It was nearly noon, and the ancient town of Liujun was located east of the Grand Canal. It has the Huai River and Hongze Lake in its upper reaches. Every summer, when two rivers and one lake are flooded, the locals call the flood channel of the old Yellow River, pass through Majiadang and Wujindang, and enter the vast Yellow Sea.

Lao Cai is a narrow street that runs north-south and is no more than a foot wide from east to west. Here, it is crowded with neighborhoods, and there are a variety of small businesses buying and selling. On the east and west sides, the residents are lined up in an orderly manner, supplemented by more fishermen and farmers, and the rest are merchants who buy and sell.

Entering the Miaoqingshan Pass by land, the terrain is dangerous, the waterway passes through Wujindang to isolate it from the world, and the opposite bank is Majiadang, facing it across the water. The blue sky and blue waves, no human figure. From Liujiazhuang to see Wujindang from afar, the extreme eye looks far away and empty. The lake of white flowers and flowers complements the blue sky. The only thing that remains unchanged is that fishermen and merchant ships set sail and weave back and forth.

Most of the shops in the old street are from the old man's trading firm in Liujiazhuang. What jars, jars, jars, silk and satin, are supplied by Liujiazhuang on schedule. Including buffaloes and donkeys used for plowing and harrowing, they are also the Liujiazhuang fleet, which is transported and sold from the north. Therefore, Mr. Liu of Liujiazhuang is still a well-known and well-known figure on Liujun Street.

In the west of the old street, there is a courtyard house next to the river. The male host's name is Shi Budiu, and the hostess is called Ma Niangniang, a total of seven families, five daughters, commonly known as "five golden flowers." ”

Shi Bu lost, although hunched over, less than five feet tall. Throughout the year, the head is inseparable from the watermelon skin hat, the body is inseparable from the blue cloth coat, and the feet are inseparable from a pair of old cotton shoes, known as the "four dislikes".

It's not like: firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar tea, wife Ma Niangniang grabbed it with one hand. Ma Niangniang is not at home, and he would rather be the girl in charge, and he will never be in charge. The streets and alleys said that he was afraid of his wife, and people said behind his back that he was not looking for his mother-in-law but his mother. Ma Niangniang's eyes glanced at him, he hurriedly picked up the water, and Ma Niangniang rolled his eyes, he hurriedly washed the pot and wiped the dishes and did the work. So, the big husband he was not like the first one.

Two are not like: you say that he is a normal person, deaf and blind, and he tells fortunes and dividles at home every day. What yin and yang gossip, fate eight characters, housewarming, all day long, specializing in doing some ghosts and gossiping, fooling people. He said he was blind, but he opened his eyes, and said that he was a god, and he was a ghostly ghost. So, Mr. Blind fortune telling, he is not like the second one.

Three dislikes: You see that he doesn't look like mushrooms when he picks them up, and he doesn't look like zongzi when he puts them down, and he is full of male love everywhere. Say that he has a chivalrous heart, and he sees the wind and rudder. If you can beat it, you can fight, if you can't beat it, you can walk, and you won't suffer the loss in front of you. Therefore, the heroes that people worship would rather die than give in. He's not like the third one.

Four dislikes: Don't look at his desk, the study room has all four treasures. During the New Year's holiday, write a couplet, and grab it with your hands. The dance text makes ink, and it is divided into three points. It's just a lawsuit and ask him to write a pleading. Look at him like that, shaking his head and tail, and prostrating his head for donations, which is all kinds of prevarication. I usually can't see him practicing martial arts to strengthen his body, but at critical moments, he can defeat the enemy with one move. People who are familiar with him don't know how to evaluate him, and they all think that he is old-fashioned and not easy to mess with. Therefore, Wen is not like Xiucai, Wu is not like a soldier, and he is not like the fourth one. But it's just such a four-like, don't underestimate it, people have found a daughter-in-law who is proficient in the Three Realms, Ma Niangniang.

Ma Niangniang: Relying on her height of more than five feet, she can't do without a small medicine box when she goes out. She went out with a big red silk scarf on her head. feet, wearing red leather shoes for horseback riding. Satin cheongsam with a small satin satin bag. Long legs, connected to a small waist. Don't look at her riding a donkey all over the street, the bandits also call her sister-in-law when they see it. The guest officer is not in a hurry, she also has the following tricks: singing big dramas and dancing big gods, and she can talk to ghosts. Shangxiang and the Jade Emperor Rulai called brothers and sisters, and burned paper She and Yama Judge exchanged ears. It doesn't matter if it's true or not, don't come to her house to look for her if you don't believe it. With a crooked mouth and slanted eyes, she came to the door, and corrected it when she kicked the altar over the yin. Weak and sweating, Ma Niangniang touched the work. With a headache and fever, Ma Niangniang made you choke on your meal. Without taking medicine or injections, a god will have a fragrance and the dying will be reborn. What's even more amazing is that she delivers the baby at term, regardless of whether she gives birth to a boy or a girl, and picks one child in a hundred miles. So, the midwife, people used to call her.

