Chapter 10 Chapter 10

There have been several nights of lantern festivals in the town.On this day, I heard that it will be even more lively; there are lotus-picking boat lanterns at the head of the east gate, and a handsome young lotus-picking woman on the bow and stern of the boat, singing a lotus-picking song. Newly written by Uncle Zhao; there are eight tea-picking lamps at the head of the west gate, and the tea-picking girls are also refitted by beautiful young people. The jewelry they wear are borrowed from the ladies of the most famous houses, and the clothes they wear are also their most beloved and fashionable. It was almost like exhibiting their treasures; these were not available the previous nights.Therefore, the Lantern Festival this night was particularly shocking. Everyone almost forgot about their own lives, plans, sorrows, and joys—from the moment they opened their eyes in the morning, they longed for the day to pass quickly and see the dreamlike carnival scene immediately.

The lantern race does not happen every year.Around the time of the so-called Lantern Festival during the Lunar New Year, a few handicraftsmen who have retired and have not yet started work, and some people who are not engaged in production and do gambling and the like begin to "drop dragon lanterns".It's very simple, a cloth dragon lantern with nine or more than ten knots, and a pair of "Lantern Festival", just flicking and beating on the streets.If no one gets up to respond after playing for several nights, the competition will lose everyone's interest and finally end silently.For several years in a row, it was almost the same, so there were no lantern festivals for several years in a row.

This year is different.Some people said that it was because of the good harvest in the field last year, and everyone wanted to express their joy for the harvest.But if you look at it carefully, it is not quite right, because those who are happy to participate are not farmers who cultivate the land, nor are they landowners.Some people also said that the atmosphere in the town had changed, so there was a sign of prosperity first.No one can know what will happen in the future, so of course there is no way to judge whether this statement is true or not.But what happened was like this: At first, a group of people came out to play with dragon lanterns, and another group of people were happy to see them, so they also put on a dragon lantern to play.When there are four or five dragon lanterns, everyone wants to win, so they add all kinds of fame; such as performing operas and making various lanterns, they all do it deliberately.That's the start of the lights race.The people of the whole town, fearing that this fiery excitement would cool down and lose the rare chance of having fun, they unanimously encouraged and urged them to make it more lively and prosperous.A certain person's appearance and demeanor are suitable for a certain role in the play, and he will not hesitate to use various methods to attract him; if a certain person can ingeniously plan a new and ingenious lamp, even if he is not recommended by others, he will volunteer to contribute : We all do our best for a group of familiar and close lantern racers.The gentry and the rich were tired of playing those banquets and gambling, but this lantern festival, which does not happen every year, felt that it was particularly exciting. It seemed that banquets and gambling under the theme of the lantern festival were fresh and interesting, so they explained Open a purse to finance candle lights and miscellaneous expenses.The ladies spare no expense in checking out their precious jewels and new attire, because it is easier than wearing them themselves to observe the astonishment and admiration of the eyes that express their treasures.In this way, the Lantern Festival will naturally be extremely lively and impressive; every night there will be new fame and beauty, and every night there will be a soul-stirring scene that anesthetizes the audience.However, everyone seems to be still not satisfied, always thinking that there will be more impressive and happy next night.

By noon the townspeople flocked to see the character who would be the center of the evening.Groups of children were running, shouting, and darting through the crowds and under the eaves of the low-rise buildings; after watching the lantern festival for several nights, they could not help imitating the figures and expressions of the most moving figures in the festival, and their mouths were full of laughter. Singing to the rhythm of gongs and drums.The short-clothed friend who drank the morning wine, his face was brightly dyed red, his eyes were wet with an erotic expression; for the girl who saw the man disguised overnight, he felt the allure beyond reality, and he felt helpless all the time. Thinking, thinking, thinking.The gentlemen who came out of the teahouse also walked briskly with their usually prudent steps, their blood was already stirred by the carnival atmosphere.Cheerful laughter and joking words kept floating in the space; clusters of short figures shuttled across the street.This kind of grand event has never happened in recent years; now, it has returned to the golden and prosperous era that remains in memory!

