Chapter 7, Annual Ceremony

Zhang Bao smiled and said, "This is due to the anger affecting his heart. Quickly take him to the yard for a walk; it should help him feel better." Tong was indeed concerned for her son and said, "Since he needs to keep watch tonight, it would be better to let him take a nap first." Zhang Bao found this reasonable, so he put down his daughter and carried his son to the pit. Tong then helped her son take off his outer coat and covered him with a small quilt, watching him fall asleep. Zhang Bao turned around and saw that his little daughter also could not keep her eyes open, so he smiled and carried her to her brother's side, allowing her to take a nap as well. He said, "Since he needs to keep watch tonight, it would be better to let him take a nap first." Zhang Bao found this reasonable, so he put down his daughter and carried his son to the pit. Tong then helped her son take off his outer coat and covered him with a small quilt, watching him fall asleep. Zhang Bao turned around and saw that his little daughter also could not keep her eyes open, so he smiled and carried her to her brother's side, allowing her to take a nap as well.

Tong said: "This idea is good, and it is commendable that you could think of these things." Erma waved her hand and replied: "This is the idea of the little girl, I am merely helping her express it." Tong smiled and turned to the silversmith's wife, saying: "Let it be as follows: make thirty small ingots and thirty small coins, and also prepare thirty pieces of fruits and vegetables. Additionally, select twelve types of fresh flowers, and make a pair of silver hairpins for each type, all to be done meticulously, as I intend to send them to the capital." The woman quickly agreed, and they also arranged for delivery before the tenth day of the twelfth month.

Shuning had been walking for half a day, and her little arms and legs were tired, so Xiaotao carried her to the main room. Just then, several craftsmen's wives brought out patterns for Tong to choose from, and everyone was quite dazzled by the variety. Shuning was also interested in watching, so she reached out to call her mother. Tong picked her up and let her sit on her lap, pointing at the patterns for her to see

In the days to come, preparations must be made to send New Year gifts to the superiors and colleagues at Zhang Bao's office, as well as to organize the gifts received from others. It is truly a busy time. Tong Shi has no time to care for her children, so she brings Shuning to the Duanning room every day, allowing the children to play together, while asking Xiao Tao to stay nearby, doing needlework and keeping an eye on them. She herself is busy every day with Er Ma, Xiao Mei, and Changfu's third son, Ma San. Zhang Bao also needs to wrap up the affairs at the office; there were even two days when he couldn't return home for dinner, being occupied with documents and books. Even the old driver at home is busy every day hauling New Year goods.

The matter of sending New Year gifts has come to a close, but it has resulted in a significant expenditure for the family, so they must be frugal during the New Year. Previously, they had already made winter clothing, some of which have not yet been worn, so the Tong family plans not to make any new ones. The quantity of traditional New Year foods prepared is also half of what it was in previous years, and even the firecrackers are only the necessary amount. Without her second sister-in-law by her side for advice, Tong has to rack her brains alone every day, thinking about the dishes for the New Year, trying to be both economical and respectable, which has caused her so much worry that she cannot even sleep well at night, making Zhang Bao feel quite distressed.

On the day of New Year's Eve, Mrs. Tong got up early, bringing the girls to make blood sausage and dumplings. Zhang Bao, having nothing to do, stayed in the study to carefully explain the customs of the New Year to his son and daughter, detailing how to pay respects to their ancestors and how things were done back in the capital. He spoke slowly and uninterestingly, causing both children to start dozing off.

Zhang Baojia not only has to prepare these items, but also worries about sending the New Year gifts back to his family in the capital. In previous years, the gifts were not particularly generous, and since it is known that Fengtian is harsh and cold, it was not a big deal. However, this year, due to the special fine liquor from Fengtian gaining a reputation within the borders and selling exceptionally well, there are rumors in the capital that the banner people returning to their hometown have become wealthy. Two months ago, a letter arrived from the Earl's residence in the capital, which subtly expressed complaints about their hidden wealth, stating that their household has many members and high expenses, while they, as a small family, have only a few people, and Fengtian is prosperous yet still asks for money from home. Zhang Bao and Tong Shi are both strong-willed among their brothers and sisters-in-law. After discussing for half a day, they decided that this year, they would rather be frugal themselves than fail to prepare a respectable New Year gift to send back to the capital. In the past, they would send Changfu and the young messenger Ma San'er to deliver gifts back to the capital, but this year, they must add another person.

