In March, the mountain stream is full of snow melting. The clear and bright water swirls through the valley, with a unique sweet smell and clear color.

If there is a poet here, maybe he will recite an article such as "Recently, the stream in front of the door has risen, and the Lang boat has visited each other several times". But if you wash clothes in the stream water in March, the taste is really sour.

A little girl with a thin figure and patches was rubbing the clothes in the wooden basin vigorously, beating it twice, and she was about to clench her cold red fingers "heh" twice to slow down. Her fingers had long been red from the stream, and now her knuckles were swollen and fat, and her little hands were itchy and painful.

"Citronella, you're a big lazy worm, aren't you lazy again?!" The sound of a silver bell came from behind crisply.

The little girl who was breathing couldn't help but pause and turned her head to look over. I saw a girl in purple about the same age, standing on the high ground by the stream with a basket and looking at her with a smile.

The little girl known as Citronella squinted coldly at the girl, "Braids, you don't have to do laundry today?" ”

"Phew!" The girl in purple was furious, "Lemongrass, you dog's tail grass, my name is Aster, listen up, it's Liu Aster!" ”

Lemongrass, whose surname is Xin, is the eldest daughter of Xin Dalang's family in Yexi Village at the foot of Qi Mountain. She died as soon as she was born. The family disliked her life, so they casually pulled a handful of grass, but it was a dog's tail grass, so they called her a lemongrass. A girl in the countryside can be raised casually, and if she is raised in the future, she will just be Xin Xiaoniang, and she will become Xin when she marries in the future. Who cares about the name of a country girl.

Aster and lemongrass are neighbors, two people of the same age, and they live close to each other. It is necessary to compare everything. When Aster was born, her mother, Liu, asked her father to go out and pull a flower. When his father went out, he saw the aster flower as soon as he looked up, so the name of the aster was decided.

The little girl Liu Ziyun feels that she is better than lemongrass everywhere, her father and mother are both biological, and even the name is better I don't know how many times. Therefore, they often have to ask for this verbal bargain.

As soon as Liu Zihua called her name, she responded to Yi "keep pigtails", because the countryside commonly called Aster flowers "pigtails", and Aster was surnamed Liu. In the past few years, because of this name, the two of them don't know how many verbal lawsuits they have fought, but they never get tired of it.

Liu Ziyun knew that she couldn't win lemongrass in this regard, so she walked down the slope with a smile and chose a dry place to sit down, "My mother is reluctant to let me wash clothes." After speaking, she proudly glanced at the lemongrass's red fist and raised the basket in her hand, "This is not pigweed, I can beat it all at noon." How long will you have to go? ”

Lemongrass knew that she was here to show off, and she didn't let her be proud, so she pretended to be relaxed and said, "I'll have it right away." After saying that, he beat his clothes hard and made a relaxed appearance.

In just a moment, the two little fists were already flushed red.

At this time, Liu Ziyun no longer squeezed the lemongrass, she sighed, "Your mother is really ruthless." Forget it, I'll take you for a moment. With that, she reached out and pressed the little fist of the lemongrass.

The little fist was red and swollen, but it was cold and cold.

Lemongrass was stunned for a moment, and quickly said, "Hey." You don't, you'll get it right away. It's very cold. ”

Liu Ziyun glared at her, "Who doesn't know that the water is cold, but your mother is willing to call you, so I came to wash in the stream in March." What's wrong with hot water in the kettle at home?! ”

Seeing that someone was doing it, Lemongrass hurriedly put her hand under her armpit to warm up, "Isn't that also Fei Chai He." She argued.

Aster is a little girl with a pungent personality, "What's wrong with Fei Dian Chai He?" Not all of your firewood was beaten by you. You can't do it? Hmph, it's not because it's not biological. ”

When the lemongrass heard this, she didn't speak.

Just bow your head and clamp your armpits hard, hoping that your hands will ease faster.

Aster was accustomed to knowing that she was not outside and speaking ill of her mother, so she stopped. And just sighed.

Lemongrass asked repeatedly, "Is it an ice hand?" I'll do it anyway. You're not used to this. Catch up with chilblains, and Aunt Liu still scolds. ”

Speaking of this, Aster's eyes suddenly turned red, "It's better to get used to it early, maybe in a few days, I will have to dress in ice water every day." After saying that, Aster beat her clothes more vigorously, as if venting.

