"Ah, Uncle Mu! New Year's Congratulations, Fortune and Fortune! ”

"Hello, Eighty-three! Congratulations! ……”

"Alas, congratulations! My aunt is also here......"

"Ah, Grandpa Mu! ……”

As soon as Zhuang Musan and his daughter, Aigu, stepped off the ship from the head of the Mulian Bridge, many voices in the boat roared in unison, and several of them clenched their fists and arched; At the same time, the seating board next to the boat was also vacated for four people. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 info Zhuang Musan greeted him and sat down on the other hand, leaning his long pipe against the side of the boat; Aigu sat on his left side, and placed her two hook-like feet facing Eight-Three into a "Eight" figure.

"Grandpa Mu is going to the city?" A crab shell face asked.

"Don't go to the city," Father-in-law Mu was a little decadent, but because there were many wrinkles on his purple sugar-colored face, he couldn't see any major changes, "It's just to go to Pang Zhuang for a walk." ”

The boats were silent, just looking at them.

"Is it still for the sake of Ai Gu?" After a while, Eighty-three questioned.

"Or for her. …… This really annoys me, I've been making trouble for three years, how many fights have I had, how many times I have said peace, and I always don't fall into ....... ”

"This time, let's go to the old man's house? ……”

"Or to his house. He told them more than once or twice, and I didn't follow them. It's nothing. This time it was his family's New Year's party, and even the seven adults in the city were ....... ”

"Seven?" Eighty-three's eyes widened. "Did he come out and speak? …… Is that....... In fact, last year we dismantled all their stoves,[2] and we finally got a bad breath. Besides, when Aigu went back over there, in fact, there was no taste ....... So he went with his eyes.

"I'm not greedy to go back over there, Eighth Third Brother!" Aigu raised her head indignantly and said, "I'm angry. You think, the 'little brute' has a little widow, and he doesn't want me. Things are so easy? The 'old brute' only knows how to help his son, and he doesn't want me, it's so easy! What about the Seven Adults? Could it be that if you exchange posts with the magistrate [3], you won't talk about people? He can't be like a comforter. It just says 'it's good to be separated, it's good to be separated'. I'm going to tell him about my hardships in the past few years, and see who the Seven Adults say is good! ”

Eighty-three was convinced, and he couldn't open his mouth again.

There was only the sound of the gurgling of the bow of the ship; There was silence in the boat. Zhuang Musan reached out and touched the pipe and filled it with a cigarette.

Diagonally opposite, a fat man sitting next to Eighty-Three took out a lighter from his belly pocket. Hit the line of fire and press him on the pipe.

"Yes, yes." (1) Mu San nodded and said.

(1) "Yes" is a "sorry sorry" strategy, or a consonant of "offended": unknown. -- Author's note.

"Although we are in the first meeting, Uncle Mu's name has long been known." The fat man said respectfully. "Yes, there are 368 coastal villages here, who doesn't know? The son of the Shi family was a widow, and we already knew about it. Last year, Uncle Mu took six sons to dismantle his family's stove, who didn't say it should? …… Your old man can walk into the big family, and his steps are open, and he is afraid of them! ……”

"Your uncle is really breathable." Aigu said happily, "Although I don't know who your uncle is. ”

"My name is Wang Degui." The fat man hurriedly said.

"You can't get rid of me. Seven adults or eight adults. I'm going to make a mess of their family! Didn't Master Wei persuade me four times? Even my father was a little dizzy and hot when he saw the money paid for ......it. ”

"What the!" Mu San whispered.

"But I heard that at the end of last year, the Shi family gave Master Wei a table of banquets, Eighth Father-in-law." Crab shell face.

"That's out of the way." Wang Degui said, "Can the banquet make people faint?" What if the banquet can be stuffed and people faint, and the big dishes [4] are served? For example, if a person is insulted by others, they will come out and speak justice. I don't care if I drink alcohol or not. At the end of last year, Uncle Rong from our village came back from Beijing, and he had seen a big scene, unlike us countrymen. He said that the first person over there should be Mrs. Guang. It's hard ...... again. ”

"The guests of Wangjiahuitou are ashore!" The boatman shouted loudly, and the ship was about to stop.

"There's me, there's me!" The fat man immediately took the pipe of his cigarette, jumped from the middle cabin, and walked ashore with the advancing ship.

"Yes, yes!" He also nodded to the people in the boat and said.

The ship went on in a new silence; The sound of the water is very audible again, murmuring. Eighty-three began to fall asleep. Gradually, he opened his mouth to the hook knife foot on the opposite side. The two old women in the front cabin also hummed the Buddha horn in a low voice, they picked up the rosary, and they both looked at their aunt, and looked at each other, pouted, and nodded.

