Bend Over [ 折腰 ] - Chapter 165

[Chapter 163]

After Wei Shao left Dong County early that morning, several months had passed in the blink of an eye.

Winter goes to spring, and the season enters March.

Ji Chun, “Tong Shi Hua, Ping Shi Sheng, Ming Dove Whisks Its Feathers, Dai Sheng Descends on Sang”, everything is so vibrant, on the third day of the first month of March, the Shangwei Festival also came again with the Spring Letter.

Shangmi is the day of the spring bath. As early as the pre-Qin era, on this day, the southern countries had the custom of praying, men, women and children came out of the city, came to the banks of the stream in the suburbs, held the orchid grass in their hands and sprinkled the whole body with water, washed their hair barefoot, and washed their hair and skin in order to get rid of the old year’s ominousness, hoping to eliminate disasters and diseases, and have a new beginning in the year.

It’s Daughter’s Day again. Once upon a time, when Xiao Qiao was still at home and her mother was alive, every March, her mother and Mrs. Ding would take their respective daughters with them to the Flower Temple in the south of the city to participate in the Spring Festival of the Flower God with the people and pray for their daughter’s blessings.

Since the death of Little Joe’s mother, for so many years, the Qiao family has been troubled by chores, and the Spring Festival has stopped.

This year is different. Although the Qiao family has just experienced great changes, but it is like a new life, the two sisters of Qiao and Qiao have gathered at home with a pair of children, just two days ago, Bi Yan also returned from the south, passing through Dong County to visit his wife and children, today is still at home, Mrs. Ding’s mood has come out of the haze early, and she is ready to take the double Qiao sisters to spend this long-lost daughter’s day.

Early in the morning, outside the gate of Qiao’s house, the carriage decorated with last night’s newly picked orchid grass had been parked, and Jia Kai stood in a neat line with his guards, patiently waiting for the Qiao family’s female relatives to go out.

A moment later, I heard a burst of cheerful laughter from a woman in the distance, and when I looked up, I saw that Madame Ding, with Big Joe and the Lady Jun, was surrounded by a group of handmaidens and servants, and the little prince carp was held by the nursing mother, and Bi Yan was holding PhiPhi, and a group of people appeared from behind the wall.

The lady today wore a light green and willow-colored spring shirt, a thin shoulder covered with primrose silk, a thin waist, the hem of the large-sleeved skirt embroidered with exquisite orchid flowers, the long black hair bun hanging down behind the head, bound by a ribbon of the same color as the clothes, in case it was disturbed by the wind, this dress was like a girl’s dress, both in season, and beautiful, bright eyes, like a jewel, and the big Joe who walked with her was wearing a goose yellow spring shirt, stone green shoulders, and was also bright.

The two laughed and walked side by side, their skirts swaying. Jia Kai did not dare to look closely, and hurriedly ordered the guards to retreat to the sides of the gate with him, waiting with bated breath for the female relatives to go out and board the carriage.

Philip will soon turn one year old, and now not only is he becoming more and more like a snow to attract love, but he can also stand, and if he is led, he can even walk a few steps shakily. She opened her mouth last month and vaguely called out Little Qiao Aniang, and now her call is very smooth.

Fife’s hair was born very thick, after shaving the fetal hair in the full moon, now long has fallen to the ear, today past her first daughter’s day, got up in the morning, but also carefully dressed up by Xiao Qiao: the hair is divided into two sides, tied out of the angled braid, each with a small silk bow, the bow is made for her by the mother of the spring mother, vivid and delicate. Wearing a small willow-colored skirt with the same texture color as Xiao Qiao’s coat today, and wearing socks and small shoes on her feet, when she was first carried out by Chunniang, like her brother Carp, she held an orchid with a colorful ribbon in one hand and a piece of plum cake in the other hand.

Has been locked up at home for several days, know that today can go out to play, or with her favorite carp brother, she feels very happy, as soon as she goes out of the room, she laughs continuously, just met the uncle Bi Yan who has only known for two days, not afraid of life, into his arms, this time was carried by Bi Yan to the gate, when she turned her head, she suddenly saw the familiar Jia Kai standing on the side.

Every time the mother took her out, this uncle would definitely show his face.

So as soon as he saw him, Philip knew he could go out and play, so she smiled sweetly at him and waved at him, grunting that she didn’t know what to say.

Biyan stopped. Madame Ding saw that she was cute and teased her: “Is Philipfly going to talk to General Jia?” Jia Kai also

liked Phi Phi very much, and quietly looked at the lady, saw that she stopped, and turned her head to smile, so she had the courage to lean towards Phi Phi.

