As soon as the end of the year comes, it is the busiest time for the Rites Department.
Preparations for many rituals such as offering sacrifices to heaven, earth, and the royal family must begin.
In addition, this year is different from previous years.
Donghai County of the Great Wei Dynasty showed great power overseas and defeated the Japanese army of 200,000.
Not only that, but contrary to the normal behavior of leniency, the Japanese were forced to sign a peace agreement ceding territory and paying compensation.
Such news has made many small countries overseas tremble.
For fear of being disrespectful, Donghai County's fleet would crush him.
As a result, envoys from various countries rushed to Wei Dynasty.
While paying tribute, they also reiterated their surrender.
As the right minister of the Ministry of Rites, Feng Yibo is also responsible for overseas duties.
While busy with his own work, he received the overseas missions arriving one after another.
At the same time, when there are no envoys, he has to take care of some other tasks of the Ministry of Rites.
I go out early and come back late every day, so busy that my feet hit the back of my head.
He was busy with state affairs in the ministry, while Baochai was busy with family affairs in the mansion.
As the hostess, she looked over the New Year's gifts sent to each family one by one.
Although there are old routines to follow every year, the rare items in the Feng family's warehouse are also changing.
There are many things that were not available last year, but may be available this year.
Or maybe last year there were very few, but this year there are many.
She not only needs to classify people according to their distance and distance.
Corresponding increases and decreases will also need to be made based on inventory conditions.
Finally, arrange for people to be sent to various prefectures.
The whole process is extremely trivial and tests your ability and patience.
On this day, Feng Yibo was busy until the next day when he was about to return to his house.
After a quick dinner, he washed off the dust.
By the time we got to the main room, it was already four o'clock in the morning.
In winter in the capital, the nights are extremely cold, but the main house is as warm as spring.
As soon as Feng Yibo entered the room, a wave of heat hit him.
This is the iron stove he had someone build, a great tool for keeping warm in winter.
Baochai, who was only wearing a nightgown at this time, came up to him with a smile.
"I came back late today. I must be very tired, right?"
While helping Feng Yibo undress, she said distressedly:
"I'll relax my shoulders later."
In the winter in the capital, it gets dark very early.
It stands to reason that the Yamen can be dismissed as soon as Shen Shi passes.
Because when it comes to You hour, the sun has already set.
But Feng Yibo was so busy today that he came back at midnight.
Now it has reached the fourth quarter of Xu.
This is equivalent to arriving home at eight o'clock in later generations and not starting to rest until nine o'clock.
In this era, it is extremely rare to work overtime until this hour.
Even in a prosperous place like Duzhong, it is hard to imagine.
Of course, Feng Yibo will be busy at the end of the year.
After all, before the invention of electric light, 996 was not popular yet.
Feng Yibo allowed Baochai to take off the animal skin cloak, and then took off his official robe and jacket.
When Baochai turned around to hang up his clothes, he hugged Baochai from behind and said with a smile:
"Madam also has no time to spare today, so why don't you let your husband reward Madam?"
"Go! Every prude!"
Baochai naturally knew what he meant, blushed and spat lightly.
Then she gently broke away from Feng Yibo's arms, turned around and said angrily:
"I see you're still not tired!"
"But I see that Madam is really tired, and I must help you relax!"
Feng Yibo stepped forward with a smile and wanted to hug Baochai horizontally.
Without thinking, she took two steps back lightly.
At the same time, Baochai protected the vital parts of her chest with one hand and raised her other hand as if to direct traffic to stop.
While making a gesture of rejection, she said in a dumbfounded voice:
"Don't make trouble yet, I still have something to talk to you about!"
Zi once said: If you are thin-skinned, you will not be able to eat, but if you are thick-skinned, you will have enough.
As a disciple of the saint, Feng Yibo was showing his shameless spirit at this time.
While laughing, he continued to move forward and said:
"Madam, believe me, I will just press it for you. If you need anything, let's talk while pressing it!"
Seeing that he was forcing him to the kang, Baochai was not afraid in the face of danger.
She even had time to look back to avoid sitting on something.
"It's about Sister Lin!" Baochai looked at Feng Yibo with a half-smile, and softly uttered.
"oh?"
Feng Yibo stopped and frowned slightly:
"What's wrong with Sister Lin?"
He didn't care about Lin Mansion for a while, and he hadn't been there for a while.
Hearing Baochai mention Daiyu, he immediately hesitated.
As soon as Baochai saw that he was no longer causing trouble, he sat down on the edge of the kang, pursed his lips and said with a smile:
"Sister Lin will get her haircut after the new year, and the sisters in the house are preparing gifts for her these days!"
So that’s what happened!
Feng Yibo nodded slightly and sat next to Baochai.
He remembered that Daiyu would be visiting next year, but he had forgotten about the gift of hairpins.
