Chapter One The Hawthorn is Red

  "Kneel down before me, you unfilial son!"

  With a loud crack, Old Man Qiao slapped his hand on the table, causing everyone to be shocked.

  Who doesn't know that Qiao family's second young master, Qiao Feng, is Third Master's most favorite son?

  Actually, since receiving the letter from home and asking him to return home for a trip, Qiao Xiangwen had a faint feeling that something was not quite right. He thought of many possibilities, but never thought of this one in front of him.

  As long as his parents were safe and sound, the Qiao family's farm was like a patch of green grass that had survived the winter, spreading out in all directions. With his father's various tactics, although the villagers and neighbors had many complaints, they at least put on a polite face and got along peacefully.

  You expand yours, I harvest mine; you plant and I reap; you buy and I sell.

  Chenjiaji is indeed the largest town in southern Shandong, with a larger population and area than surrounding towns. Every time there's a market, the streets are bustling, not inferior to the county seat. Even if the wolf smoke rises nearby, the Japanese iron hooves have trampled all over northeast China and are moving towards north China.

  In the upper street of Chenjiaji, there is a temple called Shenxian Palace. Inside the temple, a Bodhisattva is enshrined, commonly referred to as "Yunü" (Jade Maiden) Bodhisattva in private. She is in charge of giving birth to children and is extremely popular among worshipers.

  Whether you believe it or not, at least many of the old men in Chenjia Village did.

  Every year on the 19th of the second lunar month, it is the birthday of the "Yu" "Nu" Bodhisattva. On that day, the villagers and merchants of Chenjiaji and nearby towns are very devout, carrying the god's plaque out for a procession, with music and drums filling the air. The shops in the town will also be lined up along the street to offer sacrifices and worship, praying for prosperity and good business.

  In the old society, there was no family planning, and having many children brought good fortune, especially for farming families, who relied on physical labor, making sons even more precious.

  During the procession, a local dignitary with prestige is elected to receive the god and preside over the worship ceremony. Afterwards, the village will also invite a troupe to perform for about ten days.

  Hehe, if Chenjia Village is a pearl in southern Shandong, then hawthorn is the pride of Chenjia Village people!

  Every September and October, the mountain is full of red hawthorn, making the whole Chenjia Village look red.

  Everywhere can be seen the mountain hawthorn trees are full of tender and juicy fruit, tempting people to love. Chenjia Village's mountain hawthorn is bigger than other places, exceptionally plump, smooth and round, with a sour taste, after entering the mouth and chewing carefully, there is a sweet intention surging up.

  The hawthorn on the roadside branches has grown longer, and it will bend the branches. Passersby can pick them up with a stretch of their hands. The enthusiastic people of Chenjia Village never mind, seeing people coming and going from all directions, they always let them pick and taste, even if they don't buy, they are still happy.

  Shandong fellow villagers, from ancient times to the present, are known for their bold and enthusiastic hospitality.

  The wonderful uses and beauty of hawthorn have inspired many scholars to sing its praises, reciting poems in a low voice. Among them, the most famous is Lu You's poem "Cultivating the Garden":

  Small plots of land are cultivated extensively, and crops are grown with great effort.

  The earth is loose and suitable for rain, the roots are weak and afraid of the sound of the hoe.

  The red fruit is ripe, and the clear 'yin' is also gradually formed.

  Every day is a pleasant surprise, chatting with you is a delightful experience.

  Some people cultivate it, while others collect and transport it to other places.

  Hawthorn can not only be eaten raw, but also made into hawthorn cake and hawthorn wine. Some people process it and package it in a paper box, one bag at a time, and the price immediately skyrockets.

  The 'medicine' on the collection is even more exceptional, after removing the Chenpi impurities from the hawthorn, cutting it into thin slices, adding lotus leaves and malt, and mixing in some brown sugar, it becomes a good prescription for treating many stubborn diseases.

  Of course, in Chenjia Village, if you are asked whose family has the most fields, whose family has the most houses, and which family produces the most hawthorns, if you can't answer, you will definitely be laughed at.

  Third Uncle!

