112 Sugar Yuanbao
◎Pray to the gods for protection, and bless that person to be alive◎
Three days later, Mo Qing went to Zhaixing Tower at the hour of You as usual.
At a fork in the road not far from Zhaixing Tower, he caught a glimpse of many people gathered in three layers around a makeshift stall, with a lot of noise.
What he couldn't ignore was that his own name seemed to be mixed in the noise!
He frowned and asked the servant behind him to see what was happening over there.
The servant didn't dare to delay and quickly squeezed into the crowd. A moment later, he emerged, sweating profusely, his face a bit embarrassed and hesitant. "Master, there's a gambling game going on upstairs. It's nothing interesting. Let's hurry up and head inside."
"Nothing interesting? Then why are you panicking?!" He narrowed his eyes and stared at the servant.
"That's... the bet is..."
"Tell me! What's blocking you?" Mo Qing shouted.
"Even if Master Huo returns to the stage tonight, can he outperform you, my master?" The servant said cautiously while sweating.
Mo Qing's expression darkened instantly. He snorted and asked with disdain, "What are the odds now?"
The servant swallowed and lowered his voice: "Master, right now it's... 50-50..."
"Fifty-fifty?!" Mo Qing almost thought he had misheard! A surge of evil fire shot straight to his head! Was that old man really worthy?
Are these people blind?!
He tried hard to hold back and didn't explode on the spot. He just snorted heavily from his nose, full of contempt: "A bunch of short-sighted people! When Huo Changqing makes a fool of himself, they will cry." After that, he raised his foot and continued to walk towards Zhaixing Tower, as if looking at the stall any longer would dirty his eyes.
Just as he turned around, his eyes accidentally caught a figure walking towards him from the outskirts of the crowd.
Isn't that Ru'er, the maid who used to serve Huo Changqing?
Ru'er obviously saw him as well. The moment their eyes met, Mo Qing clearly saw the disgust and contempt in her eyes.
Under his gaze, Ruer walked straight to the gambling stall. She pushed through the crowd, calmly took out a heavy silver ingot from her sleeve, and with a crisp and powerful "pa" sound, she slapped it on the table in front of the stall owner!
"Ten taels of silver," Ru'er shouted, "I bet Master Huo can win!"
Ruer's words were like a bucket of cold water poured into boiling oil, instantly causing an uproar among the crowd! The discussions and exclamations became even louder.
The servant felt something was wrong when he saw his master's strange smile. The next second, Mo Qing turned around and asked him how much silver he had brought.
The servant frantically took out his purse and turned it upside down. "I only took five taels of silver..."
"Five taels?" Mo Qing snorted in displeasure. He reached out and took off a jade pendant from his waist. It was a jade pendant carved from a piece of top-grade mutton-fat yellow jade. The jade was warm and delicate, and its color was like solidified honey, without a trace of impurities in the whole piece.
You can tell at first glance that it is of great value and is definitely not an ordinary item!
Mo Qing didn't even look at the jade pendant, as if it were just an ordinary piece of stone. He casually shoved it into the hands of the stunned servant and gave an unquestionable order: "Go! Put this up!"
"Master! You can't do that! This is a treasure given to you by Master Pei Ze. If he finds out..."
"Shut up!" Mo Qing interrupted. "What? Do you think I can't win?"
The fierceness in his eyes frightened the servant so much that his entire body shuddered, and the rest of his words were stuck in his throat. How could he dare to say another word? Holding the jade pendant, he headed towards the gambling stall.
…
In the exclusive room behind the scenes of Zhaixing Tower, Mo Qing was facing the bronze mirror, removing the gorgeous makeup from her face bit by bit.
The mirror reflected a half-pretty, half-plain face, with a pair of eyes flashing with a strange expression.
In the past, he only gave 80% of his effort when singing, but tonight, he really used all his strength, striving for perfection in every movement and pouring 120% of his strength into every line of singing.
