Chapter 1723 Gift Giving
It was said that the donation was for incense money to Huguo Temple, but in fact it was just giving the money to Huguo Temple so that Huguo Temple could open a soup kitchen to provide disaster relief. It was an alternative way of praying for the little grandson of the emperor.
The emperor became interested and began to plan this matter.
Minister Liu glanced at Minister Li subtly. Since it was an activity for the emperor and empress to donate incense oil, it was naturally not the national treasury that paid for it, but the emperor himself.
The emperor obviously had not thought of this at this time.
It is not so easy for the emperor and empress to travel. It is already past noon and it is impossible for them to leave the palace. Tomorrow is the third day of the emperor's grandson's birthday, so the emperor decided to discuss this matter after tomorrow.
After Manbao and his friends had eaten and drunk their fill at the Western Suburbs Horse Farm, they pooled their money to pay for the roast deer feast, then rode their horses and raced home.
That’s right, although the deer was hunted by Zhao Liulang, he still had to pay for it. After all, it was a deer raised in someone else’s horse farm, right?
Everyone shared the expenses equally, which was one of the reasons why Zhao Liulang gradually distanced himself from his old friends and liked to hang out with them.
Every time we go out, it is no longer you paying or I paying, but we just share the cost. No matter how much we eat, it is enough for each person to contribute a few dozen or a few hundred coins.
There are fewer constraints and troubles.
The group of people happily chased each other into the city gate, and after reaching the inner city, they separated and went home.
Bai Shan jumped off the horse and pulled Manbao and Bai Er to find Old Lady Liu to discuss opening a porridge stall.
Madam Liu smiled and said, "It's amazing that you could think of this. The people in the capital are having a hard time this year. That's why the snow kept falling last night. I sent people to the farm early this morning to transport food. They should be back tomorrow at the latest. Then we'll set up a porridge stall in the outer city."
When Manbao heard this, he contributed a cart of grain on behalf of his family, and then looked at Bai Er.
Bai Er felt around and took out one of the ounces of silver he had just collected today and gave it to her. "I don't have any more."
Manbao exclaimed, "You are quite rich. You can buy ten stone of millet with this amount."
Manbao took the money and waved his hand, saying, "I'll go talk to my father in a minute and ask him to weigh out ten dan of millet for you."
Old Zhou was sitting at home, and the money came from nowhere. He was very happy to receive it. While asking his sons to weigh the grain, he said, "Manbao, we can't sell this grain carelessly. We have a big family now, and the harvest from the land will not come until next year. So we have to store some grain, okay?"
"We get a stipend of rice every month," Manbao asked Zhou Silang to move more and told her father, "We will also contribute ten dan of grain and open a porridge stall with Bai Shan and the others."
Old Zhou opened his mouth wide and asked, "Why?"
Manbao thought for a moment and said, "It's for my future career as an official to go more smoothly and earn more salary and rewards."
Old Zhou rolled his eyes and said, "I see. Just like the village head wants his son to be the village head, he should first let his son go around the villages and do some good things to build up a good reputation."
Manbao was stunned. "That's true, but the village chief is going to give up his position to Daya's father-in-law?"
"That's what the village chief said before I left. He said he would pass the position to his eldest brother in three or two years."
Although it seems closer to his father-in-law, Old Zhou is still more accustomed to the old village chief.
Since the grain was for Manbao's future promotion, Old Zhou turned a blind eye and let them move it.
But after moving, I still felt heartbroken, thinking that the price of being an official was indeed high. Not only could my daughter only come home once every seven or eight days, but I also had to pay for food.
Seeing that his father agreed, Manbao confidently handed the matter over to Madam Liu, and then turned around and went shopping to buy a longevity lock.
Even Bai Shan bought one, "After all, he saw the birth of the little grandson, so he must buy one for him."
The two of them couldn't give gifts that were too big or too special, so they closed the longevity locks and went home.
The next day when they entered the palace, Manbao and Baishan were both invited to watch the ceremony.
It was the third birthday of the little emperor's grandson. The Crown Princess's mother and several sisters-in-law came to the palace. The Emperor and the Empress came to see him in person. This was the first time for the emperor's grandson to have such a ceremony.
When Prince Gong’s eldest son was born, the emperor was unable to leave the palace to see him. He did not see the child until the child was one month old.
As soon as Manbao and Baishan entered the room, they saw so many people in the prince's palace, all of whom were big shots, so they stood aside silently.
Everyone was gathered around the child and no one noticed they were coming.
When the auspicious time arrived, two midwives, one holding the baby, the other bringing a basin of water. After praying, they quickly tore open the swaddling clothes, held the baby, and let the baby's feet touch the slightly cool water. The child immediately burst into tears as soon as it was exposed to the air...
Because they had received generous gifts from the Crown Princess in advance, the midwives quickly and gently sprinkled water on the little prince, quickly recited auspicious words, and then pulled the swaddling clothes to wrap the child.
Even though the midwives gathered a lot of water, not much fell on the baby, and it was so fast that it was over before anyone could react. But the baby cried very loudly, with tears falling from his eyes with his eyes closed.
Manbao frowned upon hearing this and whispered to Baishan, "I really don't know why the third day bath requires clean water. I heard that outside, wealthy families throw all sorts of things into the basin. Only in the palace, the rules are strict, so they don't throw things into the basin. Otherwise, those things will carry dirt, and if they come into contact with the child, the child will easily get sick."
Bai Shan: "I did the same when I was a child."
"You found out in just three days?"
"My mother and grandmother told me so." Bai Shan glanced at her, "But I remembered that your family and the people in our village rarely celebrate the third day of the lunar year."
"Who said that? We washed it ourselves at home. Hehehe, we used hot water, just like giving a bath to a child," Manbao said, "My mother said that my uncle and aunt would have to come over for the third day bath, which is too troublesome. We also have to give gifts to the midwife, so it's not worth it. So we just got a basin of hot water at home and washed it."
Zhao Liulang, who was squeezed next to them, turned his head and glanced at them, then lowered his voice and said, "Can this be called a third-day bath in your family?"
Manbao was startled. He looked up and saw it was him and asked, "Why are you here too?"
Zhao Liulang said angrily, "How rare! This is my cousin's eldest son. My parents are here, so what's wrong with me coming along to give him a gift? But you guys, why are you here?"
Manbao said, "How rare! I delivered the child. I came to see the child. What's wrong with giving him a gift?"
Zhao Liulang looked at Bai Shan.
Bai Shan smiled and said, "I have witnessed the birth of the little grandson, so His Highness invited me to come and watch the ceremony."
While they were talking, the wet nurse had already coaxed the child into silence. Everyone then began to praise the child, saying how loud his voice was and how smart he was.
It’s understandable that crying is associated with physical health, but why is it associated with intelligence?
See you tomorrow. I need to adjust my schedule tonight and go to bed early.
(End of this chapter)
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