vrcanaries Chapter 91 New Year’s Eve
Chapter 91 New Year’s Eve
The fact that the Jia family received a dish bestowed by the Emperor on New Year's Eve undoubtedly made them the talk of the town in the capital once again, and many people added to the gifts they were going to send to the Jia family.
The Jia family was even happier; this was an immense honor, and their Hu'er was truly remarkable.
On this New Year's Eve, the entire Jia mansion was brightly lit, and everyone in the household was dressed in colorful costumes. The night was filled with laughter, firecrackers, and fireworks.
After dinner, it was time to set off fireworks. Jia Hu and Jia Zhen were very excited and wanted to light the fireworks, but Jia She led them to light a few.
After the fireworks were set off, everyone went inside. The maids laid out various auspicious snacks and fruits, and the family began to gather together to stay up all night.
The atmosphere inside was harmonious; everyone was chatting and joking, all with smiles on their faces.
Jia Hu listened to the conversation, but his mind wandered over time.
[Yuan Chun is due tomorrow, but my second aunt doesn't seem to want to have her.]
Everyone was taken aback by these words and turned to look at Madam Wang. Madam Wang touched her belly, feeling a little nervous. The skilled healer had said it should be in two more days; could it be tomorrow? She didn't feel anything.
[It must be said, Yuan Chun knew how to pick her timing. The first day of the Lunar New Year—what an auspicious day! Plus, it was the same birthday as her great-grandfather. No wonder her grandmother and second aunt valued her so much and groomed her from a young age.]
Wang was overjoyed. It was her daughter, Yuan Chun.
Grandmother Jia was also delighted, as this was her first granddaughter, and from what Hu'er said, she was destined for greatness.
Based on his past experience, Jia Daishan felt that it wouldn't be that simple.
Seeing his daughter-in-law's overjoyed expression, and thinking about his eldest granddaughter who was leaving tomorrow, Jia Daishan was worried that Wang Shi might get excited if she heard something. He was trying to figure out how to tell his second daughter-in-law to go back first.
Grandmother Jia, however, felt that her daughter-in-law was about to give birth to a wonderful granddaughter the next day, and couldn't stay up late to discuss the matter, so she quickly spoke up:
"I think that although it is customary to keep watch at night, you two are both pregnant, so you should not stay up late. You should go back first. Min'er, you should also go back with your sisters-in-law."
Wang didn't want to stay up all night and wanted to go back and rest. She had already prepared everything for childbirth, and it would be good to go back and have a check-up.
My sister-in-law will be going back with me, so she can look at the things together.
After the three returned, everyone started talking again while keeping an eye on Jia Hu.
Jia Hu watched his mother and aunt leave together, and continued to think...
[Alas, what a pity! No matter how good Yuan-chun was, no matter how well she was raised, she was not suited to enter the palace.]
Grandmother Jia's hand trembled; something about what she said sounded off, and everyone in the room noticed it too.
Jia Zheng was somewhat relieved that his mother had sent his wife home first.
[Yuan Chun was chosen to be a maid in the palace because of her virtue, filial piety, and talent. Look, the Jia family was already in decline at that time; girls couldn't be chosen as imperial concubines anymore, they could only be maids first, serving others.]
Everyone gasped, but no one dared to speak. In order not to attract Jia Hu's attention, they had to pretend to talk.
[A perfectly good young girl, she waited until she was 24 years old before being made a concubine. The reason for this concubine's title was also suspicious. Moreover, Yuan Chun was not capable of fulfilling the Jia family's desired effect. She only brought the Jia family a brief dream and then accelerated their demise.]
After the new emperor bestowed the title of Imperial Concubine upon her, allowing several empresses to visit their families, the Jia family immediately began constructing the Grand View Garden. This powerful and strict emperor spent money like water. Where would the Jia family have such wealth? This money was truly extraordinary.
Although I felt that Yuan Chun had to be careful in every aspect of her life in the palace, like walking a tightrope, I felt that she hadn't learned anything.
Having finally returned, he was not careful with his words and actions. Surrounded by so many palace maids, he blurted out, "Send me to that place where I can't be seen by anyone that very day..."
My God, how can you say something like that when the palace is a place where people can't be seen?!
You've only been made a concubine, not become the emperor. That's not true character, that's just being naive.
It's normal for family members to have different degrees of closeness or distance, but given your status, you can't do that. Yuan-chun had political acumen, and later, with the decline of the Jia family, she died young.
This long passage had a huge impact on everyone; the contrast was like heaven and earth, from the great fortune and destiny at the beginning to everything that followed.
Fortunately, Wang went back first, otherwise something bad would definitely have happened today.
Today is New Year's Eve, and even though Grandmother Jia wanted to cry, she could only hold it in.
Jia Hu picked up another piece of fruit and casually took a bite, inwardly cursing.
[Don't even dream of owning the Grand View Garden in this lifetime; you can't even build a single brick. Don't even think about entering the palace. The men in the family are incompetent, always hoping to rely on the girls to maintain the family's prosperity—isn't that just wishful thinking?! I bet everyone in this life is trying their best!]
Upon hearing this, Jia Jing, Jia She, Jia Zheng, and the younger generation, Jia Zhen and Jia Zhu, all felt ashamed. It was their incompetence that forced the girls in their families to enter the palace to compete for that glory.
Jia Daishan felt much calmer. He looked at the tea his elder brother handed him, took it, and gave a bitter smile.
He knew all too well that things wouldn't turn out well, but the thought of his eldest granddaughter ending up like this still made him feel terrible.
Jia Hu then noticed that the room seemed much quieter. He took another bite of fruit, looked up and around. Were they all tired?
Looking at the somewhat absent-minded crowd, Jia Daishan smiled helplessly:
"Hu'er, are you tired?"
Jia Hu immediately sat up straight and smiled:
"Grandfather, I'm not tired."
Jia Daishan smiled and said:
"That's good. Hu'er is really amazing. Look at your uncles and aunts, they're all a bit exhausted."
Jia She quickly replied:
"No, we're just tired from talking and need a rest."
Jia Jing also laughed and said:
"We can't let the kids outdo us."
The atmosphere inside the room became lively again, as if nothing had happened.
Jia Hu then smiled, and Jia Zhen and Jia Zhu came over and sat next to Jia Hu. They needed their older brother at that moment and felt that only their eldest brother was the most reliable.
Jia Hu patted each of their little heads; they were so cute.
Watching Jia Hu interact with his two younger brothers, Jia Daishan once again thanked God for giving Hu'er such a great opportunity.
"Alright, today is New Year's Eve. After today, tomorrow will be the start of a new year. The past is gone and cannot be retrieved; people must always look forward."
A few words made everyone who was constantly thinking about Jia Hu's words feel much more cheerful. Yes, things are different now, this time it really is different.
Grandmother Jia patted her chest, looked at the people in the room, and then looked at Jia Hu, who was talking to his younger brothers, with tender and loving eyes. This was the most precious treasure of the Jia family.