I had planned a grand play that I thought would be a hit, and I had carefully considered every detail and prepared every scene. But unfortunately, the leading actor refused to appear in the role.
The structure of this article still has many shortcomings, and there are many aspects of the character creation that I am dissatisfied with. Because the article is too long, many details are wrong and missing. I hope I will have the opportunity to improve it in the new article in the future (or maybe I won’t have the opportunity).
I am really, really grateful to the readers who have been with me along the way and tolerated my willfulness and nonsense. If I were a reader, I would also be very angry with myself. I hope that everyone and I can meet more reliable authors in the future.
Okay, I can go back to the forum and continue spitting with my old comrades. I think my old rivals must be very lonely without me.
Finally, I wish you all a happy life and a happy family.
Concern leads to confusion
End of February 2013
appendix
Character Relationships (1)
Old Master Sheng (the third place winner) + Old Madam Sheng (the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Yongyi)
Sheng Hong: Bastard, registered under the name of his mother, his biological mother, Concubine Chun, is deceased. Wang Shi: Wife, legitimate daughter of an official family
Aunt Lin: I am an orphan raised by Old Madam Sheng.
(The names of other concubines are unknown.)
Eldest daughter: Sheng Hualan, legitimate daughter
Eldest son: Sheng Changbai, legitimate son
(Two daughters and one son died in infancy)
Third son: Sheng Changsong, born to Aunt Lin
Fourth daughter: Sheng Molan, born to Aunt Lin
Fifth daughter: Sheng Rulan, direct descendant
Sixth daughter: Sheng Minglan, born to Concubine Wei, her mother is deceased
Fourth son: Sheng Changdong, born to Concubine Xiang, the youngest, and cannot walk yet.
Character Relationships (2)
Grandpa Sheng: Three Sons
Grandfather + Grandmother = Sheng Hong (eldest daughter deceased),
Sheng Wei (married to Li, had two sons and two daughters: Changsong, Changwu, Shulan, and Pinlan)
Sheng Yun (married Hu Erniu and gave birth to one son and one daughter: Hu Guijie and Hu Taisheng)
Second Old Master (Tanhua) + Old Madam Sheng (the eldest daughter of the Yongyi Marquis's residence) = Sheng Hong (illegitimate child)
Third Old Master (who originally wanted to seize Sheng Hong's inheritance) + ? = Sheng Zhu [Age order of peers]
Changsong > Shulan > Changwu > Hualan > Changbai > Changfeng > Molan ≥ Rulan (a few months difference) > Pinlan ≥ Minglan (a few months difference) > Changdong Characters
Old Master Sheng + Miss Guan = Three Sons
【Arranged in order of age】
Dafang
Grandpa + Grandma
Sheng Hong (eldest daughter, deceased)
Sheng Wei + Li = Shu Lan, Chang Song, Chang Wu, Pin Lan Sheng Yun + Hu Er Niu = Hu Gui Jie, Hu Tai Sheng
Second bedroom
Second Old Master (Tanhua) + Old Madam Sheng (Xu, the eldest daughter of the Yongyi Marquis's Mansion)
Sheng Hong (illegitimate) + Wang Shi = Hua Lan, Chang Bai, Ru Lan + Lin Yi Niang = Chang Feng, Mo Lan
+ Aunt Wei = Minglan
+ Concubine Xiang = Changdong
Three bedrooms
Third Old Master (who originally wanted to seize Sheng Hong's inheritance) + Third Old Lady (deceased)
Sheng Zhu + Third Wife = Xiulan, Yuelan (illegitimate), Huilan, Changliang, the rest are unlucky (to be added later)
Dafang
Gu Yankai (previous Ningyuan Marquis, male protagonist's father) × Daqin (original wife) / Bai (first successor wife) / Xiaoqin (second successor wife)
Eldest son: Gu Tingyu (current Ningyuan Marquis, mother Daqin) × wife Shao = Daughter: Xian Jie'er Second son: Gu Tingye (mother Bai) × Yu Yanhong (original wife) / Sheng Minglan (second wife)
Concubine's children: Chang Ge'er, Rong Jie'er (birth mother is concubine Man Niang)
Third legitimate son: Gu Tingwei (mother Xiao Qin) x Zhu (maternal family Chengping Bo) = Xian Ge'er (legitimate son)
Legitimate daughter: Gu Tingcan (seventh in line, mother Xiao Qin, unmarried)
Concubine's daughter: Gu Tingyan (married)
Four bedrooms
Fourth Old Master + First Wife Deceased/Fifth Old Lady (Second Wife)
Eldest son: Gu Tingxuan (mother's first wife)
Legitimate daughter: Gu Tingying (mother's stepmother, unmarried)
Bastard: Gu Tingbing (mother is Aunt Liu)
Concubine's daughter: Gu Tingwen (mother Liu Yi Niang, unmarried)
Five Rooms
Eldest son: Gu Tingyang (mother's original wife)
Female: Hui Jie'er
Second son: Gu Tingdi (mother's first wife)
Concubine's daughter: Gu Tingling
Extra Chapter 7: Shameful Sun Covering Silk Sleeves, Sad Spring Laziness to Put on Makeup
When Che Sanniang was young, she followed her old father and mother around to make a living. A blind fortune teller ate half of her steamed bun and decided to give her a fortune-teller. The fortune teller said: Che, you will be toiled all your life. Even if you become rich and powerful in the future, you will still have to work hard.
