Chapter 80: New Year’s Greetings

Chapter 80: New Year's Greetings

Yu Lanyi was comforted by his father, Mr. Yu, and his mood gradually improved.

He returned to his room, reading the letter Zheng Shanci had written to him, lying on the bed, tossing and turning restlessly. He had prepared a box for Zheng Shanci, containing clothes, a jade crown, and accessories he had bought for him in the capital. As for food, it was mostly impossible to bring back, as it would spoil and rot on the way.

"Young Master, are you thinking of your husband again?" Jin Yun brought over some bird's nest tonic.

Since Yu Lanyi returned from Xinfeng County for the New Year, Mr. Yu had been doting on him, preparing daily tonics to boost his health. Though Yu Lanyi was in good health, Mr. Yu still had the kitchen prepare these tonics, knowing Yu Lanyi wouldn’t have such nourishments once he returned to Xinfeng County.

"In the capital, I miss Zheng Shanci, and when I return to Xinfeng County, I miss my father, dad, and eldest brother," Yu Lanyi said as he got up to drink the bird's nest tonic. "Even on his days off, my eldest brother doesn’t rest. I don’t know what to do when I’m with him."

Despite saying this, Yu Lanyi went to play with Yu Zhangxing in the afternoon.

Yu Zhangxing took him shopping, covering all expenses and carrying the bags. The Marquis of Changyang’s shops earned year-end dividends and rents, and since Yu Zhangxing didn't spend much throughout the year, he now had extra money to spoil Yu Lanyi.

"Eldest Brother, you’re spoiling me," Yu Lanyi said, feigning modesty.

Yu Zhangxing just smiled.

As they ventured out, they inevitably bumped into familiar faces, all of whom had grown up in the capital and knew each other well. They already knew Yu Lanyi had returned for the New Year and that his commoner husband had been praised by the Emperor. With Yu Zhangxing beside him, everyone greeted him courteously, and no awkward situations arose.

Many young men cast longing glances at Yu Zhangxing, filled with regret, wishing they were the ones engaged to him.

Yu Lanyi walked back with Yu Zhangxing and couldn’t help but ask, "Eldest Brother, why did you choose An Geer over others?"

Yu Zhangxing replied, "Compared to the rest, I thought he’d be the best fit."

Yu Lanyi nodded, reaching out to catch a falling snowflake.

"Alright, we’ve finished shopping. Let’s not linger out in the cold," Yu Zhangxing said with a smile.

Yu Lanyi had Yu Zhangxing carry the bags to his room. After Yu Zhangxing left, he opened the gift boxes and tried on the new jewelry. Ever since returning home, he’d splurged on several boxes of new jewelry, all paid for by his dad and eldest brother, so he hadn’t spent any of his own money.

During the New Year, the Marquis of Changyang’s family visited the Duke of Ying’s residence to celebrate and stay up late together. The old Duke and Duchess observed the younger generation with pride. The younger ones had all found their places—He Ming was engaged, Yu Zhangxing was engaged, and perhaps next year they would have two grandchildren. The thought filled the old Duke with contentment.

The younger generation was promising, and with the Duke of Ying’s residence and the Marquis of Changyang’s residence being connected by marriage, they could support each other and maintain the family's status. The younger ones all exchanged New Year's greetings.

"Alright, He Tong, take them to do what young people enjoy, like setting off firecrackers. We'll listen to some operas here. Those who enjoy opera can stay," the Duchess said, letting her eldest grandson lead the younger ones away.

He Tong led his younger siblings away, and He Xin pulled her husband along to set off firecrackers. The Duchess thought for a moment and decided to stay with the elders to watch the opera.

Seeing this, the Duchess nodded unconsciously, her eyes filled with satisfaction.

Yu Lanyi, however, couldn’t care less about these things. He loved setting off firecrackers and fireworks the most. He grabbed some fireworks, lit them, and ran away as they exploded in the air with a loud bang.

