hytrewq Chapter 113: Celebrating New Year
Author: White Pear Flower
Raws: https://book.qidian.com/info/2386994/
Translated by Gumihou
Proofread by Pill Bug
Gumihou: I’m going to start a new hashtag. #SadforJiangWanying
After frightening the children into obedience, the little ones dared not make a peep. Even so, though frightened, they were also reassured that their Father would not die. No matter what, they were still little children and were easily pacified. They held hands with each other and quietly shuffled out. A short while later, Qiu Xia came back with a few prescriptions, saying that they were issued by the Imperial Physician.
Jiang Wanying looked through them in a glance before returning the papers to Qiu Xia. She said in a voice that implied heavy caution, “Have Jin Ming collect the medicine according to the prescription and bring them here. I will personally decoct them myself.”
Qiu Xia understood that her mistress could never allow the Young Marquis to enter another person’s house, especially that Night Breeze Pavilion. She nodded her understanding and left with the prescriptions. Not long after she had left, the Old Marquis and Jin Pengzhan came in with Old Madam Jiang. Since they were all close relatives, Jiang Wanying did not hide anything and told them what the Imperial Physician had said. She also added that Jin Fengju nearly collapsed into the bed the moment they came back. The Old Marquis nodded and went to have a look at his son. Seeing Jin Fengju still asleep, with his breathing stable, he felt reassured. The young man’s complexion was still too pale, but should recover with rest and care. Thus, he left.
That day, who knew how many people came and went? All were received by Jiang Wanying. As for visiting sons of aristocrats who came especially to check up on the patient, they were all entertained by Jin Pengzhan. In short, the entire marquisate found themselves quite busy entertaining all these unexpected guests. By evening, Jin Fengju eventually woke up. The first thing he saw was Jiang Wanying sitting by his bedside, lightly blowing at a bowl of medicinal soup. He forced himself up and smiled, “Is that a prescription by Imperial Physician Fang?”
“If not his, then, whose?” Jiang Wanying held the bowl close to Jin Fengju’s mouth and scooped a bit of medicine with a spoon to personally feed him. She beamed, “Your timing is truly excellent. Here I am, blowing at the bowl of medicine to cool it, unable to bear waking you up. In the end, you still woke up on your own, just as the medicine had cooled.”
Jin Fengju beamed back, “I’ll drink it myself. It’s troublesome to drink it spoon by spoon.”
Jiang Wanying shook her head. In a voice choked with emotions, she said, “I still want to feed you. It is only with heaven’s protection that I could still have this opportunity. Dear cousin, I… I dare not think, if you really did not return from Jiangnan, I will lose even the opportunity to feed you this medicine. I… really dare not consider…”
“Enough, aren’t I back?” Jin Fengju could only swallow the spoonful of medicine and smile reassuringly at her. “It’s fine, if you wish to feed me, go on. It just so happened that it is still too inconvenient to use my right hand.” As he slowly drank the bowl of medicine, he noticed that Jiang Wanying’s hair looked a little untidy. He gave a bitter smile and said, “I believe there must be a lot of people coming in to visit the sick. You must be tired from receiving them?”
Jiang Wanying said, “What of it? This is something that a mistress of a marquisate cannot neglect. Those concubines and other assorted ladies came over not once, but a few times. I could tell they were extremely worried about you and wished to accompany you. Only, curiously enough, Lord Husband favours Eldest Sister so much, and yet why was she not willing to come to see you? No matter what, surely this cannot be the case.”
Jin Fengju knew that he was referring to Fu Qiuning. He smiled and said, “Qiuning is a cautious and understanding person. She must know that you will be very busy, so how could she be willing to come and trouble you? Moreover, isn’t it better that she did not come? This saves you some discomfort.”
The words struck a chord with Jiang Wanying, yes, [1] she had indeed thought so. However, she feigned anger and said, “What are you saying? I have been waiting the whole day for her to come, hoping that Elder Sister would help me entertain the guests. In the end, I saw not even a shadow of her. Moreover, I have so few people at hand that I could not even spare a single person to invite her here.”
Jin Fengju said blandly, “You have very few maids and matrons here. Since that is the case, purchase a few more, and get a few for Night Breeze Pavilion as well. Qiuning has two children to raise and only has those two able-bodied people beside her. With Aunt Yu about to get married and Yu Jie already at a marriageable age, it would be time to add some staff there.”
