The mother-in-law and the elder mother, interrupted by Chen Lan, also shifted their attention, and the conversation immediately turned to the matter of preparing for the New Year and purchasing festive goods.
Upon hearing Chen Lan mention preparing for the New Year and buying goods, the mother-in-law's interest immediately piqued. She eagerly said in a loud voice, "Xiao Lan, you're right! We must make it lively. Ever since your father-in-law left with the team, the family hasn't had a proper celebration for many years. This is everyone's first time celebrating the New Year in the valley, so we must make it festive and lively!"
The mother-in-law clearly recalled many past events. With a look of deep nostalgia, she patted Chen Lan's hand and said with emotion, "You don't know, in the early years when the country was peaceful, celebrating the New Year in the Imperial Capital was truly lively. It started with drinking Laba porridge on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month and lasted until the second day of the second lunar month, the day the dragon raises its head. The festive period lasted for about two months..."
Seeing the mother-in-law's eyes gradually moisten with nostalgia, Chen Lan felt a mix of emotions. She squeezed her mother-in-law's hand, offering comfort. The mother-in-law, lost in thought, felt Chen Lan's gentle squeeze. She smiled reassuringly, shook her head to indicate she was fine, and gestured for Chen Lan not to worry.
The mother-in-law took a deep breath, relaxed her shoulders, and continued speaking to the two women, "We elders in the Imperial Capital were very particular about celebrating the New Year. There was the ceremony of offering sacrifices to the Kitchen God, sweeping away dust, pasting Spring Festival couplets, hanging the character 'Fu' (blessing)... Reunion dinner, eating dumplings, ancestor worship, praying for blessings... It was lively until the fifteenth day of the first lunar month with eating Yuanxiao, watching lantern shows, and visiting temple fairs, and so on. Alas! It's just a pity that later your father-in-law left with the team, and we returned to the countryside, and it hasn't been this lively since."
Seeing the mother-in-law suddenly become sentimental, the elder mother immediately interjected with a smile, "Yes! Mother-in-law, celebrating the New Year in the Imperial Capital is indeed lively. Isn't there also a jingle? On the twenty-third of the twelfth lunar month, sugar and melon stick; on the twenty-fourth, sweep away the dust; on the twenty-fifth, grind tofu... On New Year's Eve, at midnight, set off firecrackers; on the first day of the first lunar month, wear new clothes; on the first day of the first lunar month, visit relatives and friends; on the eighth day of the first lunar month, twist lamp flowers; on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, revel in lantern shows."
Chen Lan quickly changed the subject and asked, "Mother, mother-in-law, are there also specific dishes for the New Year?"
Upon hearing Chen Lan's question, the mother-in-law immediately perked up and replied, "There are many traditions. For example, the New Year's dishes must include 'Four Happiness Meatballs' (Si Xi Wanzi), symbolizing 'fortune, prosperity, longevity, and joy'; 'Braised Carp' (Hong Shao Li Yu) signifies 'abundance every year'; and there must be tofu in the New Year's Eve dinner."
Chen Lan was also very curious and immediately asked, "Mother-in-law, why must there be tofu? Tofu is something everyone can afford to eat normally. It's not special! Why must tofu be eaten during the New Year?"
The mother-in-law took a sip of Linden flower tea brought by Mama Liu, and smiling at Chen Lan, continued, "Because the pronunciation of 'doufu' (tofu) is a homophone for 'dū fú' (都福), which means everyone has good fortune."
As they were talking, the mother-in-law seemed to remember something amusing and started laughing. Chen Lan and the elder mother exchanged glances, not knowing what the mother-in-law was laughing about.
Chen Lan's curiosity was piqued, and she quickly asked, "Mother-in-law, what are you laughing about? Tell us quickly!"
"There's even an anecdote about this! I heard it from my grandmother when I was a child. Legend has it that on the twenty-third of the twelfth lunar month, the Kitchen God returned to heaven to report the many good things that happened in the human world to the Jade Emperor. The Jade Emperor suspected that the Kitchen God had accepted bribes from mortals."
At this point, the mother-in-law paused, looked at Chen Lan and her counterpart, who were eagerly awaiting the rest of the story, and chuckled before continuing, "So, he decided to personally investigate the human world on the twenty-fifth of the twelfth lunar month. When the common people learned that the Jade Emperor was coming, they hid their ground tofu and ate soybean dregs for meals."
Hearing this, Chen Lan burst into laughter and said to her mother, "Now, these soybean dregs are a delicacy! They taste incredibly delicious!"
The elder mother also joined in the laughter, continuing Chen Lan's remark, "You're right. With current processing, soybean dregs are no inferior to tofu!"
"This is about the story from back then. Things are certainly different now," the mother-in-law also laughed.
She picked up her Linden flower tea and took a small sip before continuing, "The Jade Emperor saw this and thought, 'How could this be? The human world is so poor and austere!' Thus, he showed great compassion and bestowed blessings upon the human world. In this way, tofu became a symbol of 'everyone having good fortune.' Of course, these are all superstitions and should not be taken seriously! Nor should they be believed!"
Chen Lan couldn't help but let out a chuckle upon hearing the mother-in-law's last sentence. The mother-in-law truly never forgot to maintain her vigilance!
The elder mother continued, "Yes! In the early years of peace, starting from the Laba Festival, the few shops of our family had prepared New Year's goods early. The business of the shops for the entire year essentially depended on these two months of the New Year.
The streets were also filled with many stalls selling all sorts of things, such as Spring Festival couplets, New Year pictures, and even items not usually seen. Everything imaginable was sold! Every household also began preparing and purchasing New Year goods.
Although our family had shops, we still bought New Year goods by the cartload for the house. It was all for the sake of festivity, to show that the family was prosperous and thriving."
Upon hearing this, the mother-in-law immediately agreed, "Yes, yes, my dear daughter-in-law is right. In the early years, when Mingxuan was still young, about six or seven years old, our family's fortunes were good, and the harvest from the fields was also bountiful! Your Uncle Deshun wasn't the steward back then. Mingxuan's grandfather put him in charge of purchasing New Year goods for the family, and good things were loaded into the house as if they were free."
After speaking, she glanced at Chen Lan and the elder mother. Seeing them both looking at her, waiting for her to continue, she felt a bit thirsty and drank two large gulps of warm tea.
Then she continued, "Back then, Mingxuan's grandparents were still alive, and life was prosperous. One year, our whole family returned to the ancestral home in the countryside to pay respects to our ancestors and celebrate the New Year. To thank the neighbors, Mingxuan's grandfather even invited an opera troupe to the village to perform for three days. At that time, villagers from ten miles around came to watch the opera. It was incredibly lively!
Alas, ever since then, our family has never been so lively again. Who would have known that that year, Mingxuan's grandparents returned... and encountered such a heinous incident. Forty to fifty people in the entire family! Not a single one was left alive!"
Saying this, her eyes again became red, and her mood instantly became dejected.