Chinese New Year
After distributing bonuses to the workers at the winery and the shop assistants, Fu Zhiqiao convened a meeting at the wine shop with all the managers.
The winery is already on holiday, and the wine shop will also be closing for holiday in two days.
Fu Zhiqiao inventoried the shop's stock, then checked the accounts and profits, and instructed someone to deposit the profits in a money exchange.
After arranging for the people to take turns guarding the winery during the Chinese New Year and handling everything, Fu Zhiqiao took the account books and went home.
Since it was agreed that Yu Roulan would be the accountant, these ledgers naturally needed to be reviewed by her.
When Yu Roulan saw that Fu Zhi Qiao had answered, her smile became even gentler.
Fu Zhiqiao waved the ledger in her hand and revealed a big smile.
"Mother, look what this is!"
"What happened? Why are you so happy?" Yu Roulan took the ledger from her hand, opened it and started looking at it. As she looked, she was also doing some quick calculations on the abacus. After a long while, she let out a soft breath, and the smile on her face could no longer be suppressed.
"Twenty-one thousand one hundred and ninety-one taels."
The liquor store opened in November, and it's only been three months and it's already made so much money.
Yu Roulan was filled with pride, her daughter had earned more wealth in a single day than an ordinary family could earn in a lifetime.
After the joy, she felt a little melancholy. If A-Qiao were a man, how could the Fu family have fallen into the hands of the second branch of the family...
Seeing Yu Roulan's expression change several times, Fu Zhiqiao knew that she was overthinking again: "Mother, whether I am a man or not is not important. My identity as a woman will not affect what I am going to do."
Yu Roulan responded and put her mind at ease, no longer feeling melancholy.
The year-end is approaching.
The streets and alleys were filled with people buying New Year's goods, and every household had already started putting up window decorations and couplets, creating a strong festive atmosphere.
Women carried baskets to buy vegetables on the street, or two or three people gathered together to chat, their hands flying as they threaded needles and did embroidery, while children played in the alley.
The entire city of Qingzhou was immersed in a lively atmosphere.
The Fu residence was no exception; maids and servants were busy inside and out, sweeping, dusting, changing door gods, and pasting couplets...
Even standing in the courtyard, Fu Zhiqiao could smell the aroma of fried dough sticks from the neighbor's house.
Qingzhou is located in the north, and its weather is colder than that of Yuzhou.
In winter, burning charcoal fills the room with warmth, and even wearing only a single layer of clothing, one doesn't feel cold. Fu Zhiqiao sat on the bed in amazement, marveling at the wisdom of the ancients, whose warmth was comparable to underfloor heating.
After waking up from a nap, Fu Zhiqiao stretched and felt refreshed.
Yinxing had already prepared the little jacket she was going to wear.
Granny Cui came in: "Miss, are you up? Madam is waiting for you to try on your new clothes."
New Year's Day calls for new clothes, and everyone in the household, including the maids, servants, and boys, put on new clothes.
Yu Roulan had personally gone to Jinxiu Pavilion a month earlier to select fabric and had two new outfits made for her.
Fu Zhi Qiao is at the age where she is growing, and her measurements have to be taken again every time she changes clothes for the season.
Because it was a period of mourning, Fu Zhiqiao dressed very simply throughout the year.
No mother doesn't want to dress her daughter up nicely. Taking advantage of the New Year, Yu Roulan specially chose two bright fabrics: a honey-colored satin dress with cloud patterns and a satin embroidered butterfly skirt, and a gold-embroidered pleated auspicious moon skirt, both of which are currently popular styles.
"Ah Qiao, your mother made you two sets of clothes. Go and try them on to see if they fit."
Fu Zhi Qiao couldn't help but reach out and touch it. The soft and smooth fabric, the exquisite embroidery, and the lifelike patterns could not have been made in less than one or two months.
Fu Zhi Qiao knew without asking that the price would definitely not be low.
Granny Cui chimed in, "The fabric and pattern were personally selected by the Madam, Miss, you should try it on quickly."
