Chapter 113: New Year's Greetings
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Earning more than fifty strings of cash in a little over half a year would have been quite a substantial sum for an ordinary household.
But Wu Ning—setting aside his miserable background for the moment—even with a spendthrift wife who had to shell out five hundred strings of cash every time she worshiped the Buddha, could he possibly afford to keep her?
Well, Qin Miaoniang was very ambitious now and no longer needed Wu Ning to support her.
Even so, Wu the Ninth was a man of dignity—a genuine chosen one, a traveler from another world. After working himself half to death for more than six months, he had managed to scrape together only fifty strings. How could he ever face anyone again?
No. Wu Ning secretly made up his mind. Once the New Year was over, it would be time to show the world what he was really capable of.
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He thought it was too little, but the other people in the hollow were not so demanding. They sincerely believed that this had been an excellent year.
They happily busied themselves distributing the money and preparing for the New Year, and the food at the New Year’s Eve feast tasted especially delicious.
The Old Ancestor had truly gone all out. He had announced that there would be as much wine as anyone could drink that night, vowing that everyone would have a proper celebration.
Even juniors like Wu Ning and Wu Li drank quite a bit. However, Tang wine was far too weak. Wu Ning filled his stomach to the brim, but apart from needing to use the latrine, he felt nothing at all.
Early the next morning, Wu Ning, who had stayed up to see in the New Year, still could not rest. First, he returned home and hung the peachwood charms he had prepared in advance on the door.
Yes, that was right. During the Tang era, “Spring Festival couplets” were not put up on the thirtieth day of the twelfth month, but on the first day of the New Year.
Nor did the charms bear the auspicious paired verses of later generations. The two charms were inscribed with the names of the great gods Shentu and Yulei, praying for peace and safety within the household.
After hanging up the charms, Wu Ning still had no time to relax. He hurried back inside, where Helan Minzhi had already been sitting by the edge of the heated brick bed for quite some time.
Wu the Ninth thought to himself: There was nothing he could do. As the junior of the family, he had no rights!
With a thump, he dropped to his knees.
“May I wish Uncle-by-marriage…”
“New blessings with the dawning year, and lengthening years of fortune and longevity.”
“Mm.” Helan Minzhi gave a perfunctory acknowledgment. “Rise. At the beginning of a new year, you must study diligently and strengthen your resolve!”
“I shall heed your instruction.”
Wu Ning brushed off his robe. That was the end of it.
The respectful expression vanished at once.
“Then I’m off.”
Helan Minzhi rolled his eyes. He had known all along that the boy was only pretending.
“Go, and return quickly!”
“Yes, sir.”
Wu Ning picked up the gifts he had prepared beforehand and turned to leave.
He first went to the Old Ancestor’s courtyard. The old man and Ugly Uncle were already seated properly in the main hall, waiting for the younger generations to kneel and offer their New Year greetings.
Wu Ning kowtowed to the old man and delivered the auspicious phrase, “May blessings extend into the new year, and may your longevity know no bounds.”
Once the old man nodded in satisfaction and raised a hand to indicate that he could stand, Wu Ning was free to “get lost.”
As for New Year’s money, he could forget it.
Once a man turned fifteen, he was considered an adult. Not giving New Year’s money to others would already make him seem miserly—how could he still have the nerve to ask for any himself?
…
After leaving the Old Ancestor’s residence, Wu Ning picked up another string of gifts and began visiting the elders of his clan from house to house.
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Whether it was the Third Grand-Uncle, the Second Grandfather, Sixth Uncle, Ninth Uncle, or Eighth Maternal Grandfather, he had to visit every household. He could not afford to neglect proper etiquette.
By the time he completed the circuit, it was nearly noon. Wu Ning had not even had breakfast.
Heh. Don’t think that was the end of it. After returning home, he had not even had time to drink a cup of water before Wu the Ninth had to pick up the largest and most generous string of gifts and hurry into the city.
After all, he had another spendthrift wife. Her father might be in prison, but he did not dare show the slightest neglect toward his mother-in-law.
When he reached the city, he saw Qin Miaoniang waiting at the gate in the distance.
As soon as she saw Wu Ning, she hurried over.
“You’ve been busy all morning. You haven’t eaten yet, have you? Come with me and fill your stomach first. Then we’ll go see my mother.”
Wu Ning felt wonderfully comforted. His wife really did know how to care for him. Even if she was a little extravagant, he could accept that!
“Never mind.”
Although his stomach was empty, Wu the Ninth still had a proper sense of decorum.
“We must not neglect etiquette. It will not be too late to eat after I have paid my respects to Mother-in-law.”
At this, Qin Miaoniang immediately shot him a look.
