Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Fake Engagement Shop Captain Yuan...

The stuffed glutinous rice balls made by the Duan family restaurant are very popular, especially the kind that is frozen hard in the backyard and packed in a brocade box. Many noble families sent their servants to buy them. They look exquisite, and when they return home, they only need to be put in boiling water, and a pot of soft, glutinous, sweet rice dumplings will be ready. They are very suitable for giving as gifts during the Lantern Festival.

It is said that "the moon is above the treetops, and people make appointments after dusk". For the young and passionate ladies and men in Chang'an, the Lantern Festival is not only about watching lanterns, but also has the meaning of Valentine's Day.

Therefore, the clever people of Chang'an specially built a white shed in the East Market on the eve of this grand festival filled with ambiguity, and performed a large puppet show telling love stories of infatuated men and resentful women. Every day, the sky was bustling with colorful flags flying and gongs and drums ringing.

Today we are performing a play called Engagement Shop, adapted from Li Fuyan's "Continuation of Ghost Records". It is said that there was a young man named Wei Gu who met a silver-haired old man reading a book under the moonlight in Songcheng one night. Wei Gu stepped forward to ask, and the old man replied that he was reading a marriage certificate, on which were written the names of men and women in the world.

When asked what was in his bag, the old man replied, "It is a red string that is used to tie around the ankles of men and women. Once the red string is tied, marriage is destined. Even enemies will become husband and wife."

The old man said to Wei Gu: "There is a vegetable seller named Chen Po near the inn. She has a three-year-old daughter who will be your future wife." When Wei Gu went to take a look, he felt that the baby girl was too young and crude, so he ordered his servant to kill her. However, the servant was so distracted that he only stabbed the girl in the center of her forehead.

Wei Gu got married more than ten years later, but he found that his wife had a flower ornament on her forehead all year round. After careful questioning, he learned that someone had pierced her forehead more than ten years ago. The girl was the little girl in the cradle back then.

This is what is called a predestined marriage.

The puppet show has a majestic soundtrack and the puppets are lifelike. The matchmaker's every hair is so exquisite that they look lifelike when being pulled by the fine threads. The plot is also full of twists and turns, which has won applause from everyone around.

Duan Zhiwei originally just wanted to come to the East Market to find the Hu people to buy some cheap and easy-to-use exotic spices for stewing meat, but was dragged here by Pu Tao. He paid thirty coins to the troupe, and the two of them looked at the engagement shop for nearly an hour.

Although it was the coldest time of the year, the white shed was full of people. The story was so outrageous that it made her feel suffocated. After it was finally over and she returned to the restaurant, Pu Tao excitedly ran to tell Aunt Duan about the content of the engagement shop.

"Is this play interesting?" A Pan asked while peeling garlic.

Duan Zhiwei was already irritated by the hot crowd, and when he heard her say that, he immediately said as if he had eaten a few bites of firecrackers: "This drama is simply outrageous. Wei Gu sent a servant to assassinate someone's daughter just because he disliked her vulgarity. What's the difference between this and a murderer? In the end, he got a beautiful wife for nothing."

She sneered, "You still say that marriage cannot be changed, and once a red string is tied, it cannot be changed? Such a scumbag should be given a divorce letter, and then sent to the Dali Temple and sentenced to exile for attempted murder."

Duan Zhiwei was a little excited, her voice even rose a few notches, and the diners around her stopped talking and listened attentively to her talk. Finally, Aunt Duan couldn't stand it any longer and stuffed a mouthful of glutinous rice balls into her mouth. "Okay, Dali Temple Minister, stop talking. You've wasted the whole afternoon outside. Get back to work."

Duan Zhiwei reluctantly entered the cooking room and started cutting vegetables.

On the other hand, Yuan Shenji already understood the purpose of this Liangzhou "beneficiary", so he looked at Shentu with a hint of sarcasm: "In this case, how much silver do you want in return?"

