Annual Ceremony

Chapter 11: Spring Equinox (I)

Even though Orange was anxious, the "dragon in the sky" mentioned by Wang Zhefu could only be seen at night.

In the courtyard of the Wang family, there were paper round lanterns, yellow bamboo mats, a small table and cushions, sweet tea, cakes, and a plate of dried yellow croaker.

Everything is ready, just waiting for the dragon to come.

All the Wang family children were there, including Zhan Mei.

Zhenyi sat next to her elder sister, looking at the food on the small table, and asked, "Does Long eat these too?"

Everyone laughed when they heard the childish words. Shuyi picked up a piece of dessert with her handkerchief and put it to Zhenyi's mouth, saying with a smile: "If the dragon doesn't eat it, it will be given to the greedy worm in my second sister's stomach!"

Hearing that it was not for the dragon, Orange stretched out a claw, picked up a small dried fish and started to eat it.

The old man sat in a rocking chair nearby, leisurely telling the children about the folk legends of the "Spring Dragon Festival".

On the second day of the second month, the dragon raises its head, which people call the Spring Dragon Festival.

Legends are always tinged with mythology, and the children listened attentively to them.

Wang Zhefu finally told the children that the talk of ghosts and gods in this world cannot be trusted, but the many legends in this land are not groundless. They reveal the long-standing wisdom of their ancestors. For example, the saying of the dragon raising its head can be found clearly in the astrology.

Wang Zhefu talked to the children about the twenty-eight constellations.

"According to the directions, the twenty-eight constellations are divided into four directions: east, south, west and north. These are the 'four symbols'. Each symbol has seven constellations. The seven eastern constellations represent the blue dragon..." The king pointed at the stars and patiently explained: "Look at the eastern constellations. The first one is Jiao, which represents the dragon's horn. The second one is Kang, which represents the dragon's throat. The last two are Wei and Ji, which represent the dragon's tail."

The seven stars form a dragon. On the night of February 2, the Jiao star slowly rises from the eastern sky, which is the "Dragon Raising its Head".

"From tonight onwards, the time when the dragon's head appears will be earlier every day. There is a law in the movement of the stars."

The old man's finger moved slowly, and Zhenyi and Juzi's eyes followed the finger: "In this daily change, the footprint of the Azure Dragon constellation appears as rising in the east in spring, moving south in summer, setting in the west in autumn, and hiding in the north in winter... until the second day of the second month of the following year, when it will reappear, just like tonight."

Zhenyi asked absentmindedly: "Father...spring brings life, winter hides, isn't this also the way all things change through the four seasons?"

"That's right!" Wang Zhefu laughed and nodded in praise, "All things in the world are interdependent, this is exactly the truth!"

Zhenyi gazed at the starry sky and suddenly felt that the universe was vast yet constant, and its changes were orderly. The mystery of this "order" needed to be explored and measured by the world.

How can it be measured? Who can measure the height of the sky?

For a moment, Zhenyi felt too small. The vast universe and stars in front of her enveloped her, making her dizzy but also moved.

The eldest brother was drinking tea and teasing oranges in a rather annoying way; the second brother was whispering to Zhan Mei and asking about grandfather's poems and essays from time to time; the eldest sister said she was going back and had to go to the girls' school tomorrow... These voices seemed to be separated by a membrane in Zhenyi's ears. She could hear them all, but could not hear them clearly.

Not long after, Wang Jie also went back because he also had homework the next day.

Wang Yuan felt a little sleepy, so he stood up and bowed to his grandfather who was sitting in the rattan chair.

Seeing this, Zhan Mei also stood up. He came here with Wang Yuan and Wang Jie. Now that they had both left, it would not be appropriate for him to stay alone.

However, Wang Yuan, who had just taken two steps, suddenly turned back and pulled Zhan Mei to sit down again: "...It's so lonely to leave my second sister alone, you and I will risk our lives to accompany you tonight!"

If Zhenyi wants to see the "dragon claw" appear, she has to wait until after midnight.

