Chapter 165: The Beginning of the New Year

Chapter 165: The Beginning of the New Year

Du Yunse carefully closed the door to the birthing room, instructing Xing Mi and the wet nurse to pay close attention to any movements inside, in case Qiu Huanian woke up suddenly and called for someone.

Bai Quan brought over the New Year couplets Du Yunse had written a few days prior, with two young servants applying the paste. Du Yunse personally took charge of pasting the bright red couplets on the doors throughout the inner and outer courtyards, not even neglecting the small bed of the kitten.

Finally, he arrived at the main gate to paste the couplets there. Chun Sheng and Yun Ying were setting off firecrackers at the entrance, while Jiu Jiu, Cun Lan, and Yuan Ruo stood in the courtyard watching.

Chun Sheng lit the fuse of a firecracker the size of a palm with an incense stick and quickly tossed it into the air. The firecracker exploded with a loud crack, filling the air with white smoke and the scent of gunpowder.

Yun Ying clapped her hands in delight, and Chun Sheng grinned proudly, glancing at his friends inside the gate.

"Yuan Ruo, come and light some firecrackers! What are you doing standing with the girls? You're turning ten this year, why are you still so timid?" Chun Sheng teased, laughing.

Yuan Ruo covered his ears with both hands, shaking his head repeatedly from his spot in the courtyard, refusing to move no matter how Chun Sheng teased him.

Cun Lan, however, couldn't stand it any longer. She pushed up her sleeves and strode over, snatching the incense stick from Chun Sheng's hand.

"Who do you think you're looking down on, little Chun Sheng? Watch me light a big one!"

"Hey! Hey! I was saving that—"

"Whoosh—crack!"

The large firecracker, calf-high, which Chun Sheng had been reluctant to set off, was ignited by Cun Lan. It shot into the air and exploded with a deafening bang that echoed down the alley.

Everyone except Chun Sheng burst into laughter. Chun Sheng took a deep breath and couldn't help laughing too.

As he laughed, he caught sight of Du Yunse appearing at the arched gate and immediately straightened up, his expression turning serious.

"Elder Brother."

Hearing this, Jiu Jiu and the others turned around and, upon seeing Du Yunse behind them, all stood straight to greet him.

Du Yunse didn't pay much attention to what the children were playing, but after pasting the couplets, he reminded them, "Brother Hua is sleeping, so keep it down."

Chun Sheng nodded obediently, "We're only setting off firecrackers at the main gate for a little while. We tested it earlier; the inner courtyard can't hear it."

Du Yunse patted Chun Sheng on the shoulder and then turned to leave. Chun Sheng watched his elder brother's retreating figure, feeling a strong sense of where he had been patted, and couldn't help but grin.

Yuan Ruo, who had sidled up to Chun Sheng, remarked, "Your brother approves of you."

"Ah, Yuan Ruo! You scared me!"

Yuan Ruo rolled his eyes, his round, cat-like eyes beneath his pearl-studded forehead ribbon showing disdain.

"Who was laughing at me for being timid earlier? Looks like you're the real scaredy-cat."

Chun Sheng snorted, still basking in his joy.

Chun Sheng was a child born after his father's death, having lost his father, Du Baoyan, before he was even born. From the moment he came into the world, he had never seen his father. As the saying goes, an elder brother is like a father, and in Chun Sheng's heart, his elder brother Du Yunse, who was a full thirteen years older, had always taken on the role of a father figure.

At the end of the old year and the beginning of the new, receiving recognition from his elder brother lit a fire in Chun Sheng's heart.

Starting tomorrow, he would be ten years old in nominal age. From now on, he would strive to be an impressive adult, someone who would make Gu Gu and Yang Yang proud of their uncle!

...

By the afternoon, the Du residence received another wave of gifts from the palace—freshly slaughtered beef, including a large piece of brisket and a large piece of rib, totaling over ten pounds.

Oxen are essential for farming, and slaughtering oxen privately is illegal in the Yu Dynasty. Most common folks never get to taste beef in their entire lives, and even high officials and nobles have to wait for the right opportunity to enjoy it.

In the capital, few ministers receive beef as a reward from the palace, and Du Yunse was the lowest-ranking official among them. Once the news spread, many people secretly envied and resented him. It wasn’t about the beef itself but the status and prestige it symbolized.