Philip reached out her fat little hand with a few shallow pear swirls on the back of her hand and handed him the plum blossom cake first.

Jia Kai was stunned, and before he could react, Phi Fei had already taken back the small hand holding the plum blossom cake and handed him the small hand holding the orchid instead.

Half handed and retracted.

Look down at the plum blossom cake for a moment, and look at the orchid for a moment, as if hesitating.

Mrs. Ding and the nursing mothers and servants who were with her also stopped and turned back, looking with interest at the troubled Phi Phi.

Madame Ding smiled and squinted, “Philip is reluctant to do it?” Before the

words could be heard, I saw that Philip seemed to have made up his mind, “Ah-hoo”, took a bite of the plum blossom cake, and then handed the missing piece of plum blossom cake and orchid qi to Jia Kai.

Mrs. Ding and the wet nurses and servants were stunned, and then they couldn’t help but laugh.

It was Bi Yan, who had always been steady, and there was also a hint of laughter in his eyes.

Jia Kai was overjoyed in his heart, but he was busy waving his hand and said solemnly to Fei Fei: “The lowly position does not dare to be rewarded by the little lady, and the lowly official heart has received it.”

At this moment, even Xiao Qiao couldn’t help it, and laughed out loud, “She thinks she is getting close to General Jia.” She had just taken a bite of the plum blossom cake, and then she forgot it, General Lancao Jia took it, and if General Jia didn’t pick it up, she would have to shout endlessly, and no one would want to go out today. Jia Kai

actually didn’t mind eating the piece of plum blossom cake that the little lady had eaten, but she knew that she was not so blessed, so she took the orchid in her other small hand with both hands, and said respectfully: “Thank you very much for the little lady, thank you very much for the lady.” Seeing

that he had received LanCao, Philip smiled wildly and responded to Jia Kai with a few clatters in his mouth.

Seeing that her sister had no orchid in her hand, the carp hurriedly handed it over and said, “Sister, give it to you.” The carp was

very clever, but he spoke very late, and Big Joe was still a little worried before, he didn’t expect that after playing with Philip at the end of last year, he was probably brought by Philip who liked to grunt and babble at every turn, and he even began to speak, and once he opened his mouth, in just a few months, he learned a lot of words at once.

It was as if he had said it before, but he was just stuffy in his stomach and wouldn’t say it.

This sentence “Sister, to you”, said clearly, and Big Joe, who listened to it, couldn’t help but touch his son’s head.

Philip was overjoyed, and took the orchid with the beautiful purple ribbon tied from his little brother and smiled sweetly at him.

……

On this day, the wind was beautiful, and several carriages of Qiao Fu fished out of the south city gate and headed for the Flower Temple.

The people of Dong County had not seen the two sisters appear together in the Flower Temple for many years. Today I saw it again, the two sisters are absolutely beautiful, and the style is overwhelming. One is the green-eyed general’s wife who is admired by everyone in Dong County, and the other is even more remarkable, the anecdotes have long been circulating, Yanhou Wei Shao will be able to dominate the world in a few days, the position is extremely supreme, Xiao Qiao is the future mother of the country, it is the news that the Qiao family and the two sisters are going to come to the Spring Festival of the Shangwei Flower Temple today, and today the whole city is out of the city, people have all poured into here, not yet out of the city, the road is almost blocked.

Bi Yan rode in front of the road, jia kai in the rear, and finally escorted the carriage to the flower temple surrounded by spring stream, and the deacons who had been waiting for the temple had been brought in and hurried to greet him.

Big Qiao Xiao Qiao helped Mrs. Ding get off the carriage, and the group smiled and went inside, and there was a lot of joy on both sides of the yongdao.

After worshipping the flower god, the sisters took the carp and Phi Phi to the shore of the Spring Creek behind the flower temple.

There are too many people today.

The stream swirled and coiled for miles, and both sides of the river were planted with peach blossoms, in addition to this stream, there were many other streams that could be used to wash the festival, for the sake of prudence, Jia Kai sealed this place in advance, and only let a few women and girls who had been examined come in, which was much quieter than the crowds outside.

Little Joe came to the creek, dipped the blue grass in the stream, and sprinkled a few drops on Phi Phi’s hair to take the auspicious omen.

Big Joe also did the same, sprinkling the stream for the carp, when the brother and sister were taken by the nursing mother to play in the nearby pavilion, Little Joe saw Bi Yan walking to this side from a distance, standing at the edge of the pavilion, turning his head to look, laughing darkly, gently pushing Big Joe, nuzzling: “Go quickly!”

