Chapter 19 19

On the night of the Lantern Festival, the weather was very good.There are a few bright stars in the sky, a few white clouds, and a full moon is embedded in the blue sky like a jade plate. That night, everyone worshiped the gods as usual, and the ceremony was completed quickly.Jueying took Juequn to the street to watch people burn dragon lanterns.The sisters Ruijue and Shuying thought that Qin would go home the next day, and they all had a feeling of farewell. Although the two families were not far apart, they rarely had the opportunity to play with Qin for a few days.And once the Lantern Festival is over, the New Year's Eve will be over, everyone has their own business, and they can no longer enjoy themselves as happily as they do during the New Year.So everyone got together and discussed how to spend the night in Juexin's room.Everyone agreed with Juexin's proposal: go rowing in the garden.

Rui Jue was going to go too, but Haichen quarreled for his mother to play with him temporarily, so she couldn't leave, so she stayed in the room.The three brothers Juexin and the three sisters Shuying went there, and there were seven Lianqins, plus Mingfeng.Mingfeng was carrying a small rattan basket, which contained some wine and vegetables. A group of eight of them filed into the garden and walked along the corridor.Shuzhen was the most timid, so she pulled Mingfeng to walk beside her.The garden is very quiet.The electric lights looked dim and lonely.A section of moonlight is exposed in the long patio, and some black shadows are painted in the middle.They were walking slowly, talking while walking, when they were passing by the flower terrace, they suddenly heard an unusual cry, then a black shadow jumped over the rockery, and then jumped onto the tiles of the corridor, Shuzhen was so frightened that she quickly leaned on Mingfeng's body, and Shuhua asked in surprise, "What is it?"

Everyone stopped.But there was no movement around.Juehui stamped her feet, but there was no response.He stepped over the railing, stood on the flower bed, picked up some stones and threw them on the roof. After throwing them twice in succession, he heard the sound of the stones falling on the tiles and rolling.Immediately, the cat meowed, and then the sound of the cat running away was heard. "So it's you," Juehui scolded with a smile.He jumped into the corridor again, seeing Shuzhen timidly leaning against Mingfeng, he smiled and said: "You are so timid, don't be shy!"

"Mom said there are ghosts in the garden," Shuzhen clasped Mingfeng's hand and argued with a trembling voice. "Ghost? Who has seen a ghost come?" Juehui asked with a smile: "The Fifth Aunt lied to you, so you just believe it. It's really useless!" Then everyone laughed. "Fourth sister, since you are afraid of ghosts, why did you come in with us again?" Juexin turned around and asked in front. Shuzhen let go of Mingfeng's hand, looked at everyone in fear, and replied hesitantly: "It's fun to be with you, I have no choice but to come with you."

"Well said, she is really my good sister! Well, let me protect you, I am by your side, you don't need to be afraid. Ghosts dare not come," Qin said with a smile, and walked over to pull Shuzhen to her He held her hand again, and walked side by side with her. "Jiang Taigong is here, and the gods avoid it," Shuhua laughed.Everyone laughed out loud. They walked into the bamboo forest, and the lights were all gone.The bamboo forest was not very dense, and there was a narrow path in the middle.The moonlight was shining directly from above.When one looks up, one can see the clear blue sky.The bamboo tips trembled slightly, making a small sound, and at the same time one could hear the water gurgling, but one didn't know where the water came from. When they were about to walk through the bamboo forest, they saw a small stream lying in front of them.

Juehui deliberately expressed that she was brave and not afraid of ghosts, so she stayed behind and walked with Mingfeng.At this time, he suddenly dodged to the side and ran into the bamboo bushes.When everyone heard the voice, they all turned their heads to look, and Juemin asked, "Third Brother, what are you going to do?" Juehui didn't answer, but silently chose a small Guanyin bamboo, tried to pull it out, but couldn't pull it up, so she broke it, and then removed the bamboo tip, leaving only one section, held it in her hand, and pulled it out again. After tapping the ground a few times, he said contentedly, "This is a good walking stick," and walked back to Mingfeng's side.

