Daming: From the end of Hongwu

284 Chapter 282 - New Year's Eve
In the blink of an eye, time came to New Year's Eve. On this day, Zhen Wu's family began to be busy from the early morning. The whole family, including the guards and maids, were busy.

Those who hung lanterns hung lanterns, those who put up Spring Festival couplets posted Spring Festival couplets, those who cleaned the yard were busy washing and cleaning, and even Zhen Wu took Xiao Liu Xiao Qi to paste blessing characters everywhere.

After a while, the three of Zhen Wu posted them in the yard of Ma Ren and Ma Yi brothers.

Xiao Liu carried the paste bucket, Xiao Qi dipped a brush in the paste and applied it on the lucky paper. Zhen Wu finished the last process by hand, pasting the word "Fu" on the door. The whole process was quick and straightforward. The two of them couldn't be happier watching.

At this moment, Ma Ren just came back from the outside and saw Zhen Wu and the other three personally pasting blessing characters in their courtyard. He happily turned around to avoid Ma Ren, and even squinted at Ma Ren with big eyes.

Ma Ren was taken aback, and smiled wryly at Zhen Wu: "Master, why did you bring Sixth Aunt and Seventh Master to do it yourself? This will make us as servants feel ashamed to death."

Zhen Wu threw the other blessings in his hand to Xiao Qi, and sent the two of them to post them first. When Xiao Liu and Xiao Qi saw that Zhen Wu had something to say to Ma Ren, they didn't make a fuss, and went to other places as sensible companions. They were excitedly discussing where to post the lucky characters again.

Zhen Wu looked at the back of Xiaoliu Xiaoqi talking and laughing, with a smile on the corner of his mouth, then turned his face pale and gave Ma Ren a look, and said: "Whoever talks about other people's affairs every day, Xiaoliu and Xiaoqi are fresh, and I am all When you take them to play, what are you fussing about?"

When Ma Ren heard what Zhen Wu said, he didn't say much, and smiled deliberately.

Zhen Wu gave Ma Ren another sideways glance in displeasure.

Ma Ren's mind has always been more active, and he is also more shrewd. Otherwise, Zhen Wu would not have let Ma Ren be the housekeeper of his family. It's just that this guy always likes to show a naive look in front of Zhen Wu.

It seems that Zhen Wu's mind is too small to tolerate his shrewdness.

Zhen Wu led Ma Ren into the room, and asked, "Have you delivered everything? Nothing wrong, right?"

When it came to the business, Ma Ren's face became serious in an instant. He shook his head and said, "Don't worry, sir. They've all been sent over. I've watched over them myself. The family is not bad."

Zhen Wu nodded, and then sighed: "In the end, I still have limited ability. I can only help a group of us to protect those soldiers who are particularly difficult, but there is nothing else we can do."

"You don't have to blame yourself, sir, what you have done is good enough." Ma Ren said.

"Okay, okay."

Zhen Wu waved his hand and said, "Each household is divided, and there is not much to share in total. In the end, it is just doing our best."

As soon as these words fell, Ma Ren was not happy, even if Zhen Wu was the master of the family, he would refute and refute Zhen Wu.

"My uncle is wrong. Although there are not many things in their hands, the statistics of so many families are not a small number for our family. You don't know. After you took this idea, I feel distressed." For several nights, this is because you have a kind heart, sir, so you can do this. Who else can do it? Is this just a little effort? Besides, even if each family doesn’t get much, it’s still enough. To solve their urgent needs, this family's hurdles, someone to help them through, is no less than a life-saving grace."

"All right, all right, you don't have to sing praises to me." After entering the room, Zhen Wu casually looked around Ma Ren's room, found a stool to sit on, and asked Ma Ren to sit down by the way, and then said : "Let's not talk about this, I haven't had a good chat with you for a long time, tell me, is there anything unusual outside when you come back?"

The New Year is coming soon, and he needs to chat with the housekeeper, have a heart-to-heart conversation, and express the concern of the leader.

In the shop before, all the people from Zhuangzi went there, and Zhen Wu, who was the important manager of the family, basically went there, leaving only Ma Yi.

Ma Ren is also looking forward to being able to communicate with Zhen Wu more, but after much deliberation, he finds that there is nothing unusual outside today, so he can only say helplessly: "All the shops on the street are closed, and there are not many pedestrians, so there is really nothing unusual." Nothing, but when I came back from the alley, the sound of chopping stuffing from every household made me hungry."

When Zhen Wu heard this, he laughed twice. He remembered that when he lived in Fengwei Hutong or Qingshui Hutong, every New Year's Eve, every household in the Hutong would be able to hear the endless sounds of chopping stuffing, and the voices were patchwork. , and playing the pipa, there is really a feeling of "mixed playing with large and small strings".

At that time, Erxian and the others were not yet married, Erxian made noodles, Zhang Yuqing chopped stuffing, fourth younger sister, fifth younger sister and Xiao Liu Xiaoqi, a group of little heads drooling around the chopping board.

All hungry.

Dumplings, even if they moved to Qingshui Hutong later, and the family conditions were not as bad as before, they still couldn't eat them a few times in a year.