"Lan Yi, you didn’t even warn us before setting off the fireworks," He Xin covered her ears and looked up at the sky. "They're so beautiful."

Yu Lanyi said happily, "Cousin, I'm going to set off a lot more firecrackers now."

He Xin laughed, "You little rascal, still acting like a child."

Yu Lanyi went to light the firecrackers, and the courtyard was filled with the sound of crackling. The servants of the Duke's residence stood in the corridor, smiling as they watched the fireworks and chatted among themselves.

The old Duke said, "We're watching the opera now. We don’t need so many people to serve us. You can all go."

The Duke of Ying’s residence treated its servants with kindness, never resorting to harshness, and always showing consideration for them. Hearing this, the servants bowed and left, leaving only a few to attend to the elders.

The Duchess listened to the opera, leisurely cracking melon seeds.

The younger generation set off firecrackers and fireworks with great enthusiasm, and when the time was almost up, they all returned to the house to prepare for the New Year's Eve vigil.

Yu Lanyi was feeling drowsy, but Yu Zhangxing, who was used to night shifts at the palace, was not sleepy at all. The entire family stayed up together to observe the New Year's Eve vigil. Mr. Yu quietly reached out and tugged at Yu Lanyi, urging him to stay awake.

Yu Lanyi had no choice but to endure his drowsiness. He dreaded the New Year's Eve vigil the most. If he were in Xinfeng County, Zheng Shanci would definitely be dozing off with him.

He Tong didn't feel sleepy, and even if he did, he suppressed it by pressing his fist against his lips. He Ming, on the other hand, nodded off like a drowsy chicken, until the Duchess privately pinched him, jolting him awake and banishing all sleepiness.

While Yu Lanyi struggled through the vigil, Zheng Shanci also joined in the New Year's Eve observance. As Yu Lanyi had guessed, Zheng Shanci was also dozing off. Lin Geer, being in the late stages of pregnancy, couldn't stay up late and thus didn't join. Only the three brothers stayed up together. Zheng Shancheng pretended not to notice Zheng Shanci's drowsiness and simply let him sleep.

As the eldest brother, Zheng Shancheng gave both Zheng Shanci and Zheng Qingyin lucky money.

Zheng Shanci felt a bit embarrassed, as he was already an adult. He said, "Thank you, big brother."

Zheng Qingyin, being the youngest in the family, received lucky money from both Zheng Shancheng and Zheng Shanci.

Zheng Shanci added, "This includes your second sister-in-law's share as well."

Zheng Qingyin smiled and accepted it.

When the vigil ended, they each returned to their rooms. When Zheng Shancheng returned to his room, the candles were still lit, and Lin Geer was already sound asleep in bed. After washing up, Zheng Shancheng gently touched Lin Geer's belly, blew out the candles, and went to sleep.

Zheng Qingyin had little to miss, only briefly thinking of his father and dad before falling asleep. The New Year's festivities were tiring, and he was tired from the day's events. Zheng Shanci also went to sleep as soon as he returned to his room.

The next morning, it was time for visiting relatives and friends. The Zheng family had no relatives in the area, so it was mostly officials from the county government who came to offer New Year's greetings to Zheng Shanci, and there were many of them.

Lin Geer needed to rest due to her pregnancy, and with the second sister-in-law not at home, all the miscellaneous tasks fell to Zheng Qingyin. At first, he was a bit overwhelmed, but his training at the textile factory helped him quickly adapt.

Many wives and husbands praised Zheng Qingyin.

"Young Master Zheng is truly capable and skilled in managing the household," most of them said, flattering Zheng Qingyin.

Zheng Qingyin knew well his own limitations. Though pleased by the praise, he knew he still had much to learn and remained humble. Zheng Shanci was speaking with Scribe Jiang, who asked, "Has Young Master Yu not returned yet?"

