Chapter 24: New Year

After a few bouts of light snow fluttered through Luoyang, New Year's Eve arrived silently.

"This year's festivities are lackluster," Princess Xuan said, setting down the menu for the New Year's Eve banquet. "It is one thing that the palace banquet was canceled, but why have even the lanterns been banned?"

It was a rare occasion when both her son and daughter-in-law were present, and she had hoped the whole family could go to Zhengyang Street to enjoy the lanterns and guess the riddles.

"The national treasury is empty, His Majesty is gravely ill, and the Empress's health is unstable. As this is the Imperial Noble Consort's first time presiding over the inner palace, it is naturally best to keep things as simple as possible," Gu Liu said, setting down his purple wolf-hair brush. Once the ink had dried, he set the couplets aside. "At a time like this, it is better to do less and make fewer mistakes."

Everyone preferred peace of mind.

The Consort of the Heir, Lady Ming, added a roasted lamb leg to the menu and smiled. "It is rare for the Fifth Brother to spend the New Year in Luoyang, and since he married this year, the five of us eating New Year's Eve dinner together will be lively enough."

Princess Xuan turned her head to look at her troublesome son, who was nonchalantly writing the character for "Fortune," and her beloved daughter-in-law, who was intently cutting paper window flowers. She felt that the lanterns weren't worth seeing after all.

Tang Zhao blew away the cut paper scraps and slowly unfolded the red paper. On the large red window flower depicting a "Carp Leaping over the Dragon Gate," the big, hopeful fish looked as if it had been struck over the head and knocked to the ground. The scales on its body resembled a child's haphazardly assembled puzzle—a chaotic mess that somehow possessed a strange, unintended sense of order.

Tang Zhao:...

She couldn't help but peek at the window flowers cut by Nanny Song: lifelike magpies perched on high branches, peering around with bright, bead-like eyes, looking both adorable and auspicious.

Tang Zhao:...

Wait, which one of them was supposed to be the teacher?

"Oh, what beautiful window flowers! This is the first time I've seen so many lovely patterns," Princess Xuan said, standing by the table to admire the finished work. "The palace artisans only know the old styles like peonies, the character for longevity, or butterflies. Good child, where did you come up with all these new designs?"

Chunfeng stood up, her face flushing. "How could a dullard like me come up with such beautiful patterns? The Young Mistress taught me everything."

Everyone's gaze fell upon the "Carp Leaping over the Dragon Gate" window flower, and they fell into silence.

Tang Zhao gave a dry laugh and hid the fish behind her back.

"Forgive my lack of skill."

The Consort of the Heir kindly changed the subject. "I wonder when this year's annual salary will be issued?"

Every year at the turn of the year, the Ministry of Revenue and the Imperial Household Department would issue the following year's salaries to the imperial relatives and civil and military officials, distributed in order of rank and level of imperial favor.

The Xuan Prince's Mansion received its salary second only to the Eastern Palace; usually, officials from the Ministry of Revenue would deliver it to the mansion personally in mid-December.

Tang Zhao pricked up her ears to listen closely. She had a share too!

Gu Ci and Gu Liu exchanged a glance. To make up the annual pay for the Northwest Army, the Ministry of Revenue had nearly emptied both the national treasury and the Imperial Household Department; they likely wouldn't be able to afford this payout.

Even if they were to pay it, it would have to wait until after the New Year.

The spark in Tang Zhao's eyes vanished instantly.

Thinking of her empty coin box, Tang Zhao felt as if she had swallowed a ton of bitter melon.

If she had known, she would have skimmed a little off the top.

Her despondency lasted until the meal began. A table full of eighteen grand dishes was laid out, surrounding a sizzling, oil-dripping roasted lamb leg in the center: bright red pork hocks, fragrant soup-filled yellow croakers, large and round Four Joyous Meatballs, fried eel, translucent golden shark fin, and more.

Although the seasonings in the Great Yu Empire were simple, the imperial chefs, who stood out from all the cooks in the world, certainly had their merits; the color and aroma of this single table of delicacies spoke volumes.

She just wondered how it tasted.

Tang Zhao struggled to move her eyes away from the table and looked resentfully at the Heir, who was currently reading the Xuan Prince's family letter.

Does he have to be so leisurely? Does he have to be so full of emotion!

