Langya's dream

Chapter 150 Three [Zou Family Lantern Riddles]

(the twelfth day of the first lunar month, Zishi)

Wrapped in a cloak, I braved the cold wind and returned to Su's house; I have been working near the private cannon house in the west of the city for the past few days, and I haven't seen Brother Su for several days. I heard that on the fifth day of the lunar new year, he went there Gu Shan, but it's nothing serious, he doesn't bother me, so I'm naturally a little more relaxed.

I knocked a few times on the back door for a signal, and the night watchman opened the door; I said thank you, and went inside.

As soon as I walked to the backyard, I ran into Li Gang and Zhen Ping. I nodded slightly to them as a salute. Stay home and rest."

Zhen Ping raised his hand, and replied calmly: "Thank you Miss Lin for your kindness, I'd better go back to the inn. Since I entered Beijing for eight days, many experts already know where I live. If they sneak up on me in the middle of the night Seeing that I am not here, you will definitely be suspicious."

It's because I didn't think carefully; after thinking about it, I nodded and didn't keep him anymore.

(the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, unitary time)

Who can live at leisure when seeing the moon, where can I hear the lights and not look at it; this great Shangyuan Festival, I am bored in the house, I really can't stand it, knowing that Brother Su is going to Miaoyinfang, naturally I can't follow, so I simply change Dressed in men's clothes, he sneaked out without the big guys not paying attention.

There are quite a few people who come out to look at the lights, and this year's patterns are much more than those 13 years ago. I have seen lights in Langzhou and Huizhou, but the lights in those places are indeed not as good as those in Jinling City. .

As I walked, I looked at it dizzyingly.

All kinds of juggling are performed on the street, and dragon and lion dances run through the streets and alleys, which really echoes that poem; !

"Tangyuan, hot glutinous rice balls, only three pennies!"

"The most complete mythical mask, even Lord Taishan has it!"

"Meat Mantou Meat Mantou, come and have a taste."

The cries of various vendors were endless, my nose was already filled with the aroma of various snacks, and my footsteps also consciously stopped by a stall.

The seller seemed to see what I was thinking, and greeted me with a smile on his face: "Fried glutinous rice balls, young master, would you like some?"

"A pancake." I looked at it and said.

When the seller heard this, his hands moved immediately, making pancakes and chatting with me: "Young master is so beautiful, why don't you order another glutinous rice ball, it's delicious, as long as you eat my meatballs and look at the lights, you can touch it." To my predestined person, the important thing is, the two can save five copper coins together, would you like a share?"

While speaking, a pancake left the pot and handed it to me; I shook my head lightly, took out a tael of silver and handed it to him, smiled and said, "You don't need to look for it, I'll take it as a good word for you."

After all, I took the pancake and turned around to continue walking.

This pancake is really delicious, oily but not greasy, crispy and delicious. Xin Hao, I have the foresight to go out in men's clothes. If I wear women's clothes and swallow it like this on the street, I will probably be the headline news tomorrow.

Thinking about it, after eating a pancake, I took out a handkerchief and wiped the corners of my mouth and fingers. I was about to put the handkerchief back into my purse when someone hit my body hard. Fortunately, there was a jewelry stall next to me. He gave him a hand, but he didn't get knocked down.

"Who are you, do you want to apologize for bumping into someone?" I yelled at the person.

The jewelry seller patted me on the shoulder lightly, and reminded me softly, "Master, check to see if your purse is still there."

When I heard it, I reached out and touched my waist. Worse, what a thief!

"Dare to steal Miss Ben's things, I really don't know the heights of heaven and earth, stop for me!"

As I said that, I raised my foot and chased after him; but there are too many people on the street, I can't run fast at all, and my body is not what it used to be. He ran away without a trace.

Seeing that I couldn't see him anymore, I stopped naturally; if he stole money, I really didn't need to chase it so desperately, but what he stole was the medicine that my elder brother gave me. It’s easy to say, but that bottle of Bingjiu Pills is terrible. It’s been my medicine for half a year. When the toxicity occurs every month, I must take it. But this Bingjiu Pill is not easy to refine. Chu Shi took the time to make it for me; now he is going back to Beijing with Yue Xiuze, there is no material and no time for him to make it again; damn it, today is less than nine days away from the 24th of the first lunar month, where can I get the medicine? !

"Miss Mei?"

A deep and magnetic voice sounded from behind, I followed my breath, and when I looked back, it was Jingyan!

I stepped forward to bless the body, and smiled: "I've seen His Highness, His Highness has good eyesight, Qing'er is dressed like this, but His Highness can still recognize her."

Jingyan looked at the direction I was going to chase, then looked at me again, and said with a normal expression, "No, it was you who bumped into me when you were chasing someone, so I could see your face clearly; what, Qian Has the bag been robbed?"

"The thief didn't steal the purse, but Qing'er's medicine; just now Qing'er bumped into His Highness by accident, I'm really sorry, where is His Highness hurt?" I nodded slightly.

This situation seems familiar, very similar to the appearance when I first met him back then, but I was very happy at that time, but now I don't know how to talk to him.