While wiping the remaining dark black on his brows with a wet handkerchief, he imagined the scene on Huo Changqing's side at that moment: the old man opened his mouth, using his broken rooster-like voice to sing out of tune, making everyone laugh...
The fans who chose to believe him must be regretting it, and that ignorant young lady must be hiding in a corner, unable to even cry, right?
He stirred the water in the washbasin with a light heart.
Mo Qing removed the last bit of lipstick and suddenly remembered the bet before going on stage. Without turning back, he extended his hand to the servant standing behind him, his tone full of self-righteous arrogance, "Where's the jade pendant?"
There was a bustling bustle outside the house, but inside the house was an eerie silence, and the servant didn't even dare to make a sound.
Mo Qing waited for a few breaths, frowning impatiently, and finally glanced behind him in the mirror, "I'm asking you a question! Where's the jade pendant?!"
The servant was so frightened by his sudden and fierce shout that he trembled all over, his knees weakened, and he almost fell to the ground, "Master... I couldn't get the jade pendant back..."
"What did you say?!" Mo Qing slammed his palm down on the dressing table, making the bronze mirror, powder box, and hairpins jingle!
He stood up suddenly and stared down at the servant, "What do you mean by not being able to get it back?!"
The servant stuttered for a long time, unable to utter a complete sentence. Until he saw his master's face, which was as black as ink, he suddenly felt determined and said tremblingly, "It's...it's our side, Master Huo's side that won...won."
"What do you mean?" Mo Qing listened to his intermittent words and pieced together his meaning. What did he mean by "Master Huo's side won"?
Huo Changqing won, what does that mean?
It means he lost!
Lost!
The priceless rouge, powder, jewelry, hairpins, and rings on the dressing table, along with the heavy bronze mirror, all fell to the ground with a crackling sound, and the powder filled the air, creating a mess.
On another stage, a faint fragrance floated in the air, and behind a veil as thin as a cicada's wing, a graceful figure slowly moved to the front of the stage.
There was a lot of discussion coming from the audience below the stage.
"Have you heard? Master Huo seems to have a broken throat?"
"How is that possible? If your voice is really damaged, you can't sing opera again."
"I also heard it from others..."
The crisp drum beats suddenly sounded, like the sudden sound of Buddhist chants in a quiet temple, making the scene serious and solemn, and everyone stopped talking.
As the sound of stringed instruments rose slowly, actors in colorful costumes streamed onto the stage, and the fans' eyes all fell on one person's face.
Huo Changqing has lost a lot of weight compared to before. After going through many things, he has become more calm and composed, and his character remains the same.
"The years have passed since I left home..."
"The Story of the Thorny Hairpin" is one of Huo Changqing's best plays. Since the Spring Examination, which takes place every three years, is right after the New Year, Song Jinyi chose two plays, "Spring Examination" and "Girl's Thoughts", which are just right for the occasion.
Her voice was as clear and melodious as a mountain stream, gurgling and gurgling. Every word was pronounced clearly and fully, her breath lingering, the turns graceful and melodious, the high notes resonating through the sky, the low notes weeping and plaintive! Where was the slightest trace of a "broken voice"?!
It is clear that it has become more mellow and transparent after years of precipitation than in its heyday!
When the song ended, deafening applause, cheers, and cheers exploded instantly, like a surging tide.
******
"Even if Huo Changqing's voice has recovered, what basis does he have to judge me as the loser?" The servant looked at his master who, after venting his anger, sat dejectedly on the only surviving chair as if all his bones had been pulled out.
He gritted his teeth and spoke again cautiously, his voice thinner than a mosquito: "The deputy head of the flower shop was originally listening in our building. When he heard that Master Huo had sung in the theater, he left midway... and went over."
He secretly raised his eyes to glance at Mo Qing's dead expression, swallowed his saliva, and lowered his voice: "In fact, it's not just the deputy leader... Even Prince Yu didn't come to Zhaixing Tower directly, but went to that theater..."
The more he spoke, the softer his voice became, until it was almost inaudible.