Che Sanniang looked on with disdain.
Who is fooling whom? We are all from the underworld. She only knows her fancy moves and the blind man only knows his eloquence. They all make a living by fooling people. Who doesn't know who else's background? No one would believe his nonsense. Who would continue to work hard after becoming rich?
A long time later, when she recalled this incident, she couldn't help but twitch her lips - what the blind man said was really right.
Her childhood was poor, though. Even at a young age, she had to cook, wash clothes, and care for her sick mother. Sometimes, she even had to accompany her father to market and attract customers, which cultivated her spirit of boldness and competence. Many people admired her efficiency and competence, and many families came to her for marriage proposals.
When she was nineteen, her father passed away. As a lowly servant, she dared not observe any formalities. Still in mourning, she took her frail mother with her and married a humble member of the Cao Gang named Shi Keng. She called her husband "Big Stone."
There is a small stone with a runny nose next to the big stone.
The two brothers lost their father and mother at a young age and depended on each other for survival. But Dashitou was a man after all, and he was busy making money to support his family, so he had no time to take care of his children. The little boy was thin and yellow, wearing ill-fitting clothes and too-big shoes. His little hands were covered with frostbite, but he still giggled and called her sister.
Che Sanniang felt heartbroken and raised him as her own son from then on.
Her husband is a steady and experienced person. He can handle big things, but she needs his support and instructions on small matters.
When her husband consulted with her gang members about something, she was the first to take charge. When her brothers were away on the road and faced a family emergency, she, as the eldest sister-in-law, couldn't shirk responsibility. The couple worked tirelessly together, and she was the one who worried about everything, carefully considering everything, fearing Dashitou might make a mistake. Throughout the year, both at home and abroad, she was even busier than her husband.
Many people joked that although she called Dashitou the head of the family, in fact she could be considered half of his family.
After working so hard, I finally built a business, and now it’s time to worry about my younger brother’s marriage.
Little Shitou has been influenced by his brother and sister-in-law since he was a child. He doesn't like those timid girls who are kept in seclusion, and he also looks down on the girls from poor families in the market. When Che Sanniang really got angry and found one according to her own bold and experienced personality, Little Shitou said with a bitter face, "I feel like I'm facing my mother. I'm afraid I won't even dare to enter the bridal chamber." - Che Sanniang was so angry that she clapped her hands!
Seeing that Xiao Shitou was getting older, and thinking that she and her husband had only two girls, Che Sanniang knew that this little brother would have to inherit the family line in the future, but she didn't know where her future brothers and sisters-in-law were. She was so anxious that blisters appeared on her mouth.
Finally, God had a blessing. That year, Xiao Shitou came to Che Sanniang's house shyly and said that he had fallen in love with a girl. Che Sanniang was overjoyed. After asking her carefully, she found out that she was the personal maid of Mr. Gu's new wife.
The husband was still hesitating, thinking that his family was now well-known and powerful, with money and influence. It would not be difficult for him to marry a girl from a respectable and scholarly family, but he could just ask for a servant... ?
Che Sanniang was much more shrewd than her husband.