"No problem, but Mr. Su's medicine?" Jingyan asked.

I nodded and replied: "It is; but fortunately, there are spares in the house."

Although the Bingjiu Pill is for me, the Huxin Pill can be regarded as the two of us. Under such circumstances, I don’t want him to know so much, especially about me; The topic asked: "This Shangyuan Festival, why doesn't Your Highness watch the lanterns with the princess?"

When Jingyan heard this, he chuckled lightly, raised his foot and walked forward, and I followed after seeing this.

"There is only one side concubine in this palace, she never likes these things, so she doesn't want to come to this busy city; but you, dressed up like this, must have come out without telling Mr. Su." Jingyan said as he walked. .

After so many years, Sister Wanrong has never let go of that scholar. There is no woman who does not like to visit lanterns. She does not want to go out, probably because she is afraid of seeing couples in pairs. discourse.

The sound of beating gongs and drums rang in my ears, and when I heard the beating, I turned my head and looked subconsciously. A man in blue cedar cloth was standing in front of a pile of lanterns, beating gongs and drums, and shouted loudly: "Zou Family Lantern Riddles, two Ten words once, guess three times in a row, and get a pair of exquisite lanterns!"

Before the man finished speaking, the crowd around him flocked, as if they were robbing some limited goods. I stopped and asked puzzledly: "It's just a lantern riddle. There are many lantern riddle stalls in Luoshi Street. Why does this man There are so many people shouting?"

Lie Zhanying glanced at the stall, and patiently explained to me: "Miss Mei doesn't know something. Almost no one can answer this Zou family lantern riddle correctly. Because the answer is wrong, the Zou family didn't give the answer until the next year. Whether they are educated or uneducated, they are all hooked by these Zou family lantern riddles. In order to know the answer, many wealthy sons have asked many literati to answer them afterwards, but they have found nothing. Therefore, at this time of year, the Zou family lantern riddles become a The most lively lantern riddle place on Luoshi Street."

It's just a marketing gimmick, but this lantern riddle did arouse my interest; after thinking about it, I turned my head and smiled slightly at Jingyan: "Qing'er really wants to go forward and have a try, I wonder if Your Highness will allow it?"

"This king knows that Mr. Su is well read and talented, but he doesn't know that Miss Qing'er is also a studious person. Please."

Jingyan raised his hand, and I turned around and walked towards Zou's Lantern Riddles. Lie Zhanying had already cleared a small space for us and let us squeeze in.

As soon as I stepped forward, I saw a man with the appearance of a scholar, beating his palms rhythmically with a folding fan in his hand, thinking sadly; I looked at the lantern riddles with my eyes.

Red and green are not flowers, and branches and leaves are not trees. They are colorful and live in the water. It turns out that there is an animal on the bottom of the sea; hit a sea animal.

I bit my finger lightly, thinking that the colorful underwater animals must not be fish, flowers or trees, they must look like flowers and trees, and there it is!

Thinking of the answer, I glanced at the scholar, he was still struggling to think, I stepped forward, took out a tael of silver and handed it to him, and said awkwardly: "Brother, can you give me this question?" answer?"

The scholar glanced at the title, then at the silver in his hand, raised his hand for a moment, then stepped aside.

The onlookers saw that I was selling for a tael of silver, some thought I must have the answer, and some thought I was humiliating myself; I just smiled and gave the answer to the shop selling lanterns.

"coral."

The shopkeeper was shocked, and said in disbelief: "Young master is very knowledgeable, the answer to the riddle is indeed coral."

I was overjoyed, raised my eyebrows lightly at Jingyan, turned around and handed the money to the shopkeeper, wanting to continue answering the question; but the shopkeeper pushed my hand away and said with a calm smile, "Young master has such a good intelligence, if If you can answer three questions correctly in a row, then I, Zou Guang, will not accept the money, and I will treat it as a friend like you?"

"Of course it's good, then please come up with a question."

Zou Guang turned around, tore off the paper, and pasted the second title: A river of spring water flows eastward; type the name of a medicinal herb.

I looked at the topic and thought for a moment, and the pharmacy in Langya Pavilion flashed in my mind, the spring water...flowing eastward..., "It should be connected to the sea." After thinking about it, I blurted out.

Zou Guang smiled unexpectedly, didn't say anything, and directly pasted the third question: scheming, type the name of a herb.

Each question is shorter than the first one, but unfortunately this person got the question right, I can't remember the others, but I can memorize more than 1 medicinal herb names by heart, it really is thanks to my elder brother.

"This is the easiest one, Cang Zhu!" I said without thinking, and the crowd was full of excitement.

Zou Guang was even more happy. When he insisted on making friends with me, I realized that I was a little carried away. Seeing that everyone around me wanted to know my name, I panicked. If my identity was revealed, I would be in trouble. up.

After thinking about it, I hastily saluted Jingyan, squeezed through the crowd and ran out.

It wasn't until I got back to Su's house that I felt slightly relieved, went to the room and sent two letters to my eldest brother and the cabinet, one was about medicines, the other was about silver; A lot of silver taels.

After sending the letter away, I changed into my clothes and went to Brother Su's room.