Chinese New Year
The county government had received advance notice of Miao Wendao's impending appointment and sent people to greet him at the city gate several days in advance. Within two hours, everything was settled. The back residence of the Lantai County government was not large; in the past, magistrates with large families would have to build a separate residence outside. Miao Wendao and his party of only four found the place exceptionally spacious.
It was already the 27th of the twelfth lunar month, and there were only a few days left until the Lunar New Year. Everywhere was immersed in the peaceful and joyful atmosphere of the New Year. The government offices were also closed for the New Year and would not reopen until after the Lantern Festival. After handing over the official seal of the county magistrate on the 27th, Miao Wendao also joined Aunt Feng and Xichun in making preparations for the New Year.
Miao Wendao and Miao Sheng were in charge of cleaning and tidying up the house, while Xichun and Aunt Feng went to the market to buy things needed for the New Year, such as cured meat, sausages, dried fruit, and crispy candy. Lantai County was already in Sichuan, and its food was quite similar to Xichun's hometown, with many spicy dishes. Although Aunt Feng and Miao Wendao couldn't eat spicy food, they still bought quite a few spicy foods for Xichun.
Aunt Feng was still thinking about making millet and jujube cake for Xichun. Millet wasn't grown in Lantai County, but luckily she had prepared the ingredients in advance in the capital. On the evening of the 28th of the twelfth lunar month, she layered the prepared millet, pitted jujubes, red beans, and raisins, then steamed them slowly over a low flame. Early on New Year's Eve, Xichun ate the millet and jujube cake, and it was indeed as Aunt Feng had described—soft, sticky, and sweet.
"Auntie, your cooking is really good!" Xichun said to Aunt Feng with a smile, her cheeks bulging from eating.
Aunt Feng hadn't made this for several years and was worried she might mess it up, but when she lifted the lid this morning and found it was exactly the same as before, she was relieved. "Eat more if you like it, there's plenty left in the pot."
After breakfast, Xichun, Aunt Feng, and Miao Sheng were all busy in the kitchen preparing for the New Year's Eve banquet, while Miao Wendao was in the study writing Spring Festival couplets on red paper for various places in the courtyard.
After a busy day, just as evening approached, a sumptuous New Year's Eve feast was laid out on the table. Aunt Feng urged, "Everyone, eat while it's hot, so the new year will be prosperous and thriving!"
The food was delicious, and the wine was fragrant; the meal didn't end until just past midnight. Aunt Feng happily drank several cups of wine and then fell asleep at the table. After escorting Aunt Feng back to her room, the three of them warmed themselves by the fire in the side hall to keep vigil for the New Year.
Miao Wendao and Miao Sheng left one after the other under the pretext of needing to use the restroom. A short while later, Miao Wendao returned with a mysterious look and called to her, "Xichun, come on, Brother Miao will take you to see something!"
Xi Chun followed Miao Wendao out the door. As soon as she stood on the porch, she heard him whistle. Then, with a whoosh, bursts of brilliant fireworks bloomed in the dark sky in the middle of the courtyard.
Seeing Xichun smiling and looking up at the fireworks, Miao Wendao felt that the fireworks he had bought at a high price were now worth it.
The dazzling fireworks display lasted for the time it takes to brew a cup of tea. Xichun gazed intently at the night sky, wanting to etch this moving experience into her heart. Only when the last firework burst and disappeared into the night sky did this magnificent fireworks show come to an end.
After setting off the fireworks, Miao Sheng ran up to the two of them. Seeing Xi Chun still looking up at the night sky with a dreamy expression, he boasted, "Miss Xi Chun, the fireworks were great, weren't they? This was specially set off for you by the young master. I searched all over Lantai County to find them."
"Miao Sheng, go warm yourself by the fire!" Miao Wendao said, frowning. He had set off these fireworks specifically for Xichun to see, but he had absolutely no intention of making Xichun feel grateful for his kindness; he simply wanted to show them to her.
Miao Shengchao stuck out his tongue at his young master, smiled, and walked past the two into the side hall.
The air was still filled with the smell of fireworks. Xi Chun turned to Miao Wendao with a smile and said, "Brother Miao, thank you so much. This is the first time I've ever seen such beautiful fireworks."
"I'm glad you like it. It's very cold outside, let's go inside." Hearing her say that she liked it, Miao Wendao felt very happy. He no longer expected Xichun to like him immediately, he only hoped that she would get to know him better and then think that he was someone she could entrust her life to.
Back in the side hall, Miao Sheng found a backgammon board, and the three of them played backgammon with a bet of one coin per turn until the new year passed.
Seeing that Miao Wendao and Xichun had robbed him of his twenty copper coins, Miao Sheng laughed and said, "Well, young master and young lady Xichun have come to rob me during the New Year. I'm sure you two will have a lot of money in the new year and your hands will be sore from counting money."
Miao Wendao reached out and pinched Miao Sheng's face, laughing and scolding, "You talkative little rascal, you've only won a few copper coins from me and you're already chattering away. Alright, here's a reward for you, don't tell my mother I'm stingy again tomorrow morning." As he spoke, Miao Wendao took out a purse from his sleeve and threw it to Miao Sheng.
Miao Sheng grinned from ear to ear when he saw the ten taels of silver inside. He knew that following the young master was definitely the right choice. He carefully put the purse away, bowed to Miao Wendao, and said, "This humble servant thanks the young master for the reward. This humble servant wishes the young master all his dreams come true." As he spoke, he glanced in Xichun's direction. After saying goodbye to Xichun, he left happily.
