Chapter 7, New Year
The New Year of the fifth year of the Tianbao era in the Tang Dynasty is approaching quickly. In fact, the New Year in the Tang Dynasty is not as traditional and lively as Wang Yuan imagined. There are no sounds of firecrackers, no dazzling lights, and even on the evening of New Year's Eve, the entire city is under curfew.
The Huang siblings awakened from their state of shock and confusion, and Huang San, without saying a word, dragged Wang Yuan and walked briskly. Wang Yuan, being pulled along, stumbled and hurriedly said: "Wait, wait, there's no need to be in such a rush"
The wide streets, orderly neighborhoods, the absolutely authentic architectural style with an antique charm, the deep blue sky, and the crystal-clear river water... The scenery before Wang Yuan brings an indescribable sense of tranquility to his heart
Huang San gasped and said: "How can I not be anxious? If they change their mind and come looking for you, today is truly a stroke of luck to have encountered such a person, and you were easily deceived by a few words. Hurry up, hurry up, it is not safe to stay here for long"
Huang San gave a slight grunt, lowered his head to wipe away the moisture from the corner of his eyes, and slung two large packages over his shoulders as he walked towards the west market bridge.
Wang Yuan called out busily: "What is your esteemed surname and great name, my brother?"
"What else did you buy? Er Lang, you need to save some money; it will come in handy in the future." Huang San was quite dissatisfied with Wang Yuan's extravagant shopping behavior, as he himself had spent less than 600 wen on some essential items for the New Year.
The middle-aged man, upon hearing Wang Yuan's verses, appeared quite astonished. After murmuring these lines to himself, he asked in a low voice, "What is your esteemed surname and given name, young brother? Which place do you hail from?"
Wang Yuan spread out the package in the open space and said with a smile: "I bought a new robe for Sanlang, a floral coat for each of Dimei and Xiaomei, and a sheepskin mattress for Uncle Huang."
Wang Yuan noticed the slight rise of the two small hills on her chest, realizing for the first time that Xiao Huangying was in the budding years of her youth. He couldn't help but exclaim that the saying "a person is defined by their clothing, and a horse by its saddle" indeed holds true; once she donned the new outfit, Huangying transformed completely, with her demeanor, movements, and even the tone of her speech changing significantly.
Wang Yuan smiled and said, "Sanlang, do not overthink it. Just accept it calmly. At most, I will go to your house for a few more meals. I really cannot cook for myself. How about I spend the New Year with your family this year?"
The middle-aged man smiled and said, "It is good that you can speak frankly; your words cannot deceive others. What I have purchased is not your copper mirror, but rather your poem. With such literary talent, you must not let it go to waste. A scholar is not afraid of poverty; what is to be feared is becoming mired in difficulties and giving up halfway. If this money can help you through your hardships, it can be considered a merit. With your talent, if you study diligently, there will surely be a way out in the future."
Wang Yuan shook his head and said: "You may be mistaken, this person is not foolish; he is indeed someone who truly knows the value of things"
After the New Year, everything remained the same; Wang Yuan grew increasingly weary of this menial task, yet he had no choice but to endure it patiently. The opportunity to sell poetry in the West Market was a rare occurrence, and despite being well-versed in knowledge, he found it impossible to convert that into cash, which left Wang Yuan quite frustrated
After all the confusion and resentment gradually faded away, Wang Yuan realized for the first time the beauty of the era he was in, and also recognized that his previous anger and despair were completely unnecessary. Everything before him was so real, and he was truly part of this real world
Wang Yuan said: "My name is indeed Wang Yuan, a resident of Yong'an Fang"
Wang Yuan, without hesitation, instructed the Huang San siblings to wait for him at the East Square, and then plunged back into the crowd of the West Market to continue shopping. Half an hour later, he emerged carrying a large package and joined the Huang San siblings.
Huang Ying clapped her hands and said: "Great, great, Brother Wang from the Wang family, come celebrate the New Year together. I will make my specialty, rice cakes, and glutinous rice candy for you to enjoy"
Wang Yuan was taken aback and hurriedly waved his hand, saying: "No, no, five hundred wen is sufficient." He then lowered his voice and continued: "To be honest with you, the talk of sending a child is nothing but nonsense; I am actually not yet married. I was forced into this situation by the shopkeeper, but this bronze mirror is indeed a possession of my family and certainly not of dubious origin."
Sanlang, Demei, stop daydreaming, let's go, it's time to buy the New Year's goods
Wang Yuan was at a loss whether to laugh or cry, and he stopped his movements to say: "Do not worry, this person is obviously someone of status. Since he has given the money, how could he possibly regret it?"
The middle-aged man smiled and clasped his hands, saying: "Young brother, we shall meet again."
Huang Ying's excited little face was flushed, her hands caressing the floral jacket with great affection. Huang San rubbed his hands together hesitantly and said: "This is not good, really not good. How much did Erlang spend on these things? I will pay you back once I receive my monthly allowance."
Wang Yuan whispered to Huang Ying beside him: "Your brother is in tears"
Wang Yuan smiled and said, "Alright, it's settled then. These items can be considered as the New Year's meal expenses. Now Sanlang should have nothing to say about it."
Wang Yuan stood on the street, feeling somewhat perplexed. He vaguely sensed that accepting such kindness from others seemed inappropriate, yet under his current circumstances, it was difficult to refuse. Wang Yuan knew that this middle-aged man was no ordinary citizen, and for some unknown reason, a single poem had moved him so deeply that he had given two guan of money to purchase the mirror. Turning back to look at the Huang San siblings, it was evident that they were also quite confused, standing dumbfounded at the side.
... ...
