After Xu Tong left, Xu Di rushed over from outside and saw Xu Zhi standing at her door. He asked her, "What are you doing standing here? It's so cold."
Xu Zhi said, "Fifth Sister just came by. Didn't you see her on your way here?"
Xu Di said, "I didn't run into them. I came from the garden."
The new house over there in the garden is Xu Di's new house, and he put up Spring Festival couplets for it in the past.
Seeing that Xu Di's hands were red from the cold, Xu Zhi quickly said, "Go inside and warm up."
Tonight, the whole family will go to the old lady's room for the New Year's Eve dinner. Today is Ning's busiest and most tiring day. She has to take care of everything herself, afraid that she might not do something well or that she might not have considered things carefully.
Not only was Ning Shi busy, but the other daughters-in-law in the mansion were also busy with their own duties. This was the time of year when they needed to serve their elders. Not only Ning Shi took it seriously, but Zhang Zhaoci also took it seriously. After leaving the ancestral hall, she followed them to the room where they were preparing to eat. This was a room that the old lady used to entertain guests. There were four tables set up. Ning Shi was in the kitchen supervising the cooking, while Zhang Zhaoci and her sisters-in-law were in the room checking whether the tables were set up properly and whether there were enough chairs. They even carefully checked the tablecloths and table skirts hanging down from them. Not to mention the plates, bowls, and dishes to be used for the meal, they all had to be carefully checked and then placed on the table.
Several ladies of the household personally took part in the meal, with a row of servants standing beside them. A large screen was placed in the middle of the room, with two round tables on each side. When the time came, everyone was to take their seats. The steward of the household checked back and forth, afraid that something might go wrong.
The young ladies and gentlemen of each household had already dressed up in advance, each wearing the new clothes made by the mansion. Every year, the new clothes made by the mansion must be worn for the New Year's Eve dinner, and then they would change into another set the next morning. As for visiting relatives starting from the second day of the Lunar New Year, they could wear whatever they wanted.
When the time came, the children from each room came over. The girls wore light green silk jackets, while the boys wore crimson jackets. Xu Bai also had a gleaming gold necklace around his neck. When he saw someone looking at him, he smiled and puffed out his little chest, making his gold necklace stand out even more.
After the old lady sat down, the kitchen began to serve the dishes one after another, and the meal was very lively.
The Xu family wasn't very strict about dining etiquette, especially on occasions like this, where people could speak freely. After the old lady and the Marquis had drunk a few cups of wine, Xu Bai took a bowl of freshly squeezed orange juice to the old lady and said, "Grandmother, your great-grandson toasts you with a cup of wine, wishing you a happy new year and a better year than the last."
Upon hearing this, the old lady burst into laughter and said, "Oh my, you little rascal, how can you be so clever? Grandmother thanks our Bai-ge'er, and Grandmother also wishes our Bai-ge'er good health and ever-improving studies."
The old lady smiled as she looked at her children and grandchildren sitting around her and said, "I also wish that after this year, next year will be better than this year, and each year will be better than the last."
The old lady picked up the wine cup in front of her and drank it all in one gulp, which made Zhang Zhaoci's heart jump. The old lady was old and had suffered so much in the autumn, so her health was not as good as before. Drinking could easily cause all sorts of problems.
Seeing the expression on Zhang Zhaoci's face, the old lady said with a smile, "I appreciate everyone's kindness. I'll just drink this one cup. Next year, our second daughter will get married, and Di Ge'er will get married. This old woman still wants to see my children and grandchildren do better and better."
Upon hearing this, the Marquis quickly said, "Your grandmother and great-grandmother are right. Come, come, who wants to offer a toast? Come over here. Today, our whole family is reunited, so let's have a good time."
The old lady smiled and said, "Although it's lively, it's never good to drink too much. You all shouldn't drink too much, as you still have to stay up to welcome the New Year and go to the palace early tomorrow morning."
The Marquis had a rank, and so did Madam Wu. Both of them held high ranks and were required to enter the palace on the first day of the Lunar New Year to celebrate the New Year with the royal family. However, the old lady, being of advanced age, generally did not attend such events.
The Marquis nodded in agreement, and the family relaxed and chatted freely, making the dining room lively and bustling.
Xu Zhi noticed that Xu Yaobei was brought over by two old nannies. After arriving, she sat in her seat, taking chopsticks when others took them, and eating the dishes when others ate. After the meal, everyone went to the old lady's rest area to chat and celebrate the New Year, and she was taken away by the two old nannies.
Then there was the second young lady, Xu Tao. She sat for a while at the banquet before taking her leave. Xu Zhi hadn't seen her for a long time and felt that her expression looked a little strange. She didn't have the joy and anticipation of a young lady preparing for marriage. Instead, she looked like a prisoner who knew her sentence was coming to an end, with some fear and more likely apprehension.
As soon as midnight passed, the sound of firecrackers filled the air. Xu Di took his younger brothers to the open space in front of the old lady's courtyard to set off firecrackers and fireworks. These fireworks were developed by Xu Di at Xu Bai's insistence, and it was said that some silver and gold powder was added to them, making them exceptionally beautiful when set off.
The youngest child in the family was Xu Bai. Xu Bai could run and jump, so the adults didn't have to worry and let the children play around. Before setting off fireworks, Xu Bai specially came to invite the old lady, the Marquis, and others to watch at the door.
The old lady stood at the gate of the courtyard, watching Xu Bai take a lit incense stick, light a firework, and then run back with a crouched posture. Before he even reached her, a huge firework rose into the sky in front of her. The firework was truly beautiful, with thousands of golden and silver threads, and the fiery trees and silver flowers reflected each other, leaving the old lady stunned on the spot.
Fireworks were set off one after another, and the small open space in front of the courtyard was crowded with people. Many servants who were resting and drinking tea in various places also came to see the spectacle. For a time, exclamations of surprise echoed throughout the Yongning Marquis's residence.
Looking at the achievements of the two brothers over the past few days, and thinking about all the money spent on it, Zhang Zhaoci felt a pang of pain in his heart. Just for a firework that looked pretty, Xu Bai had taken out all the money he had saved up over the years. Zhang Zhaoci couldn't quite understand the boys' feelings, but when he thought of how Xu Di had also wanted to set off some fireworks during the New Year, he felt relieved. It only happens once a year, and celebrating the New Year isn't easy. Since the kids were happy, it was okay to waste a little money.
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