However, she wasn't sleeping; instead, she was leaning against the headboard reading a book. When she heard the little one's soft, sweet voice as he woke up, she gently replied, "Want to get up?"
Pei Ji turned over, leaning against Min Yueqing to wake up, before slowly saying, "Okay, get up."
Looking at the little one's soft and sleepy appearance, Min Yueqing smiled and said, "It's okay to get up a little later. If you're sleepy, you can sleep a little longer."
Everyone in the Min family knew they were tired from their journey, and Madam Min had specifically instructed the servants not to disturb their sleep, so the room remained quiet all morning.
Pei Ji shook his head, scrambled to his feet, quickly dressed, and got out of bed.
Min Yueqing stretched and got up as well. She casually stroked Xiao Wei, who was standing by the bed, and asked with a smile, "Are you hungry?"
Last night, Min's mother originally wanted to prepare some food for Xiao Wei, but Min Yueqing considered that it had just eaten its fill at noon and did not need to eat so frequently, so she did not let it eat again.
Little Wei tilted its big head and rubbed against Min Yueqing's hand, showing no appetite whatsoever. A single meal now would ensure it wouldn't be hungry for at least two days.
Seeing this, Min Yueqing smiled and thought to herself that she should send someone out to buy some food for Xiao Wei separately.
This little tiger has quite an appetite; if we don't buy extra meat, it'll probably eat almost all of the New Year's meat prepared by the manor.
Hearing the commotion, Amei came in and asked, "Miss, would you like breakfast now?"
Ah Zhu also brought in hot water to help the two of them wash up.
Although it was getting late, the breakfast prepared in the kitchen was still quite plentiful. The main dish was rice porridge, accompanied by various side dishes, a plate of osmanthus cake, a plate of jujube paste pastry, and two servings of steamed sweet cheese.
Pei Ji hadn't had any pastries from the capital for a long time, and when he saw them this time, he felt a sense of familiarity. He couldn't help but try a piece of each kind, and he also finished a bowl of steamed sweet cheese.
After the meal, Min Yueqing had the gifts she had prepared delivered to the main house and the courtyards of her two older brothers, while she herself took Pei Ji to the main house to keep her mother company.
As soon as she stepped out of the room, she smelled the aroma of pastries filling the courtyard, and only then did Min Yueqing realize that today was the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month.
According to local custom, today is the day to steam buns, rolls, and other pastries, symbolizing a prosperous life and better days ahead.
Take the Min family as an example. Every year on this day, they steam more than a dozen large baskets of pastries. Not only do they keep some for themselves, but they also distribute them to the servants, and the rest are sent to temples and charitable institutions near the capital.
Considering the large number of children in the family, a variety of fancy pastries are prepared in the kitchen.
Some were shaped like colorful flowers, others like small animals, and even the fillings came in several varieties, both savory and sweet.
There were two large platters of these pastries on the lunch table. Pei Ji and the children of the Min family preferred savory flavors, with a ham and pork filling being the most popular. Min's mother, on the other hand, preferred sweet pastries such as jujube paste and red bean paste fillings.
These pastries were made quite delicately and small. Min Yueqing tasted each flavor with great interest, and after drinking a bowl of yam and barley pork rib soup, she was almost full.
In the afternoon, Min Yueqing and Pei Ji stayed in the main room. Pei Ji read a book, while Min Yueqing accompanied her mother to do needlework.
The Min family hired professional embroiderers, so they didn't need to make clothes themselves. Madam Min occasionally did needlework only to pass the time, or sometimes when she was in the mood, she would embroider a small item for her husband or her grandchildren.
Having been transmigrated for so long, and with Min Yueqing not needing to worry much about her life in the southwest, she used her spare time to roughly master all the skills the original owner possessed. While she wouldn't say she could rival the original owner's level, it wouldn't be difficult for her to pass as competent.
Especially embroidery, a skill she is particularly gifted in.
Mother Min was content with her daughter. Even if her daughter was just sitting next to her, let alone doing needlework with her, she would be satisfied.
At midday, a servant came to report that someone was looking for Min Yueqing outside, and that the person's name was Old Li.
Upon hearing this, Min Yueqing knew that someone from the manor had come, so she had her servant bring Old Li in.
When the people came in, they saw that it was indeed Old Li who had come with his sons, along with his grandson Shitou.
Old Li and the others were busy greeting Min Yueqing. When Shi Tou looked up, he immediately saw Pei Ji and couldn't help but smile.
Pei Ji also recognized the boy who used to take him fruit picking, and smiled at the stone with pursed lips.
Old Li brought not only the profits from the farm, but also various kinds of homegrown grains, vegetables, live chickens, ducks, geese, and freshly caught fish and shrimp.
Old Li personally presented the report and accounts, and then said to Min Yueqing, "Madam, we only heard from Steward Liu that you had returned after we entered the city, and we also heard that you were in the mansion, so we came to pay our respects to you immediately."
Since Min Yueqing took Pei Ji away, Old Li has been sending things to Steward Liu's place for the past two years. Steward Liu will then check the items and deliver them to the Min residence.
Today, as usual, Old Li went to see Steward Liu, only to hear that Min Yueqing had returned and was at the Min residence. So he immediately brought his children and grandchildren to pay their respects.
Min Yueqing smiled and said, "You've come at a good time. I also arrived in the capital yesterday. You must be tired from your journey. Let Steward Liu arrange for you to stay in the city for the night, get some rest, and then go back tomorrow."
Old Li readily agreed and thanked them along with his children and grandchildren.
When Pei Han returned home that evening, he first listened to Pei Ji excitedly recount his and Min Yueqing's activities during the day. Only after Pei Ji finished speaking did Pei Han find a chance to speak, "Madam, tomorrow is New Year's Eve. Shall we return to the manor?"
According to local tradition, it is inconvenient for married daughters to spend the Lunar New Year at their parents' home, so Min Yueqing did not object and simply replied with a faint "okay".
Pei Han, worried that Min Yueqing would be unhappy, added, "We'll be back on the second day of the Lunar New Year, and we won't need to stay there after that."
Min Yueqing smiled and glanced at Pei Han, thinking to herself that he was quite considerate, before happily continuing to pet the little tiger.
In fact, Pei Han had already returned to the Cheng'an Marquis's residence during the day. After all, the principles of human relations and social order were still in place, and since he had returned, he still had to make an appearance, otherwise he would probably be gossiped about behind his back.
Furthermore, Pei Han had long wanted to meet Liu Shi and see where she got the audacity to plot against his wife and children while he was away from home.
Unfortunately, Pei Han did not see Liu today. According to Pei Qian, Liu had been seriously ill and bedridden for a long time and was too weak to see anyone.
Pei Han didn't want to force his way into his stepmother's bedroom, so he had to give up for the time being. He figured that Liu Shi couldn't use illness as an excuse to skip the ancestral worship ceremony on New Year's Eve, and he could settle accounts then.
Pei Han did manage to see his biological father during his trip back home. However, Lord Pei, not content with his quiet life, continued to seek pleasure even while staying at home, so let's not dwell on the details of their meeting.
Pei Han instructed the servants of Hejing Courtyard to tidy up the courtyard, and to retrieve any missing items from the public office before leaving the Cheng'an Marquis's residence.
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