Xu Xuzhi

Chapter 45 Teapot and Cup
Feng Jiu found out that the New Year's rules in the Shuai's Mansion are much greater than those in the Tang Mansion; those who have no taboos, the old man all regard them as the standard and strictly follow them, which proves that the old man who is widely rumored to be extremely superstitious is true.

Except for those that everyone in Fengtian believes in—for example, starting from the [-]th of the new year, in the first month, when the dumplings are boiled, you can't say "broken", you have to say "earned"; when a child falls, you can't say "fall", but It means "the number one scholar and the first prize"; if you break a bowl and plate, you have to say "Smashed peace" and so on.

Besides that, there are many additional rules to follow:
You have to get up before the first hour of the new year, and you can't take a nap at noon. This makes many people who haven't slept in the middle of the night but have to get up early to kowtow to the elders in the house to receive the New Year's money. Because the scissors can quarrel for a year, even if Qiu Sheng accidentally got a big bottle of glue stuck to his hair; he can’t eat porridge and noodle soup, because he will be poor for a whole year; the maid can’t sweep the floor for the same reason; The reason is the same as above; Feng Jiu and Ning Zheng went back to Tang’s house at noon, and they had to hurry back before dinner and couldn’t stay at their mother’s house for dinner, the reason was the same as above; children can’t shed tears, they have to hold back no matter how wronged they are, the reason almost the same as above...

Unexpectedly, what happened in just a few days in the first month has the power to finalize the whole year.

There are so many different things, anyway, on the day of "Broken Five", the old man personally brought back the God of Wealth, the God of Wealth who reported to work, and finally took the Seventh Aunt back to Peiping with satisfaction: In the new year, his grand ambition is expected to come true , the whole Ning family breathed a sigh of relief.

On the night of the fourth day of the first lunar month, the first fresh snow of the Year of the Bingyin Tiger had just fallen, and Fengtian City was covered in silver, exuding an extreme enchantment.

Unlike the current opening after the "Broken Five", the Fengtian shops in this era opened on the sixth day of the lunar new year. The shops on both sides of Siping Street not far from Shuaifu opened their doors to welcome customers, and shopkeepers set up lights under the eaves. On the rope, hang a ruler-length paper of various colors, with auspicious words such as "good weather, peace and prosperity, prosperity of people and animals, and prosperity".

In addition, the double-layer tulle lamps made and hung by each family are painted with various characters, famous landscapes and meticulous flowers and birds. If you are interested, you will hire people to smash ice from the Wanliutang Lake to trim the ice and chisel it to Zhongtong. Light candles or light bulbs inside to make crystal clear ice lanterns, and more exquisitely carved ice lanterns such as boys and girls. Make it strong, and then carve it into towers and pavilions; some sheepskins are used to make fish lanterns, sheep lanterns, lotus lanterns, and revolving horse lanterns...

The most exciting thing is the northern style Fengtian lantern made by the tailor of Melanie's family. Compared with the southern style lantern represented by the Zigong lantern, the overall shape of the Fengtian lantern with 300 years of making experience is obviously more realistic, and the dragon The scales on the body are uniform and distinct, and the whole body is transparent after the light is turned on, round and full, but the inner keel cannot be seen, which is a must.

The whole street is full of colored paper fluttering with the wind, and various colored lights, big and small, melt Siping Street into a colorful Milky Way, and the peaceful and festive atmosphere is so thick that it will overflow.

This is also a good place to view the scenery during the first lunar month in Fengtian. In addition to the Wanliutang Lantern Festival, the Siping Street Lantern Festival is also well-known.

Feng Jiu didn't want to go to Wanliutang anymore. After all, what happened in the small alley last year made people really unhappy. At that time, Ning Zheng's "panting like a bull in heat" approached her The feeling, until now thinking about it, still makes her shudder.