Those who dress up as tea-picking girls and lotus-picking girls have long been surrounded by some hostesses and flatterers, where they try out their posture and practice their lyrics.Guidance and criticism are, of course, the province of gentlemen of good taste.How the girl should walk with her legs intertwined, how the hand holding the handkerchief should rest on her waist, how her eyes should cast glances, how her voice should be swaying and graceful, they all explained meticulously. , supervised; they have their own models, they say that a certain famous actress in a certain troupe used to be like that, at the most lively lantern festival more than ten years ago, a certain person played the role of a tea-picking girl and became famous because of that, of course People have to be convinced and love it.The trainees, the so-called handsome young men, are either tailor's apprentices or carpenter's underhands. Although their faces are more correct, their black necks and clumsy hands and feet are similar to each other.Now it is necessary to change the figure back and forth, to imitate the tenderness and delicacy of the girls, and to dress up and wear beautiful clothes and jewellery, which have never been imagined in dreams. It is really a bit vague, as if in a dream.There is an unconscious arrogance mixed in here again; the hope of victory, the hearts of the whole town, suddenly focus on himself, and he feels that he has expanded, enlarged, like a fully inflated ball, so he enjoys the service of others, Letting others dress and groom themselves, pour tea, and twist face towels are all taken for granted like rich people.However, thinking that they are dressed up as girls, and girls have to act attractively, they can't help but feel ashamed and show a shy look; just from this shy look, everyone thinks they are really extremely coquettish girl.

Naturally, the place is not big, and it is not the hall of a wealthy gentry; more and more people gathered around to watch, so we had to close the door to reject those who came after.But the people outside the door were not discouraged, they were so crowded that it was almost impossible to get through, and they were clamorously waiting for the door to open occasionally, so that they could have a glimpse of hope. "Everyone can watch it at night!" "There's nothing to see right now!" "The house is going to collapse!" the host shouted in pleas and reprimands, but there were even more people crowded outside the door.

The two girls in Dongzhatou, who played lotus picking, were practicing in the inner room of a copper and tin shop.The front of the Tongxi shop was crowded with people.The short fence cannot withstand the crowds, the iron hooks have long been broken, and now they are tied with hemp ropes as thick as fingers to prevent them from falling.The counter inside the store was also crowded with people, those who arrived early, or those who were particularly good at squeezing.They saw nothing, however; they were just like those crowding the street with their necks outstretched; for the doors to the inner rooms were closed earlier than they had arrived.The palms and fists couldn't help being a little bit unbearable, and they knocked on the door in twos and threes, and of course muttered some ridicules with eagerness and humor.

"What are you doing hiding in there? Let everyone see the beautiful face!" "Ge'er is charming, we have to be fascinated too!" "They closed the door, who knows what's going on! Those two pretty bunnies..." "Do things... You know it's blue sky now!" "Open the door! We want to see those two little rabbits!" Almost all the people crowded there shouted at the same time, and at the same time there was a violent fluctuation in the crowd. The door swung open.The crowd only felt their eyes light up, because there was a yard behind the door.Standing in the light was a tall man, everyone swallowed a sigh of relief when they saw it, and said in their stomachs, "Uncle Jiang!"

This person is Jiang Shibao.The black satin leather robe, the two cuffs are turned up, revealing the soft and white wool; both hands are propped on the waist, a pink silk flower is held in the right hand, the right leg is stretched half a step forward, the chest is straight, standing tall and straight. Majestic and elegant posture.His face is purple-brown, and his forehead, cheeks, eye sockets, and ears are all very full; in other words, each piece is like a ball, and the whole head that is combined is more like a round shape. big ball. He didn't speak at first, and looked out with nonchalant eyes at the many faces outside.As if by magic, after he saw it this way, all the noisy mouths and squeezed bodies were suppressed; for a while, the shop in front of the shop was strangely silent.

