Chapter 94: New Year Gifts

Wen Gu took out the New Year gift prepared for Lady Shen.

It was packed in a wooden box with two layers, each containing an object.

The upper layer was a magnifying glass, its frame and handle inlaid with gemstones, crafted exquisitely.

For those in the upper echelons, a magnifying glass was not considered a rare item; Lady Shen had never seen one before but had heard of them.

It was just that in the past, they were always small items made by craftsmen polishing clear, natural, colorless crystal, meant to be played with at one's fingertips.

But the magnifying glass Wen Gu took out was much larger, yet the size was just right. Too large would make it appear cumbersome.

Lady Shen was indeed delighted to receive this little trinket; she played with it in her hand for a moment, then looked at the wooden box: "What about the layer below?"

Wen Gu opened the partition, which held a cloth bag, and took out a small but equally exquisite circular object from inside; at first glance, it looked like a hanging accessory:

"This item is a 'Duanrong Mirror'." He opened the outer lid, revealing the mirror surface inside, "It can be hung on the head of a fan or tied to a handkerchief, making it easy to carry."

Lady Shen took it over with curiosity.

The mirror surface was bright and reflected people clearly; even newly polished bronze mirrors would pale in comparison.

In the brief moment she played with it in her hand, Lady Shen had already thought of many things.

She was born into a merchant family and had been influenced by power in the upper circles of Xinzhou, so she knew how to use this to exchange for greater benefits without needing Wen Gu to explain too much.

"You've worked hard!"

Lady Shen said.

She knew that for these two items, Wen Gu had spent a great deal of effort in Qingyun Fang to achieve these results now.

Wen Gu said with some regret: "However, the current level of craftsmanship is still limited. If the mirrors produced are well maintained, they can only be used for a few months to a year. They also cannot be mass-produced; production is quite troublesome, and currently, they can only be refined at Qingyun Temple."

Lady Shen smiled: "No matter."

For people of status, it was not a problem at all.

Playing with it for a few months and then replacing it, as well as the "others don't have what I have" factor, could better highlight their status and enhance the satisfaction of those wealthy households. There were still many people holding large amounts of Money Vouchers.

Wen Gu had also prepared gifts for the cousin-in-law and the cousin, which Lady Shen would send people to deliver.

Putting the matter of the mirrors aside, Lady Shen discussed the Zhao Family's New Year banquet with Wen Gu.

The New Year's Eve family banquet was secondary; the focus was on the grand banquet on the first day of the New Year.

During the New Year, many important figures would be entertained, among whom were many nobles and wealthy households.

Those wealthy people used Charcoal Copper Pots at home, scalding food and dipping it in sauce, and when there was fresh wild rabbit meat, they would have some 'summer tribute'.

With various epidemics outside, in such a general environment, people of status pursued hot food even more.

No matter the occasion, hot food could bring them a greater sense of security.

Things like hot pots were not fresh novelties for people of status. In the past, the most prosperous streets of the Imperial Capital had such warm-pot shops.

During winter or periods when epidemics were rampant, people would set up a small warm pot when dining at home to scald vegetables and dip them in sauce.

Now, the Zhao Family's banquet was also in winter, so naturally, they were more inclined toward hot pots and scalded food.

Previously, Wen Gu had given some suggestions, and a batch of Charcoal Copper Pots had been urgently crafted, which could be used for such large-scale banquets.

The items on the dining table could not be too shabby.

Although it was winter, vegetables still had to be prepared.

"Flower forcing" and "warm room"—greenhouse cultivation was a technology that had existed for a long time.

This autumn and winter, Lady Shen had long since let people cultivate vegetables in the warm rooms; after the glass windows came out, they were immediately renovated, and the stronger light transmission made the vegetables in the warm rooms grow faster and sturdier.

Although they still could not compare to the taste of seasonal vegetables, in winter, they had an unprecedented, crushing advantage!

It didn't matter for this year; besides supplying the banquet, the family's own consumption and gifts could use them up.

Next year, the scale could be expanded, and at that time, a batch could be taken to the market for sale.

