By Jia Xiuzhen

A freezing rain has not yet melted, and it is winter.The Son of Heaven welcomes the winter in the northern suburbs, and sacrifices to the Black Emperor. After returning to the court, he bestows seasonal clothes and all civil and military officials.Jia's mother was also given palace silk, palace satin, royal field japonica rice and other things by the palace, but it was the grace of the old sage who thought of the old minister's honor.

It was freezing rain and cold the day before yesterday, and charcoal basins had been set up in several places. Now that winter has entered, it is just the time for the whole house to change clothes according to the season.The warm pavilion was newly decorated, and the embroidery curtain was lowered. Mrs. Wang and Sister Feng had been busy for several days before the cooking was finished.

The cold wind has not stopped, and since the autumn freeze has directly hit the winter cold, it has become more and more unbearable.Imperial edicts were frequently issued. First, a large number of private coal kilns that were sealed up in Xishan were inspected and registered and then taken over by the inner court, and then turned into government-run ones.Those who are willing to sell the coal mines with complete documents can also sell them to the inner court at a price.The Charcoal Office was newly established under the Inner Court's Salary Department to specialize in the franchise.

The garrison was also dispatched to Xishan to mine coal, and the soldiers and horses of the five cities formed a horse team and a camel team to supervise the transportation, and set up wholesale sales outside the city, and the price of coal in the city dropped accordingly.There are also four seas commercial firms in Yongning, Xuanhua, Huailai and other places employing thousands of workers to cut firewood and burn charcoal, and the camels, horses and donkeys will be transported to the capital within a few days.The lack of charcoal in the capital has since been resolved.It's just that the Sihai Trading Company sells ordinary charcoal, and if you want silver frost and red Luo, the price is still more than three times that of previous years.Coal and charcoal are used by ordinary people, and they have little to do with Jia's mansion. Only Sister Feng secretly liked that she was quick at that time. If she waited until now, there would be no money to earn.

Let's say that Sister Feng was secretly complacent, so she said that Jia's mother had invited her, and she went in a hurry. this matter.Mrs. Wang saw that Jiamu was excited, so naturally she had nothing to say. Daiyu Yingchun and the others were really bored because of the rain and freezing these days. Naturally happy to see this, and Xiangyun is the most lively. There was chatter and laughter in the hall for a while.

When Sister Feng heard this, she smiled and said, "But I thought of going together. Today they also have a stove meeting outside."

Jia's mother then asked Mrs. Wang, "Why didn't you hear it? We were on a whim again. I'm afraid we won't be able to do anything when we meet."

Mrs. Wang was about to speak, when Sister Feng laughed and said, "The table outside is delivered from Dexing Building. We don't need to work on the kitchen, let alone the others."

Mrs. Wang also said: "It's just ordinary Qing guests and gentlemen together. It's okay for the ancestors to let the gentlemen come in. There will be no way."

When Jia Mu heard the words, she shook her head quickly and said, "What do I want them to come in for? I'm used to blowing their beards and staring at them to scare the children. Then there are stove-warming meetings, and there are always trouble-making meetings." Everyone laughed when they heard this, and Baoyu was even more relieved. .

Sister Feng said again: "I think it's warm today. The most important thing is that the day is good. Why don't you have a banquet in the warm pavilion in the flower hall at the back, put on the kang, and even open the windows, it won't be cold."

Jia Mu nodded and said, "That's a good idea. I don't care about the rest. I'll just wait until the time is right to use it."

Sister Feng asked Mrs. Wang what she wanted to eat and play. Mrs. Wang smiled and said, "Where do I have such ideas, you just have to make arrangements for the old lady and the girls to have fun." To go out to make arrangements, Jia Mu ordered again: "We are so lively when we have a lot of people. Go and invite your aunt and the others." Sister Feng hurriedly agreed and sent someone to invite.

Not to mention how happy Baoyu and Daiyu Sanchun are, Li Wan, a daughter-in-law, will rarely be free at this time.Even if you don't care about things, you have to make arrangements before and after, which is the truth of being a daughter-in-law.Sister Feng ordered to go down. Some people had already gone to the flower hall to light the kang, and some people went to invite people. They went to the flower hall to see the place and felt that it was not enough, so they ordered people to move the tables and chairs.Li Wan had no one to intervene, he just watched the women and servants move around, and told them to "be careful" and "care".

Let's say that in Lixiangyuan, Aunt Xue heard Jia's mother's invitation and said "must go", and asked someone to take some money for reward.Turning back to Baochai, he said, "Everyone acts according to the festival and the occasion. The old lady really knows how to have fun. The weather is good today, let's go there earlier, just to relax."

