Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 177 Giving Gifts
Xie Yuyan unfolded the paper and saw that there were no words on it, only a drawing of a tower.

What does Wang Yan mean by this?

Xie Yuyan looked at the cat's small pouch, which still looked bulging, clearly indicating that there were still things inside.

Thinking this, she reached out again, and sure enough, her fingertips touched a hard object. She took it out and saw that it was a carved wooden block. Xie Yuyan turned the wooden block and saw that it was carved into an object that resembled a roof structure. Xie Yuyan then looked at the picture on the paper and her heart stirred. She immediately sat up.

She reached out and hugged the cat in her arms. The blue cloth bag on the cat's back didn't look very big because it was partially hidden by the fur on its belly. When she took off the small cloth bag and opened it, she found that there were more than twenty such wooden blocks.

Luckily, it's made of wood, otherwise how could the raccoon dog lead them around on the rooftops and walls?
Xie Yuyan reached out and ruffled the cat's fluffy head, whispering affectionately, "You've worked hard."

The raccoon seemed to understand her words, its big head rubbing against her chest incessantly.

Xie Yuyan took out a small dried fish from the box by the bedside. The cat immediately snatched it away, squatted in the corner, and slowly began to gnaw on it.

Xie Yuyan examined them carefully. These wooden blocks should be the tower drawn on the paper. He selected two pieces and pieced them together according to the mortise and tenon structure. Soon, the two pieces were assembled together perfectly.

The remaining twenty-odd pieces were assembled in the same way, and slowly a wooden tower appeared before her.

The wooden tower leans slightly downwards on one side, which looks a little strange, but Xie Yuyan is even more pleased with it. This is the famous Inspiration Tower.

Because the soil was relatively loose, the people who built it deliberately made the tower lean slightly to the northwest. After more than ten years, the tower body sank down, and with the constant northwest wind, the entire tower body gradually straightened up.

Unfortunately, later some people argued that the wooden pagoda was too old and unstable due to being struck by lightning, so they requested the court to allocate funds for its repair. In reality, the wooden pagoda was completely demolished and rebuilt with bricks and stones.

The new tower is covered with iron-colored glazed tiles, and the glazed reliefs are rich in color and have different patterns, which is truly impressive. However, in the eyes of many people, this iron tower not only cost a lot of money, but also lost the charm of the original wooden tower.

The court officials impeached many of those who proposed building the tower, but the emperor kept all of their memorials. Only then did the officials realize that the one who wanted to build the tower was actually the emperor himself.

The emperor who built the tower is now the emperor.

In other words, the wooden pagoda is gone, and it has been replaced by the brick pagoda of later times.

However, Wang Yan's gift of this allowed her to indirectly witness the splendor of the wooden pagoda.

Xie Yuyan held the wooden pagoda in his hands and looked at it again and again. The wood looked quite old. It was said that a small model was made before the wooden pagoda was built.

Surely this isn't it?

If that's true, and there's only one like it in the world, then it's far too precious.

Xie Yuyan thought it was unlikely. Wang Yan wouldn't go to such lengths. Besides, he didn't know that she had never seen the demolished Linggan Tower and had specially sought this out for her to see.

He probably just found her a plaything to amuse herself.

However, by sheer chance, it somehow found its way into her heart.

Xie Yuyan played with the wooden pagoda for a while before placing it on the table beside the bed. Under the oil lamp, the pagoda cast a shadow, making it look even more realistic.

After finishing the dried fish, the cat diligently licked its paws and washed its face before nestling at Xie Yuyan's feet. Xie Yuyan gazed at the wooden pagoda and gradually drifted off to sleep.

Whether it was because she slept exceptionally well that night or because the lively atmosphere at the Yang family ancestral home during the Zhengdan Festival made her feel particularly cheerful, Xie Yuyan felt exceptionally energetic, as if she had been completely healed overnight.

Yang Qin, dressed in a new robe, first went to deliver New Year's gifts to Mr. Tong.

Zhang instructed Yang Qin: "If you have time, we will invite you to a banquet on the fifth day of the month."

Yang Qin nodded, then walked up to Xie Yuyan and circled around her: "Sister-in-law, do you think this looks alright?"

Xie Yuyan waved and handed Yang Qin the small cloth bag that Grandma Li had made, saying, "Remember to bring books and an inkstone for the teacher."

Yang Qin responded happily and ran outside. He wanted to see his teacher as soon as possible, kowtow to him, and then go to pay respects to his ancestors.

In previous years, Yang Qin would stand with his relatives from other branches of the clan. This year, he will join his uncle and several brothers to offer incense to their ancestors.

After running out of the yard, Yang Qin remembered something and turned back, shouting through the window, "Mother, don't forget to let Sister-in-law drink the soup!" Then he ran off with his arms swinging.

Zhang smiled and looked at Xie Yuyan: "I'll go and bring the soup over."

Mrs. Yu hurriedly said, "Please sit down, I'll go."

Zhang refused, saying, "Hurry up and finish your work so you can go back and get back to your own tasks. There must be a lot of work to do at home today."

Mother Yu hurriedly thanked Xie Yuyan and Zhang Shi.

Xie Yuyan said, "I'll bring my family over tonight to celebrate. Then I'll rest at home for a few days and come back on the fifth day of the new year."

Such a thing never happened before. Mother Yu didn't know what to say.

“I’ll be back in the third year of junior high,” said Mama Yu. “I’m not very happy at home, and I miss it when I’m away for a long time.”

The important thing is that the eldest daughter-in-law wants to retaliate against the Xie family during the New Year's Day, and she doesn't want to miss the opportunity.

"Is everything ready?" Xie Yuyan asked, looking at Yu's mother.

Madam Yu said, "I went to the kiln early this morning, and the master had already finished firing them. Moreover... judging from the looks of it, the master is not willing to stop. He wants to fire another kiln tomorrow."

They sell very few clay stoves in their shop because they've stockpiled them to prepare for what's to come.

Xie Yuyan asked, "Is the notice finished?"

Yu's mother nodded.

"The tabloid will also be printed on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year."

Xie Yuyan said, "Then there's nothing more to do."

that's fine?
Mother Yu said, "The Xie family will definitely cause more trouble."

Xie Yuyan picked up her tea and took a sip. Because she had to take medicine, the tea was particularly weak. She suddenly missed the tea that Wang Yan had ordered at Baode Temple.

"I hope they hurry up and don't keep me waiting too long."

If the Xie family doesn't play their last move, she can't complete the game.

After telling Mother Yu to go home, Xie Yuyan put on her cloak and went to the kitchen.

Medicine was still simmering in the kitchen. When Zhang saw Xie Yuyan, she complained, "Why are you out again? What if you catch a cold?"

"Aren't we going to the banquet in the front yard later?" Xie Yuyan said. "We can't just stay cooped up in the house forever."

Zhang sighed, knowing that Xie Yuyan couldn't stay idle, so she found a small stool for her to sit on next to her.

There was a food box on the table. Zhang had just been worrying about this: "It's good that you're here. We still need you to make the decision on this matter."

Xie Yuyan asked, "What's troubling you, Mother?"

Zhang said, "Shouldn't we send something to Lord Wang? He has invited a doctor and sent medicine; it would be impolite if we didn't send anything."

(End of this chapter)