After New Year's Eve lunch, all parts of the capital became lazy, and the teahouses closed early. Everyone on the street rushed home. In the afternoon, the number of pedestrians on the street would suddenly increase. This was the last group of people going home, and then they became completely quiet.

Fanning's mansion was also very lively. After lunch, fifty or sixty servants gathered in the courtyard of the central courtyard. The snow had been cleaned up and piled up in the corners of the wall.

Although the weather is very cold, everyone is very excited. The servants of the Song Dynasty are all free people, unlike the Tang Dynasty. Everyone is paying for their salaries. In addition to monthly salary, there are also benefits during the holidays. The employer's family will give him some cloth, but during the Chinese New Year, the employer's family will give him a reward, which is a thank you for the hard work of everyone.

Of course, this is different from the monthly salary. The amount of money given by each master is different. Fan Ning's mansion gives it very generously, which is why the servants are willing to follow them for more than ten years.

Generally, wealthy families give five stagnant money, but the lowest-ranking maid in the Fan family gives ten taels of silver, and the butler can even get as much as a hundred taels of silver.

"Miss mother is here!"

Someone shouted, and everyone stood aside.

Several maids surrounded Zhu Pei and walked in through the side door. Two side concubines Ouyang Qian, Cao Xiu, and his concubine Aya followed behind, and the eldest son Fan Jing also showed up.

Zhu Pei walked up the steps and smiled at everyone, "It's the New Year's Eve again, it's still the same as before. I say a few words as usual. This year everyone has worked hard. My husband often tells me that managing a family is like governing the country. It is not easy to maintain a family. Without a gardener, the weeds will grow wildly and the flowers and trees will be out of order. Without a cook, everyone will not be able to eat hot Tengten's breakfast in the morning. Without a maid's help, I can't take care of such a child at all. Without a coachman, we can only go out to squeeze in ox carts. Without a housekeeper, there is no account or a servant, and this mansion cannot operate normally. Each of you is very important. This year is the hard work of everyone, which has brought prosperity and harmony of the Fan family. On this New Year's occasion, I would like to thank everyone on behalf of my husband and a few sisters for your efforts!"

After saying that, Zhu Pei, Ouyang Qian and others bowed to everyone to show their gratitude. Everyone knelt down and gave a big gift, "Thank you for your care for us!"

Zhu Pei waved his hand and smiled, "Everyone is free, please get up!"

Everyone stood up one after another, and Zhu Pei smiled and said, "The following is the moment everyone is looking forward to. To be honest, I am looking forward to it too. My husband will also give us money to our health and self-health. Let's have fun together!"

Everyone laughed, Zhu Pei nodded to Ouyang Qian. Ouyang Qian took the key and opened the door. It was covered with wrapped silver. Each bag of silver was placed in a bag with the name written on it and arranged in order.

Ouyang Qian, Cao Xiu and Fan Jing are responsible for collecting the money, Aya is responsible for chanting the name, and Zhu Pei is distributed, which is like this every year.

The line was already lined up below, and Aya raised the list and said, "The first butler Liu is the second butler Wu Nei, and the third butler Wu is the third."

These are the three housekeepers in the mansion. Wu Nei Housekeeper and Wu Housekeeper are responsible for the inner courtyard. Xiao Wu Housekeeper is the three housekeeper and is the son of Wu Housekeeper. He is very smart and capable. He is responsible for external affairs, while Liu Da Housekeeper is responsible for general coordination.

All three housekeepers came out and took the cloth bag from Zhu Pei. In the past, Butler Liu and Butler Wu Nei had 100 taels of silver, while Butler Xiao Wu had 80 taels of silver.

Aya shouted one by one, and everyone came forward to take the bag. After secretly opening it, they all showed joy on their faces. The two servants even waved their fists with joy and ran away.

This year, because the owner Fan Ning has been leading his army to fight outside, and the people in the mansion have worked very hard, so the annual reward has increased by 20% this year. Of course, everyone is happy, and at least twelve taels of silver. If you save a few years of silver, everyone can go home to buy a house and land.

Of course, not only the servants who received the reward this year, but also the twenty female guards in the mansion. They are all skilled in martial arts and hide in the dark day and night, protecting the safety of Fan Ning's wife and children.

Fanning has always been a thorn in the eyes of Xixia and Liao. We must be wary of Liao or Xixia spies attacking Fanning's family. Therefore, an abandoned military camp not far from Fanning's mansion was renovated and 500 soldiers were stationed.

