NFBE Chapter 957 The Big Wedding
Chapter 957 The Big Wedding
The medicine stove was lit and extinguished, then lit again. The small pot for boiling medicine had never stopped since the heavy snow. The handle of the pot was worn smooth and warm. The strong aroma of various medicines constantly mingled with the smell of copper coins, accompanied by the tinkling of coins and the hurried farewells of customers taking away their soup and medicine packets.
Grandpa Hu at the town entrance, Aunt Gong in front of the big tree in the town center, and Li the Cripple who feeds the caravan.
All of them hadn't survived the harsh winter, not to mention the dozen or so refugees already weakened in the greenhouse; death seemed omnipresent. But most remained optimistic, after all, with the pharmacy there, far fewer people had died in the freezing cold compared to previous years…
Before you know it, it's New Year's Eve again. The streets are bustling with activity early in the morning. Children, bundled up in thick cotton-padded coats, play on the streets, while people who have been staying home all winter come out to chat. Many stalls are already displaying the fruits of their labor. The lively atmosphere seems to have dispelled the cold, and winter seems to be drawing to a close.
The carriage came from afar, moving quickly, as if it couldn't make it in time to participate in this grand New Year's Eve festival. Carrying the future of Guinan Town, it slowly came to a stop. On it were some seeds, which were to be nurtured in greenhouses to solve the town's worries about the future.
This seems to be a very good year.
In the darkness of night, Changqing and Xie Xinyu were in the backyard of the pharmacy when the Han siblings were taken away by a woman from Zuixianlou. With just four simple meat dishes, a pot of wine, and the two of them, their first birthday arrived.
Jie Xinyu watched the young man drinking and eating meat with great anticipation, and the atmosphere between them became much warmer.
Changqing failed to notice the disappointment in Xie Xinyu's eyes after the wine jar was emptied. In her eyes, Changqing was like a Buddha, radiating a five-colored light, completely dispelling the thoughts she had placed in the wine. As a result, she only became a little more drunk, her mind was still very sharp, and a few resentments were buried in her heart.
"This guy, instead of guarding against that nemesis, he's so wary of his own junior sister. Senior brother, is this really necessary?" A very cute girl looked at the departing figure with a coquettish expression, quite aggrieved. How could one possibly understand the thoughts of a young girl?
On this New Year's Eve, a world where only one person is injured has been achieved.
Han Zijin did not return to the thatched cottage. He must have stayed in a pavilion on the mountain. I left two red envelopes under his pillow and went back to my room to sleep.
Fireworks exploded into flowers in the snow-covered world, signaling the arrival of the new year.
The winter moon is boundless, the mortal world is endless, and life, both real and illusory, is neither stormy nor sunny.
For the past half month, Changqing has been busy going up mountains, down rivers, into secluded places, and fighting fierce beasts. His skin is covered with countless thin, long bloody marks from thorns and even claw marks from wild animals, making him look quite disheveled.
Finally, one day, he found a place on a cliff and obtained a seven-colored spiritual flower, which was said to be able to bring the dead back to life and heal the wounded. He treasured it and put it in his sleeve. He climbed up the cliff, wiped the sweat and dirt off his face and breathed a sigh of relief. At this moment, the sun was rising and the vast mountains and fields stretched out before him. His mood was swept away and he couldn't help but shout loudly.
"I got it!!"
Half a month has passed, filled with several dangerous encounters, including life-threatening ones, but the results can be considered a success.
On the way down the mountain, I unexpectedly encountered a hunter from the town. He was also in a hurry and seemed to have something to ask for.
It was late summer, and the temperature was hot. The town had expanded considerably, and many migrants had settled there. As they cleared land and reclaimed wasteland, the streets were bustling with people, making the town seem even more lively.
At the Sun residence, the old master coughed occasionally, stroking the jade pipe that Sun Ming'en had brought back. His expression shifted frequently, and for some reason, he seemed hesitant about something.
