On October 15, the twentieth year of Dading, Lijia Village, Xinchang County, Liaodong County, Northern Wei Kingdom. This day is the day of the big gathering in Xinchang County.

In Li Gouzi's house in Lijia Village, Situ Yan and the four brothers of the Li family were eating breakfast together in front of the stove, the stove was lit with oil lamps, and the room was dim. But the hearts of the four of them are very open.

Since the adobe brick courtyard wall has been played, the four members of the Li family and Situ Yan have been busy for more than half a month, and when Li Dalang came back yesterday, he told Situ Yan that he would be busy for another day tomorrow, and he would be able to go to the beam later. The new house was finally built, and the thorn courtyard wall was also circled, and the main house could be moved in when the beams were up.

Although Situ Yan didn't go to see it every day, when she first built the house, she handed over the sketches she had drawn to Muramasa and Li Dalang early, so the house was built in a style similar to that of a courtyard house according to her requirements.

For this reason, Mura Zheng also deliberately looked for Situ Yan and persuaded him for a long time. Let her build the house that is often built in the village, and if she builds it like this, the house will not be warm and will freeze in winter. But in the end, she couldn't resist Situ Yan's insistence, thinking that she was afraid that this girl lived in such a house with her father and mother before, and after thinking about it like this, she understood that she would no longer persuade each other.

The gate of the new courtyard faces south, and only two wooden doors are painted with black paint, and there is no roof, so that although it is shabby, it is not so eye-catching to outsiders.

The main house is 30 meters away from the courtyard gate, sitting in the north and facing south, the door of the house is open to the south, and the windows are open in the north and south. Entering the door is a hall house, with a fire on the north side, which greets guests on weekdays and also serves as a cooking room.

On both sides of the door, the inner room doors are open on the east and west walls, and the east and west rooms are connected as bedrooms, and the two rooms are coiled against the north wall. The three rooms are the same size, all of which are 50 square meters. Next to the east and west are two ear rooms, the ear room is smaller, only about 25 square meters. The transept has a separate door facing south in the direction of the courtyard, and the window opens to the north like the main house. There are two stoves in the transept on the east side, one for the kang and one for the kitchen. There are also two stoves in the transept on the west side, but they are used for clean rooms (bathing). The kang in the Xinuan Pavilion is connected to the kang in the hall, and the kang stove in the clean room is shared.

In addition to the main house, there are also inverted houses on both sides of the courtyard gate, and there are two adobe houses on the east side, the doors and windows are open to the north of the courtyard, and the fire kang is against the south wall, the south wall is the house wall, but also the courtyard wall, and there is a stove room on the side, this stove room Situ Yan intends to use as a warm house or warm weather. These two rooms are the same size, both of which are 25 square meters.

The inverted seat room on the west side of the courtyard gate is only surrounded by wooden planks and straw mats, which is used as a firewood room and utility room.

Situ Yan originally wanted to build the inverted house in the west into an adobe house, but she was afraid that it would be too ostentatious, so she built it into a grass and wood house, which was also to hide people's eyes. With the cover of the inverted house, what she is doing in the yard will not be so easy for people outside to see.

When this yard was built, the most puzzling thing for the helpers was the thatched house (toilet) in the northernmost part of the backyard. According to Situ Yan's design, a plot of land was selected in the northwest corner of the courtyard and a 9-square-meter thatched house was built, which not only made the wall with adobe bricks and the thatched roof, but also installed a wooden door. Even the thatched pit is paved with stone slabs (imitating the dry toilet in the modern countryside).

A large manure pond was dug behind the thatched house across the courtyard wall, leading directly to the thatched house. The manure pond is tightly covered with wooden boards. There was also a small water tank with a thin belly and a dilapidated wooden bucket with plant ash for rinsing. For this even Li Dalang did not persuade Situ Yan less, it is difficult to use modern people who are used to flushing toilets to build the toilet like this, if she lowers her standards and builds an ancient thatched house, one is a smoker who is disgusting, and the other is worried that one day she will fall into the dung pit if she is not careful, then she would rather be convenient everywhere in the vast land.

