At night, the palm lamp, a two-foot square chandelier hangs high on the eaves of the corridor, and the brilliance illuminates the large and small corridors of the Shen Mansion.

Before dinner, everyone gathered in Shen's mother's room to talk, and waited for An Qichun to send a girl to invite her, and then slowly got up and went.

Arrived near Yanhui Hall, only to see the cinnamon branch green, peach blossoms, the big cloister built across the water is erected on the lotus root Champede surrounded by the four sides, at this time, the lights and candles in the pavilion are bright, the wine and food are salty, and there are also a bunch of people gathered in the Jinxiang Pavilion across the water.

Chen Yun glanced over, and saw that the theater had already been set up in the Jinxiang Pavilion, and several Liyuan disciples were either holding bamboo flutes, or holding pipa back, or hugging drums, or pinching sandalwood boards, and a few opera characters who had just dressed up were silently playing and raising their voices beside them.

In the blink of an eye, they entered the Lotus Champs, and after a few words of laughter, they sat down according to their seniority.

As soon as Shen's mother sat down, she saw that there were stewed pig's trotters with lentils, rose marinade, rouge goose breast, chrysanthemum fish, snow fungus pigeon egg soup, ginseng chicken soup, angelica lean meat soup, ham slices, fruit cake, rhombus flour cake, sugar steamed cheese, ruyi cake, and Xuexia soup on the rectangular table in front of her eye. ”

An Qichun listened to it and said busily: "The lesson of the ancestors is that I was young and careless, I heard that the elders celebrated my birthday, and I was so happy that I rushed to the head, and even my identity became more and more unbearable, so I thought about doing a big job, coaxing the ancestors and wives to be happy, I didn't want to go too far, but I provoked the disgust of the ancestors, and the granddaughter-in-law really regretted it, and I must change this problem in the future!" ”

Pan Cuilian sat next to her, and when she blurted out these words, she said slowly: "Sister, just be relieved, the ancestor usually worships the Buddha and eats fasting, and even ants are not willing to step on one to death, you just did something wrong with good intentions, how can the ancestor blame you?" ”

An Qichun bowed his head and was silent.

Mother Shen saw that the two of them were quite kind, and said with a smile: "That's it, it's better to be happy alone than to be happy, and you can't just have fun with your master, the girls are with us, and you should relax and relax." Although today is the birthday of Wing's daughter-in-law, I will do my best to serve her as the master, and when the next table is dispersed, I will pick a few good wines and dishes, and reward them with food and drink, so that they can serve them with all their heart! ”

An Qichun nodded in agreement, turned his head and saw the maid Qingluan's footsteps hurriedly entering the Lotus Lotus Champs, so he stood up with a smile and asked, "What's the matter?" ”

Qingluan blessed her body and said, "The slave maid came over and asked the old lady to show me, the master of the troupe has already prepared, does the old lady order the play now or later?" ”

"The dishes are all laid out, wait a minute, we're done eating!" Shen's mother said humorously, and motioned for Lichun to pick up the drama list in Qingluan's hand.

Lichun obeyed, quickly took the play list, and handed it to Shen's mother.

Shen's mother looked at it for a long time, and suddenly smiled: "You are young, you love to watch Xiao Dan, you like the boudoir children of the warbler Yanyan, I am a god, I can't see that set, but the queen mother of "Jing Hai Ji" and the mother-in-law of "Jing Zhong Ji" are more in line with my taste, I think, it doesn't matter which one comes out, send a girl to ask, what can they play today, I'll just make do with it, I am here to be a foil, to hold a birthday for my granddaughter-in-law, but I don't dare to take the lead!" ”

As soon as the words came out, the elders such as Aunt Chang and Mrs. Wu, and the juniors such as Pan Cuilian and Chen Yun all laughed.