Frustration clouded Jiang Wanying’s heart. As she placed the bowl on the table, she sneered, “Yes, yes, no need to worry over such things. What am I here for, after all? You’re already so injured, but still did not forget to plan for others. Who knows whether others would appreciate your concerns.”
Jin Fengju laid down again. He smiled and said, “You’re the one who started the topic, but you’re also the one who blamed me for it. Enough, enough, let me rest a little more. Once I am more alert, I shall do battle with you over these little details again.” After speaking, he closed his eyes again. Jiang Wanying’s heart really ached for him. She collected the bowl and quietly left.
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While he was still tangled in sleep, the sounds of footsteps reached his ears. The creak of a door opening and whispers were heard. Jin Fengju did not open his eyes. Instead, he vaguely said, “Wanying, who’s there?”
“Lord Husband, wake up quickly. Prince Rong and the Princess Consort are here.”
Hearing Jiang Wanying’s urgent voice, Jin Fengju’s eyes popped open. He quickly sat up, or tried to, but the pain in his chest forced him back to bed and he began to cough continuously.
“What are you sitting up for? Do you think we do not know how badly injured you are?” Princess Consort Rong hurried over to press him back to the bed and Jin Fengju could only comply. Finally, while half-reclining on the bed, he smiled wryly at them and said, “Why are you here at this time? Don’t you know it is best to avoid suspicion? Do forgive me for not complying with etiquette.”
“You still have the cheek for such witticism,” Princess Consort Rong actually stomped her feet. She said bitterly, “As for avoiding suspicion? You are my little brother. After receiving such heavy injuries, it is only natural for your blood sister to visit you with your brother-in-law. What of it? We have nothing to hide, why should we fear the words of petty people? Moreover, you and your brother-in-law’s closeness did not happen suddenly over the course of a day or two. What is there to be suspicious about? I fear, it would be more suspicious if we had not come.”
Prince Rong and Princess Consort Rong came here in a hurry and arrived with minimal fanfare. After personally seeing Jin Fengju and knowing that though his injuries were heavy, his life was not at risk, they were very relieved. After that brief visit, they left again under the cover of darkness. Not many people even realised they had been visited by the royal in-laws. Even Madam Jiang only knew about it after Jiang Wanying informed her the next day.
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On the 27th day of the Twelfth Lunar Month, it was practically the end of the year. No matter what, Jin Fengju came back with his life intact. Therefore, the Old Marquis gave the order to have a good New Year celebration in order to properly celebrate the Chinese New Year in a lively manner. Thus, everyone within the marquisate got busy. Carts piled with meat, vegetables and other necessities flowed through the back entrance like running water. The kitchen was filled with the sound of frying and the crackling of fire.
On the morning of the 28th day of the Twelfth Lunar Month, Fu Qiuning woke up early. She, together with Aunt Yu and Yu Jie, did some paper cut-outs for decorations and set out to prepare sugar, flour and crushed peanuts for snack making. [1b] Without the convenience of shops for prepacked sugared peanuts, etc, everything would have to be made by hand. Even so, amidst the New Year preparations, the twins still looked a little lethargic.
Fu Qiuning said, “I know you’re worried about your father. How about this, since you’re so worried, go and pay a visit to Clear Soft Pavilion. Meet with your official mother and ask about your father’s injury.”
The children immediately cheered up. Just as quickly, though, they deflated. They shook their heads and said, “Official Mother doesn’t like us, if we go, she will just sneer at us. It’s fine, we can wait here quietly for news on Father’s health.”
Fu Qiuning smiled, “Do not worry. She cannot block you from visiting your father at this time. When you go, be sure to be as sweet as possible, I’m sure you will definitely get to see your father. There is no need to say anything about visiting on my behalf. Just say that you are worried and could not bear not knowing anymore. You can also ask whether there’s anything he would like to eat.”
When the children heard this, they cheered up again. After changing their clothes, they immediately headed towards Clear Soft Pavilion. [2] It was at this point that Yu Jie and Aunt Yu giggled and asked, “Why did Madam not go and pay a visit? Instead, you send the children over by themselves. What would they know?”
[2a] Fu Qiuning forced a smile. She thought: What’s with the ‘What would they know?’ What are you implying?