What is her own background? She is a girl selling wine and has been exposed to the public since she was a child. What is her husband's background? If you put it nicely, he is a "hero", but if you put it bluntly, he is just a gangster from the canal dock. If she really marries a sister-in-law from a good family, not to mention whether they have different personalities and can eat from the same bowl, if there is a dispute between the two families in the future, if the sister-in-law relies on her good family background and refuses to submit, how will it end?
It would be better to marry a maid. Firstly, the sisters-in-law have similar backgrounds, and she is a reliable sister-in-law. Secondly, it can help her gain connections with the Gu Marquisate, killing two birds with one stone. Shi Keng always listened to his wife and loved his younger brother. After a few words of persuasion, he was convinced and promised to bring his wife and younger brother with him when he returned to the capital so that he could propose marriage to the Gu family.
※※※※※
A year and a half later, the bride arrived, and the Shi family celebrated with great fanfare. The couple lived in harmony, treating their brother and sister-in-law with even greater respect and filial piety than before, and even the driver, Che Sanniang, felt warmly welcomed. As for the character of his brother's wife... what could he say?
When she first entered the house, Che Sanniang was worried that although her sister-in-law was a maid, she was from a wealthy family and had managed affairs and people before. What would she do when she wanted the power of housekeeper?
It’s not that she doesn’t want to let go, but how can she be at ease with the newcomer?
It turned out that not only was she worrying too much, but she was also thinking too much.
My brother's wife is a kind and honest person, almost a little stupid.
If she was asked to get a bottle of soy sauce, she would never embezzle two cents to buy candy; if she was asked to watch her two nieces and not let them make trouble, she would stare at them with wide eyes and would not move an inch until her sister-in-law had finished calling her; if she was asked to pay the servants their monthly wages, she would not miss a single penny.
When Sanniang was checking the accounts, her sister-in-law would grind ink and spread paper; when Sanniang called the manager's wife to handle the affairs, she would pour tea and fan; when Sanniang was free, she would talk to the wives of her brothers in the gang, and she would smile and eat melon seeds beside them.
He is always happy, obedient and submissive. He asks me for decisions on both big and small matters and never has his own little plans.
One time, the Shi brothers were away, and Sanniang wanted to go out again, so she asked her to manage the household for half a month. Her sister-in-law immediately burst into tears, clutching her sleeves and crying like a little cat, "Sister-in-law, what should I do now that you're not here? Please take me with you, I'll be obedient. Don't leave me alone, don't let me make decisions... I'm stupid, what if I get sold off?"
Sanniang was so angry that she cursed, "How could you be so stupid!"
My sister-in-law said blankly, "When we came out, Madam told me to just listen to my sister-in-law from now on."
Sanniang refused to give up, "I have to learn to make my own decisions! I'm already married!"
My sister-in-law smiled foolishly, "Why should I make my own decisions when my sister-in-law is here?"
Sanniang angrily said, "What if the family splits up in the future? Who are you going to ask for the decision?"
"Sister-in-law doesn't want me anymore?" The sister-in-law was shocked and burst into tears immediately.
Sanniang was frightened by the torrent of tears and had to try her best to persuade him, saying that she had no such intentions. Afterwards, she sighed deeply, feeling that she had given birth to an extra daughter, but daughters could always get married, while this sister-in-law was determined to stay with him forever.
Apart from the fact that she likes to take the blame, the sister-in-law is pretty good. She can sew, cook, and make soup. The two daughters like this silly aunt, and learn etiquette and needlework from her. They often stay together, chattering, just like three sisters.
In the second year after my brother's wife got married, she gave birth to a big fat boy. After that, there were a bunch of girls and boys. The Shi family, which had always had few people, immediately became prosperous.
Sanniang was worried that the young couple wouldn't be able to raise the child well, so she often came to help. However, her sister-in-law was a stickler and just handed the child to her to take care of, and just helped out without worrying at all.
"In the future, the children will all be close to me and will ignore you as their mother!" Sanniang threatened viciously.
The sister-in-law immediately leaned on her shoulders and said coquettishly: "I also kiss my sister-in-law, we all kiss my sister-in-law, my sister-in-law is the best."
Sanniang could only sigh to the sky.
※※※※※
After her two daughters got married, Sanniang decided to have a good talk with her sister-in-law.
