new year extra
Sheng Lingyi took out the new clothes from the wooden box engraved with plum branches, and waved to Yu Nian, "Nian Nian, come here, this year's new clothes are brought back from your grandpa Bai, come and try to see if the size fits."
Yu Nian stood in front of Sheng Lingyi and obediently raised his arms, "Grandma, how is Grandpa Bai?"
"It's very good. When I went to pick up the clothes, he even gave you a plum blossom sachet. He said that the light color was specially selected, and it would look good on boys." Helping Yu Nian button up the clothes, Sheng Lingyi took two steps back , laughed and said, "It looks good! After the new year, we are one year older every year."
As she spoke, she took out the New Year's money wrapped and put it in Yu Nian's small bag, "I hope every year will be safe and healthy, and grow up healthy."
"I also hope that grandma is in good health and safe." Yu Nian's skin is fine and fair, his eyes are clear, and his pupils are very dark. He tilted his head, "Grandma, grandpa has been in the study for three days, do you want to call him out?"
Sheng Lingyi stretched out his hand to hold Yu Nian, "Don't pay attention to him, your grandfather bought "Picture of Migration" a few days ago, and he is in high spirits, forgetting to eat and sleep. After reading it, he will come out by himself."
Yu Nian held Sheng Lingyi's warm hand, thought for a while, and said seriously, "Grandma, I'm already seven years old, I'm an older child, don't hold me."
Gently scratching the tip of Yu Nian's nose, Sheng Lingyi smiled brightly, "Okay, okay, we've grown up every year, it's grandma who wants to hold our Nian Nian's hand, is that okay?"
Yu Nian pursed his lips and smiled, "Of course!"
All the way into Yu Nian's own small study room, Sheng Lingyi pressed the red paper for writing couplets with a paperweight, "It's the same this year, write couplets every year."
"Okay." Yu Nian was not tall enough, stepped on a low stool, and could barely hold a pen to write. After dipping in the ink, he tilted his head and asked, "Grandma, what will you write this year?"
Sheng Lingyi was standing by the table, her hair was coiled up, and she was wearing a jade bracelet with an excellent water head, which made her wrist look slender and her skin fair. She stroked her fine hair at the temples and said with a smile, "You can write whatever you want."
Yu Nian nodded, without thinking too much, he took up a pen and wrote, "Spring breeze, spring rain, spring scenery, new year, new year, new scene."
"That's right, the handwriting is getting better and better every year."
After being praised, Yu Nian was a little embarrassed, "My writing skills are not strong enough, and the structure of the strokes is loose."
"That's because you are still young and don't have enough strength. You are already very good at writing such characters." Sheng Lingyi took the written Spring Festival couplets and blessing characters, took Yu Nian to the gate, and pasted them on both sides.
"Sure enough, after posting the couplets and blessings, there will be a New Year's atmosphere!" Sheng Lingyi laughed again, "There should be no one coming this year, so quietly tear up the couplets and take them home?"
Yu Nian also nodded.
He heard from his grandmother that the previous Spring Festival couplets were written by his grandfather himself, but later, every year, admirers of his grandfather would come over and quietly tear up the Spring Festival couplets and take them home for collection, so that his grandfather had to write seven or eight couplets every year. Later, when he was able to hold a pen, my grandfather simply laid down the stall and let him play freely.
So far, the Spring Festival couplets can be well preserved until the Lantern Festival.
Re-entering the yard, Shen Wei came out from the kitchen, "Madam, young master, the meal for the ancestors has been prepared, and the soup has been stewed, do you want to prepare the tableware for lunch today?"
Sheng Lingyi was about to say no, when he heard Yu Xiuning's voice slanting over, "I'm done retreating, so of course I need to prepare my bowl and chopsticks."
Hearing the voice and turning around, Yu Nian's eyes lit up, "Grandpa?"
Yu Xiuning approached and bent down, hugged Yu Nian and raised it high, he laughed and said, "Oh, our Nian Nian is heavy, right?"
Yu Nian held Yu Xiuning's sleeve tightly, and reminded him in a low voice, "Grandpa, I'm already seven years old."
"Look at my memory!" Patting himself on the head, Yu Xiuning said with a smile, "Okay, I've grown up every year, I'm a seven-year-old friend."
Yu Nian took Yu Xiuning's hand, and was curious, "Grandpa, grandma said you were looking at "Picture of Migration". What is it painting?"
Carrying the person to the study, Yu Xiuning was quite patient, "As the name suggests, the moving picture is a picture of people moving."
"move place?"
"Yes, move, but the person who moved has an unusual status, he is an emperor."
Yu Nian quickly realized, "Is it Emperor Qi Wen?"
"Yes, that's him. Back then, Emperor Qi Wen neglected government affairs and used treacherous evil. Finally, the rebel army attacked under the palace city, so he had to flee in a hurry. This painting is the scene when Emperor Qi Wen hurriedly fled the palace. .”
Walking to the desk, Yu Xiuning directly put Yu Nian on the stool and showed him the well-preserved "Relocation Map".
"As you know, the author of this picture is Wang Meng, one of the four masters in the last years of Emperor Wen. His handed down works are extremely rare, and each piece is very precious. And look at the inscription on this picture. For hundreds of years, the emperor will There are traces left, and the value of historical materials is also very high.”
Seeing Yu Xiuning's eyes filled with admiration, Yu Nian seemed to understand but half understood, "It's what you said earlier, Grandpa, to record history with paintings and postscripts to tell history, right?"
"Yes, I took it all at once. When I came back, your grandma found out, saying that I was a prodigal, and I was fined not to eat meat for three days. What a pity!"
"It should be punished." Yu Nian lowered his voice again, and comforted him softly, "Grandpa, don't be sad, I will quietly hide the chicken legs!"
Yu Xiuning smiled brightly, "Okay! Then I'll be counting on your chicken legs for the next few days."
Turning his attention back to the painting, Yu Nian asked again, "Is that why this painting is so expensive?"
"More than that. Let me ask you first, what do you think is the use of all these bottles, jars, book excerpts, and all kinds of calligraphy, painting, chess and miscellaneous books in our house?"
"It can be used in daily life, and what's more, it can help you understand your ancestors better." Yu Nian's brows curved, "I found a miscellaneous book in the study room before, and there was a comment from my great-grandfather on it, saying that the author of that book was full of words. The truth is, in fact, I don’t understand farts.”
Yu Xiuning laughed loudly, "Yes, your great-great-grandfather was a madman all his life, he didn't know what to say, he dared to say anything, but knowledge is the best."
Touching Yu Nian's head, Yu Xiuning said again, "So, like you can pass down these things from your family, you know that your great-grandfather likes to use ear-piercing vases to insert green bamboo in summer, and your great-great-great-grandfather likes to write when he's free. Comments express opinions. Through these cultural relics that have survived through hardships, we can also know what the ancestors of our nation thought, how they lived, how they viewed the world, and how they observed themselves.”
"Culture is the root of a nation."
Yu Nian nodded, "So, Grandpa, would you rather not touch meat for three days and buy this painting back?"
"Well, don't say three days, even if I don't touch meat for three years, or even a lifetime, I am willing!"
Yu Nian took Yu Xiuning's finger and nodded, "Yes, I am willing too."