Zhan Mei looked at the little figure from behind and inexplicably felt that she was not lonely at all, and she didn't even have time to pay attention to them.

Fortunately, Wang Yuan's "risking his life to accompany a gentleman" was just an excuse. He suddenly thought that his second brother went back to rest for tomorrow's homework. If he didn't go back, wouldn't he have a legitimate reason to sleep in and not do his homework tomorrow?
Wang Yuan thinks he is a genius.

The genius soon fell asleep. Zhenyi stayed up until midnight, and her eyelids began to feel heavy uncontrollably, especially with the sound of Juzi's snoring, which was particularly helpful for her to fall asleep.

Zhenyi finally leaned against her eldest brother and fell asleep.

Seeing this, Zhan Mei turned around and called softly: "Miss Chun'er..."

Chun'er, wrapped in a blanket, woke up with a start.

With the help of Zhan Mei, Chun'er carried her young lady on her back.

Zhenyi opened her eyes a little dazedly: "Did the dragon claw come out?"

Zhan Mei replied softly: "Not yet, let's see tomorrow."

Zhenyi responded, and then she heard her grandfather's voice saying with a smile: "The little girl can't stand it anymore... Take her back to bed."

Zhenyi asked confusedly, "Why isn't my father sleepy?"

Wang Yuan yawned and said in a vague voice: "Grandfather is at the age of sleeping... We are absolutely incomparable. It is said that the best age to take the imperial examination is after the age of 50 or 60. We are young people who are just sleeping."

Wang Yuan waved his hand sleepily: "Let's go back to sleep..."

Chun'er carried Zhenyi on her back and left with Wang Yuan.

Zhenyi lay on Chun'er's back and promised in a half-awake voice: "Chun'er... I am already seven years old. From today on, I will no longer let you carry me on your back."

Chun'er felt warm in her heart: "Chun'er has enough strength to carry the young lady for a lifetime."

A seven-year-old child already has weight, and so does a seven-year-old cat - of course, Orange has always been accustomed to using the modern age in years. In terms of years, it is six years old this year. The weight of a six-year-old cat cannot be underestimated, especially one of Orange's color.

The moment Zhan Mei picked up Orange in his arms, he realized that he had underestimated the cat.

Orange, who was sleeping soundly, was also held in the arms of Zhan Mei. Since a human was willing to serve him, Orange was not polite - besides, it only saved its energy, while the other party got the chance to hold a cat. Being held by a cat would make his ancestors very happy.

Orange really likes the smell of this young boy, a light woody aroma, simple, fresh and clean... Those who often play with wood know that this woody scent can only be produced by the best wood.

Orange thought to himself, those eighteen godfathers were not recognized in vain.

Not long after, Orange smelled a faint scent of pear blossoms mixed with the scent of ink from another young man who came to visit her home. It was also quite pleasant.

Recently, Zhenyi read a poem and came across the following line: "The willows are golden and tender, the pear blossoms are white and fragrant..."

As the poem is read, the "Spring Equinox" season in Li Bai's poem has arrived.

The word "fen" in the Spring Equinox means that the day and night are equal. On this day, the day and night are half yin and half yang. And by the middle of March in spring, the spring season is divided equally, which is called the Spring Equinox.

The grass is lush, the warblers are flying, and the willows are green.

Under the bright spring sun, Zhenyi was pulled by her eldest brother to hide behind a rockery. Juzi and Wang Jie were also there. The three of them and the cat were secretly looking at Defeng Pavilion.

There were visitors in the pavilion, a father and son with elegant temperaments. The father looked to be in his thirties or forties, and his son was a young man of about fifteen or sixteen, with an elegant temperament, fair skin, tall stature, and a face as white as jade.

Wang Yuan crouched down and peeked at the young man, commenting in a low voice: "He has a good appearance... He can compete with me."

“……” Wang Jie and Zhenyi secretly exchanged glances, without commenting on their eldest brother’s evaluation.

　Good afternoon, today is the beginning of autumn~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)