Feng Jiu also didn't intend to let Ning Zheng accompany her to see the Lantern Market: the day before yesterday, she just went to Melanie's natal Wufu to pay New Year's greetings to Master Wu and his wife, and Melanie and her husband returned from Beipiao years ago because Ji Songling was on vacation. To Fengtian.

Ji Songling is an orphan, and after marriage, he will naturally return to Wufu for the Chinese New Year. The two girlfriends made an appointment to see the Siping Street Lantern Festival on the evening of the seventh day of the lunar new year. Zheng Zheng followed behind the two wives step by step, not far or close.

This kind of arrangement is not bad. Fengjiu and Melanie watched the lanterns, guessed lantern riddles, and went shopping with great interest. By the way, there was always something new to talk about, and they hadn’t worked together for a long time. Ning Zheng and Ji Songling were also able to speak their minds.

Of course, after shopping around, the two husbands noticed very clearly that the wife in front had inevitably become addicted to shopping, holding all kinds of gadgets in her arms, and immediately appeared in a gentlemanly manner. After accepting it, at this time, they are not as unwelcome as they were at the beginning.

Fengjiu and Melanie handed over a pile of sundries to their respective husbands with peace of mind, and then talked about the current situation of their friends they mentioned just now, Melanie asked: "Accounting, Lili will give birth to a baby in two months. , the preparations for delivery in Shanghai are quite good; what about Weiwei, how is it with that Ke Weili?"

When Feng Jiu mentioned Wen Xiuwei, he couldn't help being a little annoyed, "She has made Mr. Ke anxious."

"How do you say it?" Melanie couldn't help complaining about Ji Songling's garrison in the backcountry. She, who likes gossip so much, didn't have much to do.

"One night a year ago, she went out to dinner with Ke Weili. She drank too much wine for some reason. According to her own account, she didn't do anything. It was Ke Weili who sent her home. As a result, he came to propose marriage the next day. Alright," Feng Jiu nodded bitterly to the bewildered Melanie, "Mr. Ke said that in the western restaurant last night, she personally asked him to come to propose marriage the next day, so he came right away, but our The eldest lady refused to admit it, saying that Mr. Ke was talking nonsense, she was not drunk last night, she was very sober, she couldn't-but-could say such things..."

"And then?" Melanie asked anxiously, in her big clear and crystal eyes, the fire of the Eight Diagrams furnace of the Supreme Lord was burning.

"Then? Hmph, Mr. Ke brought the foreman and waiters of the western restaurant to testify for himself."

For Wen Xiuwei, who likes to drink a lot, but often drinks too much, has a poor capacity for alcohol, and has a bad quality of wine, these two girlfriends feel that they still have the right to speak-it’s not a gimmick to talk nonsense after drinking, and to refuse to admit what they say when they wake up. once.

Melanie touched her chin, "What did Mr. Ke say?"

"What can I say? This happened years ago. Anyway, Mr. Ke is also on vacation now. He has plenty of time. I heard that he won't even go back to his hometown in Hong Kong. He chases Weiwei every day and asks her to admit it. It probably won't break Loulan. She vowed not to withdraw the troops, and said that otherwise her reputation would be ruined in her hands."

The whole thing is reversed. After the "chaos and abandonment", there are still pure and good men who ask for fame from the woman. Of course, it is an exaggeration to say "chaos".

In fact, this matter is really wronged Wen Xiuwei: the heroine in this woman was just unconsciously repeating a sentence that Ke Weili said inductively, but she was immediately caught by Ke Weili, who had been unable to make progress since meeting last summer. They used it as an excuse to demand that their identities be confirmed, and the two staff members of the western restaurant who had dinner at that time had to succumb to Mr. Ke's golden bullet offensive on the one hand, and on the other hand, they were also happy to see a pair of couples achieve good things, so they half-pushed and followed them to the door to testify .

In short, Ke Weili's serious appearance is very deceptive. If you ask ten people who is reliable, he or Wen Xiuwei, I am afraid that nine and a half out of ten will say it is him, and this must include Wen Xiuwei's relatives and friends. After all, this girl The little girl's heart, that is, uncertainty is indeed very famous.

