Annual Ceremony

Chapter 53 Frost Descent (I)

But Zhenyi was a girl after all, and Wang Xichen was always worried about leaving her alone for a long time, so he repeatedly discussed the entrustment with the clan members and did his best to arrange everything for his daughter.

The old house left by Wang Zhefu was not separated from the Wang family group. Most of the people living around it were from the same family. Most of the elders and brothers and sisters in the family liked Zhenyi very much and were willing to take care of her, which was very convenient.

With Old Han taking care of chores in the old house, Zhenyi doesn't have to worry too much about daily matters.

Mother Zhuo offered to stay with Zhenyi. Zhenyi said it was not necessary, but Mother Zhuo knelt down crying and said, "Now that the old lady is gone... If the second young lady doesn't want me anymore, where can I go?"

Zhenyi hurriedly helped Zhuo's mother up. In Zhuo's mother's misty tears, she could vaguely see the image of the young Zhenyi returning from the wheat field with a stick to save people.

As they looked at each other, Zhenyi also understood the deep concern and cherishing care in Zhuo's mother's heart that went beyond the relationship between master and servant.

Tao'er also wanted to stay with Zhuo's mother, but Zhenyi did not agree - Tao'er had already married Qisheng, and her father was now busy outside, so Qisheng had to be with him, so Zhenyi let Tao'er and Qisheng go back to Jinling together.

Chun'er would have to go back to Jinling too. Mother Zhao was old, and Zhenyi could only feel at ease knowing that Chun'er was taking care of Jingyi.

Looking at the old servants, maids and old cats around Zhenyi, who looked like an old group, Wang Xichen couldn't help but hesitate - he was already worried about his daughter being left alone in this old house which was no different from a farm. If there was no young servant around her, he was afraid that there would be a lot of inconvenience.

Zhenyi didn't feel anything. She was very clear that the family situation was not as good as before. She was still young and had gotten used to taking care of herself after running around all these years.

Old Han saw the second master's concerns, and hurriedly pulled his grandchildren to him, asking the two children to kowtow to Zhenyi: "If they can serve the young lady, it will be a blessing for them! As long as the young lady doesn't think they are clumsy..."

Old Han's grandson is eleven this year and his granddaughter is thirteen. The children's parents died of malaria in their early years. Old Han raised the two children alone and has always kept them by his side.

When Old Han heard Zhenyi agree to let the two children stay and said she could teach them to read, he was so happy that he didn't know what to do and bowed repeatedly.

Juzi squatted beside Zhenyi, looking at Old Han, Zhuo's mother, and the simple and sensible Han siblings in turn - Juzi counted carefully and felt that this was about enough, not to mention that Zhenyi also had a cat.

The day after Wang Xichen and others set out for Nanjing, an autumn rain fell in Tianchang County.

The autumn rain is wet and cold, but when you lie next to the cat's soft belly, you don't feel cold at all.

In the past two years, Zhenyi has developed a problem of headaches caused by cold weather. Juzi saw this and thought of modern junior and senior high school students. She felt that this was related to overusing the brain. Moreover, Zhenyi has been very busy in recent years, always taking care of others and rarely taking care of herself.

In addition, Juzi had heard Wang Xichen say that worry and sadness can cause poor blood circulation and headaches. Juzi didn't understand complicated medical theories, but she thought that Zhenyi must have been filled with sadness after losing important family members one after another. So much sadness could not be contained in her heart, so it squeezed into her head, squeezing and squeezing, causing Zhenyi to always have a headache.

Wang Xichen also said that people with headaches cannot be exposed to cold wind, but the doors and windows of the old house were drafty, so when Zhenyi was sleeping, Orange lay next to Zhenyi's head.

The cat's furry belly warmed people's heads, and it seemed to brighten the gloomy weather. When Zhenyi woke up in the morning, the sky had cleared up.

Old Han found an old desk and cleaned it with Zhuo's mother in the yard. After it was dried, they moved it into Zhenyi's room.

Zhenyi found a porcelain vase, placed it on the desk, inserted a few branches of seasonal dogwood, put out writing materials, piled up the manuscript, took a look, and just when she felt that something was missing, the orange jumped up lightly -

Zhenyi smiled suddenly and reached out to rub Juzi's head: "Now it's all done."

The desk with Juzi on it always becomes familiar immediately. Zhenyi feels at ease and takes out the "Collection of Commentaries on the Yueling" that she usually carries with her from the pile of manuscripts.

Although she had memorized all the contents by heart, Zhenyi still made it a habit to look through them from time to time.

Zhenyi turned the yellowed book in her hand to the last solar term of autumn.

Early the next morning, the first frost formed on the eaves of the old house.

The beginning and end of the frost period in a year are called early frost and late frost.

The first autumn frost in late autumn is early frost, and the last spring frost after early spring is late frost. This period is called the frost period, after which it is the frost-free period.

The first autumn frost usually occurs during the Frost Descent season, which marks the beginning of the transition to winter with a sudden drop in temperature.

Zhenyi stood under the eaves, seeing the withered grass in the corners stained with frost, hearing the withered leaves of the jujube tree rustling and falling, feeling the cold wind swirling through the eaves, and chanting to herself in a trance: "Blue sky, yellow flowers, strong west wind, northern geese flying south, who is drunk in the frosty forest at dawn, always the tears of parting..."

In the autumn four years ago, my great-grandfather's coffin was sent back to Tianchang for burial. When the dates were ripe, I also recited poems in this small courtyard. The poems I recited were appropriate poems for the White Dew season. My father and uncles were all there, as well as Uncle Zhan and the elder brothers of the Zhan family, and my great-grandmother was sitting in the corridor watching with a smile - that scene seemed to be still in front of her eyes. Zhenyi's absent-minded eyes searched subconsciously, but she could no longer see her great-grandmother.