  The great name of Qiao Da Fu is that he has presided over the temple fair for several consecutive sessions, and all the men, women, old and young of Chenjia Village know him.

  Of course, after kindly laughing, they will continue to ask another sentence, so who is the most famous person in Chenjiaji's history?

  Whether or not they have read the book, people intentionally or unintentionally bring up Wang Xizhi, a great calligrapher of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, who is the golden signboard of Chenjiashan.

  Whenever Wang Xizhi is mentioned, no one can help but feel a deep respect. It's said that some people have tried repeatedly to verify their ancestry, but in the end, they were unable to establish a connection with this Sage of Calligraphy through their family tree.

  Wang Xizhi's household registration is Chenjia Village, and the historical records have clear records. However, what everyone cannot verify is that in this largest town in southern Shandong, why there are rarely any relics or calligraphy of the Sage of Calligraphy.

  This conclusion made the old folks depressed and also shocked Jianghu for a long time. What a strange thing!

  Speaking of which, when it comes to Qiao Dafu, although some people admire him, some envy him, and some despise him, no matter how you look at him, you can't help but admit that San Ye has a set.

  Nowadays, the world is different. With strength comes status, and with votes comes the right to speak. No matter how you discuss it, the wealth of the Qiao family continues to grow amidst the praise and criticism of their neighbors.

  The stone lions at the entrance are more than 2 people tall, with their mouths wide open, looking majestic and intimidating. The threshold of the gate is almost as high as a person's knee, indicating that it is the residence of a wealthy family. Upon entering, one sees a large "Fu" character carved on the wall, made of colored glaze, surrounded by mountains, water, and clouds.

  Walking past the wall, I saw that it was a rectangular courtyard with a single color of bluestone pavement. On both sides, there were rows of houses, red lanterns hung high, carved beams and painted rafters, bright pillars and flower windows, all the eaves were raised, making people understand what flying eaves and dougong are.

  The whole courtyard is layered and orderly, with houses sparse and dense, scales overlapping, depicting dragons and phoenixes, intricately carved and beautiful, having the style of old Lu Nan, and perfectly showing the prosperity of Qiao's family.

  At this moment, with a height of 1.75 meters, already taller than his father, Xiang Wen proudly lifted his head, refusing to kneel, but looked towards his mother.

  "Come on, Third Master, have a sip of tea to calm down. You should also listen to what Wentong has to say." Amidst the awkward expressions of the crowd and her son's stubborn gaze, Mrs. Qiao slowly got up, poured a full cup of tea for Third Master, handed it to him with a slight bow, and discreetly winked at him.

  The several maidservants beside her looked at this scene with tense expressions, not daring to breathe a word.

  Xing Zhu pulled hard on one corner of her mother's clothes, shaking violently, she wanted to get her mother out of the siege.

  The Qiao and Li families were originally neighbors, but their ancestors had several fights over a few acres of disputed land on the barren mountain. Both sides suffered losses, but in the last fierce battle more than 20 years ago, the Qiao family was killed by the other side, and a man from the Li family was immediately taken away by the government. The two families have been at odds ever since. The county government intervened several times to mediate, but there was no improvement. Although they lived in close proximity, they never interacted with each other again.

  Later, a prestigious private school teacher came up with an idea that alleviated the long-standing grudge and was temporarily passed down as a beautiful story in Chenjia Village.

  That autumn, when the hawthorn was reddest, a sedan chair brought a knowledgeable, beautiful and elegant 'daughter' to the gate of Qiao's family.

  In the sedan chair was Li Hongying, a distant cousin of the Li family next door. The groom was Qiao Dafu, the third young master of the Qiao family.

  Although it's a bit too much like a family affair, what's strange is that on the night of their wedding, Third Master, with a mouthful of wine, lifted up his new bride's red veil and suddenly his eyes widened, his whole body was electrified, and all the intoxication disappeared. All his previous complaints about obeying his parents' orders were gone, vanished into thin air.