"The journey is long. He will depart in spring and should arrive by early summer," Zheng Shanci replied, sharing a drink with Scribe Jiang. Zheng Shanci then noticed Patriarch Gao calling out to him.

Patriarch Gao was slightly taken aback, "Lord Zheng, is there something you need to instruct?"

"I must thank Patriarch Gao for supporting the county government with the clay bricks."

Patriarch Gao smiled with delight, "Lord Zheng, you're too kind. It's my duty."

Zheng Shanci smiled and said, "I heard Patriarch Gao used to have a pharmacy in your family. Would you like to collaborate with the county government to purchase medicinal herbs? After all, sometimes the county government can't handle all the herb procurement alone."

A carrot after the stick.

Patriarch Gao quickly nodded. Regardless of what Zheng Shanci offered, Patriarch Gao wanted to first ease the relationship with him, so that future plans could be made gradually. Currently, Patriarch Xu and Patriarch Xia had already gained significant advantages by following Zheng Shanci. Not only had the Qi and Cheng family businesses been connected for a long time, but Zheng Shanci had also entrusted part of the glass and perfume sales to the Xu family's merchant group. Since glass and perfume were still rare, this was a way for the Xu family's merchant group to pave the way.

Patriarch Gao also wanted a share of the pie.

Now he realized that Zheng Shanci was indeed capable. Moreover, as a noble son-in-law of the Marquis's household, he had come here for political achievements. The Qi and Cheng families had blocked Zheng Shanci's path and suffered for it. The Gao family should avoid following in their footsteps.

"Happy New Year, Lord Zheng."

"Happy New Year, Lord Zheng."

Zheng Shanci exchanged greetings with everyone. As the New Year's snow fell, they were all in high spirits, exchanging New Year's greetings and gifts before heading home.

"Lord Zheng is as gentle as jade, with only Young Master Yu as his husband. It's truly enviable," some young men said, their voices filled with longing. The previous year, Yu Lanyi had been by Zheng Shanci's side, and they hadn't said much. But this year, seeing Yu Lanyi absent from Zheng Shanci's side, their thoughts began to stir.

"What are you talking about? Young Master Yu comes from such a distinguished family, Lord Zheng wouldn't dare to seek a mistress outside," one of the young men retorted.

Xu Geer closed his eyes to rest, avoiding their conversation. Even without Lan Yi present, Lord Zheng wouldn't keep a mistress. Sometimes, marrying, taking concubines, or keeping a mistress depends on one's personal habits and preferences. It was clear that Lord Zheng's mind wasn't on such matters. There was no point in wasting effort and risking offense to Lan Yi.

He chose not to speak, fearing they might think he didn’t understand their struggles.

With no official duties during the New Year, the people of Xinfeng County enjoyed the rare festive atmosphere. Shops along the streets were decorated with red silk, and some goods were sold at discounted prices during the holiday. Many people seized the chance to buy daily necessities at a discount.

After sending off the guests, Zheng Shanci felt relieved. With several days of vacation left, he wanted to unwind.

Zheng Qingyin: "Second Brother, here’s their gift list."

"Hand it to Lan Yi when he returns," Zheng Shanci said as he took the list and put it away. He then asked, "With nothing to do these days, where would you like to go for fun, Qingyin?"

"I just want to stay at home," Zheng Qingyin laughed. "I’ve already seen all the new things when we went shopping for New Year goods together, and they don’t feel fresh anymore. But I do enjoy watching the lion dance at night."

"Alright, then we'll go out tonight," Zheng Shanci agreed happily.

During this time, Zheng Shanci didn’t have many relatives to visit, but Yu Lanyi in the capital had many. At each stop, he had to exchange greetings and answer questions about how life was in Xinfeng County and how Zheng Shanci had earned the Emperor's favor.

Yu Lanyi could answer questions about how life was, but when it came to how Zheng Shanci had earned the Emperor's favor, he couldn't say much.