Big Joe had already seen her husband come over, but he didn’t want to leave Little Joe, so he pretended not to see it. Seeing Xiao Qiao urging himself, his cheeks were slightly hot, and he said, “I’m still here with Sister Ah…”

Xiao Qiao whispered, “Brother-in-law is going to leave again in a few days.” It is rare to have good weather today, and I am not unaccompanied, who is rare that you are here with me? Saying

that, he pushed her to the side of Biyan.

Bi Yan said to Big Qiao: “There is a peach blossom forest in front of you, the peach blossoms are very good, let’s go for a walk?”

Big Joe looked at Little Joe, saw Little Joe looking at himself with a smile, as if urging, and finally muttered.

Bi Yan smiled slightly, picked up the carp, nodded respectfully to Xiao Qiao, and with his beloved wife, the three of them slowly went to the peach blossom forest.

Little Qiao smiled at the corner of his lips, watching the figure of his family of three gradually disappear, and Chunniang hugged Phi Fei, facing the stream, sitting on a stone bench with a handkerchief on the shore.

Yesterday just had a spring rain, the spring stream water rose, not hurriedly from west to east flowing away, the stream is clear and green, can not cover the pebbles on the shore and the bottom of the creek bed with the undercurrent slowly swinging clusters of water grass, the peach blossoms on both sides of the river are in full bloom, a gust of wind, peach blossoms fall, petals float into the stream, with the flow of water slowly gone, a group of small wild fish in the water gathered, competing to chatter, constantly jumping out of the water, very interesting.

With a smile on her face, Xiao Qiao looked at Chunniang and the nursing mother with Phi Fei, pointed out to her the group of playful fish, and gradually walked along the creek bank, leaving her alone, and suddenly she was out of her mind.

I don’t know where he is now or how he’s doing.

Another gust of wind passed, and a rain of peach blossoms drifted overhead.

Half fell to the stream, and half fell on the hem of Little Joe’s skirt.

She picked up a peach blossom that had fallen on the hem of her skirt, held it in her palm, brought it under the tip of her nose, bowed her head, and sniffed it gently.

When I looked up, my eyes froze.

Just on the opposite bank, on the bank of the stream more than a dozen meters away, the spring breeze blows and falls colorfully, and there stands a person.

She was at one end of peach blossom creek, and he was at the other end of peach blossom creek, across peach blossom creek water, far away.

He was dressed in the clothes of a traveler, from head to toe, dusty and dusty, but his eyes were bright and bright.

It was as if he had only been here for a short time.

It was as if she had been standing on the other side like this, looking at her for a long time, but she had not been aware of it.

When she finally raised her eyes and cast her gaze at him, his footsteps suddenly flowed into the stream and waded towards her.

The stream was so strong that it wet the corners of his robe, and he walked faster and faster, and his pace grew larger and larger, and wherever he passed, white bubbles appeared on the surface of the water.

Not far away, several young girls who were playing under the peach blossom tree with peach branches in their hands also stopped chasing, and looked at this handsome man who seemed to be about to wade at himself from the sky, and the girl’s heart could not help but jump up.

Little Joe slowly stood up from the stone bench.

The peach blossoms in the skirt fell and scattered with the wind.

She stood under the peach blossom tree on the shore, her eyes watching without blinking as the man waded into the water step by step, and finally came ashore and stopped.

“I’m back.”

He stared at her and said.

Little Joe jerked toward him.

He opened his arms and without hesitation took her and hugged her tightly.

Little Joe wrapped his arms tightly around his waist. Press your face against one of his broad chests, your eyes closed, feeling the rapid and powerful pulsation of his heart.

Neither of them spoke, just embraced each other like this.

The peach blossom rain was like a rush, fluttering with the wind, and the petals fell on his shoulders and also on her hair.

Long.

“Husband—”

Little Joe finally lifted his face from his arms and called out to him softly in a tone that sounded a little crying and seemed to be a child.

Wei Shao lowered her head, and her fingers gently wiped her peach blossom-colored eyelids.

“Brutal, the battle is over. I’ll pick you up and PhiPhi, and we’ll go to Luoyang together.” From now on, I will never be separated from you again! He stared

at her and said word for word.

Little Joe had a thin tear under his eyes, nodded, and slowly shook one of his hands.

Wei Shao shook hands backhand. The two of them had ten fingers, tightly clasped together.

“I’ll take you to Philippi.” She can already call her mother-in-law. Do you want to hear her call you Daddy? She looked

back and smiled at him, smiling brightly, and the top of her head was full of peach blossoms.

[End of This Chapter]