Chapter 99 All Living Things

There's a saying: "When the New Year drum sounds, spring grass grows."

The Laba drum is the drumming performed on the 24th day of the Laba Festival, a ritual for exorcising evil spirits. In ancient times, people would wear masks, carry spears and shields, and chant "Nuo, Nuo, Nuo" to drive away plagues and evil spirits. By the Song Dynasty, a poem described it as driving away disease demons and flattering the god of money. It is said that the Laba drum is noisy in the neighboring town, a festival for thanking the gods and praying for a good harvest.

The Nuo rituals performed by villagers are found throughout the towns and countryside. In the twelfth lunar month, drums resound everywhere, and vendors carry loads of various masks for sale.

Nuo has a long history and has been practiced in Sangqing Town for over a hundred years. It was funded by the government, community leaders, and cloth merchants. There was also Yixing Society, which was a Buddhist Dharma assembly at Zhaoqing Temple in Lin'an, and Feilu Society, which was entirely composed of acrobatic actors.

Lin Xiushui heard the official in green say, "Madam Lin, the head of the cloth shop and the head of the troupe have high hopes for you this year. Many famous actors in the Scarlet Green Troupe have also spoken about you privately many times. That's why we're only inviting you now that the Laba Festival is approaching. Please don't take offense."

Lin Xiushui wasn't particularly surprised when the old man from the cloth shop introduced her. She had frequent dealings with the cloth shop. As for the head of the society in charge of various rituals, she didn't know him, let alone the famous performers of the Scarlet Green Society. Even if the officials mentioned their names, she had only vaguely heard people mention them.

The official walked forward, then turned back and smiled, "Once you see her, young lady, you might become acquainted."

Lin Xiushui followed behind him, walking slowly. After passing two rows of screen walls, they entered a room, walked around a screen with embroidered birds and flowers, and smelled the fragrance slowly wafting from a bronze incense burner in one corner of the room. The brazier was burning brightly, and there was occasional laughter.

The official led her inside and gave her her name. The laughter inside grew even lighter. "Quickly, invite her in."

The room was filled with men and women, sitting around several sandalwood tables. Red and green clothes hung on a horizontal wooden clothes rack directly opposite them, and many paper patterns were scattered on the table.

Lin Xiushui took off her green cloak and, facing the gazes of the crowd, was not afraid. She bowed gracefully. Yang Congyi, who was sitting on the right and wearing a red embroidered brocade jacket, stepped forward to pull her. She was the top actress in the Beiwazi Zaju.

She was very thin, with delicate features, and spoke in a gentle tone. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I've long admired Madam Lin's name."

Lin Xiushui spoke very modestly, "You flatter me too much. I was only able to come to you all because of a favorable wind."

Everyone in the room laughed. Of the fifteen people there, all were between their twenties and forties or fifties. Only she was very young, with a slender figure and a youthful face. Her bright pupils revealed her youthful spirit.

Apart from Yang Congyi, the others were waiting for Lin Xiushui to see her skills.

The supervisor, Zhang, was very old, with a long white beard and a thin, long face. Lin Xiushui always felt that he looked like a sheep.

Of course, her speech didn't sound like that; it sounded more like a cow mooing. What she meant was that it was very deep and resonant.

"The Nuo rituals we've held in recent years have mainly featured Zhong Kui, Little Sister, Judge, the Five Directions Gods, the Kitchen God, the Sheep-Faced Ghost, the Medicine Master, and the Thunder God. The costumes haven't changed much either. Although there are only twenty days left until the New Year's Eve Nuo ritual this year, we've discussed making some changes."

He made a joke, "After watching The Butterfly Lovers, I did reflect on things. We can't stick to the old ways; we have to break free from our cocoons."

He immediately shifted the focus to Lin Xiushui, asking, "What do you think, Madam Lin?"

Lin Xiushui had already learned a lot the day before she arrived. The Zhong Kui, Little Sister, Sheep-faced Ghost, etc. that they mentioned included little ghosts who just painted their faces blue. The judge always wore a red robe. The most prominent feature of the Thunder God was that he held a rattle drum. Zhong Kui was characterized by his face being painted very black.