Tong had no particular ideas either, glancing at Erma. After a moment of hesitation, Erma said, "We must make the yuanbao copper coins, and it would be good to create more orange-shaped ones as well." Shuning, listening from the side, rolled her eyes and pretended to be a child, clapping her hands and saying, "Orange, orange, fruit, melon..." Erma suddenly had a flash of inspiration and quickly replied, "The little girl is right. Since we have oranges, we should naturally make some pears, plums, and the like. It symbolizes great fortune and prosperity. Additionally, making some melons and vegetables would not only be fresh but also convey the meaning of a bountiful harvest, wouldn't it?"

Finally, on the tenth day of the twelfth lunar month, the glassware and silver ingots were completed. Mrs. Tong personally led a team to first pack the glassware into boxes, using fine white cotton to fill the gaps, and then wrapped the boxes in satin. Next, she instructed the maid to use high-quality red silk thread to tie the silver ingots, creating decorative knots, with twelve ingots per box. They packed two boxes of small gold ingots, two boxes of small copper coins, and two boxes of silver ingots shaped like fruits and vegetables, followed by two large boxes of silver hairpins. All the boxes were securely tied, along with ten high-quality satin pieces wrapped in burlap that had been prepared earlier, and added wind sheep, wind chicken, and wine, filling three large carts to the brim. The next morning, she sent Changfu, Erma, and Ma San, along with a letter that Zhang Bao had written the previous night, to hurry to the capital.

As soon as night fell, the entire family lit the lamps. In the front yard, a pole hung with red lanterns, which were not to be extinguished. Tong specifically instructed Old Wu to keep a constant watch on the candles. Changfu had already set up the offering table in the front yard, waiting for the appointed time to pay homage to the ancestors.

The New Year of the Manchu people is as intricate as that of the Han people. Moreover, since the Qing soldiers entered the pass, the two ethnic groups have cohabited, and their customs have gradually converged. However, in Fengtian, the stronghold of the Manchu people, some old customs have been preserved.

Shuning was in a daze, unaware of how long she had been asleep. Suddenly, she heard a loud "bang" from outside, followed by the crackling sounds of explosions, which startled her and instantly brought her to full alertness

During this period, Tong noticed that Shuning seemed to have suddenly become more perceptive; she could now speak and walk. Although she was still young, her temperament was gentle, and she did not cry or make a fuss. With her son also growing up, there was no longer a need to care for her as attentively as before. Therefore, he decided to personally raise his daughter. Taking advantage of the opportunity to send New Year gifts, he sent the second aunt back to the capital and instructed her to stay at home for a longer period, without needing to rush back.

The family gathered around the table, enjoying festive food. Shuning, being young, was personally held by Zhang Bao. Shuning looked at the various dishes on the table and wondered why there were no dumplings, which are essential for the New Year celebrations in the north

Although Ermo knew that the Tong family did not hold her in high regard, the opportunity to return to Beijing and reunite with her children was always a good thing, and she felt immensely grateful to the Tong family. Seeing that Tong was troubled about preparing the New Year gifts, she exerted all her efforts to come up with ideas, which greatly pleased Tong. The two of them discussed and decided to send twelve wind chickens, twelve wind sheep, and an additional twelve jars of fine wine from Fengtian. Tong still felt it was insufficient and wanted to prepare gifts for her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law. Furthermore, the letter from two months ago was primarily to share good news.

The silversmith's wife stepped forward and presented various designs, but they were all different sizes of ingots and copper coins, which were rather monotonous. There were only one or two designs resembling bats or oranges, which were also quite common. Noticing that Mrs. Tong's expression was not favorable, the silversmith's wife quickly said: "These are all commonly used designs. If you have any specific designs in mind, please feel free to instruct us, and my husband will surely be able to create them. He originally hails from Shandong and is renowned for his excellent craftsmanship, a skill that has been passed down through four generations."