Shentu Yuerong's smile froze on her face. Lin came over to smooth things over: "I'm afraid Dalang must have drunk a few too many cups today, why is he talking nonsense? Do you mean that the girl is asking for money by taking advantage of her?"

Yuan Shenji snorted coldly, turned around and strode away. He was indeed planning to go to Duan's restaurant to ask the girl of his choice for a glass of freshly brewed Xinfeng wine, but before that he had to write a letter and send it back to Liangzhou Protectorate by express horse to inquire about the origins of this impostor benefactor.

In order to use the Yuan Mansion's fast horses, he had the rare opportunity to stay in the mansion today and was forced to have dinner with that family.

Lin happily prepared a table of delicious food, but Yuan Shenji missed the sincere smiles of everyone in the Duan family restaurant for no reason. He was annoyed and wanted to leave, but Aye stopped him with a sullen face: "You are not a child anymore, it's time to start a family."

Lin added fuel to the fire: "Since the benefactor of Liangzhou has been found, this is a match made in heaven by the matchmaker. It just so happens that the Shentu family and our Yuan family have some old acquaintances, so it is a suitable marriage..."

Yuan Shenji felt that his temper had been too good in the past two years. In the past, he would have overturned the table. He was about to stand up and object, but suddenly found that he could not speak.

Seeing that he didn't answer, Lin smiled and said, "Da Lang has agreed. That's great."

Only then did Yuan Xie reveal a satisfied smile.

Only Yuan Shenji was left with a raging heart. What happened to him?

Over the next two days, Yuan Shenji discovered that whenever he said or made any objection to this disgusting marriage, he would be frozen in place, unable to move or speak. He could only watch his nasty stepmother finalize the arrangements for the animals and gifts with the official media.

He decided that he couldn't go on like this, so he rode his horse to Duan's restaurant first.

Because of the Lantern Festival, Duan Zhiwei had been buried in the dough these days and didn't even have time to drink a sip of water. He looked up and saw him, and smiled happily: "Captain, you are here, choose a seat, I will treat you to Lantern Festival today."

He was a little vulnerable, and wanted to tell her something. Looking at her sparkling eyes, he couldn't say anything. Suddenly, he heard a lazy greeting in his ear: "Captain Yuan, I haven't seen you for a long time. Why do you have a strong demonic aura?"

Yuan Shenji turned around and found that Dugu, the commander of the Monster Catching Division, was sitting at the dining table with a bowl of glutinous rice balls in his hand.

"What's that evil spirit?" Duan Zhiwei also put down the dough in her hand, looked around, and snatched the bowl from Dugu's hand: "Don't eat it, show it to him." She said anxiously.

Yuan Shenji had no choice but to tell everyone about the strange things that had happened recently.

Duan Zhiwei was so angry that he cursed: "How shameless! Outside Liangzhou City, it is clearly..."

It was me who saved you, she thought a little aggrievedly.

Dugu looked at the two of them meaningfully and said, "Take some flour and go to the backyard."

Duan Zhiwei didn't understand what was going on, so he had to carry a bag of flour and follow them to the secluded backyard.

Then Dugu chanted a formula, closed his eyes, circled around Yuan Shenji three times, and suddenly picked up the flour in Duan Zhiwei's hand and sprinkled it towards Yuan Shenji.

The flour did not leave any traces on his body, but there was a circle of dense red lines around him, on his feet, wrists, and neck, with a lot of flour on them, like snow.

"Tsk tsk tsk," Dugu himself was also amazed. "This matchmaker always ties the red thread around the ankles of men and women. How can some earthly immortal not be so knowledgeable and tie it all over the body?"

Duan Zhiwei was already dissatisfied with the puppet show in the engagement shop: "This is not tying the red string, it's like pulling a puppet." Then he said anxiously: "Then untie it quickly."