Aigu stared at the top of the tent, and most of them were thinking about how their family would be ruined in the future; "Old brute", "little brute", all cornered. She doesn't pay attention to the old man, she has seen it twice, but she is just a short man with a lot of brains: there are many such people in the village, but his face is purple-black than his.

Zhuang Musan's cigarette had already been smoked to the end, and the fire forced the e-liquid in the bottom of the bucket to squeak and smoke. He knew that as soon as he passed the head of Wangjiahui, he would go to Pangzhuang; And the Kuixing Pavilion [5] at the entrance of the village was indeed visible. Pang Zhuang, he has been to many times, insignificant, and comforting the old man. He still remembered his daughter's crying, the hatefulness of his in-laws and son-in-law, and how they suffered later. Thinking of this, the scene of the past unfolded in front of him, when it came to punishing his in-laws, he had always smiled coldly, but this time no, somehow suddenly a chubby seven adults stalked him, squeezing the situation in his mind out of order.

The ship continued in the silence that continued; The unique chanting of the Buddha is loud; In addition, everything seems to be immersed in contemplation with Uncle Mu and Aunt Ai.

"Uncle Mu, you go ashore, Pang Zhuang has arrived."

When Mu San and the others were alerted by the voice of the boat family, there was already Kuixing Pavilion in front of them. He jumped ashore, followed by his aunt, passed by Lord Kuixing, and walked towards the old man's house. Facing south, I walked through the thirty storefronts, turned another corner, and arrived, and I saw four black canopy boats moored in a row at the door.

When they stepped into the black oil gate, they were invited into the gatehouse; Behind the gate were already filled with two tables of gondoliers and long-term years. Aigu didn't dare to look at them, but just glanced at them, but there was no trace of the "old beast" and the "little beast".

When the workers brought out the rice cake soup, Aigu couldn't help but become more and more cramped and uneasy, and even she didn't understand why. "Don't you change posts with the county magistrate and don't talk about people?" She thought. "A man who knows how to read and reason speaks fairly. I would like to tell you about the Seven Adults in detail, from the time I married at the age of fifteen and became a daughter-in-law, ....... ”

She finished drinking the rice cake soup; Know that the time is coming. Sure enough, after a while, she had been following for a long time. She and her father passed through the hall, and then turned another corner, and stepped into the threshold of the living room.

There were many things in the living room, and she didn't have time to look at them closely; There are also many guests. I saw red and blue satin horses hanging and shining. The first thing I saw in the middle of these was a person, and this must be the Seven Great People. Although he is also a group head, he is much burlier than the old men; The large round face has two thin eyes and a thin black beard; The top of his head was bald, but his skull and face were ruddy and shiny. Aigu felt very surprised. But he immediately explained to himself: it must have been rubbed with lard.

"This is the 'fart plug' [6], which was stuffed in the butt eye when the ancients were buried." The Seven Adults were holding a rotten stone-like thing, and as they spoke, they wiped it twice next to their noses, and then continued, "It's a pity that it's a 'new pit'." It can also be bought, at the latest, Han. You see, this is the ...... of 'mercury immersion'. ”

Several heads immediately gathered around the "mercury dip", one of which was naturally the old man; There are also a few young masters, because they are crushed like bed bugs by the prestige. My aunt hadn't seen her before.

She didn't understand the latter paragraph; Unintentionally, and did not dare to study any "mercury immersion", she secretly looked around, and saw that behind her, next to the wall next to the door, there were "old beasts" and "little beasts". Although it was only a glimpse, compared to when I saw it by chance half a year ago, it was clear that it was old.

Then everyone dispersed around the "mercury dip"; Master Wei took the "fart plug", sat down, and rubbed it with his fingers. Turning his face to Zhuang Musan, he spoke.

"Is that just the two of you?"

"Yes."

"None of your sons came?"

"They don't have the time."

"Why did you come to work on the first day of the New Year? But still, just for that thing,...... I think you've had enough. Hasn't it been more than two years? I think. Grievances are better settled than settled. Since my husband is wrong, my in-laws don't like ....... It's still the same as I said before: it's better to be separated. I don't have such a big face, I can't make sense. The Seven are the most righteous speakers, as you know. Now the Seven Adults mean the same thing: just like me. But the seven adults said that they should admit bad luck on both sides, and asked the Shi family to add another ten yuan: ninety yuan! ”

“…………”

"Ninety dollars! You are fighting a lawsuit to the emperor's uncle. It's not so cheap either. Only our Seven Masters are willing to say this. ”

The Seven adults opened their eyes, looked at Zhuang Musan, and nodded.

Aigu felt that the matter was a little critical, and she wondered why her father, who was usually a little afraid of him by the coastal residents, couldn't speak here. She thought it was unnecessary; Ever since she heard a comment from the Seven Adults, although she didn't understand it very well, she somehow always felt that he was actually kind and approachable, not as terrible as she had imagined before.

