TTTQF Chapter 31

New Year

Jiang Miao stayed at the city for more than ten days before packing up and heading back to Jiangjiawan. This time, he calls for Uncle Zhang’s cart to take him directly to the entrance of the village. Although it isn’t as comfortable as a carriage, it is more comfortable than walking after all.

He makes an arrangement with Uncle Zhang on what day to pick him up, and then takes Xiao Shitou into the village. There are many customs in the countryside for celebrating the New Year. Jiang Miao watches and learns, picking up most of the traditions.

Early in the morning of New Year’s Eve, Second Uncle Jiang takes Jiang Miao to paste Spring Festival couplets. These are bought from the scholar’s house in the neighboring village, with not many characters but at a high cost. When he hears that Xiao Shitou is going to school after the New Year, he immediately becomes happy, saying that finally there is someone literate in the family, so they won’t need to buy Spring Festival couplets next year.

The New Year’s Eve dinner is cooked by Second Aunt and the other women in the family. Jiang Miao tries to help but is stopped by Second Uncle Jiang. He has Jiang Miao carry the offerings and go with him to the ancestral hall to pay respects.

The ceremony is naturally led by the clan leader, who holds a slightly yellowed piece of paper and recites some scholarly phrases loudly. Jiang Miao can never quite understand these convoluted words, so he just kneels and bows along with the other clan members.

The long ceremony finally ends, leaving Jiang Miao feeling dizzy from all the kowtowing. When they return home, Second Uncle Jiang sets up another altar in the courtyard. This time, the whole family, young and old, has to offer incense and prayers, uttering their wishes as they do so.

Second Uncle and Aunt Jiang naturally pray for good weather and good health for the family. The girls have their own different wishes, all kept in their hearts. Jiang Miao thinks for a moment and goes with the flow, praying for his family’s health and a booming business. Xiao Shitou wishes to study well, learn more characters, and grow up quickly to help his brother. Among the group, only Jiang Xin is different; he wants so many things, from a small wooden sword to clay figurines and slingshots, almost needing a list for the ancestors to fulfill. Even after everyone else has finished, he is still there mumbling his wishes.

Second Aunt glares at him from the side. If it weren’t for the New Year when it’s taboo to hit children, Jiang Xin’s bottom would probably not escape a spanking today.

After burning incense and paper money, the next step is to set off firecrackers to send off the gods. Second Uncle Jiang holds a string of bright red firecrackers and insists on setting them off outside the courtyard. Jiang Miao doesn’t understand the reason at first, but later learns that firecrackers are expensive, and most families burn “exploding bamboo” instead. Only a very few can afford actual firecrackers. These firecrackers are brought back by Jiang Miao, along with some fireworks. In the city, setting off these things is not allowed, and he regrets it for many years!

The New Year’s Eve dinner is sumptuous. Ordinary people work hard all year just for this one meal, and the whole family sits around the table, eating with great relish.

After dinner, Jiang Xin wants to rush outside to collect the dud firecrackers before someone else picks them up. Jiang Miao stops him, promising that there will be enough for him to set off later, preventing him from rushing out.

As the sky gets darker, Jiang Miao breaks up a string of firecrackers and distributes them to Xiao Shitou and Jiang Xin for them to play with. He then takes out the fireworks, placing them on the small road outside the courtyard, and lights them with incense.

The fireworks shoot up into the sky and burst with a “bang,” adding a touch of brilliance to the dark night. The dazzling fireworks blossom and then fall, truly embodying the ancient description, “The east wind brings a thousand trees into bloom at night, and the stars fall like rain.” How aptly the ancients describe it!

At night, Second Aunt starts to give out New Year’s money. Everyone receives eight brand new copper coins wrapped in red paper. Jiang Miao also prepares some red envelopes, following the elders’ tradition by putting six coins in each. Additionally, he prepares red hair ribbons for the girls to add some festive cheer. They are very happy to receive them and quickly tie them in their hair, looking quite nice.

After eating dumplings and staying up to see the New Year in, the family washes up and goes to bed.

After eating dumplings and staying up to see the New Year in, the family washes up and goes to bed. On the first day of the new year, Jiang Miao follows Second Uncle Jiang to visit the elders in the clan. On the second day, he goes with Second Aunt and others to her natal family. Jiang Miao’s mother came here as a refugee, and her original family’s whereabouts were long unknown. The third day is for the rats to marry off their daughters, so they go to bed early. The fourth day is for welcoming the Kitchen God, the fifth for greeting the God of Wealth, and the sixth for sending off the God of Poverty.

On the seventh day is the agreed-upon day for Uncle Zhang to pick up Jiang Miao. He carries the things prepared by his family and goes with Xiao Shitou to wait at the village entrance.

“Hello, Uncle Zhang, Happy New Year and may you prosper!” Jiang Miao greets Uncle Zhang as soon as he sees him.

“Wishing you booming business, Little Jiang!” Uncle Zhang’s eyes crinkle into slits as he smiles.