In addition, a great many props were used, including various straw hats, baskets and winnowing baskets, as well as musical instruments such as drums, gongs, bells, clappers, and flutes. As for the things held in their hands, they included flower branches, fans, baskets of various sizes, fruits of various colors, and masks in red, green and black. There were not many embroidered patterns, but the key was the strange and wonderful feeling.

Lin Xiushui originally thought that everyone would make some strange clothes to break with tradition, but everyone's opinions were more conservative than the last.

When she was called upon, she sighed inwardly, sat upright, placed her hands on the table, and slowly spoke under the gaze of everyone: "If it were me, the Nuo ritual of the villagers is originally a way to thank the gods, to pray for a bountiful harvest and good fortune in the coming year. Before I came, I had thought about what kind of gods, ghosts and monsters should appear."

“Since the end of the twelfth lunar month is the beginning of the new year, and the beginning of spring is fast approaching, we talk about the spring god Ju Mang. He is in charge of the vitality of all things. He has a bird's face and a human body, and rides two dragons. I think that is very appropriate.”

"There is also the Bluebird, a divine bird that delivers messages to the Queen Mother of the West. It is said to be an auspicious omen, which is very fitting."

The two options chosen by Lin Xiushui were relatively well-known to the people and fulfilled their hopes for auspiciousness and a prosperous new year. They were in line with what everyone present was looking forward to, and after discussion, they were quickly adopted. It was hoped that she would produce the clothes as soon as possible.

But during the Nuo festival, a time of celebration and excitement for the people, she didn't think that way at all. In fact, she was a little disappointed. She said she wanted to make a breakthrough, but everyone was talking too seriously, and Lin Xiushui wasn't very satisfied with the designs they came up with.

This seriousness forced her to conform rather than freely express her own ideas. She believed it could be even more bizarre, and even if things like bloodstains were discarded, things like ox horns, talismans, copper coins, and red threads could be used.

I'm a little disappointed.

After Lin Xiushui came out of the yamen, Xiao Chun'e was waiting for her outside. The two of them had come together today. She rubbed her face and said to Xiao Chun'e, "It's completely different from what I expected."

"What, Jumang and the others are not satisfied? Do they even care about this year's spring harvest?" Xiao Chun'e said angrily, her clothes puffed out, hands on her hips. "Qingniao is very good too."

She repeated, "It's really good."

The two weaved through the noisy crowd, and Lin Xiushui muttered, "Too serious. Do you know what I wanted to say back then?"

“I want to say that you all come down here,” Xiao Chun’e said, mimicking Lin Xiushui’s tone, shaking her head, “Let me, Lin Xiushui, come up here and have a good talk with you.”

"Be serious."

Xiao Chun'e lightly tapped her arm with a finger, "Now you think I'm being too serious??"

"Stop," Lin Xiushui told her to shut up. They had been too busy lately and hadn't had time to get together. They had found a restaurant that served stewed pork belly to eat.

Xiao Chun'e stamped her foot, said "Oh," covered her eyes, and said, "You're a bit too extraordinary."

Lin Xiushui said that she really wanted to say that she wanted to make a set of clothes for her scissors and name them "Cracking Mother," which would surely shock everyone.

The Bingzhou scissors that Lady Gu gave her were truly excellent; they cut even thick fabrics with a silky smoothness. When closed, they formed the character "并" (bing), and when opened, they resembled scissors capable of tearing silk—they were suitable in every way.

Lin Xiushui leaned back in her chair and said, "I dare say that from ancient times to the present, no one has ever made clothes for scissors. Holding a big pair of scissors is really fun."

After thinking about it carefully, Xiao Chun'e said with a smile, "Then think of a set for me too, so I can wear it with you and you won't seem so strange."

“Okay, I’ll make you a whole moth-themed outfit,” Lin Xiushui laughed along with her. “Everyone talks about the moth faction and the butterfly faction, but I’m still on your side. Let everyone know that even moths aren’t just white or brown.”

Since the debate between the moth and butterfly factions, Lin Xiushui has also gained a deeper understanding of moths. In her mind, Xiao Chun'e is very similar to the green silkworm moth unique to Mingzhou, with a bluish-green color and a light pink hue.

"Only in your heart am I a beautiful silkworm moth, and everyone says I look like a big fat goose stretching its long neck and looking left and right."

