Chapter 44 Winter Solstice Celebration
On the day of the year, Shi Li welcomed Sima Jingwen and a group of people to Xie's house.
Different from the last time, this Panshi calendar specially arranged for everyone to take a gorgeous lantern boat along the Neihuai River (known as the Qinhuai River in the Tang Dynasty) to Wuyi Lane.
Everywhere you pass, you can see the lights and be very lively.
At a glance, the water lanes, small bridges, revetments, crossings, wharves, stone roads, water wall gates, street buildings and other architectural sketches rich in water town characteristics have formed a building group style with high and low staggered heights and blue bricks and tiles and horse head walls. The streets on both sides of the strait are crowded with people, merchants and peddlers, the goods are prosperous, and the people are full of things, showing the prosperity and romance of Qinhuai for ten miles.
The lightboat traveled along the Neihuai River from north to south, and docked at a crossing on the south bank.
The boatman put down the big springboard, and Shi Li respectfully led Sima Jingwen off the boat, followed by Wang Dao, Gu Rong, Murong Jia, Wang Qing, etc.
And Mu Yixue resumed her women's clothes, wearing a light green pomegranate skirt and a red cloak, and was helped out of the cabin by Zhou Rong.
Xie Cheng met with King Langya this time, there was no first cramped, made a big gift, and led Sima Jingwen and others along a roadway paved with stone slabs, and came to the Xie family's high-gate mansion.
Everyone came to the banquet hall, Sima Jingwen had already greeted the Xie family, there was no need to disturb others, the Xie family could treat them with a family banquet, and the number of gifts should be according to the Xie family's previous years, and there was no need to break the Xie family's etiquette customs, and everyone could see the customs of the south of the Yangtze River.
So Sima Jingwen was invited to take a seat, on the left were Wang Dao, Gu Rong, Murong Jia, etc., and on the right were Xie Cheng and the elders of the Xie family......
As the saying goes, "the winter solstice is as big as the year", the table has been arranged, this is a special flower nine seats, each table is nine glazed pottery bowls, in order to prevent the dish from cooling quickly, each table is also set up under the warm stove.
After seeing that the master and the king of Langya were kneeling properly, the steward arranged for the servants to take away the lid of the bowl. I saw that there were rich chicken, steamed anchovies, stewed meat with sprouts, osmanthus sugar lotus, "winter solstice group", glutinous rice balls, red bean rice, and also special crescent wontons and soup mutton in line with the customs of the northern winter solstice.
Everyone first toasted to Sima Jingwen, the king of Langya, and then Sima Jingwen paid tribute to Xie Cheng and the elders of the Xie family, Wang Dao, Gu Rong and others toasted to the king of Langya and the Xie family, the younger generations of the Xie family toasted to the elders, and the peers respected each other, etc., and the servants waited on the side, the atmosphere was harmonious and happy.
About an hour later, the banquet was gone, and the servants washed their hands and rinsed their mouths, laid out cakes and fruits, and added boiled tea.
I only listened to the people in charge of Xie Mansion chanting loudly: "Chitose Chang Period, Yiyang Festival, Quartet Jiaotai, Wanhui Zhaosu, the time is urging, Yang Shengchun is coming, congratulations!" ”
So everyone first bowed to Sima Jingwen:
"I wish the stars of the Celestial Dynasty to be auspicious and the country to be prosperous; I wish Langya Wang a thousand years of holy life and blissful prosperity. ”
The steward continued to shout: "Ya Sui Yingxiang, the chief celebrates, congratulations!" ”
The younger generation of the Xie family, led by two handsome young people, divided into two columns and entered through the door, first giving Sima Jingwen a winter gift.
Later, they presented socks and kneeling to the elders of the Xie family in turn, and at the same time the steward sang loudly: "The yin pole is the same, the yang energy is born, the sun is south, the day is short, the sun is shadow, all are the foot of the foot, and the blessing is long!" ”
Sima Jingwen and others were all attracted by this unique style of Jiangnan New Year scene, and at the same time, they were also infected by the peace in front of them, especially Murong Jia's face was even more excited.
And Mu Yixue always has a faint smile on her face, compared with the Xie family daughters present, she is not as graceful as the Jiangnan women, but her beauty of light and wind is brilliant wherever she goes.
When the juniors were about to go back after worshipping, the master Xie Cheng got up and said, "Xie Kun, Xie Bao stay!" ”
I saw that the two young men who looked like they were eighteen or nineteen years old in the lead stopped, bowed down and said, "Uncle! ”
Xie Cheng looked at his two nephews lovingly: "Come and see King Langya!" ”
The two young men knelt down and bowed.