But this wasn't really Gu Liu's fault. It was simply that after many years of guarding the Northwest, the Xuan Prince had received his full military pay before the New Year for the first time. Consequently, in a fit of grandiosity, he had slaughtered dozens of pigs and sheep to ensure his soldiers were well-fed.

After eating his fill, the Xuan Prince had taken up his brush and written nearly seven pages of family letters. Aside from expressing his longing, three whole pages were dedicated to vividly praising and affirming his fifth daughter-in-law for helping the Northwest Army block the Crown Prince's faction from embezzling their military funds!

Tang Zhao was dumbfounded. One wouldn't call the Xuan Prince a brute, but how could he be so literary and loquacious when writing a letter?

The food was going to get cold!

Princess Xuan shot a glance at her fifth son. *Did you hear that? Your father loves your wife too!*

*You brat, you'd better learn how to please your wife!*

Gu Ci felt mentally exhausted.

Once the long letter was finished, following Princess Xuan's brisk command to eat, everyone instantly grabbed their chopsticks and reached for their favorite dishes.

Tang Zhao quickly sampled every dish on the table, eating until she was half-full. She silently scored them in her head, then looked longingly at the roasted lamb leg in the center.

Would it be too unrefined to just use her hands to tear it apart?

Tang Zhao hesitated, intending to ask someone for a small knife, when she saw Gu Ci pull a jade dagger from his robe. He stood up, extended his arm, and skillfully sliced thin pieces of meat from the roasted lamb leg.

Tang Zhao swallowed hard. That knife work, that technique—he truly was a man worthy of being titled the General of the Gallant Cavalry.

Gu Ci sliced five portions. Under Princess Xuan's warning glare, he placed the first portion in front of Tang Zhao.

Tang Zhao was a mix of surprise and joy. Given how much Gu Ci usually annoyed her, she felt that him remembering to slice a portion for her was a rare moment of conscience; she hadn't expected him to give her the very first piece!

*Amitabha, it wasn't in vain that I bestowed my life force upon him!*

This roasted lamb is delicious!

It was just a pity the seasoning wasn't stronger, Tang Zhao thought.

After all, it was rare to find such pure, natural, and pollution-free mutton in the modern era.

Gu Ci finished portioning the meat and picked up his chopsticks, preparing to taste it, only to see the person opposite him holding an empty plate, staring at him with bright, eager eyes.

*Another plate!*

*Is she treating me like a waiter?* Gu Ci pursed his lips, took the plate, and sliced an entire second portion for her.

Tang Zhao ate with great satisfaction.

After the New Year's Eve dinner came the New Year greetings. As the youngest, Tang Zhao unsurprisingly received red envelopes from Princess Xuan and the Heir and his wife.

In return, Tang Zhao gave them handmade "Auspicious as One Wishes" Chinese knots.

Princess Xuan wore hers on her waist immediately. Seeing that the children looked weary, she did not force them to stay up for the New Year vigil; instead, using the excuse that she was getting old and needed rest, she sent them back to their respective courtyards.

Returning to Bidan Courtyard, Tang Zhao sat in the main seat alongside Gu Ci, smiling on the outside but feeling miserable on the inside, as she received New Year bows from everyone in the courtyard and personally distributed the red envelopes she had prepared.

The crowd happily accepted the envelopes and went to sleep.

"You're quite the big spender, Madam," Gu Ci remarked. "Have you used up all the monthly allowance you've been saving?"

Tang Zhao looked at him resentfully.

*It's because you're useless! You don't have a single piece of private property. Do you think it's easy for me to save these meager scraps?!*

Gu Ci understood her meaningful gaze and turned his head away awkwardly.

The assets of the Prince's Mansion were all managed by Princess Xuan. Not just him, but none of the men in the mansion held private property.

The Xuan Prince believed that money made men corrupt. To ensure the men of the mansion grew into upright, dependable men, he had established a rule: regardless of whether they were married, the men of the mansion were not allowed to hold private assets.

Therefore, the only hope for the men of the mansion, besides their pitiful monthly allowance and annual salary, was the dowry and silver brought by their wives.

Of course, that was on the condition that the marital relationship was harmonious, or that one was thick-skinned enough to live off a wife's wealth with dignity.