Chapter 362 Yuan Zheng
During the Tang Dynasty, there was a custom of staying up all night on New Year's Eve, but how could children who had been playing all day possibly stay up until that time?
After finishing her dinner, Lu Zhu'er was being held by Li San Niang when her eyes were about to close.
"Third Sister, now that you've washed and dressed Dewdrop, let her take a nap on this low couch."
Apart from Dewdrop and Kogoro, who was fast asleep, no one else in the house was asleep.
They waited like that until the watchman outside struck the gong. At midnight, the first day of the new year arrived, and a new year began.
Once the first household lit firecrackers, other households on the street followed suit and lit their own.
The noise of the firecrackers woke up Lu Zhu'er and Xiao Wulang, who were sleeping. Xiao Wulang cried loudly. Lu Zhu'er opened her eyes and saw Li San Niang beside her and Li's mother opposite her, so she ignored what was happening outside, turned over, and fell asleep again.
Li Sanlang was afraid that the firecrackers outside would frighten Xiao Huang, so he dragged Xiao Huang's doghouse to the side of the main hall door.
Even so, dogs' already sensitive hearing still suffered quite a bit, and Little Yellow stayed in its doghouse, too afraid to come out.
Sister-in-law Li and Wu Qiaolan both came in carrying trays containing small bowls of soup noodles, one for each person so they could eat before going back to sleep.
At this time, Tang people did not eat dumplings much. Although the food already existed, Li San Niang had only eaten them once in a restaurant outside the city since she arrived, and it was served as a dish.
"Alright, we've eaten. Leave the bowl there, we'll boil some water and wash it tomorrow."
Third Sister, wait here, I'll find you some clothes to put on Dewdrop so she won't catch a chill on her way back to the courtyard.
I slept quite soundly, after all, I had been busy for half the night and stayed up until midnight to welcome the New Year, how could I not be tired?
When Li San Niang woke up, Lu Zhu'er had already woken up with her eyes wide open. However, even though Lu Zhu'er was awake, she was very well-behaved and knew not to disturb Li San Niang.
"My dearest pearl, let me kiss it."
Li San Niang kept tickling Lu Zhu'er's ticklish spot, making her laugh out loud, before finally pulling her close and kissing her on the forehead.
"Mother wishes Dewdrop a year of peace and joy, and that she grows up quickly."
“Mother, if Pearl eats more, she will grow up.”
"Haha, good, let's have breakfast later. Pearl, you must eat more."
I took out the new jacket and skirt that I had made for Lu Zhu'er earlier. The peach-pink color complemented Lu Zhu'er's fair skin perfectly, making her look extremely cute.
"Mother's pearls are so beautiful!"
Li San Niang said this while tying a red ribbon around Lu Zhu'er's head.
Dewdrop is over three years old now, so it's time for her to start growing her hair out. "When Dewdrop's hair grows long, Mother will buy her some pretty hairbands to tie it up."
Dewdrop looked up at Li San Niang, revealing her tiny teeth, and said happily, "Dewdrop is pretty, just like Grandma."
"Haha, haha, I thought you were going to say that she looks like me, but I didn't expect you to say that she looks like her grandmother, haha, haha."
When they arrived at the main hall, it was packed with people. Li's mother glanced at Li San Niang, who had arrived late, and complained that Li San Niang was a bit late.
"Alright, everyone's here. The Li family, come with me to pay respects to our ancestors."
On New Year's Day, the first thing the Li family did was to offer sacrifices to their ancestors.
Father and Mother Li stood at the front, following the order of seniority, followed by the eldest brother Li's family, then the second brother Li's family, and finally, Third Sister Li and Dewdrop.
Facing his parents' memorial tablets, Li's father solemnly said, "Li's grandson, Hua Lin, along with his wife Zhao Dani, eldest son Sun Wu, second son Li Wen, and third daughter Li Mingfang, solemnly inform the spirits of our parents that time flies and on this New Year's Day..."
Because of the grudges of the previous generation, the only memorial tablets for the Li family are the ones that Li's father brought from his hometown in his early years. This can be considered as the Li family starting a new branch.
As for Brother Li, although he was not Li's father's biological son, he followed Li's mother to remarry Li's father when he was still an infant. Although Li's father had no blood relation with Brother Li, he had the grace of raising him.
Therefore, Li's eldest brother must participate in the Li family's ancestral worship ceremony every year.
In Brother Li's courtyard, there is also a separate memorial tablet for Sun Datou (Brother Li's mother's deceased ex-husband), which Brother Li would regularly worship.
After Li's father offered incense, everyone else offered incense one by one, and then, led by Li's father, bowed and kowtowed three times.
Then, the main event is the New Year's greetings!
Back in the main hall, they saw that Dr. Liang and the others had already offered their prayers in their respective rooms.
Mr. and Mrs. Li sat at the head of the table, and Dr. Liang was also invited to take a seat. The younger generation knelt on the prayer mats one by one, saying auspicious words. Each time they kowtowed, they received a red envelope.
However, only a few children, led by Li Dalang, could do this; Li Dalang and his siblings would be too embarrassed to ask their parents, Li Dalang, and the old doctor Liang for red envelopes.
Li San Niang didn't feel embarrassed at all. After Li Er Xiong held her and kowtowed on behalf of Xiao Wu Lang, Li San Niang quickly knelt down on the prayer mat with a "plop".
"Third Sister wishes her parents and master a Happy New Year, and hopes that we will all be safe, healthy and happy."
After saying that, without giving the three a chance to react, he directly beheaded them.
Then, they looked up with starry eyes, waiting to receive their red envelopes.
Not to mention Mr. and Mrs. Li and Dr. Liang, even Mr. Li and Mr. Li's eldest and second brothers never expected that Mrs. Li would be so shameless as to follow the children around asking for red envelopes this year.
"Haha, haha, good, good, good, Master really did prepare beforehand. Here you go," Doctor Liang took out a red envelope that he had prepared in advance from his sleeve and handed it to Li San Niang. "Take this red envelope, and you'd better study hard from now on."
"Master, I really put my heart into it."
At this moment, Li's mother also realized what was happening and took out a red envelope that she had prepared earlier, which she originally intended to give to the children who came to the Li family to pay New Year's respects. "You're just being silly. You're such a big person, yet you're still acting like a child."
“Mother, what you’re saying means that even if I’m eighty years old, I’ll still be your child.”
Mr. Li was pleased, smiling as he stroked his beard.
After breakfast, Brother Li and Brother Li Er took the four children and drove the carriage out the door. They had to go to pay New Year's respects to Uncle Li first, and then go to the Jiang family (Sister-in-law Li's maternal home).
As for Li Ersao's family home, since it's not in Chang'an City and is far away, they can only wait until the third day of the Lunar New Year when Li Erxiong and Li Ersao take the children back to their parents' home separately.
At 1:15 AM, Li's mother urged Li San Niang, "Alright, hurry up and pack your things. I reckon your eldest and second brothers will be back soon. Take your things and go to the Wang family with your eldest and second brothers and Lu Zhu'er."
If we go any later, we'll miss having lunch at the Wang family's house.
If we go too late, Granny Wang will be very picky.
You better behave yourself, don't you dare lay a hand on me. If you can't stand it, just bear with it; it only happens once or twice a year.
"Mother, as long as the Wang family doesn't bother me, I'll be happy. But if they cause trouble, can't I fight back?"
Li's mother patted Li San Niang on the shoulder and scolded her.
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