Yintang was made slightly uncomfortable by her gaze and asked somewhat weakly, “What’s wrong? Could it be that My Lord said something wrong?”
Wuyunzhu shook her head and smiled, “I see that My Lord is only focused on receiving gifts and celebrating, and I fear you’ve forgotten that we also need to send gifts to others.”
“My Lord knows.”
He checked the account books every year and knew that in previous years, interpersonal expenses weren’t particularly high.
Are you sure you know?
Wuyunzhu handed him a piece of paper. This was the Dragon Boat Festival gift list she had drafted in the afternoon.
At first, Yintang didn’t think much of it, but as he read on, he grew increasingly startled, until the hand holding the paper began to tremble slightly at the end.
This… this… how did getting married suddenly add over twenty additional households to the gift-giving list?!
For this festival, the items to be sent out plus the reward silver added up to a total cost of 1,200 taels of silver!
This was enough to buy two three-entry courtyard houses in the Inner City!
Holding that thin sheet of paper, he couldn’t bring himself to believe it. “Fujin didn’t calculate wrongly, right?”
Wuyunzhu shook her head, “It’s completely correct.”
The instant he received the answer, Yintang looked at those few small boxes he had brought back, and not a single trace of joy remained.
“Let My Lord ponder this first.”
He wanted to look carefully to see if there was anywhere costs could be cut.
Her parents’ home and Fujin’s uncles’ places were mandatory; his maternal grandfather’s family also had to be visited.
Prince Yu’s Manor, Prince Gong’s Manor, and Prince Chun’s Manor—these belonged to imperial uncles, so etiquette could not be lacking, especially in Prince Chun’s Manor where only his Seventh Aunt lived as a widow, so it could be neglected even less.
But why did they even have to visit Prince Kang’s Manor, Prince Jian’s Manor… and Prince Shuncheng’s Manor outside the palace? In previous years, there had been no contact with them.
He pointed this out.
Wuyunzhu patiently replied to him: “I asked Third Sister-in-law and Fourth Sister-in-law. In the first year of marriage, it’s best to send gifts to everyone. Afterwards, it will depend on the relationship.”
These Princes of the First Rank were the main Banner Commanders of the Lower Five Banners, while imperial princes were assigned into the Lower Five Banners as minor Banner Commanders after moving out of the palace. There existed a subordinate relationship among them.
Of course, no prince would be foolish enough to take that layer of relationship literally; everyone treated each other with polite respect—just in case one of the princes got lucky and sat on the dragon throne.
Apart from their status as Banner Commanders, they were also “Iron-Cap” Princes of the First Rank and Princes of the Second Rank, with hereditary titles passed down without downgrade, but how many imperial princes could secure an Iron-Cap title?
After three generations of inheritance, they would become ordinary imperial clansmen, faring worse than those Iron-Cap descendants.
By then, the bloodlines of these imperial princes would actually rely on their care.
Thinking further ahead, maintaining a certain degree of friendship with these Iron-Cap princes was very necessary.
Yintang accepted this explanation and continued reading downward.
Below were the rewards for the palace servants of the Fourth Residence: a set of new clothes and five taels of reward silver for each person.
This item alone would cost over 300 taels of silver.
Yintang thought for a moment and felt he could recover some silver from them.
“Fujin, when we had our grand wedding a few days ago, we just distributed reward silver to the servants attending the Fourth Residence. Not even a few days have passed, so how about we leave it out this time?”
Wuyunzhu: …
For a worker to meet a boss like you is truly terrible luck.
She knitted her brows slightly, “I feel this isn’t quite appropriate.”
“Throughout the year, they look forward to these major holidays—Dragon Boat, Mid-Autumn, and Spring Festival—waiting to receive generous rewards. If My Lord cancels them, who knows what resentment they’ll harbor in their hearts.”
“With resentment in their hearts, how could they carry out their duties properly?”
Yintang thought about it and said again, “Then reduce it by one level?”
Wuyunzhu still shook her head, “How much should be distributed is set by routine precedent. If My Lord arbitrarily reduces the level and the palace servants receive less reward, they won’t be happy in their hearts either.”
“When the time comes, although My Lord spent silver, you won’t get any credit, and instead you’ll earn a reputation for being stingy and miserly.”
“This is just like when My Lord saved Fourth Brother’s dog back then and ultimately incurred Fourth Brother’s resentment.”
With things explained so clearly, how could Yintang fail to understand? He was simply reluctant to part with so much money all at once.
He had been fined half a year’s salary, after all…
He let out a sigh, his tone lingering mournfully, “My Lord finally understands now.”
“Understands what?”
“Why E’niang gave My Lord so much silver.”
He lay despondently on the kang table like a lonely big dog, making Wuyunzhu feel pity in her heart as she fondled him affectionately.
“Alright, don’t be unhappy. Let me tell My Lord some good news.”
Yintang raised his eyes, waiting for what followed.
“I received a reward from Her Majesty the Empress Dowager today. The old matriarch may have changed her view of me.”
“Really?”
