Han Ximeng continued to shake his head: "Sang Nong is still the same as in previous years, they are all tenants at the foot of She Mountain, and they have tenant the land of Second Brother Gu's family to grow mulberry. Ah Tai said that on weekdays, it was the grandmother who personally inquired. ”

When she said this, Zheng Haizhu remembered that when she was hiking during the Double Ninth Festival last year, there were several daughters-in-law of the Gu family tenant farmers who came to pick up the women's rolls.

Zheng Haizhu stared and asked, "Miss, do silkworms that don't spin silk eat all the leaves offered by the Gu family's mulberry farmers?" ”

Han Ximeng nodded and said, "Yes, so Mrs. Miao will meet the second aunt and me in Sheshan today, because her old man personally went out to see the mulberry garden, and said that she couldn't see anything unusual." I also think it will not be the reason for the mulberry leaves, after the sting, I and a few handkerchiefs have gone to Sheshan to enjoy the peach blossoms, each person bought a basket of mulberry leaves from the mulberry garden of the Gu family back to raise silkworms, although it is fun, but those silkworms obediently spit silk, the cocoons are still white and bright. ”

"Oh, that's so," Zheng Haizhu pondered, paused, and calculated, "Then I have to ask Shoukuan to take a boat to Suzhou in the next few days and prepare some silk threads to come back, so as not to embroider enough." After the 500 tobacco bags sold to the Japanese people made by our tailor shop were full, they had to be loaded with handkerchiefs, socks, and fanren dresses, and transported from Zhilong to Yuegang. Gonggong Liu has instructed the county magistrate of Haicheng County to send a boat guide to Brother Yan and teach him to do business first. ”

Han Ximeng said happily: "Okay, don't forget to go back, let your fellow brother find some fine embroidery and good paintings from Dongying, and we will go to the next level." ”

After thinking about it, he said: "I just hope that our Songjiang will be opened and closed like Yuegang soon, and sell goods overseas, so why bother to go far." In fact, it is not a wise move to impose a sea ban on Dongying now. The imperial court can do business with the Francis, Hongyi, Persians, and Taixi, so why is it stuck with the merchants of the Japanese Kingdom because of the old things of the previous dynasty? Is not their silver silver? Can't the money earned from them feed our Ming soldiers and reduce the taxes of some people? ”

Zheng Haizhu thought to herself, my eldest lady, you can think like this because you have a clear heart and no greed.

As the saying goes, there must be a demon when things go wrong, the Ming court now needs money, but it has not let go of the ban on maritime trade with Japan, and only blindly fanned the people's hatred for Dongying, a big reason is that from Deng to Nanzhili, and then to Ningbo, Zhejiang, many officials are intertwined with forces, operating smuggling between the Ming Dynasty and Japan.

He talks about doctrine in his mouth, but he is all business in his heart.

What Liu Shimin said was good, they were just businessmen in official uniforms.

However, Zheng Haizhu still looked at Shuyuan, who was called an employer but was actually more like a partner, and praised sincerely: "Miss does not reject Dongying's craftsmanship, nor does she object to us embroidering the tobacco bag and doing Dongying's business, but Miss embroidered this "Anti-Japanese Chronicle", and she also devoted her efforts to teach Azhu to admire." ”

When Han Ximeng heard this, he stroked the embroidery in his hand and said with a smile: "I am a big living person, and I am not that calligraphy, and I see the world in black and white." Is there still less war between my Ming and the Mongols? Isn't it also open to the mutual market now. People must understand at the same time that they can see the past, the present, and the future. ”

Zheng Haizhu fully agrees.

She got up, walked to the other end of the embroidery, picked up the long embroidery scroll that had condensed the painstaking efforts of the needle, and examined it carefully.

This long scroll, when fully unfolded, is nearly half a zhang.

The fine yellow silk background is divided into six separate parts like a screen, each of which is a battle with magnificent scenes and many characters.

Water wars, some at sea and some on the inner river.

There were land battles, some in the wilderness, and some under the city.

Waves and ships, strong soldiers and strong generals, banner hunting, arrows rain like locusts, spears and hooks stabbing against each other, hand-to-hand combat.

On the picture scroll, Songjiang Prefecture has been shown several anti-Japanese battles since Emperor Jiajing.

From Xinchang to Siqiao, from Deshenggang to Dianshan Lake, from Minhang to Tianfei Palace.

The unique three-dimensionality of the silk thread brings a stronger change of light and shade, which is more vivid and delicate than the brushes of Danqing masters such as Qiu Ying.

Like the real history, the battles shown in this embroidery, the Ming army won and lost, and the Japanese were not necessarily all bandits with hairs, and there were many men with Han hair in buns on the enemy ship, from commanders to soldiers, most of them were maritime merchants or fishermen from Ningshao to Fujian.

Zheng Xiao, the squire of the military department at the time of Jiajing, has long recorded: Among the thieves, all of them are Chinese, and there are only 12 out of 10 Japanese slaves.

