The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

On May [-]th, it was Su Jin's wedding day, so at midnight, the sky was still dark and people could not be seen clearly, so the Su family's welcoming team rushed to Yan's mansion to welcome her.

Su Jin was wearing a green brocade robe, hairpin hairpins, black boots, and a horse wearing flowers. This outfit was the wedding dress given to the groom by the Yan Mansion three days ago.

Su Jin naturally enjoys his success. He didn't know that the family was very busy a few days before the wedding, and they communicated frequently. Reciprocating the groom's clothing means that both parties are ready.

Yesterday was the day before the wedding, the Yan family also sent people to the Su residence to lay curtains, quilts and other utensils for the new house, and prepared the ceremony to warm the house.

He also sent a trusted woman and a married woman envoy to guard the room, and no outsiders were allowed to enter, so as to wait for the newcomer.The person who makes the house is also particular about it, and must be a "good life woman" with both good fortune and longevity and a wealthy family background, in order to get auspicious meaning.Naturally, Su Jin knew all about it, and his own family members communicated with the Yan family. [

……

The welcoming team arrived in front of the gate of Yan Mansion, and after a long time of fussing and brawling, the door of Yan Mansion opened; Yan Shu, who was on leave at home, came to the door with a brand new blue gown with his belly outstretched.

Su Jin hurried forward to kowtow to salute, Yan Biyun's father, Yan Shu is the father-in-law, and Zampo kept shouting beside him: "Slow down, let's take longer."

Su Jin almost fell to the ground, and then Yan Shu said with a smile: "Okay, okay. Get up."

What followed was a series of making things difficult and teasing, in short, to let Su Jin know that it is not easy to marry a wife and treat him kindly in the future.

In the inner boudoir of Yan's family, Yan Biyun was already dressed neatly and stood in the east wing, beside Xiao Xian'er and another maidservant who accompanied her to serve her, accompanied by her aunt at home, who kept advising her on the etiquette According to the steps and rules, Yan Biyun nodded frequently.

Yan Biyun's face was calm, he concealed no trace of the joy in his heart, and intentionally covered Xifu's abdomen with his hands, the abdomen was already slightly swollen, if it was not deliberately tightened, it would be suspected of being exposed.

Footsteps sounded outside, a little girl with double hair tied ran in, Xiao Xianer hurriedly asked: "Xiao Huan'er, what's going on outside?"

The little girl said with a smile: "Several young masters and young ladies are torturing the new uncle. You need happy money to enter the door, seat money to sit, and tea money to drink tea. Hee hee, the new uncle has a very good temper. When I kowtowed to Master Yan, I lay on the ground for a long time."

Yan Biyun chuckled, Xiao Xian'er smiled and said: "Yes, you should torment him, teach him how easy it is to marry my young lady, Xiaohuaner, let's go again, I will torment him for my young lady."

Yan Biyun said angrily: "Are you joining in the fun? Be careful that he will trouble you in the future."

Xiaoxian'er blushed when she heard that there was ambiguity in her words, and she tormented him herself, and he might not know how to torment herself in the future.

Yan Biyun thought for a while and said: "Isn't he the number one scholar? Asking him to write three reminder poems to come in is not a difficult thing for him."

Xiao Xianer said happily: "It should be like this. If someone writes one, he must write at least three." After saying that, she pulled the little ring and went straight to the front hall.

After a while, the first makeup reminder poem spread into the inner hall, and Yan Biyun unfolded it and read: It is rumored that the red powder will be lowered in the candle, so don't make spring in front of the mirror.There is no need for makeup on the face, but the eyebrows are left to be painted.

Yan Biyun smiled slightly, Su Jin, a bad boy, told himself not to bother with drawing eyebrows, and kept them at Su's house for him to draw for himself. Although it was a joke, it was also affectionate.

After a while, the second make-up poem came in, but it was a small word: happiness envelops the door, light moves the beautiful fragrance, walks under the crape myrtle flowers, and realizes that the body is extraordinary.There is no need for vermilion powder to damage the innocence, I am afraid that it is too red and white, so I keep the dark eyebrows and the shallow part, and the picture is full of spring.

Yan Biyun smiled, and continued to wait for the third one, and after a while the third one came again: Urge to shop the Baizi tent, wait for the seven-scented car, spread out the brocade fur and slender hands, hand over a cup of wine is warm, and ask if the make-up is done, Dongfang wants Xiaoxia.

Yan Biyun couldn't help but compose three poems in a row in an instant, the title of Lang Jun, the number one scholar, is not just a fool's errand. [

The Yan family also had restraint in making things difficult, they had to go out and get on the sedan chair before it was dark, otherwise it would be unlucky, after a lot of fuss, Yan Biyun went out with the help of the others and came to the eaves of the main hall.

