A corn garden, deep in the green clouds.

Early in the morning, Qingyan came back from his wife's room, and when she entered the outer hall, she saw that several of them were posting statues of the god Ma Wang, and she couldn't help patting her forehead and said, "I forgot about the twenty-third today."

According to the customs of the Central Plains, on June 23, all the military camps and the families who keep chariots and horses must worship the king of horses on this day, and there are more than a dozen dwarf horses in a corn garden, so they also have to sacrifice a sacrifice to pray for the safety of the riders.

Yan Yan turned around and asked, "What did Mrs. call you for?"

"Mrs. asked if there was enough ice on our side, and the court issued an ice ticket. There is also the master's silk hat and yellow gezu gauze robe, ask if our master wears it. ”

Qingyan walked for a long time, sweating on his forehead, picked up a fan and fanned it a few times, "The weather is extremely hot this year, and I have been sweating all over in the morning, and I have to take a shower." ”

"There's a lot of ice in the ice cellar, so it should be enough. The clothes are still for the eldest young master to wear, we have white ice yarn sent from Suzhou this year. Smoke said.

"It rained heavily in June last year, and I remember that the master asked us to cut and clean Qingniang." Qingyan looked at the cloudless blue sky outside, and the heat was unbearable, "As long as the Dragon Lord can sneeze, I am willing to ask me to be a sweeping woman." ”

Speaking of sweeping Qing Niang, Xu Hao, who was lonely and unheard of back then, found a paper-cut woman statue hanging under the eaves in the rainy season of a certain year, and a paper man with a lady-like look carrying a broom in her hand.

Since then, I have learned that it is actually a Chinese custom. It is impossible to know what era it first appeared, and it is recorded that in the early years of the Yuan Dynasty, Li Junmin made a poem "Sweeping Qing Niang".

"Roll up your sleeves and hold a broom, hang it in the sky and shake your hand."

By the time of the Ming Dynasty, the custom of sweeping Qingniang had been very popular, from south to north. Just like posting the dragon king like praying for rain, during the rainy season, the people's homes are either not tolerant of rainy days, or have family members to travel, or to dry clothes and food, they will let the boudoir girl cut a paper figure, draw a skirt with facial features, etc. Under the scissors of the ingenious girl, the shape of the paper figure is very cute and good-looking.

It is said that in the Yellow River basin such as Shaanxi and Gansu, people call Sao Qingniang as Sao Tianpo, and the paper figure is the image of a woman.

Sao Tianpo is one of the traditional local gods, similar to the matriarchal gods of Nuwa Niangniang and Feng Po, and the customs have been passed down for a long time. The head of the sweeping goddess is usually cut into the shape of a lotus flower.

In the Wa Kingdom, the Wa people generally believed that Sao Qing Niang was a stand-in who could bear disasters and diseases in place of others, showing a certain worship of Chinese customs. Later, due to the strong power of Buddhism in the Kingdom of Wu, the monks who presided over the ceremony of praying for rain or praying for sunshine were monks, so the lady of the sweeping Qing changed and became the well-known bald image of the Chinese in later generations.

The custom of sweeping Qingniang in the Qing Dynasty was also very popular, but in the Republic of China, many areas gradually disappeared. At that time, the whole society began to spurn the traditional Yiqiē and admired the West and Japan, and even continued to this day, so that Xu Hao didn't know it, thinking that it was an inherent custom in Japan.

Xu Hao is very grateful for this and deeply regrets it, because every time there is a rainy season, he will ask the girls in the family to cut some sweeping girls and hang them, hoping that this interesting custom can continue.

Ice tickets are also the summer welfare of the central government of the Ming Dynasty, from the summer day to the beginning of autumn, each yamen has given ice. At that time, the Ministry of Industry will issue an ice ticket, which can be collected by yourself, and the amount of ice received varies according to the official rank.

All aspects of Ming society inherited the development of the Song Dynasty, and ice making was one of them. During the Hongwu period, the ice cellar belonged to the luxury goods of the powerful people, and now, the streets are full of the so-called cold son Dan Bing selling, and the people call it Binghuer.

In fact, it is the ice core, and the Hu nucleus is also, and over time, it is called the ice beard. In the hot summer, the cheaper and cheaper ice brought great convenience to the lives of all walks of life, even if it seemed quite backward to later generations, but the convenience of people's lives at that time was undoubtedly unique in the world. If someone has the conditions to build an ice cellar, who dares to say that it is no less than a refrigerator?

This also gave birth to the profession of selling ice cups, which resembled a kind of hooligan musical instrument, which could make a cold sound when touched, implying the sound of peace.

Qingyan, who wanted to take a bath, walked to Xu Yu's side first and said seriously: "Mrs. said."

"Oh." Xu Yu hurriedly stood up and stood with his hands solemn.

Mu Caichun, who was playing against him, also quickly stood up, and Mu Lingxia, who was sitting in the distance, turned his head when he heard the words. Qingyan asked with a blank face, "Yu'er, do you study every day?"

