Chapter 217: Reunion Under the Moon

After lighting up, it was incredibly festive and beautiful.

And the younger children of the Luo family, this while, were currently holding lanterns and frolicking around in the courtyard. At this time, no one would say anything like manners and etiquette to them. In reality, the children of the Luo family also weren’t restrained that strictly.

And the other masters of the Luo family, this while, were also scattered around the courtyard leisurely eating little snacks, idling chatting. It was rare for the whole family to be this idle.

Jing Wan was slightly hunched over, her elbow on the table, her hands propping up the two side of her cheek, her expression tranquil and relaxed. Her gaze swept across the lanterns in the younger brothers and sisters’ hands. Setting aside those exceptionally beautiful paper bamboo lanterns of various shapes and colors, there were also the very plain pomelo lanterns, pumpkin lanterns, watermelon lanterns, tangerine lanterns, apple lanterns, and so on. The so called pomelo lantern was just having the pomelo hallowed out and get rid of the inner white layer of the shell, just leaving behind a thin layer. Then, on the surface, carve out various vivid and delicate designs, putting on strings, and lighting a candle inside. The glow was simple and elegant. The other lanterns were, for the most part, also more or less made the same way.

These melon lanterns and fruit lanterns were all what the ordinary families, who couldn’t afford to buy colored lanterns, made for their own children. Unknown as to when, among the wealthy and noble families, it also became popular, just it was even more refine. Just removing the core and carving on the outer shell was still the most common. For those that were skillful with their hands, using these, they were able to make lanterns comparable to colored lanterns.

However, these lanterns of the Luo family’s this time all didn’t change the original appearance, simple putting in work on the outer surface. Previously, Jing Wan had carefully looked over them. Towards the person that made these lanterns, she expressed her admiration. If this was in her past life, these people would all be in the great master level, but at present, this kind of craftsmanship was truly too common. For the most part, it was a skill the servants of various families all had.

Eh, Jing Wan saw a super large sized winter melon lantern. The shape was the most commonly seen long cylindrical shape, just the head was truly a bit too big, the length surpassing a meter. And how thick was it? Probably a size where even an adult wasn’t able to wrap one’s hands around. Jing Wan was a bit surprised. Even in her past life, it should still be very difficult to see this big of a winter melon, right?

Even if the lantern design was horizontal, seeing that the winter melon’s shape didn’t change at all, it can be seen quite a bit of melon meat should’ve been left in. The ten year old little boy holding it was even huffing and puffing, very much exerting his strength.

What he attracted wasn’t just Jing Wan’s line of sight. The other beansprouts also all circled around.

Even the adults all idly commented a few words on that winter melon.

Small children were all very curious towards unusual things, and once curious, naturally just want to take as one’s own. The older ones probably would just covetously watch, but the younger ones didn’t know what restraint meant, directly reaching out to snatch.

Thus, not at all surprisingly, a great war broke out over the winter melon.

A bunch of little beansprouts began fighting, but the older ones still knew propriety, in addition to having the servants watching from the side, if things really were to get heated, they would get pulled apart first thing. Afterwards, the others just diligently watched the play.

For a moment, Jing Wan was a bit speechless, seeing their respective parents all in full spirits. Speaking of which, back in Qi’an Fu, this kind of situation didn’t happen before. Could it be that this is a new kind of relatively popular loving method?

The final outcome was the winter melon lantern dying in battle, ending the war. After it became a lantern, it hadn’t even been lit yet. And afterwards, it was just an earth-shattering sound of weeping, and also because of the juice from the ruined winter melon caused the little beansprouts to all be dirty, in addition to the messy hair and loose clothes from the battle, quite pitiful looking.

Seemingly having seen enough, the family’s elder, Luo Pei Shan, waved his hand, and each branches’ children were respectively taken away, going back to clean up and change.

Don’t think because you were seemingly all calm and unconcerned the whole time from beginning to end, no one noticed that mischievous nature of yours, old but improper.

(T/N: Luo Pei Shan’s hobby of watching his younger grandchildren fight lol.)

Sun Yi Jia, after the initial shock, also couldn’t help covering her mouth and began laughing, her entire person appearing very relaxed, very happy. This kind of thing, in the Ding Duke Manor, definitely wouldn’t happen. If the children were to get in a fight, the adults behind them can stir up a storm, and the most disgusting thing was that it wasn’t necessarily due to their genuine care towards their children. The children getting hurt, the children crying, it was all just bargaining chips for their schemes, even having the possibility of deliberately having the bargaining chip magnified.

By the time the little beansprouts returned one by one cleaned, their faces once again hung an innocent smile.

And the servants already had the food and drinks brought up in succession.

And the curtains of the night also began to descend. The lanterns located around the courtyard were lit one by one. The lanterns lighting up one by one in all directions, Jing Wan felt, that kind of feeling was a bit marvelous. And after all the lanterns were lit, it really was like what one anticipated, exceptionally beautiful.

Then looking at the sky, although it still hasn’t become pitch black, the round full moon was already suspended in the sky, and the stars also scatteringly spread out. In the sky, there wasn’t a single dark cloud to be seen. One can well imagine, tonight, will be a very good night to admire the moon.

By the time the sky completely darkened, a large incense burner table was set up in the courtyard, and on the table, displayed fruits, pastries, and such offerings. Among them, mooncake and watermelon definitely can’t be missing, and this watermelon was even cut into a lotus flower shape.