"Scary!" He sneered, "If you want to see it, can't you wait for half a day? - Besides, it doesn't take half a day, it's only a few hours. You know, looking at the lamp should make your eyes feel comfortable and your heart feel numb. Now inside I am carefully grooming and coaching Miss Cailian, just to make everyone feel comfortable and numb at night. What are you making a fuss about?" He said these words in a particular tone, provocative but also restrained.He raised his right hand from his waist, waved the pink silk flowers with two fingers, and said, "Go now! Eat a full dinner, clean your eyes, and then look at the fairy-like lotus-picking girl!" "

Although the crowd didn't withdraw immediately, the tendency to squeeze in was gone; they didn't find these few words of "blocking the drive" harsh, and they seemed sweeter than seeing the immature lotus-picking girl in real life. taste.Gradually, some people walked away, ready to go back to make dinner earlier, and soaked chrysanthemum water to wash their eyes. Even though Uncle Jiang didn't advise us at school, dinner was brought earlier.When the sun was still shining yellow on the top of the distant tree, the four teachers who lived in the school had finished their dinner and went out together to watch the more prosperous lantern festival tonight. At this time, the sound of gongs and drums came to the ears together.Some seem to express enthusiasm that is so happy that they are about to jump up; when there is a tight sound, and a high sound, the pulses of the participants must also be jumping violently there.Some are farther away, with melodious voices, ups and downs, reminding you of a soft smiling face.In short, amidst the sound of gongs and drums, the people in the whole town completely forgot everything. They just felt as if they were bathing in the sea of ​​happiness. Laughter, beauty, prosperity, and entertainment were their whole world. Of course, the not-so-wide city street was already full of people, and there was no room for people to pass straight through. Those coming and going could only walk left and right among the crowd.The noise, the sound of laughter, and the sound of children crying are mixed together, as if there is a rhythm, like the broken waves of the sea.The shops on both sides have lit kerosene hanging lamps whose covers are specially polished; the medicine shop is conservative and has lit four red gauze lamps; The strong light dazzles the tourists' eyes slightly.As usual, the counter of the shop is the place for women and children, and it was already full at some point, because there were not enough stools, and some stood on tiptoes; it seemed that all the shops had the same business tonight, and they had the same displays !The aroma of rose oil and spring orchid provokes the nose of tourists.When I look back, ah!A complex synthesis of colors, a seductive public display.So, everyone felt that this happy sea was richer and more interesting; so, they exercised their whole body, like fish, and swam around with great joy. Huanzhi was in the third place, with Sanfu and Yigong in front, and Youfu who took a step to look at his feet.But before walking halfway through the market, the companions in front and behind were all lost; I went back and forth to look for them, stopped and waited, but they were nowhere to be seen.At this time, there was a burst of noise: "Here we come! It's from Xizhatou!" The crowd was so excited that they all stretched their necks to look westward.Huanzhi was standing at the entrance of an alley, with more than a dozen people crowded behind him, but it was considered a superior location compared to the front of the shop. He watched the lively scene and thought of the importance of public entertainment.In order to live, ordinary people frown, be patient, use their strength, shed blood and sweat, and occasionally laugh and have fun, which is just a spiritual tonic.Because of this supplement, I feel that it is interesting and interesting to continue to work hard.Otherwise, you will only be a slave to your stomach, even if you are not pessimistic and world-weary, you will still feel the emptiness of life.Some people say that acting in the presence of gods in the countryside is superstitious and wasteful, and should be banned.This is a one-sided view; according to this view, it seems that the peasant should only toil and toil, without rest, until he is buried in the grave.You must know that once you regain your senses and perform a play, you can call back a lot of fresh energy in the peasants, so that they will happily raise their hoes again.Superstition, sure enough; but where is the alternative entertainment that is not superstitious but equally effective?Waste, let alone; waste with compensation, where is waste?This year's Lantern Festival in the town was also said to be a very bad thing: first, the amount of money spent was as much as it should be; second, some young girls were moved by the beauty of the lyrics, and fled to other places with the man for a few days There have been three or four.This is true.However, inspired by such a carnival, there will be a new opportunity in the hearts of the whole town that has not been seen in previous years.These new machines are like seeds. From these seeds, there will be infinitely rich harvests, so it cannot be said that the lantern festival is a bad thing.Of course, the rough and vulgar "white-faced people" style of the Lantern Festival should be reformed.To make it mellow, elegant, and artistic is something within the scope of