Everyone who stood by and looked at him laughed.Juemin said with a smile: "I think you are crazy and want to dig some treasures. So that's what happened." "Treasures? You think about treasures all the time! I think you are fascinated by the play "Treasure Island" before you are familiar with it," Juehui sneered back. The crowd moved forward again, talking and laughing.Then they entered the pine forest, and it was suddenly dark around them.The moonlight was hidden by the needle-like pine leaves, and there were only a few bright spots, and they could hardly tell the way when they came to the thickest part of the forest.But they are used to walking. Although the road is tortuous, they can still walk by groping.Juehui went to the front, and he used a bamboo pole to explore the way.From time to time, loud voices were sent to everyone's ears, bringing them a sense of terror, which was the horror of the inconceivable darkness and the majestic pines.Everyone walked forward slowly with nervousness, Qin asked Shuzhen to cuddle in her arms, and protected her with her hands.

The front gradually lights up.Suddenly they reached the shore of the lake.A piece of bright white water lay in front of it, and the water surface was full of moonlight, making it a glittering piece.The round moon floats and sinks on the water surface, and is sometimes made into an oval shape by the slightly turbulent water waves.Sometimes one hears the chatter of fish.Not far to the right is the round arch bridge; far to the left is the Huxin Pavilion and the curved stone bridge. Everyone stood by the water, looking at the water quietly.Suddenly a stone fell into the water and scattered the bright moon into a big circle.Although the moon quickly returned to its original shape, the circle on the water surface remained, and gradually expanded to nothing.

Juemin turned his head, looked at Juehui, who was standing behind smiling, and said, "It's you again!" "Why are you standing still here? What are you waiting for? Isn't there a boat?" Juehui pointed to the boat on the opposite bank. A boat tied to a willow tree not far from the bridge. "We've seen it a long time ago, but I still need you to tell me," Shuhua hurriedly replied, and reached behind her back to pull her braids over. While playing with them, she looked up at the bright moon in the sky, and sang Su Dongpo's "Water Braids" aloud. Tune Getou" comes.

Shuhua just sang a few lines: "When will the bright moon come? Ask the blue sky for wine," which was picked up by Juemin's loud singing: "I don't know the palace in the sky, what year is it." Then Qin and Shuying also sang.Juexin took the hole flute he had brought and played it.Seeing Juexin playing the flute, Shuying snatched the flute from Juemin's hand and said, "The sound of the flute is too thin, let me play the flute." The weeping had permeated the air, and there were still one or two sounds from time to time. Juehui walked slowly along the lake to the bridge, and he asked Mingfeng to go with him.He had a few words with Mingfeng.Mingfeng answered him briefly, and then went back to Shuying and the others.When Juehui was about to reach the bridge, he realized that he was alone, and Mingfeng did not follow, so he turned around and went back.He already felt restless in this beautiful environment. For some reason, he always felt that he was somewhat different from his brothers and sisters. He always felt that there was a kind of volcano waiting to erupt under the calm surface of this family. thing.