For this epic theme embroidery, Han Ximeng and Zheng Haizhu embroidered a total of two.

One piece will be hung in the main hall of the library building in the north garden of Shoukuan School.

Poetry, painting, and embroidery, like good books, seek a "true" word.

Whether it is the truth of aesthetics, the truth of science, or the truth of history. Not for the sake of clinging to the powerful and violence, but for the sake of truth. This is what Zheng Haizhu said to the children when he was about to bring the first batch of students to the library downstairs.

Another piece of embroidery, Zheng Haizhu wanted to redeem the dividends given to her by Yan Siqi from Suzhou Qianzhuang, and then took the silver money and embroidery to Zhenjiang, which was close to Chi Qi, to visit Qi Jin, who was still in the post of chief soldier, and presented the training reward and commemorative gift for the descendants of Qi Jiguang.

She confessed to Han Ximeng that she not only respects these patriotic soldiers, but also wants to get to know as many generals as possible for her brother Yan Siqi, who is very likely to become the commander-in-chief of the Taiwan Strait.

To Zheng Haizhu's surprise, after Han Ximeng heard her plan, he offered to go with Gu Shouqian.

That's a great support for her.

After all, Gu Shouqian's grandfather Gu Mingshi had the rank of a civil official in the capital, and Gu Shouqian had already won the show.

For a military general like Qi Jin, it is safe and very dignified to associate with the descendants of scribes of Zhishi officials, and with the pressure of money, there is no reason for him not to be enthusiastic.

Han Ximeng, in addition to approving Zheng Haizhu's idea, also has his own willingness to actively promote this matter.

"Ah Zhu, the second brother has long told me that the children of the gentlemen should not only study and recite poetry and paint all day long. Last time in their Gu family's Wenzhe Academy, he liked General Ma's team. Didn't Mrs. Miao also approve of him associating more with men in the army? ”

Zheng Haizhu nodded and said, "Mrs. Miao is really a good and knowledgeable elder. This time I saw the female chief who was in charge of the side on the island, and I always felt that the air was familiar, and after thinking about it, it turned out to be like Miao. Today, Mrs. Grandma has sent a lot of things to our school, and I will have to come and thank you another day. ”

……

Three days later, in the pavilion in the backyard of the Gu Mansion, the last apricot blossom rain fell in mid-spring.

The petals of the white flowers, light powder, spread on the green and earth, like embroidery on green or ripe brown brocade.

Miao Atai was in good spirits and stepped on the flower path to the pavilion.

Zheng Haizhu hurriedly got up and saluted, and after the old lady sat down, she presented a tray full of souvenirs.

"Ah Tai, these are the dried flowers and herbs that I gave me when I was dealing with the Siraya people on the island of Taiwan, saying that they were very good at repelling insects. After I brought it back, let the dolls in the school make sachets, the beginning of summer is coming, mosquitoes breed, Ah Tai and all grandmothers, young ladies, you might as well use it. ”

Miao Atai was full of kindness, personally picked and selected, put the fresh mulberry and cherries into a plate, put it in front of Zheng Haizhu, and said with a smile: "You kid has a heart, come, don't be restrained, talk while eating the fruit." When you go south this time, whether it's thrilling or weird and interesting, talk to Ah Tai. ”

Zheng Haizhu obeyed the order and became a temporary storyteller, but the legends and characters mentioned were all within the limits of Liu Shimin's explanation.

Miu listened with relish, and at the same time, she thought about the secret business in her heart, adding some minor adjustments.

When Zheng Haizhu's narration ended, Miao Ah praised a few words, commented a few more words, ate two fruits, and enjoyed the beautiful scenery of the lush trees in the garden, and then started another topic with a consultative tone.

"Azhu, I want to ask you for a favor today."

"Huh? Whatever Mrs. commands, even though I am sent to do so. ”

"These days, something strange happened, and many of the silkworms near the silkworm households have become zombie silkworms and do not spin silk, you should also know. We take care of the family, after all, there is a mulberry garden, at the beginning of the spring took the silver of the silkworm households, now they are anxious, where can we watch from the wall? Yesterday, the eldest daughter-in-law discussed with me that after sacrificing my ancestors this year, I will pay for the family to hold a ceremony to invite the silkworm mother. ”

Zheng Haizhu was a little confused.

The ancestor, of course she knows, is the concubine of the Xuanyuan Yellow Emperor, and it is rumored that she invented the technique of raising silkworms, so whether it is the silkworm ceremony of the queen mother of the heavenly family, or the temple fair of the folk every spring, there is a sacrifice ceremony to the ancestor.

Isn't the ancestor a silkworm god? But listening to Miao Atai's meaning, is there a second immortal who cares about silkworms?

Seeing her look of surprise, Miao Atai explained that in the Susong region, the silkworm god and the silkworm mother are two different things.

The silkworm god is the ancestor, and the silkworm Niangniang is called "Ma Tou Niang".

