaps because every time a new product comes out, this bookstore comes out first. Therefore, compared to several other bookstores and embroidery shops that also sell book covers, shopkeeper Gao's business is much better, even the one in the county seat.
According to Lin Yuanqiu, this should be the effect of fame.
In the eyes of many students, every new product comes from this store first, and then other stores start to imitate it, so many people will naturally think that this is the most authentic and best.
When the business is good, the owner of the bookstore is naturally happy. For this happiness, the shopkeeper and waiters below will naturally be praised and rewarded.
Therefore, when he saw Lin Sanzhu coming, the store clerk was particularly enthusiastic and moved a stool to make tea. Shopkeeper Gao, on the other hand, was thinking whether his third uncle, his in-laws, had sent him new embroidery this time.
The reason why shopkeeper Gao thinks so is because such surprises have happened many times, and each time they bring a lot of profits to the bookstore.
Lin Sanzhu naturally didn't know this. After settling the money with shopkeeper Gao, he said goodbye and left.
It was a gray day, and seeing that heavy snow was about to fall, I had to take the dog home quickly.
The snow that fell in the past few days is still accumulated on the road. If it is paved with another layer, it will be difficult for cars and horses to move. Don't be blocked halfway, which will be troublesome.
Most of the students here at Santingmen are on holiday today. Therefore, at the entrance of several private schools, there are students and their families carrying book boxes and packages on their backs. Looking at the way everyone is in a hurry, they obviously want to catch up. I wish I could get home quickly before the heavy snow falls.
After having a new quilt at home, Lin Yuanqiu didn't have to bring the quilt home every time when he went on vacation again, which saved a lot of energy.
After packing their book boxes and a change of clothes, the father and son quickly went to the car dealership. There were quite a few people hiring carriages and horses today. When Lin Yuanqiu and the others passed by, several carriage shops had wooden signs saying they were rented out.
After finally hiring the carriage, Lin Sanzhu couldn't help but feel happy. He had to move quickly enough, otherwise he would have to squeeze the cart with others. It was okay to freeze in the cold weather, but the little baby could not bear it. This biting cold wind.
Lin Yuanqiu didn't know that, now that he was almost ten years old, he was still just a little baby in his father's eyes.
At this time, he was thinking about making bookmarks.
This was Lin Yuanqiu's sudden inspiration after seeing his classmate's wood chip bookmark yesterday.
Nowadays, bookmark materials are roughly divided into six categories. The most common ones are thin sheets made of bamboo and wood, followed by copper sheets and silver sheets, and then the gold and jade sheets used by wealthy people.
As for the bookmark Lin Yuanqiu used, it was a loquat leaf he picked casually from a tree when he was just studying ethnic studies.
Now after several years of use, the loquat petiole has almost become pulpy after being rubbed by him.
After seeing the wood bookmarks, Lin Yuanqiu began to think about the possibility of using embroidered cloth to make bookmarks.
After thinking about it, I found that it wasn't that difficult. All I had to do was sew a small rectangular bag with embroidered cloth, stuff it with thin bamboo or wood pieces of the same size, and then close it with a needle and thread. Finally, hang a string of tassels tied with embroidery thread on the top of the bookmark, which will definitely be unique.
Lin Yuanqiu became more and more excited as he thought about it. He had already thought about the patterns he wanted to embroider on the bookmark.
In Lin Yuanqiu's opinion, it can be a poem, or it can be a landscape of flowers and birds, or it can be embroidered with an inspirational four-character motto, such as: the journey is thousands of miles, the stone is open, the hand is not letting go, the life is diligent, the tireless, etc., are all excellent of.
As for the sources of bamboo and wood chips, let the adults worry about it.
However, Lin Yuanqiu felt that it was more likely that he would do it himself.
Sure enough, after Lin Yuanqiu informed his father, grandparents and uncle about the idea of making bookmarks, everyone was pleasantly surprised and quickly came up with detailed regulations, which included making wood chips at home.
In Lin Dazhu's words, there are so many old men in the house that there is no need to find a carpenter or a joiner.
Besides, we can do it at home, so we don’t have to worry about others finding out about making bookmarks.
Old Lintou nodded repeatedly after hearing this.
After all, it is not easy to come up with a way to make money, so before the money is earned, it is better for the family to be more cautious, so as not to be stolen by others.
After making up their mind, everyone discussed buying an ink fountain, a ruler, and a plane.
With these carpenter tools in hand, there is nothing you can't do.
As for the bamboo chips, Old Lin shook his head and said, "Let's just use wood chips. Bamboo chips can easily develop mold when it rains. If they stick to the embroidered cloth, wouldn't it be a waste of time?"
What Lao Lintou also wanted to say was that if the bookmarks get moldy again after they buy them back. At that time, I might even go to the bookstore to ask for an explanation. If that happens, wouldn't it bring trouble to my uncle in law?
Lin Yuanqiu also reacted quickly, thinking that he was so confused, how could he forget that bamboo products are easy to mold.
I remember that in my previous life, I had several bamboo clothes drying racks. During the rainy season, green hair grew on all of them, and I finally threw them away. Then he went to the supermarket and bought a few more, but by the rainy season the next year, the new bamboo hangers also had green hair, so he simply replaced them all with plastic ones.
Thinking of this, Lin Yuanqiu couldn't help but feel a little lucky. Fortunately, his grandfather could think of this, otherwise he would have had a headache when the wrapped bamboo pieces got moldy.