Qingluan received the order, and hurriedly ran to the Jinxiang Pavilion to inquire, and when he inquired clearly, he hurriedly ran back here and said: "Back to the old lady, the class master said that these two plays can be performed, but I don't know which one the old lady wants to hear first?" ”

Shen's mother said: "Let them play the one in "The Story of Jing Hai" first!" ”

Qingluan panicked and gave the order.

After a while, a chaotic drum beat was beaten, and an old woman dressed as an old man appeared first, only listening to her humming and chirping, chanting constantly, walking, singing, and crying, as if there were endless grievances to cry about. After she cried for a while, a steward in a black hat and scarlet robe took the stage again. As soon as the two met, they were first shocked, then interrogated each other, and finally hugged and cried.

Shen's mother watched it very seriously, and until the play was over, she was still unsatisfied, and she couldn't extricate herself from the stories in the opera.

Aunt Chang is the best at gagging, and in a few words, she coaxed Shen's mother to smile.

An Qichun adhered to the rule of guest first and then host, and personally took the play list to ask Aunt Chang to order a play, and then invited Mrs. Wu, Chen, and Aunt Lin to order a play.

Aunt Chang was the most delicate, thinking that Shen's mother had just listened to a sad play, so she deliberately picked out the ridiculous "Liu Erdangyi" from the drama list, and Chen also had the same mind as her, and then pointed out "Journey to the West", but Mrs. Wu and Aunt Lin were not, one clicked on the girl in "The Story of Nanke", and the other clicked on the reunion of "The Palace of Eternal Life".

The play list was handed back to the Jinxiang Pavilion, and the troupe owner read it again, and hurriedly arranged for the staff to perform according to the order.

After an hour like this, the play was finished, and An Qichun saw that everyone was still unsatisfied, so he made the decision to let Pan Cuilian, Chen Yun and others order the play.

Pan Cuilian said with a smile: "I was originally celebrating your birthday, and we should have fun with you, but now you are busy entertaining us, which makes us embarrassed, according to me, you are also awkward, everyone is a family, whoever orders the play first, it is the same!" ”

The corners of An Qichun's mouth moved, and he said slowly: "Since my sister-in-law said so, then I'm welcome, let's order "Garden" first!" ”

Pan Cuilian said with a smile: "Then I'll order "Dream"!" After that, he turned his head and asked Chen Yun: "Which one does my sister want to order?" ”

Chen Yun thought for a while and said, "I originally wanted to order these two plays, but unfortunately the two sisters-in-law ordered them first, so there is no need to bother, I'll just listen to it!" ”

Pan Cuilian nodded yes, and returned the play list to An Qichun.

An Qichun took the play list, and went down to ask Shen Xueyuan, Shen Xueru, and Chang Yue to order the play. The three of them are all boudoir ladies, and they are most greedy for the lively scene outside, and they ordered "The Story of the West Chamber", "Boudoir School", "Visiting Cui", and three plays one after another.

Another chaotic drum beat drifted by, the flute played faintly, and then, a handsome little Dan slowly appeared with brisk little steps.

I saw that she was covered with a light blue hood on her head, covering most of her head, and she was wearing a snow-green cloak on her body. People set up a small courtyard and a deep courtyard. ”

As soon as the end note fell, I saw a lively and agile maid flashing out quickly, walking and singing: "Burn all the smoke, throw away the residual embroidery thread, and this spring is like last year?" After singing, he slowly came to Xiao Dan's side, squatted down and bowed, and said, "Miss! ”

That Xiao Dan didn't look at the maid, and opened his mouth to sing: "Xiaolai looks at the broken plum pass, and the makeup is broken." ”

"You wear Yichun bun on your side." Maiden interface.

"It's constant, it's messy, it's boring." Xiao Dan dragged his singing.

Maiden: "Paid." ”

"Chunxiang, have you ever asked someone to sweep the flower path?"

