On March 20 of the sixteenth year of Changshun, it is advisable to enter the house, marry, open the light, pray for blessings, and ask for heirs.

Twenty miles southwest of the suburbs of Beijing, there is a big temple, called Dade Temple. In the early years of this temple, there was a high monk, who was born in the royal family, born with Su Hui, deep spiritual roots, devoted himself to Buddhism practice for decades, divination of fortunes, deduction of celestial phenomena and even seeking wind and rain were all effective, and was personally named by the emperor as the Zen master of the Holy Yuan Ling. When the monk passed away, there were three relics left as the treasure of the temple. The emperor was grateful for his contribution to protecting the country, and ordered him to shape a golden body and offer it in the Dade Temple. Because of this, this Dade Temple is faintly an example of the temple in the capital, the incense is extremely prosperous, every fifteenth day of the first month or the auspicious day of the zodiac, the people who come to the incense to pray for blessings are very numerous.

This day is a good day to pray for blessings and heirs, since early in the morning, the front of the Dade Temple has been crowded, the old man droops, the red woman and the white woman, fill the door, and some traders carry the basket to do some business here, it is really waving their sleeves into the clouds, rubbing shoulders one after another, the prosperity of the population, even the fifteenth city of the month, it is nothing more than that.

The temple built by this temple is majestic, the palace wall is towering, the meditation room inside is deep, the courtyard is wide, the Buddha of the whole world and the eighteen Arhats are all available, and there is a place to ask for a sign and answer questions outside the main hall, for some good men and women to solve their doubts.

The stall keeper is a one-year-old monk, who is born with kind eyebrows and good eyes. Because of the strong incense of Daitokuji Temple, there are many people who come to ask for signatures. Since the early morning, this old monk has seen many pink shirts and red dresses, white faces and green eyebrows. Just when he was tired, he suddenly heard a delicate female voice say: "Please ask Master Shi Chu to explain this signature." ”

The old monk raised his eyes when he heard the sound, and saw a delicate girl standing in front of the stall who had only reached the age of Lu. But look at her wearing a pink embroidered butterfly wearing a floral cardigan, a Yang Concubine pigmented satin skirt under the head, and a Ruixiang flower on the sideburns, dressed delicately and smartly. Looking at her face again, I saw that she had a small round face, white skin, and a pair of eyes that were very smart, but she was a familiar person.

When the monk saw the girl, he smiled lightly and said, "The female bodhisattva came out alone today. The girl did not answer, but smiled at him, turned around and nodded her hand and beckoned, "Sister-in-law, you should be faster!" It's not crowded here, so after untying the signing, let's go. ”

As soon as the words fell, I saw a young woman walking with a little maid. Shi Chu looked at it, but saw that the young woman was dressed differently than this girl, but she was wearing a willow green satin armor, with a green onion and white silk jacket inside, and a royal blue mud skirt with a royal blue swastika on her head, a good hair like dark clouds and a hanging cloud bun, and the front was wearing the same silver pine, bamboo, plum, Suihan, and Sanyou Manchi Jiao were distracted, and a pomegranate flower pressure sideburns that were also silver were inserted. Born with a goose egg face, eyes like water, a nose and a cherry mouth, and a straight figure like a pen tube, although there are not many decorations around the body, and the dress is plain and elegant, it is more and more remarkably gentle and quiet, and the bearing is dignified.

Shi Chu saw this woman, and smiled and said, "It turns out that Master Lu also came with him." The young woman stepped forward, bowed down to the old monk, and smiled, "I'm tired of the master." Before the words fell, the girl on the side handed out the skewer in her hand.

It turned out that these two daughters were two sisters-in-law, and their families lived in the alleys of Zhuliu Street in Beijing.