Fu Zhi Qiao, dressed in new clothes, came out.
Her hair was casually tied into a bun, adorned with a delicate jade hairpin, and silver beaded tassels adorned her ears. Her skin was as clear as jade, and her beauty was beyond compare. Her eyes were like a pool of clear water, deep and bright. Two strands of hair fluttered in the wind, and her eyebrows and eyes already exuded charm.
Her slender waist was tightly cinched, highlighting her exquisite figure; standing there, she resembled a graceful lotus flower.
It had been a long time since Yu Roulan had seen Fu Zhi Qiao dressed so elegantly. She circled around her, straightened the wrinkles in her dress, and exclaimed sincerely, "My A Qiao is truly the most beautiful girl in the world."
Yu Roulan suddenly realized that her daughter had grown into an adult without her noticing.
*
Time flies, and it's almost New Year's Eve.
As evening fell, lanterns lit up all over the city.
Snowflakes drifted slowly down outside the window, and the chill grew stronger. In just a moment, the snowflakes began to fall in profusion, covering the sky and the ground in a white blanket.
After offering incense to Fu Changyue in the Buddhist hall, Yu Roulan came out, bundled up in thick clothes, and stood under the corridor watching the snow.
This time last year, everything has changed.
It's easier to be moved by the scenery late at night.
"It's been so many years since I've seen snow in Qingzhou," Yu Roulan murmured. The last time she saw snow in Qingzhou was in her childhood, followed by the fall of her family, her leaving her hometown to seek refuge with relatives, and marrying Fu Changyue. In the blink of an eye, more than a decade has passed...
"Time flies so fast. I didn't expect the New Year to be here so soon." Fu Zhiqiao sighed. Moving out of the Fu Mansion, buying a manor and opening a wine shop, the busy year of the past year still seems like yesterday.
This is Fu Zhiqiao's first year in the Great Wei.
Yu Roulan didn't speak. Fu Zhiqiao knew she was thinking about Fu Changyue. In previous years, the three of them would spend the New Year together, but this year it was just the two of them.
The more bustling it is outside, the more desolate the house seems.
"Mother, it's windy outside, it'll give you a headache. Let's go back home soon."
Although Yu Roulan was smiling, she couldn't hide the bitterness in her eyes.
Feeling a bit chilly from the wind, Fu Zhiqiao thought it best to have some wine to warm herself up. "Mother, would you like to try my newly brewed wine?"
Yu Roulan refused: "Your liquor is too strong. I would pass out after just half a glass."
One bowl of wine was enough to knock out a big man; now, who in Qingzhou City doesn't know the name of Taibai wine?
"It's not Taibai wine, it's my newly brewed wine. Mother, would you like to be the first to taste it?"
Last year, she soaked several jars of plum wine with Taibai liquor and sugar, weighing about three or four hundred jin.
July and August are the season for plums to ripen, so how could Fu Zhi Qiao miss out? Counting the days, the plum wine has been soaking for more than half a year, and it's time to open it and taste it.
Making plum wine doesn't require much skill. Simply prepare some plump, undamaged, high-quality plums, soak them in salt water for an hour, wash and dry them, then put them into a wine jar, layering plums and rock sugar. Finally, add Taibai wine and seal it for storage.
Over time, the aroma of the green plums will slowly infuse into the wine, and the fruit and wine aromas will blend together completely, creating a unique flavor.
It's almost time for dinner, so a glass of plum wine before the meal would be perfect.
Fu Zhiqiao had someone bring over her homemade plum wine.
Yu Roulan's attention was completely drawn to the wine.
The clear liquor of Taibai wine has turned amber in color due to the presence of green plums and sugar cubes, and the wine becomes slightly viscous after being soaked in green plums.
Fu Zhiqiao took a small bite. The plum aroma was strong, and the sweetness was just right, not cloying.
Because it is made from high-proof alcohol, it has a slightly burning sensation when you drink it. Combined with the fragrance of green plums and the sweetness of sugar cubes, it further enriches the taste of the plum wine and enhances the overall flavor profile.