After a song was sung, the flute and flute stopped.Shuying put the flute horizontally to her mouth to play again, but was stopped by Juehui, who said: "Let's play it slowly when you are on the boat. Why are you in such a hurry?" Everyone walked along the lakeside to the bridge. Hui leads the way, while Mingfeng walks last.They crossed the bridge quickly. When they reached the grassland, Juexin unhooked the boat tied to the willow trunk, brought the boat closer to the shore, and let everyone get off. The boat slowly passed under the round arch bridge and flowed towards the wide place ahead.Mingfeng was sitting on the bow. She untied the small rattan basket she brought, and took out the stewed vegetables, melon seeds, peanuts, etc. in it, as well as a bottle of rose wine and a few small wine glasses.She handed these things to Shuying and Shuhua one by one, and they put them on the small round table in the boat.Juemin lifted the cork of the wine bottle and poured wine for everyone.The moonlight shines on the boat unobstructed, drinking with these young people. The round arch bridge has been left behind.It is bathed in moonlight as if covered with a veil, which is a little blurry, and a few electric lights by the bridge are shining in the haze.The boat was turning slowly, almost imperceptibly.They looked at the full moon in the sky for a long time, and suddenly they buried their heads, only to see that the surrounding scenery had changed.On one side is a steep stone wall, and on the other side is a row of water pavilions facing the lake.The Huxin Pavilion was completely visible, covered with moonlight and lights. Juehui turned her head and looked around, felt that she was about to spit out something, so she yelled, her voice was blocked by the stone wall, and then turned back and spread to everyone's ears. "Your voice is really loud," Juexin said to Juehui with a smile, and then he also sang loudly and looked at the other side. The water pavilion was hidden behind the bushes, and now all he saw were dense bushes. "Brother, why don't you come over and have a drink, don't shake it, let the boat go by itself," Shuying said, looking at Juexin. "It's good to sit here, it's very spacious to sit alone," Juexin replied.So he stopped rocking the boat, took a sip of wine from his glass, grabbed a few peanuts and chewed them carefully in his mouth.The boat moved slightly on the water smoothly.After chewing the peanuts, he said to himself: "I think it's better to lean the boat under the fishing platform. I want to go to the shore." It was difficult, but the boat finally approached the fishing platform.There are stone steps below that can lead to the top, so he got off the boat and walked up the stone steps.After a while, his head appeared in front of the stone railing on the fishing platform, looking at them and smiling. Shuying quickly grabbed a handful of melon seeds and threw them up to throw Juexin.But he disappeared as soon as he turned around. He could only hear him singing Beijing opera on it. His voice became smaller and smaller, and then he disappeared. "It's a pity that there is one less person tonight," Qin said, as if feeling dissatisfied. "Is it sister-in-law?" Shuhua rushed to ask, eating melon seeds. Jean shook her head. "I know it's Mei..." Before Juehui could finish speaking, Juemin interrupted her.Juemin glanced at him, and said angrily, "Hush your voice, you are so talkative, you almost overheard me again." "What does it matter if he hears it? He has already seen her anyway," Juehui argued unconvinced. "Brother has already seen Cousin Mei?..." Shuhua asked in surprise. "Young master," Mingfeng called out from the bow of the boat with a smile.Everyone looked up and saw Juexin sticking his head out to listen to their conversation, so they fell silent. Juexin walked down slowly, walked from the stone steps to the boat, and sat down at the stern.He asked the crowd, "Why didn't you tell me when you saw me coming?" There was a bit of bitterness in his voice. "We forgot what we were talking about, anyway, it has nothing to do with you," Juemin concealed. "I clearly heard you talking about Cousin Mei and me," Juexin said with a wry smile.He steered the boat and let it flow slowly towards the center of the lake. "Really. What Sister Qin means is: it would be better if Cousin Mei is here tonight," Juehui said bluntly, and he finally said it. flowed forward. "Cousin Mei won't come here in this life!" Juexin sighed looking at the sky, accidentally turned the boat to the right side, and even splashed water on board.But he steadied the boat again at once. A few gray clouds appeared in the sky, and the full moon gradually moved towards the clouds.Everyone looked at Juexin. "In fact, the few people are not only Cousin Mei, but also Cousin Hui and Cousin Yun from Grandma Zhou's family. When they came to play in the past, the eldest sister was still there, and we were so lively. Later, the eldest sister passed away. It has been three years since they left the provincial capital. It's been a year. How time flies!" Shuying said to Juexin with half nostalgia and half emotion. "Don't be sad. I heard Mom say that Grandma Zhou has a letter, and Cousin Hui and the others will return to the provincial capital in a year or two," Shuhua interrupted. "Really? Are you lying to me?" Shuying asked with a smile.Afterwards, she turned her head to Qin and said, "Sister Qin, you are going back tomorrow. We will go boating here again tomorrow night, and it will be much quieter. Everyone must leave. It is really the so-called 'There is no banquet that never ends'." "It doesn't matter if you want to disperse sooner or later. If you are so panic-stricken