"The Seven Great People are knowledgeable and understandable;" She was brave. "It's not like us rednecks. I have no place to complain; I'm just going to talk to the Seven Adults. Since I got married, I really bowed my head in, bowed my head out, and there was no shortage of gifts. They are just against me, and they are all like 'killing Zhong Kui' [7]. The weasel of that year bit the big rooster to death, was it that I didn't shut it up? It was the head-killing leper dog who stole the bran bibimbap and arched open the door to the chicken cupboard. The 'little brute' was indiscriminate, and he ...... his face between his faces. ”

The Seven Adults glanced at her.

"I know there's a reason for that. This can't escape the wisdom of the Seven Great People; Those who know everything know. He's just obsessed with that whore and wants to kick me out. I came here with three teas and six ceremonies [8], and the sedan chair carried me! Is it that easy? …… I must give them a color, even if it is a lawsuit, it doesn't matter. Not in the county, and ...... in the government. ”

"Those things are known to the Seven." The old man raised his face and said. "Aunt Ai, if you don't turn your head, there's nothing cheap. You've always been like this. You see how much your father understands; Neither you nor your brethren are like him. If the lawsuit goes to the house, won't the government ask the seven adults? At that time, it was, 'business', that was ,...... You're just ....... ”

"Then I will fight for my life, and everyone will be ruined."

"That's not a desperate thing," the Seven said slowly. "Young and young. A person should always be kind: 'Harmony makes money'. Right? I added ten yuan, which is already a 'heavenly truth'. Otherwise, the in-laws say, 'Go!' 'Just go.' Don't say that the house is Shanghai and Beijing. It's the ocean, it's all like this. If you don't believe it, he just came back from the Beijing Foreign School, and asked him to go. So he turned his face to a young master with a pointed chin and said. Right? ”

"Yes, indeed." The pointed chin young master hurriedly straightened up and whispered respectfully.

Aigu felt that she was completely isolated; Dad didn't speak, the brothers didn't dare to come, the old man was originally helping them, and the seven adults were unreliable. Even the young master with a pointed chin whispered like a deflated bedbug, and played "tailwind gong". But in her nonsense mind, it seems that she has decided to make a final struggle.

"How can you even ...... the seven adults." Her eyes lit up with surprise and disappointment. "Yes....... I know, we're coarse people, we don't know anything. I blamed my father for not even knowing the world, and he was faint. They are at the mercy of their 'old brutes' and 'little brutes', and they will rush to dig dog holes as if they were mourning, and beg people to ....... ”

"Seven adults, look," the "little brute" who was standing silently behind her suddenly spoke. "She's still like that in front of adults. That's at home, it's just a lot of trouble. Call my dad an 'old brute', and call me a 'little brute'. 'Escape son' (2). ”

--------

(2) Illegitimate children. -- Author's note.

"The one who 'mother's 100,000 lives' calls you 'escape son'?" Aigu turned her face and said loudly, and then turned to the Seven Great People, "I still have something to say in front of the public." He has a good voice and good anger, opening his mouth 'cheap fetus' and closing his mouth 'mother killing'. Ever since I got to know that bitch, even my ancestors have been in. Seven adults, you criticize and criticize me, this is ....... ”

She shuddered, and hurriedly stopped, because she saw the Seven Adults suddenly roll their eyes upward. The round face was tilted, and a tall swaying sound came from the mouth surrounded by a slender beard.

"Come--huh!" The Seven Adults said.

She felt her heart stop, and then it pounded, as if the tide was gone. The situation has changed; It's like stumbling in the water, but I know it's really my fault.

Immediately a man in a blue robe and black vest came in, standing still in front of the Seven Adults, with his hands bowed and his waist straight, like a wooden stick.

The whole living room is "silent". The Seven Adults moved their mouths, but none of them could hear what they were saying. And yet the man. But he had already heard it, and the power of the command seemed to have penetrated into his bone marrow again, and he pulled his body twice, as if he were "hairy"; While agreeing:

"Yes." He took a few steps backwards before turning over and walking out.

Aigu knew that something unexpected was coming, and that thing was unpredictable and could not be prevented. Only then did she know that the Seven Masters were really majestic, and they were all misunderstood by herself before, so they were too presumptuous and too rude. She regretted it very much, and couldn't help but say to herself:

"I was originally listening to the orders of the Seven Adults......

The whole living room is "silent". Although her words were as thin as silk, the old man comforted him as if he had heard a thunderbolt; He jumped.