As soon as they met, Wen Xiuwei's parents were very satisfied with Ke Weili, who seemed stable and reliable, but she still couldn't make up her mind.

The two looked at each other for a while, and then laughed tacitly, which made the two husbands behind, whose arms were full of small snacks, lanterns, headdresses and rouge and gouache, bewildered.

Weiwei, who has little tendons, is so cute, and every time she brings them so much joy, they always smile when they think of her.

Suddenly, Ji Songling walked over and squatted down in front of Melanie without any explanation. He carefully put all the small things he bought on his lap, and lowered his head to untie the laces of Melanie's black high-waisted military boots It's fastened.Feng Jiu watched from the side, and couldn't help admiring him, thinking that Ji Songling was really a good man, not to mention clean and self-sufficient, although his mouth was a bit dull, but he was always careful and considerate to Melanie.

Ning Zheng watched from the side, his face darkened.

On the way back, Ning Zheng was a little silent, but Feng Jiu was in a good mood and took the initiative to tell him the reason why they laughed like that. Only then did Ning Zheng know why Ke Weili, one of his adjutants, did not return to his hometown but stayed in the Fengtian wandered.

However, it was fast enough. After Feng Jiu finished speaking, he realized that his girlfriends were not slow to solve major marriage matters.

Walking into the garden of the commander-in-chief's mansion, Ning Zheng suddenly knelt down on one knee. From Feng Jiu's perspective, it seemed that his shoulders were broad and his back was thick, and his thin waistline stood out. She asked in surprise, "Hey, what are you doing?"

Ning Zheng didn't answer, but just loosened the tightly tied laces on Feng Jiu's two short boots, and then tied them again. After doing such futile work, he stood up, always upturned without smiling. The corners of Yuan Bao's mouth drooped slightly, showing not so little grievance, "If your shoelaces are untied, I will also tie them for you. Don't look at Songling with that kind of eyes, I feel bad."

"...How old are you, huh? You still drink this kind of vinegar?" Feng Jiu felt incredible, "Besides, what kind of vinegar do I use..."

Ning Zheng reached out to hold her face, bowed his head and kissed her lips deeply: There has never been a woman before, and Ji Songling, who is as clean as ice and snow, makes me too dirty, doesn't she?Your appreciation of him is the dislike of me, but even so...

Ning Zheng was scheduled to leave the customs by train on the ninth day of the lunar new year. On the eighth day of the eighth day, Feng Jiu welcomed an unexpected visitor in the reception room downstairs of the Little Red Building...

Wu Ma peeped at the unkind expression of this old-fashioned figure when he saw her own girl, she immediately became unhappy, weighed up the identity of the other party, and felt that she could fight, she rolled up her sleeves and was about to charge up, but was greeted with a smile The young girl was pushed back into the room, and made a gesture to reassure her.

It is not known what the two of them were talking about, anyway, after Fengjiu calmly chatted with the guest for a while, he saw the gorgeous guest rushing out of the small red building to find Ning Zheng at the fastest speed, probably to complain .

Fengjiu felt that this guest was so stupid and cute, she really didn't mean to be angry with her at all, of course, she didn't mean to be angry with her on purpose, maybe she just wanted to tease her... But judging from the guest's reaction, It seems to be choking enough.

Ning Zheng was entertaining a few fathers in the "Tiger Hall" of the big brothel in front of him. He had just sent them off, and before he turned around, he saw his childhood nanny, Mother Liu, rushing towards her like a cannonball.

This is a spacious conference room with a circle of three, two and single black leather sofas.

It is called "Tiger Hall" because there are two specimens of Siberian tigers on the left and right on both sides of the north window of the meeting room. They are all dressed in colorful orange, yellow and black stripes. Needless to say, they are all male tigers with four legs. Landing on the ground, the tiger's body is mighty and powerful, posing a marching posture; it is half a meter high, with black horizontal stripes on its forehead, which are slightly connected in the middle, resembling the word "king".