Outside the door, caravan workers were constantly carrying boxes and cabinets wrapped in large red cloths onto the carts, and everyone's face was beaming with smiles.
Everyone in the town knew that in half a month, it would be the wedding of Mayor Sun and the woman from the Feng family, and everyone wanted to come and share in the joy.
……
Looking back half a month ago, many invitations were sent out, but only five were special. They were decorated with gold foil, painted with cinnabar, and printed on blue silk, revealing their extraordinary nature. Two of them ended up on the counter of the pharmacy. The young man in front of the counter looked at the woman's face with a look of astonishment: "There are some for me too?"
He never considered himself qualified to participate in the mayor's wedding, hence his astonishment. Besides, his family was poor and he couldn't afford any impressive gifts.
"Boss lady, how about I give away the earrings you gave me?" Changqing thought for a moment and realized that was the only thing he could give away as a gift.
"You dare!!!" Jie Xinyu immediately became serious. In her memory, that earring was obtained by her senior brother after a near-death experience. If she gave it to him, he would be poisoned to death if he woke up.
……
Outside the town, Changqing staggered into the pharmacy, his body reeking of an unpleasant stench. Han Zisi covered her nose and went to call for help, looking slightly disgusted.
"I have fulfilled my mission!" Changqing handed over the elixir.
Jie Xinyu didn't go to see the so-called 'spiritual flower'. She just helped Changqing up, carried him to the backyard, and instructed Zisi to boil water. Her eyes were full of heartache.
Early in the morning, the sound of firecrackers echoed, waking everyone from their sleep. From the Sun family mansion all the way to the town entrance, the shops along the street were all decorated in red. The smell of sulfur always accompanied the celebration. Everyone left their homes and began to get busy, not with farming, but with Sun Ming'en's wedding. The Sun family, who had saved the townspeople from dire straits, deserved all this.
A line of carriages descended from the mountain road, covered in gold paper and white silk, with red gauze curtains, carved with mandarin ducks playing in the water, their wings forming the top, and their intertwined branches forming the wheels.
The female owner of the building led over a large red horse and handed it to Sun Ming'en. Old Master Sun then greeted the woman and led her into the house.
At noon, everything was ready. Everyone was dressed elegantly and chatted under the eaves of the street corner despite the summer heat. However, their eyes kept glancing towards the town entrance. Sun Ming'en had already mounted his horse, wearing a wedding dress and carrying a big red flower on his shoulder. He led a long procession of musicians and dancers out of the town and headed towards Xianwu Outer City to welcome his good fortune.
The character for marriage contains the character for dusk, implying that a woman enters her husband's home at twilight.
Standing before the pharmacy, Changqing felt a slight nervousness, as if he were the one getting married, his mind uneasy. However, he was wearing a brand-new blue robe, given to him by Boss Xie, who said he couldn't let the pharmacy lose face.
"We gather firewood and tie it up, the three stars are in the sky. What night is this, to see such a good man..." Jie Xinyu murmured softly, also full of longing, but her gaze was fixed on the figure in a green robe standing in front of the door.
As dusk fell, firecrackers approached from afar, bathed in the glow of the setting sun. Sun Ming'en, his face radiant with pride and high spirits, felt his life was complete.
Passersby all raised their hands in congratulations, hoping to share in the joy. Sun Ming'en clasped his hands in greeting repeatedly, his spirits high.
Passing by the pharmacy, Sun Ming'en saw a young man standing straight, raising his hand slightly in the twilight, with a smile on his face. In a daze, Sun Ming'en seemed to see the same person from a year ago, but as his eyes opened and closed, he became ordinary, as if he had no outstanding qualities.
The woman's family sat in the carriage behind, looking at the street with great joy. As a prominent family in the outer city of Xianwu City, such a grand ceremony, with a wedding procession nearly a hundred feet long, and lively wherever it passed, already met their standards. They were even feeling fortunate that their daughter could marry into this family.