Chapter 708: Chapter 707: 707: New Year's Money

Yun Dai laughed and patted her on the head, “Well done.”

Wenzan solemnly educated his sister, “The teacher said, only elders can give New Year’s money to younger ones. Yours doesn’t count as New Year’s money.”

Li Tingqian, who was playing with his toys, suddenly remembered something. He quickly brought over a box and said, “Little Aunt, this was also sent by Third Uncle from the Jiang Family, saying that it’s New Year’s money from the elders in the family.”

Jiang Ning took it. It was quite heavy.

When she opened it, it was full of delicately crafted gold coins and silver ingots, engraved with words of good fortune.

Jiang Ning asked Huang Ying to find another box.

She poured out all the gold and silver ingots from the box, picked out the gold coins, and handed the remaining half-box of silver ingots to Huang Ying, saying, “Take these and share them with Chun, Xia, Qiu, and Dong. Whatever is left, divide among the others.”

Huang Ying was surprised, “Master, this is too much. Besides, you already gave everyone something yesterday on New Year’s Eve.”

“Today is the first day of the year, and they deserve it as well. You all work so hard for me; I cannot treat you poorly. You should all live well. I know you have families, and during holidays, you must give them money. You’re not that well-off.”

“You shouldn’t say that, Master. Ever since we’ve been with you, we’ve been much better off than other servants. We eat and wear only the best in the palace.” Huang Ying whispered with a smile, “Moreover, there’s something funny—some eunuchs and maids who entered the palace recently heard about the good treatment here and wanted to come, so they tried to bribe the Head Eunuch of the Bureau of Rites. But they were found out by the Crown Prince, who punished some of them and sent the rest away.”

“Really? Why didn’t I know anything about this?”

“Well, these dirty matters have nothing to do with the Master, and the rules in the East Palace are strict. No one dares to gossip in front of you.”

The number of eunuchs and maids in the Imperial Palace was immense. As the lower class of the palace, they also had their strict hierarchy and ways of survival.

In terms of intrigue and cunning, they certainly wouldn’t be less skillful than the imperial concubines in the harem.

However, since Li Hongyuan knew about the incident and punished those involved, the fact that she didn’t hear about it meant that he had kept it under wraps.

She didn’t refuse to give away the gold coins just because she was reluctant; rather, they were too valuable to be used in ordinary trades outside.

In fact, if one went out for a walk, it would be apparent that common people rarely even used silver.

Most used copper coins.

Using a gold coin to buy a pot of oil is something unheard of.

After asking Huang Ying to take the silver and distribute it, Jiang Ning went out to the yard and beckoned, “Gucheng, come here.”

Gucheng floated gracefully in front of her.

Jiang Ning handed him half the box of gold coins, “Take this and share it with your friends.”

Gucheng looked at the box and then at her, perplexed.

“Although I don’t know exactly what the conditions are like for you from my uncle, I think no one would dislike gold. It’s the New Year, so consider it a good luck charm. You and Guxing, Guying, have helped me quite a few times, and I haven’t been able to express my gratitude properly. Gucheng, I’m giving you three days off. Go do what you want, buy whatever you want.”

Gucheng shook his head, “I’ll take these for them. But I don’t need the time off.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Go out and have fun,” she urged.