In the end, it was Da Lang who loved the little sister, and when he saw the grievances on the little sister's face, he responded. At this time, the thatched house was built, and the brothers had used it, and they realized that this thing was too easy to use. Not only is it clean, but the taste is small, and it won't be uncomfortable after squatting for a long time.

The only regret of the new family is that the time is too tight, and it is too late to get up the east and west wings, and when there is a livelihood in the future, she must build the east and west wings. At the moment, the only way to do this is to huddle four people into one room. There is no difference between ancient and modern people, and marrying depends on whether the man has a house and money. Fortunately, there were no credit cards in ancient times, so there were a lot fewer card slaves.

As early as after the kang plate in the main room was ready, Situ Yan instructed Li Dalang to burn the kang every day to dehumidify, so that when the beam was covered and the roof was built, he could move in earlier.

As early as the tenth day of October, Situ Yan and Li Dalang went to consult Li Wangfu, the village official, to understand what to pay attention to and prepare for Shangliang Day. This inquiry is really startled, this ancient building of the house on the beam is like the crown of the people, is a major event in the life of the people, the day of the beam is the top priority, the new house is permanent, the wealth of the whole family is long-lasting, and the descendants can be full of descendants all pointing to this day's sacrifice. Although Lijia Village is located in a remote area, it is not as elaborate as the rich and noble families in the county, but simple rituals still have to be followed.

Situ Yan is mixed with joy, happy that she can see this ancient etiquette and customs, sad that it is not easy to prepare so many things, and the money she has saved these days is afraid that it is not enough to be a banquet guest.

In the end, it was Muramasa and Aunt Fu who helped them find a way.

The so-called five-color plate is a sacrificial plate made of wooden red lacquer, which is filled with fish, chicken, goose, eggs, and salt to worship the gods. The red cloth used to hang the beam, the lucky bag containing red dates, peanuts, japonica rice, wheat, and evergreen cannot be saved.

As for the banquet for the guests, they don't have to be as particular as the rich and noble, and they need to prepare twenty-four bowls and twelve pots. Only eight bowls of dishes, four plates of fruits, and two plates of steamed buns are enough on the main table. As for the eight bowls of vegetables, use the sacrificial chicken, goose, eggs, etc., and add some wild vegetables, and the four plates of fruit are also easy to do, in the mountain to find some mountain red (hawthorn), purple (apple), pear, and then some dried sweet potatoes, anyway, they are all poor people, so that the number of rituals is complete, and there is no need to spend money.

As for the table at the guest table, prepare eight tables, make four stews with meat, and prepare more black steamed buns. The women's family of Shangliang Ri is not allowed to participate, and the guests who come to the banquet are all men, so this wine is indispensable, and at least a small jar is required for each table.

In this way, the expenses are much less than expected, and Aunt Fu also specially advised Situ Yan to find someone to keep a "gift account" (receiving gift account), and in the future, she should prepare the return gift according to the account, so as not to be exploited by some lovers. Situ Yan also felt at this time that there was no elder in the family, and some things were really difficult to handle. As the saying goes, if there is a treasure in the family, I am afraid that it also refers to this kind of time.

Situ Yan knew that with her design, this new house could be regarded as the number one in this Lijia Village, and she was afraid that some people with hot eyes would stare at her house in the future to find trouble, so she saved some money on the table, as long as she didn't lose her courtesy, she still agreed with Uncle Mura Zheng and Aunt Fu'er.

"Girl, you have a tight life this day, if those kind-hearted people generally only bring the children of the family to a banquet, I am afraid that the stingy and troublesome people are afraid that they will point to the children in the family, so I am afraid that this guest seat will not be able to cope with the eight tables." They all live in the same village, who is like it, who doesn't know, the village is also a reminder to Situ Yan, I am afraid that some people will make trouble on such days.

