Da Suining

Chapter 170 The Dead Rabbit

Xiang Suining's blue-gray embroidered shoes were wet, his socks were cold, and his toes were cold.

Every step I take seems to be stepping on the heavy dew on the flowers and trees.

The small lamp in Mingzhu's hand is graceful and slender, and the hazy halo illuminates the narrow gravel road.

The master and servant walked for a while and returned to Xiang Suining's bedroom.

Mingzhu brought the candlestick to light, and blew out the candle flame of the lantern.

On the wall, "A Picture of Peony Traveling in Spring", the peony is a peony in May, blooming warmly and gracefully, and each flower blooms brightly and noblely.

A woman in a water-coloured wide-sleeved shirt and a golden-yellow long skirt with a tail was fluttering butterflies among the flowers with a round fan, her face was like a full moon, and her hair was like a pile of clouds.

A maidservant in a bright red skirt and a green blouse waits behind her with her hands tied.

The window is half open, and the night wind is tight, and the scent of early-blooming osmanthus pours in. The fragrance of the flowers is strong, as if lying under the osmanthus tree, the petals have fallen all over, and the petals are finely broken, messy like broken rice.

The window was still pasted with the old year's blessing, which was cut by Xiang Suining and Mrs. Xiang during the Chinese New Year. She was not very skilled, and after half an hour of cutting, there were only two pictures. One was pasted under Mrs. Xiang's window. One was posted in her own room.

There was a lot of rain this autumn, and it rained continuously, lasting for more than ten days at a time, so the vegetation grew wildly, and I always felt that the humidity was heavier. Perhaps because of this, the color of the blessing characters under the windows faded quickly.It was bright red at that time, but now the color is no longer bright, sometimes there are some white spots, and the color has faded.

Take off your shoes and socks, your feet are even colder.

Fortunately, Mingzhu brought the footwashing water in a copper basin, and a third-class maidservant brought tea. After drinking a cup of tea, her feet were well soaked, and her whole body was warm, and she felt much more at ease.

"Girl, go to sleep." Mingzhu covered Xiang Suining with a brocade quilt, and it was almost time for "the brocade quilt can't bear the cold at midnight", so the brocade quilt on the bed was replaced with a thicker one.

All of this is still the same as before, familiar and warm.

But as soon as he closed his eyes, Xiang Daying's eyebrows appeared in his mind.

"Girl, go to sleep." Mingzhu leaned against the bed and tucked the corner of the quilt for Xiang Suining.

With a sound of "huh", the candle was extinguished, and the room became darker, and soon the moonlight was pouring in from the raised window.

The moonlight is like silver, quiet and clear.

There are clusters of lights and shadows in the tent, swaying gently with the night.

Xiang Suining couldn't sleep.

With watery eyes open, I watched the light and shadow on the tent turn into the shape of gardenias, white rabbits, and nine-day fairies.

It's just that the curtain swayed, the gardenias bloomed, the white rabbit ran away, and the fairy transformed into a boat on rippling water.

Mingzhu was lying on the small bed under the east wall to watch the night, seeing Suining tossing and turning, she put on her clothes and sat up: "Young lady, can't sleep?"

"Ah."

"The girl is thinking about what the master said?"

"Ah."

"Don't worry, girl. Didn't the old lady say that she will take good care of the girl? With the old lady here, let's relax, girl."

"It's all right with me, it's just that someone is going to be in a hurry again."

"Who?"

Xiang Suining smiled, although the night was dark, the brilliance in her eyes could overflow, they were star-like eyes.

"Girl Huizhi Lanxin, this servant understands."

Xiang Daying went to Mrs. Xiang's room to talk, during which Chunyu came to call for someone.

Su Momo said that Tang Xiaoniang sent her here.

Xiang Suining naturally didn't believe it.

The maid serving Tang Xiaoniang has a basket, and she doesn't have much time to use spring fish.

On the contrary, Chunyu is Xiangyan's right-hand man.

It's fake that Chunyu came to call someone, I'm afraid he came to inquire about the news.

Xiang Daying repeatedly asked Xiang Suining to marry Guo Kai. For Xiangyan, this may not be good news.

She didn't sleep even late at night, and went to Tang Xiaoniang's bedroom wearing a cool thin shirt and her hair loose.

Xiang Daying was taken aback, and soon he understood what was going on, so he threw the towel back into the copper basin: "It's so late, why doesn't the third girl stay in her bedroom, what should I do if it gets cold?"

"It doesn't look like a father to do this."

"Oh?" Xiang Daying was a little surprised. He lived a long time and raised this beautiful daughter. Why, should he be taught to be a father?
"What does Yan'er want to say?"

"Second girl doesn't want to marry that second prince, why is father pressing so hard? If father is like this, isn't he afraid that second girl will be sad?"

"Are you worried about your second sister? This is rare."

"I... I... I just think that everyone has their own ambitions, and maybe the second girl has someone she likes."