education... So he thought that on the National Day, the school should lead the people in the town to hold a more perfect and grand lantern festival than this lantern festival; he also thought of other public entertainment, such as parks and sports fields, etc., the school should prepare for the people in the town to let them recuperate Spirit, inspire new machine The sound of gongs and drums was already at his side, so Huanzhi cut off his solo thoughts and raised his eyes to look.The spectators crowded in the street surged, giving way to a very narrow road, and the band playing gongs and drums passed slowly through here.Then came the domino-shaped opening lights, pairs of various colored lights, moving past one after another, the lights clearly illuminated the faces of the people holding the lights, and each face was piled with almost overflowing smile.Then comes the drama: the old man’s long white beard flicked to the left and right in "Nantianmen", and his neck twisted so that people felt sour on his behalf; Playing jokes with co-actors or the audience, making fun of Mrs. Wang, and tugging at the braids of a girl standing by the street; For a play, a group of people walked by.The props in their hands are all lights, such as fans, big knives, apricot flags and the like.Then came the fine band.A dozen or so musicians all wore black crepe robes and velvet melon caps; the instruments were all decorated with lights, so that they all showed a reserved air when they played.The music sounds are very soft and charming; the huqin and flute are almost the main notes, and the pipa, sanxian, sheng, and Xiao are in harmony. ——However, these are no different from the previous few days. "The tea-picking lamp is here!" the audience couldn't help shouting.It seemed that every pair of eyes shone with a greedy light.All the female customers at the store's counter stood up, their bodies bowed like reed grass, protruding their heads with oily buns and pink faces.Women look at women more eagerly and profoundly than men; to men, they only look at the lovable image; while women first look at whether they are better than themselves, so their eyes can often remove the superficial makeup and penetrate directly into the bottom, If the nose of the person being watched is a little bit out of alignment, or there is a mole on the back of the ear, it cannot be missed no matter what.Although the tea-picking girl is a man, since she is called a girl, of course she is treated as a woman. Like Huadan on the stage, they walked by in a very contrived and coquettish posture. They were not so much tea-picking girls as models for the clothes of fashionable ladies.None of the eight people wore skirts; no two jackets and trousers were of the same color and cut in the same cut, and the fur linings of the jackets were all expensive varieties, and there was almost no sheepskin.They tied up their hair nets and combed them into fashionable twisted silk buns, with glittering pearls and flowers neatly placed on them.Because they wanted people to see clearly, each person followed behind two people, holding bright kerosene lanterns, and huddled near the bun.In this way, all eyes are only focused on those pearls, and all hearts are shocked by the wealth on the bun; and the handsome face, makeup decoration, specially trained figure and gait, and a carved tower in each hand The flower basket lamps, which are extremely exquisite but have different styles, seem to be of no importance.However, everyone was very satisfied and happy, because they had already seen the tea-picking girl who was eagerly looking forward to all day long. They all showed ecstatic smiles, and more than half of them opened their mouths unconsciously, and from time to time leaked "Tsk! Tsk! "Admiration. "Mr. Ni is watching the lights here alone?" Huanzhi was thinking that such a way to show off would be a bit of a spoiler, and someone called him.It was a familiar voice, and I quickly realized it was Miss Jin Peizhang. He turned his head and saw that Miss Jin was squeezed between a dozen people behind him, wearing a red wool scarf, with one hand pressed to his chest, buttoning the two corners of the scarf. "There are four people who came out, and they are separated now, and I am the only one left. Has Miss Jin been here for a while?" "No. I just came out of the alley. There is really nothing to see. I have to go back the same way." "May I go with you?" Huanzhi asked straightforwardly without thinking; at the same time, he followed Miss Jin and squeezed behind a dozen people.The dozen or so people who had moved their minds only felt that the pressure on their bodies was loosened, so they moved a little to relax their shoulders, chest and back, but no one noticed because the two people walked away. "That's good, we can talk about it," Miss Jin said happily. Walking halfway down the alley without a word, the sound of gongs and drums no longer made the mind jump, and the noise of the crowd gradually subsided; the footsteps of the two became clearer. Ms. Jin turned her head slightly and asked, "Mr. Ni said at my house the day before yesterday that he saw a lot of darkness in the education field. What kind of darkness is there in the education field?" "Ah, I can't say enough about each case based on the facts. Let's sum it up in one sentence: what is more is school, what is less is education. Education is a thing that must be done by people. Of course the people who run education It's the teachers. The darkness in the education world lies in the teachers! Most teachers