Baochai smiled again and asked:
"I just wanted to ask you, but have you prepared a gift? If you have prepared it, you can give it as a gift together with the New Year gift."
Getting haircut is a coming-of-age ceremony and also a birthday.
As his fiancé, Feng Yibo should indeed express something.
On Daiyu's birthday every year, he would have people send him all kinds of rare things.
But in this era, if it’s not a big birthday, there won’t be anything grand.
But this year is different. Hairi is also a big birthday.
He should really prepare something special, a gift that expresses his feelings.
But he was so busy these days that he couldn't remember these things.
Even if I am done with my busy life these days, I still have to welcome and send off after the new year.
I guess I don't have much free time.
Feng Yibo pondered for a moment and then said:
"After all, Madam is so thoughtful, I'll let someone prepare it right now!"
With that said, he reached for his coat.
He will have to work in the ministry early tomorrow morning, so he will only have some time in the evening.
Since it has been mentioned now, it is better to implement it as soon as possible.
Also avoid being busy again and forgetting in the blink of an eye.
When Baochai saw this, he chuckled twice, stepped forward to hold him and said:
"Oh my god! It's already so late. I'm going to catch a cold just because I'm going in and out. Besides, the people below have been busy all day."
After stopping Feng Yibo, she turned around and walked to the box, picking up a brocade box from the lid.
"I know that I have been busy with court affairs recently. Since I thought of it, I naturally prepared it for you."
With that said, she stuffed the box into Feng Yibo's arms and said:
"I just don't know if it suits her. I'll give her a try first!"
"Bo!"
Feng Yibo breathed a sigh of relief and did not rush to see the gift. Instead, he kissed her first and praised:
"I know Madam is always thoughtful."
Baochai gave him a gentle hammer and said angrily with a smile in his eyes:
"It's better not to talk too much, let's take a look first and then talk."
Feng Yibo nodded and opened the brocade box.
He picked up something from it, looked at it and said:
"A comb?"
He looked carefully and found that this comb was somewhat special.
I saw that it was neither gold nor jade, but it was polished as smooth as jade.
When you look into the light, it feels crystal clear.
In the hand, it feels like a hard plastic.
But Feng Yibo knows clearly that there is definitely no plastic in this era.
Looking at the back of the comb, the engraved patterns are extremely complicated.
Each comb tooth below is also distributed extremely evenly.
At first glance, you can tell that the workmanship is exquisite and made by everyone.
Such an exquisite comb might have only cost a few dozen yuan in a previous life.
But in this day and age, anyone can see the value in it.
"What do you think of this rhinoceros comb? Is it still eye-catching?"
No wonder!
It turned out to be a comb made of rhino horn.
In Tang poems, there is "the rhinoceros combs the clouds on the temples at an angle", and in Song poetry there is also "the rhinoceros combs the clouds sideways and half spits out".
The horn of this rhinoceros comb is actually taken from a one-horned rhinoceros, which is naturally rarely seen in the Wei Dynasty.
Because the one-horned rhinoceros is a creature from the South Ocean.
There is definitely no shortage of things from Nanyang in the Feng family's warehouse.
However, rhino horns can be used as medicine.
Either slice it or grind it into powder.
It can be used and stored for a long time only after processing.
Complete rhinoceros horns are also rare in the Feng family's warehouse.
Feng Yibo nodded with satisfaction, put the comb back into the box, and said with a smile:
"Madam has done something extraordinary. This gift must be what Sister Lin wants."
When Baochai heard this, he seemed to have expected it. He shook his head and said:
"Although I prepared something for you, sister Lin has always been delicate and considerate. If she knew that she didn't have your thoughts in it, she would probably be sad."
Thinking of Daiyu's jealous look, she pursed her lips and smiled and said:
"So I'd better think about it, it's best to add one more."
This is Baochai's thoughtfulness. He not only checked for Feng Yibo's shortcomings, but also thought of a way out for Daiyu's sensitivity.
"One more thing... Hairi Li..."
Feng Yibo pondered for a moment and then said:
"How about giving me a hairpin?"
The hairpin is the hairpin, so he naturally thought of this gift.
But just as Tian finished speaking, he saw Baochai purse his lips and smile, nodding:
"It's quite appropriate to give a hairpin as a hairpin. There happens to be a newly delivered ivory in the warehouse. I don't know if it's suitable for use."
Elephants, like rhinos, are animals that are rare in the Wei Dynasty and common in Southeast Asia.
There are also many tooth carvings, tooth chopsticks and the like in the Feng Mansion's warehouse.
Although complete ivory is rare, it is not impossible.
When Feng Yibo heard this, he suddenly felt enlightened.
Apparently, Baochai can actually prepare it together.
But he was deliberately poorly prepared and left a hole for him.
While he was busy outside, Baochai would help think about things at home.