Xie Cheng said: "King Langya, these are our two nephews. The older one is called Xie Kun, the eldest son of his brother Xie Heng, who is in the weak crown, and the younger one is called Xie Bao, who is the second son of his brother, and is eighteen years old this year. Because the elder brother is too academic and busy in his daily life, the two sons follow Yu Jianye to study with the children of the clan! ”
"Oh? It turned out to be the son of Lord Xie, Lord Xie was in charge of Jingshi Taixue, he was knowledgeable, the way of birth, and the Confucian cultivator, and now I see these two sons, and they are really elegant and very bearing. King Langya praised.
When Shi Li heard this, he hurriedly stood up and suggested: "The Xie family's calligraphy and painting heirloom, the article is a generation of moral character, and proficient in music and rhythm. ”
Wang Dao saw that Shi Li took the opportunity to offer his courtesy to King Langya, and immediately gave him a face: "It's so good, then there will be two sons of Xie!" ”
Xie Kun and Xie Bao looked at each other, and replied with a smile: "The younger generation is ugly!" ”
At this time, the steward had already called the servants to put the bookcase on the table, and the pen, ink, paper, and inkstone were waiting, and the incense burner was burned.
At this time, Murong Jia said with a smile: "It's been a long time since I've heard Miss Yi Xue play the piano, why don't you let Miss Yi Xue and the son of the Xie family play a song for everyone?" ”
Director Wang immediately nodded and responded: "Yes, I haven't heard Miss Yi Xue's piano for a long time, Miss Yi Xue is a teacher of everyone, so very good!" ”
And Sima Jingwen held the teacup, looked at Yi Xue with a low brow, smiled without saying a word, as if he was looking forward to it too.
Mu Yixue got up and smiled and signaled: "That little girl is ugly." Then he glanced at Shi Li.
At this time, Shi Li was also turning his gaze to Yi Xue's side, the two of them collided, Yi Xue's smile and eyes were strange, which made Shi Li feel that it was unusual, but he couldn't say it clearly, but he saw that Yi Xue had already sat next to the piano, but he didn't think much about it.
At this time, Xie Bao picked up the flute and gently put it to his mouth, and the graceful and graceful rhythm immediately spread throughout the hall.
And Yi Xue hung her eyes on the piano, and with a slight pluck of her jade hand, the sound of the piano immediately followed the sound of the flute:
Sometimes it is like a winter plum and snow blooming in the night, and it is like a snowflake dancing happily on the plum tree, sometimes a kind of lonely high appears under the fingers, and it seems that there is a cold fragrance to secrete people's hearts, a song "Plum Blossom Introduction" makes everyone feast their ears.
Xie Kun, on the other hand, copied a picture of the Spring Herald on the spot, in which Xie Kun seemed to be inspired by the sound of the piano and flute, and the stroke was smooth, and the song was completed in about a quarter of an hour.
The servant stepped forward and raised the painting, only to see a branch of spring primrose plum painting, diagonally from right to left, refined with a pen, the ink color is light, especially the hook flower dots, it seems to be casual and inadvertent.
Gu Rong couldn't help but sigh: "This picture is done in one go, the brushwork is simple and elegant, the style is ancient, the flowers and branches are scattered, the eyes are fresh, the painting style is quite Zhong Ding's method, Xie Shi's nephew is worthy of being the Xie family's famous family, the wind god is beautiful, and it is the father's style!" ”
Listening to Gu Rong's praise, Xie Kuntai was not arrogant, and said politely: "Master Gu has an overreputation, and the little nephew is not as good as his father, so he is afraid and does not dare to pretend to be self-assured." ”
Sima Jingwen also cast an appreciative look, and said to Brother Xie Kun with a smile: "Your two brothers are quite appreciative of this king, can you return to Beijing with this king and serve as a Peng official in my Langya Palace?" ”
When Xie Cheng heard this, he hurriedly got up and walked in front of the two nephews, and thanked Sima Jingwen and said: "King Langya Enguang Wuze, how fortunate the little nephew is to be appreciated by the prince, Xie Cheng thanked the prince on behalf of his brother, and the two little nephews asked the prince to carry him more!" ”
Xie Kun and Xie Bao knelt down at the same time and said, "Xie Kun (Xie Bao) knocks on King Langya!" ”
The Xie family members looked at the two glorious lintel descendants, their faces were full of joy, the Xie family at this time was peaceful and festive, and even the people were happy.
※※※