"You can't always rely on me. It's time you made your own decisions," she said earnestly. "I'll get old one day. If your brother and I are gone, who will you rely on?"
My sister-in-law was still innocent and naive, with not a single worry-wrinkle on her rosy, plump face. She said with a smile, "At that time? At that time, the wives of the eldest and second sons would have come into the family, right? Let them take care of it."
Sanniang choked with anger, "What if the wives bully you?"
My sister-in-law waved her hand nonchalantly. "Don't worry, I've already thought about it. When the children have all started their own families and careers, I'll go back to serve Madam and stay with her forever. With Madam around, I don't have to worry about anyone bullying me."
Sanniang glared at him, her eyes as sharp as copper bells. "You, you, what did you say...?"
My sister-in-law said with a look of longing, "I have admired Madam Fang since I was little. From a very young age, I have thought how wonderful it would be if I could serve Madam by her side until old age, just like Madam Fang."
"Wait, wait, wait a minute." Sanniang, who had been sharp all her life, was finally dumbfounded. "I remember that Nanny Fang, she lost her husband in middle age and then went back to serve the old lady of the Sheng family."
My sister-in-law blinked and tilted her head, saying, "Maybe, maybe... I was a widow at the time, so who knows..."
Before Che Sanniang could speak, a roar came from behind her - "You cursed me to die early!"
Shi Xiaodi stood at the door angrily. Then the couple started their monthly quarrel again.
Che Sanniang looked at the roof helplessly - forget it, she had to stop the fight again.
Many years ago, she knew that she could no longer have children. She thought that after her daughter got married, she and her husband would inevitably be lonely in their old age. Alas, look at how lonely their lives are!
Taiwan version of the book extra: Yan Zhao has many beauties, the beautiful ones are as beautiful as jade
Coming out of the examination hall, everyone looked like they had just been released from prison, half dead, having been trapped in cages for three days. The sudden sight of the blue sky and white stone seemed like a different world. Even the young men Qi Heng and Chang Bai looked staggering, with pale faces and lips.
Some wealthy families already had servants and family members waiting outside the examination hall. The stewards of the Qi and Sheng families stretched their necks to look inside. When they saw their respective young masters, they hurriedly supported them and led them back home.
After sleeping aimlessly for a whole day and night, Changbai finally breathed a sigh of relief. He changed three hot towels before covering his face with them and let out a long breath. Wudou was holding a sky-blue brocade robe with silver-gray burnt hair beside him and said, "The peach blossoms are in bloom in Dengzhou, but the capital is still so cold. Fortunately, sister Yanghao was thoughtful and brought me two thick ones..." He was still talking incessantly, but when he met Changbai's warning gaze, he suddenly fell silent and lowered his head embarrassedly.
Han Niu, standing by, lowered his head, half-crouched on the ground, helping Changbai put on his shoes and socks. He said in a timid voice, "Just now, Uncle Laogui came to say that Master didn't bring anyone from the house this time. He was worried that it would be inconvenient for you, so he found two maids to serve Master. Is that okay?"
Changbai shook his head and said, "No need. Someone from Dengzhou will come in a few days." Hanniu said respectfully, "Yes. I'll trouble you to serve me these few days." He knew his master's temper very well and said nothing more.
A steaming breakfast filled the table: porridge, preserved eggs, sugar-coated osmanthus cake, and butter sesame rolls. Changbai picked up his chopsticks and ate a little. Just as he was rinsing his mouth and hands, Qi Heng, dressed in brocade and wearing a jade belt, entered, smiling and waving a gilded folding fan. After a few pleasantries, he asked bluntly, "Brother Zecheng, what are your plans today?" Changbai handed him a cup of hot tea and said, "Reading and practicing calligraphy. Uncle Geng wants to take me to visit him tomorrow..."
Qi Heng's ears were numb from hearing this, so he interrupted with a smile, "Okay, okay, I knew you were busy everyday, so I rushed over today. A few of my childhood friends and I have a table at Jubinlou today, so why don't you join us?"
Changbai frowned slightly and said, "This..." He was not very willing to make acquaintance with the son of a powerful noble.
"Stop talking nonsense!" Qi Heng said without hesitation, pulling Changbai away. "Don't worry, not all of my childhood friends are playboys. Those two are very good. Even if they get to know each other, it won't be a disgrace to you!"