Today, on the second day of February, the dragon raises its head and shaves its head. Shi Bu threw the door open to greet him, shaved his head and face, and trimmed his eyebrows. attracted neighbors, and they all ran to their homes. The hall was crowded with people, laughing and laughing.

"Boom, boom, boom—" A horse neighed, and everyone stared at each other.

In broad daylight, riding horses galloped, either thieves or bandits. Everyone gave up their breath and craned their necks to look out. The person who came was wearing a black top hat and a black shirt. Each of the six rode a horse, with a shell at his waist. This behavior was so frightening that everyone bluffed out the door.

Ma Niangniang saw that everyone was a little afraid, but she blamed them for the lack of knowledge of the frog at the bottom of the well. She shouted unhurriedly to the embroidery room: "Lotus, go to the door and see who is coming." ”

In the room, a crisp voice immediately came: "Mother, I know." ”

Lotus, the eldest girl in their family, is twenty-one years old this year, and she is embroidering with her sister. Hearing her mother calling her, she put down her work and hurriedly ran to the gate.

Looking up at the gate, there were people as fierce as tigers. Dressed in frightening clothes, loaded with guns and ammunition, and holding a black leather whip in his hand: "Mom! It's a dirt ......" Before a word was uttered, people couldn't help but retreat. stepped on the corn bag in the yard, stumbled forward, and the person leaned back with an "oops" sound, and fell to the ground with a "poof".

The girl fell on her back, making everyone laugh and leaned back.

Seeing this, the fourth lady jumped up from her horse. Flew over and pulled her up. And cautiously asked, "Girl, you didn't fall in pain, did you?" while helping her pat the dust on her body.

The lotus-huffing freaks laughed at her. She shook her hand and happened to hit the fourth lady's top hat: "Don't worry about you, stay away from me." ”

The face was smashed by the fall just now, which made people laugh feverishly. I had to pour my anger on Miss Four. Suddenly, the top hat fell to the ground, and what appeared in front of her was not a bandit as powerful as an ox, but a waist-length and slim lady. She was stunned, knowing that she had misunderstood others, so she picked up her top hat in embarrassment and respectfully returned it to Miss Four: "I'm sorry for the anger, I misunderstood you, I looked at your outfit and thought it was..." Shi Hehua chirped, a little embarrassed.

The fourth lady smiled and dusted off her top hat: "It's okay! When we are bandits, aren't we? If I am really a bandit, I will arrest you and be a lady of the village, who made you look so beautiful!"

Shi Hehua didn't know what to say, and when she heard the girl praise her, her face was shy, and her heart was really sweet. So, the unhappiness just now, she was all over at once, turned to the house and shouted, "Father, mother, here are the guests!" Although she still didn't know where the guests came from.

Inside the house, just now there was a room of people stretching their necks, terrified. Hearing Shi Hehua's call, they started a commotion.

Woman A: "Mom, I thought it was a bandit, but it turned out to be a guest!"

Woman B: "It's all nonsense, in the morning, how can any bandit dare to stir up the crowd like this! What's more, there are so many people in the house, and the bandits are also afraid that there will be too many people and few people to deceive others." What if he can't fight a room full of people, plus the kung fu of the four dislikes, is it strange that he doesn't touch the moldy head?" After speaking, he glanced at the door.

Woman C: "Hey, you people, salty and don't worry about eating turnips, people have a four-like thing, deal with four or five little thieves, a bag of cigarettes can be done, or go home and take care of yourself!"

The second girl, Shi Meihua, heard the eldest sister say that there was a guest coming, and that curiosity rushed up. The two sisters rushed out of the embroidery room: "Sister, where are the guests?" The two of them crowded at the door, probing their brains, more energetic than watching a play.

Immediately after, the fourth girl, Shi Lanhua, and the fifth girl, Shi Yinghua, also ran out of the embroidery room: "Sister, what kind of guest is it?"

