Chapter 120 Sounds So Sad

After the verification, most of the day had passed. Shi Jianli put on a thick cloak and went to Qionghua Courtyard with Lanxing and Xianyue.

Qiao Ruoying was also busy calculating the income and expenditure of the second house for the whole year. Several managers were sitting beside her, typing away on an abacus.

Shi Jianli sat down, took out an account book to help her calculate, and marked them one by one with a brush.

"You must be busy today, right? Aren't you tired?" Qiao Ruoying took a sip of tea and asked.

"Fortunately, there are more people helping you, so you can finish your work earlier." My aunt started checking the accounts yesterday and continued to do so today.

It was probably during dinner time that the account books were finally checked and Qiao Ruoying breathed a sigh of relief.

"Every year around the end of the year, the two days I dread the most are the ones I'm most busy with. I feel like my brain is completely paralyzed."

Chuntao went forward and massaged her temples.

Shi Jianli rubbed his wrist and said with a smile: "Fortunately, it's only one or two days a year. There will be new people to help you next year."

Ming Zhouqing's wedding date is in June of the following year, Ming Yuelin's wedding date is in September, Ming Zhouhe's wedding date is in October, and Ming Zhoushi, Ming Zhouwu and Ming Zhoulu's wedding date is two or three months after the beginning of spring in the following year.

"That's true." Qiao Ruoying felt relieved when she thought about her son's engagement and her niece finding a good husband.

After sitting for a while, Qiao Ruoying took Shi Jianli to Fushoutang to attend the New Year's Eve family dinner.

In the next few days, the Duke of Anguo's Mansion will exchange New Year gifts with other mansions. There are about ten relatives or relatives who will become relatives in the next two years, and they have to exchange gifts with familiar mansions.

This is often the busiest time, especially for the eldest wife. Yuan Yuhe is so busy that she has to keep Ming Yuelin by her side to help.

On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, Shi Jianli returned to Princess Wu Zhao's residence and ordered the servants to clean, hang lanterns, etc., and also gave them some New Year's rewards in advance.

When she returned to the Anguo Mansion, Shi Jianli saw four large boxes in the corridor of her yard.

Xianyue was sorting out her clothes in the closet. Seeing her come back, she said, "Miss, these are New Year gifts from the palace. The palace servants said two of the boxes are from the Empress, and the other two are from Princess Kangning."

Shi Jianli nodded. This morning, she also asked someone to send the things prepared for Princess Kangning to Mingyuelin and then to the palace together.

As I was walking into the house, snowflakes started falling from the sky again. I looked up and saw that the sky and the earth were all white.

Shi Jianli exhaled a puff of white mist, and in the next moment she saw Mingzhao still standing outside the courtyard gate.

She stepped forward, tilted her head and asked, "Aren't you busy today?"

Before the New Year, not only the mistress of the house was busy, but those who held official positions were also busy. Shi Jianli hadn't seen him for three or four days, but he still received things from him every one or two days.

Whether it's food or jewelry, his presence is very strong, as if he is afraid that she will forget him.

"I'm done with my work, so I came to see you." Mingzhao lowered his eyes to look at her. Seeing that she was wearing too much, he asked again, "Did you go out today?"

"I came back to my house to tell you something." Shi Jianli took out a sachet from her sleeve, took his dry hand, and placed it in his palm. "I made a new incense that can prevent colds. Here it is."

Mingzhao still held the sachet, and used his fingers to brush away the snowflakes that fell on her hair. Then he put her hood back on her. His hand paused, but he couldn't help but pinch her cheek.

Shi Jianli blinked, "Would you like to come in and have some tea to warm yourself up?"

Mingzhao still shook his head, "No, just seeing you once is good enough, I'll come again tomorrow."

"All right."

"It sounds like Yaoyao is reluctant to let me in. Does she want me to come in?"

Shi Jianli turned away, turned around and entered the yard, refusing to cooperate with him: "No, you can go back."

Mingzhao was helpless. She loved to do the opposite of him. "Watch your step."

On the afternoon of New Year's Eve, Shi Jianli sat on the bed wrapped in a quilt after taking a bath. Xianyue brushed her hair away, pulled the quilt from her back and applied scar cream on her.

"Girl, this scar removal cream is really effective." Xianyue said with a smile, circling her slightly red skin with his fingers.

It is worthy of being something specially made for the royal family. However, the girl in their family also has a good ability to recover. When she fell down as a child, she always recovered faster than others.

"Yeah." Shi Jianli responded lazily. She had just taken a comfortable bath and didn't want to move much now. After applying the medicine and putting on her underwear, she wrapped herself tightly in the quilt and lay on the bed, revealing her rosy cheeks that were steamed by the water mist.

Xianyue stood aside and waited for a while, then she sat up by herself and went to sit in front of the dressing mirror.

Lanxing came over and helped Xianyue to dress her up. They pinned a gold filigree and ruby ​​hairpin in her bun, took a new dress with a red and white tiger head pattern and put it on her, and then put on a red coat with a circle of white fox fur embroidered on the edge.

Lan Xing looked at his daughter with satisfaction, "Well, do you want to change your hairpin? You are wearing a very festive outfit today."

People who used to dress in plain and cool clothes now look a little brighter.

During the New Year holidays, everyone dresses festively.

"Let's leave it like this, it's good enough, no need to change." Shi Jianli looked at the person in the mirror, blinked, and shook her head. The hairpin swayed slightly in her hair with her movements.

After confirming that everything was fine, Shi Jianli got up and walked towards Fushoutang.

As soon as I went out, I heard the howling north wind and white mist rose with every breath.

Xianyue stuffed the hot water bottle into her arms and said, "Young lady, please hold it tight. It's freezing outside."

Shi Jianli nodded and led them out of the yard and through the west mansion.

The draft whistled past her. She shrank her neck, took a deep breath, and a figure walked out from the side.

This winter is too cold, and the wind is especially strong.

She turned her head and looked, "Cousin."

Ming Zhou, who couldn't escape wearing red during the New Year, glanced at her red face from the cold and laughed for no reason, "Come together. I'll walk in front of you and block the wind for you, otherwise you'll be blown down and what will happen."

Shi Jianli stood behind him unceremoniously, "How many days do you need for vacation, cousin?"

"You have to go to court on the fifth day of the New Year. Do you plan to move to the Princess's Mansion after the New Year?"

"Let's move in February. It's too cold and I don't want to move."

After crossing the door between the East and West Palaces, I turned the corner and saw Ming Zhao, who was wearing a red robe embroidered with gold and a black coat, waiting at the corner of the corridor.

Ming Zhouhe raised his eyebrows gently, "Brother, aren't you cold standing here?"

It was freezing and snowy, and no one wanted to stay outside except the busy servants.

Mingzhao glanced at his teasing brother, but ignored him and asked Shi Jianli, who was standing behind him, "Are you cold?"

"The wind hurts my face."

"I'll block it for you." Mingzhao was still standing beside her, motioning her to come forward and step into the snow with her.

Ming Zhou and Huan Shou stood on the other side.

With the "left and right bodyguards", Shi Jianli arrived at Fushou Hall. As soon as she entered the door, she was welcomed in by Li Ma, who was beside the old lady.

"Prince, Princess, Third Young Master, please come in quickly and warm yourself by the fire. Don't freeze to death."