Baochai said: "Exactly, it was so cold and rainy a few days ago, everyone was not in the mood, and Sister Pianfeng had to move a few pots of yellow-leaved red maple. Looking through the window, they looked like crystals. What a coincidence. "

Aunt Xue smiled and said: "Why is the old lady and your aunt doting on her? There is no shortage of people in their family to do the work, but how to do this work depends on one's mind. Don't think that Feng girl can't read a few characters. You sisters write poems and books, but they are exquisite and sweethearts, so you can easily compare to her."

Baochai said angrily, "Look at what Mom said, who is so confused." Aunt Xue only smiled and pointed to another matter, but after a few gossips, she changed her clothes and went to Jia Mu together.

Sister Feng knew that Mother Jia wanted something novel and lively, and she had to have clever ideas and well-organized arrangements in a little time, and it was thanks to her that she had this ability.Mother Jia led a group of people to the Nuan Pavilion in the Huating Hall. Seeing the official seat, she asked with a smile, "How can you even have a theater troupe with such a kung fu?"

Sister Feng greeted her early and said with a smile, "It's the old men outside who heard about our stove meeting today, and specially honored a troupe to come in to entertain the ancestors." Not good, I am not happy in my heart, I should have fun today."

Aunt Xue nodded and said with a smile: "It's a good day today, so we'll just follow the old lady." Everyone gossiped and sat down.There was only one couch in front of Jiamu's table, and Baoyu, Daiyu and Baochai Xiangyun sat on four square stools on the left and right. Aunt Xue only wanted to sit around to make it more lively, so she withdrew the original couch and set up only two official hat chairs with Wang. The wife sat side by side, and there were Ying, Tan and Xi sitting on the left and right.

Naturally, Li Wan and Sister Feng set aside a seat, but they had no reason to sit and enjoy it. They were busy serving Mrs. Jia Muwang and so on.After entering the table, Sister Feng asked Jia Mu to order some plays. Jia Mu shook her head and said, "It's just the meaning of talking and laughing around the stove. It's boring to watch a serious play. Just let them pick some fresh tunes and sing a few words." Sister Feng took it. Order hurriedly to go down.For a while, daughters-in-law came in holding boxes, Li Wan and Sister Feng lifted the lids and served soup and dishes one by one.

Sitting together with Daiyu, Xiangyun was talking and laughing in a low voice, then suddenly sniffed and asked, "It seems to have some fragrance." Just as he was talking, Baoyu was already smiling across from him: "I was just about to say, sister Yun has a bad nose. ’” Xiangyun wrinkled his nose and said to Baoyu, “you’d better save yourself from boasting about yourself.”

Baochai said with a smile, "I'm afraid Sister Feng has prepared something new." Sister Feng then said, "It's the old lady's embarrassing idea. It doesn't matter if everyone gets together, but they come up with a name of 'Heating Stove Party'." , I was thinking that if I drink and listen to operas as usual, how can I deserve the name of this stove. Fortunately, there is a sister-in-law, who is the most professional in this field, and the deer and roe are roasted in a charcoal stove outside. Is this a stove meeting?"

After hearing this, Jia Mu pointed at her and said, "Your sister-in-law has come up with an idea to save the situation for you, and you have turned a corner to hurt others." I didn't hide it from the past, but I said it again, if I kept it from the past, it would be a waste of ambush."

Li Wan was bringing some daughters-in-law to eat, and Jia Mu pointed to Sister Feng and said to her, "You are still busy, so you should put your hands down and let her want to go! This time, you are talking about memorizing." Li Wan said with a smile: "It's true that the old lady knows how to tell, can she still spit out ivory by pointing at her mouth?" Baoyu smelled the fragrance first, and this time all her thoughts were on the holding box behind Li Wan.Baochai laughed when she saw it: "If sister-in-law stands there for a while longer, brother Bao should go and take off the cover by himself."

After hearing this, Baoyu looked at Daiyu and said, "Sister Yun said it was very fragrant, and I can't think of anything that smells like this..." Daiyu glanced at him and said with a sneer, "I don't care what you say to me." I don't have time to guess your mind."

Baoyu was at a loss for words for a while, Xiangyun was on the sidelines thinking like Baoyu, who couldn't care less about the lawsuits, and asked Li Wan, "Sister-in-law, what kind of rare thing is this? We all asked about a scent of honey here."

Li Wan had already put the plate on the table, and said with a smile: "This is the venison that the old men are very filial to the old lady. It is grilled with fruit charcoal. It is very tender. The old lady has a taste." Mubucai, Jia Mu picked up the meat slices and took a bite, chewed carefully, and praised: "This meat is roasted very well, the taste is in, and it is more tender than usual." Sharing a few portions of the grilled venison, he said to Daiyu, "This meat is so tender, it doesn't matter if you take a few bites."

Li Wan took another plate of orange-red and half-yellow dim sum and ate it on the table. Hearing what Jiamu said to Daiyu, he continued: "The venison marinade is put in papaya pulp, and the meat is more delicious when roasted." It’s easy to digest, my sister, but it’s okay to eat.” Pointing to the dessert that was just served, he said: “I just said that it’s sweet, so I’m afraid this is it.”