Although the two little girls quarrel every day, their relationship is actually excellent. Lemongrass comforted Aster, "Your mother treats you very well, and she is reluctant to call you more on weekdays, how can she let you wash your clothes in ice water." ”

Aster choked up in a low voice and said, "You don't know, my mother has been discussing my brother's marriage recently. ”

Lemongrass opened her mouth wide, "Brother Rusong is going to kiss." "Rusong is Aster's brother, Liu Rusong. He is 5 years older than Aster, and now he is a teenager of almost 16 years old.

Aster nodded, "My mother looks at the daughter of the Cheng Orion family at the foot of Qishan Mountain, but his family must have a bride price of 20 taels of silver." ”

"Twenty taels!" The lemongrass let out a huge sigh of emotion from the bottom of his heart.

In a remote and impoverished mountain village like Qishan, where most of the villagers are self-sufficient, silver is a rarity for them to barter their daily needs at the market. Ordinary people marry their daughters, and it is already a very decent thing to have a bride price of 1~2 taels of silver. Cheng Lihu's daughter asked for a bride price of twenty taels of silver when she opened her mouth, which was already astronomical in the heart of the little lemongrass.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"Why is her daughter so noble, such a large sum of silver, not to mention that she has never seen it, and she has never even heard of it." Lemongrass sighs.

"It's not because his family's Erlang was selected by Huang Xianzhu to be an apprentice, they all say that his family has a fairy fate, or even his daughter's value has risen." Aster listens to his mother's chatter every day, but she knows it clearly.

"Huang Xianzhu?! Is that the Taoist in Yellowstone next door? Lemongrass asked.

"That's him." Aster said.

There are seven villages around Qishan, and there is only one Taoist temple, and there is only one Huang Xianzhu, Aster and Lemongrass in the Taoist temple, and I don't know what magical spells Huang Xianzhu has, and I haven't seen it. But they have known since childhood that whenever there is a major or minor affair in the family, birth, old age, sickness and death, they must carry chickens and ducks to pray.

If there is a sick person, Huang Xianzhu will also draw a talisman on yellow table paper and give it to someone to bring back. I burned it and served it with sake. Of course, this talisman is to be given an additional money, at least ten yuan.

Lemongrass was sick and naturally could only resist, but two years before his brother was sick, her stepmother carried chickens, ducks and money to worship Huang Xianzhu, brought back a narrow gray-yellow note, and prayed sincerely before burning it for her brother. Sure enough, my brother was fine.

When her stepmother met someone, she said that it was Huang Xianzhu who saved her son. Later, I sent several mountain goods.

"You say, are there really immortals in this world?" Citronella asked Aster in a low voice.

"You're going to die!" Aster was startled by her question, looked left and right, as if there would be an invisible person staring at them, and replied in a lower, almost whispered voice, "Of course." Immortals live in the heavens, omniscient, omnipotent! After speaking, he cautiously pointed to the top of his head.

Lemongrass followed her fingers and looked up, only a clear sky with no clouds and blue sky, and she couldn't see anything when she saw her sore neck and eyes.

"Nothing." Lemongrass complained.

"Naturally, you can't see it. Immortals are all blinders," Aster said proudly, "Do you know why my mother has to hire the daughter of the Orion family?!" That's because his Erlang can enter Huang Xianzhu's door, which shows that he has an immortal fate. And what about his sister? If her sister also brings immortals, won't they all be our sons' sons in the future?! My mother said that she must hire the daughter of the Cheng family, so that the children of the family can get out of the world and become immortals. That's the ascension of the whole family! ”

Lemongrass listened to what Aster said, and couldn't help but sigh, "Aunt Liu thinks so long-term." ”

Aster nodded triumphantly. But she didn't get a stick of incense yet, and she began to be depressed again, "Cheng Lihu also knows that his own immortal fate is rare, so he opened such a sky-high price." My mother must hire the daughter of the Cheng family. It's up to me to make up my mind. ”

"Yours?" Lemongrass repeated dumbfoundedly, not understanding.

Aster looked sad, "I can still value a few taels in our family, my mother has been asking around these days if anyone is willing to hire a girl at a high price." But anyone who pays a high price to hire a girl is either stupid or crippled. In short, he is not a proper person. I don't know how hard I will be in the future. At this, she couldn't help but start to mourn, hugging her knees and crying.

Citronella stared blankly at her friend's heart-rending cry, but was speechless to comfort her. Girls like them are just an object in the family, and if their parents want to sell it, what can others say. She could only hug Aster's shoulders and push harder, trying to pass on comfort and courage in this way.

After a long time, Aster had cried enough. The eyes were red and swollen, and the two of them were afraid of going back and being scolded. I also picked up the pebbles in the mountain stream and iced for a long time before returning home with the washed clothes.