Chen Yun saw that Xiao Dan's facial features were strange, looking back like autumn water ripples, when opening his lips, he was like a warbler and swallow language, walking slowly, moving slowly, like peach slices chasing snow waves, and like catkins floating in the wind, he couldn't help but praise: "This Xiao Dan not only looks handsome, but also sings well, like the warbler's soft chirp, crisp and pleasant, even crying is not bad, just like the dew drops are silent!" ”

"What's more?" An Qichun saw her comment, and couldn't help but say: "The hands, eyes, body, footsteps, and method are all good!" ”

Chen Yun nodded yes.

At this time, Xiao Dan was the only one left in the Jinxiang Pavilion, and she only heard her babbling and singing: "It turns out that the purple and red are all over the place, and they all seem to be paid to the broken wells." The beautiful scenery of the good day is the day, and the joy of the courtyard is the house! The scenery is so beautiful that my grandfather and grandmother never mention it again. Morning and twilight rolls, clouds and clouds; The rain silk wind film, the smoke wave painting the boat - Jinping people look at this Shaoguang cheap! ”

The performance over there was just right, and suddenly, a maid ran in recklessly, and hurriedly came to An Qichun's side and said: "Second grandma, the second master brought a group of friends back to the house, and he was shouting to call a group of actors to Yanhui Hall to sing!" ”

"He'll have nothing to do, he hasn't finished singing here, how can there be a ready-made drama for him to have fun?" An Qichun muttered.

Seeing their master and servant muttering, Mother Shen opened her mouth and asked, "What kind of ears are you two biting?" Do you have to hide it from us? ”

An Qichun smiled and said: "It's not a big deal, it's just that Xianggong led a group of people back from outside, shouting for the drama to pass!" ”

"Today, we are with you for fun, let's just play with us, if he wants to listen to the play, just go outside to find it!" Mother Shen teased, and when she saw An Qichun sitting down, she couldn't help but smile, and when she saw Chen Yundong and Zhang Xigu, she seemed a little absent-minded, and couldn't help but be suspicious, so she leaned over and asked Chen, who was sitting next to her, and said, "Why don't you see Fu'er?" ”

Chen looked around and said, "I don't know much, eighty percent of them are all female dependents here, so let's go to Yi'er's side to have fun!" ”

Shen's mother nodded, and said: "Fu'er has been married since she got married, and she has been taking a leave of absence from school at home for more than a month, so he didn't urge him to go to school?" ”

"The lord often writes letters, but the letter only mentions official affairs and asks the old lady Antai, and does not urge Fu'er to enroll in school, however, the lord mentioned it last year, saying that his same year Mr. Zhao will go to Jiangning Mansion to teach in the spring of this year, I count the time, then Mr. Zhao should almost join the company!" Chen Shi said slowly, feeling sad in his heart, and said: "According to the old man's temper, the most strict godson is, I want to be half a month and a few days, then I should send a letter to urge Fu'er to go to Jiangning!" ”

"Fu'er is studying well in Suzhou Mansion, why bother to get him to Jiangning again? If you don't have to toss people, you may not be able to learn anything! Mother Shen sighed.

Chen said: "Last year, Master Jia in the school resigned from the museum because of his advanced age, and a new young teacher taught him, and the master was afraid that Fu'er would not grow up with him, and he caught up with an acquaintance in Jiangning Mansion, so he moved Fu'er's mind to let him travel far away!" ”

Mother Shen nodded silently.

At this time, the repertoire had already changed in the Jinxiang Pavilion, and it was just Shen Xueyuan's turn to point out "The Legend of the West Chamber", only to see the female Dan who had just played Du Liniang re-appeared on the stage, singing: "The red is in a array, the wind is sad, the pond is dreaming, and the fence is quitting spring." The butterfly powder is lightly stained with flying snow, and the swallow mud fragrance provokes the dust of flowers. The spring mood is short and the willow silk is long, and the people are far away from the end of the world. The incense eliminated the gold powder of the Six Dynasties and reduced the spirit of Sanchu. ”