The expressions of the two tigers are roaring, showing their terrifying fangs, and the amber tiger eyes seem to be able to stare at people in circles, giving people a feeling of fear and fear. Tang Gechen, Governor of He Province, gave the old man a gift when the Daqinglou was completed. According to him, he hunted it in Phoenix Mountain in Anton.

The old man liked this gift very much, and even took a photo with one of them—the Northeast King and the Siberian Tiger, look, how well they match, how much they cheer up, how well they fit the occasion.

Since then, many of his important meetings have been held here, which shows that the old man likes this gift.

When Feng Jiu first got married, Ning Zheng led her around, but as soon as Feng Jiu came in and saw the two big tigers, she became agitated and turned around to go out - she has a natural fear of lifelike animal specimens, including butterflies Not to mention that many northerners like to wear fox bibs around their necks in winter. They have heads, mouths and eyes. Of course, the eyes are fake, and they are usually filled with yellow-brown glass beads. The fox holds its tail in its mouth as a fixation, hey...

Feng Jiu wanted to leave but failed, but was blocked by the trickster Ning Zheng, who turned her around, pushed her shoulders from behind and moved closer to the two tigers, seeing her leaning back and refusing to go, she simply hugged her She lifted the man in front of the tiger by her waist, and Fengjiu was so angry and afraid that he would inevitably kick and beat him. Since then, he has a long memory, and he never wants to step into this "tiger hall" again.

But Ning Zheng really enjoyed the feeling that she was terrified later and stopped beating others, and only cared about the feeling of huddling in her arms and hugging his neck tightly - it was really not easy for her to take the initiative to get close to him.

Ning Zheng was happy from the bottom of his heart to see Mother Liu who was not young but could still run all the way: she was still wearing the most conservative straight and wide cheongsam, because she was originally a bannerman and had stayed in the palace. After returning to my hometown in Northeast China, after getting married and having a child, it happened that the old man who had just given birth to Ning Zheng had no milk, so he hired her. The relationship between the master and the servant was very good, except for being a little narrow-minded, His character is good, and one more thing, his thoughts are not generally conservative.

Just when I met Feng Jiuyi in Xiaohonglou, the cheongsam worn by Mama Liu shocked Feng Jiu. Probably after the fall of the Qing Dynasty, once the previous taboos were lifted, many people wanted to have a good time and put away the greedy eyes. , The colors and styles that I want to wear but dare not wear are all tight on my body, and Mama Liu is among them.

At this time, she was wearing a magenta old-fashioned cheongsam in the late Qing Dynasty, with many colorful scrolls at least one and a half inches wide added to the neckline, cuffs and buttons. Feng Jiu silently counted the number of pieces while listening to her. Looking at it, there were as many as sixteen, which made her dizzy.

Later, when she returned to her natal home, she told everyone about this as a new thing. The uncle in the big room laughed, and said that this nurse Liu, I am afraid that she had some background before. At that time, it was the most fashionable style for Manchu aristocratic women, and it seemed that the family was rich and noble. Liu's mother, who had sixteen degrees, was not the most.

"I'm just trying to persuade her to give you an elementary school. She's so good, she actually said with a smile, how can a young man who has returned from studying abroad accept an elementary school? If she really wants to accept an elementary school, she will divorce you. Chen Zhong'er, what do you say?" Is it ridiculous?"

Ning Zheng was smiling and silent at first, but after listening to the old man's words, he didn't calm down, and he seemed to be getting worse, and he also had a headache: "Where did she offend you, why don't you ask her to pay me when I go up?"

The nanny uncomfortably loosened her tight collar: "Didn't I hear from your nanny that you are often away from Fengtian these days? She is a newlywed and cannot enter the customs to accompany you. I will give you a little, Serving you for her, and saving you from finding a woman who doesn't know the details and getting dirty again, isn't this also for her good?"