Xu Yu didn't dare to say no, so he had to laugh hard. Bi Xiao came over and replied for him: "During the day, the young master has to write five hundred words a day, and he also reads one or two books under the lamp."

Qingyan said: "In this case, Mrs. said that Guozijian will pass the exam soon, so let's wait for it then."

As soon as these words came out, the girls in the room became nervous, and said with a cigarette: "What should I do? I haven't touched a book for many days, and if I don't do well in the exam, how can I get it? ”

Mu Lingxia looked at Xu Yu and said distressedly: "I can't take care of it at this time, no matter if it's good or bad, it's a big deal to go home and get punished."

Seeing this, Mu Caichun said: "It's also possible to hold Buddha's feet temporarily." How many days do you have to stay in Guozijian?"

"yes!" Qingyan said sullenly: "It's okay to say that our road is close, but we have to stay for at least two or three days." Why don't you pack up quickly and still stand?"

At that moment, a few people ran to pack their luggage, Mu Caichun asked someone to bring books, and then she grinded them herself, Qingyanjing went to take a bath, and Yan Yan and others were busy taking books and pens, and everyone was in a mess.

Mu Lingxia looked funny, pursed her lips, and looked at them silently, and soon the four books and five classics of ancient literature, Shiwen Fulu, and arithmetic poems moved a large pile, and they were piled up in front of Xu Yu like a mountain.

Xu Yu looked at the books in front of him and smiled helplessly, "Where did you start at this time?" Don't read it!"

"That's not going to work." Mu Caichun sharpened the ink and polished the ink of the inkstone, "The system is nothing more than those test-taking questions, the poetry scriptures can't help but be difficult for you, and you are also good at writing and strategy, so do more scripts or questions." It's better to start with the Spring and Autumn Period and the Analects first. ”

Xu Yu looked up at her, Mu Caichun only cared about grinding ink, and suddenly Xu Yu reached out and wiped it in the inkstone, and raised his hand to brush Mu Caichun's cheek.

"Ahh Mu Caichun screamed, his white face was dyed black, and he shouted angrily: "You are so unreasonable!" I kindly grind for you, you don't appreciate me, but wipe my face! That's it, kindness is not rewarded. ”

Xu Yu laughed and said: "You rub those fat powder every day, your face is getting paler and paler, I will help you neutralize it, and your complexion looks much better."

Mu Caichun didn't wash his face immediately, squinted at Xu Yu, who was smiling, and said, "Then don't I want to thank you?" Well, thank you so much!"

"That's not necessary." Xu Yu said sneeringly, after all, it was abrupt, even if everyone was a close relative.

"Humph!" Mu Caichun rolled her eyes, stepped aside, and asked her sister with a smile to help her wipe it clean, everyone was busy at the moment, and it was inconvenient to wash her face, not to mention that she had to dress up again after washing her face.

Xu Yu said, "Put the inkstone away."

Yan Yan, who took Mu Caichun's place, asked, "Don't write anymore?"

Xu Yu said: "It's still early before the day of the exam, what about two or three days, what's the hurry?"

"Isn't that a waste of work?" Yan Yan said speechlessly, and pushed the inkstone aside as he spoke.

Xu Yu pointed to the stacked books again and said, "Put the books away too."

"Don't read any books anymore?" The smoke was even more speechless.

Xu Yu shrugged and said, "I'm done."

Xuan Yan said funny: "I didn't even turn it over, and I said that I was done?" I think when you get in, what can you write on the paper? Don't come back with a bad review and make fun of the big guys. ”

Mu Lingxia on the side saw that his cousin seemed to be impatient with the nagging of the smoke, he looked down at his fingers, and the ink that had not been smeared had not dried, so he took advantage of the defenselessness of the smoke, quickly raised his hand and wiped her face, and said with a smile: "I'll batch your first article and batch it."

Mu Ling Xiawan, who captured this scene, didn't expect that the gentle and considerate brother would have such a child's naughty side, which was very fresh and unexpected. Although it is frowned upon to witness the stubbornness of not liking to study, I also feel that my cousin is more approachable.

One thing is put on different people, and the natural effect is different, such as handsome guys and ugly men, in short, their sisters can't be disgusted. Of course, he also lives in Xu's Mansion, and he is only related to Xu Yu, unlike other people's concerns.

"Really." The smoke was angry, and he laughed, and said angrily: "That's it, when you can't do it when you enter the venue, it's good for the priest to beat you with a hundred rulers."

I caught a glimpse of the little girl grinning, and the smoke also dipped her hand in ink and wiped her face.

was making trouble, Xu Yunyu and Xu Yunning came in from outside, and when they saw their faces covered with black ink one by one, they couldn't help laughing: "Which one are you singing today?" Why are there so many Kunlun slaves?"

The two of them were laughing, Xu Yu secretly got two hands of ink again, and walked over with his hands behind his back. Mu Lingxia suddenly became alert, and hurriedly pulled her sister to hide in the corner.

