After the small year, it is considered to be officially entering the new year, and every household begins to prepare all kinds of New Year's goods, and the market is extremely lively.

Qi Ning's things were also sold out early, thinking that the New Year was coming soon, and everyone had worked hard for so long, so he decided to work for two more days tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, and he would rest from the twenty-sixth, and open the door after the fifteenth day of the first month.

On the twenty-sixth day of the lunar month, Qi Ning and everyone finished breakfast, and divided the cloth, and instructed Zhao to use the dark blue one to make a regular dress for Wang Zhutou, the moon-white one to make a skirt and blouse for themselves, and the other fabrics to make according to their preferences. Han Dong took the silk rope and silk flowers and happily tied them up: "Girl, why don't you wear it yourself." ”

"I'm used to it, and I don't like to bring these Ding Zeros as a long time."

Qi Ning gave the Zhao family ten taels of silver, counting the bonus of the three of their mothers. Qiao Niang came late, gave her two taels, gave Handong 100 Wen Pocket Flowers, and gave Tie Niu 100 Wen to keep to buy candy, which was regarded as a year-end bonus to encourage them to work hard in the future. Then I took a vacation and went out with them to buy what they needed.

In fact, Qi Ning gave each of them a salary of 500 Wen every month.

Tie Niu bought a small set of firecrackers and came back with two pork knuckles: "I met Shopkeeper Qin and Shopkeeper Wu just now, and they gave a New Year's gift to thank the girl for taking care of his family's business, and they didn't come in person if they still had to see the stall." ”

Qi Ning instructed Tie Niu to smear an elbow with salt and hang it in the shed, although it doesn't snow much in winter, the temperature is also very low, and it will not be a problem to put it in the New Year. The other asked Zhao to cook it in a cauldron and eat it at night.

In the afternoon, Han Dong and Tie Niu came in with a large bag of small baskets of things and said to Qi Ning, who was looking at the account book on the couch: "Shopkeeper Hu sent his men to give New Year's gifts, a lot of snacks, six horses of silk, and several big fish. There are also two bags of tea. ”

After Qi Ning checked it, he took out a pack of snacks and handed it to Tie Niu: "Take it and eat it, come and get it after eating, little gluttonous cat." Tie Niu snorted excitedly, hugged the snack and ran away.

Qi Ning looked at the rest of the things and was worried, people have a big business, and they can't afford to give some New Year's gifts casually, so they thought about it and instructed Han Dong: "Let your mother kill ten ducks, and roast the year's gift tomorrow morning, we can't afford anything else, and we can't afford to take the cheap ones." ”

The next morning, Tie Niu carried two for Xiao Gongzi in a basket, two roast ducks for Hu Shopkeeper and two packets of braised duck wings and duck intestines to go out to give gifts. He sent Handong to take two to the yamen to ask if Master Zhou had come back, if he came back, he would leave him, if he didn't come back or it was inconvenient for many people, he would ask where he lived and send them directly. I left two for Wang Zhutou, and kept the rest for myself to eat when the time came.

On the twenty-eighth day of the lunar month, Qi Ning was nesting on the couch in the study at night, chatting with Han Dong without a word of charcoal basin, Zhao and Qiao Niang sat on the other side of the charcoal basin to make New Year's clothes, and Tie Niu pushed open the door and came in: "Wang Zhutou is here." As soon as he finished speaking, a tall figure followed in with a cold air.

Zhao and Qiao Niang hurriedly met the ceremony and went out with Tie Niu, Qi Ning lifted the small quilt on his legs, stood up and let Wang Zhutou sit in the living room, and said affectionately: "Brother Wang is back." It's been a hard journey. ”

Wang Zhutou picked up the tea served by Han Dong and drank it in one gulp: "I just came back in the afternoon, and I went to the yamen to explain my errand, so I came over." ”

"Handong, go and bring the clothes made for Wang Zhutou." Han Dong responded and went to the bedroom to get a bag of clothes, and came out and handed it to Qi Ning.

"Thanks to Brother Wang's care this year, there is nothing to say, let Aunt Zhao make you a dress, I don't know if it is suitable or not, Brother Wang, don't dislike it." Qi Ning opened the package, shook off his clothes and held them up to show Wang Zhutou.

"Yes." Wang Zhutou cleared his throat a little unnaturally.

"Brother Wang take it back and try it, if it's not suitable, ask Aunt Zhao to change it for you." Qi Ning folded the clothes and put them back in the package.

Wang Zhutou got up and carried the package: "Someone else gave me a thing, but I didn't need it, so I gave it to the girl." A box rested lightly on the table, and he strode away without looking back.

Han Dong sent it out, closed the street door, and came back to see Qi Ning holding a jade bracelet in his hand, stunned.

"Girl, it's getting late, let's rest." Spread the futon for Qi Ning, carefully cover the door and leave with a smile.

