On the eve of the Lunar New Year, Old Master and the others arrived relatively early to prepare for the ancestral worship. Madame Zhou actively went into the kitchen to help out, while Zeng Rui-xiang accompanied Old Master and Zeng Rui-qing as they sat in the main hall sipping tea and reading books. As a scholar, Zeng Rui-xiang was quite particular about such things, not only buying good quality tea leaves but also purchasing a set of Qinghua porcelain teacups to brew the tea.

  The old man picked up his tea bowl and took a satisfying sip, smiling as he said, "Sitting in this big armchair, drinking tea, I feel like the master of the house."

  The Tian family all burst out laughing. Autumn Jade said: "Dad, my second brother is a xiucai gentleman, you are the father of the gentleman, aren't you also a gentleman?"

  Zeng Ruixiang had lit a fire in the first room on the west side early, and arranged over ten small stools. Normally, family members would warm themselves by the fire in the east wing, where Zifuxiang and others lived. The ladies of the Tian family were afraid of the cold, so after sitting for a while in the main hall, they moved to the room, continuing their conversation and laughter.

  The old man finished drinking tea, and the Shens prepared the offerings for the ancestral worship. The old man led all the men out to pay their respects, even carrying Little Joy with them.

  The Shens and the Zhous went into the house to keep the Tians company for a while, starting to prepare dinner for New Year's Eve. Since it was the first year, Mrs. Shen had prepared a sumptuous feast: chicken soup simmering in a clay pot, pig trotters stewing in a small iron pot, and some peanuts, which were Ziying's favorite. In the three-tiered steamer basket, there were rice flour ribs, Mei Cai pork belly, and pearl meatballs. When Ziying saw that the firewood was running low, she said she would go fetch some more. Mrs. Shen specifically instructed her to bring back some rape stalks and peanut stems as well. Ziying asked why.

  "Rapeseed is wealth, peanuts are blooming and bearing fruit, pine needles are abundant. How can the firewood for New Year's Eve dinner be scarce? The more you burn, the scarcer it becomes, but the more you burn, the more abundant it becomes."

  Ziying still heard this for the first time, and felt that no matter which dynasty people were from, they were all very superstitious. The superstition of poor people was nothing more than a reliance on a good life, while rich people were afraid of losing their current wealthy life, which was also a kind of worry. In fact, it was also a different path with the same goal, and they all hoped that life would get better and better.

  After the old man returned, they were still sitting in the hall. Xiaoyu, Qiuyu and Zhiping, Zhifu, and Zhilu were all playing a game of "Catching Thieves" inside the house. Zhifu had written out slips of paper with different roles: some were police officers, some were thieves, some were bandits, and one was a judge. The police caught the thieves, the thieves robbed the bandits, the bandits stole from the police, and whoever lost got their nose scratched. The judge was the best role - not only did they not get scratched, but they could also sentence others to extra scratches if they didn't like them. It was a lively and noisy scene, with laughter ringing out continuously.

  The old man said this is what New Year's should be like, and before long everyone had moved over to the west wing.

  Zi Qing had been burning fire in the kitchen for a long time, and she didn't know how long it had been when she heard the distant sound of firecrackers. Shen Shi asked Zhou Shi if it was almost Shensi (a time period), and Zhou Shi looked outside and said it was almost time. Shen Shi asked Zhou Shi to help her set up a large round table, took out new dishes, and said that even though they were crowded, there were enough seats for everyone, making the atmosphere lively and warm.

  The Shens arranged the dishes, Zi Qing An placed the chopsticks, and Zifu and Zilu prepared to set off firecrackers. After the old master and Madame Tian sat down, the firecrackers went off, and then Zifu came back to pour wine for everyone.

  The old man raised his cup and gave a toast: "At this time last year, I thought that after the separation of the family, everyone would live their own lives and it would be difficult to gather together again. When I raised my cup, I was filled with sadness. Today, I raise my cup again, and I am deeply comforted. Unexpectedly, after the separation, the second son's family is doing so well, most importantly, everyone is reunited again. Thanks to my youngest grandson, I have seen such a good house, eaten such delicious food, and drunk such good tea. I, as an old man, am content. You are all my good sons, and you are all filial. Rui Qing, Dad knows that you also did your best, Dad wishes you a prosperous new year like the second son's family. If my eldest grandson can pass the imperial examination and become a top scholar, I will be even more content."

  This meal was quite harmonious, and even Xia Yu, who was usually shy and taciturn, opened up and laughed continuously. Shen's cooking skills were not bad, previously the conditions weren't so good, without rice, anyone couldn't do anything, now that everything is abundant, the flavor is naturally incomparable to Zhou's careless cooking in the past.

  In short, everyone had a great time.

  It's still early after dinner, and Xia Yu and the others all want to take a bath. They had just finished eating, so everyone gathered around the brazier in the west room, chatting and laughing. Zhou Shi and Shen Shi had finished cleaning up and came over too. Shen Shi said that her cotton-padded jacket was still short of several stitches, so she sat far away, afraid of pricking others with her needle.

  The old man looked at everyone and said seriously: "Since everyone is here today, I have something to discuss with you. Ruiqing, you are thirty-one this year, your wife is also thirty years old, but you still don't have a son. Whenever Dad thinks about it, he feels sad. What do you plan to do?"

  "There's nothing to plan, I still say the same thing, it's impossible for me to marry a flat wife." Zeng Ruiqing said.

  It's done, Ziyin thought it was a big deal to say this during the New Year, isn't it just looking for trouble? Don't make a fuss, it's not easy to have a peaceful meal. Hehe, Ziyin didn't expect Dad and Mom's relationship to be so good, there are few men who don't get tired of the old and crave the new, let alone in ancient times when it was legal to take concubines. It's really rare indeed.

  "If you don't have any ideas, I'll show you the way. Either marry a wife of equal status or adopt one from your younger brother's family. According to custom, as the elder son, you can choose a good fortune; originally, he was already the eldest grandson."

  "I disagree." Zhou and Shen shouted out at the same time. Especially Zhou, her voice got even louder, "Why should I raise someone else's son? Even if Zi Fu is good, he's not my son. Sheep's meat can't be stuck to dog's meat, besides, I'm only thirty, and our neighbor Ji Wen's wife is almost forty and still gave birth to a son. I said why did they invite us over for dinner with such kindness, it turns out they were plotting against me. If I hadn't been busy with so many things at home, I wouldn't have miscarried my child. My poor child, how could your mother not keep you?" Zhou finished speaking and cried grievously.

  In Zhou Shi's bitter words, Zi Qing only then knew that after giving birth to Zi Ping, Zhou Shi had another child, but at the time she was young and Shen Shi had just given birth to Zi Fu and was sitting in confinement, there were many things at home, and when Zhou Shi was carrying a large bucket of pig feed up the stairs, she slipped and dropped the child, after which she never had any more children. Only then did Zi Qing understand why Zeng Ruiqing's words and actions were always so stiff, and sometimes even Ah Gong and Ah Po had to consider Da Ye's face.

  Zhou Shi said this, Zeng Ruiqing hurriedly comforted her, saying: "Don't worry, I'll take you to Anzhou Prefecture tomorrow to find a doctor. Our Cloud Fragrance won't be given away to someone else's family." After finishing speaking, he got up and wanted to leave.

  Madam Shen was so angry that she clutched her chest, and Zi Qing quickly went to help her catch her breath. Zi Fu brought a cup of water to feed her, and seeing Zeng Ruiqing and the others wanting to leave, Madam Shen hurriedly asked them to stay.