Ci Jinzhi

 Chapter 375 New Year’s Arrival

On the next day of the Lunar New Year, all civil and military officials will enter the palace to pay New Year greetings to the emperor, and married women will also enter the palace to pay homage to the Queen Mother.

Xinyou stayed at Nuannangyang's home and didn't go out.

She, who is a ninth-grade scholar, is not a serious official. She does not have to rush to the palace to pay New Year's greetings like other officials, trembling in the dark and cold. She also has no royal title, is not recorded in the royal family certificate, and does not need to pay New Year's greetings to the Queen Mother.

 So we have a leisurely New Year.

 In the early morning, the steward of Xin House directed the servants to set off firecrackers at the gate.

Xin You took the maids Xiao Lian and Jiang Shuang to watch the fireworks being set off.

　　When he saw the girl coming, the steward was so excited that he finished lighting the firecrackers and ordered people to bring in the fireworks.

After a sound, the fireworks exploded in the air. Because it was daytime, they were not as bright as the night. Only a shallow stream of light was seen scattered in the breeze.

Even so, Xiaolian and others cheered.

 After returning to the main hall, Xin Zhai lined up to pay New Year greetings to Xin You.

 “Girl, have a prosperous new year.”

 “Girls have good luck all year round.”

 …

Every New Year greeter received a thick red envelope from Xiaolian's hand, and everyone smiled happily.

 After that, the servants went to Princess Zhaoyang’s Mansion and other places with messages of New Year congratulations to pay New Year greetings on behalf of Xin You.

 “Girl, Shopkeeper Hu and others are here.”

Soon, shopkeeper Hu, Liu Zhou, Manager Zhao, Captain Yang and other prominent people from Qingsong Bookstore came in and greeted Xin You with a smile.

Xin You personally gave red envelopes to several people and said thank you for your hard work.

Shopkeeper Hu and others wanted to go elsewhere to pay New Year greetings, so they sat for a while and then left.

 Not long after, the sixth master came with some brothers. These people had no roots in the capital and had no relatives or friends to move around, so Xin You left them to have the New Year dinner together.

 The sixth master responded happily.

Xiao Lian came over and told Xin You: "Girl, so many servants from the house have been sent to pay you New Year greetings today, and the manager can't even collect the New Year greeting cards."

Hearing Xiaolian report a list of people who came to pay New Year's greetings, the Sixth Master's eyes widened when he heard this, and he couldn't help but sigh: "So many high-ranking families came to pay New Year's greetings to the girl!"

Xiao Lian glanced at him and thought that this big guy was quite handsome, but how could he be so silly sometimes.

 To be able to control so many bandits, the Sixth Master is not stupid. He had long noticed that Xiaolian didn't seem to have a good impression of him, so he specially brought a New Year's gift this time.

 You must please the popular person next to the girl so as not to say bad things about him in front of the girl.

 “Sister Xiaolian!” Stopping Xiaolian as she went to the kitchen, Head Six brought a pair of white rabbits in front of her.

 The two rabbits are all white with red eyes. With their ears held up like this, they look pitiful and cute.

Xiao Lian cherishes these furry creatures. Even the bully-like monkey in Qianying Mountain misses them, not to mention this little rabbit.

She fell in love with him at first sight, but she didn't show it at all: "What are you doing?"

 Giving gifts can reach people's hearts. This person turned out to be quite smart. Sure enough, her previous vigilance was right. If she wasn't careful, this guy might take away the girl's respect.

Of course, being vigilant, she will still accept the cute little rabbit.

“I caught a pair of hares in my spare time and gave them to Sister Xiaolian.”

"Send it to me?" Xiaolian tried her best to suppress the raised corners of her mouth, "I'm so embarrassed, we don't know each other well."

“Sister Xiaolian is out of touch now. We all work for girls, so we are just a family.” The Sixth Master sent two rabbits to her, “These two rabbits are worthless, and they are just for you to add to the dishes—”

 “Add vegetables?” Xiaolian’s tone changed.

The Sixth Master was stunned: "Ah -" "Thank you." Xiao Lian snatched the rabbit with her hands, said a perfunctory thank you, turned around and left.

 The Sixth Master looked down at his empty open hands, puzzled: What happened to Jiacai?

After the New Year’s dinner, the Sixth Master left with his brothers. Xiaolian finally had the opportunity to complain to Xin You: “Girl, that Sixth Master—”

 “Call me Sixth Brother.”

 “Oh, that sixth brother is so hard-hearted!”

Xin You smiled and asked, "What?"

“He gave the servant two rabbits to add vegetables. How could he eat such cute white rabbits?”

"Ah, white rabbit, white rabbit is so cute..." Xinyou suddenly remembered the spicy rabbit she ate somewhere in the south.

 “Girl?”

 “Ahem, then take good care of it.”

Xiao Lian filed a complaint and got a pair of white rabbits, and happily went to place the rabbits.

 In the afternoon, a man came on horseback and stopped in front of Xin's house.

Soon Xin You received news from the concierge: Mr. He asked his men to send New Year gifts.

Xin You went to see the Jinlin guard. Seeing his dusty appearance, he asked, "Did you come back from the south?"

Jin Linwei said respectfully: "I am sending some specialties from the south to Miss Xin at the request of my lord. I was delayed for a while on the way and only entered the city today. I hope Miss Xin won't be surprised."

“It’s been a hard journey. Let’s have a meal here and then go back.”

Jin Linwei declined, but seeing that Xin You sincerely wanted to stay, he agreed.

 “How about the south?”

“The New Deal is advancing smoothly, and some minor twists and turns have been resolved by adults..."

After Jin Linwei left, Xin You opened the New Year gift from He Qingxiao.

 Small snacks that can be stored for a long time, pickled fish with pickled vegetables, sausages and bacon... almost all of them are edible.

Xin You is funny, but also understandable.

 Not to mention the benefits of giving away food, people won’t think too much about it.

After putting away the delicacies from the south, Xinyou felt relaxed and went to see a pair of white rabbits that Xiaolian received.

 Different from Xin You who spent the New Year in a relaxed and happy mood, Emperor Xingyuan was in a normal mood.

On the first day of the new year, he got up at five o'clock, worshiped his ancestors, held a court meeting, and gave banquets to officials. He was so busy that he didn't even have time to summon Ayou into the palace to talk about the New Year's Eve. .

 The ministers noticed that the emperor was in a bad mood, and they began to wonder: What is wrong with the emperor? Is there another problem with the New Deal, or is there something new to worry about?

 No one dared to ignore the mood of the king of a country, so they secretly talked about it after they went back.

There is no airtight wall in the world. After this inquiry, what happened at the New Year's Eve palace banquet spread quietly: Xin Daizhao and the Queen Mother were in conflict!

The Queen Mother did not like Xin You, and many senior ministers knew this. However, Xin You didn't get reprimanded by the emperor for falling behind the Queen Mother, which was a surprise to them.

Like the concubines in the harem, they further realized that the emperor valued this daughter who was not recorded in the jade certificate, and quickly told the younger generations in the family not to provoke Xin You.

With such a preference, but without the name of a princess, if the ignorant boys in the family offend others carelessly, then it will be over.

 The sixth day of the Lunar New Year.

To Emperor Xingyuan, it was not a shameful thing for his old mother to be unhappy with his daughter. Now that several days had passed, it would not attract any attention when it was whispered that Ayou had entered the palace.

Xinyou entered the palace after receiving the oral order, and all the ministers who followed him secretly knew about it.

 Hey, is it possible that the emperor settled the accounts after the Chinese New Year?

 (End of this chapter)