Qiu Huanian woke up in the late afternoon and, upon hearing that the family had received beef, became instantly excited. He specifically summoned Yinchuan and old lady Jin to instruct them on how to prepare the beef.

"With so many people at home this year, let’s cook all the meat in one go. It’s the New Year, so you should also get to taste some."

"Make a braised beef brisket, a dish of beef strips, and a stir-fried beef with scallions. Save some beef to mince for West Lake beef soup."

The dishes that are usually out of reach become even more delicious in memory. As Qiu Huanian explained the recipes, his cravings were already stirring in his heart.

"For the West Lake beef soup, whisk the egg whites thoroughly, add extra pepper, and finely chop the coriander from the palace to mix in."

"Use the beef ribs for the beef strips. Stew them for an extra half hour until they are tender and fall apart easily. After slicing, put them in a wok and thicken the sauce. Don’t forget to add soy sauce and sugar."

Yinchuan and old lady Jin were used to Qiu Huanian’s cooking tips. With his guidance, they already knew how to prepare the dishes.

Several large stoves in the kitchen were lit simultaneously. The beef was stewed for a solid two hours, and by the time the brisket and beef strips were taken out, they were tender and soft. The braised pork knuckle was so tender that the skin fell apart at the touch of chopsticks.

In addition to these time-consuming dishes, the New Year’s Eve dinner also included emerald shrimp balls, spicy stir-fried chicken, steamed sea fish, scallops with vermicelli... each dish a hearty feast.

As evening fell, Xing Mi came to announce that the New Year’s Eve dinner was ready in the main hall of the front courtyard. Qiu Huanian put the two sleeping babies back in their cradles and called for the wet nurse.

"Thanks for staying here to watch the kids during the New Year. I’ll have someone bring you some dishes later."

The wet nurse quickly smiled and said it was no trouble, and she meant it. She lived in the southern part of the capital, not particularly wealthy. To supplement her family’s income, she became a wet nurse six months after her third child was born, once the baby could eat porridge with goat’s milk.

After her first two children, she had also worked as a wet nurse for wealthy families. Back then, she had to care for the master’s children around the clock, always ready to breastfeed, while also facing constant scrutiny and criticism.

This time, working as a wet nurse for Qishu County Princess’s kids at the Du residence, the princess breastfed the children herself during the day, and the wet nurse was only needed at night. Usually, the children were cared for by the princess and Du Yunse themselves, and she only had to step in when they weren’t around. Compared to her past gigs, this was a breeze.

Sometimes, the princess, fearing she might miss her family, would even give her time off to visit her own children!

The wet nurse sat on a small stool by the cradle, looking at the two exquisitely carved, snow-white babies, and hummed a lullaby, thinking of her own children with joy.

Qishu County Princess was generous. When she first arrived at the residence, she received a five-tael silver deposit, and after the children were born, she received another ten-tael reward. Together, this was enough to send her ten-year-old eldest son to a private school.

She was determined to give the two young masters the best care possible. If there were more rewards in the future, she would save them for her second daughter’s dowry.

...

The New Year’s Eve dinner was set up in the main hall of the front courtyard. The front courtyard’s main hall was a spacious room with five sections, covering about a hundred square meters. It was usually unoccupied and served as a reception area for guests.

For the first time, the number of people dining together exceeded ten, and a large round table made of rosewood, three meters in diameter, was used. Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse sat at the head of the table, with Bao Yi and Ye Taohong on the left, and Yuan Jia on the right. The five children—Jiu Jiu, Chun Sheng, Cun Lan, Yun Ying, and Yuan Ruo—sat at the lower end.

The round table was laden with eight cold dishes, eight hot dishes, eight meat dishes, and eight vegetarian dishes, totaling sixteen dishes. Among them were delicacies from land and sea, their aromas wafting into everyone’s noses, making mouths water just by looking at them.

Although Ye Taohong and Bao Yi were already a military couple with the rank of trial centurion, they came from humble backgrounds and had spent most of their time at the border. They had never seen such a grand display, and their hearts were filled with mixed emotions and endless thoughts.

Before the formal dinner began, there was the New Year’s greetings activity, which was Qiu Huanian’s "beloved" year-end summary session.

