The family got dressed, took the dumplings they had made that afternoon, and went to the small kitchen.
The old butler had already boiled the water and was waiting for them there.
However, no one spoke when they saw each other.
The first proper words of the New Year had to be "Happy New Year," spoken only after the dumplings were eaten.
Soon, Lu Yuan and Su Liyan finished cooking the dumplings, and the four of them carried their bowls back to the room.
To be honest, though, the New Year’s dumplings weren’t much to write ho about.
After all, there were too many rules about what you couldn’t eat with them.
First, you couldn’t have vinegar, because it’s sour.
And being ’sour’—or jealous—at the start of the year was considered terribly inauspicious.
Then, you couldn’t have garlic, because garlic is spicy.
Eating spicy food during the New Year wasn’t good either.
So what could you eat them with?
Sugar water, of course.
’Good grief, who in their right mind eats dumplings dipped in sugar water?’
The only ti you’d stuff yourself with these dumplings was during New Year’s as a kid. And why was that?
For the bit of money inside them, of course.
But now, he really couldn’t eat that many.
Especially since they had just finished the New Year’s Eve feast a few hours ago.
His stomach was still bloated.
Still, for a year of good fortune, Lu Yuan forced himself to finish a large bowl.
His haul wasn’t bad: he found three coins, two chestnuts, and one piece of brown sugar.
Su Liyan and the other two won had similar results.
After everyone had finished eating, Lu Yuan was the first to speak. He wished his wife a Happy New Year, and then did the sa for Aunt Zhao and Aunt Song.
Once everyone had cheerfully exchanged their greetings, there were two knocks at the door.
The old butler’s voice ca from outside:
"Madam, everyone has finished their dumplings. Shall they co over in a mont?"
Zhao Qiao’Er nodded and said:
"Yes."
The group imdiately put on their coats and went out.
The four of them arrived at the main hall. Inside were several large chests already filled with red envelopes.
The entire hall was toasty warm, as the Underground Heating System had been fired up in advance.
After Lu Yuan and the others were all seated, the old butler called for the people to co forward.
The mbers of the Zhao Family household lined up and ca in from the front courtyard, gathering in the central courtyard.
They all knelt and shouted in unison, "Happy New Year, Madam! Happy New Year, Young Master! Happy New Year, Madam Song! Happy New Year, Young Madam!"
After they finished, Zhao Qiao’Er smiled and waved her hand.
"Alright, co and get your red envelopes~"
Then, everyone lined up to co inside and receive their red envelopes, each person getting four in one go.
As they received them, they all spoke auspicious phrases.
The red envelopes Aunt Zhao had prepared were quite generous. Lu Yuan had glanced at one earlier; each contained at least three maces of silver.
What did three maces of silver an? It was a full month’s wages for most of them.
And they each received four of them at once.
Of course, this money wasn’t just for spouting lucky phrases.
It was also an extra reward for those who stayed to guard the Zhao Family estate over the New Year instead of going ho.
This was especially true for those whose families weren’t in Taiping City.
Or for those whose parents and close relatives had passed away.
Life wasn’t easy for people like them, and they had co to regard the Zhao Family as their own ho.
People like that naturally deserved a bigger reward.
These New Year’s greetings continued until two or three in the morning.
Only then did the last group of people leave.
After they had all gone, the old butler spoke again:
"Madam, the people from outside are also waiting outside the residence."
Zhao Qiao’Er nodded.
"Let them in."
The next ones to pay their respects were so of the major families in the city.
These people were not part of the Zhao household, but they all depended on the Zhao Family for their livelihood.
So, of course, they had to pay their New Year’s respects to Zhao Qiao’Er, their God of Wealth.
This ordeal lasted all the way until five or six in the morning.
The sky was turning a fish-belly white as dawn began to break.
When it was all finally over, Zhao Qiao’Er stood up, stretched her graceful figure, and said in a delicate voice:
"Alright, that’s everything. Let’s all go back and get so sleep~"
Normally, at this hour, an ordinary family would have to go out and make New Year’s visits.
They would visit their elders and relatives, starting with whoever lived closest.
However, neither Zhao Qiao’Er’s family nor Lu Yuan’s had any relatives in Taiping City.
In all of Taiping, the only person Zhao Qiao’Er might have needed to visit was perhaps the County Magistrate.
But with the Court being so strict these days, the County Magistrate wouldn’t dare receive her.
So, there was no need to go.
They could just go back and catch up on their sleep.
Of course, that’s what Zhao Qiao’Er and Song iqin thought.
Lu Yuan hadn’t told the two of them about his plan to return to Shige Village.
First, he had forgotten to ntion it yesterday. And second, there was no real need to.
After all, Lu Yuan had already decided to take these two won with him anyway.
"Co on, Liyan, let’s pack our things," Lu Yuan said to Su Liyan, who was beside him.
Su Liyan imdiately nodded sweetly and was about to go back to their room to get their things.
But Zhao Qiao’Er and Song iqin turned to look at Lu Yuan, confused.
"Huh?
Where are you two going?"
Lu Yuan stood where he was, an amused expression on his face.
"To Shige Village to offer incense to my ancestors, of course. What else?"
Hearing this, Zhao Qiao’Er and Song iqin suddenly understood.
He was right. He hadn’t ntioned it, so they had completely forgotten.
Zhao Qiao’Er nodded.
"Are your things all packed?"
Lu Yuan nodded.
"There’s not much to pack. We’re just going back to burn so incense.
Then I’ll bring back the morial tablets for my parents, grandparents, and great-grandfather.
I’ll put them in our ho here, so we won’t have to go back every New Year."
Hearing his plan, Aunt Zhao nodded, gave him a few words of advice, and then prepared to take Song iqin back to the East Wing.
But Lu Yuan just stood there, raising an eyebrow with an amused look.
"And what are you two doing?"
Aunt Zhao and Aunt Song both turned back to look at Lu Yuan, curious.
’Going back to get so sleep, of course.’
’What else would we be doing?’
’After all, his trip to pay respects to his ancestors has nothing to do with us.’
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