GBP Chapter 353: Going to the Market to Buy Lanterns
Chapter 353: Going to the Market to Buy Lanterns
In the Tang Dynasty's Chang'an, the New Year is approaching, and lights and decorations are everywhere, making it extremely lively.
Zuixianlou, run by Yuyu's family, has become increasingly busy in this festive atmosphere.
In the tavern, Cheng Chumo, Qin Huaidao, Wei Shuyu, Fang Yiai, Li Deyu and other young masters and the prince usually help out in the tavern and get along well with Yu Yu's family.
"We can't be careless this New Year. We must buy all the New Year's goods today!" Cheng Chumo patted his chest and said loudly.
His voice was loud, like a bell, and attracted everyone's attention as soon as he opened his mouth.
"Of course. With His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and the other gentlemen here with us, we're sure to find a lot of good things." Xiaoyu responded with a smile, her eyes full of anticipation.
The crowd walked towards the market in a mighty procession.
The market is bustling with people, and the sounds of hawking and laughter are intertwined.
There are a wide variety of stalls, some selling new clothes with bright colors and exquisite embroidery; some selling cakes with fragrant smells that make you salivate.
Yu Yu was like a happy little deer, running through the crowd. Sometimes he ran to the stall selling candy figures, staring at the lifelike candy figures; sometimes he was attracted by the stall selling rattles, picked up one and shook it gently, making a crisp sound.
"Look how fun this is!" she shouted excitedly, holding the rattle.
Wei Shuyu was selecting pens, ink, paper, and inkstone, preparing to write Spring Festival couplets during the New Year.
"This rice paper has a fine texture and the ink is blended properly, making it perfect for writing Spring Festival couplets." He picked up a piece of rice paper, looked at it carefully and said.
Fang Yiai had no resistance to delicious food and lingered in front of the pastry stall.
"Boss, pack all these for me. These are indispensable snacks for my family during the New Year." He said as he packed various pastries into the bag.
Cheng Chumo and Qin Huaidao were arguing about the fireworks and firecrackers.
"The big fireworks look beautiful!" said Cheng Chumo.
"I think small fireworks might be better." Qin Huaidao retorted.
Li Deyu watched them from the side, smiled and shook his head, then turned around to pick out some exquisite lanterns to hang at the door of the tavern.
"This lantern has a unique shape. Hanging it up will definitely add a lot of joy to the tavern." He said to Xiaoyu.
Crown Prince Li Chengqian looked around the market, feeling the prosperity and bustle of the Tang Dynasty.
Sometimes he talked with stall owners, asking about prices and people's livelihood; sometimes he looked at the smiles on people's faces, feeling very pleased.
"It is a blessing for the Tang Dynasty to have such peaceful and prosperous people," he said with emotion.
Xiaoyu glanced at the lanterns hanging all over the street, her eyes full of joy. She took Yuyu's hand and said, "We should buy more lanterns for the New Year and hang them in taverns and houses. It should be lively and prosperous!"
Yu Yu nodded vigorously, her eyes shining, full of anticipation for the upcoming decorations.
Everyone came to the lantern shop. There were many styles of lanterns on the stall. There were round and plump lanterns with auspicious flowers, birds, fish and insects painted on them; there were exquisitely shaped octagonal lanterns with beautiful patterns carved on each side; there were also small and cute rabbit lanterns, which looked so lively that they seemed to be about to jump.
Xiaoyu carefully selected among the stalls, picking up a lantern from time to time to check the workmanship and materials.
"These big red round lanterns are great. If you hang them at the door of the tavern, you can see them from far away. They look very festive." She pointed to several big red lanterns and said to the stall owner.
Cheng Chumo came over and said casually, "I think this octagonal lantern is also nice. It will look very impressive if hung in the courtyard."
Qin Huaidao nodded in agreement: "Indeed, it will look good with some colorful tassels."
As they talked, they helped to choose.
Wei Shuyu stood aside, looking at the lanterns quietly, as if thinking about something.
He picked up a lantern painted with a landscape and said, "The painting on this lantern is profound and artistic. Hanging it in the study will give it a unique charm."
Fang Yiai was more interested in the lanterns with peculiar shapes. He picked up a fish-shaped lantern and said with a smile, "This is interesting. Hanging it by the pond will make it look like a fish swimming in the water."
Li Deyu found some small carousels on the stall. When he turned them gently, the characters and scenes inside came to life.
"Yu Yu, come and look at this!" He called Yu Yu. Yu Yu ran over with his eyes wide open, attracted by the wonderful sight of the revolving lantern.
"Wow, so beautiful! I want this." she said excitedly.
Crown Prince Li Chengqian was filled with joy as he watched everyone choosing lanterns.
He walked to a stall selling palace lanterns, picked up a lantern and looked at it carefully.
This palace lantern is exquisitely crafted and crystal clear. The gold embroidery and gem inlays on it sparkle in the sunlight.
"If this palace lantern is hung on the corridor of the palace, it will definitely add a touch of royal style." He said with a smile.
Carrying heavy lanterns, everyone continued to stroll around the market.
There are more and more people on the streets, and the air is filled with the aroma of various delicacies.
There are vendors selling steamed cakes, the white flour turns golden when baked in the fire, and the aroma of wheat is fragrant; there are also vendors selling zongzi, the soft and sticky glutinous rice is mixed with sweet red dates and kidney beans, the color is bright and mouth-watering.
Cheng Chumo took a deep breath and shouted excitedly, "The food at this market is much richer than usual!"
As he said this, he strode towards a stall selling Hu Bing, picked up one and bit it with a crunching sound.
Qin Huaidao bought a bowl of steaming mutton soup and was about to eat it.
Yuyu came over, glanced at the bowl, curled her lips and muttered softly: "This mutton soup looks good, but compared to the modern cooking methods in our tavern, it seems to lack some flavor."
Going further, there is a shop selling spices. The exotic spices emit a unique aroma, attracting many people to stop.
When Yu Yu's family passed by, Xiao Yu picked up some dried tangerine peel and cardamom, preparing to go back and add some unique flavor to the tavern's signature dishes.
Fang Yiai bought a piece of cut cake and ate it with a satisfied look on his face. Seeing that Yuyu didn't have any food in her hand, he handed it to her: "Yuyu, try this, it's very sweet!"
Yuyu took it, took a small bite, and smiled politely: "Thank you, Mr. Fang, but I still think the improved dessert in our tavern is more to my taste."
At this time, there was a burst of noise. It turned out that someone was performing acrobatics.
The crowd gathered around and saw that the artist was proficient in throwing, catching, balancing the pot, and judo, which drew rounds of applause.
While everyone was distracted by the acrobatics, Yuyu whispered to Li Hao, "Brother, if we sell the French fries and pizzas made in our pub at the market, they'll definitely be a big hit."
Li Hao smiled and nodded, touching her head: "After the New Year, let's try it."
Looking at the bustling market and thinking about the unique modern-style delicacies in the tavern, Yu Yu is looking forward to the New Year and looking forward to using these special delicacies to add a different touch of home to the Tang Dynasty's New Year.