Chapter 46 Take Her to the Lantern Festival
On the night of the Lantern Festival, after the family had finished their sweet-scented osmanthus dumplings, they came to the yard to admire the moon.
I saw a bright moon hanging in the night sky, with the bright river as its reflection and the white moon as its light, which was reflected by the dozens of lanterns in the courtyard, and the stars were dotted on the sky, which was very beautiful.
Several children were holding lanterns and playing and guessing riddles in the courtyard, making it very lively.
After Old Lady Wu came back from worshipping Buddha, she was very happy to see this scene, so she asked Xie Yuduo to take Chen Qi out for a walk, to enjoy the lantern festival on the street and watch the fireworks, as a reward for her hard work over the past few days.
This was the first time that Chen Qi celebrated the New Year in Pingshan County. Xie Yuduo had the same idea in mind, so he naturally agreed.
When the two children, Yujing and Yushuo, heard this, they were not willing to miss the opportunity to go out and play. They surrounded Chenqi and insisted on going to the lantern festival together.
"Good sister-in-law, I want to go too. My brother was not at home for the past two years, so no one took me to the Lantern Festival."
"Second sister-in-law, I want to go too, I want to go too!"
Chen Qi looked at the two children, smiled and nodded in agreement.
The old lady had no choice but to ask Xiaowu and Xiaoling to go with her so that they could take care of the girl and the young master on the way.
Xiaowu was looking forward to this sound. After receiving the order, he pulled Xiaoling out desperately.
Chen Qi smiled and called the two of them to stop, and asked everyone to go back to the house to change into thick clothes and put on windproof cloaks. After they were dressed, each of them carried a lantern and went out.
During the Pingshan County Lantern Festival, the most lively place is Silver Lion Street.
Because the shop in front was closed, the group set out from the back door of Xie's house and took a detour to the front street. As soon as they entered the street, they saw -
The Silver Lion Street Lantern Market is crowded with people, and dozens of lantern stands are set up on the street, including dragon lanterns, phoenix lanterns, revolving lanterns, golden screen lanterns, jade tower lanterns, lotus lanterns, hibiscus lanterns, hydrangea lanterns, snowflake lanterns, camel lanterns, green lion lanterns, monkey lanterns, white elephant lanterns, crab lanterns, catfish lanterns... all of them are vying for beauty and have everything.
It is really the silver moths competing for beauty and the snow willows competing for brilliance.
There were all kinds of vendors lined up everywhere, selling Yuanxiao, sticky plum blossoms, flower jade, and spring eels... There were also jugglers, playing musical instruments and singing. People were crowded together, and it was really lively and bustling.
The Xie family's group of six followed each other, walking slowly forward in the crowd and admiring the colorful lanterns along the way.
When I see a small stall selling novelty items on the road, I stop to take a look.
Xie Yuduo just took out the money, and Chen Qi just picked for the children.
The snack stall had the most people. Yu Suo squeezed in and said he wanted to eat lychee paste and green plum preserves. Yu Jing wanted to eat bayberry candy and corn cakes, so Chen Qi bought some of everything.
After buying the food, they had just taken two steps when they saw a stall selling hawthorn cubes and pine nut candy, and the children couldn't walk anymore.
We bought a pack of each item, and after everyone had tasted them, if there was any left, we would ask Xiaowu to repack them and take them, and then we would continue shopping.
After walking a few more steps, they saw people buying hairpins with flowers. Chen Qi picked out a few beautiful flower hairpins for Yu Jing and Xiao Ling, and also picked out two for herself. Xie Yuduo put them on her hair with his own hands, which really made her look more beautiful.
Walking further, I came across a stall selling lantern balls. Each ball was the size of a date or chestnut, embellished with rice and emerald beads. They were meant to be worn on the head, and they were very cute.
No one had ever seen one before and thought it was novel. Chen Qi paid the money and asked each girl to pick one. When they put them on their heads, they were indeed dazzling.
Xiao Wu walked behind, holding a bunch of food and toys, like an eight-legged crab. Seeing that everyone had bought new things, he couldn't help but grumble and complain -
This group of girls and children were buying things as they walked, and they were almost full.
When Chen Qi heard this, she specially picked out a small lion lantern ball for him and put it on his head. It was very playful, and when Yu Jing and Xiao Ling saw it, they laughed for a long time, and Xiao Wu also laughed.
Everyone chatted and laughed all the way, and soon arrived at the center of the street, which was opposite the Xie family's herbal medicine shop. The street was crowded with people and very lively.
Most of the shops on both sides of Silver Lion Street are two-story buildings, and colorful lights are hung upstairs and downstairs. The lights are flickering and colorful, which is a beautiful sight.
In fact, Chen Qi had walked along Silver Lion Street several times before, but that was during the day, not as dazzling as tonight.
In the Xie family's herbal medicine shop, there were colorful lanterns hanging on the eaves of the upper and lower floors, with paintings of ginseng, deer antler, bupleurum, cyperus rotundus, angelica, astragalus, platycodon... and many other common medicinal materials.
Chen Qi took a careful look at it and liked it very much.
"That's a great idea. Not only are the designs novel and beautiful, but they also have our own unique characteristics. Passersby who see the lanterns will remember our business as soon as they see them."
Xie Yuduo lowered his head to listen to his wife, then turned around and pointed at Xiaowu who was making a fuss.
"It was his idea. I thought it was a good idea, so I asked him to buy it. Since you praised it, it seems to be really good."
Chen Qi turned around and smiled, "What a clever child! It's no wonder that Second Master has praised you so highly."
Xiaowu naturally heard the two people praising him, and he was happy but also a little dissatisfied.
"Second Auntie, thank you so much for your kind words! But I'll be sixteen after the New Year, so I'm not a child anymore!"
Chen Qi took a closer look and found that Xiaowu was taller than herself.
"You really look like an adult! If that's the case, wait two years and I'll ask you to find a beautiful wife for you. Then you can start a family and you'll be a real adult!"
Everyone was laughing when suddenly a strong wind blew, causing the large lanterns on the street to sway. The bustling crowd was blown back a step, and Xiaowu and the others were immediately dispersed.
Chen Qi was almost hit by someone, but fortunately, at the critical moment, Xie Yuduo was quick-witted and protected Chen Qi in his arms. He then picked up the jade mirror and Yu Suo in each hand and pulled everyone out of the crowded crowd.
He led everyone to the gate of a house, and the crowd thinned out slightly. Only then were they able to gather together again and take a short rest.
This house looked a little strange. Unlike other houses that were decorated with lights and brightly illuminated, this house only had two small lights on and the door was closed.
Chen Qi looked up at the plaque on the door lintel.
"Strange, this place is dark and looks like no one lives there."
Xie Yuduo wanted to say something but stopped himself. Xiaowu was very perceptive and spoke first.
"Second Madam, you don't know, this family just moved here two years ago. I heard that it was a nobleman from the capital who went to Jiangnan to take up an official post, so this house is empty and no one lives there."
Upon hearing this, Shen Qi nodded.
"No wonder I don't have much impression of this family even though they are so close to our home."
Xiao Wu smiled and continued, "Yes, we rarely see this family when we go in and out on weekdays. Oh, look, there are even bigger lanterns ahead. Let's go a little further!"
So, the group continued to move forward with great interest.
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