Chapter 278 266: Laying the foundation
In a blink of an eye, it was the 22nd day. This was the day chosen by the Yin-Yang master based on the horoscopes of all the Zhou family members.
This day is suitable for the orientation of the house and will not conflict with family members. It is a good day with no taboos and great luck.
Zhou's mother prepared incense, candles, paper money, offerings, white rice, four large roosters with bright feathers, and four firecrackers. Before the chosen time, led by the old man, the whole family, young and old, arrived at the foundation of the new house.
Two straw huts were built on the open space behind the house foundation. One was filled with cement that Zhou Huaian had brought back from several trips to the cement factory yesterday with his tractor, as well as some tools; the other was where he lived when he was on night watch.
The foundation was leveled yesterday, and the bricks, bluestone strips, and stones that were brought over were piled up into a mountain, waiting to start laying the foundation today.
Originally it was said that the four new houses would be built one by one. Zhou's father thought that this would require four beam-raising banquets, which would not only be time-consuming and costly for him, but would also add a burden to his relatives.
He hired bricklayers and carpenters from the Funius Brigade, and then hired several craftsmen from the Fangtian Brigade. Construction of the four houses started on the same day, and the whole family was busy.
The old man brought a few people to set up the eight-immortal table, and the fortune teller, bricklayers, carpenters, and villagers who came to help came. Many villagers also came to watch the fun, and the new house foundation was full of people.
The Yin-Yang master took the offerings and placed them on the Eight Immortals Table. He lit incense and candles and burned incense to report to the God of Land, saying that a certain owner was going to build a house here and asked for his protection, etc.
After the worship, he picked up the hoe and dug from east to west along the four sides of the foundation, and then returned to the Eight Immortals Table.
Zhou's father gave the Yin-Yang master the red envelopes, rice, and rooster he had prepared.
After taking it, the gentleman poured the rice into a measuring bucket, put the red envelope into the bucket, pressed it with a compass, and began to adjust the compass while chanting something, determined the center line of the house, and informed the mason.
The bricklayer buried the bluestone strip marked with ink in the center line, and began to place offerings, light joss sticks, burn incense, and present yellow paper money.
Burn incense to report to the God of Land and sing auspicious words: "On an auspicious day and at a good time, the heaven and earth will open up, and the five directions of the land will be at peace... A brick will fall and the world will be settled..."
Then the Yin-Yang Master walked towards the four corners of the house with incense, candles and paper money. Every time he arrived at a place, he lit incense, offered paper money, bowed, and chanted something, begging the gods to bless him and make everything go smoothly...
After the Yin-Yang master lights the incense and candles at the four corners, the bricklayer carries a big red rooster with its neck wiped, and walks around the foundation of the house while chanting auspicious words.
At each corner they would bow and worship the gods. After completing a circle, they would return to the Eight Immortals table, burn paper money, bow and kowtow... Then the host would offer sacrifices and set off firecrackers.
The Yin-Yang Master also sang auspicious words loudly, "Auspicious day and good time..."
The new house foundation was surrounded by villagers who came to watch the fun. Some of them were envious and jealous of the Zhou family's grand display.
People who are on good terms with the Zhou family say that Zhou's father has a good eye. The piece of land he chose has no obstructions in front and a mountain behind, making it a prosperous place for a house.
Those who were not on good terms started talking about the Xiong family's bezoar, whispering to each other...
After the foundation laying ceremony, the group went to Zhou's house. The mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law prepared several tables of food and wine and invited the husband, bricklayers, carpenters, and the villagers from the first and third houses and their helpers to a start-of-work dinner.
Early the next morning after the official start of work, Yang Chunyan and Zhou Huaian went up the mountain to the forest farm together.
The two had originally made an appointment with Zhou Yiding to go up the mountain together, but because Zhou Daqing left early due to something, he also went to the forest farm early.
Yang Chunyan and her companion collected ripe herb seeds as they walked.
Zhou Huaian plucked a bunch of plantain seeds and turned around to say, "Yan'er, I heard from Doctor Xiao Wang that Isatis root is also a herbal medicine. Why haven't I heard you mention it before?"
"Isatis root likes to grow in shady and moist places. There are a lot of them near the ravines in the forest farm. This herb must be dug up in autumn, so I didn't show it to you."
