Transmigrated Genius: Fragile Heiress Reigns Supreme-Chapter 430 - 432: New Year (Part 5)
Tomorrow morning, the outer noble women will go to the palace to pay New Year’s respects to the Empress Dowager and the Empress.
Everyone nodded in agreement and dispersed from the Grand Dowager’s side.
Returning to the courtyard, Xiqiu saw the silver tree set up there, the door decorated with large red lanterns. Smiling, Xiqiu turned to speak to Fourth Master Xiao but saw he had already strode into the room, so she raised an eyebrow and followed him inside, only to find he had already gone directly into the cleaning room.
She called Chunyan over and asked, "Is everyone doing well? Have the duty rosters for the New Year’s period been communicated to everyone?" Chunyan replied, "Everyone had a meal together, and I had a couple of sips of wine." Covering her slightly flushed face, she added, "The duty roster is set. Tomorrow, I and Chunliu are on duty; the day after tomorrow, it’s Bihuai and Biwu; and the following day, it’s Nanny Cen in Ziyang..."
"Yes. Duty is duty, but don’t slack on other matters in the courtyard," she said. After a pause, she added, "Tomorrow morning, gather everyone in the courtyard to distribute the red envelopes from the room, then go to the Grand Dowager to kneel and pay respects for the New Year."
Chunyan nodded in agreement, and Xiqiu waved her hand, saying, "You can rest now." Since marrying into the Xiao Mansion, she rarely arranged for maids to be on duty outside the room.
After sending Chunyan out, Fourth Master Xiao finished washing and emerged from the cleaning room. Xiqiu said, "Mother was happy today, drank several cups of wine. I wonder if Nanny Wu prepared the sobering soup."
Fourth Master Xiao leaned against the k’ang, flipping through a book in his hands, and replied indifferently, "Nanny Wu has been with Mother for many years, she can handle such small matters."
"That’s good." Xiqiu smiled, placing a cup of tea by his hand, "Would Fourth Master like to eat something?"
Fourth Master Xiao looked up at her and shook his head, "Not hungry!" Xiqiu said no more and went into the cleaning room.
When she came out, Fourth Master Xiao was already lying in bed. Unlike usual, he lay inside the bed this time, with one hand under his head and the other hand naturally resting outside the quilt. Xiqiu extinguished the palace lamp in the corner, carefully tucked his arm under the cover, and also lifted the quilt to go to bed.
Having been tired all day, Xiqiu fell into a drowsy sleep and then vaguely heard rustling sounds beside her. When she awoke, she found the spot beside her empty. Lifting the curtains, she sat up, just as Chunyan and Chunliu entered with smiles, "Madam!"
Xiqiu asked, "When did Fourth Master leave?"
Chunliu replied, "He left a while ago. Fourth Master wakes up every morning to practice sword in the outer court; he’s probably still in the garden now!"
Xiqiu didn’t think much of it, wrapped herself in a quilt, and got up. When her gaze fell on the bedside, she was stunned to see a redwood box about a foot long and wide. Curiously, she opened it, and Chunliu and Chunyan immediately exclaimed, "Madam, this must be Fourth Master’s New Year gift to you."
A box full of hairpins, earrings, and bracelets...
She thought back to their conversation a few days ago when Fourth Master Xiao asked why she hadn’t gotten any jewelry for the New Year, and he went out alone that afternoon. Was it for this?
She laughed while holding the box and handed it to Chunyan, "Keep it well. I’ll wear them when we return to the mansion tomorrow."
Chunyan smiled broadly, nodding constantly.
Xiqiu waited for a while, but Fourth Master Xiao hadn’t returned from outside. Realizing the time, she needed to go to the Grand Dowager’s courtyard soon, so she asked Chunyan to call in the maids from the room. After receiving their greetings, she distributed the New Year’s red envelopes, and still, Fourth Master Xiao hadn’t returned.
