Crackle, pop...
In the blink of an eye, it was New Year's Eve. Firecrackers rang out across Jiangzhou City, and the laughter of men and women, young and old, drifted into the Chen Family's mansion along with the smoky bustle of the festivities.
Red lanterns had been hung among the white walls and blue-gray roof tiles. As the mistress of the household, Third Madam had already started preparing the reunion dinner in the rear kitchen. Fan Qinghe could not return to her hometown, and she could hardly spend the New Year at the Duke's Manor, so she had come over today too. She helped deftly at Third Madam's side as they chatted:
"Ye Jingtang can make it back today, right?"
"Of course. New Year's Eve only comes once a year. If he doesn't even come home for dinner, wouldn't all that hard work this past year have been for nothing...?"
When it came to who enjoyed the New Year most, no one could beat the children.
Although Zhe Yunli was already sixteen, she was not really all that old, and she still had a wild streak. Seeing that Master’s Wife had yet to arrive, she ran into the Escort Agency's courtyard with Ping'er. A large crate of fireworks and firecrackers stood beside them, and she swiftly laid them out in a row.
As the Sky-Pacifying Sect Master's little maid, Ping'er was no slouch at martial arts, but she was rather timid. She stood far away, peeking out from behind a carriage, and said anxiously:
"Miss, watch your skirt. Madam just had those new clothes made for you. If you accidentally burn a hole in them, she'll definitely spank you..."
Zhe Yunli fiddled with the firecrackers, looking rather like a child running wild while her mother was out.
"I have