  The beautiful bride Li Hongying, in the less than ten years that followed, gave birth to three sons and daughters for Qiao Dafu. The eldest was born very weak and frail, so San Ye repeatedly deliberated before naming him Xiang Wu. The second child was also a son, and his name was easily decided as Xiang Wen. The third child was a daughter, whom Madame Qiao loved dearly, and personally named her Xing Zhu.

  Three kids are not considered many. In rural areas of Linyi, back in the day, it was common to have five or eight kids. People were physically strong and there weren't many entertainment activities anyway.

  Autumn goes and spring comes, the water of Dashah River flows year after year. The hawthorn trees in Chenjiacun turn red season after season. The new bride of that year has long been the general manager of Qiao's family. San Ye only takes care of external affairs. The business of several shops in the market and all household chores are handled by Mrs. Qiao with ease. More than a dozen long workers may have some opinions about San Ye's overbearing behavior, but everyone sincerely admires the generosity and fairness of the "female" master of the Qiao family.

  Seeing his wife's hint, San Ye Yu's anger had not dissipated, and with a slap, he slapped the table again. However, the sound was lighter than the first time, and his fingers pointed at his stubborn son.

  "Why don't you listen to your parents' words?"

  Old Master Qiao is furious!

  Lao Da Zhiwu got married last year, after graduating from university in the provincial city. Qiao San Ye pulled strings and used a lot of effort to get him a job as a translator at a foreign-owned spinning mill. Because he was meticulous and quick-witted, he not only got married but also got promoted by the foreigners to be an assistant.

  What about Lao Er in front of you?

  After studying in the provincial capital for several years, I opened my eyes to a lot of things and absorbed many progressive ideas. I participated in several anti-Japanese demonstrations organized by student associations, protesting against Japanese militarism's invasion of our territory, humiliation of our compatriots. I was filled with hatred towards the Japanese who had occupied the three northeastern provinces and swallowed up large areas of North China.

  The Japanese devils took advantage of the Lugou Bridge Incident to occupy Beiping, and continued to move south along the railway. The school had lost its heart to hold classes, some classmates went to join the National Army to resist Japan, some ran to Yan'an to join the Communist Party, and others worried that Jinan would fall and returned to their hometown.

  A letter from home hurriedly brought him back to Chenjia Village, and what he didn't expect was that his father had arranged a blind date for him.

  Left thinking, right thinking, how could a knowledgeable and cultured young man who has read Tang poetry, Song lyrics, New Youth, Confucius, Lu Xun, and Marx, with lofty aspirations, be tied to the feudal bad habit of arranged marriage?

  What a pity!

  Hey, don't laugh, not to mention Qiao Xiangwen, just in our country alone, there have been more than a few leaders who married child brides or had arranged marriages when they were young.

  At first, I only heard my sister say that it was a line pulled by Father's generation. The other party surnamed Yan, three years younger than herself, and was the eldest daughter of a silver shop in the county town. When I returned home for the New Year that year, I didn't take it seriously after hearing about it, and even found an excuse to return to school ahead of schedule, deliberately not listening to my parents' arrangement to go to Yan's house.

  In other words, up until now, our Second Master has never met Wen and the Miss Yan who is about to get married even once.

  What a 'door' when the household is opposite, heaven and earth are combined, it's clear that father is for business. At this moment, hearing his father's words, he also saw his mother's gaze towards him, behind his mother, his sister Xingzhu winked at him secretly, which was worry and encouragement.

  Xing Zhu is the youngest at home, 7 years younger than his second brother, and the relationship between the two is the closest.

  When I was a kid, my second brother was my sister's idol. No matter what she didn't understand or couldn't do, as long as she asked her second brother, there were no answers that couldn't be obtained. The reason is simple: Qiao Xiangwen liked to read books and think actively.

  All he knew about Miss Yan was what his sister had told him.

  No matter how beautiful you look, what's the use? I want someone who is emotionally compatible and can fly together with me!

  What kind of 'girl' is Miss Yan, and what choice does Qiao Zhenwen make when faced with his father's pressure? Does he obey and take over the family business, or does he have another option? What did he do to make the Qiao family famous again in Lunan, and why did Old Master Qiao suffer a loss of face and shut himself indoors? The story will continue tomorrow.