... This logic is also strange.Ning Zheng rubbed his forehead. The privacy of the boudoir between him and Feng Jiu is naturally not humane. After hearing this, he could only comfort him: "Nurse don't need to be angry, her thinking is different from others, and I am not the first genius." Know."

"But how can anyone get divorced because they are in charge of the family? What is the world. Since ancient times, a teapot is matched with a bunch of teacups. Who has ever seen a teacup matched with a bunch of teapots?"

Ning Zheng laughed in shock: "Nurse, your knowledge is extraordinary. You actually have the same opinion as the great Confucian Gu Hongming on this matter."

"... Gu or something, I don't know, but Lier is such a rationale, isn't he?" Although Nanny Liu doesn't know who this "aunt" or "Gu" is, she must be able to make her little master agree. Is an amazing character.

"Although it is the Republic of China, we are Chinese. Since ancient times, 'Follow your father at home and obey your husband when you marry'. This is an iron law that has not changed for thousands of years. Even if the dynasty changes, this cannot be changed! I remember that her father, Mr. Tang, also has A concubine? She is a little girl, and she still wants to turn against the sky?"

Nanny Liu's son went to the Jinzhou Police Station to take up a job, and she went with her. She has been helping her son with the baby, and she was not free, and she didn't even bother to attend Ning Zheng's wedding; After attending the wedding, Ning Zheng has a good relationship with his brother-in-law, and his current position as deputy chief of the Jinzhou City Police Department was also arranged by Ning Zheng.

Yesterday, Nanny Liu finally had time to go back to Fengtian to visit her parents. Today, she rushed to Shuai Mansion to see the new third young mistress. She never expected that she would look at her from top to bottom as soon as they met... She didn't like it: still According to her standards, Chen Zhong's daughter-in-law is too thin, and she is so tall, her face is not round, she has no breasts or buttocks, and she has no flesh from top to bottom; look at the hip bones, they are not wide, raw. I'm afraid the child will have to work hard, I really don't know what the old handsome and the young handsome are looking for in her.

"Her father's concubine room has been dismissed long ago. Besides, not all women live a miserable life when they get married. Look at my eldest sister. Also, does mother know the life of the princesses in the past after marriage? Except for a very few Except for those who can’t get up, under normal circumstances, the son-in-law has to listen to the princess; every time he wants to see the princess, he has to report and get permission to see his wife; if he is not allowed to accept the child, he can’t accept it.”

"But, but the sixth girl of the Tang family is not a princess, and her family is just a banker." Since the old man took charge of the Northeast, Nanny Liu's vision has also increased. She is not a warlord or a cabinet minister. She didn't even look down on people in high positions, and she didn't take it seriously for Feng Jiu's background, which was already extraordinary by ordinary standards.

Ning Zheng: "...Although she is not a princess, believe it or not, if I really 'divorce' her now, the handwriting on the divorce letter is not yet dry, she can marry again, and she can marry well Ruyi. At least, you don’t have to marry someone like me who leads soldiers and fights, so you don’t have to worry about it all day.” He had nothing to hide from his nanny, so he naturally said something; of course, he was a little suspicious that Feng Jiu knew that he was going to the court. On the battlefield, how much worry will there be about yourself.

"Chen Zhong'er." Nurse Liu brought up Ning Zheng with her own hands. How could she not know that although the child she brought up was humble and polite on the outside, it was actually very proud on the inside, "How can you destroy your prestige and build up others' ambition like this? If it is true Divorced, she will be a second-marriage leader by then..."

Ning Zheng smiled, but there was no warmth in the smile: "She is different, she does not rely on our Ning family to support her, nor does she depend on me for a living. She has this qualification. Most women in this world do not have the qualification. She Have."

Nanny Liu didn't understand, she just wanted to ask again, if a woman is alive, what else can she rely on if she doesn't rely on a man?Could it be because their Tang family married two banks?
But looking at Ning Zheng's gloomy face as soon as he finished speaking, it seemed that such a thing was unbearable even for him to imagine, no matter how unhappy the nanny was, she could only obediently stop talking.