"Sister, are they the people standing at the door? I don't think I've been here before. Why, I don't know any of them?" Could it be that I usually stuff in the embroidery room for too long!

Ma Niangniang saw that the children were unruly, and she was angry at them: "Hey, hey, the eldest girl's family, all of them are not in the embroidery room, why are they blocking the door?" She got up and came to the door and drove them back to the embroidery room. Then she beckoned Shi Budiu: "Old Shi, there are guests at home, why are you a big man?"

Shi Bu Di answered: "Alas! Here we are!" He came out of the kitchen with his apron around and trotted to the door. No matter who the person is, after hurriedly meeting the person to make a donation, look up and see that the person who is not coming. Triangle eyes blinked and asked, "Excuse me, you are ......"

Seeing this, the fourth lady hurriedly stepped forward to greet her: "This gentleman, we are from Liujiazhuang." On the order of Liu Zhichao, I came to invite Ma Niangniang to come with us. Because, my sister-in-law is going to give birth to a baby, and I hope that my husband will make it convenient. After speaking, she hurriedly returned the salute and asked her subordinates Zhao Er to dismount and salute.

Shi Budian heard that someone from Liujiazhuang was coming, and hurriedly made way out: "Ah, yes, it turned out to be someone from Liujiazhuang in Hedong, a distinguished guest." Ladies and gentlemen, please come to the house, please come to the house. He hurried, took Liu Zhaodi's horse reins, and beckoned others. He led the horse to the back of the house and tied it to a tree.

Si Wei squinted his eyes, looked at Zhao Er, and said casually: "Alas, Master Liu of Liujiazhuang is a great good man. Far and near one hundred and twenty eighty miles, it is a household name. He said as he had the reins of his horse tied to the tree in his hand.

"Isn't it, our old man Liu suffered when he was young. Knowing the big guys, it's not easy to live. Treat your subordinates, but it's good!" the two men took their men and went back to the house. The two of them hit it off at first sight, and they hated each other a little late.

Ma Niangniang, when she saw someone entering the house, hurriedly got up to greet her: "Oh, I said early in the morning, the magpie stood on the top of the tree and screamed, it turned out to be a rare guest." Quick, inside please, inside please. As he got up and sat down, he waved his hand to the people in the room to go out.

Everyone could see what Ma Niangniang meant, and chose to leave silently. At the same time, one by one, their eyebrows fluttered and they looked at the people.

Fourth Miss, when she saw the people in the house, politely gave up her seat and made room to go out. smiled and said, "Hey, Ma Niang's house is so lively! Don't go, don't go." Let's just talk about it for a while, what are you supposed to do? After speaking, he nodded at everyone with a smile and placed his top hat on the table.

Crowd A: "You're welcome, you're welcome, we're neighbors." In their house, except for waiting to cut their hair, standing idle, and having nothing serious, they don't disturb you to talk about business. Immediately, one by one, the people walked towards the door.

Crowd B: "Whose eldest girl is so beautiful, she doesn't seem to be a person nearby? If it's the lady of the surrounding family, can she hide Ma Niangniang's eyes?"

Crowd C: "Oh, haven't you heard people say that it's from Liujiazhuang? In the past, in Ma Niangniang's house, it was rare to see people from Liujiazhuang. It seems that this is the first time that someone has come today. Six people, not a single one. They stood outside the door, pointing fingers and discussing.

The fourth lady looked at Ma Niangniang: "Ma Niangniang, I am the fourth child of Master Liu's family in Liujiazhuang, Hedong." My sister-in-law had more than one abdominal pain this morning, and it is estimated that she is about to give birth to term. Therefore, father, I will be sent to answer, if you are disturbed, please bear with me. ”

"Ouch, who should I be, it turns out to be the fourth lady! The master didn't tell you, are we relatives? No need to be so polite. When you are on full term, human life is at stake, of course, it is a big deal. Neighbors, who fight and rely on each other, see each other every day, and offending them is not in the way. You have come from afar, drink a cup of tea and rest your feet, and I will come when I go. ”

The four are not like this meeting, and they just tied the horses with Zhao Er. While inviting Zhao Er and the others into the house, he beckoned to the door: "Lotus, take your sister to serve tea quickly, the guests will be in a hurry." With that, he took a rag and cleaned the table while watching to see if the girls came out. The rag was tossed out of his hand and flew to the table, turning a few times. Hi, the table is clean. When Zhao Er and the others saw it, they opened their eyes wide one by one, stuck out their tongues, and were so frightened that they couldn't speak.

