The firecrackers outside had already started going off one after another. People had been setting them off intermittently since it was still daylight, but the firecrackers in the Guangping Marquis Mansion hadn't been lit yet.
A servant came timidly to ask for instructions.
After what had happened, who could enjoy the New Year properly?
But not setting off firecrackers on New Year's Eve...
The servant who came to ask for instructions secretly cursed his bad luck.
Sure enough, Xu Yanchi ordered the firecrackers to be lit with a dark face. The crackling sound made Shen Qing suddenly realize that it was from the Marquis Mansion.
Shen Qing called Yingxiu. "Send someone to the front to find out why they're setting off the firecrackers so late."
"No need." Although Ji Junye didn't come from the front of the Marquis Mansion, nothing that happened there could escape his eyes. He didn't want to sully Shen Qing's ears, so he hadn't mentioned it. But he didn't expect her to ask.
Zhuxing withdrew. Soon, a secret guard appeared outside the screen and briefly reported what had happened in the front.
Shen Qing was silent for a long time.
With Juanlian and Jiang Chan having accidents at the same time, Xu Yanchi's New Year was truly eventful!
The secret guard reported everything he had found out. "The stone on top of the rockery in the garden had been tampered with by Concubine Jiang. To take revenge for Juanlian's servant spilling clear oil on her usual path a few days ago, Juanlian was convinced that Concubine Jiang had harmed her, so she took this way to get revenge. Although the doctor hasn't made a definite diagnosis, it seems that Concubine Jiang's child won't be able to be saved."
Although all this was closely related to her secret pushing and she had been prepared, she didn't expect Jiang Chan to target Juanlian on New Year's Eve. It was obvious how much Juanlian cherished this "child," so it was no wonder she acted impulsively.
As for Jiang Chan...
It was just retribution for her many misdeeds.
The secret guard reported in an orderly manner, instantly resolving all of Shen Qing's doubts. Shen Qing told Yingxiu to reward him with a few gold leaves.
Ji Junye felt a bit jealous. "You've rewarded him. What about me?"
She only rewarded his servant but not him?
Shen Qing gave him a disdainful look and pointed at the dumplings on the table. "How about rewarding you by making you eat all these?"
It was just a joke, but unexpectedly, Ji Junye readily agreed.
"Yes, ma'am."
As he spoke, he stared intently at Shen Qing with a serious expression. His dark eyes seemed to have a whirlpool that could suck people in.
Shen Qing stared blankly, and a scene involuntarily appeared in her mind.
She threw a stack of silver notes into Ji Junye's arms, haughtily lifted his chin, and with a smile on her lips, imitating his tone, she said wickedly, "Serve well, and there will be plenty of rewards for you in the future. Do you understand?"
As soon as she thought of this, she quickly shook her head, trying to dispel this wicked thought.
Ji Junye had just washed his hands and walked over. He saw her shaking her head like a rattle. "Why are you shaking your head?"
As soon as Shen Qing saw him, she remembered that wicked thought and almost choked on her own saliva.
"Nothing, nothing."
Ji Junye narrowed his phoenix eyes slightly. Even without her saying, he could guess it wasn't something good, and it was probably related to him. He reached out and scooped her up into his arms.
Shen Qing was startled and instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck. "What are you doing?"
Ji Junye gave her a matter - of - fact look, hugged her and bounced her a bit. "Of course, it's time for a bath. Aren't you hungry at this hour?"
Although he had been careful, there was still some flour on their bodies and the smell of dumpling filling. Ji Junye couldn't stand the smell of dumpling filling wafting over when he wanted to kiss her.
"Don't worry. I'll serve you. You don't need to do anything."
If he hadn't said that, it would have been fine. But as soon as he said "serve," Shen Qing inevitably remembered that scene in her mind and couldn't even look at him anymore.
She mustn't let him know.
The hot water had been prepared long ago. In just two quarters of an hour, Shen Qing was washed clean and fragrant and carried out. The outside had also been tidied up.
After all this commotion, Shen Qing was really hungry again. She got hungry quickly these days. Doctor Meng had advised her to eat small and frequent meals to avoid the baby being too big for an easy delivery. So she only ate a little each meal and ate more when she was hungry.
The dumplings were originally meant to be eaten during the New Year's Eve vigil, but Ji Junye had to go to the Ancestral Temple to offer sacrifices early the next morning, and Shen Qing couldn't stay up late. So they couldn't keep the vigil, and the kitchen just boiled the dumplings.
In fact, Yingxiu and Zhuxing had wrapped quite a few dumplings, and with the ones Shen Qing and Ji Junye wrapped later, there were definitely more than they could eat. Shen Qing left an extra plate and told Yingxiu to take the rest out and distribute them.
The servants in Zhuoying Courtyard never expected that one day they could eat the dumplings wrapped by their masters. Although each person could only get one or two dumplings, and they might not even get any, wasn't the New Year all about good omens?
After eating these dumplings, the people in their courtyard walked with their backs straighter than those in other courtyards.
Didn't you see the chaos outside? In the entire Marquis Mansion, only they could still enjoy a bowl of dumplings.
Thousands of miles away in the State of Jiang.
The Emperor and the Empress were neatly dressed and ready to attend the palace banquet.
The Empress suddenly sighed. "The New Year is here so soon. Our fourth son hasn't sent any more news. I wonder how Niannian is doing there."
Emperor Jing of Jiang pulled her into his arms to comfort her. "The fourth son said that Shengjing is not peaceful. The fact that he hasn't sent any news means that Niannian should be doing okay. Just wait a little longer. We will definitely recognize Niannian back before next year's New Year."
Although the logic was sound, the Empress just couldn't help but worry, especially about the palace banquet...
"Husband, I haven't attended a palace banquet for many years. What about the Empress Dowager..."
Mentioning the Empress Dowager, Emperor Jing of Jiang couldn't help but feel a headache. "Whether you attend or not, you are the Mother of the Nation. Leave the Empress Dowager to me."
Over the years, the Empress Dowager had always had complaints about the Empress, mostly because he hadn't entered the harem because of the Empress. The Empress was the second wife, ten years younger than him. Before the Empress entered the palace, he had already had so many sons, which meant he had fulfilled his responsibility of inheriting the throne. After that, it was just a matter of going with the flow.
But the Empress Dowager didn't understand him. Maybe it was because she was the main wife, while he was just an adopted prince.
The Empress Dowager was actually quite stubborn. During the previous Emperor's reign, she had been secretly harmed by many concubines. Otherwise, she wouldn't have only had a princess and had to adopt him. In the early years, when the previous Empress was still alive, there was fierce infighting in the palace. She wasn't that stubborn then. Now that the harem was peaceful, she couldn't stand the Empress's quietness.
But without the Empress Dowager, he wouldn't have been able to sit on the throne. He had to mediate these matters. In addition, some officials in the court had submitted memorials accusing the Empress of dereliction of duty, but he had suppressed them. The pressure over the years was imaginable.
But who made him willing?
Emperor Jing of Jiang glanced at the Empress beside him. Although many years had passed and she was no longer as young and beautiful as when she first entered the palace, her every frown and smile still made his heart flutter, even more so than before.
The Emperor and the Empress walked out hand in hand and took the imperial carriage to the Taihe Hall.
The civil and military officials had already arrived and bowed to the Emperor and the Empress.
As soon as the Emperor and the Empress were seated, a loud announcement came.
"Princess Zhaohua is here! Princess Jianing is here!"