The winter sun should be warm but cold, it has been a month in recent years, the market set up stalls and sheds, and began to buy and sell the door god couplet peach charm or paper horse incense and other New Year's goods.

Shen Zetang's official sedan chair stopped at the mouth of Lingjing Hutong, very close to the four archways under the Ganshi Bridge, as usual, the west archway was beheaded, the east archway was executed lately, the west archway was empty today, the east archway has been surrounded by the people, the officials set up the prison shed, set up the whole table, the official hat and chair, etc., and then erected the thick wooden pole outside the bowl, the executioner of the execution was brute, and the chest of the piece of meat was bare in the cold weather, and the iron hook and sharp blade were sharpened on the sand and stone.

A few naughty children were playing by the sedan chair and humming the New Year's ballad: "Twenty-three, sugar melon sticky, twenty-four, sweep the house; Twenty-five, grinding tofu, twenty-six, stewed mutton; Twenty-seven, slaughter the rooster; Twenty-eighth, put the face hair; Twenty-nine, steamed steamed buns; Thirty nights and one night; The first day of the new year twisted and twisted. ”

Whether it is a high-rise mansion or a small family, it is always these children who are the happiest in the New Year.

Shen Huan felt something: "At this time next year, the little young master will also babble and sing New Year's ballads." ”

Shen Zetang's eyes softened, and he suddenly heard the noise of the gong, the crowd was in turmoil, and he went with the prestige, it was the time of Chensi, after three or four official sedan chairs, dozens of soldiers escorted the dead criminals who were tied up with five flowers, and they came in a mighty way.

The naughty boys were also curious to come over, and were called by Shen Zetang, who took out a string of money from his sleeve and instructed them: "After passing through the two alleys, there are hawkers selling rattles, blowing candy and throwing candy, you go there to see the excitement." ”

This is obviously much more fun than watching the execution, and the slightly older urchin at the head took the money, thanked him, and led the boy to disappear.

Shen Zetang saw Yang Yan and the lieutenant walking out of the sedan chair, as well as the chief and palm prints and other officials, sitting in front of the table in the shed, Xiao Jingyuan was torn off his clothes and tied to a thick wooden pole, Yang Yan stood up and read the holy decree, his face turned pale, and it was no better than Xiao Jingyuan.

The onlookers are three floors inside and three floors outside, the blocked Qiaomenfang Lane is impassable, and the roof of the archway is full of human traces. Because he couldn't hear what he was reading, he only faintly heard the words of a thousand knives, and was blown away by a northwest wind.

Shen Zetang's vision has been blocked, and he can hear three cannon shots, and there are screams when the execution begins.

I could only hear a few middle-aged men standing in front of me sighing. One trembled in horror and said, "It started from the chest, and the executioner was holding a sharp knife, and the blood flowed like a stream." ”

Another person spoke: "This shopkeeper Xiao sells roast duck, and he is also a good knife skill, and the slices of duck meat are as thin as paper. “

Or the man from before: "Listen...... He's crying out for injustice! shouted that he was wronged and took the ..... for the emperor. ”

Shen Zetang listened attentively, only the sound of the wind in his ears, and another person said: "The official ordered the soldiers to stuff his mouth with hemp walnuts and not let him speak." ”

Some people were indignant: "How much storm can he make as a roast duck seller?" There must be something going on here, and maybe it's a scapegoat. When the emperor was tyrannical and unreasonable, this dog official surnamed Yang helped to abuse him, which made our people not very peaceful......."

An old woman wiped her tears in the wind: "Create evil! This year, Guan was bloody, and he collided with all the road immortals, and next year will be sad. “

The chatter echoed, and Shen Zetang stood up for a while, before bowing to Xu Jing: "Go back to the Ministry of Officials." “

Immediately get into the sedan chair and swing down the cotton curtain.

Someone seemed to notice something, and suddenly turned his head to look back, only to see a green eaves and black curtains carried a warm sedan chair by four people, and it had entered the depths of Lingjing Hutong.

...........................

Tian Jiang led Shen Li to greet Mrs. Shen, and when she arrived later, only Mrs. Shen sat crookedly on the kang and listened to the maid Xia Chan sing a little song.

She beckoned Tian Jiang and Shen Li to sit beside her, smiled and pointed to a plate on the kang table and said: "This is the Shudi bacon brought back by the second child, the kitchen cut points are steamed in the basket, and it smells fragrant, but unfortunately I ate the stuffed teeth, you can also taste it, different flavors sold in the shops in the capital." “

Tian Jiang looked at the bacon, the thin color was like rouge, the fat was crystal clear, and he picked up a piece to eat, the salty and fresh taste was around the tongue, Mrs. Shen saw that she loved to eat, thought about it and said: "Although this is delicious, in the end it is smoked and burned into heavy salt, you are pregnant, you can eat a little fresh, but you can't eat too much." “

Tian Jiangxiao loves herself, and agreed with a smile, Shen Li eats the bacon skin, which is very strong and chews very fragrant.

They all looked at her and smiled, Old Madam Shen touched her hair and said with a smile: "My yellow civet cat gave birth to a litter of cubs yesterday, don't you want to take a look?" “

Naturally, I wanted to see it, Shen Li got off the kang shoes and went with Xia Chan excitedly.

Tian Jiang knew that Old Madam Shen had something to say to her alone, and sure enough, when there was no one in the room, she sighed deeply: "I have heard some rumors about you recently, if you don't know, just do it." “

Tian Jiang touched his belly and said calmly: "The back house of the mansion is full of heaven and earth, and you can always know a thing or two. ”

Old Madam Shen continued: "I am extremely unhappy in my heart, I have already reprimanded the maid and the mother-in-law, and drove the two old grandmothers out of the house, and no one should dare to chew the root of the tongue again." She paused: "You girl often comes to say hello, but she doesn't say a word, and if she is wronged in the future, tell me directly, you can't come forward to punish them, I'll stand up for you." ”

Tian Jiang smiled and bowed her head, in fact, she didn't take it to heart, even if she really wanted to investigate, she didn't have to bother the old lady.

She thought about it and said, "I was about to discuss with my mother, it was me and my third siblings to do New Year's affairs together, and yesterday a few stewards came to report, and the third siblings were ill and couldn't get up, so it was not good to bother her again." ”

Old Madam Shen pondered for a moment: "That's it!" I will assist you in this year's affairs, and I will also remind them (them) to listen to your admonitions, if you do a decent job, you can also take over half of the affairs of the house in the future. “

Tian Jiang hurriedly thanked her, and Mrs. Shen was afraid that she would be timid, so she relieved: "It's not easy to say that it's easy to do New Year's affairs, but it's not difficult to say it, you remember that these things are generally good." “

"A gift for the festival, my self-advocacy does not need you to operate, Shen Er, Shen San and Shen Wu's you still have to be careful, the identity is different, the intention is different, the abundance and thrift of the festival should also have its own merits, you can discuss with them when you draw up a list, but you don't always listen to them, do what you can."

"Two piles of arrears, this family of hundreds of expenses to maintain, Su Riding also has a lot of credit, remember to pay off the same before the end of the year, only if there is a loan to repay, next year will not be difficult to credit; If there are still people who owe us, we must remember to calculate clearly, and we cannot suffer losses if we get back the same. “

"Three piles of buying New Year's goods, tailoring new clothes, buying New Year's dishes, to prepare to worship the gods and ancestors, the cost of New Year's hospitality needs to be raised, this trip can no longer be as usual by Shen Erfang, ask each room for New Year's money, you need to be careful to calculate no more, no less, once the matter is finished, save another lip fight."