It's like the common people all over the world have been holding back their greed for a year, just waiting for the day of New Year's Eve.

Now the conditions at home are a hundred times better than before, and an exquisite New Year's Eve dinner can be served on New Year's Eve. There are all kinds of chicken, duck and fish, but it seems that the atmosphere of the past is gradually losing.

Thinking of this, Zhen Wu suddenly became interested, and said to Ma Ren: "Go to the big kitchen later and ask people to make more dumplings filled with meat and vegetables. Let's add dumplings to the New Year's Eve dinner tonight."

"It's a good relationship. I'm so thankful, sir." Ma Ren said with a smile on his face.

"Thank you, I'm hungry too." Zhen Wu cursed with a smile, then turned to look at the simple furnishings in Ma Ren's room, and talked about another serious matter: "A year ago I let you live in the back of the house. I bought a few small houses on this street, you remember."

Ma Ren nodded and said, "Remember, I did it."

"When you look back, you and Ma Yi will choose a family."

Ma Ren didn't know why.

Zhen Wu pointed at Ma Ren angrily and said, "Tell me, if I don't give you all the important things in your life, you don't worry about it yourself? Both of your brothers are already in their forties. Is it possible that you still don't plan to marry a wife?" ?”

Ma Ren was a little ashamed for the first time, and an old man even twitched.

This made Zhen Wu laugh out loud.

Laughing until Ma Ren's face flushed red, Zhen Wu held back.

"Okay, okay, I won't laugh anymore, but to be serious with you, do you have any sweethearts? Tell me and I will let the princess decide for you."

Ma Ren blushed and couldn't speak at all, Zhen Wu really didn't expect Ma Ren to have such a reaction, he couldn't see the shrewd demeanor of the big housekeeper in the past, and relatively speaking, it would be jumpy if he said this Listening to the stripped Ma Yi, Ma Yi must have been happy for a long time.

Seeing that Ma Ren couldn't explain why, Zhen Wu stopped embarrassing Ma Ren, patted Ma Ren on the shoulder, got up and said: "After the next year, our family plans to release a few big girls. They want to redeem themselves, we It's not difficult, if you want to be the master of the family, you must choose the steward in the village or the shop to get married. If you don't have a sweetheart, you can think about it these days, and I will send you the list of releases later. If you are interested, we will give you a chance to win the moon first, this kind of good thing, don't say that I don't take care of you."

After finishing speaking, Zhen Wu raised his eyebrows jokingly at Ma Ren, then shook his head and planned to leave.

However, as soon as he took a step, Zhen Wu suddenly became interested again, and deliberately teased Ma Ren and said: "By the way, you remember to talk to Ma Yi about this, and let's talk about it first. Don't think about taking this good thing to yourself. I will find it later." Ma Yi verified, and also, you two brothers, don't look at who is good-looking, because you beat someone first to get bloody, and the girl has to be happy about it."

Ma Ren was stunned.

Zhen Wu laughed and walked away slowly.

……

soon.

In the evening, the whole family gathered in Zhang Yuqing's courtyard and had a happy reunion dinner. After that, Zhu Yuying took Shi Nuan to chat with Zhang Yuqing. Sitting together and chatting.

After chatting for a while, the third child said that he had made an appointment with his colleagues to go to Zhang Yu's house to find Zhang Fu. Zhen Wu could not say anything except to tell the third child to be safe.

After the third child left, Zhen Wu was free by himself, but he didn't bother to play with his colleagues, so he came to the martial arts hall alone.

At night, the martial arts training hall was a little dark, and Zhen Wu didn't light the lights. He habitually sat in his usual position and began to stare at the stars outside in a daze.

I don't know how long it took.

Zhen Wu's ears moved, and he heard some movement from outside. He got up and looked, and Zhang Yuqing came over with a lantern, accompanied by a maid.

Zhang Yuqing also saw Zhen Wu at this moment, she smiled and said, "I knew you were here."

"What's the matter?" Zhen Wu asked.

Zhang Yuqing shook his head and said, "It's okay, but I saw that the third child was gone, so no one must have talked to you, so I thought of coming over to have a conversation with you."

Zhen Wu let out a hey.

"I'm such an adult, I'm still afraid of being bored. Besides, it's so cold here, you have a big heart. You are not afraid of freezing yourself. Let's go, and I will accompany you back to your room."

Zhang Yuqing glared at Zhen Wu complainingly: "I'm not cold, and I won't go back to my room, so as not to disturb your wife and the others again."

"Noisy? What are Yuying and the others doing?" Zhen Wu asked in confusion.

Zhang Yuqing suddenly looked a little proud, and she smiled and said: "Your mother and I are old, but we are not willing to admit defeat. Today's vigil has exhausted your wife and sister-in-law, so I let them Lay on my kang for a while, and then wake them up when the time is almost up."

"Hey, why are these two people daughters-in-law?" Zhen Wu was not happy.

Zhang Yuqing stared back at Zhen Wu, and supported his daughter-in-law: "What's your expression? They're busy these days, why don't they get tired? Let me tell you, don't make trouble for me."