"That's right! The Seven Adults are also really fair; Aunt Ai really understands! He praised and said to Zhuang Musan, "Lao Mu, then you naturally don't have anything to say, she has already agreed." I think you must have brought your red and green posts[9], I informed you. So, everyone take it out and ....... ”

When my aunt saw her father, she reached into her belly pocket and took out something; The stick-like man also came in and handed a small black flat thing in the shape of a little turtle[10] to the Seven. Aigu was afraid that things would change, so she hurriedly went to see Zhuang Musan, and saw that he had opened a blue cloth package on the coffee table and took out foreign money.

The Seven Adults also plucked off the little glans and poured something from that body on the heart; The stick-like man took the flat thing. The Seven Adults immediately dipped one finger of that hand in the palm of their palms and stuffed two plugs into their nostrils, and the nostrils and philtrum immediately turned yellow and scorched. He wrinkled his nose as if he was about to sneeze.

Zhuang Musan was counting foreign money. The old man took out a little from the uncounted stack and returned the "old brute"; swapped the two red and green posts, pushed them to both sides, and said:

"You all take it. Lao Mu, you need to count the number. It's not something to be a good thing for, money is ....... ”

With the sound of "uh chirp", Aigu knew that it was the seven adults who sneezed, but she couldn't help but turn her eyes to look. I saw that the seven adults were still wrinkling their noses with their mouths open, but the two fingers of one hand were holding one thing, which was "stuffed in the buttocks of the ancients when they were buried", rubbing next to their noses.

It's easy, Zhuang Mu cleared the foreign money three times; The two sides put away the red and green posts, everyone's waist bones seemed to be much straighter, and the originally tightened faces were also relaxed, and the whole living room suddenly saw a group of harmony.

"Good! Things are done. Seeing that both of them showed a goodbye look, Master Wei exhaled and said. Well, buzz, nothing else. Congratulations, I finally untied a knot. Are you leaving? Do not go, in our house drank the New Year's wine to go: it is rare. ”

"We don't drink anymore. Save it and drink it again next year. Aigu said.

"Thank you, sir. We don't drink anymore. We still have things ....... Zhuang Musan, "Old Beast" and "Little Beast", all said, and withdrew respectfully.

"Huh? How? Why don't you drink a little? The old man also looked at his aunt who was walking at the end and said.

"Yes, not anymore. Thank you, Mr. Comfort. ”

November 6, 1925.

[1] This article was originally published in the 54th issue of the weekly Yusi in Beijing on November 23, 1925.

(2) Dismantling the stove was a custom in the countryside of Shaoxing and other places in the old days. When there is a civil dispute, one party dismantles the other party's stove, thinking that it is a great insult to the other party.

(3) When changing the past, friends agreed and became brothers with different surnames, and each person wrote their names, birthdays, places of origin, family history and other items on the post, and exchanged and saved them with each other, which is called changing posts.

(4) The common name for Western food in the old days.

(5) The attic of the Kuixing Pavilion dedicated to the Kuixing. Kuixing was originally the common name of Kuixing, one of the so-called 28 Nakshatras in ancient astronomy in China. Originally, in the Han Dynasty's Weishu "Filial Piety and Aid to the God Deed", there was a saying that "Kui Lord Wenchang" was attached, and Kui Xing was attached to the god of the main name and the rise and fall of Wenyun.

[6] In ancient times, small pieces of jade and stone were often used to be stuffed into the mouth, ears, nose, and anus of the deceased after death, and it was said that they could keep the body from rotting for a long time. The stuff in the anus is called a "fart plug". The gold, jade and other things of the burial, excavated by later generations, the unearthed soon called "new pit", unearthed for a long time called "old pit", and the ancients were buried again, mercury powder was often used to apply mercury powder to the corpse to keep it for a long time; The unearthed burial gold, jade and other objects are impregnated with mercury spots, which are called "mercury immersion".

[7] "Killing Zhong Kui" According to the old novel "The Legend of Ghost Hunting": Zhong Kui was a talented person in the Tang Dynasty, and later won the top prize, because the emperor thought he was ugly and planned to choose another one, so "Zhong Kui was so angry that he jumped like thunder" and killed himself. This is where the folk idiom of "killing Zhong Kui" (meaning fierce appearance, ugly face, etc.) comes from.

[8] Three teas and six ceremonies mean that the Ming media is marrying. In the old customs of our country, tea was used as a dowry for marrying a wife, so a woman was hired to be called tea. According to the Ming Dynasty Chen Yaowen's "Tianzhong Ji" volume 44 said: "Whoever plants tea trees will have children, and transplantation will not be resurrected. "Six Rites", according to the "Rites. Shi Du Ceremony (according to the faint that is, marriage), that is, the six ceremonies of Nacai, asking for names, Najib, Nazheng, inviting the date, and welcoming in person.

(9) Red and green posts: Posts exchanged between two families when men and women were engaged in the old days.

(10) Refers to snuff bottles. Snuff is a powdered smoke that is inhaled through the nostrils. (To be continued.) (To be continued.) )