Legend has it that when Wu Yue Kingdom, there was a family here, the husband was powerful, the wife was gorgeous, and the only daughter born was also a first-class beauty. When war broke out, her husband enlisted in the army and disappeared on the battlefield. And his wife and daughter swore to heaven that whoever could find the man would marry him. One of the family's white horses broke free from the reins, ran to the battlefield, and humped back the unconscious man in the nearby forest. The man recovered from his injuries under the care of his wife and daughter, and when he heard about his family's oath, he was so frightened that he shot the white horse with an arrow.

Unexpectedly, that night, the soul of the white horse turned into a horse skin and wrapped his daughter.

The horseskin turned into a white silkworm cocoon, and the beautiful daughter became a chrysalis that could never break out of the cocoon, and rose to the heavenly realm to become a silkworm Niangniang, also known as "Ma Tou Niang".

After listening to this, Zheng Haizhu couldn't help but feel creepy, and secretly sighed a standard foul language for modern people.

Such a perverted story is simply on par with the dark Greek mythology.

The cause of sericulture, which is scientific and beautiful and benefits the common people, is very much involved in the sadomasochistic origin of such a mad demon.

I only heard Miao Ah Tai continue: "Ah Zhu, Ma Tou Niang's magical powers are vast and her mana is boundless. If the silkworm household was not desperate, he would not dare to alarm her. When inviting a horse head lady, the appearance of a horse should be pierced with white thickness, and a woman should sit on the back of a horse and hold a pot of zombie silkworms. The big bull pulls you past the gates of all the silkworm households and accepts the worship of the silkworm households. ”

"I, we?" Zheng Haizhu cautiously asked, "Ah Tai wants me to be the woman on the white horse?" ”

Miao Atai looked apologetic and sighed: "To welcome the horse's head mother, you must have an unmarried woman." The lady in the boudoir of a big family is not good to show her head like this. The girl of an ordinary farmer, or the girl of the opera troupe, is afraid that Ma Touniang will feel sluggish. Many years ago, Songjiang asked for a horse head girl, and the one sitting on the horse was a female hermit who practiced immortal arts, but she had already traveled abroad and did not know where to go. ”

Zheng Haizhu opened her mouth slightly.

has never been married, and can show her face, and she is not a girl in the theater troupe......

So, I have to go up?

Yes...... Isn't it similar to the popular cosplay in later generations, so it's an immersive experience of ancient folklore.

Zheng Haizhu then regained his composure and said respectfully to Miao Atai: "Duocheng A's blue eyes." Speaking of which, Miss and I are also people who deal with silk all day long, and I should serve the major affairs related to silkworms in this house. There are rules in it, and I also bother Ah Tai to point out. ”

Miao Atai's eyes were happy: "Good girl, the old body knows that you are a busy person." Looking back, your line, the old body personally gave you a zhangluo, and you don't have to be distracted to think about it. ”

……

The ceremony to welcome Ma Tou Niang, after the rain in the valley, there will be a batch of new silkworms at the beginning of summer to mature silkworms, and the silkworm farmers in Songjiang are looking forward to the manifestation of Ma Tou Niang and bless the silkworms to spin smoothly.

On this day, Zheng Haizhu finished breakfast in the Han Mansion, Han Ximeng sent her to the door, let her sit in a sedan chair and go to the Gu Mansion to change her line first, and she and Shoukuan, as well as other female scrolls in the mansion who wanted to watch the ceremony, turned around and waited directly at the gate of the Chenghuang Temple.

The sedan chair walked for a while, and when it came to a stone bridge, Zheng Haizhu suddenly saw his student, Liu Daqiang, the son of Liu Zhutou, squatting on the ground, not knowing what to think.

His sister, a nine-year-old girl, stood beside him, as if wiping tears from her eyes.

At this hour, why didn't the brother and sister go to school?

Zheng Haizhu hurriedly asked the sedan chair driver to stop, stepped down from the sedan chair by himself, and went to ask what was going on.

Liu Xiaomei saw Zheng Haizhu first, called out, there was still a sound of crying, and her two eyes were red and swollen, and she was really crying.

Liu Daqiang looked up and saw the person who came, and also stood up, looking dejected, and saluting Zheng Haizhu was also wilted.

Zheng Haizhu caught a glimpse of a bunch of all kinds of insects surrounded by stones on the ground, most of which were scorched.

Looking at Liu Daqiang's hand again, it was a piece of reading glasses that he used as a teaching aid when he was a guest teacher of Gezhi class.

"Why don't you take your sister to school and burn bugs with the sun with lenses here?" Zheng Haizhu asked with a calm face.

Liu Daqiang said angrily: "If I go today, I won't be able to go tomorrow, my father and mother will sell my sister to others as a child daughter-in-law." ”

"Huh?" Zheng Haizhu was taken aback.

Liu Zhutou is also a soap official in Songjiang Mansion, with a salary of one or two silver per month, plus various benefits collected when he usually runs errands, how can he not be unable to open the pot at home, right?

The son is only eleven years old, and he is early to marry his daughter-in-law, so he won't sell his daughter in exchange for his son's dowry now, right?