The young woman's maiden family is surnamed Xia, and her ancestors were originally from peasant households, because their ancestors were all diligent and capable people, and now this generation has accumulated countless family wealth, and there is a silk village and a raw medicine shop in the city, and there is also a village land in the countryside, which is a thrifty and honest family. His father's surname is Xia, and everyone in the city calls him a foreigner. His wife, Zhang, unfortunately died three years ago, leaving behind two sons and a daughter. The eldest son, Xia Gongyan, is twenty-four this year, and at the age of seventeen, he married the daughter of the coffin shop manager in the city, and has not given birth to children. The second daughter is the young woman who unsigned the lot, because she was born in the early morning of the spring equinox, so she took the name of the boudoir called the Spring Dynasty. The third son's name is Xia Gongxing, who is only 14 years old in the New Year, and is still in school.

This Xia Chun Chaofu's family name is Lu, who was originally a scholarly eunuch, and his ancestors were also officials in the cabinet. The descendants of the struggle are not good, and the family is ruined, and now it is declining prematurely. In today's generation, there are only two brothers in the Lu family, and the elder brother's name is Lu Huancheng, who has a son and a daughter. The younger brother's name is Lu Weili, but he has two sons under his knees. The two brothers were a little unhappy in their early years, and they had a quarrel over some trivial matters, and then they split up. Because his mother Lu Jia was supported by the long house, the long house also got a few more acres of fertile land. In his early years, Lu Huancheng was quite friendly with the Xia Yuanwai mentioned above, so he borrowed one hundred and ten taels of silver from him, and relied on Zu Yin to get a job as a master book in the infantry yamen of the capital.

Lu Huancheng has a son and a daughter under his knees, the eldest son is named Lu Chengyong, and the word is Da'an. When he was three years old, he set a baby with the Xia family, and he hired this Xia Chun Dynasty. The daughter took a nickname with her called Hong'er, and the family called her Sister Hong.

This Lu Chengyong married Xia Chunchao at the age of seventeen, he was a very handsome and considerate person, and Xia Chunchao was the most gentle and obedient temperament, so although these two were blind and dumb marriages, they got along very well after marriage. And because he was not good at reading, but he learned a good boxing stick since he was a child, his father Lu Huancheng took advantage of his position to ask someone to go to the army to find a shortage for him.

originally only said that he had a future, but unexpectedly, when the northwest was in turmoil, Lu Chengyong accompanied the army to the northwest to quell the rebellion. It has been five years since I left my hometown, and this summer and spring dynasty is thirsty in my heart, and I can't do anything, because I think of the great virtue temple to sign the document, I took advantage of the auspicious day to take my sister-in-law out of the incense to ask. The women of the Lu family are all people who believe in Buddhism, and they must send some sesame oil and silver rice to this Dade Temple during the New Year's holidays, and the Lu Jia family often makes offerings in front of the Buddha, so the women of the Lu family are also familiar with the monks in this temple.

When he first heard this, he took the signature, looked down and looked at it, but saw a big character written on it: "The intention is to find the future in leisure, so people wander thousands of miles by themselves." The news of the wild goose foot on the horizon, a little plum blossom spring. After looking at it, he groaned slightly and asked, "Dare to ask the donor what is the matter?" Xia Chunchao's face was slightly red, and he smiled and said softly: "Ask the distant people." Sister Lu Hong said in a loud voice: "My sister-in-law just wants to ask when my brother will come back." ”

Na Shi Chu shook his head when he heard this, and said: "The meaning of this sign is what one qiē wants, and all of them have gains, but it still needs time." The benefactor just waits patiently, and good news will come in the future. ”

Xia Chunchao heard this, but it was as if he didn't say it. was about to ask again, but saw a wave of people coming out of the main hall, four young men in Tsing Yi who had just left their heads to open the way in front, and a group of servant women behind them surrounded a young girl who went down the steps. The girl wore brocade and satin, and her wrist was wrapped in gold rings, showing that she was from a wealthy family. It's just that he wears a hat on his head, and he doesn't distinguish between Yan and his wife, and the hat is also inlaid with beads and treasures, which is very luxurious. On the side, there was a maid with a double ring in her hair, holding a fan, holding it high to shade her. Behind her were a group of servants, and they were also well dressed.