and afraid to disperse, you will still inevitably disperse, which is uncomfortable!" Juehui said angrily. "You have to know that 'the tree falls and the monkeys scatter', the tree hasn't fallen yet!" Juexin said. "It's going to fall one day, so let's break up early so that everyone can go their own way." After Juehui said these words, it seemed that many times the grievances had been vented. "Sister Qin, I don't want to leave, how lonely it is to be alone!" Sitting between Qin and Shuying, Suddenly, Shuzhen looked up at Qin's face and said anxiously as if asking for help; although it was a girl's crisp voice, it already contained seeds of sadness.At this time, Juehui saw her little feet covered in red satin embroidered shoes, and she cried out in pain.The sorrow of the little girl's whole existence oppresses one powerfully, and one naturally sympathizes with it.But this sympathy is only temporary, for a moment, because in front of everyone lies the unknown future, that future with a gloomy look, everyone is thinking about his own thoughts, and he is full of enthusiasm for his own future. Doubt and fear. The surface of the water suddenly became dark, and the surrounding area was gray.The full moon got into the clouds, and the light couldn't come out for a while.The water surface is quiet, only the regular sound of oars breaking the silence of the quiet night. "Slow down," Juexin told Mingfeng who was sitting on the bow. Shuzhen quickly leaned on Qin's body, and Qin hugged her tightly.The sky became bright again, the surroundings suddenly brightened, the moon rushed out of the clouds, left the clouds behind, and walked straight into the vast blue sky.The pavilion in the center of the lake and the curved stone bridge are clearly in front, and the moonlight casts their shadows on the water, as if in a painting.On the left is the plum grove, the flowers have withered, and the dead branches stand proudly under the cold moon with lingering fragrance, and cast some slanting shadows on the water.On the right is a slope, where a few willow trees are sparsely planted, and a small embankment is built on the outside to enclose the lake water and make a small pool inside. There is also a small hole like a bridge hole in the embankment body, so that the lake water from outside can flow in. "Don't be afraid, sit down, the moon is bright now, and the scenery is so beautiful!" Qin said, patting Shuzhen on the shoulder. Shuzhen sat upright.She looked at the sky, looked around, looked at the people, and finally looked at Qin, and said in a puzzled way: "Sister Qin, why did you leave? Isn't it good for everyone to get together every day?" Everyone laughed, Qin lovingly patted Shuzhen on the shoulder and said with a smile: "Idiot child, everyone has their own business, how can we play together every day?" "Everyone will leave in the future, and so will you. When you grow up, you will marry and follow your aunt and young master. You will be with him all day, and you will forget us," Juexin said half mockingly and half emotionally . Why should a woman marry into someone else's house and abandon the one she loves to accompany others? ——Shuzhen secretly asked her mother this question several times, but she never got an answer she could understand.However, at this time, when she heard people talking about the young master, she blushed instinctively, feeling ashamed that she couldn't explain herself. "I will not marry, and I will never marry in the future," she answered bluntly. "Then you want to stay at home and be an old lady?" Juemin, who was sitting diagonally across from her, laughed. Then Juehui rushed to ask again: "Since you will never marry, why did you ask Aunt Fifth to bind your feet?" Shuzhen couldn't find a word to answer.She pursed her little mouth, lowered her head, and silently squeezed her slightly sore little feet with her hands, and her mother's words suddenly came to her heart.Indeed, her mother once told her that when she got married, her sister-in-law was ridiculed because of her pair of feet, and on the day she got married, as soon as she entered the new house and sat on the edge of the bed, someone deliberately lifted up her skirt to look at her. Bigfoot.In this way, I learned the misfortune of big feet from my mother’s words, and experienced the happiness of little feet from my mother’s board. I was whipped many times, suffered for a long time, shed many tears, and had some long sleepless nights. , She actually made such a deformed thing on her own feet.But what did she get in the end?She became something for the mother to boast about, and at the same time she became a material for the ridicule of her brothers and sisters.The praise and glory that the mother had promised did not come, but the ridicule and pity that the mother did not expect.Now she has just turned thirteen, and she is already a victim at such a young age.With these crippled feet, I feel sore all the time. Compared with my sisters, I can't keep up with anything, and I have become weaker because of my crippled body.The only hope of revenge for her is at the moment of marriage.Now stroking those little feet full of scars, can she say that she doesn't want to marry?However, the hope of the future is also very slim and empty.Everything seems to be changing now, with four pairs of naturally grown feet clearly visible in this boat alone.So how could she say that at that moment her hopes of revenge would surely be fulfilled? Thinking of this, she fell down on Qin's body and began to cry softly. Everyone didn't know what the reason was, they thought Shuzhen was reluctant to be separated, so they comforted her with a smile.She just buried her head in