The mooncake on the incense burner table was bestowed down by Le Cheng Emperor. Using bestowments to offer sacrifices to the moon naturally can’t be better. Of course, additionally there was also a specially made reunion mooncake, the size quite big.

Under the moonlight, having the moon goddess’s image placed in the direction of the moon, the red candles tall and burning. With Luo Old Madam in the lead, the entire family’s womenfolk kowtowed in succession. That’s right, just the womenfolk participated. Those that were male, from old to young, all obediently watched from the side.

This is the so-called ‘men do not worship the moon, and women do not make sacrifices to the kitchen god’.

The moon belonged to the yin, and the moon goddess Chang’e was a woman. That’s why, only women can pay respect to the moon. If a man were to politely and modestly kowtow, that was harboring devious intentions. And in contrast, in the folk legends, the kitchen god was the incarnation of the Flame Emperor or fire god, and such male gods or mythical figures, in this ‘men and women should not touch hands when giving and receiving things’ era, women worshiping him was also against the Confucian code of ethics.

What the hell was all this? Towards these, Jing Wan also could only ‘heheh’ in her heart.

After finishing offering sacrifices to the moon, with Luo Old Madam taking the first cut, the reunion mooncake was sliced. However many people there were in Luo Pei Shan’s bloodline, it was just cut into however many pieces, including one for the eldest grandson of the first branch. Speaking of which, this entire family of Luo Pei Shan’s was now all in the capital. In past years, it was Wang-shi in charge of the cutting, and still needed to have the members in Qi’an Fu counted. And Jing Wan and them in Qi’an Fu also needed to have the ones in the capital counted.

However, every time at this time, Luo Pei Shan would always mention to also include his second younger brother’s share. That famous for over twenty years great scholar that was traveling world, Luo second old master.

Speaking of which, cutting the mooncake was also a skill, needing to have every share cut the same size. However, this, for Luo Old Madam, seemingly wasn’t anything difficult. Although her speed was a little slow, the final outcome was nevertheless pleasing. Everyone present all took a piece, the rest all left on the incense burner table.

The whole family happily ate, but there were also those who were sour inside, for instances, the yiniangs of the various branches. Today, they were also allowed to come out and gather together, but regardless whether it was offering sacrifices or eating mooncake, there all wasn’t their share.

Afterwards, there were even some that felt awkward, and that was precisely the Gu family. This mooncake, for Luo Old Madam to have not prepared their share, seemingly it was also justifiable, but for their treatment to just be like yiniangs of the Luo family, wasn’t that just……………….

After eating that small piece of mooncake, everyone finally took a seat, starting the evening meal. This, of course, won’t be a simple night.

Games, admiring the moon, and feast, that was just three-in-one.

The game of course was also just some relatively scholarly activities, such as riddles, rhyming couplets, and verse connecting.

Oh right, there are no prizes, but if one can’t follow up, then will just have to drink as punishment.

Osmanthus flower wine……….

The night of mid-autumn, gazing up at the moon among the orange osmanthus, smelling the wave of osmanthus fragrance, drinking a cup of osmanthus flower honeyed wine, and celebrating the sweetness of the whole family, how was it not a great joy of life.

“This year’s osmanthus flower wine seemingly is somewhat different. How come one feels it’s tastier than past years’?” Luo Pei Shan carefully reflected on the flavor.

“Father, you may not know, but the wine this year was sent by Jin Qinwang.” Luo Rong Wen said.

Speaking of this mid-autumn gift, as long as it’s relatives or friends, all need to prepare a share. Just, Jin Qinwang’s scale was truly a bit big. Just the ones he sent probably can make up for everyone else’s added together. Because Wang-shi was in charge of the household, the gift list was directly sent into Wang-shi’s hands, and he’d just happened to see. To want to make an effort to remain calm was all very difficult. With such generous gifts, how should this return gift be? However, Luo Old Madam was very unconcerned, just going according to the rules. Heh, as such, the Luo family can be said to have profited.

“Is that so.” Luo Pei Shan nodded his head, “As expected, the things in Jin Qinwang’s hands are all good things.”

The others also nodded in agreement, indeed so. That’s why, this marriage arrangement with Jin Qinwang wasn’t necessarily completely bad. If, in Jin Qinwang’s heart, he really does care about their family’s miss like as shown on the surface, then nothing could be better.

The children didn’t eat much before climbing down from the table, beginning to compare colored lanterns in the floating lantern pond to the side again, and naturally it was the fruit lanterns that were sturdier.

This more or less went on for another two hours. The older generation continued on like this, while the younger generation prepared to go out and play.

This on normal days definitely wasn’t allowed. However, today, there wasn’t night curfew, so they can play through the whole night.

The little beansprouts jealously watched the older brothers and sisters go out. Even if this year Luo Old Madam relaxed the rules for going out, it was still blocked at ten years old. The happiest was probably just the fourth branch’s di-born dragon and phoenix twins (fraternal twins of different gender). This first year in the capital, they just happened to make the age cut.

Standing at the entrance, they just saw the lights coming from the doors and walls of each and every family. The ones farther away, they couldn’t see, but the light seemingly even illuminated the night sky, just like a colored glass world.

Playing with colored lanterns in mid-autumn, it wasn’t like the large festival lanterns of the Lantern Festival, but it still had its own uniqueness.

Each and every family and household more or less all came out at this time, traveling neither slowly nor quickly.

Jing Wan also began looking forward to the pagoda lanterns.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

T/N: The great winter melon war shall be remembered, no seriously, it’s going to be brought up again in the future lol.