"I'm a mother!Fourth Miss, what kind of kung fu is this from the owner, so good!" Zhao Er wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead with his hand. Nine times out of ten, it's a cold sweat!

"If I knew what kind of kung fu it was, I'd do the table. The fourth lady was so anxious that when she heard that she was going to sit down and drink tea, she was afraid of delaying time. Hurriedly stopped: "Sir, you don't have to be polite, the tea is free, I'll wait for the hurry." ”

As soon as the fourth lady finished speaking, the girl had already brought the teapot. I saw Shi Meihua carrying the teapot in both hands: "Sister, hurry, I can't carry it, the teapot is about to fall to the ground." The second girl carried the teapot from the kitchen and said as she ran. Without saying a word, as soon as his hand slipped, the teapot immediately fell off in mid-air, and it was about to fall to the ground.

Seeing this, Zhao Er exclaimed, "Not good!" hurriedly got up, intending to catch the teapot. Everyone knows that the teapot was full of boiling water, and hot air kept coming out of the spout of the teapot. Landing from a height of two or three feet, the boiling water splashes, and the second girl is not burned to the skin, which is called a strange.

When everyone saw it, their hearts tightened, but they couldn't do anything about it.

The four are not like but they are disheartened, and they think to themselves: You people are too eyeless, my girl, so you can't see it. It seems that the people of Liujiazhuang are nothing more than that!

The fourth lady was quick with her eyes, she stepped forward and hurriedly grabbed it with her hands. I thought to myself, I would rather be burned than someone in Ma Niang's family to be burned. In fact, he also knew that even if he grabbed the handle of the teapot, he was afraid that because of the excessive force, the boiling water would also overflow from the teapot spout, and there was a risk of being burned.

At a critical juncture, I saw Shi Hehua, holding a plate full of teacups in her hand, slowly coming. Hearing my sister screaming, I knew that the little girl always wanted to show her hand in front of people. I'm afraid that people won't know that she is a practitioner. When it was too late, she leaped forward, and at the same time threw away the teatray and raised her right foot impartially, the tip of which was just over the handle of the teapot. Then, he picked it up with his hand: "Fourth Miss, quickly pick up the tea tray!"

The fourth lady originally took the teapot directly, but saw the lotus flower float the tea tray towards her. In a hurry, I can only move when I hear the sound. She leaned out and leaned forward with a lunge. Reaching out to pick it up, the tea tray immediately flew in front of her, and she was about to reach out to get it. Unexpectedly, she was one step late.

It turned out that the four were not like wiping the table, unhurriedly, and gently stretched out his hand, and the tea tray landed firmly in the palm of his hand. He smiled at the fourth young lady and said, "Fourth young lady, you have worked hard! My historian has five golden flowers, although it is said that the fists and legs are embroidered and the fights are petty, but these jobs are still not a problem." ”

Fourth Miss, until this meeting, finally understood. It turns out that the family is not an idle person!

"Fourth Miss, our family's work can't work for guests. In that case, my father and mother will see us as disrespectful to our guests. Therefore, whenever there is a visitor to the house, my sisters and I are busy. It's not that we are willing, the family rules are here, and we don't dare to disobey if we want to be lazy. After speaking, she shouted to the embroidery room: "Little sister, come out and help serve tea to the guests." As soon as the words fell, three girls ran out of the room, one big and one small, one tall and one short, and they gave Liu Zhaodi and others a thumbs up one by one.

Zhao Er looked at the five girls in the family, and couldn't help muttering in his heart: Ma Niang's mother's family, why are they all big girls? That's because the people of northern Jiangsu are accustomed to calling no son Da Jue, no daughter Xiao Jue, and no son or daughter called Jue Eight Generations. Therefore, several people looked at the large group of girls in their family, bluffed each other, shook their heads at each other, and did not dare to say anything.

Ma Niangniang's living room, that is, the main house, is called the hall house by the people of northern Jiangsu. Three large tiled houses with a south-facing entrance. A pair of large red lacquered mahogany gates, divided into two sides. In the middle of the two gates, there is a pair of brass buckle locks. Inside the gate, there is a built-in pure copper deadbolt.

Entering the living room of the hall, there is a modular cabinet against the wall in front. At the main entrance, Guanyin Bodhisattva is placed upright, with a water purification bottle in his left hand and a branch in his right hand. Sit on the lotus platform and save the suffering and save the difficult sentient beings.