"Oh! I thought we didn't have it here!" Zhou Huaian said, pointing to the roadside, "Your favorite fruit!"
Yang Chunyan looked in the direction he pointed and saw that the jujube tree on the side of the road was covered with brown-gray jujubes that twisted and turned, which looked very similar to the swastika character.
It has a very long history. It is said that there was a scholar in the former Big Bear Country who did a lot of research on jujube.
He believes that the jujube has a history of 5 to 10 million years on Earth, making it one of the oldest fruit trees on Earth and a "living fossil" among fruit trees.
There are many aliases for the jujube: longevity fruit, ten thousand pears, Qujiang Hovenia dulcis, chicken claw, golden hook pear, jujube...
It is a deciduous tree belonging to the Rhamnaceae family and the Hovenia genus, and the tree is more than 10 meters tall.
Because its fruit is shaped like a swastika, some people also call the tree the longevity fruit tree.
The newly ripe jujubes don’t taste good. They are astringent and a bit dry. Be patient and wait until after the frost before picking them.
If you are impatient, you can pick them and put them in the grain pile, or bury them in rice bran for a few days and they will mature. Yang Chunyan feels that the taste of the jujubes that have been covered is still a little worse than that after frost.
The color of the jujube that has been hit by frost is redder, and the taste of the jujube that has been hit by frost is the most delicious.
At this time, you just need to hug the jujube tree and shake it vigorously a few times, the jujubes on the tree will fall like rain, and you can smell their sweet scent when you pick them up.
It tastes sweet and juicy, with a light aroma of wine. The elderly like to use it to make jujube wine, which has the effects of tonifying the middle and replenishing qi, unblocking meridians and removing dampness.
In fact, when we eat jujube, we are not eating its fruit, but its swollen and twisted infructescence axis.
Its fruit is at the tip of the infructescence axis. It is round and as big as a pea. When you break it open you can see the reddish-brown fruit inside, which is very beautiful.
The stalks, fruits, seeds, leaves and roots of the jujube can all be used as medicine, and it is best for sobering up.
The Chinese medicine calls it Hovenia dulcis, which tastes sweet and sour, is neutral and non-toxic. In traditional Chinese medicine, its seeds and wood can be used as medicine, which has the effects of clearing heat, promoting diuresis and detoxifying alcohol.
In addition, jujube is rich in dietary fiber, which can promote gastrointestinal motility, help digestion, and also has a certain effect on constipation.
"Huaian, look, there are still a few small ones down there. Dig them up and plant them next spring."
"There are them everywhere on the mountain. If you want to eat them, I'll get them for you."
"Just because there are a lot of them now doesn't mean there will be a lot in the future. If you grow them at home, you can eat them whenever you want. Also, jujube is a traditional Chinese medicine, and it has many uses."
"That's about right." Zhou Huaian leaned over to take a look. "There are still several small trees below. We'll dig them all up and plant them in the spring."
"Yes!" Yang Chunyan came forward with the bag, "I'll pick the seeds of the Viola yedoensis, and you can dig them up."
Zhou Huaian picked up the medicine hoe and dug it down. "You are a man with a strong body and endless energy. Not to mention digging Viola yedoensis, even digging jujube trees is no problem!"
"Virtue! You have to brag about everything you do!"
"You don't know if I'm bragging or not!" Zhou Huaian looked at her and grinned, "Who was the one who kept begging for mercy last night?"
"Get lost~" Yang Chunyan kicked him with a red face, feeling that she had never been as shameless as him in her two lifetimes, "All you know how to say is this all day long!"
"Why can't I say this? Saints say that food, sex, and love are the greatest desires of human beings."
"I have low education and can't understand!"
Zhou Huaian looked around and kissed her quickly when she was not paying attention. "Now you understand!"
"You look like a mortal!" Yang Chunyan pinched him.
"Hiss~ It will be green again tomorrow!"
Yang Chunyan saw him rubbing the place where he was twisted, with his teeth bared, as if a layer of skin had been peeled off. She said unhappily: "I didn't use any strength, okay? You just act weird every day, hurry up and do your job properly!"
Zhou Huaian rubbed the soft flesh on his waist, picked up the medicine hoe and dug it down, and glanced at her with his peach blossom eyes slightly raised, "I was working hard, you said I was bragging!"
"I don't want to bother with you!"
Thanks to our friend libbie for the reward and support!
(End of this chapter)
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