Changbai had no choice but to obey. As soon as the two of them left the house, they started to argue: Qi Heng wanted to ride a horse, showcasing his youthful splendor and finery, while Changbai wanted to ride a car, keeping a low profile and attracting less attention. The two argued, and finally Changbai asked Qi Heng to saddle up and slowly ride to the center of the street.
On the second floor of Jubao Tower, a table of wine and food had already been laid out, and two young men were leaning against the window, chatting. The wine was as white as pear blossoms, the man was a playboy, and outside the window, spring was just beginning to bloom, and the capital was filled with dignitaries. Upon seeing Qi Heng and Chang Bai, the two men both stood up to greet them. Unexpectedly, they were followed by two strangers who looked like scholars. Zi Kun and Ji Zhi were startled.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, everyone sat down. Fortunately, the table was large enough for six people to sit together without feeling crowded. The younger of the two scholars was named Cheng, a native of Huizhou. The other, younger, was about thirty years old, surnamed Lu and given the given name Pingru, a native of Lin'an. Both were candidates traveling to Beijing for the imperial examinations. They had met Changbai and Qiheng by chance and enjoyed a pleasant conversation.
"I don't know why, but all the elegant restaurants are full today, so we come here to have a drink. Thank you." Qian Cheng was a generous person, he raised his glass to toast, and everyone responded.
After drinking, Lu Pingru lowered his cup and laughed, "I still don't understand. If I fail, I'll return home in disgrace. If I pass, I'll have to prepare for the palace examination, which is another arduous journey. Now is the perfect time to relax. The exams are over, but the results haven't been announced yet. If not now, when will I celebrate? Come, come, let me toast to the two hosts. Brother Qian and I have been in Beijing these days, studying, visiting teachers, and meeting friends. I haven't tasted authentic Beijing cuisine yet. It's all thanks to you two!"
Zikun and Jizhi saw that the two scholars spoke frankly and had good personalities. After a short conversation, they became familiar with each other and started talking.
"Brother Yuanruo, what's the meaning of yesterday's question 'Jia Yi's theory of five baits and three memorials was criticized by Ban Gu as being superficial, but Qin Mu once used it to dominate the Western Rong, and Zhonghang Shuo also used it to warn the Chanyu, so his theory has indeed been effective'?" Students who have just finished their exams love to ask about the content of the exam, and this is the first question Qian Cheng opened his mouth with. Qi Heng frowned delicately. "This question is truly annoying. It's so convoluted, seemingly connected to everything, yet I don't know where to begin. Just thinking about the opening sentence took me half an hour." Lu Pingru sighed, "The examiner this time is Lord Meng. He hates flowery nonsense the most. If I write too much, it seems pretentious, and if I write too little, it's not sharp enough and relevant. It's really giving me a hard time." Speaking of this, Zi Kun was fine. Regardless of whether it was a scam or not, he was still in the Imperial College. Ji Zhi, however, was completely confused, having no idea what they were talking about, and could only laugh it off. "Zecheng, what do you think?" Qi Heng and Qian Cheng were arguing endlessly, so he turned to his close friend. Changbai glanced at Jizhi and said, "We are not examiners, how can we say that Zi Chou Yan Mao? Many policy papers criticize the current ills. In times of peace and prosperity, we focus on governing the country, and in times of war, we advocate suppressing rebellions. Now that the world is stable, there are still many shortcomings. The central government departments are
We have no idea what you are thinking about or what you want to treat first. This was the longest sentence he said today. He thought for a while and added, "These three days have been really unbearable. Now that the sky is high and the air is fresh, with good friends and good wine, why bother talking about this headache, why not get drunk." Ji Zhi was having a headache, and when he heard this, he immediately looked at Changbai with gratitude, thinking that although this man was taciturn and indifferent, he was smart and his words always hit the mark. Just as he was about to respond, before he could open his mouth, Zikun slapped the table and praised, "Brother Zecheng is right, and Academician Li said the same thing. Not only must one have excellent literary talent, but one must also have moral principles. Otherwise, everything would be in vain." He struck the opening gong, and Ji Zhi immediately followed up, "Exactly, exactly. You sour Confucians are truly despicable. You know I don't get along with books, yet you still keep your mouths shut and recite poems. You're really trying to make me lose my appetite, aren't you?" Seeing today's host feigning anger, everyone laughed. Lu Pingru raised his glass to apologize, "We deserve a beating. It's our fault. Don't blame me, Brother Ji Zhi. I'll drink three cups as punishment." Since they couldn't talk about books or the imperial examinations, the conversation among the young men naturally turned to romance. Lu Pingru downed his glass of wine and sighed, "Let's talk about everything else instead of the imperial examinations. The truth is, books are full of beauties, and their beauty is not worth telling to outsiders." Ji Zhi laughed, "Could it be that at your age, Brother Lu, you still don't have any beauties at home?" Lu Pingru shook his head and smiled bitterly: two wives, two concubines, and three yellow-faced women. Qi Heng laughed out loud, pointing at Lu Pingru and saying, "You have a beautiful wife and concubines, yet you're still not satisfied. How can the thousand bachelors out there feel? You deserve a beating!"