Yan Shu stood on the east steps, stroking his beard and smiling.Tears welled up in Yan Biyun's eyes, and he stepped forward and kowtowed: "My niece, Biyun, pays tribute to my uncle, thank you for your kindness in nurturing me over the years."

Yan Shu said with a smile: "Girl, why do you need to be so polite? Although you are married, you are still a daughter of my Yan family, and I still have to rely on you to take care of the family affairs; my uncle only warned you a few words, from today on, you are the head of the Su family." Wife, remember to always be careful, respectful, and prudent in the future, be respectful to your mother-in-law, be obedient to your husband, and treat your husband’s family like family members. like."

Yan Biyun agreed with tears, and told Yan Shu to take care of his health, and he would come back often to see her. Xiao Xianer softly persuaded her: "Miss, don't cry, the time will be delayed if the makeup is broken."

Only then did Yan Biyun wipe away his tears gently, and turned his head to look up the steps of Xi Kongkong. According to the etiquette, there should be his mother standing there waiting for him to say goodbye, but his mother didn't even show her face. Hiding in the Buddhist hall, chanting scriptures and worshiping Buddha; it's like not having my own daughter.

Yan Shu comforted: "Your mother doesn't want to come out, so that's fine; after all, she is your mother, so let her go; it's getting late, don't break the rules, let's go."

Yan Biyun's tears fell down again, and he gave Yan Shu a deep blessing; Yan Shu was also a little sad, forced himself to calm down, and turned to enter the hall.

The bridesmaid shouted loudly: "Get on the sedan chair!"

As if she had received an order, the sound of drums and firecrackers rang out at the same time. Xiao Xian'er gently put the pinned gold hijab on Yan Biyun's head, and walked slowly towards the gate of the mansion with her arms.

Su Jin led the way, and the two left the house one after the other. There was already a huge crowd of people outside the door. The marriage of Zhuangyuan Lang was a big news in itself, not to mention that Cai was a widowed woman from the Yan family, which aroused everyone even more. interest; although most of the blessings, there are some people who think that Su Jin is worthless, and the number one scholar, taking a woman with the status of a widow, this is simply a big joke, this woman is old, and a widow, the number one scholar. The taste is really unique.

But those who know the inside story will naturally understand that Su Jin and Yan Biyun have gone through hardships to become what they are today. Other considerations are a matter of course in the depths of love.

All the way, there were more than 300 people in the Yan family's sending off team, the front of the team had reached Bianhe Street, but the people behind were still in Tianshuijing Hutong.

The richness of the dowry is astonishing. In front of them are ten loads of brocades of various colors, six for each stone, a total of sixty; eighteen sets of new clothes, leather jackets, shoes, socks and hats; fifty sets of brocade quilts and pillows.

Followed by wooden furniture, they are: a Babu bed surrounded by huanghuali and begonia flowers, an arhat bed with three screens in rosewood, a beauty bed in rosewood, a piano table, a desk, various tables, and a table with eight immortals. Three sets; one huanghuali top chest, one vertical cabinet, one nanmu bookcase; one pair of nanmu Duobaoge, one pair of cowpea red bottles, three horizontal cabinets with huanghuali, four pairs of camphorwood boxes, several pairs of nanmu boxes, dressing table One, four clothes hangers, copper box racks, Taishi chairs, round chairs, four each, and four stools and embroidered pier.

This is not over yet, there is also a huanghuali Kang table inlaid with mother-of-pearl, and a pair of money cabinets with huanghuali inlaid with mother-of-pearl...

Behind it are various decorations: jade ruyi inlaid with agarwood wood, xiuyu ruyi, a pair of copper wax skewers, a tin oil lamp, a pot of green jade bamboo bonsai, a pot of silver-plated hexagonal stone plum flower bonsai, large A pair of porcelain duster bottles, red and green feather dusters inserted inside, a pair of famille rose tea pots, a set of white porcelain tea sets, a set of purple sand tea sets, a set of glass tea sets, a set of wooden fish stone tea sets, various porcelain: vases, jars , bowls and saucers, cups, fruit plates, hanging mirrors, and hanging screens.

There are also five sets of gold and silver ornaments, five sets of jewels of various colors, and five loads of other various curiosities of calligraphy and painting; three good horses and a jasper carriage accompanied by them.

……

All in all, this kind of dowry is unprecedented in scale. The dowry covers almost all food, clothing, housing and transportation, not including everything that can be used in life in the future. The team stretches for more than ten miles, which can be called "ten miles of red makeup".

The onlookers were all dumbfounded. They all said that Yan Sansi’s family was rich, and it was certain that the Yan family’s dowry would be rich, but they never expected it to be so rich. A rough calculation showed that it was worth at least a million dollars; the number one scholar Lang not only married a beautiful wife, but this time he also brought a golden baby back home.