Allure of a Country Maiden-Chapter 1288 - 1285_1

This winter, there hadn’t been a significant snowfall, and many common folk looked up skyward as tiny snowflakes fell, disappearing upon hitting the ground, causing them to frown.

Prosperity follows snow! This was a well-known principle. Without several heavy snowfalls in the winter to provide a thick blanket for the wheat in the land, the coming year’s crops would be plagued by many pests.

The worries of common folk went beyond the comprehension of four children. They stood in the courtyard watching the snowflakes from the sky, similarly furrowing their brows, yet they were not worried for the nation or its people; they were worried that their father would not be able to fulfill his promise to take them sledding as planned.

"Mother, when will it snow heavily?" Mozhi knew that Xiao’er has been always accurate in predicting the weather.

Each time they left the house to attend the Imperial College, if it was going to rain that day, Mother would remind them to bring rain gear.

"Hmm, it seems like your wish won’t come true," Xiao’er said while busily tallying up the supplies being sent to the soldiers in the south.

New Year was approaching, and Xiao’er had cured a lot of bacon, ham, duck, and rabbit, all intended to be sent to the soldiers in the south for their New Year feast.

Fresh meat doesn’t last long, but cured meat can be preserved for several months, especially during the winter.

Apart from cured meats, Xiao’er had also prepared many dry goods such as abalone, fish maw, dried scallops, and sea cucumber. These were all for making Buddha’s Temptation Soup! on New Year’s Eve for the soldiers who hadn’t returned home for years.

"Heavens, show mercy. I really long to go sledding!" Mozhi made a prayerful gesture to the sky.

"Go and practice writing! If you don’t improve, your father will not take you sledding, even if it snows," Xiao’er said, laughing at Mozhi’s childish act.

Out of all the children, Mozhi is the most playful! He is very decisive and efficient in doing things because the sooner they get finished, the sooner he can play!

Qingqing only thinks about food! The first thing she did each day after waking up was eat, eat, and eat! If she didn’t eat enough, she would not be energetic throughout the day.

Roof as an older brother, was the most sensible. He was a great role model to his younger brothers and sisters. He played the most dangerous and exciting games and infuriated everyone while learning, but then he was the most serious, learned the fastest and best which made people feel comforted!

As for Nuannuan, she was very smart — quiet unless she had something important to say. Xiao’er always thought her somewhat devious.

"Oh, Queen Mother, why do you always remind me of my saddest things!" Mozhi gave Xiao’er a poor look, then returned to the study room.

Ah! The one thing he couldn’t bear was writing practice! Who in the world had devised such a cruel punishment?!

Once Xiao’er had finished checking the supplies, she said to Yang Mei, "Ask Zhao Yong to come."

Zhao Yong arrived promptly.

Pointing the supplies she said to Zhao Yong, "You arrange for people to send these supplies to the front line. This all for the soldiers’ New Year’s Eve dinner. Don’t forget, send a chef from the Four Seasons Restaurant specifically to prepare the meal for the soldiers. The army cooks simply can’t bring out the authentic taste of Buddha’s Temptation Soup. Also, get more wine brought over from the winery."

"Princess, the feast for the soldiers is so lavish, I will personally deliver it there to eat dinner with them and then come back overnight! Eating large amounts of meat and drinking large quantities of wine with so many soldiers, it would be too amazing!"

"That’s fine! But when you return, don’t ask me for a New Year red envelope!"

"Then forget it!" The thing he was looking forward to the most after a year of hard work was the New Year red envelope! He shouldn’t lose the big for the small!

After Zhao Yong left, Xiao’er looked at the sky again.

Indeed, this year was a warm winter, with no significant snow. The children’s wishes to go sledding would be dashed. Of course, the commoner’s daily prayers for heavy snow would also not be realized.

However, regardless of whether there will be a good harvest next year, there was nothing to fear!

The people of Minze Country and the Imperial Court can withstand the storm!

In the past two years, the stockpile of Minze Country’s common people had grown more and more! Over two years, apart from the northwest, which had not been completely improved, the low-grade fields or wastelands of the various counties were all transformed.

The Emperor also specifically requested officials in various states and counties to tally the poor families without farmland and then find a suitable wasteland for reclamation. Give an acre of transformed wasteland to each poor family to ensure that everyone in the country has enough food to eat.

The Emperor appointed Shen Chengyao as an imperial inspector to perform this task nationwide to prevent local officials from secretly defying the orders and to inflate the number of poor households, thereby cheating the Imperial Court’s fertile land.

Shen Chengyao had been away from the Imperial Capital for more than two years, and he should be back before the New Year!

As people grow up, they have their own missions to complete, and it is difficult to gather together even for the New Year.

Thinking of this, Xiao’er turned around and went back into the room, starting to check the accounts of each shop. She didn’t have much time for sadness.

As long as everyone stays safe and sound, it doesn’t matter if they can’t gather, because even if they are thousands of miles apart, they share the moon!

Xiao’er was quietly checking the accounts in the room when she couldn’t help but mention: the swallow houses Xiao’er had built on Swallow Ridge in Zezhou had successfully attracted swallows last year.

This year every single swallow house produced no less than 100 pounds of bird’s nest, and their quality was outstanding.

Such high-quality bird’s nest, which is cheaper than bird’s nests harvested from natural caves, naturally became popular among the ladies and misses. Almost every time they were put on the market, they were sold out immediately.

Next year the swallow houses will be more mature, and the yield of bird’s nests will undoubtedly be higher. Xiao’er planned to build a few more swallow houses to increase the total output of bird’s nests.

While looking at the total accounts of each shop, Xiao’er was making a summary and planning and expecting for the next year for each shop.

Looking at the account books one by one, Xiao’er felt a sense of financial prosperity. This feeling was really indescribable!

Other than checking accounts, Xiao’er also needed to arrange New Year gifts and New Year affairs. In this way, every day was hustle and bustle until the arrival of the New Year.

The New Year’s Eve dinner was by custom, a meal eaten in the palace with the ministers.

Because Minze Country was more prosperous year after year, this New Year’s Eve dinner was also richer year after year.

This New Year’s Eve dinner, they ate from noon till sunset.

On the early morning of New Year’s Eve, the emperor received the good news from the south that Shangguan Xuanjun, Di Shaowei, and others had respectively led troops to capture two cities of Nangong Country. He was so delighted that he was almost ready to get drunk with the ministers. It wasn’t until the Empress ordered the servants to replace Emperor’s wine with water that he stopped.

The custom was to stay up all night on New Year’s Eve. The whole family stayed in the Empress Dowager’s Cining Palace. They talked, chatted, and played cards. Xiao’er thought this was too boring.

Fortunately, the weather on New Year’s was clear, and there was no snow. Xiao’er said, "I have prepared a lot of fireworks this year. Let’s set off the fireworks after making dumplings!"

"Good, I want to set off the fireworks myself! Great Empress Dowager, watch me set off the fireworks. They will be beautiful!" Mozhi was making dumplings into the shapes of small animals and talking at the same time.

"Good! Good! Let’s leave the fireworks to Huai Mozhi!" The Empress Dowager said happily after hearing this.