"What's with all that?! Don't try that." Lu Huru was incredibly shrewd. He pointed at Qi Heng, Chang Bai, Zi Kun, and Ji Zhi and said with a smile, "You, you, you, and you, don't even think about how your father and mother haven't made plans for you yet. It's only a matter of time!"
Zikun was the first to become melancholic, lowering his head to take a sip of wine. Ji Zhi, who knew him best, started to cheer him up: "You've got it right! Our brother Zikun has just been engaged. He's the daughter of Lord Wang from the Hanlin Academy."
Qian Cheng was startled, then asked curiously, "Is it the Wang family of Chongming Academy?" He had done his homework before heading to Beijing for the exam, and the thought of this filled him with envy. Lu Pingru was older, after all, so he said frankly, "Congratulations, brother. The Wang family has a long history of literary talent, and I think a girl from the Wang family would be a perfect match. Here's a toast to you, brother."
"Brother, I want to discuss something with you." Ji Zhi poured Zikun a glass of wine attentively, smiling so hard that he almost drooled. "I heard that your aunt has strictly ordered you to behave yourself recently. You should just break up with the girl from Qinghe Bookstore. I will take over for you and make sure she doesn't suffer any injustice. Anyway, you are getting married soon, and the Wang family will never let her in." Zikun's face flushed red, and he growled, "What nonsense are you talking about! Yanyu..." He suddenly realized and stopped talking immediately. He looked at Changbai, Lu and Qian awkwardly; but he was so angry that he spilled the wine glass in his hand and turned his head away, refusing to look at Ji Zhi.
Seeing that Zikun was really angry, Lu Pingru quickly came to the rescue and turned to Changbai and said, "As for the strict family tradition, the scholars all praise the Hai family for their noble character." At this point, he deliberately made his tone ambiguous, "I heard a piece of news today that Brother Sheng is about to get married and has a virtuous wife." This matter could not be explained, otherwise it would be suspected of damaging the reputation of the Hai family's daughters.
Qi Heng knew about it, but he didn't say much and just smiled. Ji Zhi started yelling, "Hai family? Brother Zecheng, the Hai family's family precepts forbid taking concubines... Hey, don't kick me!" He seemed a little drunk and stared at Qi Heng.
Qian Cheng felt jealous again, but deliberately said, "Speaking of the Hai family, marrying a daughter-in-law is a lively event, but recruiting a son-in-law is not easy." Changbai said calmly, "Marriage is a major matter, and it is the parents' decision. How can children discuss it privately?" Qian Cheng hit a nail that was neither soft nor hard, so he was embarrassed and kept silent.
Changbai turned and said to Zikun, "It's customary to marry a virtuous woman. I've often heard Yuanruo mention you, and I know you're a man of great ambition. So, I need to consider this carefully. Unrest in the harem is a serious taboo." His words were concise and to the point, and Zikun was moved. Thinking of his confidante, he hesitated deeply. His face was filled with a struggle.
Qi Heng was on good terms with him, and he couldn't bear it, so he couldn't help but say, "That may not be the case. If we work hard and make a good future, we may be able to stay with the woman we love forever."
Changbai said nothing more, but looked at him quietly. He lowered his head and sipped his wine. "The etiquette is strict. I just hope that the woman I love will not ruin her lover's reputation first, so that her future will be better."
Qi Heng's heart suddenly shook, and he stared at Changbai in a daze, unable to speak for a long time.
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