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Chapter 60: New Year Extra
Sheng Lingyi took out the new clothes from the wooden box carved with plum branches and waved to Yu Nian, saying, “Nian Nian, come here. This year’s new clothes were brought back from your grandfather Bai. Come and try them on to see if they fit.”
Yu Nian stood in front of Sheng Lingyi and obediently raised his arm. “Grandma, is Grandpa Bai doing well?”
“He’s doing fine. When I went to get the clothes, he even gave you a sachet with plum blossom fragrance. He specifically chose a light color, so it looks good on a boy too.” Sheng Lingyi buttoned up Yu Nian’s clothes and took a step back, smiling. “Looks good! After the New Year, we’ll be a year older again.”
With that, she took out the red envelopes filled with lucky money and put them into Yu Nian’s little bag. “I hope you have a safe and healthy year, and grow up well.”
“I also hope Grandma stays healthy and safe.” Yu Nian had fair skin and bright eyes, with dark pupils. He tilted his head and said, “Grandma, Grandpa has been in the study for three whole days. Should we call him out?”
Sheng Lingyi held Yu Nian’s hand and said, “No need to bother him. Your grandfather brought back the painting ‘Moving Residence’ a few days ago and he’s completely engrossed in it. He’s neglecting sleep and food. Once he finishes reading it, he’ll come out on his own.”
Yu Nian held Sheng Lingyi’s warm hand and thought for a moment. He said earnestly, “Grandma, I’m already seven years old, I’m a big kid now, you don’t have to hold my hand.”
Sheng Lingyi gently rubbed Yu Nian’s nose and smiled brightly. “Alright, alright. We’re getting older every year, and it’s Grandma who wants to hold our Nian Nian’s hands. Is that okay?”
Yu Nian pursed his lips and smiled. “Of course it’s okay!”
They walked into Yu Nian’s own little study, and Sheng Lingyi pressed the red paper with written couplets under a paperweight. “Just like every year, we’ll write couplets together.”
“Okay.” Yu Nian was not tall enough, so he stood on a small stool, barely able to hold the brush. He dipped it in ink and asked, tilting his head, “Grandma, what should we write this year?”
Sheng Lingyi stood by the table, her hair pinned up, wearing a jade bracelet that suited her delicate wrist and fair skin. She tidied her hair and smiled, “Write whatever you want.”
Yu Nian nodded without much thought and wrote, “Spring breeze, spring rain, spring colors; New Year, new age, new scenery.”
“Not bad. Nian Nian’s handwriting is getting better and better.”
After being praised, Yu Nian felt a bit embarrassed. “My brushwork is still not enough. The strokes are loose and the structure is weak.”
“That’s because you’re still young, and you don’t have enough strength. It’s already impressive that you can write such words.” Sheng Lingyi took the finished couplets and the character for “fortune” and took Yu Nian to the front gate, pasting them on both sides.
“Indeed, with the couplets and the lucky character in place, the festive atmosphere of the New Year is immediately felt!” Sheng Lingyi smiled and said, “There probably won’t be anyone coming over this year, so let’s quietly take down the couplets and bring them home, shall we?”
Yu Nian nodded in agreement.
He had heard Grandma say that in the past, Grandpa used to write the couplets himself. But later on, every year, there would be admirers of Grandpa who would come and secretly tear off the couplets to take them home as treasures, causing Grandpa to have to write seven or eight more pairs of couplets each year. When Yu Nian was finally able to hold a brush, Grandpa simply stopped writing and let him freely express himself.
Since then, the couplets could be properly preserved until the Lantern Festival.
As they returned to the courtyard, Shen Wei came out of the kitchen. “Madam, Young Master, the ancestral feast is ready, and the soup is already simmering. Should I prepare Mr. Yu’s tableware for lunch today?”
Sheng Lingyi was about to refuse when she heard Yu Xiuning’s voice coming from a distance. “My seclusion is over, so of course my utensils should be prepared.”
Hearing the voice, Yu Nian’s eyes lit up. “Grandpa?”
Yu Xiuning approached and bent down, lifting Yu Nian high and laughing, “Oh my, aren’t you heavy, Nian Nian?”
Yu Nian held onto Yu Xiuning’s sleeve tightly and whispered, “Grandpa, I’m already seven years old.”
“I forgot about that!” Yu Xiuning patted his own head and laughed. “Alright, alright, Nian Nian is growing up. You’re a seven years old friend.”
Yu Nian tugged at Yu Xiuning’s hand and asked curiously, “Grandpa, Grandma said you’re looking at the ‘Moving Residence’ painting. What is it about?”
As he carried Yu Nian and walked towards the study, Yu Xiuning replied patiently, “As the name suggests, it’s a painting of people moving their residence.”
“Moving residence?”
“Yes, moving residence. But the person moving in this painting is not an ordinary person; he’s an emperor.”
Yu Nian quickly caught on. “Emperor Qi Wen, right?”
“Yes, that’s him. Emperor Qi Wen neglected state affairs and relied heavily on corrupt officials, which eventually led to rebel forces attacking the palace. He had to flee in haste. This painting depicts the scene of Emperor Qi Wen desperately escaping the imperial palace.”
Approaching the desk, Yu Xiuning placed Yu Nian on the chair and let him admire the well-preserved “Moving Residence” painting.
“Do you know who the author of this painting is? It’s Wang Meng, one of the Four Great Masters from the late years of Emperor Wen’s reign. His surviving works are extremely rare and each one is highly precious. Moreover, if you look at the inscriptions on this painting, they bear the traces of emperors and high-ranking officials over hundreds of years. Its historical value is also very high.”
Seeing Yu Xiuning’s admiration, Yu Nian, although not fully understanding, said, “So it’s like what you said before, using paintings to record history and using inscriptions to narrate history, right?”
“Yes, that’s right. I impulsively bought it, and when I returned, your grandmother found out and scolded me for being extravagant. She punished me by not allowing me to eat meat for three days. It’s so tragic!”
“She’s right to punish you.” Yu Nian lowered his voice and consoled him, “Grandpa, don’t be sad. I’ll secretly hide some chicken legs for you!”
Yu Xiuning burst into laughter. “Great, great! Then I’ll rely on your chicken legs for these few days.”
Returning his attention to the painting, Yu Nian asked, “So, is that why this painting is so expensive?”
“Not only that. Let me ask you, what do you think these bottles and jars, book excerpts and notes, as well as various books, paintings, chess manuals, and miscellaneous books in our house are used for?”
“They can be used in daily life, and also to better understand our ancestors.” Yu Nian’s eyes curved with a smile. “I found a miscellaneous book in the study before, and it had annotations by our great-great-grandfather. He said the author of that book talked a lot of nonsense but didn’t understand a thing.”
Yu Xiuning laughed heartily. “Yes, your great-great-grandfather was carefree and outspoken. He would say anything, but his knowledge was top-notch.”
Patting Yu Nian’s head, Yu Xiuning continued, “So, just like how you can learn about your great-great-grandfather’s preference for using Guan earthenware vases with summer green bamboo, and how he loved writing annotations and expressing his opinions, through these difficult-to-preserve cultural relics, we can also understand the thoughts of our ancestors, how they lived, how they viewed the world, and how they observed themselves.”
“Culture is the root of a nation.”
Yu Nian nodded. “So, Grandpa, you would rather go without meat for three days, or even for three years or a lifetime, just to buy this painting?”
“Yes, even if it meant not eating meat for three days, three years, or even a lifetime, I would still be willing!”
Yu Nian held Yu Xiuning’s finger and nodded. “Yes, I would be willing too.”
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So bitterswee, our little dumpling nian nian.