"Mom, you should try it."
Yu Roulan took a small bite; the refreshing and fragrant taste, along with the sweet and sour flavor, whetted her appetite.
She couldn't drink the strong liquor, but the plum wine suited her perfectly.
Good wine needs good food. For the New Year's Eve dinner, the kitchen prepared mutton hot pot, dumplings, and roast meat.
The meat was delivered by a villager from Liujia Village early this morning, who said it was freshly slaughtered pork.
Fu Zhiqiao immediately asked the kitchen to add a piece of roast meat.
The baking pan was specially made by her a few days ago. That day, she was standing in the yard and was so tempted by the aroma of fried dough sticks from next door that she immediately asked someone to make an iron pan from the blacksmith. That night, she asked the kitchen to make a hot plate of grilled meat to satisfy her craving.
The servants were already very familiar with the process of grilling meat on a teppanyaki grill.
A bite of grilled meat, a sip of plum wine—it's an absolute perfect match!
Halfway through the meal, I started to feel a bit hot.
Fu Zhiqiao asked Yinxing to fetch some ice to add to the plum wine. After taking a bite of the fragrant hot pot and barbecue, paired with the cool and sweet plum wine, it was refreshing and not greasy. There is no better taste in the world than this.
Looking up, she saw that her mother was completely immersed in the plum wine, her eyes glazed over, clearly half-drunk.
I can't drink anymore, or I'll get drunk.
Fu Zhi Qiao found it amusing and told the servants to remove the wine.
Because they had no other relatives in Qingzhou, only the mother and daughter, Granny Cui, and Ginkgo ate New Year's Eve dinner. Although it wasn't very lively, it was very warm and cozy.
"You don't need to serve me here anymore, go and have your New Year's Eve dinner."
Dinner was almost finished, and there was no need for so many servants to wait on them, so Fu Zhi Qiao told the servants to go off duty early. Today was New Year's Eve, and a separate feast was set up in the servants' rooms, with chicken, duck, fish, and meat of all kinds. Everyone was immersed in the New Year's atmosphere.
After the New Year's Eve dinner, they had to stay up all night. The lights in the house stayed on all night, and Granny Cui and Ginkgo chatted intermittently.
The servants, separated by a screen, gathered around the stove in the main room to keep vigil for the New Year. By midnight, the charcoal in the brazier had burned out and turned to ashes.
Snowflakes fluttered outside the window, and firecrackers crackled, heralding the arrival of the new year.
*
The first day of the first month of the twenty-fourth year of the Great Wei Dynasty.
Granny Cui woke her up early in the morning, saying, "Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year. Miss, you can't stay in bed. The earlier you get up, the better your luck will be this year!"
Fu Zhiqiao: ...
How come she didn't know there was such a saying?
Fu Zhi Qiao was being handled by Granny Cui, who helped her wash up, do her makeup, and change into new clothes.
Ginkgo grinned and grabbed a spot next to Fu Zhi Qiao. "Granny, I'll stay here with the young lady today. No one should try to take my spot. The closer you are to the young lady, the closer you are to the God of Wealth."
Granny Cui laughed and scolded, "You're such a clever little devil."
After getting ready, he bowed to Yu Roulan as soon as he entered the main hall.
Yu Roulan smiled and stuffed a large purse into her hand.
The maids and servants, dressed in their finest attire, came forward to kowtow and offer New Year's greetings, their mouths brimming with auspicious words.
Yu Roulan beamed with joy and distributed generous red envelopes to the servants.
Everyone in the mansion knew that the young lady was the one in charge, so Fu Zhi Qiao issued another red envelope. The servants received two red envelopes in a row, and they were overjoyed.
"Thank you, Madam! Thank you, Miss!" Ginkgo smiled broadly, her eyes practically disappearing behind her as she held the red envelope.
Everyone in the room was laughing. Everyone had to receive lucky money to get rid of bad luck from the past year.
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