"How beautiful, Master! I'll collect the pepper seeds and plant them in flower pots when spring comes."

"Here, all for you."

Gu Yingxia took out the bell peppers from her purse and handed them all to Ah Qing. Ah Qing carefully cut open the skin of the bell peppers with scissors and carefully collected the seeds of the bell peppers with tweezers.

There were more than fifty seeds taken out of three dried peppers. Ah Qing wrapped them in cotton cloth and stored them in a blue and white porcelain vase.

There was a constant stream of palace servants coming and going outside the palace gate, many of them holding gift boxes in their hands. As the New Year was approaching, the palaces became bustling with activity.

After being conferred the title of Consort Xian, Gu Yingxia still lived in Hefeng Hall. The concubines in the side halls behaved well, and she never acted like the mistress of a palace. Chief Minister Guo came personally to give Gu Yingxia a New Year gift, followed by twelve eunuchs carrying shoulder poles.

"Good luck to the virtuous concubine."

"Why did Chief Director Guo come here in person?"

"I am here to deliver New Year gifts to the virtuous concubine."

"It's just a trivial matter, why bother Chief Guo to come here in person?"

"The children are young and I'm worried that I won't be able to take good care of them."

"Carry it in, it's freezing outside."

Chief Minister Guo waved his hand, and the eunuchs took out New Year's goods from the baskets and carried them into the side hall.

"Your Majesty, please inspect it."

Gu Yingxia took the list and counted the goods according to the list: 200 kilograms of silver frost charcoal, 50 kilograms of various dried fruits, ten rolls of red paper, and one roll of gold and silver thread.

"It's past time. You guys should go back."

Chief Inspector Guo bowed and nodded: "Your Majesty, you are busy. I will take my leave first."

The eunuchs came in carrying heavy shoulder poles and went out carrying light shoulder poles.

Gu Yingxia pulled out a piece of red paper covered with golden flowers and looked at it. "Ah Qing, look at the golden flowers on the red paper. Do they look like osmanthus flowers?"

"The master looks very much like osmanthus."

Ah Qing reached out and touched the red paper, a hint of joy in his eyes.

"When I was little I looked forward to the Chinese New Year the most because I could wear new clothes."

Gu Yingxia was lost in her memories, and she looked extremely quiet.

"If I had such beautiful gold-sprinkled paper as a child, I would have been so happy. Ah Qing, do you remember my childhood?"

"When my master was little, he loved making window decorations and he also did paper-cutting. The window decorations he made were big and beautiful."

"Wait and see, I'll cut a little rabbit for you."