Xiaoqing took a stick of incense in his hand, carefully touched it lightly on the fireworks, and then covered his ears and ran away quickly. I saw the twisted thread burning rapidly, and after a while, there was a "boom", and a colorful butterfly rose into the air, rose into the air, and slowly dissipated.

"Fly into the sky! Fly into the sky! Xiaoqing watched the butterfly dissipate into the air and stomped her feet happily.

Du Zhongxiao and Han Yueniang sat behind the table, watching Xiaoqing and the two entourages standing in the courtyard, lighting a firework from time to time, lighting a cannon after a while, laughing and shouting happily.

Qu Wuniang put the fruits and vegetables on the table, and saluted: "Mrs. official, it's late at night, let's rest with some wine and food." ”

Du Zhongxiao looked at Han Yueniang and said, "Tonight's Chinese New Year's Eve should have been a new year." I remember that when my family celebrated the New Year, we had to take the good wine and food to worship our ancestors before we could enjoy them. Now that Mom and Dad are gone, we don't know these rules, what do you say we should do? ”

Han Yueniang pouted, and said with some complaints: "I asked my father and mother to come and celebrate the New Year with us, but they said that the family's business was scarce for a day, so they turned it off." And no adult has taught us this, who knows! ”

After speaking, he looked at Qu Wuniang with his eyes, counting on her to give a pointer.

Qu Wuniang sighed: "Madam, you are an official eunuch, and the rules are different from ours. Those of us who live by serving guests to earn some money, how dare we say the rules of the New Year here. ”

Han Yueniang glared at Du Zhongxiao, her face was a little unsightly. Both of them are from small households, and they have a good meal for the New Year, and it is extremely rare to make new clothes, where do you know what else to do? Most of the New Year's rules that Du Zhongxiao remembered in his previous life were formed in later generations, and posing them at this time would only make people laugh, so he had to sit upright, just as if he didn't see Han Yueniang's eyes.

After setting off a few firecrackers, Xiaoqing entered the house from the outside, stomped his feet to shake off the snowflakes, rubbed his red face and said, "It's so lively this year!" I was just playing, and I was a little hungry—"

Qu Wuniang secretly glared at Xiaoqing and signaled her not to talk nonsense. The two of them are now regarded as Du Zhongxiao's domestic prostitutes, and they are usually good to them, but on this occasion of the New Year's Festival, if one is not good, what taboo will be committed.

If Du Zhongxiao knew what taboos there were during the New Year, he wouldn't be so troubled. He and Han Yueniang are both under the age of twenty, and they used to celebrate the holidays with their parents Zhang Luo, and neither of them knew what the rules were. Originally, according to Du Zhongxiao's current identity, he should have brought his parents by his side, instead of wandering outside as a young couple like now. What to do to support relatives and make money as an official was originally spent by parents. But Du Xun and Han Lian and his wife have coveted the right to sell liquor in Sanzhou in recent years, and they are busy doing business to make money, who is willing to follow the young couple to abandon their family and business.

Looking at Xiaoqing's excited appearance, Du Zhongxiao coughed and said, "On the night of Chinese New Year's Eve, be a slot to keep the year." Slots, homophonic Jiaozi, implying the replacement of the old and the new, I ate tonight to ask for a mouthful. If you have nothing to do, you will wrap up some slots and prepare to eat later. ”

Han Yueniang muttered in a low voice: "I haven't heard of it, which family wants to eat those things during the New Year!" After speaking, he said to Xiaoqing: "It's okay left and right, you and Wu Niang will wrap some slots, bake the fire for a while, and see that your face is red from the cold!" Other people, don't worry about you throwing money, let's be lively, and keep the New Year honestly! ”

Chai Xin and a few entourages shouted hello, and then gathered next to the door of the house, formed a circle, and took out a few gambling equipment. It has always been the rule of the imperial court, and gambling for three days during the New Year, not to mention the people, the queen's concubines and palace maids in the palace are all gambling. Usually Du Zhongxiao is strictly controlled, these people are already itching, and the gambling equipment has already been brought tonight. At this time, I took it out, and after a while, I shouted and forgot about it.