Ning Zheng managed to coax Mama Liu away, and sat in the Tiger Hall for a while before returning to the Little Red Building. There were not many things to deal with today, and there should be nothing else to do next. He put his hands in his pockets, slowly Go to the study.

While walking, Ning Zheng recalled that Bao Buqu once came to see him after the engagement, and the two made an appointment to meet in the private room of the teahouse. Bao Buqu said that he had talked to Feng Jiu and knew his thoughts, and then waved irritably. Waving: "I don't know if I should congratulate you, or should I sympathize with you?"

Ning Zheng didn't speak, just watched him silently.

Bao Buqu was a little incoherent, took out a cigarette, and Ning Zheng picked up the "Huilin" matchbox on the table - this is a domestic match produced by Zhang Huilin, a local industrialist in Fengtian. The founder of Bawangji Soda Factory.

He walked around the coffee table, lit a match with a "crack", and lit a cigarette for Bao Buyi who was sitting across from him.

Bao Buqu didn't say a word, he took a deep breath, and the obvious cheekbones of the Cantonese people became more prominent, then he exhaled a few smoke rings, and handed another one to Ning Zheng, with his feet crossed and raised, resting on the low On the coffee table, she said calmly: "Girl Fengjiu looks gentle and kind, but she can also be indifferent and cruel. She can't have the slightest affection for a person like you; do you really want such a person to stay by your side?" ?”

Ning Zheng lit the cigarette, took a puff, and exhaled two streams of thick white smoke from his nose: "I have to give it a try."

"You are making things difficult for others." Bao Buqu suddenly stood up and approached him, gritted his teeth and said these words.

After he finished speaking, he turned around quickly, as if he was afraid that he would lose control, and swung his fist to the face in front of him that even he had to admit was too handsome.

"Originally, it was agreed that everyone should rely on their own abilities. Is this your ability?" He snorted coldly, putting his hands in his pockets, speaking with sarcasm and resentment, his hands clenched into fists, trembling slightly.

"It's too late." Ning Zheng said frankly, "She wants to study in America."

"Knowing that you still force her to get engaged? It's the first time in your life that you like a woman. Do you want to force her?!" Bao Buqu couldn't understand Ning Zheng. These young men who studied abroad all claimed to be civilized people, and the most emphatic Respecting women, all of them put on a gentleman's demeanor. He never thought that once Ning Zheng returned to his own territory, he would actually do such a disrespectful thing.

"You are harming others and yourself." Bao Buqu pointed out mercilessly.

Ning Zheng snorted softly: "If I like it, I'll get it; if I can't get it, I'll grab it. It's as simple as that."

"Is it possible to win people's hearts? She didn't like you at all, let alone love you!" Bao Buqu shouted at him, why can't you see the fact that is so obvious?

"It's so fresh, as if I love her." The corners of Ning Zheng's lips were lightly raised, full of indifference. "My marriage doesn't talk about love or not, only good or bad. Tang Fengjiu and I are a natural couple."

"Isn't Wei Hutou more suitable for her?" Bao Buqu smiled, and stabbed his former brother in the chest without hesitation.

"That kid from the Wei family? Heh... If you haven't made it in 11 years, you'll never make it."

"That's because Feng Jiu hasn't enlightened yet."

"So, it's cheap for me." Ning Zheng replied calmly.

Finally, Bao Buqu couldn't bear it any longer, and threw a punch. Ning Zheng received the punch abruptly, and then started to fight back...

He hadn't seen Bao Er for a long time, the last time Bao Buqu and Feng Jiu met for lunch at the Bianye Bank, he naturally knew everything about it, and he knew that Bao Er was not married yet, could it be that he still didn't give up?

The study room was right in front of him, he paused, calmed down, and then pushed open the heavy door.

(End of this chapter)