“Who is your mother-in-law? Your family hasn’t even sent the betrothal gifts yet.”
“And whose fault is that? Your father’s, of course,” Wu Ning complained as he followed Qin Miaoniang inside.
…
They went straight to the inner residence, where they found Qin’s mother, Madam Zhang. Wu Ning’s knees went soft, and he nearly dropped down to kowtow again.
If Madam Qin had not been quick-eyed, the boy really would have struck his head against the floor while shouting, “Happy New Year, Mother-in-law!”
Madam Qin merely gave an awkward laugh.
“The young gentleman has not yet sent the betrothal gifts. Such a grand ceremony would be inappropriate.”
Fine. Wu Ning had nearly rubbed the skin off his forehead from kowtowing all morning.
He cursed inwardly: Such feudal customs really were intolerable!
He changed the kneeling salute to a formal bow.
“May blessings extend into the new year, and may your longevity know no bounds, Auntie.”
Madam Qin nodded.
“That will do. Your sincerity has been shown, so let us dispense with the formalities.”
“You must be exhausted after an entire morning of this, Young Gentleman. Go with Miaoniang to the hall and have something to eat.”
Wu Ning thought to himself: His mother-in-law truly was considerate!
He really was starving, so he did not stand on ceremony. Stepping aside, he said, “Auntie, please go first.”
Madam Qin only smiled again.
“If this old woman joined you at the table, how could you two youngsters eat in peace? Go on. I shall not intrude.”
How sensible! Exceptionally sensible!
Wu the Ninth thought to himself that this mother-in-law was far better than his father-in-law.
He happily followed Qin Miaoniang to eat. After stuffing himself with everything in sight, Wu Ning finally came back to life.
“Buuuurp!”
He let out a tremendous belch.
“That hit the spot! Truly satisfying!”
Qin Miaoniang filled a bowl with fresh soup and handed it to him.
“Have some soup to settle your stomach.”
“I’m not drinking any more.” Wu Ning shook his head. “There’s no room left.”
“…”
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“Then let’s go.” Qin Miaoniang looked helplessly at Wu Ning. “There’s still a whole pile of things to do this afternoon.”
“All right!”
Wu Ning pushed himself up with one arm, his face full of reluctance.
“How is this supposed to be New Year’s? It’s skinning me alive!”
What were they doing that afternoon?
Wu Ning had completed his round of formal visits, but Qin Miaoniang, the prospective daughter-in-law of the Wu family, had not yet made hers.
That afternoon, Qin Miaoniang would accompany Wu Ning down into the hollow and repeat the entire circuit he had made that morning.
At that moment, Wu the Ninth suddenly understood something:
Come to think of it, perhaps Neo-Confucianism had not been invented for the sake of becoming an official at all. It was absolutely the brilliant idea of some lazy man who wanted to avoid making an effort.
Imagine the future, when Neo-Confucian learning ruled the world. A man would not even need to meet his bride before the wedding. Once he lifted the veil, whoever she turned out to be, he would simply have to accept her.
There would be no need to visit every household and go through all these tiresome formalities.
How convenient. What a blessed life.
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When he and Qin Miaoniang returned to the hollow, they saw two sedan bearers carrying a small covered sedan up the mountain road the moment they entered.
At first, Wu Ning assumed they were pilgrims heading to Wenxian Monastery to burn the first incense of the New Year, or perhaps officials coming to offer New Year’s greetings to Li Xian and Princess Taiping.
But when they reached the entrance to the house, the little sedan was lowered to the ground, and an old man stepped out and entered the Old Ancestor’s residence.
Wu Ning was puzzled. He had never heard of such a relative.
Since Qin Miaoniang would have to pay her New Year’s respects to the Old Ancestor anyway, Wu Ning decided not to return home. He led her directly toward the Old Ancestor’s courtyard.
Before they even entered, they heard the newly arrived old man shouting at the top of his lungs:
“Brother Wu, may blessings extend into the new year, and may your longevity know no bounds! Your younger brother has come especially to offer New Year’s greetings—and I have brought a happy proposal as well.”
The Old Ancestor was equally surprised to see him.
Wasn’t this Chen the Moneybag from Chen Family Village? What had brought him here?
And what did he mean by a happy proposal?
The Old Ancestor could not help frowning.
“A happy proposal? What happy proposal?”
Chen the Moneybag’s old face blossomed into a smile.
“My Fourth Daughter and your clan’s Ninth Son Wu—would that not be a happy occasion?”
What?!
Wu Ning, standing at the doorway, nearly choked to death.
He turned toward Qin Miaoniang in a panic.
“This has nothing to do with me!”
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