"Uncle Wangfu, don't worry, I know it in my heart." Situ Yan has never been afraid of things, and it is very easy to deal with these people.

"When the day comes, I, the uncle, will sing the sacrificial words to you, and let your Aunt Fu help you with the things on the stove, that day Dalang will follow the sacrifice, and Erlang will be busy greeting, and only you will be a little girl on the stove I am afraid that you will not be busy. Let the little sheep help you set up tables and chairs, and it is convenient to pull them with an ox cart. ”

"Then I'll thank my uncle, aunt and little sheep first, so that your family will be tired."

"You girl, your aunt treats you as her daughter, and you are polite to your aunt." The matter was settled like this, and in the next few days, Situ Yan was preparing for this.

On the day of the 25th market, only Li Dalang accompanied Situ Yan into the county seat. The other three brothers have to stay in the new courtyard to help, tomorrow is the day of Shangliang, to make a banquet and invite the whole village to eat, there are still many things to prepare in the new courtyard. As for the things to buy in the market, I made a list the night before, and discussed it with the four brothers of the Li family again, and made sure that there was nothing missing.

Situ Yan didn't forget to let Da Lang carry two bundles of firewood on his back to the county school in exchange for waste paper, when he came back from the market last time, Situ Yan told Li Da Lang, but she didn't tell them how she was going to use this paper. Li Dalang listens to the little sister in everything, as long as the little sister wants, he is willing to help with the back.

On the days of the big gathering, there are always a lot of people going out, and there are nearly ten people sitting in the car. Xiao Yang'er took the firewood behind Da Lang's back, and the two tied the firewood to the back of the car with a thick hemp rope, and were busy when they heard a nasty sound.

"It's not a shame to get such two large bundles of firewood, which doesn't allow people to sit, and if there is nothing to sell, it will be less expensive for big-eyed scholars to make a banquet and invite guests."

Situ Yan glanced at the person who spoke out, a middle-aged woman in her thirties, wrapped in a flower cloth headscarf, looking like an old hen, and she couldn't see her face clearly, but Situ Yan still had an impression of this voice, Li Dalang's second aunt, Li Zhaocai's mother.

"It turned out to be the second aunt of the Li family, there is no way, my four brothers are out of the house, relatives don't help, brothers don't help, I can only sell some firewood for some money, but also to thank our uncles and aunts who help us." Situ Yan didn't want to make a sound, but seeing that Li Dalang lowered his head and his face was a little red, he knew that the eldest brother still cared about this woman's words, and he didn't like her mouthy in his heart, so he pushed back.

"They asked for it, if it weren't for helping outsiders, how could they break up their families." Zhao Niang listens to her mother-in-law scolding and scolding every day these days, and she has not passed a day of Qing Province, and when she saw Li Dalang and Situ Yan at this time, she was angry, and her words were ugly, and her mouth was very broken.

"There is a Buddhist saying: Saving a life is better than creating a seventh-level floating slaughter, the four brothers of the Li family saved Xiao Wuyi's life, this good person has a good reward, and the good days of the four brothers are ahead! It's just those who have a black conscience, I don't know if they will be so scared that they can't sleep at night, Uncle Dazhu and his aunt are looking at the person who killed their son with their eyes open! "Situ Yan didn't cover it when he hurt people.

As soon as she finished saying this, Zhao Niang felt a gust of cold wind blowing behind her, and leaned over to the person on the side.

"Okay, what are you talking about with a fateful Sweep Star, her life is so hard that even her biological father and mother are dead." Situ Yan noticed that the Cao family was also sitting in the car, and the Cao family was darker and more ruthless than the lucky girl's heart, she just wanted to let the whole village know that this little girl had a bad life, or to ruin Situ Yan's reputation.

