It was impossible to return to the capital for the New Year.
Imperial Physician Cai said his daughter-in-law was due to give birth any day now, and he had taken her pulse; it was a healthy grandson. Unfortunately, he wouldn't make it back in time for the baby's first-month celebration.
He sighed with deep regret, making me feel embarrassed to complain about not being able to go home for the New Year.
After all, there was no new addition to our family.
The New Year, which should have been lively, felt particularly desolate due to the heavy snow.
All available hands in the manor were dispatched, and Situ Yao was so busy he could barely touch the ground. I suspected he would be working at the county yamen on New Year's Eve. Yet, the cook still diligently prepared a sumptuous meal. The Crown Prince had instructed that even if he couldn't be home for the New Year, Miss Wang should still have a New Year's Eve dinner.
Imperial Physician Cai subtly praised Situ Yao repeatedly, describing him as a man beyond compare, and missing such a man would be a lifelong regret. I pretended not to understand, but still asked Yue Gui to take a food container to Situ Yao.
Yue Gui was a maidservant temporarily hired for me in Pengcheng. She was straightforward and diligent, and I quite liked her.
Considering he might invite his subordinates to share the meal, I even asked Yue Gui to pack a little extra.
Imperial Physician Cai stroked his beard, a smile of approval on his face.
If it weren't for my poor health, I suspected the old man would have encouraged me to deliver the food myself. I wondered how much Situ Yao had bribed him.
Although the snow hadn't stopped, firecrackers had to be lit. Perhaps if enough were set off, heaven would take pity and stop the storm. Thus, the sound of firecrackers continued throughout the night. With my health, staying up until midnight was out of the question, but with the noise outside, sleeping soundly was also unrealistic. So, I picked up a novel and leaned against the bed, flipping through the pages. Yue Gui sat by the bedside, sewing a shoe sole.
The room was warmed by a heated floor, while outside it was a world of ice and snow. Inside, however, it was warm and cozy.
At the beginning of the Hai Hour (9:15 PM), Situ Yao returned, covered in snow.
He stood outside the door: "A Chun, why are you still awake so late?"
"Staying up for the New Year, and don't call me A Chun."
Situ Yao ignored my protest and continued, "Your health is delicate, you should rest early."
Just then, another string of firecrackers exploded outside. I yawned, "With all this noise, it's impossible to sleep. Is His Highness the Crown Prince done with his work?"
"It's temporarily paused. Have you eaten your New Year's Eve dinner? Was it to your liking?"
"Yes, I ate with Imperial Physician Cai. The cook's skills are excellent."
"I apologize. Because of me, you can't return to the capital to reunite with your family during the New Year. Aunt Qing must be scolding me right now."
I chuckled, "That's not possible. My mother likes you the most. If she were to scold anyone, it would be me for getting injured and delaying your trip."
"Your injury was also because of me."
"It was just self-defense. I'm not some helpless young girl. If there's an opportunity, it's better to save myself than wait for others to rescue me."
Situ Yao let out a low laugh and praised, "It's also thanks to A Chun's courage and wit that I wasn't put in a passive position."
"Your Highness, it's the New Year. Let's not talk about these things." Fearing he might mention rewards, I quickly changed the subject. "Are you hungry? Shall I have the cook prepare something else for you?"
"Will A Chun accompany me?"
I patted my stomach, "That might be alright."
The heavy snow lasted for three full days. Despite constant precautions, many houses in the city had collapsed, let alone those in the countryside. Situ Yao immediately led his men to assess the damage, only finding time to write his memorial late into the night. Besides Mei City, there were over a dozen other areas affected by the disaster. I heard the Emperor had already allocated disaster relief funds and assigned Prince Jing to oversee the relief efforts.
Compared to floods, snow disasters were much milder.
After all, when a house was crushed by snow, its contents were still inside. Once the snow melted, most items could still be salvaged.
Especially money.
All that was needed was to rebuild the house.
The North experiences heavy snowfall, and Prince Jing had to handle snow relief almost every few years. He was quite experienced. After consulting with the Ministry of Revenue, a compensation plan was quickly finalized. Each person would receive three taels of silver. While this amount might not seem large, houses that were crushed by accumulated snow were usually simple structures with low construction costs. Three taels of silver was not a small sum. If a family had more members, it would be enough to build a better house.
Listening to the news Yue Gui had gathered, I couldn't help but miss A Xiu.
That girl was such an efficient informant; she would have gathered this information without me even asking. Yue Gui was good in other ways, but clearly lacked talent in this regard. I had to tell her what to inquire about, which wasted time, and some of the information she brought back didn't match what I needed. However, she was new to my service, so I couldn't expect too much.
I would have A Xiu teach her later.