Chapter 453: Chapter 253: Growing Up Doesn’t Seem to Be a Good Thing_4
Today is New Year’s Eve, and only good or auspicious words can be spoken; bad words are forbidden, so the ministers are doing their best to speak positively.
Zhao Yao couldn’t listen anymore and sighed inwardly: Is this New Year, or just a bragging session?
The Fourth Prince picked up a piece of beef and found a bone inside. Considerately, he used his chopsticks to remove the bone and then put the beef into Zhao Yao’s bowl.
"Thank you, Fourth Brother." Zhao Yao grinned at the Fourth Prince, revealing several gaps in his teeth. Recently, he had lost both his upper and lower teeth.
The Fourth Prince held back a laugh and gently reminded Zhao Yao, "Be careful, eat slowly."
"Fourth Brother, it’s okay. I’ve gotten used to it now." Zhao Yao was now accustomed to unexpectedly losing teeth while eating during this time.
The Fourth Prince’s eyes were full of mirth: "I’m worried you’ll swallow your teeth. Didn’t you almost swallow one last time?" Previously, while dining with the Fourth Prince, Zhao Yao accidentally ate his own tooth and nearly swallowed it without realizing.
Zhao Yao lifted his head from the bowl, looking at the Fourth Prince with dissatisfaction: "Fourth Brother, can you not mention such discouraging things? It spoils the appetite."
"Alright, alright, I won’t mention it. Eat up."
After Zhao Yao finished the beef in his bowl, more strips of meat appeared. The Eighth Prince shredded a piece of beef with his chopsticks, making it easier for Zhao Yao to eat.
"Thank you, Eighth Brother." Zhao Yao gave the Eighth Prince a smile even brighter than the day’s sunshine.
The Fourth and Eighth Princes ignored each other completely, not exchanging a single glance, yet they were incredibly in sync when it came to serving Zhao Yao food. They carefully removed bones or shredded the meat into smaller pieces for him.
During the New Year’s Eve lunch banquet, Zhao Yao ate very satisfyingly under the care of his two brothers. Thanks to their attentiveness, he didn’t lose any more teeth during the meal.
On such a significant day, it wouldn’t be considered auspicious to lose a tooth and bleed everywhere.
After the lunch, the Emperor brought his sons and the ministers to watch some drama and acrobatics.
During the performances, there were breaks. The Emperor and Princes, along with the ministers, would throw some money to the performers on stage.
At this time, the Emperor would also distribute some money among the ministers. However, only officials above the fifth rank could pick up the money thrown by the Emperor.
This money was essentially just everyday copper coins, but made of gold. These gold coins were not for use among the populace; they were rewards from the Emperor to his ministers.
The ministers who managed to get the money smiled broadly. To them, receiving the Emperor’s monetary reward on New Year’s Day was their honor and fortune.
Once the ministers finished collecting money, the stage performances continued.
At the beginning of Shen Hour, the drama and acrobatic performances ended, and the ministers went home.
At You Hour, the New Year’s Eve family banquet began.
All concubines and princes could join the family banquet that night.
The Emperor and Empress sat on top, receiving toasts from the princes and concubines.
Of course, during dinner, the Emperor bestowed dishes and blessings to the ministers and also to his sons and concubines.
During dinner, besides offering toasts, the concubines and princes could also perform programs for the Emperor.
The princes enthusiastically showcased their talents to amuse the Emperor and earn his rewards.
The Crown Prince read out an essay he had written to the Emperor and everyone present.
Though the Emperor often criticized this or that about the Crown Prince, he had never faulted his reading ability. On the contrary, the Crown Prince read so much that it was said his brains got scrambled.
The Crown Prince was well-read in classics, though not to a scholarly extent, but he was certainly well-read in poetry and books. Among the princes, his literary talent was the best. Of course, the Fourth Prince intentionally portrayed himself as inferior to the Crown Prince to hide his own abilities.
Prince Dai performed a spear routine. The Third Prince performed a sword dance. The Fourth Prince wrote a poem.
Zhao Yao, unprepared to perform, casually uttered a stream of auspicious words to the Emperor.
The Emperor, being generous, rewarded each prince.
During this year’s New Year’s Eve banquet, the Emperor showed the most favor to Princess Consort Ying and frequently gave her dishes from his table. Previously, it had always been Noble Princess Consort Rong.
After the banquet, the Emperor led the concubines and princes to the city walls to watch the fireworks.
While watching the fireworks, the Emperor held Princess Consort Ying’s hand all the time. Meanwhile, Empress Xie and Noble Princess Consort Rong stood aside.
After the fireworks, the Emperor left, holding Princess Consort Ying’s hand.
Empress Xie and Noble Princess Consort Rong looked very displeased witnessing this.
According to tradition, the Emperor was supposed to spend the night with Empress Xie, as he had every New Year’s Eve, but tonight he seemed to have forgotten.
Zhao Yao pulled the Eighth Prince along with Liang Zhaoyi back to Kunde Hall. In recent years, the Eighth Prince had always spent New Year’s Eve with Zhao Yao.
Typically, princes like the Eighth Prince, who were already grown up, could not spend the night in the harem, but New Year’s Eve was an exception when princes could stay up with their mothers.
Zhao Yao pulled the Eighth Prince to play cards with Liang Zhaoyi and Yu Meiren.
Pang Cairen sat beside Zhao Yao, acting as his strategist.
The Fifth Princess sat next to the Eighth Prince, randomly advising him on which cards to play.
By Hai Hour, Zhao Yao was sleepy, so Liang Zhaoyi sent the Eighth Prince and Zhao Yao to their rooms to rest while they stayed up.
Zhao Yao’s small body clung to the Eighth Prince like a stove.
Thanks to Zhao Yao, this little human heater, the Eighth Prince slept very warmly.
The next day was the first day of the new year, and they were woken up at the crack of dawn.
Liang Zhaoyi and Yu Meiren had already risen early and made a pot of dumplings for Zhao Yao and the others.
From the first day to the eighth day of the new year, dumplings had to be eaten every morning.
After eating dumplings, Zhao Yao and the Eighth Prince followed Liang Zhaoyi and the others to pay their New Year’s visit. The two brothers had to first go to Chengguang Hall to pay their respects to the Emperor, then to Zhao Yang Palace to pay respects to Empress Xie.
Last year, Zhao Yao was sick and managed to skip the New Year’s visits. This year, he couldn’t avoid it and had to pay respects one after another.
Besides paying respects to the Emperor and Empress Xie, they also had to visit other concubines, as they were also their elders.
The first day of the new year was spent in New Year’s visits.
On the morning of the second day, Zhao Yao left the palace to visit Liang Run and He Lianfang for New Year’s greetings. As for visiting the homes of people like Song Jicai, Zhao Yao felt embarrassed and did not go.
He also paid a New Year’s visit to Mr. Xiao, and then went with him to Dahua Village Manor, playing with the children there for a few days.
After the Mid-Autumn Festival, Zhao Yao and others returned to Wende Hall to study, but this year there was one less person, the Third Prince, because after New Year’s, he came of age, albeit his birthday hadn’t yet arrived.
Growing another year older, Zhao Yao found himself with more books to read and more teachings from his second uncle.
Suddenly, he felt that growing up might not be such a good thing.