"Get it."

Zhen Wu said unhappily: "Your mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are family members, I am the only one who has a lot of things, that's fine."

While talking, he used the oil lamp in the lantern to light up all the lamps in the martial arts hall, and then asked people to go down to fetch some charcoal basins to increase the temperature here.

After the lights in the martial arts training hall came on, Zhang Yuqing wandered around the martial arts training hall curiously. She lingered in the empty center for a while, and then came to the weapon rack.

There are all kinds of weapons above, and when she looks at each weapon, basically all the weapons can clearly see the traces of frequent use. From this point, Zhang Yuqing can fully imagine that Zhen Wu has been in these years. How hard you practice your skills.

On the left and right sides of the weapon rack, there were some pieces of armor hanging on a few wooden dummy posts. After thinking for a while, she realized that these must be protective gear that Zhen Wu had eliminated over the years, because the one Zhen Wu is still wearing now is It is placed in Zhen Wu's study, and Zhen Wu often wipes it.

Moreover, although the armor here is still glowing with dim light at this time, there are already knife and knife scratches everywhere on the densely packed armor. She looked carefully and found that some of these armors were damaged. Shoulder guards, or breast guards, or arm guards.

Zhang Yuqing ran his finger lightly across a piece of armor, as if he could feel what kind of wind, frost and snow sword journey this armor had experienced with Zhen Wu.

In the past, she seldom entered the martial arts training hall, and she didn't know the furnishings here, but now she looked at these somewhat old armors, and couldn't help but her eyes turned red.

How many times will it take to be beaten and how many injuries will be received before the armor can be used like this.

She took a deep breath. She didn't want to shed tears during the Chinese New Year festival. It took her a while to suppress those emotional emotions, and then she pretended to be relaxed and said: "In the blink of an eye, so many years have passed Now, look at you, the armor has been changed many times."

Zhen Wu didn't notice Zhang Yuqing's emotions, and smiled smugly: "That's not true, although these armors can still be used after repairing them, but look at how they are repaired, the repairs are quite beautiful. Well, your son is so old, there must be no need to wear such bad clothes, so I restrained them all."

Having said that, Zhen Wu paused and continued: "By the way, speaking of this matter, Xiao Liu was pestering me some time ago, thinking that I would get her a woman's armor, saying that she saw that the princess looks good in it, listen Listen to this, is this a good-looking thing? I went to the top of the city twice and saw her wild, do you think I can answer her? I can’t wait to beat her up, and I want armor.”

"Besides, she will be sixteen in the new year." Speaking of this, Zhen Wu was stunned suddenly, and then said with emotion: "I didn't expect time to pass so fast, and she has also reached the age of leaving the court in a blink of an eye... Alas, a Speaking of this, I'm still a bit reluctant, but no matter how reluctant I am, I have to restrain her temper, or else..."

While talking, Zhen Wu noticed that Zhang Yuqing had not moved, and was still carrying Zhen Wu's back, as if wiping tears.

"Mom, what's wrong with you?" Zhen Wu asked with confusion and concern.

Zhang Yuqing hurriedly wiped away tears, turned around and said, "It's okay, I just thought that after your father left, you sent the second, fourth, and fifth children out of the pavilion one by one these years, and helped the third marry a wife. I still have to give Xiaoliu and Xiaoqi a piece of paper. When they are done with their life-long affairs, you will be busy with your grandson again. You said that in your life, your mother gave birth to you, but let you come to this world to eat up. Hard work."

Zhen Wu was startled.

"What's the matter, I'm the boss, I should."

"Mother knows, but I feel sorry for you." Zhang Yuqing said.

Zhen Wu opened his mouth, and suddenly he didn't know what to say. In fact, he didn't think he was worth loving, and he never regarded his younger brothers and sisters as a burden in his heart.

On the contrary, it is regarded as a treasure worth protecting all the time in life.

He did not regret coming to Daming, nor did he regret being the boss of the Zhen family.

……

At this moment, there was a burst of firecrackers outside.

Zhen Wu was shocked: "Mom, let's not talk about the New Year's Eve. Someone has set off firecrackers outside. It must be the New Year soon."

Zhang Yuqing couldn't care less about being sad now: "Let's go, I have to wake Yuying and the others."

The two hurried out.

And in Zhang Yuqing's courtyard, Zhu Yuying and the others had already been woken up by the servant girls, and when they were thinking about getting someone to call Zhen Wu and the others back, Zhu Yuying saw Zhen Wu and Zhang Yuqing.

She greeted her immediately and said, "Mother, it's time, it's the New Year soon."

Zhang Yuqing applauded again and again.

On the other side, Xiao Liu and Xiao Qi held firecrackers in the yard, calling for Zhen Wu to go over and set off firecrackers.

With a smile on Zhen Wu's face, he took the fire bag from the maidservant and strode over.

Soon.

Crackling firecrackers sounded from all the courtyards of Zhen's family. Zhen Wu watched the firecrackers exploding, and smiled with satisfaction on his face.

One yuan resumes, and all phenomena are renewed.

Hong Wu has never been late for 33 years.

(End of this chapter)