Xing Muzheng was drinking tea. Hearing Qian Jiaoniang dump the matter on him, he nearly choked and sprayed the tea out. But that silly son was still staring at him as if there really were some custom behind it. He straightened his face and said, “No special meaning. Your mother and I sweated in our sleep.”
Xing Pingchun blinked. “In this cold weather, you sweated while sleeping?”
What kind of ridiculous excuse was that! Qian Jiaoniang recalled exactly how his sweat had dripped onto her body, and her face burned even hotter. She quickly raised her handkerchief to hide her flushed cheeks from the boy, while shooting Xing Muzheng a fierce glare. Stammering, she added, “The floor heating… the floor heating was too hot.”
Glared at, Xing Muzheng gave a dry cough and said gruffly, “Children shouldn’t meddle in grown-ups’ affairs.”
Ding Zhang was a good steward and hurried to smooth things over. “Master, Madam, should we drink the tu su alcohol now?”
On the first day of the New Year, tu su alcohol was drunk—it was very mild and used to drive away evil. Adults drank large bowls, children small ones, but everyone had to drink. Xing Pingchun always thought it was a big deal for a child to drink alcohol, so each year he was thrilled, feeling as though he’d become a grown-up. He had forgotten how, in Minghu, a single cup had knocked him out, and forgotten what he had just said. Shouting with joy, he demanded the alcohol.
Qian Jiaoniang had people invite Granny Zhou and Mister Cao to the main hall. Everyone drank the tu su alcohol together, then went outside to set off firecrackers. Xing Pingchun had played fireworks all night yesterday with Li Ding, and today he was first to rush in when it came to firecrackers. Not only did he light the fuses himself, he and Li Ding ran to collect ones that had failed to go off, then lit them again with incense, setting them off one after another in great excitement.
Li Qing’s wife, worried for Xing Pingchun’s safety, scolded Li Ding for running wild. Qian Jiaoniang overheard and said with a laugh, “Let them play—it’s New Year, and these are the joys of childhood.”
Li Qing’s wife said, “Young master Chou’er is such a precious boy, yet Ding’er is leading him astray.”
Qian Jiaoniang laughed. “He’s no precious boy—he’s the wildest of children. For all we know, he’s the one leading Ding’er astray.”
Ding Zhang brought in the New Year visiting cards hung at the gate to show Xing Muzheng and Qian Jiaoniang. Although it was still morning, the bag was already full—mostly local officials of all ranks coming out of admiration. Many high-ranking figures from Yongan, as well as Xing Muzheng’s former subordinates, had also sent cards and gifts. Among them was a lavish gift sent by Hang Zhi.
Xing Muzheng said to Qian Jiaoniang, “Yesterday Di Qingya sent one, today Hang Zhi sends one—between the two of them, they’ve shown some thought. You’ll need to send something back.”
Qian Jiaoniang said in distress, “That was my thought too, but I don’t know what to send. Marquis, do you have any suggestions?”
Xing Muzheng said, “I never bother with such things. But for these kinds of exchanges, there’s usually a set way—send some specialty items from Yuzhou, add a few miscellaneous things. Ask Ding Zhang to show you what was sent in past years, then add a few more items and send them over.”
Qian Jiaoniang paused in thought for a moment, then slowly nodded.
Xing Muzheng gave her a sidelong glance full of hidden meaning, and said slowly, “You have to send a return gift to the Hang household anyway—why not take the opportunity to send replies to all these invitations as well?”
Qian Jiaoniang was about to agree without thinking, when she suddenly realized something was off—this was a trap! She lifted her head and said, “The rest are none of my concern, and I daren’t reply to them carelessly. It’s better if Marquis, you make the decision yourself.”
Xing Muzheng straightened his chest and said, with perfect self-assurance, “I have other matters to attend to.”
Qian Jiaoniang said, “In the middle of the New Year festivities, what could be so urgent? I heard that even His Majesty has set aside his brush and is no longer reviewing memorials, and the petty thieves have all gone off for the holiday. What serious business could the Marquis possibly have?”
Xing Muzheng said, “Didn’t I already tell you before? I’m going to pay a visit to the great master, Mister Liu Zihao.”
Qian Jiaoniang smiled. “That’s not urgent—handle these small matters first, it won’t be too late afterward.”
“I already got up late; how can I delay any further?” said Xing Muzheng. “I’m leaving right now—look, they’ve already brought my horse.”
Qian Jiaoniang looked, and sure enough, Li Qingquan was mounted on a horse, with gift boxes pasted with the “fortune” character hanging from the back, and holding Lightning’s reins in his hand.
“Then when the Marquis returns—”
“No time to wait. The gifts must be sent back immediately—have someone take them, so no one can say we’ve been negligent.” Xing Muzheng strode down the steps, speaking as he went.
Qian Jiaoniang hurried after him, anxious. “I’ve never done this before—if I mess it up, Marquis, don’t turn around and scold me.”
Xing Muzheng swung onto his horse in one smooth motion. “For you, it’s the simplest thing—how could you mess it up? Oh, right—Older Brother Hong’s grandmother, Marchioness Yiyong, is convalescing in Zhang Prefecture. After you’ve eaten, go and pay her a New Year’s visit for me—take Chou’er along. The old lady loves children, and Chou’er might even get a big gold ingot out of it.”
Qian Jiaoniang stared—he was even asking her to go pay visits? How capable was this man! She opened her mouth to protest, but before she could speak, Xing Muzheng gave a full-throated “Hyah!” and in the blink of an eye was several zhang away, leaving Qian Jiaoniang to choke on a mouthful of dust.
She spat out the grit and gnashed her teeth. “Xing—Mu—zheng!”
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