"No nonsense."

"Father shouldn't force the second girl, otherwise grandma will be sad."

"Yan'er, you are not young anymore, who will father talk to and what will he say in the future, don't send your little girl to eavesdrop."

Chunyu's back tightened when he heard this, and he quickly retreated to the corridor to guard.

Fortunately, Xiang Daying was not angry with her for passing on the microphone, but comforted Xiangyan: "Father will seriously consider your marriage with the second girl, and it is also the emperor's intention that the father pushed her to the second prince, and the emperor's order is hard to break And you, after two years, father and mother will definitely plan well for you."

"But Yan'er wants to share father's worries."

"How to share your worries?"

"The second girl is not willing to marry the second prince, I am willing."

"presumptuous."

"Father, I know that Guoxin is not smart, his head is not very enlightened, and he is not a material for reading. He is rough, can't sit still, and can't work hard. We can't count on him in the future for a family of poetry and books like us. .”

"Ahem..." Xiang Guoxin has been bored in the mansion recently, and has specially fed a little black rabbit, and right now he is walking around the courtyard with the stuffed rabbit.

All of a sudden, I heard Xiang Yan commenting on him. This word, tsk tsk, this is a deep hatred.

Xiang Guoxin rushed in with the rabbit in his hand, "Third Sister, you're killing me while I'm not around."

The rabbit in his hand was held upside down, frightened, and he kicked his legs vigorously.

"You didn't sleep in the middle of the night, why did you run out?" Xiang Daying reprimanded him.

"I came out to walk the rabbit, my rabbit is full."

"Go back to your room, it's none of your business."

"The third sister will go with me."

"I do not go."

"Third sister won't leave, and I won't leave either. Otherwise, if you make up things and sue me again, who knows if dad will have an idea and beat me up."

"Who made it up? I'm telling the truth." Xiang Yan's face turned red with embarrassment: "Is there something wrong with what I said? You are not motivated in the first place."

"Third sister is motivated and wants to marry a man every day, so don't be ashamed."

"You, Xiang Guoxin, you are presumptuous."

Two people, you say a word to me, and no one will let the other.

Just drive them both out.

These children are nothing to worry about.

On the path next to the rockery, Chunyu led the way with a lantern, and Xiangyan went back to her room listlessly.

Ugh.

She wanted to marry Guo Kai, but Xiang Daying just didn't agree.

Her mother did not help to speak.

It's all intentional.

Originally, if she tried to fight, there might be hope, but when Xiangguo interrupted, both of them were kicked out.

This nasty.

Xiang Guoxin chased after her with the rabbit in his arms: "Third sister, why are you upset? Do you think my rabbit is cute? I have a new one, do you want to hug it?"

"No, take your dead rabbit away."

"Why are you so fierce?"

"It's just so fierce, you can't control it."

"If you're so fierce, you won't be able to get married in the future."

"If I can't get married, you can go to jail with your parents."

Yes.

If a woman from Qingcheng does not marry at the age, wouldn't her family have to go to jail?

That's no joke.

It is said that the daughter of a wealthy family in the east of the city was too lazy to do anything. She lay in bed at the age of fourteen or fifteen, unable to eat, and no one could pull her up except to go to the toilet.

The rich man's family had this daughter at the age of half a century. She was the sweetheart, and she was left to her. As a result, she became fatter and couldn't get up and walk in bed.

With a big stature and a big temper, she can even scratch the face of a matchmaker while lying on the bed.

Later, there were no matchmakers coming to the house. She did not marry after the age of sixteen or seventeen. Her parents used money, thinking that she would not go to jail, but after a few years, the neighbors around her couldn't stand it anymore. Isn't this a bad trend? Joint report.

As a result, no matter how much money the rich man tried to use, it didn't work, and the couple were both sent to prison.

If you don't get married, you will go to jail, Xuan Guo is serious.

Xiang Guoxin hugged the rabbit in his arms with a smile, sat on a big rock, put the rabbit down and stretched his waist: "Sanjie, don't be angry, I was just joking, you see you speak ill of me , I'm not angry either."

"I am telling the truth."

"Okay, okay, third sister is the most reasonable, who made you look good."

This desire to survive is really strong.

"You're smart." Xiang Yan sat next to Xiang Guoxin: "What's the use of being good-looking, and you can't be with the one you love."

"Third sister has someone she loves?"

"I... I... I don't... I'm just talking nonsense. I don't go out of the door, I don't go out, I don't have a sweetheart."

"Isn't it easy to get your sweetheart? How do you say that word, it's easy?"

"What do you kids know?"

"Third sister, don't you know that we have a temple in Qingcheng that is quite effective. It is said that the monks there are the best at chanting scriptures. Not long ago, Mr. Lan of Changxinhou's Mansion was dying of illness, and they were the ones who chanted scriptures to keep alive. It has spread in Qingcheng, and many people go to burn incense.”