Xu Yu walked behind Xu Yunyu, unexpectedly wiped her face, and said with a smile: "I also asked you to sing a flower face."

Xu Yunyu was so frightened that she hurriedly turned around, but before Xu Yunning could react, she was instantly wiped on her eyes, and she was stunned for a while.

Xu Yu simply drew two circles on her eyes, and laughed: "People's eyebrows are long, yours is a group, which can be described as a miracle makeup."

After speaking, without waiting for his sisters to fight back, he ran away.

Mu Caichun said to Mu Lingxia: "No wonder he refuses to call him brother, he is so naughty, like a ten-year-old naughty boy." However, having such a brother is also interesting, the brothers and sisters laugh and laugh, and they don't worry about a boring life. ”

Mu Lingxia couldn't help but nodded, her own life was very dull, and she was cold, so few people joked with her.

Xu Yunning asked the little girls to bring water, they washed their faces, and Xu Yunyu said: "Just swim here, it's hot and humid."

"I can't do it." Yan Yan hurriedly waved his hand, "First, Qingyan is in the bath, and second, it is a place to kiss my brother, so it is not in line with the etiquette." ”

"You're afraid we're going to dirty your pool, aren't you? Stingy. Xu Yunyu pouted.

"Hee-hee." Smoke neither admits nor denies.

Look at me, look at you, see if there is ink on your face. Xu Yunning said: "We are really confused, hurry up and take a look in the mirror."

At this time, Xu Yu walked in and said with a smile: "I'm guilty, Tang Tuxizi, I should get a few slaps."

Xu Yunyu said: "Then let's slap each of us."

"Alright, alright." Mu Caichun opened his mouth, "Let him sit well, recuperate, read, and go to the exam." ”

Xu Yu sighed: "Seeing that we are about to leave, we should all talk today."

"Oh my God." Mu Caichun felt incredible, "It's only a few miles away from your home, just say goodbye?" Then if you become an official in the future, if you go to Sichuan, Guangxi, and Yunnan, what else can you say? With this word 'far' alone, if I were a judge, I would have to beat you with a hundred sticks!"

Xu Yu looked at her deeply, and pretended to be respectful: "The protégé is taught, and he doesn't dare to talk nonsense anymore."

"Hey!" Mu Lingxia sighed softly, and finally understood his cousin's ability to mess around, which is really better than seeing it.

In this way, the whole day passed under Xu Yu's nonsense. In the evening, Xu Qingtang sent someone over to call him, and Xu Yunyu gloated: "Now you can have fun."

Under everyone's sympathetic gaze, Xu Yu followed others listlessly.

When he arrived at the study, the third brother Xu Xuan was also there, Xu Qingtang asked him to sit down, and said: "Although our family is not far from the Gongyuan, we can't help but be busy on the spot. I have ordered someone to rent an apartment in Qinhuai Back Street, and I will accompany you two tomorrow. The hope of our branch is pinned on your brother, the old man hopes that you can achieve something, glorify the lintel, change the noble family to the cultural family, and pass on the poems and books from generation to generation, so as to avoid the fifth generation of the gentleman, such as the Jiangnan Ye family, the Shen family, the Sun family, the Wang family, the Xie family and other famous families. ”

"Yes." Xu Yu and Xu Xuan stood up and agreed.

In Xu Qingtang's heart, although he treats his two grandchildren equally, he can't help but value Xu Yu more in the end. As an elder brother, Xu Yu has been smart since he was a child, inherited his mother's advantages, and has a greater hope of becoming a talent.

"Yu'er, let me ask you, have you grown in knowledge? After a year or two of playing in the garden, how are you doing?"

To be honest, with the connivance of his father, Xu Yu has hardly studied seriously in the past two years, and he is afraid to answer at this moment.

Xu Xuan laughed secretly in his heart, the second brother plays with the girls in the garden all day long, how can he have time to study? However, he was stared at by his mother Zhiqing all day long, and he was also angry and trying to be strong during this time, Master Xia and the others were gone, and no one seduced him to go out to play, and he made great progress in his studies.

Fortunately, Xiao is also in the study, specially for the baby grandson, like most old people, the older he gets, the more he spoils his grandson, almost doting.

Xiao said: "I heard them say that Yu'er reads and writes every day, I don't know if it's true or not, and I can't be wrong if I think about it." What's more, there is also his old son, how can he spend all day having fun?"

"His father?" Xu Qingtang said disdainfully, what virtue does his son have, after so many years, how can he not be able to figure out Lao Tzu?

To say that his son is good everywhere is simply irresponsible in educating his children.

Of course, it's not good to count them in front of his grandson, Xu Qingtang said stupidly: "I'm just afraid that the children will be naughty, who doesn't pretend to be a face for him Second Young Master Xu?" Coaxing you to read and write every day, but in fact, you are wasting your time. (To be continued......)