Zhenyi's eyes were wet unconsciously. With her blurred vision, she saw a figure that seemed to have appeared from the light and shadow of past memories, making her feel dazed.

This trance was only for a moment, the person who came was not an illusion, and looking closely, he was different from his past appearance. The young man under the jujube tree that day now had some youthful features. If he was like a newly sprouted green bamboo four years ago, now this bamboo gave people a feeling of being more straight and symmetrical, and more firmly rooted - if it were an orange, it would be a very mature bamboo - no matter whether it is a bamboo or a tree, it is always wood.

The "bamboo" was not stained by the autumn frost, and it was dressed in a green robe as if bringing a breeze. The moment it saw Zhenyi, its straight body bent slightly, and it raised its hands and dropped its sleeves properly, performing the ceremony for a long-awaited reunion.

Zhenyi returned the greeting under the eaves.

Also coming with them was Mr. Zhan, as well as several uncles from the Wang family who led the Zhan father and son here.

Zhenyi was in mourning here, and the tablet of Old Lady Dong was enshrined here. People often come here to burn incense and offer sacrifices in recent days.

After worshipping in front of the tablet, Father Zhan said a few words of comfort and concern to Zhenyi, and was invited by the elders of the Wang family to talk in the hall. Zhan Mei, who was behind, slowed down his pace and walked with Zhenyi. He was able to speak alone: ​​"How is my second sister these days?"

Zhenyi nodded slightly: "Not bad."

Zhan Mei turned her head and saw a thin and pale profile, like a clear frost flower.

As the most important relatives died one after another, the autumn frost fell between heaven and earth and also fell on the young Zhenyi.

The young man's voice was like a gentle warm breeze with a faint scent of grass and trees coming out of a warm room between the frost and snow: "...I went on a long journey with my father to visit relatives during the summer solstice. When I heard the news, it was too late. I was unable to see the old lady off. I was really late."

Orange looked up from the side and saw a look of apology and concern between the young man's handsome eyebrows.

Zhan Mei came late this time and left very late.

Mr. Zhan left after seven or eight days, but Zhan Mei stayed.

Zhan Mei had passed the imperial examination last year and became a scholar. Zhenyi heard that he stayed in Tianchang this time because an old gentleman who used to work in the Hanlin Academy returned to his hometown to retire and accepted Zhan Mei as his closed student. In order to improve his studies, Zhan Mei decided to stay for a while.

The Wang family cleaned up an empty house and repeatedly invited Zhan Mei, who was staying in the inn, to stay. Firstly, the two families had been friends for many years, and secondly, Zhan Mei was a scholar with a wide range of knowledge. Having their children and grandchildren get closer to him would be beneficial to the Wang family, both in terms of academic discussions and social interactions.

The elders of the Wang family invited him warmly, and with the words "My dear nephew, do you despise my humble home?", Zhan Mei dared not refuse.

Zhan Mei traveled between his teacher's residence and Wang's house. Whenever he passed by Zhenyi's house, he would get off the car, or just stand outside the gate and ask, "How are you today, second sister?"
Or they would ask their servants to bring in some things, sometimes daily necessities such as writing materials, sometimes snacks such as sugar cakes, pastries, and baked pears, most of which were sweets. In autumn and winter, when everything is bleak and the sunshine is reduced, it is easy to breed depression and grief, so it is necessary to bring in some nourishing sweets.

The rural counties in northern Anhui were not as dogmatic and strict as those in Nanjing. Besides, Zhan Mei was always accompanied by the descendants of the Wang family. He had a frank and amiable personality and often called Zhenyi his second sister. These polite regards did not cause any criticism.

Wang Jie also wrote a letter, asking Zhan Mei to pay more attention to and take care of his second sister.

The Wang family's brothers and sisters were also very caring towards Zhenyi, and Zhenyi's small courtyard was always lively.

Before the cold winter came, Zhan Mei and several of Zhenyi's cousins ​​repaired the doors and windows of Zhenyi's house to ensure that there would be no more leaks. They also bought cotton curtains and nailed them carefully. They also brought enough charcoal for the winter and several newly made thick quilts, including a very small quilt, and a shallow bamboo basket.

Facing Zhenyi's puzzled look, Zhan Mei looked at Juzi with a smile: "Cats also have to spend the winter."

At night, Zhenyi put a small quilt in the basket and brought the basket to the bed. Orange jumped in without hesitation. The soft and comfortable touch made Orange roll over. He lay in it, buried his head, and began to press on it with his front paws.

Zhan Mei often brought some books, and Zhenyi felt a little guilty about having to take care of him like this. After hearing what Zhenyi said, Zhan Mei said that he had been staying at the Wang family for a long time, and he would feel uneasy if he was not allowed to help in any way.

This was said in a proper and comfortable way, but Zhenyi still felt a little guilty. However, as a woman, she was not as convenient as a man, and she really didn't know what to do to show her courtesy. Seeing through Zhenyi's thoughts, Zhan Mei smiled and looked at the baskets of cabbage that Lao Han had just brought into the yard to store for the winter. She only said that she would give him two as a thank you gift, and he could send them to his teacher's home tomorrow.

Zhenyi smiled suddenly and nodded: "Grandpa Han, pick out a few of the biggest and most beautiful ones and bring them to Brother Zhan."

By the end of winter, Zhenyi's yard became increasingly lively. The chickens raised by Zhuo's mother began to lay eggs, and Lao Han brought home a puppy to guard the house - although Juzi thought this was unnecessary and Lao Han had no idea of ​​the puppy's strength, having a dog to help out was a good choice.

Good evening everyone, this should be a peaceful chapter, good night, and sweet dreams~