Xiang Yan grabbed Xiang Guoxin's rabbit: "Where is the monk?"

"Third sister, let go of your hand first, you are about to strangle my rabbit to death."

"Which temple's monk is the most effective?"

"Aren't there only a few temples in Qingcheng? One is Jiguang Temple, and the other is Huguo Temple. The monk who saved Mr. Lan this time is the monk of Huguo Temple."

"Do you really have that experience?"

"I haven't been there, I don't know, but when I was studying in the palace, all the ladies went, and I heard that the wives and concubines of princes and ministers also went there, and they all said that Huguo Temple responded to every request. It is most effective to ask for a child there. It is sure to be successful after seeing the Avalokitesvara of Songzi there."

Xiangyan thought about it for a while, and then lovingly stroked the rabbit in Xiangguo's heart: "I'm going back to my room to sleep, it's cold at night, don't get caught in the wind, you should go back to sleep."

"Sister San, are you going to burn incense? Take me, I'm so boring."

"I don't want a son, so I'm going to burn some incense, I won't go."

Xiangguo let out an "oh" and went back with the rabbit in his arms.

When I got up and had dinner in the morning, I didn't see Xiangyan.

Although most of the households in Qingcheng have closed their doors, and their transactions have decreased by [-] to [-]%, the food standard of the Xiang family is still very strict.

For breakfast this day, the wives prepared milk and scallion rolls, corn buns with sweet dates, fresh milk nests, rock sugar pear water, eight-treasure porridge, oatmeal black rice porridge, a fat duck with sauce, and a plate of scallion sauce. Beef, a plate of eight bright red crabs, a plate of salted edamame, a plate of stir-fried clams with vegetables, and several smaller plates, which are filled with thinly sliced ​​ginger, pickled cucumbers, steamed sophora japonica, Soak fresh peanuts in vinegar.

Everyone sat around the table, but only Xiangyan came to eat.

Tang Xiaoniang only thought she was sleeping late, and sent her mother-in-law to call.

When the mother-in-law came back, she said a few words to Tang Xiaoniang, but Tang Xiaoniang's complexion was not very good.

"What's the matter? Where's Yan'er?" Xiang Daying asked after biting a steamed bun.

"The second-class maid in her room said that Yan'er got into a car early in the morning and went out. This child, what is the situation now, how can she go out easily? The servant at the door will only indulge her in reckless behavior. She wants to go out. , boys should come back to me."

"Why did the third girl go out?"

"I heard that they went to Huguo Temple."

"Huguo Temple?" Xiang Daying was a little surprised: "It's not the first and fifteenth day of the lunar new year, and we are far away from there. What is she going there for?"

"Going there, of course, is to burn incense. It's not uncommon for the master to know that the incense in Huguo Temple has always been very strong. There are dozens of lay people living in the row of houses in the backyard of Huguo Temple. Naturally, everyone goes. Yan If I go there, I'm afraid it's also to pray for our family."

Xiang Daying nodded in satisfaction: "This child Yan'er is becoming more and more sensible."

Xiang Suining bowed his head to pick up the rice and didn't speak.

Whether Huguo Temple is effective or not, she has not been there in person, so she dare not make a conclusion.

The few monks I met in Changxinhou's Mansion a few days ago wore very delicate robes, and their expressions were calm and reasonable. They were naturally different from the monks in the small temple in the mountain forest.

I have also heard of the reputation of Huguo Temple.

Huguo Temple is a royal temple. The emperor's wife and princes in the palace will go to offer incense every auspicious day, and give some rewards during festivals.

Not to mention the families of princes and nobles, they flocked to them even more.

It is said that the Huguo Temple is very large, and it may not be enough for a person to walk around the red wall of the Huguo Temple from east to west.

The heavenly family showed mercy, and didn't want the bodhisattva to be lonely, so they specially allowed the common people to go to worship the Buddha together, as long as they could miss the worship in the palace.

Of course, when the palace goes to worship, they will give a notice in advance. Three days before they go, the Huguo Temple will be closed to thank guests, and they will concentrate on cleaning and preparing.

Even so, most of the people who went to Huguo Temple were rich people. After all, one donation of sesame oil would cost at least ten taels of silver.I dare not even think about it.

But the efficacy of Huguo Temple is well known.

It is said that the most effective way is to seek a child.

But those who have been married for a few years and still can't have children, after praying to the Bodhisattva, nine times out of ten, they can conceive smoothly, and some even give birth to twins.

The birth of a child cannot be faked. The woman who gave birth brought a piece of sandalwood as thick as her arm to worship in front of the Bodhisattva, lit a longevity lamp, and added sesame oil with a bank note.

The incense of the Huguo Temple became higher and higher as it was lit, and the more it was burned, the more prosperous it was. Word of mouth passed on, and the reputation of its efficacy cannot be hidden even in Tibet.

(End of this chapter)