In front of the Bodhisattva, there is a copper incense burner. Throughout the year, the incense burns constantly. On either side of the bodhisattva, a pair of candlesticks are placed. Red and white ceremonies, New Year's festivals, from morning to night, candles and incense are constantly and never extinguished.

At both ends of the counter, tea trays, teacups, tea leaves, wine jars, wine jugs, wine bottles, and wine glasses are arranged in order. Under the cabinet, there are sweets and pastries, cordyceps, ginseng, tiger whip, deer bait, rare and valuable supplements, all in it. In the middle of the living room, there is a large square table with a bucket and a mahogany chair all around. On both sides against the wall, there are display cases. Everything is blue and white porcelain, purple clay pots, and the four treasures of the study, all available.

The surrounding walls are full of peony flowers, peony flowers, mandarin ducks playing in the water, standing out from the crowd, welcoming pines, etc., which are exquisitely embroidered and lifelike.

The girls, seeing that the visitors were admiring their works one by one, secretly observed the large group of men behind their backs. All of them are five big and three thick, especially the shell guns pinned to their waists, which are intimidating to look at. The girls are a little sad in their hearts, although they don't dare to face it. But while handing the teacup to them, it was inevitable that a mischievous look would secretly float away: "Hehe" Mi smiled and turned to leave. Although they have been practicing martial arts since childhood, with long guns and short guns, they can also come up with thirty or twenty guns at home. Just looking at their outfits: black clothes, black pants, black cloaks, with black glasses, black top hats, black riding boots, black shell guns, and black hole muzzles, whoever looks at them is a little calf trembling!

Fourth Miss, see what is on their minds. She looked at them, spread her hands, shook her head, and said, "Little sister, you can see that your family doesn't have a fuel-efficient lamp." You can see at a glance that they are all practitioners!" As she spoke, the fourth lady looked at them and hugged them with both fists: "Well, kung fu is good, kung fu is good!"

Shi Hehua listened to it and smiled: "Hey, what a practitioner." It's all because my father has been exposed to it since I was a child, and my mother has taught it by word and deed since she was a child. Dad and mother said: We sisters are all three-legged cat kung fu, not worth mentioning, the fourth lady has won the award!" He hurried out of the hall and went to the kitchen. Obviously, she is different from her sisters, she doesn't want to look at men a few more times, and she is a little shy.

At this time, Ma Niangniang came out of the inner room. Look at her, wearing a red hat studded with flowers, knee-high red leather riding boots, a red coat, a white handbag with a gold chain, and a yellow scarf around her neck. Twisting his body, he walked out of the room with a smile. Bent down at Liu Zhaodi: "I'm sorry, I've kept Miss Fourth waiting for a long time, let's go." And walked straight out the door.

The four are not like, holding the medicine box, handed it over and said: "They are all old, and they are dressed as bewitches and foxes." The war is in chaos, aren't you afraid of causing trouble, it's worrying?" When Ma Niangniang heard this, she immediately glanced at him, pretended not to hear clearly, and asked, "What? You tell me again?" The tone of her voice was an octave high, and she stopped and stared at the four dislikes. It seems that he is a little angry.

How dare the four dare to repeat it, he hurriedly interrupted: "Fourth Miss, our family, is it riding a horse or a donkey?" He asked Liu Zhaodi with a smile, and hurriedly pulled the topic away. Because he knows that every time he is quick to talk and tongue, he always gets a good reward for his kindness.

Liu Zhaodi smiled slightly, she didn't reply immediately. Because she knows that Ma Niangniang, her husband, is too bad at speaking. dared to offend his wife in front of others. As the saying goes, teach your son in front of your face and teach your wife in the room. He really shouldn't be a pot, he mentioned a pot. Ma Niangniang didn't clean him up when he came back, so he called him a monster! Riding a horse and riding a donkey, Ma Niangniang already knew it in her heart. His man was embarrassed, and he had nothing to say.

Sure enough, Ma Niangniang was determined. From the mill, he took out a yellow horse, smiled at Liu Zhaodi, and said, "Fourth Miss, don't listen to him, I don't have a good outfit when I go far away." The little donkey, but I used it to rush to the market, and the goods that went out of the house were not worthy. ”

After speaking, Ma Niangniang glared at her husband Shi Bu and threw a blank look. That seemed to tell him: When I come back, my mother won't kill you. Seeing his wife's eyes like this, Shi Budi hurriedly handed her the medicine box and helped tie it up. When they were all gone, they returned to the house unhappily. He muttered: "Hmph, little sample! Who is afraid of whom! When you are robbed by bandits, don't say that I didn't warn you!"