Xi Chun and Miao Wendao chatted for a while longer. Miao Wendao told Xi Chun about the New Year customs of several different places, which Xi Chun listened to with great interest. It wasn't until the fourth watch of the night that they both felt tired and went to their rooms to sleep.
Early on the first day of the Lunar New Year, Aunt Feng gave lucky money to Xichun, Miao Wendao, and Miao Sheng. "In the new year, Aunt Feng wishes you all peace, safety, and good health."
Xichun clutched the purse in her hand, almost unable to hold back her tears. Since leaving her grandfather, she had never received New Year's money from her elders. Remembering it was the New Year, and realizing that crying wouldn't be good, she forced herself to hold back. After the three of them kowtowed to their aunt, they began to eat breakfast.
After breakfast, the four of them went to stroll through the market. Lantai County is rich in bamboo, and there are bamboo dragons made locally. Every year during the Spring Festival, dragon dance troupes perform in the market.
On the Lantern Festival, the four of them went to see the lanterns together again. The streets for viewing the lanterns were located on both sides of the Qingcao River, which runs through the county. Knowing Miao Wendao's thoughts, Aunt Feng wanted to give the two of them more time together, so she pulled Miao Sheng to go to another street to see the lanterns.
"Suqing, Mother asked Miaosheng to accompany her to see the lanterns on that street. You can go with Xichun instead. Mother will be back with Miaosheng soon, so you don't need to look for us." After saying this, Aunt Feng winked at Miao Wendao.
Seeing the look in Aunt Feng's eyes, Miao Wendao coughed awkwardly before saying, "Alright." He then instructed Miao Sheng, "Miao Sheng, take good care of the old lady."
After Aunt Feng and her companion had gone some distance, Xi Chun and Miao Wendao continued to look at the lanterns along the way. When they came to a place where people could win lanterns by solving riddles, Miao Wendao pointed to the colorful lanterns and asked Xi Chun, "Are there any lanterns you like?"
Xi Chun approached and carefully examined the lanterns. Pointing to a lotus-shaped lantern, she said to Miao Wendao, "Brother Miao, I like this one."
The stall owner looked at the lotus lantern that Xichun was pointing to and laughed, "Young lady, you have a good eye for choosing. My old man spent two days making this lantern. This is the only one we made this year."
"Boss, how do you solve this riddle?" Miao Wendao asked the boss as he approached.
The shopkeeper stroked his beard and pointed to the colorful lantern, saying, "There's a piece of paper under the lantern with a riddle written on it. If you can guess it within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, you can take the lantern for free. If you can't guess it, you'll have to spend one tael of silver to buy the lantern."
The shopkeeper looked Miao Wen up and down and said, "I can tell you're a scholar, sir. I think the riddles I've prepared shouldn't be too difficult for you. Would you like to give them a try?"
When Xichun heard that she would have to pay one or two taels of silver to buy the lamp if she guessed wrong, she thought the price was too expensive, even though she liked the lamp. So she tugged at Miao Wendao's sleeve and whispered, "Brother Miao, I think we should forget about it."
Miao Wendao gently patted her hand and smiled, "Trust me."
Miao Wendao pulled a slip of paper from under the lotus lantern. It read: "April is almost May; the window paper is torn and needs re-papering. My husband has been in the capital for three whole years; he hasn't sent a single letter." ①
“Boss, you have four riddles here,” Miao Wendao said with a smile.
The shopkeeper raised his eyebrows, smiled, and nodded. "Four riddles shouldn't be too difficult for you, sir." He only did business twice a year, during the Lantern Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival, so naturally he couldn't just give someone a simple riddle to solve. He had used this riddle for many years, and apart from a pharmacy owner the following year, no one had ever solved it completely. He didn't believe this young man could figure it out. Thinking of the one tael of silver he was about to receive, the shopkeeper's eyes crinkled with a smile.
Xi Chun took the slip of paper from Miao Wendao. She could now read the words, but she had no idea what the answer was. She handed the paper back to Miao Wendao, and seeing his confident expression, she asked him in surprise, "Brother Miao, have you already guessed it?"
Miao Wendao nodded to her. He then turned to the shop owner sitting behind the counter and asked, "Boss, is the answer to the riddle four Chinese herbs?"
"good."
"If I'm not mistaken, it should be Pinellia ternata, Saposhnikovia divaricata, Angelica sinensis, and Angelica dahurica."
The boss gaped, "You... how did you guess that?"
Miao Wendao took down the lotus lantern and handed it to Xichun, saying, "Boss, I'll take the lantern with me."
Holding the lotus lantern in her hand, Xi Chun flattered Miao Wendao, saying, "Brother Miao, you're amazing. I couldn't guess any of them, but you guessed them all right away."
"It's nothing, just a trivial skill."
The two strolled through the entire lantern market. To thank Miao Wendao for helping her win the lotus lantern, Xichun treated him to a bowl of tangerine peel and red bean soup. After they finished eating, they left the lantern market close to midnight.
Tonight, another full moon shines, its gentle light bathing the world. Xi Chun, carrying a lotus lantern, feels exceptionally relaxed. She doesn't know when it started, but she no longer thinks of Wei Qiao constantly; it seems she can truly let him go.
Miao Wendao looked up at the bright moon in the sky, his hand gripping the folding fan with its purple bamboo handle tightening slightly. The two walked to a small stone bridge, where he called out to Xichun, who was carrying a lantern and had already stepped onto the bridge.
Xi Chun stopped and turned to look at him. "What's wrong, Brother Miao?"
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