Jiang Miao and Xiao Shitou get onto the donkey cart and chat with Uncle Zhang along the way. He inquires about Zhang Daniu’s situation, as he has a good impression of this honest and hardworking man. Before the new year, his business was small and didn’t require much help, but he plans to expand after the new year and will probably need to hire people.

When Uncle Zhang mentions Zhang Daniu, he sighs, “He was hired to do odd jobs before the new year and earned some money, but he’s become quieter and has lost weight.” His grandson has always been inarticulate and doesn’t know how to navigate social situations, making it inevitable that he would be marginalized and ordered around by others.

“Brother Daniu is an honest person and hardworking. Any discerning employer would appreciate him.”

Uncle Zhang gives a bitter smile, “In these times, being too honest isn’t necessarily a good thing. If he were a bit more clever, he wouldn’t have been driven out of the inn. It’s better to be like you—so young and already having a career.”

“I prefer to hire honest people. If I get the chance, I’d like to ask for his help again in the future.”

Uncle Zhang thinks Jiang Miao is just trying to comfort him, which makes him feel better, but he doesn’t take it too seriously. After all, unless there’s a grand event like the Buddist Festival, how could a small bun stall need two people?

The donkey cart sways all the way back to Liangjing City. The festive traces of the New Year are still evident in the city, with red lanterns hanging in front of every house, creating a very joyous atmosphere.

When Jiang Miao returns to the Bai family courtyard, the other tenants have not yet arrived; only the host family is there. Grandma Bai sees Jiang Miao and invites them to have dinner at her place that evening. Jiang Miao doesn’t refuse and brings the prepared gifts over to wish them a Happy New Year.

The Bai family are good people, so he doesn’t plan to move out. However, now that his situation has improved slightly, he doesn’t want to keep sleeping in the kitchen. He discusses with Boss Bai to see if they can partition the kitchen from the bedroom, or if he can set up another kitchen.

Boss Bai thinks for a moment and asks, “Brother Jiang, would you like to change rooms?”

Jiang Miao is a bit surprised, “Isn’t this courtyard fully rented?”

“The Mo family next door moved out at the end of the year. I hear their son got into trouble and they were afraid someone would come after them, so they moved out overnight,” Boss Bai explains, seeming a bit upset. Fortunately, no one came looking for trouble afterwards, otherwise it would have brought bad luck during the New Year.

“Is that so? It’s a pity I couldn’t say goodbye to Old Man Mo,” Jiang Miao says regretfully. Old Man Mo was the first person he met when he moved in.

“Old Man Mo was an honest man, but unfortunately, his wife and son were always causing trouble,” Boss Bai sighs. The family had been renting from him for a long time, and if it weren’t for Old Man Mo, he wouldn’t have wanted to rent to them.

Jiang Miao doesn’t want to comment further, so he changes the topic, “What’s the room next door like?” He has only seen it from the outside and never looked inside.

“Come on, I’ll show you,” Boss Bai says, grabbing a set of keys and getting up to take Jiang Miao to see the room.

Opening the outer door, they are greeted by a central hall. On either side of the hall, there is a bedroom. The kitchen is behind the hall, partitioned off with wooden boards. There is a small door next to the kitchen, with a gray-blue curtain hanging over it, stained with grease and clearly used for many years.

The rent for a single room next door is 200 wen a month. This place has two rooms and a central hall, so the rent is 550 wen a month. However, Boss Bai says he will rent it to Jiang Miao for 500 wen.

Jiang Miao doesn’t think long before deciding to rent it. Xiao Shitou is about to start school, and he will need a place to study and write. The original room is too small and might not be suitable for him.

The two go to the main house to complete the rental paperwork, and Jiang Miao hands over the first month’s rent to Boss Bai. Boss Bai gives him the keys, saying, “Here are the three keys. The locks have been changed, so you don’t need to worry about thieves.”

If it had been anyone else moving out, he wouldn’t be so cautious, but Old Man Mo’s son is a troublemaker and might still have a key. Who knows when he might come back? He has to be on guard.

“Alright.”

“Oh, by the way, after dinner, we’ll help you move. That house needs a good cleaning too.”

“Thanks, Boss Bai,” Jiang Miao smiles and doesn’t refuse.

“What are you thanking me for? My mother and wife have told me how much you’ve helped them with chores when I’m not home. I haven’t thanked you properly,” Boss Bai says, patting his shoulder, feeling that Jiang Miao is indeed a good person.

…

After moving to a new home, it feels much more spacious. Jiang Miao originally plans to sleep in separate rooms from Xiao Shitou. The child doesn’t refuse, but he keeps pouting and looking at Jiang Miao with teary eyes. He still wants to sleep with his brother.

Jiang Miao, feeling soft-hearted, decides to let him adjust for a while. It’s still cold, and it’s warmer for the two of them to sleep together.

