At around four in the morning, the foot of the northern mountain in Zhangjia Village began to bustle. All the members of the third branch of the Zhang family, young and old, had gathered at the home of Zhang Erlaodi. It was because today was the full moon of their grandson, Xiao Ping'an.
The men of the Zhang family busied themselves clearing snow from the front and back yards, building earthen stoves, erecting tents, and carrying tables. Steam simmered from the two large stoves in the kitchen. In the kitchen and by the well, Zhang's mother and the other women were busy washing the dishes and dishes borrowed for the banquet, preparing the meat and vegetables, and preparing steamed cornbread.
Xizi took the older children out running errands in and out of the yard, while the younger ones, bleary-eyed, ran inside to continue sleeping. The entire Zhang family yard was filled with the sounds of moving, washing, talking, and the children's calls.
Zhou Jiao was drowsy, and every few minutes she was woken by some noise. Only her son was lying there sleeping beside her, and Zhang Guoqing was nowhere to be seen. After washing up, she looked outside and was startled. Didn't they say they wouldn't go to the main hall? What was all these people doing?
Zhang Guoqing had rushed to the provincial capital early yesterday morning to pick up his mother-in-law and Cheng Lin's two guests. He then accompanied them to the military region and returned to the county seat. Seeing his mother-in-law insist on staying at the county guesthouse, he hurriedly said his goodbyes and left after they had made all the necessary arrangements. As for his mother-in-law's suggestion that she still had eggs to deliver to the village the next day, he didn't take it to heart.
He was so busy, busy notifying the barber and the photographer, that he never stopped. Luckily, he had already consulted the chef about the dishes and drinks for the banquet a few days ago. As soon as he got home, before he could even catch his breath, his father dragged him back to the village and personally invited the village elders and elderly people to come to Zhang's house for a drink the next day.
After finally finishing dinner, Zhang's mother saw that it was getting dark and that everyone should have finished dinner. She hurriedly urged the three brothers to start moving tables and stools to the house they had agreed to meet. The three brothers ran all over the village, and when they finally finished, their parents took them aside to discuss who would be the next person to meet.
After finally getting some sleep in bed, his son woke up. Before he could get another snooze, there was a commotion in the yard. This was even more tiring than his wedding. Fortunately, only Ping'an, the eldest son, could have such a grand ceremony.
This time, Zhang's father had spent a lot of money. In addition to the eggs and steamed bread as a return gift, the family had also slaughtered a pig a few days ago.
Seeing this, Zhang Guoqing had been advocating for simplicity, not setting up more than a dozen tables. After being reprimanded by Zhang's father, he obediently followed his instructions. He would do whatever he was told to do, completely obedient to his father.
Zhang's father's words were so logical that he couldn't argue. The sons and daughters of Zhang Guoqing's elder and younger uncles were all over, so the two tables were packed tight. Then there were the elderly relatives at home: his two uncles, his eldest aunt, his great-aunt, his cousins, his uncles, and the Zhang family's relatives. Two tables wouldn't even be enough for one person each, let alone those with children.
Add in the Cheng and Lin families, his godfather and his wife, Zhao Dashan, Zuo Lin, and maybe some more people would show up to join in the fun. There were also the friendly people in the village, Zhang Guoqing's brothers, and the elders in the clan. If there weren't twenty tables, it would be a joke.
This was still an underestimation. If all his close friends came, including the mason's close friends, he wouldn't be able to accommodate even 50 tables. Zhang Guoqing's wedding banquet required dozens of tables.
Zhang Guoqing had been bringing in vegetables and meat for the past few days. When he heard they really had to host a banquet for twenty tables, his first thought was that the whole family would have to eat corn-shrimp steamed buns again.
Seeing his worried look, Zhang's mother pulled him aside and whispered, "On the third day of the third month of the lunar year, there were over 300 bowls of noodles alone. Last time, many people didn't come, so they asked someone to bring gifts. This time, there will only be more people, not fewer."
Frightened, Zhang Guoqing hurriedly dragged his father to the chef to discuss the matter again. When they finally settled on the dishes, he breathed a sigh of relief. The situation was only getting worse.