Wang Zhutou came back, and Qi Ning still sent Tie Niu to deliver him food every night, or two dishes for one meal.

In the evening of the thirtieth day, when the dishes were almost done, he asked Tie Niu to invite Wang Hunting to come over for a Chinese New Year's Eve dinner.

Tie Niu came back alone: "Wang Zhutou has gone out." There was no one at home, and Aunt Wu said that he seemed to be out of the city. ”

Qi Ning thought that he had gone to the house of relatives and friends in the countryside, but he didn't care. Who knew that Tie Niu had been closed for a few days to deliver dinner, and Qi Ning would not let him deliver food again.

This year is the most relaxing day in Qi Ning's life, sleeping until he wakes up naturally every day, going to the yard to walk around when he is full, and sometimes taking Handong out to visit the New Year.

In the blink of an eye, on the fourteenth day of the first lunar month, there was a light snowfall on the morning. In the afternoon, the family had an early dinner, and while it was still dark, they stepped on the slippery stone slab to see the lanterns on the main street.

The lanterns of the Lantern Festival are held every year from the 14th to the 16th night. Many businesses on both sides of the main street have set up tables at the door, placing prizes, hanging lanterns of different shapes and colors on the heights, and hanging anagrams written on slips of paper under the lamps, and you can get something if you guess correctly. It's just that it's still early in the morning and hasn't started yet.

The street was bustling, and a large crowd of people could be seen in the distance.

"Hit me, hit hard, break his legs, dare to steal our master's things!"

"Girl, you see there's a fight in front of you." Tie Niu excitedly shook off Zhao's hand and got into the crowd.

A few men dressed in blue cloth and entourage were kicking and beating a man lying on the ground, who was supposed to be a half-old child, who was curled up on the ground with his head in his arms and screamed.

Standing next to him was a boy of about fifteen or sixteen years old, dressed in a royal blue brocade fur cloak and stepping on deerskin boots, with a white hosta in his hair bun and his hands in the warm tube of fox fur, and loudly commanding his subordinates to beat the child, looking arrogant. Next to him stood a young man half a head taller than him, dressed in a long dark robe, and holding a sword in his hand.

Qi Ning thought to herself, this little boy doesn't know which young master of a powerful family, he is so vicious at a young age, and he looks like a gentleman when he dresses and behaves. It's been more than half a year, and she also knows that there is no status for the people here. The children on the ground may be cornered, or who would dare to provoke these young masters.

"Hey, this child is so pitiful, the day before yesterday he knelt in front of the hospital for a day, begging the doctor to treat his mother, and in the end a passer-by couldn't stand it, so he gave her a piece of silver before he grabbed the medicine." An old woman said.

"I heard that their mother and son live in a temple outside the city, and the ruined temple is about to collapse, and the freeze has frozen people to death." The other looked lively and said.

"Yes, this young master is too much, he is so rich, he still cares about this bit of silver."

"This kid doesn't open his eyes, he just steals his things, hey, he beats him too hard."

……

"Stop, don't fight, if you fight again, you'll die, stop it." Qi Ning rushed to the middle and pushed a few people in Tsing Yi who were kicking.

She is not a nosy and bad person, but this child is unresponsive when she sees it, and she lies on the ground motionless, letting these people kick and beat, she really can't stand it.

Several servants looked at their master, and when they saw that the master nodded, they hurriedly stood behind him and waited.

"If you have something to say, how much money did he steal from you, if you want to come back, if you beat it again, you will die, and it will be a bad luck for the New Year." She turned to the noble son and said kindly.

"He stole our young master's things, and he should be beaten." The older man in dark clothes stepped forward and said viciously.

"Is there any evidence? Even if he really steals your things, you are about to beat him to death, and it can be regarded as a lesson to him, and you will not be unlucky if you get into a life lawsuit during the New Year. Qi Ning suppressed the fire and continued to speak. Actually, she hates this kind of bully the most, but she can't afford to provoke herself, so let's find a way to save people first.

"You'd better get out of here, what's your business! Aren't you his accomplice? The man saw that their young master was silent, so he pointed at Qi Ning and said, "If you don't hurry up and fight with you!" ”

"Hey, you are so unreasonable, I'm just passing by, I see you beating a child like this, even if he is at fault, there is a yamen, you beat people on the street like this, is it considered private torture, even if the people from the yamen come, they will arrest you together, when the time comes, he will return your silver, and you will have to pay the silver to treat his injuries, if he dies, who of you will pay for his life?"

"All of you come to judge, catch the thief and scratch the dirty, if he really steals something, you can send it to the yamen, how can you beat people at will."

At this time, the surrounding discussion became louder.

"yes, forget it, it looks weird and pathetic."

......

An attendant bent over the young master's ear and muttered a few words.

"Today, for the sake of the girl's face, spare him, and keep the money for him to heal his wounds." The boy finally spoke, glancing coldly at the onlookers and throwing a purse on the ground. took everyone and walked away.