But when it comes to Daiyu, it's different.
She can remind, but she can't completely override him.
If that's the case, it's not thoroughness, but a hidden danger of creating resentment.
This comb is not so much prepared for Feng Yibo as it is a primer.
Guide Feng Yibo to think of hairpins, and even the ivory is ready.
In this way, even in the future Daiyu will know that she prepared the rhinoceros comb on her behalf.
It can also be said that one person is given one piece as a gift.
Thinking of this, Feng Yibo couldn't help but sigh:
"With a wife like this, what more can a husband ask for?"
Two gifts, one is from Baochai's thoughtfulness, and the other is from Feng Yibo's heart.
No matter how jealous Daiyu is, she can't find fault with her.
Baochai knew that Feng Yibo could understand what she meant, so she pursed her lips and said with a smile:
"Then tomorrow, in my name, how about I find someone to carefully consider the carving and then send it off?"
Feng Yibo nodded and gently hugged Baochai.
This time, although Baochai blushed, she did not refuse.
The couple looked at each other affectionately, and then naturally fell in love with each other.
After a long time, their lips and teeth parted, and Feng Yibo sighed while massaging her:
"Madam is so considerate, but she has nothing to repay for her husband, so she can only repay her with her own body!"
Baochai's eyes were already sparkling like water, but when he heard these words, he immediately lowered his eyebrows in shame.
The male protagonist is outside and the female protagonist is inside, both of them are busy.
During the day, Feng Yibo was busy in the department.
At night, he showed off his power in various avatars in various houses.
A few days later.
When Miaoyu returned to her parents' home to visit Aunt Lin and Lin Ruhai, Baochai asked her to bring the new year's gift there.
Also sent there were gifts from Feng's wives and concubines to Daiyu, the future mistress.
Gifts from Feng Yibo and Baochai are naturally among them.
Daiyu opened them one by one, while Miaoyu smiled and explained the origin of each thought.
"This tea set is a gift from me. It is a fine product from Ru Kiln. This is Qianjia Poems handwritten by Aunt Zhen. This is a silk handkerchief embroidered by Aunt Jia. Second Aunt You and Third Aunt You put together a pair..."
After Daiyu tasted them one by one with joy, it was the turn of the brocade box.
"This is a gift from the uncle and his wife. This is a carved one-horned rhinoceros comb and a cloud-patterned ivory hairpin."
When Daiyu heard this, her eyes suddenly lit up.
She had been looking forward to Feng Yibo's gift for a long time, and she wanted to pick it up and take a look right now.
But as soon as she stretched out her hand, she stopped and asked:
"But Brother Feng picked it himself?"
Miaoyu said that they were sent together, so Daiyu thought of a possibility.
Based on Baochai's character, this might be what she prepared on Feng Yibo's behalf.
Miaoyu already knew her sister's temperament, so she chuckled and said:
"The rhinoceros comb was prepared by the madam, and the ivory hairpin was newly made by the uncle."
She didn't hide anything and just told her sister what she knew.
Daiyu relaxed slightly when she heard that Feng Yibo was personally involved.
"I guess they have intentions."
She said "them", but she only picked up the hairpin and looked at it.
This hairpin is carved from ivory from Zhenla.
There are cloud patterns carved on it, which are extremely exquisite.
But Daiyu obviously couldn't put it down, but she said:
"Hmph! There's no one who gives hairpins. Don't everyone give hairpins as gifts?"
A single strand is a hairpin, and a double strand is a hairpin.
At this time, it was very popular among young people to split their hairpins into two pieces.
One person shares one hair as a token of love to express the meaning of "tying one's hair".
"We've already made an engagement, so what else is there to do?"
Upon hearing this, Miaoyu understood what she meant and said with a smile:
"It's great to give you a hairpin. Doesn't it mean that after you wear the hairpin, you can put your hair in a bun and become a woman?"
Daiyu blushed at the joke and said angrily:
"Sister~!"
With that said, he moved over to pull Miaoyu.
"OK OK!"
Miaoyu smiled and begged for mercy, picked up the rhinoceros comb again, handed it to her hand, and said seriously:
"This is Madam's kindness, and you should appreciate it."
Daiyu was stunned, and the smile on her face slowly solidified.
When Miaoyu saw her sister's appearance, she took her hand and persuaded her like an eldest sister:
"As soon as spring is over, you have to go through the door. When you get there, you can't be so petty."
She knew what her sister was thinking, but she was very talkative.
That's right, and I don't want my sister to have any quarrel with Baochai because of this.
Therefore, I will give you a few words of advice whenever I get the chance.
Daiyu was originally in a good mood, but when she heard this, she looked at her sideways and said:
"Sister actually became a lobbyist for others?"
As he spoke, he asked with a cold face:
"I just don't know, is this her intention or Brother Feng's?"