Jiu Jiu and Chun Sheng both knew what their Brother Hua would ask during the New Year’s greetings, so they had warned the others in advance. Thus, during the greetings, everyone proactively shared their year-end summaries and plans for the coming year.

Jiu Jiu said she wanted to seriously study clothing and jewelry next year. Chun Sheng vowed to continue practicing martial arts and hoped to engage in real combat soon. Cun Lan wanted to take advantage of the peaceful life in the capital to read more books. Yun Ying, being Chun Sheng’s loyal follower, declared he would do whatever Chun Sheng did.

Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse gave each of them a red envelope containing newly minted silver peanuts engraved with the character for "fortune."

Bao Yi and Ye Taohong also prepared New Year’s money for the younger generation, but instead of giving it to Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse, they skipped a generation and gave it to Gu Gu and Yang Yang.

"In our hometown's custom, once you get married and have children, you no longer receive lucky money; instead, it's given to the children."

Bao Yi, having drunk two cups of weak wine, his scarred face glowing red, said, "Yun Se, Brother Hua... you really have made it! Our Du Village, which has been digging in the dirt for a living for generations, has actually produced such remarkable people like you. I owe my current status to your influence..."

"If father knew—" Bao Yi stammered a couple of times and then fell silent.

The incidents of corvée labor and Yun Ying nearly being harmed have forever created a rift between Bao Yi and his father, the village head. Bao Yi's resentment towards his father is something he might never resolve. For the past two years, they have been sending letters and money back home but have never returned to visit.

Ye Taohong served Bao Yi a large piece of braised pork, "You haven't eaten much, yet you've already downed half a bowl of that devilish liquor. Eat some braised pork to settle your stomach, don't get drunk now."

Bao Yi chuckled a few times, then buried his head in his food, chewing heartily.

...

After the Lunar New Year's Eve, the 24th year of Yuanhua officially began. The first few days of the New Year were a peak time for socializing, with various people coming to the Du residence to pay New Year's visits.

Fortunately, Jiu Jiu, who was thirteen by Chinese reckoning, was already considered a young lady in ancient times. Over the years, she had been trained by Qiu Huanian and was fully capable of managing the household on her own.

For ordinary guests, Jiu Jiu would refer the male guests to her elder brother Du Yunse, while the women would be invited to her courtyard, where she and Cun Lan would chat with them for a while before politely seeing them off.

Only a few old friends would be taken to the inner courtyard to chat with Qiu Huanian and meet Gu Gu and Yang Yang.

After the Spring Festival holiday, Jiu Jiu made a name for herself in the social circles of the capital. Previously, people only knew that Du Yunse had a teenage sister, but now they knew what she was like.

Seeing Du Yunse and Qiu Huanian making a name for themselves in the capital, their status becoming more stable, many families began to consider marriage proposals, sending invitations to test the waters, including well-bred young men from truly wealthy families.

However, what they didn't know was that the invitations to the Du residence were recently handled by Jiu Jiu herself. After reading them, she felt uncomfortable and simply tossed them under a pile of clutter.

Cun Lan, looking at those invitations that were destined to be forgotten, was both amused and surprised, "You just hide them like that, without showing them to your two elder brothers?"

Jiu Jiu smiled, "You don't understand, Brother Hua would be furious if he saw them. I'll just mention it to my elder brother later, letting him know about the situation."

The reason Qiu Huanian would be furious was, of course, because he was reluctant to part with his own 'little treasure'. Even though in the eyes of people back then, a thirteen-year-old Jiu Jiu was already a marriageable young lady, in Qiu Huanian's heart, she was still a junior high school girl, far from the age of engagement and marriage.

Cun Lan sighed, "They say that children without a mother are not loved. In the village, I heard rumors of elder sisters-in-law mistreating their younger sisters-in-law, but Brother Hua really treats you like his own sister."

Jiu Jiu modestly remained silent, but her raised lips and light steps betrayed her inner feelings.

By the ninth day of the first lunar month, the New Year holiday at the government offices was about to end, and Du Yunse was to return to the Hanlin Academy the next day. Qiu Huanian heard a very shocking piece of news.

The primary wife of Prince Jin had given birth to the prince's eldest son over a month ago. The child suffered from the same rare illness as the crown prince, and Prince Jin had submitted a memorial, hoping that the Yuanhua Emperor would issue an edict to seek famous doctors from all over the world to cure his young son.