Someone used bamboo to take a small boat, floating on the clear water, the boat was inserted with a thin flag, there are words on the flag, there are Yang family bamboo materials, there are Shen family fan industry, spring breeze Gu calligraphy and painting, Zhao family bun shop......

The boats were lined up in a row, tied with colorful satin, and slowly moved through the water.

Standing at the water's edge, the official shouted: "Thank you for the bamboo boat specially provided by the Yang family's bamboo materials, thank you...... Yang. ”

I didn't seem to see it in the back row.

It is not surprising that the merchants are accustomed to seeing it, they almost all sit in the shade of the nearby trees, and those who carry their families will spread the barriers to separate the outsiders, and there are many people who come, and those curtains and barriers are clustered in a row, closely connected, and the silk Luo Qi dances in the wind, and the colorful auspicious clouds fall on the edge of the pool.

There is also a row of small cases by the pool, scholars gather here to poetry, some people can not say to the next house, seeing that the other party was fined a few glasses of wine, self-willed, hearty smile, provoked a lot of young ladies to look more.

There is an open grassland between the flowing water and the bamboo sea, this is the competition venue, the competition has not yet begun, there are participating paper kite workshops with paper kites are flying test, there are also children running and playing on it, followed by worried women or domestic servants, while panting and chasing, while shouting for the predecessors to wait.

Luo Changqing stood on the edge of the grass and watched the children playing with great interest.

I heard Meng Xun say: "Are those obstacles all young ladies from big families, I think you can get to know them." ”

Lu Ling glanced at him: "We should get to know those who are interested in poetry, if we are like-minded, maybe we will work together in the future." ”

And Yue Lan didn't even bother to roll his eyes: "I'll go to the pavilion and ask how the game went." ”

"I'll go with you." Luo Changqing said.

Under the pavilion is the foothold of the county order Li Daren, and it is also the organization office of the Thousand Kite Competition, Li Daren entered the imperial examination, and he took office in Weiyuan County for a few years, and he has not yet stood up, although he is not close to the people, but he has done a lot of things, and he has won the hearts of the people, but he has too close contacts with businessmen, and sometimes it is inevitable to cover them, which is probably the only place where he is worthy of criticism.

However, looking at his daily travels, he did not look like a luxurious person who loved money, and those merchants also said that they were not required to pay any respect.

He was not wearing an official uniform today, he was wearing a black cloud-patterned robe, although it was September, the weather was still hot during the day, he frowned like ink, held a folding fan, and sat behind the desk with a fan.

Luo Changqing and Yue Lan looked at his unsmiling expression, but felt that he was not easy to provoke, and stood outside the pavilion for a moment.

He caught a glimpse of them, but he didn't hear them.

However, the plump county man was very kind, and greeted them with a smile: "Which fang are you from, show me the invitation, and then take out your paper kite for me to see." ”

The two of them sent the things up.

The county Cheng looked at the invitation letter and took out a bamboo tube from the desk: "Changqingzhai, come and draw a bamboo stick, and enter with this...... What kind of paper kite are you here, children playing with them? ”

When he saw the paper kite handed over, his eyes widened for a moment.

"My lord, there is no paper kite style in the competition requirements." Luo Changqing took out the bamboo skewer and handed it back.

"It's not prescribed, but you're too careless to fool around with this kind of thing?" Xian Cheng looked up at the paper kites that were flying in the sky above, "Even if you are fooled, it shouldn't be so obvious." ”

It's understandable that they don't want to compete with Hongyuanfang, but the release of water is too serious, and it will damage the face of the Chen family.

Xian Cheng thought about it, and forced his anger to persuade kindly: "You see, Changqingzhai is the first time to participate in the Thousand Kite Fair this year, if you are eliminated as soon as you come up, it will definitely have an impact on your future business, even if you can't compete for the first place, at least in the middle, it won't ruin your reputation, right?" ”

Luo Changqing said with a smile: "But we do want to compete for the first place." ”

"Then you still ......" The county Cheng glanced at their paper kites again, and his disdainful eyes couldn't be hidden.

"Let them pass." He was about to say more, but Master Li suddenly interjected behind him.

Master Li was still frowning, as if he was very unhappy to participate in such an event, and his face was full of words "so noisy, so chaotic".

But the event was clearly proposed by him.

The county didn't quite understand his words, and didn't move for a while.

"Whether they are eliminated or not, they are all responsible for it, since they want to participate, why stop it?" Master Li said again.

The county had no choice but to nod, and sent them the sign after registration, and advised: "In the first round of the competition, only eighteen paper kites will be selected, and they will enter the second round of the competition. ”

Luo Changqing saluted: "Thank you." ”

"No thanks, you guys...... It's better to put away the paper kite first, lest the game be laughed at before it starts. ”

She looked at the people around her and shook her head helplessly.

Yue Lan was puzzled: "Master, why only eighteen paper kites are selected for the flying competition, some paper kites lack craftsmanship, but they may not be able to fly skills?" ”

"The craftsmanship left by the ancestors, has always paid more attention to ornamentality, the shape of the paper kite and the masked painting has always been the top priority of the production, but the release is secondary, perhaps, this is also according to the previous demand, most people buy paper kites, not for the sake of flying, such as the last time Young Master Yang got married, the paper kite is to pray for blessings, and send thoughts, and can even be used to celebrate birthdays, exorcism, only a few people are really to fly and make a special trip to buy."