"Dad, Mom, I think the bookmarks this time are the same as before. After saving some more, we can sell them together, right?"
If possible, Lin Sanzhu would like to save up for a year and then send it to the bookstore. Anyway, his family has enough money for the next book, so he can make a large one at once.
Wu and Lao Lintou also thought so, otherwise they would be imitated without earning much money, and they would not be reconciled even thinking about it.
Lin Yuanqiu had no input. His father and grandparents must know more than him about how to sell the embroidery that his family has sold for so long.
After returning to the room, Lin Yuanqiu did not rest, but polished ink and cut paper to prepare the bookmark pattern.
The rice paper was all cut into small pieces of paper two inches wide and five inches long, which are one to one size with the finished bookmarks.
In this way, when doing embroidery work, you no longer have to worry about the size of the pattern. You can just embroider directly according to the size of the pattern on the paper.
Lin Yuanqiu first drew a landscape painting, and he did not make the painting more complicated. With only a few strokes, he sketched out a small landscape painting with mountains, water, trees and flowers.
It seems simple, but it is not simple.
Lin Yuanqiu wanted this kind of effect. After all, this was embroidery to be produced in large quantities. If the pattern was too cumbersome, not only would it not be possible to make it in quantity, but the energy spent and the materials used on the threads would all be converted into high costs. Come.
When the cost is high, the selling price will naturally be high. When the selling price is high, fewer people will buy it. In this way, there is a high possibility that the bookmarks will be accumulated and cannot be sold.
However, Lin Yuanqiu is planning to produce several high-quality bookmarks this time.
Anyway, in addition to teaching reading, Master Zhou also teaches them some simple gongbi skills. With this source, even if I draw some slightly more difficult patterns, my family will not have any doubts.
As for what to draw on the exquisite bookmarks, Lin Yuanqiu has already thought about it, such as a complete set of landscapes of the four seasons, a complete set of plum blossoms, orchids, bamboos and chrysanthemums, and the same series of pictures of ladies, these should be good.
However, Lin Yuanqiu plans to have his family supply these complete sets of high-quality bookmarks to the bookstore in batches.
The advantage of selling them in pieces like this is that it can increase the sales of bookmarks. Students who like to collect or put together a complete set will definitely buy more than one or two bookmarks.
And the most important point is that doing it in batches can avoid the possibility of plagiarism. After all, people don’t know how many patterns you have and what patterns are on them. Others can’t copy them even if they want to.
…
The news that the little scholar had returned from his annual vacation soon became known to all the villagers in Xiaogaoshan.
So, early the next morning, some villagers and tribesmen came to ask for Spring Festival couplets on red paper.
This was an unavoidable relationship between village neighbors, and Lin Yuanqiu would naturally not refuse.
Old Lintou was the most active. He quickly put the two dining tables together in the main room, and then quickly called the other four brothers and grandsons, asking them to cut paper and polish ink, and soon set up a stall for writing Spring Festival couplets. out.
And Lin Sanzhu still did things that made the villagers and tribesmen unhappy, such as:
"Hey, Lin Laojiu, you must be too cruel. Bringing such a big roll of red paper over, do you want my Yuanqiu to write to you alone until dawn tomorrow?"
"We are still the same as last year. Each family can write at most six copies. If you exceed it, we will not care!"
Although everyone agreed with their mouths, they were a little unconvinced in their hearts. Can this year be the same as last year? Last autumn, I just passed the county examination, but this year I am already a scholar.
In the eyes of the villagers, those who can be admitted as scholars must be blessed. They are also planning to write a few more spring notes and paste one on the pig pens and chicken sheds. Next year, there will definitely be chickens. Fat pig is strong, it makes me happy just thinking about it.
Therefore, each family is only required to write six copies. How is it enough?
So some clever villagers immediately went to find those who had already bought Spring Festival couplets, and then handed over the red paper and asked them to help go to the scholar's house to ask for a few more Spring Festival couplets.
For a time, those families who had bought the couplets became the favorites in the eyes of the villagers.
I was busy until the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, when the writing of Spring Festival couplets came to an end.
Lin Yuanfeng and Lin Yuansong each shook their arms and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. After six days of grinding ink, their arms were not so sore.
Lin Yuanqiu didn't feel much at all. After all, he basically did writing every day. The only difference was that the words he wrote were big and small.
Twenty-eight handfuls of dough, twenty-nine steamed buns.
Qin Hehua helped make the steamed buns for this year's New Year. When they came out of the pan, they were all white and fat. Mrs. Wu narrowed her eyes with a smile and praised her second granddaughter-in-law for being a capable person.
Naturally, dinner on New Year’s Eve cannot be careless.
No, just after breakfast, the three sisters-in-law began to work in the kitchen. In addition to the Zhou family, Gao Cui and Qin Hehua also rolled up their sleeves to help, choosing vegetables and lighting the fire.
There was also a busy scene in the main room.
Wu kneaded the flour into a ball and then cut it into thumb-sized pieces. Lin Dazhu and Lin Erzhu were rolling out the dough quickly.
It's not an exaggeration to say that the movements were fast. The two of them held the flattened dough with one hand and rolled the rolling pin back and forth with the other hand. They turned the dough sheet while rolling it out, and soon a dumpling wrapper came out. .
It’s just that there are too many people making dumplings, and the dumpling wrappers obviously can’t keep up with the speed of making dumplings.
