The statue held a golden盘龙 (coiling dragon) scepter in its right hand and a golden chain in its left. It would not let any evil person escape. Its eyes glared at the world, expressionless, yet seeing everything. Wherever there was injustice, it struck.
Behind it, auspicious clouds looked like flames. Though lucky, they gave a feeling of hating evil. Two children stood beside it. One had kind eyes, the other angry eyes. This showed the King’s angry look but kind heart, rewarding and punishing fairly.
“Ani.” A Guang walked in. She saw Zhu Yanyi closing her eyes, as if thinking.
Zhu Yanyi slowly opened her eyes and smiled. “This Mingwang Hall is really different.”
“It is different, Ani. Do you have time for New Year’s Eve?” A Guang asked quickly.
Zhu Yanyi nodded slightly. “I will come here for the New Year. Don’t worry. I will attend the consecration of the Immovable King on New Year’s Eve.”
“That’s great. Will you pull the red silk to reveal the statue?” A Guang asked eagerly.
Zhu Yanyi looked at A Guang deeply. “Uncle A Guang, you really squeeze every bit of labor out of me.” Then she smiled. “Okay, I will pull the red silk. When is the consecration time?”
“Uncle A Zhong calculated it. Three to five in the afternoon is the best time on New Year’s Eve. We will consecrate then,” A Guang said quickly.
Zhu Yanyi nodded. “Okay. I will come after lunch.”
After returning from the Guanyin Temple, Zhu Yanyi walked to Xie Zhong’s house. She saw Luo Ying taking things off a bicycle. “Second Aunt.”
“Ani is back. Good, help me carry these things quickly.” Luo Ying generously asked Zhu Yanyi for help. Zhu Yanyi helped carry them. There was nearly half a side of pork and three loach fish, each about ten jin. “Second Aunt, you are buying New Year goods today?” The fish and meat seemed bought a bit early.
“New Year goods must be prepared early. But these were distributed by our soy sauce factory. This year I got twenty-seven jin of fish and thirty-five jin of meat.” Luo Ying smiled. Since joining the soy sauce factory, her life had become easier. “And a box of apples and a box of oranges.”
Zhu Yanyi nodded. “That’s nice. Getting them early means you don’t need to buy or can buy less.”
“Exactly. Your uncle is getting married soon. Getting more is useful.” Luo Ying did not mind Xie Chengyu using family things, nor paying for his wedding. Luo Ying was truly a wonderful daughter-in-law.
“Ani, you are here.” Xie Zhong walked in, holding two bottles of wine. “Grandpa, didn’t you go to a meeting? Why buy wine? We brought our own fruit wine.”
“I met your godfather on the way. He gave this to me.” Xie Zhong smiled. “We have plenty of wine at home. Why would I buy more?”
“I see. I thought Grandpa bought wine randomly again. You should drink less wine,” Zhu Yanyi said seriously to Xie Zhong.
Xie Zhong chuckled. “Alright. It’s been half a year. You’ve become a little housekeeper, nagging endlessly.”
“If it were someone else, I wouldn’t bother nagging,” Zhu Yanyi said, lifting her chin proudly.
Xie Zhong laughed loudly, rubbed Zhu Yanyi’s head, handed the wine to Qi Qiao’er who came out, and then led Zhu Yanyi and her two siblings to the study.