tears, and cried harder.When everyone saw that the consolation was ineffective, they stopped persuading her.Juemin even said, "Look, you've soiled Sister Qin's clothes," but that didn't make her look up.So Shuying picked up the flute and played the tune of "Sorrowful Autumn" by her mouth.The sound of the flute seems to be weeping about a sad past. The sound ripples on the water, floats up after falling, disperses and gathers again. Suddenly a long sigh rose from behind.Everyone looked at the stern, Juexin hugged his knees and looked up at the sky.The boat fluttered quietly on the water surface, and the Huxin Pavilion was in front, which looked very large and solemn, as if there were secrets locked inside. "Why are you still here after so long?" Juehui asked in surprise. No one answered him.Juexin steered the boat behind, making it flow to the right and under the bridge.The bridge was almost close to their heads.Everyone instinctively turned their bodies to the side, and the hull moved greatly.When everyone stabilized their bodies and the clear light from the sky washed their faces, the bridge was already left behind. "What's the matter?" Shuzhen sat down and asked Qin in horror, but before Qin answered, Shuhua laughed. The surface of the water is wider.A piece of bright white water, without any ripples, just flows forward slowly, looking very smooth and lovely under the moonlight.The boat flowed smoothly and naturally on the water, without causing any disturbance. "Look, the water in the lake is just like satin!" Juemin praised while looking at the water surface. "It's nice to see the moon tonight, but it's a pity it's not autumn, so it's a bit colder," Qin said. "People are always not easy to be satisfied. If you have this and think about that again, you can see that the fog is coming," Juexin said, and then told Mingfeng: "Mingfeng, shake quickly, I'm afraid it will not be too early gone." The lake water gradually turned, and the water surface gradually narrowed, and then the trees and houses were no longer visible.There are artificial rocks on both sides, and there is a hut on the top of the mountain on the right overlooking it.The water in this area is more rapid.The boat passed quickly.Juexin carefully swayed the oars, made the boat make a big turn, and turned to the back.The water is still very narrow.On one side is a low wall, on the other side is a rockery.Here the sky looks high and the moon gets smaller.There has been a faint mist on the water, and everything is hazy.As the cold air began to hit, some people drank the remaining wine in their cups, or leaned closer to each other.The sound of gongs and drums came from outside, faintly, as if separated by a world.Juexin and Mingfeng rowed vigorously. "Fourth cousin, have you really decided on your schooling? I heard that your husband will come tomorrow," Qin asked Shuzhen gently.It turned out that in the past few days, the two sisters Shuhua and Shuzhen were encouraged by Qin and made up their minds to continue studying. After several requests, they all got their mother's permission.Mr. Long, who will teach reading tomorrow, will come, and they will go to school with Jueying. "It's decided, I've prepared everything," Shuzhen replied without hesitation. "This time the matter was unexpectedly successful," Qin said happily. "What's so strange about this!" Juehui rushed to say, "I don't want her to spend an extra penny. Besides, she sees that other girls have read books, and her own daughter doesn't know a few words, so how can she be so proud? Fifth Dad never cares about such things, Grandpa is afraid that you will lose his face, he will not object to reading at home. Besides, what he is reading is the "Book of Sages"!..." When it comes to the book of sages , He himself felt numb for a while, and couldn't help laughing.After what he said, the matter is as clear as day, and there is no need to explain it.The boat has turned to the front.There was fog on the surface of the water, and it was white, but the side of the round arch bridge was faintly exposed from the fog.The electric lights by the bridge stood dimly in the moonlight, and were covered with mist, turning into a blurred red and yellow.They have already circled the lake once. The boat moved slowly through the fog.Looking at the moon in the fog this time has a different kind of taste.Everyone just looked around silently, and after a while the boat returned to Wanxiang downstairs.Juexin asked everyone if they wanted to go back. "It's getting late, let's go back and eat glutinous rice balls," Juehui hurriedly replied.No one objected to the proposal.So Juexin brought the boat closer to the shore, still moored under the willow tree, let everyone ashore one by one, tied the cable to the tree, and followed them to the bridge. On the way, Juemin couldn't help admiring: "I've never had such a good time like tonight." Some of the people agreed with this sentence.But Juexin thought to himself: "It would be great if there is a plum here." Qin also felt that "it's a pity that there is one missing plum", and she thought: "It would be great if I can let Mei come here to play!" As soon as they walked out of the garden, they met Jueying and Juequn running in from outside angrily.Seeing Juexin, Jueying asked excitedly: "Brother, did you see the extra number? It's time to fight!" "What extra? Which one is fighting?" Juexin said inexplicably. "You can see for yourself," Jueying said triumphantly, and handed over a piece of paper pinched in her hand. That was the "urgent number" of the National Gazette. "The warlord has ordered a crusade against Commander Zhang, and the front line has opened fire," Juexin said nervously.