Xiao Chun'e was delighted to hear this. Lately, she'd been hibernating, focusing only on eating, because burning charcoal was so warm in winter. She managed three stoves, and one would always be empty; she couldn't bear to waste the leftover charcoal. She carried a small copper pot, and when the stove was empty, she'd put it on to borrow some fire and heat up various kinds of tea.

She could always accurately recognize the footsteps of the person in charge, and she was never caught. She became increasingly smug. In the end, Lin Xiushui lost weight, but she gained a few pounds, all of which went to her face.

Lin Xiushui said she was so proud that she "got carried away".

Xiao Chun'e denied it.

Despite having taken on a lot of work, Lin Xiushui still had to find time to move to a new home, moving away from Sangshukou. Actually, she was very reluctant to leave, but the river wind was just too cold.

The one who felt the most distressed was Chen Guihua. She had been busy all year and had earned a lot of money, more than twenty taels of silver, enough to renovate her house and build a new roof. She felt that she was the only one in Sangshukou with a shiny new roof.

It can at least outshine Wang Yuelan's old house.

Upon hearing this news, her heart felt like it had been broken by wind and rain, like an old tile that hadn't been replaced for years. She was so upset that she couldn't eat. It wasn't that she was reluctant to let Wang Yuelan move into the nice house, but that she absolutely didn't want her to.

"Are you really leaving?" Chen Guihua hesitated at the door, then finally poked her head in to watch Wang Yuelan tidy up the house. She pursed her lips and said, "Now that we've moved out, I'll be the only household in Sangshukou."

Wang Yuelan, unusually, didn't retort sarcastically. She put down the delicate basket containing the clothes and said, "You certainly are."

Chen Guihua felt even worse and was choked up, unable to speak.

Wang Yuelan, no longer petty, put on a smiling face and said, "Don't even think about it. This house is still mine. We'll be coming back to live here again. If anything breaks down, I'll come back every day to make trouble for you."

Chen Guihua widened her eyes and said in a loud voice, "Oh, then come back."

The weather is lovely today, a rare treat on a gloomy winter day.

Chen Guihua offered to help them move their things, saying it was to familiarize them with the way so they could visit each other more often. She was so melancholy that she shed a couple of tears. She was so sad that no one next door wanted to argue with her anymore.

However, Chen Guihua was very honest. After seeing the house, she sincerely wished them well and even felt a little envious. If it were her, she would also want to live in such a spacious mansion with beautiful scenery, a lively atmosphere, and wealthy families living in both the front and back yards, plus the military patrol station being nearby.

Not only Chen Guihua was distressed, but many families in Sangshukou, as well as the people working in the sewing shed, were also affected. Lin Xiushui had once been the pillar of support for this place.

The art of mending covered walkways is becoming increasingly well-known, leading to a surge in visitors and a booming business. The number of craftsmen specializing in mending is also growing, encompassing a wide variety of skills, such as lacquering old objects, repairing stoves, and mending buckets, copper pots, irons, and more.

Even with such beautiful weather, they were all feeling uneasy, but no one would stop Lin Xiushui from pursuing a better future.

In everyone's mind, Lin Xiushui might leave Sangqing Town and go to the larger city of Lin'an.

Lin Xiushui received blessings, and those wishes all contained unforgettable sincerity.

And so, amidst laughter and heartfelt wishes, Lin Xiushui and Wang Yuelan moved into their new home with Xiaohe.

Xiaohe was the happiest. She no longer had to sleep with her mother. She had her own room. Of course, at night she scurried to Lin Xiushui's room, grabbed her clothes, quickly crawled into bed, covered her head, and said, "There are ghosts outside."

She had recently seen many ghost and monster artifacts on the street, and there were also many people playing the Hu (a type of Chinese wind instrument) at night, pretending to be gods, ghosts, judges, Zhong Kui, etc., behaving exaggeratedly, banging gongs and drums, and begging for money from various shops. Xiao He was indeed frightened.

"It's you, you little devil," Lin Xiushui said groggily as she rolled over and hugged her.

Xiaohe tried her best to refute, "I'm not, I'm Xiaohe."

“But I’m scared,” Xiaohe said, pulling her legs up and clutching the blanket tightly. “Sister, I’m so worried. Feel my heart.”

Lin Xiushui opened her eyes, got out of bed, waved her hands a few times, and said to Xiaohe, "I chased them away, you can go to sleep now."

