Just after the New Year, two more snowfalls came to the Capital City. A layer of snow and frost covered the glazed tiles atop the palace walls, while the plum trees in the Imperial Garden were in full bloom, their red blossoms set against the snow, their subtle fragrance drifting through the air. The palace servants had all changed into newly made winter clothes, with rabbit fur trimming their collars and cuffs, and their breaths rose in white clouds as they walked along the covered corridors. The festive air had not yet faded; the red lanterns beneath the eaves had not been taken down, nor had the paper cutouts been removed from the windows. A blessing character Qi Yu had cut out himself was pasted to a corridor pillar at Yuning Hall, red paper edged in gold, crooked as could be. Chun He had tried several times to peel it off and straighten it, but A Ping had stopped her every time. A Ping said His Highness had cut it and pasted it himself, so crooked it could stay. Even crooked, it was still a blessing.
On New Year's Eve, the palace held its customary family banquet. As usual, Qi Yu stole a taste of the Osmanthus Wine in his imperial father's cup, turned red after two sips, and had his wine cup quietly replaced with a teacup by his older brother Qi Ling. He carried the teacup around, offering toasts as though it held wine. When he offered tea to the empress, he dutifully kowtowed and said, "Mother, may you enjoy peace and good health in the new year." Xiao Luo helped him up, slipped a red envelope into his hand, and stroked the back of his head, saying he had grown taller again.
The Crown Prince's red envelope