Jia Mu looked carefully at the small piece of fruit cake that she put on her plate. It was half orange, half yellow, slightly honey-colored, round and round, with fine crepe patterns on the top, which looked like a colorful longan bun.Xiangyun asked Baochai, "Sister Bao, have you seen this thing?" Baochai smiled and shook her head, "I haven't seen it before. It looks like it's made into dim sum. I didn't know what it looked like before."

Li Wan said: "This thing is called sweet potato, and there are also sweet potatoes. Zhuangzi just planted it this year, and I have never seen it. Now I have tried a few ways to eat it, and I say that it is the sweetest when roasted over charcoal fire. It's just that it is a rough food, so I can't eat it." On the countertop, this is a dim sum that can be baked and scooped out to make it, and nothing is added, so let’s try it.”

Baoyu was the most anxious. She had already pinched a piece of the mouth, savored it carefully, and said with a smile: "Sure enough, it is its fragrance. The smell is not bad, but compared with the fragrance I smelled just now, it's not unusual to taste it." Everyone tasted it one after another, and they all said that Baoyu's evaluation was reasonable.

Mrs. Wang also tasted half of it, put down her chopsticks and asked Li Wan, "I just said it was a new plant from Zhuangzi, but the Zhuangzi who believed in the reward from the princess?" Li Wan replied, "That's right there." Since I have planted some fresh things, it’s fine for the mansion to return them, but it’s a good idea to send some to Wangfei Xin’s place.”

Jia Mu also nodded and said: "That's the reason. Although they are some rough food, they are newly planted by the Zhuangzi, which is also a meaning. Besides, this year's situation is not good, so there must be no mistakes in the Zhuangzi." Li Wan knew in his heart. Mother Jia and Mrs. Wang couldn't bear to break the line with Xin Wang's Mansion, even though they wanted to avoid it, they couldn't do it; fortunately, there are eight thousand people who want to curry favor with Xin Wang's Mansion. But with a few baskets of sweet potatoes and yams, I'm afraid they won't even be able to enter the second gate, so I feel relieved after thinking about it, and just obey.

Because the flower hall is lit with a kang, it is very warm, and the sun is just right, so the windows are opened, and roe deer, sheep and deer are roasting in the hall, and the warm water in the charcoal stove in the corridor is warming the wine, and the water mill in front of the hall is soft and long.When the wine was hot, someone suddenly said: "Hey, it's snowing!" Everyone looked outside, but they didn't know when the sky had turned cloudy and fine snowflakes were falling.When Sister Feng saw it, she said with a smile: "The old ancestor chose a good day, and this day is also for fun."

Aunt Xue said: "It was such a good day just now, and my feelings are snow-covered." Baoyu praised: "Good name, but what's the explanation for this snow-eye?" Baochai laughed and said, "You never knew this snow The meaning of eye, I would like to praise it first. This is a southern dialect, which means that the sky is warm and the sun is high before it snows, and there will be heavy snow after that. On a sunny day, it is like a glimpse of a glimpse, and it is called opening snow eyes." Baoyu bowed and said: " I read so many books in vain, today my sister can be called my 'teacher of one language'."

Baochai hurriedly turned her body to let her go, and said with a smile, "Where is it? You are studying economics and economics. I just said a few common sayings and slang, but you are ashamed of me." Baoyu shook his head quickly and said: " My sister’s words like this are still called colloquialisms, so the ones I learned are really fake ones.”

Before Baochai could answer, Xiangyun glanced at Baoyu and said, "Sister Bao, don't pay attention to him. The second elder brother has always been like this. Whatever he said, the fresh and unheard ones are always like the Buddha's words, but according to what he is It’s no novelty to say it twice, and you’ll forget it in the back of your head when you look back.” Daiyu laughed from the side, Baoyu gave her a shy look, and took up the jug to pour wine for Sister Feng.

After a while, all the daughters-in-law came up to remove the cups and change the cups, wiped the table and cleaned up the fruits. Jia Mu and others washed up before sitting down to drink tea and listen to the play.Sister Feng was afraid that Jia Mu would be tired, so she served tea and asked softly if she wanted to take a break at noon.

It's just that the theater troupe was originally invited by Jia She, and they are not good at the things in front of them. I'm afraid it sounds boring.It just so happened that Mammy Lai and several old nuns came, and Jia Mu said happily, "It's a coincidence that I just wanted to wipe a domino." Then she said to Mrs. Wang: "I don't need to serve here, you go and hurry up." Let's go." Aunt Xue came to look for something at home, she only had a few sips of tea before accusing Xian's family of going home.Now Mrs. Wang heard what Jia Mu said, and she just waited on the sidelines for a change of tea and fruit, and then sat and watched Jia Mu and the others beat a circle before returning to her yard.