A few days later, Aunt Liu brings Liu Yijie over. This year, she enrolls her grandson in a private school on the main street, and they are together with Bai Jingyu. Jiang Miao had planned to go to Scholar Yu to test the waters for them, but when they hear about the distance of the private school, they think it’s far and decide not to go.

“Little Jiang, are you going to see the Lantern Festival in the Shangcheng?” Aunt Liu asks. Shangcheng is the inner city. They live outside and are accustomed to calling it Shangcheng.

Jiang Miao’s interest is immediately piqued. “The Lantern Festival? When does it start?”

“It’s from the 14th to the 16th. The curfew in Liangjing City is lifted during these three days. The streets in the upper city will be filled with lanterns. They’re beautiful! Scholars can guess lantern riddles to win prizes, and you can also hang lanterns to make wishes. It’s very lively!” Aunt Liu, known for being the top informant in Tianshui Alley, always knows about the latest events.

“Then I need to start preparing!” Jiang Miao is excited. He knows how to make lanterns. One year, he and a few friends sell their homemade lanterns at a stall during the Lantern Festival. Although his designs are simple and can’t compare to professional artisans, he has ways to sell them. He plans to set up a stall to sell lanterns and then use the earnings to take Xiao Shitou to enjoy the festival. It couldn’t be more perfect.

“Yes, you young people should prepare well. When the time comes, buy a lantern to carry around. If you meet someone with the same lantern, it might just lead to a happy marriage!” Aunt Liu hints strongly, implying that many young women will also be out and about during the Lantern Festival.

Jiang Miao smiles helplessly, feeling a bit disheartened by the constant pressure to marry.

In the afternoon, he and Xiao Shitou walk through several streets and buy a large stack of white paper for drawing. Jiang Miao uses charcoal to sketch the basic shapes on the paper and has Xiao Shitou sit beside him to cut them out with scissors.

After finishing the drawings, Jiang Miao takes out a large stack of bamboo strips and hemp rope bought from the basket weaver and begins making the frames. He doesn’t plan to make anything too complicated, just a few simple and easy ones, like palace lanterns and rabbit lanterns. He stacks the finished frames together, planning to paste the painted designs onto them and attach a candle inside.

Liu Yijie finds this process fascinating and hovers around them. Jiang Miao asks him to get some scissors to help with the cutting, promising to give him a lantern in return. The boy quickly runs back to get the scissors. A few of them sit in the courtyard, busy and lively, attracting Bai Jingyu and Bai Wenyu from the house to come out and help as well.

Afterwards, Jiang Miao keeps his promise and gives each of them a finished lantern, ready for them to carry and enjoy during the Lantern Festival.

On the morning of the 14th, Jiang Miao borrows a flatbed cart, loads all his prepared items onto it, and lets Xiao Shitou sit inside to prevent anything from falling out. Happily, they set off.

Most of the items, aside from the paper, pens, and paint, aren’t too expensive. As long as he sells half of the lanterns, he won’t incur a loss.

There is a small city gate between the inner city and the outer city. Though small, it is heavily guarded, just like the main gate, since the residents inside are all of high status. Any mishap involving them would be a serious matter.

The guards inspect Jiang Miao’s belongings and, finding nothing dangerous, allow them to pass.

Previously, Jiang Miao thought the eastern part of the city was already affluent. However, upon entering the inner city, he realizes how narrow his perspective had been. The streets are filled with people wearing clothes of various rich materials and colors, creating a vibrant scene of prosperity.

Jiang Miao quickly adjusts his aspiration from owning a horse cart to having a house in the inner city. Although he knows it is unlikely, having such a goal will motivate him to work harder.

Following Aunt Liu’s directions, Jiang Miao finds the streets where the lantern festival is to be held. The streets are already being decorated, and many vendors have set up their stalls along the sides.

Jiang Miao finds a vendor selling food and approaches him to ask, “Big Brother, I’m new here and wanted to ask how the stalls work around here.”

The man turns around impatiently but brightens up when he sees that Jiang Miao isn’t selling food. “For these three days, you don’t need to pay to set up a stall. Normally, you’re not allowed to set up here and have to go to designated areas.”

“Thank you, Big Brother.” Having gotten the information he needs, Jiang Miao continues pulling his cart to find a spot to set up his stall.

Most of the good spots are already taken. After searching for a while, Jiang Miao finally finds a vacant spot under a tree and quickly moves his cart there to claim it.

Xiao Shitou helps his brother unload their things, which include the lantern frames, cut paper, two small tables, a few brushes, and some paints.

Seeing the items he takes out, someone nearby chuckles, “Young man, why are you setting up unfinished lanterns? Do you think those wealthy people will wait for you to finish them?” He glances at the lantern frames and shakes his head in disbelief.

Jiang Miao looks toward the voice and sees an older man. Judging by the board and glutinous rice flour on his stall, he seems to be selling Yuanxiao.

“I don’t need them to wait. I can still sell them,” Jiang Miao replies with a confident smile.

People around them laugh, thinking the young man is boasting. They believe that he will be in for a disappointment when he can’t sell anything.

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