Thirteenth Lady's Comback: Her Everyday Life as a Bystander-Chapter 356 - 36: New Year (First Update)

The New Year’s gifts sent over before the year filled Susu’s private treasury, even occupying the East Wing. Hong Sheng dragged back several chests sent by the Treasure Delivery Officer, but aside from delivering a message, there were still no letters.

For Susu, no matter how precious the objects or how much silver there was, they were just numbers now. Nothing could compare to knowing her brother and husband were safe.

But it was about to be New Year, and it was Susu’s first year in Hami. Even though the male master was not present, the atmosphere in the mansion was cheerful.

Besides, Susu’s pregnancy had passed the three-month mark, and she finally notified the household staff before the New Year, rewarding them with an extra month’s salary as customary.

Susu had consistently instructed people to closely monitor news from the Capital, and by New Year’s Eve, the news from the Song Family’s Dark Department brought Susu a great sense of relief.

In the palace, after six years, Princess Consort Xi was once again promoted after giving birth to the Little Princess.

This time she’d reached the top among the consorts — the most noble Imperial Concubine among the First Rank noble, virtuous, and wise Forth Ladies, and she retained her title.

And having a title made a big difference compared to those without. Simply put, an Imperial Concubine without a title was just a First Rank;

But with a title, it’s equivalent to a rank that doesn’t exist in the Great Chu concubines’ precedents — the Imperial Noble Consort, who can give the Empress only a half bow, essentially a concubine in the Imperial Family.

As for Fifth Miss, the Old Madam and Third Old Master, in the end, softened, so she neither died violently nor was sent to a nunnery but was to be married far away to Sichuan.

It was said that the Li Family’s uncle had a sworn brother over there, who was also a merchant, but came from a good family.

Other than not liking to study, the family’s child was excellent in business, was good-looking, had a good character, and was more than suitable for Fifth Miss.

It was said she would marry him in the spring. Susu thought it over and sent a token over to add to her dowry, done through Third Madam’s hand.

If Fifth Miss knew it was from her, with her personality, she would certainly think Susu was mocking her, so why bother!

As for Third Madam, even if she hated Fifth Miss, now she had no choice but to send her off well. After all, Aunt Gao had hanged herself.

This woman, who had lived her entire life in a fantasy, perhaps understood how miserably she had implicated her daughter when she awoke from her dream, or perhaps she couldn’t bear her family’s betrayal. The night she learned of the news, she hanged herself.

Susu only sighed "pitiful people must have something contemptible" and let it go.

In Susu’s heart, they were just insignificant people; this outcome was good for everyone!

On New Year’s Eve, a big lunch and dumplings at night, this seemed to be a custom that had remained unchanged for thousands of years among the Chinese, mainly the Han people.

On New Year’s Eve, due to Susu’s pregnancy, she naturally couldn’t stay up all night but first slept for a while. At midnight, dressed in a leather jacket and wrapped in a big fur cloak, she was supported by the maids to watch the fireworks and firecrackers set off by the gatekeepers.

Tonight, the stars shone brightly, the lights were bright, firecrackers resounded to the sky, and the fireworks were splendid.

Susu gazed up at the sky, thinking of distant relatives, sharing the view of the same bright moon with them!

And Hong Sheng was spending the New Year with the soldiers in the army, looking up at that bright moon, wishing he could ride the Somersault Cloud and flip right in front of his wife.

It was his wife’s first New Year in Hami, and he couldn’t be with her — such a failure.

"Commander Hong, what are you thinking? We’re toasting you with water instead of wine."

Hong Sheng didn’t need to turn around, nor hear the voice. In his team, only four or five people addressed him as "Commander Hong," and they were all surnamed Ruan!

Damn, what kind of fate is this!

He turned back with a warm smile, "Using water instead of wine is meaningless. I have a small jug of medicinal wine, brought by my wife, that I haven’t had the heart to drink. It’s just perfect for celebrating the New Year."

Ha ha ha, it’s from my wife; you don’t have any!

Ruan Yu glanced amusedly at Hong Sheng, who was almost flaunting, but maintained a calm face as he pulled out a delicate leather pouch from his bosom.

"What a coincidence!"

Hong Sheng: ...

Damn, can’t they enjoy playing in peace.

On the first morning of the New Year, Susu got up early. After tidying up, the servants gathered outside the main courtyard. The women were in the yard, the men outside it, all offering their New Year’s greetings to Susu in unison.

Susu smiled and said, "All right, get up. Let me offer my New Year’s greetings to you too. Thank you for your diligence and hard work over the past year." After that, she addressed the maids holding trays painted in bright red lacquer, "Hand out the red envelopes to everyone. May everyone’s Days be prosperous in the new year."

After everyone received their red envelopes, Susu returned to her room to have breakfast. Later, she would go to the Liu Mansion and Jiujia Villa to greet Aunt Qin and Fourth Miss, Sister Ten for the New Year.

During this time, the children from the neighboring houses came over, and Susu offered them fruit candies and milk candies. These were specially bought by Shuimo’s mother from the Capital.

She also gave each person a Peace Pendant engraved with characters for peace and good fortune, styled to look the size of a copper coin.

Ten Peace Pendants cost less than a tael of silver, exquisitely crafted. Giving them to the children didn’t seem abrupt or inappropriate and could garner the goodwill of the neighbors.

Sure enough, since Susu’s family moved in and didn’t interact much, the neighbors returned the gesture by sending sweets and snacks over after the children returned home.

After eating, Susu refreshed her mouth and got dressed again. Today was for New Year greetings, and with nothing else pressing, she wasn’t in a rush, letting Linglong and the others help with her grooming.

Today, Susu wore a glamorous Flying Celestial hairstyle adorned with a red gemstone headdress of filigree gold thread, dressed in new winter garments tailored for her.

A rose-gold lined red flowered brocade with a red flowered brocade collar and cuffs trimmed with snowy white fox fur, revealing beneath a silver-red faced camel hair collar. A vivid gold pin with a jade bamboo joint fastens the collar.

Her lower body was adorned with a honey-colored ten-color silk skirt edged with gray squirrel fur. Inside, she wore camel hair warm pants, and on her feet, a pair of deer leather boots.

The shoes really didn’t match, but the skirt was wide enough that the shoes couldn’t be seen whether walking or sitting, so warmth was the only concern.

Once she was ready to leave, she wrapped herself in a Snow Fox Armpit Fur, appearing truly affluent.

In modern times, Susu had only heard the phrase "collecting armpits to make a fur coat." Back then, she couldn’t even bear to buy a parka with a strip of cultivated fox fur, let alone a Fox Armpit Fur coat.

In the Great Chu, though wild furs were not frequently worn, now she donned a Snow Fox Armpit Fur coat, such luxury unimaginable with modern currency.

Even the rare Sparrow Gold Fur and Fuyi Fur from "Dream of the Red Chamber" were present in Susu’s dowry chests.

That Sparrow Gold was woven from peacock feathers and gold threads, very precious, and Susu’s dowry included two bolts, a gift from Consort Xi, now Imperial Concubine Xi.

Susu, having seen so many intrigues for profit in the modern world, even a victim herself, valued material wealth highly.

Honestly speaking, she prioritized material possessions, having lived through times where even a small amount of money could halt progress.

In her heart, if a person was kind to her, she would reciprocate that kindness, not just with words—actions were needed. One must openly show it.

A rich person should not fear being earthy but fear being a fake rich!

So, it’s no gossip that the Song Family bought Susu’s loyalty with silver, and Susu felt she had to live up to that wealth of silver.