The price of winter warm-room vegetables would certainly not be low, and only those wealthy households would be able to afford them.

Wen Gu had heard many rumors in the streets—

When some people first defected to the Zhao Family, they exchanged a large amount of supplies for Xinzhou Money Vouchers. At that time, it was with the mentality of offering tribute, and they never thought the Money Vouchers could actually be spent in full.

Lacking neither food nor clothing, and with nowhere to spend, some used the large amount of Money Vouchers in their hands to level table legs, others used them as toilet paper, and it was said that a few idiots even burned Money Vouchers for fun after getting drunk; now they were regretting it so much their guts were turning green.

Rumor had it that during the time when glass windows were launched, someone was beaten at home and cried very loudly.

When Tietou followed Wen Gu into the room, he was holding a food box the whole time; when a maid came over wanting to take it, she was avoided.

It wasn't until Wen Gu finished discussing matters with Lady Shen that someone from the uncle's side came to pass a message, asking Wen Gu to go over.

Wen Gu took the food box and said to Tietou: "You go back to the courtyard first."

They had a small courtyard in Zhao Zhai and stayed there whenever they spent the night at the Zhao Family.

Lady Shen said: "Let him stay and keep me company for a while; I'll have someone take him back later. You go to your uncle's side first."

Lady Shen's gaze paused slightly on the food box in Wen Gu's hand, and just as she was about to say she would have someone help carry it over, she met Wen Gu's gaze.

At this moment, a brief exchange took place between the nephew and aunt.

Lady Shen did not press for an answer; she changed the subject and had a trusted maid by her side personally take Wen Gu to the Head of the Family's courtyard.

Of course, it wasn't that Wen Gu didn't know the way, but there were many people coming and going during the New Year, just to prevent anyone blind from causing trouble.

On the way to the uncle's side, the maid told Wen Gu that the inspections at the Head of the Family's place had been stricter these past few days.

Upon entering the Head of the Family's courtyard, dangerous weapons and gifts being carried had to either be handed over to the steward right there or opened for inspection first.

After delivering Wen Gu to the place, the maid found it inconvenient to stay longer and returned quickly.

Wen Gu looked at the large courtyard he had visited several times.

It was indeed as the maid said; the inspections were stricter, and the guards had been strengthened.

At such a time, one truly could not underestimate the human heart, and strengthening security was for the best.

Wen Gu put down the "Centai" sword he was carrying.

However, he showed no sign of letting go of the food box in his hand.

He walked over and said to the steward in charge of reception, "Is Great Steward Fusheng here?"

He was asking about the Great Steward whom the Head of the Family trusted by his side.

At this moment, in the courtyard's book tower, the Head of the Family was signing a document—an appropriation to open a branch of Centai Academy.

Old Master Hong had come over a few days ago to talk to him about running the academy, with that kid Wen Gu egging him on behind the scenes.

Regarding this, he was not angry.

Glass and the Honeycomb Coal Stove had greatly reduced the pressure of maintaining their army, so he wouldn't hold a grudge against Wen Gu over such a small matter.

He just felt the kid was quite interesting and very capable of stirring things up.

But young people are sometimes too flighty and need a reminder. Not everyone living in Xinzhou City is of one mind.

If you attract too much hatred, it is easy to suffer for it.

A tree that stands above the forest will be buffeted by stronger winds and rain.

Wen Gu currently has no other close elders, so as his uncle-in-law, he still had to offer a reminder.

Therefore, upon learning that Wen Gu had arrived at the Zhao Family, he had someone go and call Wen Gu over to chat.

He probably wouldn't have time for a private conversation in the coming days, so he would take advantage of today to talk more with this kid.

At this moment, someone approached and said something to Fusheng, who was not far away.

Fusheng's face revealed surprise.

"What is it?" the Head of the Family asked.

Fusheng walked over quickly and whispered Wen Gu's request to the Head of the Family.

Upon hearing this, the Head of the Family raised an eyebrow: "No need to check, let him come in directly."

He also had the few guards nearby withdraw further away.

Before long, Wen Gu arrived carrying a food box.