"That's right." Yue Lan said, "But the demand will inevitably not change." ”

"Maybe, but in a short period of time, it should not change, for example, these various types of paper kites together to try to fly, itself is unfair, each kind of paper kite wind bearing force is different, the person who wins, not necessarily the paper kite does well, maybe just occupy the time and place. But if it is distinguished by type, then more rules and constraints are needed, and no one sets these rules and constraints, not to mention, presumably this is not the purpose of Lord Li to organize the Thousand Kites Club. ”

"That's right." Yue Lan nodded.

The county order holds such activities every year, one is to promote the art of paper kites, and the other is to gather people's hearts with the people.

The two talked for a moment, and suddenly saw the originally bustling crowd suddenly separate, making way for it.

At one end of the road, there was a lot of black pressure, and Chen Shenghong led the people of Hongyuanfang to stride closer.

Everyone looked over, and even Master Li took the fan and stood up.

In previous years, Chen Shenghong was not so high-profile, but this year he had to do so, he was bound to use the posture of hanging to suppress Changqingzhai at this thousand kite meeting, and drive the master and apprentice out of Weiyuan County.

Of course, this doesn't need to be so high-profile, it's just that the paper kite he participated in this year's competition can't lead so many people.

It was a giant paper kite the size of half a room.

It was a huge peacock, spreading its wings, and the people standing under it were blocked from the light, its long tail feathers hung down, higher than the onlookers, and the green tail feathers were clearly hairy, and they were decorated with dyed silk wisps of silk, and the red tassels at the end were the same as the top of the head, all of which were infested pearls, and its head was held high, its eyes were like torches, and its whole body was sharp and proud.

Even if it is a normal size, the fineness of its workmanship and the preciousness of the materials are enough to attract everyone's attention, not to mention that it is so huge, and the materials required are even more valuable, and the effort is incomparable.

Meng Xun stood in the crowd, surprised to see this dazzling streamer, and couldn't help but marvel a few times, and asked: "Why do they infect the pearl with red, isn't there a ruby, and it's brighter than this?"

Luo Changqing was about to answer, but she heard someone behind her take a step ahead of her: "The gem is too heavy, and it is not conducive to flying." The old man's unique rich voice is none other than the shopkeeper Gu.

She hurriedly turned around: "Shopkeeper Gu, are you here too?" ”

"I have to come, I'm ......," Shopkeeper Gu raised his eyebrows, "I'll be the judge." ”

"If you are to judge, then we are not ......," Meng Xun grinned.

The other party's face was stunned: "So many people are watching, what are you talking about!" ”

"I'm kidding." Meng Xun scratched his head and looked around, "Is Brother Xiaofeng here, I'll go play with him." ”

"Here, lead a bunch of kids over there to go crazy." Shopkeeper Gu raised his hand and pointed to the grass, "Don't shout, my little wind may not be as big as yours." ”

"Hah, how is that possible?" Meng Xun turned around and ran towards the meadow.

Luo Changqing stared at his back, smiled helplessly, and asked the person in front of him: "Shopkeeper Gu, are you the only one to judge, or ......?"

"And the Yang family." The other party said, "And some other merchants, a total of four, have contributed a lot of money to this event." ”

"Huh?" She thought that Shopkeeper Gu would be invited to judge because he was proficient in calligraphy and painting, at least he could comment on the level of painting on the paper kite, and when Xiaofeng competed with He Xiaofei last time, he had already seen that he also knew a lot about paper kites, and he was also a half-expert.

But I don't want to, just because of the money.

Then this game is a bit mysterious, and the other three must not necessarily be insiders, who knows what kind of vision they have!

By the way, one of them is still the Yang family, and Yang Lianqi is really not friendly to her.

Shopkeeper Gu glanced left and right in front of her, and couldn't help but interrupt her thoughts: "Where are your paper kites?" ”

"Oh, in the pocket." She lifted the silk bag she was wearing.

The other party squinted in disbelief: "This? ”

"Yes, in this one."

"Can this thing still fit into the purse?"

"What did you say?" He was vague, and Luo Changqing didn't hear his words clearly.

"I mean...... That, aren't you afraid of breaking it, why don't you take it out? ”

"The county won't let it be taken out."

"Why, I'm afraid of surprising others?"

"No, I'm afraid we'll be embarrassed." She replied in a serious manner.

Gu shopkeeper's feet slipped, almost didn't stand firm, he stopped talking, held the porcelain cup in his hand, took a sip of tea, and slowly moved away.

The grass began to clear, a row of tables and chairs were placed in front of it, and the children were taken around by their families, and the rich merchants in the shade of the trees, the ladies and ladies in the barricades, and the scholars and sons by the pool approached one after another, sitting or standing around the venue, and they all watched Master Li pacing into the field, and behind him, some people followed one after another.

He sat down on the chair in the center, and the row of people behind him followed the instructions of the paper on the table, found the place to go, and sat on either side of the prefectural order.

The participating paper kite workshops are waiting in the open space outside the venue, and two people are allowed to enter each market...... Except for Hongyuan Fang, many people can enter, after all, their peacock is really labor-intensive.