just eat education and don't care about it; what children need from them, they never think about it. That's enough, let alone detailed programs ." "How many teachers like this are there?" "As much as possible, everywhere is full of pits and valleys." "Isn't that—" "Yes. I have been disappointed too, and when I was so annoyed, I even wanted to commit suicide." "Mr. Ni ever wanted to commit suicide?" Miss Jin wondered, "Why?" "I feel that there is no meaning at all among a group of people who don't know what to say. What I get is nothing but emptiness and sadness. It's better to lose my life." "Well," Miss Jin pondered for a while, and then asked, "How did it change afterward?" "A realization saved me, that is, I am working as a teacher. Others don't understand education and forget education; can't I do my best to understand education and not forget education? When I think about it this way, I see hope waving in front of me, and I start to be optimistic stand up." "I think this hope must be caught; a person who devotes himself to his duties should be rewarded satisfactorily, so optimism must also be implemented throughout his life." "I believe so too. Miss Jin, I know very well that I am a very simple person. When a thread of trouble sticks to my heart, even if it is just a thread like a spider's thread, I think it is tied with a thick rope. But I hope When the light of the sun shines on my heart like the sun through the window, all sorrows and troubles disappear, and hope is the whole world." "I can say that such simple people are blessed; because they tend to be single-minded, they can deal with all aspects with all their strength. Unfortunately, I can't do this." At this moment, the two of them had walked out of the alley and turned to the right.On one side is a field.The last quarter moon has not yet risen, but there are stars.The nights are mild and refreshing.Huanzhi breathed comfortably for a while, and felt even more refreshed. He went on to say, "Miss Jin is much more complicated than me; we've talked a few times, and I can tell." "I just like to think around the bush; but I don't have firm strength. This is also the result of the situation—" The motherless sorrow came to her heart, and her words stopped. "You've done your homework very well, and you're determined to engage in education, so why don't you say you don't have the strength to be firm?" Huanzhi realized the meaning of the words dictated by the situation, so he comforted her like this, but the words were sincere. "It's not like that. For example, education, I have intentions to do it; but whether I can do it well or whether I will be disappointed in the end, these thoughts always fly by the window of my heart like crows. I also know Comfort, liberty, nobility, and success await me, if only I will meet them; yet I cannot forget the black wings of the raven." "That's just an illusion," Huanzhi said a little passionately, "the ideal realm is in our future, just like the traveler's destination. With our heads held high and our chests upright, we stride forward. We sing , we laugh and laugh, which is more than enough to inspire the courage to move forward. Where are the black wings of the crow? We will be close to hope itself!" "I wish it could be so," whispered Miss King, silently feeling in her heart. "It's not hard; it's as simple as I am, but it's got it. I don't know what it is to hesitate now. I have pushed away the shadows that lead people to the road of failure! What is good and what is like Do it, and the only way to do it is to just do it and nothing else." Miss Jin nodded, opened the red scarf and let it fall a little from her shoulders, but said nothing. "Good news, Ms. Jin, you must be happy to hear that; yesterday the school decided to open up a farm. The wasteland behind it is not small. It has seventeen or eight acres, and every student can be assigned to it." "It's a very interesting thing." "It is also a very fundamental thing. It started as a seed, watched its development, watched its growth, and watched its fruit; you can also watch how it encounters disease and how it resists the sky. What you understand from this is not just a plant. life history; the mystery of life, the news of all things, will also be bypassed by analogy." "Cultivation labor is also of high value." "Yes. The combination of study and practice is its value. Moreover, labor makes life mellow and artistic; just imagine, using your wrist to lift a hoe and turn the soil that grows all things. At that time, your mood will definitely change. Tears of joy." "New education! New life!" Ms. Jin recited. "I can write to Miss Jin about the situation after the implementation." "Well," Ms. Jin hesitated for a while, "let's have an interview when I come back. In our school, the letters received by the students are first checked by the supervisor. Although it's nothing to talk about education, I always feel—" In the twilight of the stars, Huanzhi saw Miss Jin's bright pupils flickering towards him. "Violation of other people's freedom of letters! I know that there are many girls' schools doing this. This is also a big darkness in the education world!" Huanzhi said angrily. At this time, the sound of gongs, drums and human voices in Qianjie burst into bursts, interspersed with stringed and bamboo blowing bombs, the sharp laughter of women and children, and the sound of solid firecrackers.Probably the Dongzhatou Lantern Festival gathered in the city center with several other lantern festivals, where several dragon lanterns competed.