Jiang Qi's shout startled everyone in the room and they all stood up and came out to greet him.
Shen Zhixiu glared at him, frightening him so much that he shrank his neck and took two steps back.
Su Qingyu came out wearing a cloak, and Shen Zhixiu hurriedly said, "Go in quickly, I'll go to the small study to get something and come back."
As he spoke, Shen Zhixiu entered the small study in the east room, took out a letter and handed it to Jiang Qi. Jiang Qi turned and left as if he had been pardoned.
Before leaving, he glanced at the bun on the back of Pearl's head. The red gold plum blossom hairpin was still inserted, and Jiang Qi couldn't suppress a smile on his lips.
Zhenzhu didn't dare look at him. She stood beside Su Qingyu with her head lowered.
Shen Zhixiu came out of the study and saw Su Qingyu still standing at the door. He walked up to her and held her hand.
"It's so windy outside, why aren't you listening?"
Su Qingyu smiled and said, "Waiting for the Third Master to stay up all night together."
The two of them held hands and walked into the inner room side by side.
Su Qingyu then instructed Feicui and the others, "You all go back and stay up to celebrate the New Year. There's no need to keep anyone here. I'll have the kitchen prepare a few tables for you. Let's have a good time tonight."
Feicui Fushen replied with a "yes" and then said, "Madam, we can't leave her alone here. If something really happens and we can't find anyone to serve her, what will happen?"
"The servants have all agreed to take turns to have a drink and have fun. Madam, don't worry about it. If you need anything, just shout. There will always be someone guarding outside."
After the servants had left, Su Qingyu helped Shen Zhixiu take off his cloak and brought him some casual clothes for him to change into.
Shen Zhixiu changed his clothes and saw the paper-cuts made by several people on the table.
I picked up a piece of paper with the character for "Fu" in its shape and pasted it on the window with my own hands.
It was the first time that Su Qingyu saw a man putting up window paper-cuts. The candlelight reflected his well-defined profile, and she was stunned for a moment.
Shen Zhixiu was the kind of man with good looks and even better bones. However, his air of authority always made people overlook his appearance.
It turns out that a man's demeanor is nurtured by power.
After Shen Zhixiu finished pasting the window paper-cuts, he saw Su Qingyu staring at him.
He walked closer and put his arm around her waist.
"What are you looking at, ma'am?"
"Look at how handsome the Third Master is."
Su Qingyu spoke frankly, without any shyness of being caught peeking.
Shen Zhixiu was stunned for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Who's better looking, me or Jiang Qi?"
Su Qingyu looked at Shen Zhixiu in astonishment, not knowing who was better looking between him and Jiang Qi.
After Shen Zhixiu finished speaking, he felt that he had made a big deal out of nothing.
He coughed lightly and explained, "I was at the door just now and heard you praising Jiang Qi, so I asked casually."
Su Qingyu thought of Jiang Qi's shout just now, and the look on Shen Zhixiu's face when he looked at Jiang Qi when he left, and she was suddenly at a loss whether to laugh or cry.
But she could also understand that if Shen Zhixiu praised a maid for her pretty looks, her reaction would be much greater than his.
Thinking of this, Su Qingyu immediately began to explain in a soft voice.
Shen Zhixiu finally understood what was going on. He heard that Jiang Qi had secretly given Zhenzhu a hairpin, and he teased her, "This kid even knows how to find a wife for himself. He's much better than Wenzhu in this regard."
Su Qingyu glanced at him and teased, "Fortunately, these people below are not like the Third Master, otherwise they would all be old bachelors."
Shen Zhixiu suddenly hugged her from behind, "Who are you calling old?" He put his lips close to her ear, "When have you not cried and begged for mercy? Or is it that what I have done for you is not enough?"
As he spoke, he gently licked the tip of her slightly cool ear, and saw the white ear turn red in an instant.
Su Qingyu's body softened a bit, but she still nudged him with her elbow.
"Third Master, we still have to stay up till the New Year."
The trembling ending of "Third Master" made Shen Zhixiu's Adam's apple move unconsciously.
He held Su Qingyu's waist with both hands and suddenly picked her up horizontally.
"Who said we have to sit there and do nothing to watch the New Year's Eve?"
"Your husband will stay up with you today and make sure you will never forget it."
*
Su Qingyu hardly slept all night, and got up early on New Year's Day to pay New Year's greetings to the old lady.
Afterwards, the servants went to Qingyuanju to wish all the masters in the mansion a happy new year. The reward money was distributed in waves, and the whole mansion was filled with the joy of the New Year.
On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Su Qingyu went to Yushu Hutong. Several people played mahjong during the day and returned home after dinner.
After lunch on the third day of the Lunar New Year, she began putting on makeup and combing her hair. Today, the virtuous concubine hosted a banquet for the wives of court officials of the second rank and above, as well as members of the royal family.
After a few days, Su Qingyu felt that she could fall asleep while sitting.
Fortunately, in addition to Li Chaoyun, Chen Yue will also be there today, so the two of them can keep each other company.
Su Qingyu was wearing a pomegranate red Hangzhou silk jacket and skirt, while Chen Yue wore a peach-colored hemlock skirt. Going to the palace to pay New Year's greetings always required dressing festively.
When the two of them got on the carriage, they happened to meet Mr. Zhou who was about to leave the house.
Su Qingyu nodded at Mr. Zhou and asked, "Are you going out?"
Mr. Zhou has a cheerful personality and is not particular about small matters. He smiled and replied, "A friend wants to drink with me. It's New Year's Day and I'm bored, so I'd like to go have a couple of drinks."
Su Qingyu recalled the last time in the south of the city, when Mr. Zhou and a man were sitting in Zuixiang Pavilion drinking.
That person he's talking about?
She paid special attention to Mr. Zhou and later sent someone to conduct a quick check on him. They found nothing unusual, so he might really just be a friend.
"He must be a wonderful person to be able to go out for a drink in the snow."
Mr. Zhou said, "He's not only a good drinker, but also knowledgeable about wine and knows a lot about the local life. He really hits it off with me. It's not easy to meet a true friend in life."
With that, the two of them said goodbye politely, and Su Qingyu and Shen Yue also got on the carriage.
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