The man went down the steps, but the girl stopped and gave a word to the maid. When he arrived, two servants in Tsing Yi stepped forward, pushed and scolded, and drove away the crowd of people asking for signatures.

Xia Chunchao's aunt and sister-in-law were standing in front of the stall and were unguarded, so they ate people and pushed them. Xia Chunchao wore a pair of embroidered shoes with high and low wooden soles today, and he was a little unreliable, and he was pushed by others, and he was in danger of falling down, but fortunately the girl Bao'er and Sister Lu Hong were on the side. That Sister Lu Hong has the strongest temperament, it is a piece of carbon, and when she saw her sister-in-law being bullied, she opened her mouth and scolded: "Whose slave is so rude and rude!" The women of the people are standing here, and they are also coming up and moving their hands and feet! Fortunately, I didn't fall, but if I fell and injured for a while, how could I live?! It's all here to ask for a signature, and when you come, you're going to get rid of everyone. At the feet of the Son of Heaven, how can he be so rampant! She cursed a few words, but the servant did not hear the noise, and did not pay attention to them.

I only heard someone say: "This is the young lady of the Marquis Situ family, the Marquis of Situ gave birth to three sons and two daughters, and he alone loves this youngest like a treasure." This Marquis Situ was originally a son of a family, and now when he was in power, he had made great contributions, which is not a small family. Today, it must be that the lady is a little bad, and this young lady came out to offer incense and pray for blessings. Big girl, what are you angry with such people? It's just that I'm not happy! ”

Sister Lu Hong felt a little short of breath when she heard these words. Xia Chunchao said again: "Sister, there are a lot of people here, let's go." Sister Lu Hong followed her words, and the two of them supported them.

After leaving this place, Sister Lu Hong reprimanded again: "Since you are from such a family, you should know some etiquette, so arrogant, let the dog out and bite people everywhere, what does it look like!" When Xia Chunchao heard this, he smiled unconsciously and said, "People like them are unreasonable. I haven't really fallen, so why should my sister be so angry? My sister is still such a fierce temper, Rao is mother said that she has seen the sky, and she still hasn't changed at all. When Ming'er leaves the cabinet, how can her husband not talk about it first, and her in-laws will be punished in front of her. ”

When Sister Lu Hong heard her talk about family affairs, she couldn't help but blush, and said coyly: "On weekdays, my mother is Lusu, and my sister-in-law also comes to joke with me." Wouldn't it be better for me not to marry, but to be at home with my sister-in-law? Xia Chunchao smiled: "This is a joke, how can there be a reason for girls to be at home in the world?" You're not too young now, someone made a matchmaker a few years ago, but it hasn't been decided. However, my mother-in-law told me that she was going to buy a dowry for you. ”

When Sister Lu Hong heard this, she was a little angry, and suddenly said: "Mother too, sister-in-law, before you entered the door, she was sick all day long, and her family affairs were upside down. My father's idea is enough, where is there enough food and clothing for the family. No one understands the things in the fields, and every year they eat people and fight the autumn wind, so they rely on the sweet words of the tenants to deceive. My sister-in-law came, and all the affairs at home were taken care of. The two years are short and three years long, not to mention the family's food and clothing, and even the land has been purchased. Now that the day is good, it is time to live in peace. ”

"Who knows what kind of ranger general my brother suddenly made last year, and my brother became the official of Narauszi, but it's amazing. This family has put up a shelf, and even the grandmother has appointed herself the old lady, and the mother will put the word "rules" on her lips in everything, and she will shout at your sister-in-law. In the morning, I must go to ask her to comb her hair and dress her, and wait for them to eat, so that we can eat at home. In front of them, I didn't dare to come out, so that I looked angry and ridiculous. Now that I am older, I am going to pay for the dowry, and I will discuss with you what I say. In my opinion, it's not to discuss with my sister-in-law, it's just to ask my sister-in-law to take the money! ”。