On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Jin Shanyao took her siblings to see the ice lanterns. To attract customers, each shop displayed a variety of ice lantern designs.
The siblings, carrying pomegranate-shaped lanterns, looked around... "Auntie, look... someone's setting off fireworks."
Jin Shanyao looked up and saw a loud bang... Flames exploded in the air, looking particularly beautiful in the darkness. Holding the two children's hands, she smiled and asked, "Want to let go?"
"I want to..." the siblings exclaimed in unison.
"Let's go... buy fireworks..." Jin Shanyao said, leading the two children towards the firecracker stall. "Uncle... give me two of everything that can be set off."
The stall owner was overjoyed upon hearing this and hurriedly began loading his goods. "Young lady... you have excellent taste! My stall has the most complete selection of fireworks on this street. Feel free to set them off... these fireworks are beautiful!"
Jin Shanyao paying, Jin Shan and her siblings carried the fireworks to an open area. As soon as they put them down, they heard people talking, and the voices sounded vaguely familiar.
It sounds like Fan Er's voice.
Jin Shanyao looked in the direction of the sound and saw Fan Er standing with a girl. The girl looked unwell, as if she had been crying.
Fan Er stood across from her like a silly bear, not knowing how to coax her, stammering for a long time without being able to say a word.
Du Hongdou took a deep breath, " Fan Er, we're not a good match... Let's not see each other again."
"Why... we were fine before the New Year?" Fan Er asked anxiously, his face turning red. He reached out to grab Du Hongdou, but she dodged his hand.
"You signed a twenty-year indenture, how can I marry you?"
"But... but when we first met, you already knew I was a servant. Did your uncle and aunt say something?"
Du Hongdou slapped away his outstretched hand again. "What can my parents say? Of course they disagree. Would you agree to your daughter marrying someone who signed a contract of servitude?"
Fan Er's anxious expression instantly turned dejected. He stared into Du Hongdou's eyes, "My master treats us very well. As long as we don't do anything to harm Anzhi Hall, she won't sell us out."
Besides, the master's family said they would propose marriage to me...
Du Hongdou wiped away her tears. "It's no use what Fan Er says now. Just consider me confused for a moment and deceived your feelings. Let's not have anything to do with each other anymore." After saying that, she turned to leave.
Fan Er followed behind dumbly, while Du Hongdou cried out, "Why are you following me?"
Fan Er stammered, "I... I can redeem myself."
Du Hongdou stopped and asked, "You have money?"
Fan Er nodded, "This year, Miss made me a junior manager, and I earned enough money to buy my freedom... Could you wait for me?"
Du Hongdou pursed her lips and stared at him, "How much did you pay to redeem yourself?"
Fifty-three taels.
"So much?!" Du Hongdou was surprised that Fan Er, a servant, could earn so much money. "After you redeem yourself, will you still have money? We need a place to live for our marriage, and the bride price can't be less."
Fan Er pondered for a moment, "I wonder how much your family is asking for in betrothal gifts?"
"Ten taels of silver, two shi of grain, three bolts of cloth, and then wine and meat." Du Hongdou had a baby face and bright, lively eyes. She counted on her fingers as she recalled what her parents and the matchmaker had said.
Fan Er wrote everything down. "Besides these, I can still buy a small courtyard... anything bigger won't be enough, but don't worry... I'll work hard for my master and I'll definitely be able to support you."
Du Hongdou smiled through her tears and reached out to take Fan Er's hand. "Alright... then you'll go redeem yourself tomorrow. Then take the household registration documents to my house to propose marriage. You'd better hurry, my parents are looking for someone for me right now."
Fan Er nervously gripped her hand, "Don't go to the matchmaking, I'll redeem myself tomorrow... Wait for me."
Du Hongdou suppressed a laugh and pulled him forward, saying, "That depends on your performance."
Only after the two were out of sight did Meng Anzhi speak, "Auntie... Fan Er found a wife behind our backs?"
Meng Anci in, "Hmm... he also wants to redeem himself and elope with that girl..."
With Jin Shanyao, he thought, "He's finally ready to settle down with his children, wife, and a warm bed."
The siblings nodded indignantly.
Jin Shanyao, holding a tinderbox, asked, "Shall we set off fireworks again?"
"Let it go..." The siblings responded in unison. Jin Shanyao Jin Shanyao in a row, and the three of them covered their ears and rushed over. As soon as they lit the fuse, they ran back as fast as they could.
Bang bang bang... Fireworks shot into the sky and then exploded... The siblings looked up at the sky, mesmerized. It was so beautiful.
After setting off the fireworks, the three strolled around the streets for a while before leisurely heading back.
The next day, before dawn, Fan Er had already arrived at the Anzhi Hall.
The shop hadn't opened yet, and he stood outside the door, hesitating for a long time, unsure how to Jin Shanyao.
The shop door was suddenly opened, startling Fan Er, who turned around abruptly.
" Fan Er... why are you here so early?" Zhou Xiaosi opened the door wide and started removing the window panels. Fan Er looked into the shop and moved closer to Zhou Xiaosi.
"Is Master awake yet?"
"You're up... Do you need to see her?"
Fan Er took the window panel from his hand and placed it aside. "How is she in a mood today?"
Zhou Xiaosi paused in her act of lifting the curtain, looking at him suspiciously. "Have you done something wrong?"
Fan Er clicked his tongue and lightly scolded, "What are you thinking? Do you think I'm that kind of person?"
Zhou Xiaosi didn't say anything, put down the winnowing basket and started shoveling ashes from the stove, seeing Fan Er standing there dumbfounded.
He said, "It's so early in the morning, what mood could Master possibly be in... If you want to go, hurry up, don't go during mealtime, or you'll be in for a world of trouble if Qing He blocks you outside."
Fan Er sighed, rubbed his hands together, and resolutely strode towards the backyard. Just then, he saw Nanny Chen coming out of the kitchen and hurriedly asked, "Auntie, where is the master?"
Nanny Chen pointed towards the study. Fan Er understood, walked to the door, cleared his throat, and gently knocked on the door. "Master... I am Fan Er."
"Come in."
Fan Er pushed open the door and entered, too nervous to speak. He stammered, "Master... I... I have something I want to tell you."
Jin Shanyao, her eyes crinkling. "Yes, come in and talk."
Fan Er walked awkwardly to the desk, stopped, and his eyes darted around. "Master... I want to redeem myself."
Jin Shanyao feigned ignorance, "Why did you suddenly think of redeeming yourself? Is someone on the estate being bullied?"
Fan Er hurriedly explained, "No... Steward Wu has been very good to us, it's just that..." He blushed as he said this, "I've found a girl I like."
"Her family dislikes me because I'm a servant... they won't let their daughter come with me. I... I just want to buy my freedom." Fan Er seemed to remember something and quickly added, "You know that girl too, she once had her fortune told by you, and you even made her cry."
Jin Shanyao suddenly realized, "That girl looks familiar. Isn't she the Miss Hongdou you bumped into at the shop entrance a few months ago?"
Fan Er nodded hurriedly, "Yes, it's her... After that day, we met a few more times, and we gradually developed feelings for each other. Now, she's reached the age where she should be married soon or she'll have to pay the head tax."
Her parents had already started looking for a husband for her, and that's when I got anxious... I begged my master to grant my request," he said, about to kneel down before Jin Shanyao.