Looking around, there were no outsiders other than Great Steward Fusheng.

Wen Gu smiled at the Head of the Family: "A New Year's gift for you; you will definitely like it! I prepared it for a long time, and the kiln hadn't been able to refine it, but fortunately, it finally succeeded!"

The food box was somewhat large, and when Wen Gu carried it over, the Head of the Family and Great Steward Fusheng, due to stereotypes, assumed the contents were not heavy; however, when Wen Gu set the box down, even though the movement was light, the subtle sound the box made upon contacting the wooden table allowed the two experts to sense its weight.

The Head of the Family and Great Steward Fusheng beside him had the same thought: I should have gone to take it just now!

Wen Gu set the box down and explained: "It wasn't convenient to pass through other people's hands, and it wasn't suitable for a public occasion, so I brought it over directly."

The Head of the Family suppressed the topic he had originally prepared.

He knew that the few kilns at Qingyun Fang were still firing glass, and the craftsmen had been studying and polishing glass.

Many of the gifts Wen Gu sent out this year were also glass items.

Originally, the Head of the Family thought the New Year's gift Wen Gu brought this year would also be some glass ornament, but seeing Wen Gu's posture now, he feared there was some other profound mystery!

Wen Gu opened the box: "I didn't know if it could be made before, so I didn't tell you. Now it seems that the hands of experienced old craftsmen are truly steady! Plus some luck, it was still finished just before the New Year!"

The food box was also divided into two layers; opening the lid of the upper layer, a long tube was placed inside.

"This is?" the Head of the Family asked.

"This object is called a 'peeping tube,' also known as a Thousand-Mile Mirror, or a Telescope. When I was on my Study Tour..."

Zhao Shaozhu had finished sending off another wave of guests and went to sit with Lady Shen, where they were chatting about the magnifying glass and the vanity mirror Wen Gu had given to Lady Shen.

Great Steward Fusheng arrived and said the Head of the Family wanted the young master to come over. His face wore the perfectly appropriate festive cheer of the New Year, and no abnormality could be seen.

However, his appearance here at this very moment meant there was some other important matter!

Lady Shen did not ask much, only saying: "What about Wen Gu? Tell him to come back and chat with me some more."

Fusheng showed no signs of anything unusual and respectfully replied: "The cousin is discussing some interesting anecdotes from his Study Tour with the master, and the master said to let the young master come over to listen as well."

Lady Shen felt she understood.

After Zhao Shaozhu left, she had someone send some snacks to Tietou; Wen Gu would likely be discussing matters for a while, so she shouldn't let Tietou go hungry.

Zhao Shaozhu walked quickly toward his father's courtyard and found that the area outside his father's courtyard was very quiet.

It wasn't that there was no one there, but the guards seemed to have received some order not to allow others to approach, and they were exceptionally serious.

When Zhao Shaozhu arrived, his attendants were stopped from far away.

Zhao Shaozhu was puzzled.

An hour ago, he had just left here, and it wasn't like this then.

He felt a sense of dread in his heart and told his attendants and guards to wait outside.

After entering the courtyard, he was told that the Head of the Family and Wen Gu were on the second floor of the book tower.

Zhao Shaozhu's confusion deepened.

They were still upstairs?

He hurried upstairs and, upon entering the room, saw his own father not sitting in his wheelchair, but walking in circles with his hands behind his back, breathing heavily.

Zhao Shaozhu's confusion intensified.

What is this? Did something big happen?

But looking at the other person sitting in the room... Wen Gu was leisurely sipping tea on the side.

Then it wasn't bad news!

Zhao Shaozhu looked at his father.

As the leader of Xinzhou, the Head of the Family had been receiving treatment for his injured legs, and the treatment results were gradually improving. Usually, his father used that small wheelchair to move around conveniently when outside, and he also limited the use of his legs indoors outside of rehabilitation training.

He would sit whenever he could to protect his legs, and he rarely went upstairs.

Zhao Shaozhu had always thought his father's recovery was limited, but at this moment, he saw him walking quickly and nimbly?!

What kind of medical miracle is this!

(End of chapter)