Because of the long delay on the mountain, the lemongrass went home and was busy making a fire, warming the stove, boiling water, pasting cakes, cooking mountain vegetables, and finally stewing pig food with brush pot water.

But just like that, when her father and stepmother came home, she had just finished her work and was feeding the chickens in the yard. There was also a bundle of firewood at his feet that he hadn't had time to chop.

"What are you doing so slowly today?" Her stepmother looked at her suspiciously.

"Hmm." Lemongrass answered. There is no explanation.

"Mother! The lemongrass must have run out to play again to stop working! Hit her. Her six-year-old brother, Xin Mao, gestured with a thin reed pole.

Lemongrass quickly brought up the prepared meal, poured a basin of hot water for her father, and set up a cloth towel. With this action, no one cares about her being late for cooking.

The family eats around the table.

But in addition to a bowl of paste per person on the table, only his father had a small plate of fried chicken in front of him. How big an egg can be, even though the lemongrass has been mixed with a lot of elm money, it still looks like it is only a few small pieces. Except for her brother, no one put chopsticks into the bowl.

"The goddess has been coming to the village these days." Her stepmother told his father.

"The weasel enters the house." Xin Wei is a sturdy man who doesn't talk much.

"Talk nonsense, don't offend the gods." Her stepmother was afraid that Xin Dalang would offend the immortals, so she knocked on the table three times in a row, "I heard that this year is the time for the mountain god to marry his daughter-in-law." Mrs. Yu came this time, and it is estimated that it is also for this matter. ”

"Humph!" Xin Wei snorted heavily, but didn't say anything more. Fang Cai Xin's admonition still worked.

"What is a mountain god marrying a daughter-in-law?" Xin Mao's little brother asked crisply.

As soon as Xin Niangzi looked up, she found that Citronella and Xin Mao were both looking at her curiously, waiting for an answer.

She wanted to scold, but after thinking about it, now that her children are growing up, she has to let them know about these things to some extent, so that she can have a scruple and not offend the gods.

"There is an immortal cave in this sky, which is in charge of the sun, moon and stars, but the big rivers and rivers are also guarded by immortals. They bless the world with peace and good weather. The gods in the river are called river gods, and the gods on the mountains are called mountain gods. Mrs. Xin explained to the children, "But it is also hard for the mountain god to protect the world. Therefore, every few years, people have to choose the most beautiful girl to marry the mountain god and express their gratitude. It can also bless the world with smooth weather in the next few years. ”

"Then why do you want to marry a girl to the mountain god every few years? Aren't you already married? "Although Xin Mao is young, his mind is obviously clear.

Her mother was stunned for a moment, not knowing how to answer her son.

But his father slapped the table heavily, "Eat, what are so many words." ”

Xin Mao was obviously more afraid of his father, so he didn't dare to ask again, but a pair of big eyes turned around, obviously calculating something.

Xin Niangzi ignored Xin Mao's troubles and continued to chat with Xin Dalang, "In the past few years, the temper of the mountain god has become worse and worse, and it is not easy to find girls." I heard that this time Yu Shenpo took a high price of 20 taels of silver as a dowry! ”

Xin Mao coughed heavily and scolded, "It's all money for sin." ”

Mrs. Xin will no longer interface.

Twenty taels of silver!

The number struck Citronella's heart like a bolt of lightning.

Aster, aster and his mother need twenty taels of silver.

The lemongrass quickly raked a few mouthfuls of rice paste into his mouth, not knowing what it tasted like. She thought about it for a long time, but she still couldn't hold back, and asked her stepmother, "Then if you marry the mountain god, can you still go home and have a look?" Will you be beaten? ”

Her stepmother didn't expect her to ask this, so she glanced at her, "I don't know how many girls have married the mountain god over the years, they all carry the big red sedan chair of eight people up, and then go to pick up the sedan chair back in seven days." That's it. ”

Finished?! Lemongrass didn't understand, and she asked blankly, "So, what about the bride?" ”

Her stepmother sneered, "Bride? Probably become an immortal from now on. No one ever saw it anyway. After a few years, the mountain god lost his temper, so he sent another girl up. ”

Xin Mao smiled and shouted, "The bride becomes an immortal, and the bride becomes an immortal." ”

There was only lemongrass, his face was pale, and his fingers were clutching the chopsticks tightly, as if he was frightened.

Twenty taels of silver.

It turned out that twenty taels of silver was the money to buy a life!