[2a] However, there was no getting through to these brainwashed ancient-era women, so she merely said, “It’s better for them to go. After all, there is no guarantee that I would actually get to see the Young Marquis. Moreover, there is no need to cause more friction between myself and Second Madam .’
The ladies chatted with each other as they worked. Not long after that, the children rushed in, all smiles as they said, “Father looks very well. He is sitting in a chair and called us in. He heard us speaking outside and told us to come in. He asked us about our homework. We asked him what he would like to eat, and he told us he had been thinking about the Minced Meat and Vegetable Dumplings from before. He said if we have any to send some to him.”
“My goodness, how rare that the Master still recalls that thing,” Aunt Yu interjected. Then, she put her hands together and recited a few sutras. After that, she beamed and said, “What excellent timing. I happen to have minced some leftover pork belly from last time and mixed them up with chopped pickles to make Dumplings. However, I fear that this crude dish would only elicit ridicule from others. How could we dare to send these cheap things over to the Young Marquis?”
Fu Qiuning smiled, “It’s fine. Aren’t we about to fry some snacks too? We can smuggle the Dumplings along with some prettily made-up snacks for the Young Marquis.”
With that, everyone began to make the snacks together, [1c] taking care to make the snacks more exquisite looking. Once everything was packed, Yu Jie was sent to deliver the basket of food. Jiang Wanying was privately angry to see the food, but since Jin Fengju had personally asked for it, she could not stop Yu Jie’s delivery.
In a blink of an eye, it was New Year’s Eve.
On the morning of the auspicious day, the servants of the marquisate quickly got to work pasting up Spring Festival couplets, cutting out pretty paper cut-out designs and hanging up lanterns. Everyone was very busy. Fu Qiuning was more or less done with her decorations, having put up the festival couplets at the gate earlier, and sticking on the paper cut-outs. Luo Cui came to deliver a message, informing the occupants of the Night Breeze Pavilion that there would be a reunion banquet at the Health & Longevity Court that night.
So, off they went to have the reunion dinner that night. Fireworks were set off and everyone sat up to meet the incoming New Year. After midnight, the people were made to rest at Health & Longevity Court for the night.
The next day, it was time to greet the New Year.
Normally, New Year was Jin Fengju’s busiest time of the year. However, due to his injuries, he rested leisurely that year. He sat around Health & Longevity Court until evening. When he saw Fu Qiuning bringing the children over to bid the Old Ancestor farewell for the day, he quickly said, “This grandson will not disturb grandmother’s rest anymore. These days, I am feeling much better. There must be plenty of good things to eat at Night Breeze Pavilion, this grandson shall go and see what good things they have and make her honour Old Ancestor with them. This grandson shall prevent her from swallowing all the good things on her own.”
The Old Madam could not help but laugh out loud. She shook her head and said, “Why are you pushing such claims on Qiuning’s head? She had been so worried over you, you know?”
Jiang Wanying laughed and said, “Old Ancestor, you had better not try and stop Lord Husband. These days, while the person rests at my Clear Soft Pavilion, his heart had already flown off to Night Breeze Pavilion. If you do not allow him to get intimate with dear Elder Sister, I fear that little fingers will grow out of his heart.”
Everyone laughed. The Old Madam laughed the heartiest as she kept shaking her head and said, “Wan girl, your mouth, ah. Really unforgiving, ah.” Then, she addressed Jin Fengju, “Fine, you shall go and rest for a few days at Night Breeze Pavilion. There will be no lack of excitement at the marquisate for the next few days. You require some quiet time to recover. It is best to rest at Night Breeze Pavilion.”
[Gumihou: … these horrible people are shameless.]
[1] Added details for clarification
[1a] Ladies playing games: It’s sad and painful to see her trying to manipulate Jin Fengju. She’s just so obvious and it is all going to backfire on her. I feel #SadforJiangWanying
[1b] Ancient times when you have to prepare everything by yourself.
[1c] Add details to make things a little more interesting and textured
[2] Add annoying behaviour
[2a] Annoyed FQN in place of a beaming AR Qiuning. Also, deleted ‘The Young Marquis had escaped with his life etc etc’ like, it was mentioned 7 times in the last chapter.
Deleted: since he did so much merit work, there is no way anyone would go against his word, which is contrary to what she had just said in the earlier sentence, so just deleted the whole tangled argument and leave it at ‘don’t want to cause trouble with JWY’
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