The next day, Xiaohe clutched her rumbling stomach and said, "How scary! I had a dream about being hungry."

"A ghost wants to eat me."

Lin Xiushui said, "If you eat a full meal at night, you won't have hungry dreams."

She's been busy with the Nuo ritual lately, buying all sorts of fabrics and odds and ends. She has a lot to do, and she recalls Xiaohe's fear.

In fact, Nuo customs are more bizarre to adults, but for children, those protruding eyes, colorful patterns, extremely exaggerated drumming, and the protective deities can be terrifying to some children.

Lin Xiushui was sewing the bluebird's clothes. During the holiday in December, Xiaohe helped her tidy up the goose feathers. Many of the tail ends were painted with pigments made from ground blue-green stone by a painter, making them even brighter than the blue and green of blue-green landscape paintings.

"Do you think those things on the street are scary?" Lin Xiushui asked Xiaohe.

Xiaohe thought for a moment, "It's scary, they have so many eyes."

"But I also think they are so smart. I get lost in such a big house, but they can still find me."

Lin Xiushui chuckled, "Then let's find a guardian deity."

"What is a guardian spirit?" Xiaohe asked, tilting her head.

"Think about it, what's your favorite thing?"

Xiaohe thought carefully, her eyes wide open, and then took out a white, long-tailed conch from the sachet at her waist. It was sent to her by Chen Jiuchuan from the coast of Mingzhou.

Xiaohe especially liked it, wore it often, and frequently showed it off.

Lin Xiushui said, "There is also a guardian spirit inside the conch shell. I will draw it for you."

Xiao He tiptoed and curiously leaned closer, "Really?"

Lin Xiushui painted a chubby little conch with short arms and legs, round eyes, wearing a round hat with a pointed spiral pointing downwards, and there were decorations made of pearls and beaded chains next to it.

Xiaohe really liked this guardian deity, and she trusted Lin Xiushui very much.

That afternoon, Lin Xiushui and I made a conch hat together. We used a pointed hat with a small brim as the base, and slowly wrapped it with blue-green fabric to simulate the traces of a conch spiraling on a net. The top of the hat gradually tilted to the left to achieve the effect of turning it upside down.

She then strung together tiny beads and wrapped them around the spiral of the hat, while the rest were sewn to the top and gradually hung down. Lin Xiushui wanted to deepen the impression of the guardian spirit, so she specifically mentioned that it loved pearls and all kinds of beads in the sea and always played with clam shells.

This conch shell hat isn't very finely made, but when worn on the head, it looks like a conch shell has secretly taken shape and run ashore. The beaded chain swings back and forth, very lively, and Xiao He cries out loud.

Lin Xiushui patted her big head, "Alright, now you can participate in Nuo opera too. No matter what you see, the guardian spirit will protect you."

Xiaohe was finally no longer afraid. She held her big head and said very seriously, "Can I ask everyone to come and be a conch shell with me?"

"I also want to call upon a guardian spirit to protect them."

Lin Xiushui was speechless for a moment, then agreed, "Okay, little conch."

But after she talked with a group of children, she found that the children's ideas were quite peculiar.

"I want to be an insect, with a pretty shell on its back. If I had a shell, I could shrink into it."

“There’s a very, very big mulberry tree in front of my house,” a little girl said, stretching her arms out to both sides. “I can’t see its top, but I’ve picked up a lot of its leaves. The mulberry leaves will protect me.”

The short little boy said, "I want to be a Bodhisattva, so everyone will kowtow to me."

“I want to prop up the clothes,” the ten-year-old said. “The sleeves should have four hands.”

The little child held up a small tabby cat and said, "Can I be my cat, Ah-Hua's cat?"

After listening, Lin Xiushui realized that she had already finished making the bird mask for the Spring God Jumang. The feathers were glued on and the patterns were delicate. She was already thinking about making an even more terrifying head to highlight the inhuman feeling.

After careful consideration, she still believed that Nuo rituals should not be confined to rituals, but should emphasize drama and madness.

So, in the end, she asked many tailors to help her complete the costumes for the gods and demons. In this Nuo ritual, she cut out a new path, after all, she was a scissor-wielding knight.

A note from the author: Thank you everyone, see you tomorrow.