He simply said, "I usually don’t know about his affairs. He doesn’t discuss them when he comes home from work."

Some thought he was being pretentious, but after hearing his words, they didn’t press further.

After Yu Lanyi had visited all his relatives for New Year, Mr. Yu noticed his exhaustion and chuckled, "What's wrong? I've never seen you so tired before."

"Last year, we celebrated the New Year in Xinfeng County, where we had few relatives. After the county officials finished paying their respects to Zheng Shanci, we could rest. But back home, visiting relatives has kept me busy," Yu Lanyi sighed.

Mr. Yu laughed at Yu Lanyi's tone, "I think it’s because your husband isn’t with you, so visiting relatives isn’t as fun."

Yu Lanyi raised an eyebrow, "If Zheng Shanci were here, I’d let him do the visiting while I relax."

Mr. Yu laughed.

After they finished visiting relatives and returned home, Ye Yunchu brought Yu Shiyan to pay a New Year’s visit the next morning. Yu Shiyan had initially resisted, refusing Ye Yunchu at the mansion, "You know my relationship with them. Why are you making me go and humiliate myself?"

Ye Yunchu replied, "Even if it’s just for show, you should at least visit the Marquis of Changyang’s residence. We'll just deliver gifts and not stay for lunch. We’ll eat at home."

Eating at home wasn't much better, as they had to dine with the prince and princess during the New Year. In the past, they had more freedom eating in their own courtyard. The princess restrained herself in front of Ye Yunchu and didn’t humiliate Yu Shiyan by making him stand beside her like a servant to serve food.

So Yu Shiyan followed Ye Yunchu to the Marquis of Changyang’s residence. Mr. Yu greeted them indifferently and invited them to sit, while the Marquis of Changyang remained smiling.

Ye Yunchu handed the gifts to a servant and bowed, "Greetings to my father-in-law, and Happy New Year."

Yu Shiyan followed suit.

Yu Lanyi noticed that Yu Shiyan looked pale, lacking the sharpness he usually had in the mansion, and instead appeared somewhat delicate. He had heard from others that Yu Shiyan had been taken as a concubine by Ye Yunchu. To be honest, he was somewhat surprised, as he had always thought Ye Yunchu had genuine feelings for Yu Shiyan. Moreover, Yu Lanyi knew that Yu Shiyan disliked his status as an illegitimate child and would never want his own children to suffer the same fate.

When Yu Shiyan saw Yu Lanyi, he said, "Hello, Second Brother." He also greeted Yu Zhangxing.

Yu Zhangxing nodded.

This was the first time Ye Yunchu had seen Yu Lanyi since his marriage, so he followed Yu Shiyan's lead and called him "Second Brother."

Yu Lanyi acknowledged him. Ye Yunchu chatted with the Marquis of Changyang for a while, and Yu Lanyi observed Ye Yunchu. He used to think highly of Ye Yunchu, but now he seemed no different from before—still gentle, elegant, handsome, and from a prominent family.

But Yu Lanyi no longer felt anything for him.

"Father, Dad, I'll go back to my room now."

Mr. Yu waved his hand, "Go ahead."

Unlike Yu Lanyi, Yu Zhangxing wasn't as impulsive or laid-back. He still had to entertain Ye Yunchu and Yu Shiyan. After a few words, Ye Yunchu said, "There are still matters at home, we'll visit another day."

Hearing this, Mr. Yu's expression softened, "Family comes first, feel free to go."

Ye Yunchu and Yu Shiyan then took their leave. Sitting in the carriage on the way home, Yu Shiyan remained silent. He lifted the carriage curtain, feeling a chill and hearing the cheerful sounds of the crowd. He stared blankly outside.

"Shiyan, what's wrong?" Ye Yunchu pulled down the curtain, "It's so cold outside, you shouldn't look."

With his view completely blocked, Yu Shiyan said nothing. It seemed he was the only one stuck in the same place.