Li Dalang was angry when he heard this, afraid that the little sister would be sad, and afraid that the people in the village really believed that the little sister had killed her father, and that the little sister would be a person in the village in the future.

jumped into the car and hugged Xiaomei into his arms, and yelled at Cao, "Milk, what are you talking nonsense, Xiao Wu's life is good." Uncle Youzhu was killed by Hibiki Ma. ”

"I'm not your grandmother, you don't have a kiss here, who knows if the pillar was killed or killed. Did you see that? If you are unfilial, you will be short-lived in the future. After saying this, some villagers really changed their eyes when they looked at Li Dalang and Situ Yan.

Situ Yan knew that the Cao family was going to take advantage of this opportunity to ruin the reputation of the four brothers of the Li family and herself, if she succeeded, then it would be difficult for the brothers to talk about their relatives in the future. And Li Dalang is also the grandson of the Cao family no matter how he says it, if this is a confrontation, it must be Li Dalang who loses his reputation. Disrespect for elders is a big deal in this day and age. As for herself, she didn't care at all, first, the Cao family had nothing to do with her, and second, she Situ Yan never took the word reputation seriously. pulled Li Dalang's clothes and signaled him not to reply.

"Grandma Li, what you said is as if you saw it with your own eyes, Brother Lang didn't see my father is dead, I think you must have seen it, or how do you know so clearly, is it my father looking for you in the middle of the night, if it's true, then you help me ask, there is that black-hearted one, thinking about selling his daughter, thinking about occupying the dowry he left for his daughter, who are such scumbags, so that I can keep an eye on it, don't be calculated, don't you say?"

"What are you talking about, I don't occupy your land." Cao's family was a little anxious, the events of that day had already spread in the village, so that his family didn't dare to go out to meet people, and it was easy because of the matter of the second donkey, the people in the village no longer paid attention to their family, so they dared to go out. As soon as she saw Situ Yan today, she felt uncomfortable, and it happened that the second daughter-in-law picked up something, so she answered, and she had to ruin this girl's reputation. People like her are not going well with themselves, and they will not make others feel better.

"Grandma Li, I didn't say it was you, so why should you take it on you. This man does not do anything bad during the day, and he is not afraid of ghosts knocking on the door in the middle of the night. Our brothers and sisters sleep well and eat well, but the Li family's grandmother doesn't look good? ”

"By the way, if my father and mother often go to the Li family's grandmother, please help me with a word, the four sons of Uncle Dazhu's family are kind-hearted, and they are as good as my own sisters, so that my father and mother can rest assured." Don't always look for those black-hearted debt collectors when you have time, come and see me, I miss my parents. I don't know if there are too many people who want to harm me, my father and mother can't take care of me, I haven't dreamed of them for a long time. Situ Yan's previous sentence was for the Cao family and a cart of villagers, and the latter sentence was pretending to be muttering quietly, but the sound was loud enough for a cart of people to hear it clearly.

Cao Shi was really frightened, he trembled his lips for a long time and didn't say a word, and the villagers didn't explain when they saw Cao, thinking that Li Youzhu had really come to find Cao. I feel that Dazhu's son has a conscience, and this Youzhu brother is still protecting him when he dies. It must be that this Cao family is bent on occupying people's land, and he also wants to sell his daughter, which provokes Youzhu to come to her.

The villagers sitting next to Cao Shi did not want to take advantage of the musty qi, so they moved their bodies out and covered their mouths with their hands, as if avoiding the plague.

Cao Shi and Zhao Cai Niang were angry, but they couldn't say that Situ Yan could only stare at people with their eyes. With such a look, Situ Yan didn't even look at it, and it didn't kill her at all.

Cao Shi and Zhao Niang had a boring fight, and when they saw that the people in the car were looking at them squintingly, they couldn't find anything to refute, so they stopped thinking about fighting again. This way finally came quietly.

After entering the county seat, Situ Yan first went to the county school, and then made a special detour to the bookstore, because there were too many things to buy today, and there was no time to copy books. Although this lucrative income is not much, she doesn't want to lose it for a while.

Situ Yan took this opportunity to take a closer look at the ancient items, so that he knew what to do at home in the future. Before getting on the ox cart, the two of them carefully tapped again, and when they saw that there was nothing missing, they were relieved.