Dugu shook his head and said, "The one who tied the bell must be the one who can untie it. I still need to ask Yuexia Laoren for advice on this marriage matter."

Duan Zhiwei replied unhappily: "You make it sound so easy. Can I see Yuexia Laoren whenever I want?"

Dugu was waiting for her to say this: "If Madam Duan is willing to give up the Persian carpet and give it to me, I will help you."

The blanket was of little use, so she generously said, "Take it, take it."

On the first day of the Lantern Festival, the flower market was bright as day, and thousands of trees were in full bloom in the streets and alleys. These flowers were not brightly colored flowers, but colorful lanterns in various shapes and sizes, with paintings of rare animals and fairies from the sky. The streets were crowded with tourists, and children were walking around the streets with sugar figurines in their hands.

The Duan family restaurant sold out the last batch of Yuanxiao and closed early. Aunt Duan and her friends changed into their best dresses and hairpins and went to the West Market to view the lanterns.

Although Duan Zhiwei was also looking forward to it, he had more important things to do, so he had to give up.

The moonlight was bright tonight, splashing on the moon like a piece of blue frost. She and Yuan Shenji took the incense sticks given by Dugu and bowed three times to the moonlight together. The smoke from the incense sticks turned into a wandering red line and shot out into the distance.

The two of them followed. It seemed that all the people in Xuanyangfang had gone to watch the lanterns, and they were the only ones walking on the bluestone slabs on the alley.

After passing several intersections, the red line was hung on a huge osmanthus tree. An old man was sitting under the tree reading a book. In the distance, huge fireworks were blooming in the direction of East City.

He doesn't fit in.

Duan Zhiwei and the other person looked at each other and walked over.

The old man put away the book. He looked quite amiable and said, "You two used red incense to invite me here to ask about marriage."

Yuan Shenji told the old man about the various red strings wrapped around his body. The old man checked them in the moonlight and then looked through the marriage certificate in his hand: "This red string was not tied by me. A love-struck woman offered twenty years of her life just to obtain this marriage."

"Twenty years of life?" Duan Zhiwei was shocked. What a ruthless person.

Yue Lao continued: "The one who tied the bell must be the one to untie it."

Duan Zhiwei was not very satisfied with this.

On the way back, she turned her head to look at Yuan Shenji, and then looked again.

Although Yuan Shenji was also filled with anxiety, he found it quite amusing to see her like this: "Why are you looking at me like this, Madam Duan?"

"Captain, you are so lucky that there is a girl who is willing to sacrifice twenty years of her life to marry you." She said sarcastically.

Yuan Shenji shook his head: "Life is such a precious thing. The border has been in war for years, and the Turks have invaded many times. The people are living in poverty and what they want most is to live and work in peace. It is ridiculous that someone is willing to sacrifice his life for such a thing."

Whose lady encountered this hard stone that could not be warmed? Duan Zhiwei thought for a while and asked, "Is that Shentu lady really the benefactor of the commander in Liangzhou?"

There was some tentativeness in her words. After all, when she rescued him, this handsome and tall fourth-rank captain had a pale face and closed eyes the whole time. She couldn't even be sure whether he was breathing or not.

Yuan Shenji wanted to tease her: "If it's really her..."

"What should we do?" Duan Zhiwei asked anxiously.

Yuan Shenji bent down, his tall figure looming over her: "Then I will give you 36,000 strings of cash as a token of gratitude."

Duan Zhiwei's eyes widened. Thirty-six thousand coins, that was a lot of silver. She quickly caught up with Yuan Shenji and asked, "Is it true? Are you really willing to pay so much?"

Yuan Shenji didn't answer. His depressed and irritable mood was swept away. At this moment, he couldn't help laughing. Only a cute little tail followed him and kept nagging.

"You must not give the wrong person this money. This is not a small amount of money. You can open a restaurant in the East Market with it. If you give it to the wrong person, you will be so angry that you will die. Wait, Captain Yuan, listen to me!"