Shuning discovered a painting of entwined lotus flowers, which was quite elegant. Moreover, the lotus symbolizes abundance of children and blessings, making it a perfect gift for newlyweds. The design was fresh, appealing to young people, and she pointed at the painting, exclaiming, "That one, that one." A nearby matron smiled and remarked, "The young lady truly has a discerning eye. The lotus signifies many children and great fortune, and the entwined design implies endless continuity, truly auspicious. This is different from the traditional entwined flower patterns; it is a new design from the south. My nephew returned from Jiangnan yesterday and brought it back himself; even in the capital, it may not be available."

After the meal, Zhang Bao held his daughter and sat on the edge of the pit with his wife and son, chatting and laughing. Before long, Shuning felt a bit overwhelmed and looked up to see the man across from her, also nodding off with his head drooping.

Since the autumn has passed, every household in the city has been pickling Chinese cabbage, storing radishes, purchasing various winter foods, and preparing red paper for window decorations and auspicious characters. Young girls and newlywed wives are working overnight to make pouches to be given as gifts.

Tong indeed found it satisfactory, so she exchanged it for a pattern of ten thousand characters. She instructed the maid to inform the glassmaker of her family to produce a complete set of dishes with the pattern of five bats flying in the clouds, and to create a complete tea set with the entwined lotus flower design, all to be completed before the tenth day of the twelfth month. The maid hurriedly agreed and took the patterns to leave.

Zhang Bao's younger brother, Rong Bao, became a palace guard at the age of sixteen, enjoying the emperor's favor. By the time he turned twenty, he was assigned to an external post and went to the Tianjin garrison. He did not get married until mid-year, and this New Year marked the first time he returned to the capital to celebrate after his wedding. Tong Shi, in addition to preparing the New Year's gifts for the family, also needed to prepare a congratulatory gift for her younger uncle and his wife. After discussing for half a day with Er Ma, she decided to order two sets of glassware and also asked the silversmith to make several boxes of finely crafted silver ingots. She then called the wives of the glassmaker and the silversmith to her home to discuss the desired patterns.

Shuning noticed a selection of patterns set aside nearby, which included a complete set of glass bowls and tea sets featuring designs of five bats flying amidst clouds, as well as another set with an endless pattern of the character 'wan'. Although they were visually appealing, some were rather vulgar. Shuning was aware that her new parents were not favored at home, and she thought to lend them a hand, so she eagerly began to help with the selection. Mrs. Tong merely regarded her as a playful child and did not pay much attention, instead focusing on the patterns.

Chang Fu returned to Fengtian with Ma San'er on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth lunar month. The New Year gifts were delivered, and both the master and mistress found them quite respectable. They personally replied to the letter, rewarding them with several embroidered pouches and also giving New Year's money to their grandchildren. Zhang Bao and Tong Shi looked at the letter and both breathed a sigh of relief. Upon seeing the return gifts from the fourth brother and his wife, it turned out that the new sister-in-law was originally a refined young lady from a prominent family. After marrying, she always felt that her in-laws' household items were rather vulgar. Upon seeing the elegant tea set and decorative items sent by her brother and sister-in-law, whom she had never met, and hearing that they were educated people, she felt a sense of kinship and personally sent back a gift, which included several pieces of embroidery and a few newly published books. Although these were all good items, they ultimately had little practical use. Tong Shi sighed and put the items away without mentioning them.

Having finished these matters, the Tong family summoned a carpenter, specifically to make gift boxes. They meticulously instructed on the carvings and lacquer colors for the box surfaces, as well as the fabrics for the linings. Then, they called in the second maid to inspect the various pouches made at home recently, selecting the twelve best ones, which were then wrapped separately, waiting to be placed inside the boxes once they were completed

The eve of the New Year was drawing near, and the family was busy cleaning the courtyard, posting couplets, hanging banners, window decorations, and the character for good fortune. The Tong family was occupied with Xiaomei and Xiaotao, steaming rice cakes and making snacks. Zhang Bao finally took his annual leave and personally put up red banners on the door. Looking outside, one could see that every household had hung various colored banners, indicating their family affiliations, and some families were even tying poles in front of their doors in preparation for setting off firecrackers