As the sky gradually brightened, the Zhang family's front door flung open, and a constant stream of people came and went. In the main hall and right wing, a few tables were set up for the elders and the bride's family, and tables filled the courtyard from front to back. Several stoves were set up in the backyard, sheltered from the wind, and the head chef and his assistants were already working. Cut cold dishes were placed on square wooden racks, and the stoves were already simmering and steaming.
At around seven o'clock, Lin Lishan, along with the sisters-in-law of Cheng and Lin's families, drove a car, followed by a horse-drawn carriage, towards the Zhang family yard. Following closely behind were three military vehicles speeding over, carrying Zhao Chuangguang and his wife, and Zhou Xiaozheng's brothers and their wives.
Several carriages had just stopped, and the gifts had not yet been unloaded. Behind them, Zhao Dashan and his wife, along with their young son and daughter, were sitting in a carriage parked outside the gate.
Around eight o'clock, Aunt Zuo and three female comrades came over one after another, carrying bamboo baskets and gift boxes wrapped in red paper.
Friends and relatives who came to give gifts came one after another.
At the main entrance, Zhang Guoqiang and his older brother, Zhang Guofu, had been greeting guests since around seven. Seeing it was almost eleven, Zhang Guoqiang turned around and rubbed his face, which had been numb from laughing all morning. He didn't know how many people were still waiting, but with twenty tables, he figured it would be tough.
He finally caught up with Zhang Dad, pulled him away from the crowd, and whispered in his ear, "Dad, how many people are there? I think twenty tables are definitely not enough. Have you discussed this with Xiaowu?"
Father Zhang chuckled softly and said, "Haha, Xiaowu said five or six tables would be enough, there's no need to prepare more than ten tables. Let him arrange it later." After that, the father and son laughed.
Father Zhang reminded him quietly, "Your uncle and his family know what to do. They'll let the guests sit down first. Be smart and don't leave any guests behind."
Seeing him nod, Zhang's father hurried to find the chef. He needed to ask him if he should add some more hearty dishes. Xiaowu had always insisted on keeping things simple and limited. He had already simplified the banquet compared to Xiaowu's, but this time, the entire county and city were in attendance, so he had to consult with the chef. Xiaowu was entertaining the men, while his wife and their young daughter were preparing return gifts, and their eldest daughter was accompanying the women. He was the only one who could make all the arrangements for the family.
Zhang's mother and her little daughter were in Xizi's study in the east wing. The once empty room was now cluttered with things. A few days ago, Zhang Guoqing had gone to Yangliutun and ordered two hundred small bamboo baskets. Each one had a small piece of red paper taped to the outside, just enough to hold a pound of brown sugar, four red eggs, and two steamed buns. The small, delicate baskets looked incredibly delicate and beautiful.
Zhang Meihao widened her eyes and looked at her mother in disbelief. "Mom, this is too much! He already has 200 kilograms of brown sugar. Where did he get it?"
Mother Zhang shook her head. "Ask later. First, pack the eggs and steamed bread. When your eldest sister comes, put the gift money in. Write your name on the red paper. Don't make any mistakes."
Zhang Guoqing returned all gifts from the Cheng, Lin, and Zhao families this time, accepting only the children's clothing. He'd already informed his family in advance. The two hundred small bamboo baskets were just in case, to fill with red envelopes. As for brown sugar, the couple felt it was the most abundant in their space, and it was high-quality brown sugar. Brown sugar was a valuable commodity these days, so it was just the right amount for a return gift.
"Once the gift money is returned, it will be a huge loss. Won't we still have to give red envelopes when interacting with each other in the future? Mom, why don't you persuade them? They don't spend their money like this even if they have a lot of money."
Zhang's mother quickly looked back outside and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw no one. She glared at her and warned her softly, "You don't understand the ins and outs of this. Don't talk nonsense. Wait until you get home and listen to what your parents-in-law have to say, and you'll understand. Now do as Xiaowu says. Don't make trouble."
After saying that, he muttered, "Why are all my sons so smart, but my daughters so dumb?"
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