Xiaoqing and Qu Wuniang saw it, and they wanted to go up and join in the fun, but Du Zhongxiao and Han Yueniang were watching from the side, and they didn't dare after all, so they honestly went to mix noodles and make dumplings. This is the only New Year's custom that Du Zhongxiao brought from his previous life, because there is no one in this era, and he has always been suspected by Han Yueniang of his greed. The method of wrapping has been taught a long time ago, and it is slightly different from this era, Qu Wuniang and Xiaoqing have already learned it.

Seeing Chai Xin and a few entourages shouting there, completely forgetting his existence, Du Zhongxiao sighed in his heart. Thousands of years ago, he remembered eating dumplings and watching the Spring Festival Gala, but now, as the head of the family, he didn't know how to arrange it.

Chai Xin had good luck tonight, won a few handfuls, and said to Du Zhongxiao, who was sitting behind the table: "The whole world will have fun tonight, and the officials will have nothing to do, so come and throw two handfuls." It doesn't matter if you win or lose, just want to be lively! ”

Han Yueniang glanced at Du Zhongxiao and said in a deep voice: "You dare to gamble!" ”

Du Zhongxiao spread his hands: "At this season, even the officials have to gamble with the courtiers for money, drink and play, what is there!" On a happy day, we can't just sit here as a couple and watch the rest of the family play. Yueniang, you can't spend the year like this! ”

Han Yueniang turned her face, didn't look at Du Zhongxiao, and didn't know what she was thinking.

Du Zhongxiao looked at the snowflakes falling from time to time outside, a little bored. Han Yueniang is good at everything, she is from a small family and is very strict in running her family. Du Zhongxiao can do anything, but he is not allowed to touch a gambling word, even if it is purely for fun. In Han Yueniang's words, this is called preventing microaggressions. Du Zhongxiao can't refute this kind of thing, so he can only listen to Han Yueniang. It's just that in this year, it's not allowed to gamble on pleasure, and there are still games to find time.

After sitting for a while, Han Yueniang couldn't hold back after all, and instructed the person next to her: "Go and burn a stove, Da Lang and I will have some mutton shabu and eat two glasses of wine to relieve boredom." I have a few old copper coins in my box, which are used to press the New Year, and I and Da Lang throw money, which one loses and which one drinks. ”

Hearing this, Du Zhongxiao let out a sigh: "Thank God, lady, you always have to find something to sit on." We sit here without incident, the two of us are embarrassed, and the rest of the family is not having fun, where is there a New Year's Eve look? Well, throw money at it, drink it and drink it! ”

Chai Xin won again, smiled and took the copper coins on the ground, and saw that Du Zhongxiao and Han Yueniang looked funny, and said: "Official, madam, how much do you mean by gambling and drinking?" Why don't you throw a few copper coins to have fun? Just when we are the New Year's money, the officials won a few of us, and the husband and I won it was Wu Niang and Xiaoqing, wouldn't it be good! ”

Han Yueniang glared at Chai Xin, and said, "I have already prepared the New Year's money for you there, how can I miss you!" When you say this now, don't you want more? - That's it, you have worked hard this year, and you should give more. Hurry up and get ten times of money, and I'll make a bet with the officials! Well, if the officials lose, you must not complain! ”

Chai Xin and several entourages laughed together: "All ladies are in charge, don't complain, don't complain!" ”

Han Yueniang is in charge of the money at home, this is clear, even if she loses, she will have to make up the money for Qu Wuniang and Xiaoqing in the future, which is a bit tricky. Chai Xin and the others have extra money anyway, where do they care about this, they just want to have a lively night tonight.

Inside, Xiaoqing washed her hands, took out a few fine copper coins from Han Yueniang's private box, and ran to hand them over.

Du Zhongxiao took the money in his hand, learned from Chai Xin's appearance, blew into his hand, and said in his mouth: "Kill all the words, and fight!" ”

Everyone in the family gathered around, smiling and watching their master and mother give him gambling money.