Red Mansion and Crimson Pearl

Chapter 352: The Jia family only has this one peaceful year

When Queen Wan woke up again, it was already lunch time, and Su Hong came over and gently woke her up.

When she opened her eyes, she saw that the emperor was sitting at her feet, holding a book and flipping through it leisurely!

"Oh! His Majesty is here, why didn't you call me!" Queen Wan was surprised and happy. She quickly put her feet down and stood on the ground wearing only her socks to salute the emperor.

A smile flashed in Emperor Zhaoming's eyes, and he immediately reached out and pulled her up. His strength was so great that he pulled Empress Wan directly into his arms!

"The Queen is pretending to be virtuous again!"

Queen Wan looked shy and coquettish.

Yanjia Palace.

After seeing off Prince Zhongshun and Xue Baochai, Daiyu and the others finally settled down. They gathered around the empress dowager and chatted and laughed, talking about how to stay up all night and eat and drink as the next day would be New Year's Eve.

The days are short in winter.

After dinner, Daiyu refused to let the empress dowager take a nap, so she took her to her own room, took out things from her storehouse, and asked her to help decorate her own bedroom.

This matter aroused great interest of the Queen Mother. While looking at the new treasures in Daiyu's storehouse, she curled her lips and muttered to Cheng Qian:

"I'm always worried that she won't have enough! She has as many good things as I do! This won't do! Go to my warehouse and pick out some good things, and give them all to Yimin!"

Cheng Qian laughed so hard that she couldn't straighten her back. She agreed and then laughed at the Queen Mother in a low voice: "The entire Lin family, four generations of marquises, all the things they have saved are here with the princess!

"Your treasure house is only these past two years. The Supreme Lord has given you a lot, and Your Majesty has also given you a lot. Before you became the Empress Dowager, the good stuff you have is not even half of what Zhaoqing has!

"Now you're still trying to compare Yimin's pitiful monthly salary with Zhaoqing! Are you humiliating Yimin or the Lin family?!"

The Queen Mother was speechless after hearing this. She was so angry that she spat at her and said, "Get out!"

No one else heard what the two said before. They only saw that the Queen Mother suddenly got angry with Cheng Qian and were all stunned.

Only Daiyu saw Cheng Qian's smiling face and guessed something, but she pretended not to know. She picked up a pair of jade lions, sneered, showed them to the Queen Mother, winked and whispered:

"Take this out and give it to Yi Min. When she gets married tomorrow, have Xue Ya put this pair of flowers on her desk as a paperweight!"

The Queen Mother was stunned for a moment before she realized what was happening. She couldn't help but burst into laughter and threw a handkerchief at Daiyu again: "You mischievous ghost!"

Everyone did not understand.

Cheng Qian came over and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Look at her, she is making fun of Yimin for wanting to learn the Hedong Lion Roar in the future!" The Queen Mother said while laughing.

As he was speaking, a eunuch outside came in happily holding a large branch of red plum blossoms in full bloom: "Your Majesty, His Majesty sent someone to specially send us flowers that have just bloomed in the Imperial Garden! Your Majesty also has one like this one."

The Queen Mother stood up in surprise and opened her arms, almost hugging the flower in her arms: "Oh my! This is so beautiful!"

She immediately left Daiyu and went happily to play with her flowers.

If you are so excited, you will definitely not feel sleepy in the afternoon.

Daiyu felt relieved and came out of her own storeroom. She returned to her bedroom to wash her hands and face, change her clothes and shake off the dust. She also asked Xiaohong and Qingwen to go pick up some things with her:

"Remember, don't buy something too expensive or old, but something new and exquisite."

Otherwise it doesn’t look like it was given by the emperor.

Xiao Hong hesitated for a moment and asked her in a low voice: "We haven't prepared any New Year gifts for the Jia family this year. Should we prepare them?"

Daiyu, who had just stretched herself on the bed, paused, thought for a while, and then said, "Bring some food and send it over."

Xiaohong was stunned.

We are now in the palace, where can we buy food?

Qingwen, however, laughed and said, "That's great! There have been many people coming and going recently, and they have brought a lot of food and daily necessities with them. Your Majesty also often sends us some fresh fruits.

"Xiaohong, take Xueyan to pick out the things in the warehouse. I'll pack them up and pile them up. That will fill up half a car."

Like this, fooling around?!

Xiaohong opened her eyes wide.

Daiyu glanced at Xiaohong and nodded, "Go ahead."

In this way, before the palace gates were locked, Qingwen even brought back the New Year gifts from the Jia Mansion!

At that time, dinner had already been finished in the palace. Daiyu was drinking tea and playing chess with the empress dowager, while Tanchun was watching the game.

Daiyu laughed at Qingwen's angry look, and without avoiding the Empress Dowager and Tanchun, she asked with a smile: "What's wrong? Who made you angry?"

Qingwen pouted and replied, "Who else could it be? The old lady and the first lady are full of thanks, but I won't see the masters or the young masters.

“When Second Grandma sent me out, she spoke in a weird way for a long time, and I couldn’t remember what she said.

"Second Madam also said: Even if all the things in this half cart are added together, I'm afraid the princess didn't spend even a penny.

"In that case, her return gift is a lucky word—"

As he spoke, he knelt down and kowtowed to the Queen Mother and the other three people: "I wish the Queen Mother a long life and happiness, and I wish the Princess and the County Lady a happy, safe and smooth life."

The Queen Mother laughed: "Is this little Wang Shi so stingy?"

Tanchun was already laughing and leaning on the empress dowager's shoulder: "She has been a miser all her life, never spending a penny."

"That person, I'm just making an inappropriate analogy." Daiyu smiled slightly:

"If she were the head of the Imperial Household Department, she could collect one million silver coins for herself every year, and save another million silver coins for the emperor!"

The Queen Mother was surprised: "How can you do this?"

"Prince Zhongshun said that Jia Yucun is good at amassing wealth. Compared to my sister Feng, Jia Yucun is just an accountant of a restaurant."

Daiyu praised Wang Xifeng again, then immediately changed the subject, lowered her head and made a move with a smile, "Ah, I think I won!"

The Queen Mother immediately lowered her head in panic: "What? That's not right! It's definitely not right!"

A burst of laughter.

Rongguo Mansion.

All the rewards from the palace were piled on the floor of Lady Jia's main room.

Grandmother Jia sat at the top in a daze.

Wang Xifeng and Yuanyang stood on the ground, one on the left and one on the right.

All the maids and old women in the room were sent out, leaving only these three people in the room.

After a long while, Grandmother Jia spoke tiredly, "Are you sure? Apart from the silver for the ancestor sacrifice, there is nothing else of value?"

Wang Xifeng glanced at Yuanyang and sighed, "Yes. Most likely it's food. There are also a few pieces of brocade, which are obviously tributes from outsiders to the Empress Dowager.

"But it is very suitable for old lady! Let Yuanyang make one for her tomorrow..."

"There is no token to facilitate entry into the palace, no treasure to pass down to the family, and no courtesy and favor to show off to outsiders."

Grandmother Jia looked at the sky with a dull face and lifeless eyes. "There is only food, drink, and clothes."

Wang Xifeng and Yuanyang were both silent.

"Girl Lin is telling me to just have a good year.

“Don’t think about anything else.

“Eat well, drink well, and dress nicely.

"Other things that can be exchanged for money will be prepared for others sooner or later...

"For our family, this is the only year we can live through."

Grandmother Jia burst into tears.