Wang Yuan is full of confidence in the future
However, what pleased Wang Yuan was that the new clothes he gifted fit very well. On the first day of the Lunar New Year, when Huang Jiadamei, Xiao Huang Ying, put on the floral jacket, everyone in the Huang family, including Wang Yuan, was somewhat surprised. After wearing a seemingly ordinary floral jacket, Huang Ying immediately transformed, changing from a disheveled girl into a graceful young lady.
Wang Yuan chuckled and said, "You still claim you are not lacking, just look at the tattered robe you are wearing. With the two of us in such rags, it is hard not to be mistaken for beggars when walking down the street. And as for the elder and younger sisters, they have grown into young ladies, yet they are still wearing clothes that have been altered from your elder brother and second brother's old garments. As their elder brother, how can you bear to let this happen? The elder and younger sisters also call me 'Elder Brother,' and as their elder brother, I cannot stand by and watch. This is what they have for their new clothes for the New Year. The sheepskin bedding is for Uncle Huang; he cannot afford to be cold due to his illness, and this is also a token of my filial piety."
Wang Yuan feigned anger and said: "Do you despise me? Are you looking down on me just like those people in the neighborhood?"
Huang Sanji said: "With a clear conscience before heaven and earth, when have I ever looked down upon Erlang? It is simply inappropriate to spend your money, as my family, the Huang family, has already received much kindness from yours"
Although two guan of money is not a large sum, it alleviated Wang Yuan's urgent needs. Moreover, Wang Yuan underestimated the purchasing power of this two guan. After buying two sets of clothes, a bedding set, and a large amount of food and supplies for the New Year, he surprisingly still had one guan and two hundred wen left.
On the way back, although the three of them did not speak much, their hearts were filled with a sense of ease and joy. Especially Wang Yuan, who had shaken off the depression he had felt for more than ten days, now had a sparkle in his eyes.
The beautiful scenery along the way is truly pleasing to the eye, as the slanting sunset casts a golden light on the surface of the Yong'an Canal, creating shimmering reflections; cargo boats swiftly return from the western market, and the expressions on the faces of those who have sold their goods are relaxed and joyful. Although the people on the streets by the river are hurrying home, they still exchange smiles and laughter with one another.
Huang San exclaimed, "How can I allow you to spend so much? Hurry back and return these items; my family lacks nothing."
Two officials of the Wu Hou loudly scolded the onlookers to disperse, unexpectedly not bothering Wang Yuan. The shopkeeper with a garlic nose stared blankly for a while, then stomped his foot in frustration and returned to his shop
Wang Yuan... Wang Yuan. The middle-aged man furrowed his brows, trying hard to recall this name, but found that he had never heard of it. He then smiled and said: "Very good, very good, I believe you are a learned person. I will buy this bronze mirror from you; is two guan enough?"
For several consecutive days, Wang Yuan had been mooching meals at Huang San's home. In truth, Wang Yuan did not wish to find himself in a situation of solitude, especially during the Spring Festival. Once alone, he could not help but reflect on some memories of the past, feeling melancholic about his current circumstances.
One is not afraid of ten thousand, but rather of the one in ten thousand. Think about it, this person spent two guan of money to buy those few lines of poetry from you, and surely they will regret it later. If it were me, I would turn around and come to you to demand a refund. Who would be so foolish
Regardless of whether one is in the afterlife or here, what is it that one truly desires? Is it not a genuine experience of life? Even if this place lacks highly developed material pleasures and everything unimaginable in the afterlife, one can still live splendidly in this real world before them
After the fourth day of the new year, Wang Yuan no longer went to Huang San's home. Wang Yuan could see the difficult situation in Huang San's family; the elderly father who had been bedridden for a long time, and two underage sisters, all the burdens rested on Huang San's shoulders. Having one more person at the table was an enormous burden. Although Huang San had two older brothers, both had their own families and three or four children to feed, and they were unable to support Huang San. On the contrary, Huang San often managed to spare some food to help his brothers. Such days could not be described with just the word "difficult".
Sister, there are still a few bags of snacks and a roast goose here. After returning home, I will slice it, drizzle some oil on it, and steam it to heat it up. I will have dinner at your house; by the way, later Sanlang will buy a jar of wine at the shop in the neighborhood. It has been a long time since I had any wine
Huang Ying stuck out her tongue and made a face, and the two quickly followed suit
Huang San was rendered speechless, with his eyes already slightly moist. These items amounted to at least a whole year's worth of money; Erlang had spent all his remaining funds on these things. Although he had played with Wang Yuan since childhood, Huang San understood that a true friendship with Wang Yuan was unlikely, given that Wang Yuan came from a wealthy family. After the Wang family fell from grace, Huang San's efforts to care for Wang Yuan were driven by gratitude and the bonds of their youth. He had never imagined that Wang Yuan would genuinely consider him a friend. Today, Wang Yuan's actions made Huang San feel for the first time that Erlang sincerely wished to befriend him.
The middle-aged man did not look back, waved his hand, and said, "Why must you know? If fate allows, we will meet again." Several strong men cleared a path through the crowd for him, and he quickly disappeared into the bustling market.
On the evening of New Year's Eve, people merely light a bonfire known as "Tingliao" in their courtyards, tossing in some dry bamboo to listen to the crackling sound of the bamboo bursting. In Wang Yuan's view, this is utterly unimpressive; the sound of firecrackers without the scent of gunpowder is simply as dull as self-indulgence.
A middle-aged man waved his hand, and a burly man quickly approached Wang Yuan's side. Without saying a word, he took out two coins from a cloth bag at his waist and hung them on Wang Yuan's arm. He then snatched the copper mirror from Wang Yuan's hand and tucked it into his waist.