In ancient times before the Song Dynasty, there were no such things as toy dolls; small clay figurines and the like were considered inauspicious. However, the Great Qian Kingdom, somewhat resembling the Ming Dynasty, didn't fuss over such matters. Not only were there small clay figures and wooden dolls, but there were also cloth dolls, especially the smuggled Japanese dolls, which were very popular. As a result, carving a wooden doll as a gift also became a hobby for many young people.
Qian Yixiu opened the purse and indeed it contained a varnished little wooden doll. She had thought it would be carved in her likeness, but to her surprise, it depicted Uncle Liang himself. The small doll wore a troubled expression and even held its hands together in a fist, as if to apologize.
The carving was lifelike, yet somewhat exaggerated, prompting Zi Zhu to burst into giggles.