Mo Qing held his face and leaned over. Something flashed through his fingers. It turned out to be the broken mirror. He lowered his head and looked. His face was reflected in the broken mirror, which was weird and terrifying.
Huo Changqing's comeback was very successful. All the pre-sale tickets for next month were sold out tonight, and he was so busy that he stayed busy until midnight.
Late in the night, the sky was a dark blue. Under the moonlight, in the theater, Song Jinyi sorted out the account books and looked up at the troupe members who were packing up the props. She glanced around and asked, "Huh? Where's Li He? And where's that girl Ru'er?"
She went up to the second floor and heard low, excited whispers coming from a room.
"...Hey, this jade pendant is definitely the best! Look at the color of the jade and the craftsmanship. Wow, it's worth a lot of money!" It was Li He's voice.
"If you like it, just take it! The rest belong to me!" This was Ruer's voice.
What are the two of them doing here?
She followed the sound and peeked through the crack in the door - "Hey! You greedy ghost! If I hadn't come up with this brilliant idea and provoked that Mo guy, how could there be these things?" Li He pointed at the table and protested dissatisfiedly.
Song Jinyi looked at the table and saw that the small round table in the side room was piled with scattered silver and copper coins.
She pushed the door open and went in—
The moment the door opened, the two people in the room froze as if under a spell! The excitement and pride on their faces instantly turned into embarrassment and panic at being caught.
"Sister Jinyi..."
"Shopkeeper Song..."
Looking at the guilty expressions of the two of them and what they just said, what else could she not understand?
She sighed helplessly, feeling both angry and amused. "You two are so brave! Don't do this again next time!"
Li He and Ruer immediately nodded like they had been pardoned, "I know, I know! We won't dare to do it again next time!" After saying that, the two couldn't help but look at the "trophies" on the table, and secretly exchanged a sly and happy look.
******
In a blink of an eye, it was the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, also known as "Nian Si Ye".
As dusk fell, a chill wind blew through the streets of Shengjing, carrying with it the eagerness of the approaching Lunar New Year. Every household was busy sending off the Kitchen God to heaven to report on his duties.
The back kitchen of Juxinglou was brightly lit at this moment, filled with a warm and sweet atmosphere, and the stove fire was jumping, reflecting the busy figures.
Song Jinyi was making the "sugar ingots" for sacrifice. The sugar ingots were made of gum glutinous rice dough. In the small copper pot, the golden maltose syrup was bubbling with fine bubbles, and the air was filled with a rich, sweet smell with a burnt aroma.
The color of the syrup gradually changes from light yellow to an attractive amber as the temperature rises, and the consistency is just right - it can be pulled into long, crystal-clear threads.
Put it into the stone mortar, and wait until the syrup cools down slightly, no longer hot but still soft, then she takes out a smooth short wooden stick and skillfully picks up the syrup, stretches it, folds it, and stretches it again... over and over again.
The sugar threads become finer and denser, the color becomes more and more soft milky white, and the texture becomes more resilient and elastic.
Song Jinyi pinched off a small piece, kneaded it quickly in her palm a few times, and then deftly molded it into a small and exquisite ingot shape: bulging in the middle, slightly raised at both ends, and with clear ridges on the edges, that's it.
Li He was also good at making desserts, so he made a dumpling with red bean paste wrapped in rice flour, which he named "Xie Zao Tuan".
After a busy moment, Li He realized, "Hey, where is Zhang Yao?"
"She just said she was going out to buy something..."
As they were talking, the kitchen door curtain was lifted, bringing in a gust of crisp cold air. Zhang Yao's face was red from the cold, like a ripe apple. She ran in with two handfuls of fresh green branches in her hands, breathing white air:
"Master, look at the 'holly cypress branches' I bought!"
The emerald green holly leaves are shiny and glossy, and the dark green pine and cypress branches emit a unique and crisp pine fragrance, carrying the breath of the mountains and forests, accompanied by a few branches of heather with fine leaves and slightly reddish edges.
