As the twelfth lunar month approached, the mistresses of each household began preparing for the New Year. The Fourth Prince's residence was no exception. Qingyan drew up a list and instructed the household's purchasing team to begin preparations.
This year, there are only two masters in the mansion, Yin and Qingyan, so there is not much to prepare. From the first to the fifth day of the new year, Yin and Qingyan will not be in the mansion. Apart from rewarding the head of the banner affairs under Yin's control, we also need to prepare gifts for her return visit.
After everything was prepared, the mansion began its pre-New Year cleaning. Everyone from the master to the servants was busy. The small kitchen even started making milk cakes that Qingyan liked, in various shapes, as well as some New Year's candies.
Later that evening, when Yin returned to the manor, he found many candies laid out on Qingyan's table. She was dressed in a pink and blue palace gown, and her hair was styled in two buns. The hall was lit by an underfloor heater, and some of her specially made lemon scent was placed on the charcoal. With the rising smoke, there was only a faint lemon smell.
All the incense placed in the earthenware jars was made by Qingyan herself, to prevent anyone from tampering with it.
"Oh, the New Year's candies have been delivered?" Yin changed out of his court robes and came out in his everyday clothes. He saw Xiao Guai sitting cross-legged on the soft couch, with several plates of candies on the kang table. These were specially prepared for Xiao Guai by the small kitchen.
"Fourth Brother, it's almost New Year's!" Qingyan jumped happily off the soft couch. This was the only time of year she had a chance to relax.
Despite the freezing weather outside, Qingyan was still very happy during the ten-day holiday for the Lunar New Year.
Yin smiled. Xiao Guai was still young. Since marrying into the family, she had grown taller and her chest had become fuller. The court dress that had been made for Xiao Guai had to be remade.
"Is it delicious?" Yin looked at the milk cakes and then at Qingyan's chest, a slight smile playing on his lips.
Qingyan looked up and saw his dark eyes, and felt a warmth in her heart.
"This was sent from the small kitchen. Would you like to try some?" Qingyan took a piece of milk cake and put it to his lips, letting him taste it as well. "To me, it tastes almost the same as the one made in the imperial kitchen!"
Her determined look completely put him at ease, and he ate the candy. Sure enough, it tasted very similar to what he had eaten when he was a child.
"You like it?!" Yin only tried one piece and that was it; he didn't really like those overly sweet things.
"Yes, I really like it. Don't you think it will taste delicious?" Qingyan took another piece.
"Little darling, we're about to hold an ancestral worship ceremony, so make sure your court robe size is right!" Yin glanced at her chest.
Waaaaah!
Qingyan was taken aback. He was too sharp-tongued. However, he had already made three sets of court robes this year, which was indeed a lot.
"snort!"
Qingyan got up, went to her desk, and took a storybook back with her.
He sat in Xiao Guai's seat, flipping through the mansion's account books, which recorded the mansion's expenses item by item, and each expenditure had been reduced significantly compared to before.
He had previously seen the prince's ledgers, which were in disarray at the time, leaving little room for corruption.
"Sisi, this year, let's give the people below us a bigger reward. What do you think?" Qingyan put her hand on his shoulder.
Yin raised an eyebrow. Too many rewards for the servants would only inflate their appetites.
"No, I will have Su Peisheng personally go to bestow the reward. You must not make any moves, understand?" Yin knew that Xiao Guai was good to the servants. In case someone took this opportunity to make things difficult for Xiao Guai.
The servants always eat the small fry while the big fish eat the big fish. Qingyan will definitely hand the things over to the head steward above. If he doesn't personally supervise, there will definitely be mistakes.
Um?!
Qingyan was taken aback. Fei Yanggu had personally come forward?
"Fourth Prince, are you right?" Su Peisheng is Yin's personal steward. Is it too disrespectful for him to be asked to handle such a small matter?
He shook his head. Su Lan's status was not as high as Su Peisheng's, and besides, the guards of the mansion personally distributed the items, so no one should have tampered with them.
"Isn't this my business?" Qingyan said, puzzled.
"Is everything prepared?" Yin asked, recalling last year when Xiao Guai handled the New Year's affairs for the first time as the Fujin (princess's wife).
At that time, they were still living in the princes' quarters in the palace. It was only because their mother secretly helped them that Qingyan was not allowed to repeat the same mistake.
From Lady Yin Genjueluo to Lady Dong E, most primary consorts would make a fool of themselves when handling New Year's affairs for the first time, but Qingyan resolved the matter smoothly.
"Of course, last year was a bit chaotic, but not this year!" Qingyan replied with a smile.
This year, she prepared in advance; last year, she almost missed the deadline.
He looked doubtful. Back then, the Crown Princess was busy for two years in Yuqing Palace, so Xiao Guai was considered quite capable.
"Fourth Prince, why are we sending longevity peaches as tribute this year?" Qingyan noticed that Yin had added sixty-six longevity peaches to the tribute sent to Cining Palace.
“Starting this year, the princes will all be required to present longevity peaches as tribute. This will add some joy to the Empress Dowager’s advanced age,” Yin explained. He added that as the Empress Dowager passes the age of 66, the number of longevity peaches will be increased accordingly.
Qingyan sighed, "These longevity peaches all need to be made the day before, as the small kitchen prepares things for the New Year."
"Yes, I remember!" Qingyan pouted. Originally, these were all things she should have handled, and Yin should have devoted more energy to paying attention to matters in the backyard.
Yin ruffled his hair; the little girl was still too young.
"Little darling, are you ready to be a mother?" Yin asked, somewhat worried about the election.
They had been married for two years but had no children. Although the censors had said this many times, in order to get Xiao Guai away from this topic, Yin had to break his previous plans and have a child ahead of schedule.
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