Second Madam washed and dressed and then turned to see Xiao Yanyi, "Marquis, after we leave the palace, how about directly going to the Prince Manor?" The day before, Prince Rong sent a message, and the doctor who came from Yingtian had arrived in the Capital yesterday. Prince Rong arranged for the person to stay in the rear of the manor, and she wished to visit today.
Xiao Yanyi understood her intention and said, "Alright, after leaving the palace, wait for me outside the palace gate. I’ll accompany you there."
Second Madam looked particularly pleased, taking Xiao Yanyi’s arm, "Thank you, Marquis." Due to Madam Shen’s discontent, but also because of Xiao Yanyi’s intimacy at this moment, dissatisfaction faded considerably.
Xiao Yanyi released her, "I’m heading to Lingbo Hall to take something. You go to Mother’s first." Second Madam was happy, thinking that the children she had hoped for many years would soon be possible, and she felt even more joyous, "Marquis, come over early; there are New Year cakes for you to distribute personally in the morning."
Xiao Yanyi nodded and had already left the room.
He walked all the way to Lingbo Hall, where the guard at the door bowed with fists clasped, reporting, "Marquis, Fourth Master came this morning and took the map of the Fujian territory left by the Young Master."
Now, only he and Fourth Master Xiao could enter here, so Xiao Yanyi wasn’t particularly concerned, "Was the map stored in the inner compartment, did Fourth Master find it?" The guard nodded in affirmation.
Xiao Yanyi said no more and stepped into the hall. Suddenly, his steps halted, his expression changing abruptly as he quickly walked into the room.
He saw the scroll he was worried about placed intact by the side of the desk in the large blue-and-white porcelain jar. He breathed a sigh of relief, stepping forward to take the scroll and carefully placing it in a new spot.
In the Grand Dowager’s room, Grand Dowager had Nanny Wu and several respected nannies bring out four baskets of Copper Coins, with a copper ladle in each basket. Second Madam, Xiqiu, First Madam, and Xiao Yanzheng all filled ladles with Copper Coins and scattered them in the courtyard, while the maids and servant boys below were all smiles collecting them.
The courtyard was filled with laughter and joy, creating a festive New Year atmosphere.
When Xiao Yanyi and Fourth Master Xiao arrived, everyone shared New Year cakes and then left Xiao Yanzheng and Nanny Wu to watch over the house. They all wore their ceremonial dress and went to the palace to pay New Year’s respects to the Empress.
Upon reaching the Cian Palace of the Empress Dowager, Xiqiu saw many Inner Noble Women with crowns and jewels, all of the first and second grades. Her eyes searched the crowd and saw the Old Madam Lou and Madam Lou from the Count Shouning, Madam Huang from Count Jinyuan, Madam Lin from Marquis Wuwei, as well as Madam Ruan from Marquis Jinxiang, Madam Qian from Count Dongchang, and Madam Ren, wife of Tong Xiyang’s mother-in-law, from Wujin Bo Mansion.
The Emperor and Empress had just left, and now the Inner Noble Women were in the palace hall paying respects to the Empress Dowager, while the outer noble women were waiting for summons in the side hall of Cian Palace. In the Capital, the aristocracy was intricately linked, being close neighbors, distant relatives, of the same clan, in-laws, or connected through marriage ties, so most were familiar with each other. They gathered in low voices, exchanging New Year blessings that flowed like a tide of joy.
As she scanned the scene, she saw Second Madam supporting the Grand Dowager in greeting the Old Madam Lou of Count Shouning. Xiqiu followed First Madam and Second Madam, bowing to Old Madam Lou. Meanwhile, Madam Ruan and Madam Qian approached, surrounding the Grand Dowager, "We were just thinking of you, hope you’re well."
The Grand Dowager laughed heartily, "Nothing too good or bad, seems I can live for a while yet." Old Madam Lou held the Grand Dowager’s hand, "I haven’t even claimed to be old, yet you’re constantly mentioning it. You deserve a scolding!"
Madam Qian covered her smile, "I think neither of you looks old, you both seem a year younger this year."