These branches are picked by farmers in the countryside, tied into small bundles with thin straw ropes, and carried to the city to sell before the New Year.
"So you went to buy this," Song Jinyi said with a smile. She took it and respectfully spread it under the altar in front of the Kitchen God statue. She also divided some and placed them in a bottle next to the stove. According to the elders, using holly cypress branches to pad the ground for the Kitchen God would bless the family with peace and prosperity in the coming year.
Li He also brought the prepared sugar ingots and thank-the-Kitchen God balls and placed them on the altar, which meant to attract wealth and treasure, and also prayed that the Kitchen God would eat the sweets and that the heavens would say good things about him.
After the fourth night, it will be New Year’s Eve in a few days.
Li He asked about Xu Ruolan.
"I've already written to ask her and Jin Fei to come to Shengjing City to celebrate the New Year together."
"Sister Jinyi, can I invite a friend to spend New Year's Eve with us?"
Song Jinyi thought it was Ruer, so she agreed without thinking.
Unexpectedly, she shook her head and pursed her lips, "No, it's..."
Before he could finish his words, he heard a few slow knocks on the door.
"It's so late, who could it be?" Zhang Yao asked curiously.
Opening the door, standing on the steps outside were two nuns in gray robes and monk's hats. They had peaceful expressions and clasped their hands. The older nun in the lead held a stack of neatly cut yellow paper.
"Amitabha," the nun bowed, "I'm reciting the four prayers to send off the Kitchen God. Following the orders of the abbess, I'm delivering the Kitchen God Sutra to each of the faithful, praying for his protection, peace for the whole family, and the elimination of disasters."
Song Jinyi quickly put her hands together in return and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Master. Please come in and have a cup of hot tea."
The nun smiled and declined politely: "Please be kind, believers. I still need to go to another family. Please fill in the names of everyone in your family on this Kitchen God Sutra. When you offer sacrifices to the Kitchen God, burn it together with the Kitchen God statue and the paper sedan chair. It will reach the ears of the Heaven, and the Kitchen God will know and bless you." As she said this, she respectfully handed a stack of yellow paper to Song Jinyi.
Song Jinyi took it with both hands and thanked him again.
The two nuns
Without stopping, they chanted the Buddha's name, turned around and disappeared into the night, continuing their journey of delivering the scriptures.
Back in the warm kitchen, the three of them sat around the lamp. Zhang Yao fetched a brush and ink, and Song Jinyi dipped the brush in ink and wrote everyone's name: Li He, Zhang Yao and her family... Wang Zhi from the accounting office, and Cui Xiuxiu and the others...
Her pen moved fluently, marking each familiar name on the paper. When she reached the last name, her pen paused. The light crackled softly, illuminating her silhouette. She lowered her eyes to stare at her fingertips as she wrote three words: Xie Wuyang.
Zhang Yao accidentally saw this scene. She was familiar with the names listed, including Xu Ruolan, Song Yunting and Zhang Jinfei, whom she had never met. They were her master's family members in Yunzhou.
But she had never heard the name Xie Wuyang from her master.
"Let's go and send the Kitchen God to heaven."
Song Jinyi took the small paper lantern she had prepared long ago, picked up a pair of brand new bamboo chopsticks, and steadily passed them through the handle at the top of the lantern. These chopsticks became the "palanquin poles" for the Kitchen God to ascend to heaven.
The alley was no longer as deserted as before. Many families were carrying out the same ritual. Lights streamed from the doors of their houses, illuminating the bluestone pavement.
"We respectfully send off the Kitchen God to speak good things to the heavens and bring good luck back to the palace!" The three of them said in a loud voice, and then used the incense sticks in their hands to light the hay under the lantern.
That night, the night sky of Bianliang City was lit up by countless such "fire phoenixes." The flames rising from every household's doorway dispelled the cold and darkness of the winter night, illuminating the pious and hopeful faces of the people.
Song Jinyi looked at the burning lantern and silently prayed to the gods for protection, hoping that the man would still be alive.
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