Yintang finally grew happy at this moment. “I told you so; with Fujin being so good, how could Imperial Grandmother not like you?”
“This is called: Gold will always shine!”
“Pfft.“
What kind of words are these? Using them randomly.
Yet Wuyunzhu caught Yintang’s meaning.
She looked down at him; the young man looked up with a smile, his eyes filled with joy and excitement.
He affirmed her and appreciated her so completely.
A young man’s affection was like a fierce fire in winter and a mountain spring in summer—passionate and pure. Such a look in his eyes was simply too moving.
Furthermore, he was born so exquisite and handsome. At this precise moment, Wuyunzhu was also bewitched by this appearance, and lured by the affection in those eyes, she bent down to kiss him.
It was a gentle kiss, carrying appreciation and a trace of infatuation.
With a kiss so tender and sincere, how could the person being kissed feel nothing? He held her fast, deepening the kiss.
After a long while, the two slowly separated.
Yintang’s breathing was somewhat ragged, “Don’t entice My Lord anymore. I know that after holding back these past few days, it’s uncomfortable for you—and for My Lord as well.”
He let out a sigh, looking somewhat wronged.
“But not tonight.” He tried his best to exercise restraint. “Tonight is the memorial day of Empress Renxiao. We both must observe proper decorum and not act improperly.”
Wuyunzhu: ???
I simply wanted to kiss you for a moment, but you drove the train all the way out to the horizon?
Taking her bewilderment for disappointment, Yintang dropped a kiss on her forehead, “Be good~”
After comforting her, he felt a wild fire still surging inside him; staying here any longer would make it impossible to restrain himself.
“My Lord will go take a bath. Fujin doesn’t need to wait for me.”
Yintang’s bath took quite some time. When he returned, he was refreshed all over, and imitating Wuyunzhu, he sat cross-legged on the kang.
“What book is Fujin reading?” He leaned sideways to glance over. “Mongolian? Is this the one My Lord used as a child?”
He suddenly felt a bit guilty; back then, he lacked the patience to learn this gibberish and scribbled randomly on it. At the time he hadn’t felt there was any issue, but looking at it now, it made him seem stubborn and untamed.
Not pleasing to people.
Fujin shouldn’t have noticed, right? He thought, deceiving himself.
“If Fujin wants to learn, tell My Lord in advance, and I’ll go hunt down a new copy for you.” Taking the opportunity, he swept the old book away.
Seeing his demeanor, Wuyunzhu recalled how she used to look when caught reading magazines in class—equally guilty—and decided to tease him.
“But I just want to use My Lord’s.”
“My Lord’s handwriting is so handsome, just like My Lord’s face.”
The first half made Yintang ashamed, while the second half made Yintang blush.
Listening to her soft voice, the cooled flames inside him showed signs of reigniting.
He glared at her, “I already said, no enticing My Lord. Sit properly for My Lord and speak properly.”
He spoke through gritted teeth, but unfortunately, his crimson ears lacked any persuasive power, making him appear all the more alluring instead.
Yintang felt the expression with which his Fujin looked at him was far too explicit, like an ogress about to devour a person.
Unable to withstand it, he hurriedly shifted his body, sat opposite her, and put on a stern face: “Now let My Lord lecture you; Fujin, listen attentively!”
“If you don’t learn well, My Lord will punish you!”
After saying this, not knowing what he thought of, he became somewhat excited.
Wuyunzhu shot him a sideways glance. Did he think she didn’t know what wicked intentions he was harboring? Hmph, I won’t give you the chance.
Thus, she also sat back and seriously studied Mongolian.
The next day, before dawn, Wuyunzhu was pulled up to do “exercise.”
The debt owed last night was repaid this morning.
However, looking at herself in the mirror with peach-blossom cheeks and glistening watery eyes, Wuyunzhu felt that appropriate “exercise” was indeed very necessary.
Although Yintang lacked experience, he was young, energetic, and well-endowed. Doing exercise with him offered quite a good experience.
Moreover, lean as Yintang was, he had firm abdominal muscles that felt particularly good to touch. It was a pity she could only touch them at night; how wonderful it would be if she could look and touch during the daytime.
After finishing breakfast, Yintang departed for the yamen, and Wuyunzhu directed the palace servants to change the decorations in the rooms.
The Dragon Boat Festival holiday in the current dynasty lasted five days. Originally, it ran from the first to the fifth day, but later Empress Renxiao passed away on the third day, so the holiday was extended slightly, shifted to the fourth through the eighth day.
This change carried no major impact; government offices still took leave on the fifth day, and the rewards that ought to be given would not be lacking.
Kesi woven screens depicting dragons and boats bringing good fortune were hung in the rooms, porcelain vases were filled with Five-Blessing and Five-Auspicious flowers, and the incense was replaced with sweet flag, filling the atmosphere with a strong festive sense of ceremony.
Wuyunzhu inserted a Five-Poison Evil-Warding Hairpin into her hair, then led her trusted maidservants to the storehouse to sort items according to yesterday’s gift list, subsequently dispatching young eunuchs and palace maids to deliver the gift boxes to various places.