This was the court's protection for Fan Ning's family, but it was far from enough, so twenty young female guards with great martial arts were hired to protect the inner house. Their monthly salary was 20 taels of silver per person, and the annual reward silver was paid according to the standards of the housekeeper.

In addition, there are also offerings to Qingshui Temple. Qingshui Temple is the place where Jian Meizi practices. It is located in an alley diagonally opposite Fanning Mansion. It is a small Taoist temple covering an area of ​​about three acres, which worships the Three Qings.

Jian Meizi and eight female disciples practice here. Many believers around the people have become lay Buddhists of the Sanqing Temple. Fan Ning’s mother Zhang Sanniang is a devout female lay Buddhist who spends most of her time in the Taoist temple every day.

Qingshui Temple has two thousand acres of land outside the city as the capital for the production. These two thousand acres of farmland are Zhu Pei’s dowry. Zhu Pei is grateful for Jian Meizi’s love for him, so he gave the two thousand acres of land to Qingshui Temple for the production.

And every year during the Chinese New Year, one more thousand taels of silver incense money is offered.

Of course, Zhu Pei's generosity is not without a price. When Fanning was in the capital, she was protected by Jian Meizi personally. When Fanning came out to have dinner with her colleagues at noon, she would sit not far away.

After the New Year's reward was given, everyone returned to the inner house. Cao Xiu held Zhu Pei's arm and asked with a smile: "How much money will your husband give us?"

Zhu Pei poked her forehead and smiled, "Aya should ask you this. Do you care about this little bit of money for so many generous dowry?"

"Why aren't it rare? This is the money I earn when I serve my husband, it's my own money."

Before she could finish her words, Zhu Pei gently pinched her arm and pressed her mouth backwards. Cao Xiucai noticed Fan Jing following not far behind. She blushed and stuck out her tongue and whispered: "He probably doesn't understand!"

"He probably didn't hear it. Be careful when speaking in the future, the children are all grown up."

Aya next to him asked with a smile: "Madam, I actually want to know how much money the master will be afraid of this year."

Zhu Pei stretched out his palm and compared it, "You are the number this year, but don't send it back to Japan. Your parents are big landlords now. They are very rich. Leave it for themselves and their son!"

Aya nodded, "Of course I'm leaving it to Qi'er."

Fanning gave his wife and children a wealthy property, and every year he gave his wives, concubines and children a New Year's money. Of course, giving his wives, concubines is not called New Year's money, but called physical and personal money. In fact, it is given to them pocket money, at least a few thousand taels of silver, and there is still monthly money every month.

He was also worried that if something happened to him, his wife and children would be able to have food and clothing for the rest of their lives.

At four or five o'clock in the afternoon, the last wave of pedestrians appeared on the street, all of whom were friends from various businesses or servants from wealthy families. They also had a holiday and went home.

More than a dozen local servants also left Fan Ning's mansion, and the other servants stayed at the house for New Year's Eve dinner under the leadership of Butler Liu and Butler Wu. Qingfeng Restaurant delivered eight tables of wine and food at noon. Jian Meizi would also bring her eight disciples to squeeze in a table, and twenty female guards followed their master to Zhu's mansion.

Without the owner, everyone will be more enjoyable. However, the Fan family is stricter and can drink alcohol, but it is not allowed to get drunk, and it is not allowed to make trouble by drinking. If you do not terminate the employment relationship.

Fanning took his family and five or six maids to set off in three large carriages, and twenty female guards followed him on horseback. They were wearing warrior uniforms, red cloaks, swords, and thrush bows and quiveres hanging on their saddles, which were particularly heroic.

At this time, firecrackers were heard everywhere, and groups of children were playing on the street, building snowmen, and playing snowball fights. The atmosphere of the New Year gradually became stronger.

There were also lights and decorations in front of the gate of the Zhu Mansion, and eight large lanterns were hung. Zhu Yuanfeng's daughter Zhu Jie and eldest son Zhu Xiaoli were waiting at the door with his wife and daughter and two sons.

Zhu Yuanfeng also had four sons. Except for the eldest son and his family stayed in the capital, everyone else went to Beidao. Zhu Xiaoli was mainly in charge of some important Zhu family industries, such as Zhulou, Zhu's ship, textile workshops and more than a dozen manors, etc. Zhu's money shop and newspaper office were managed by his daughter Zhu Jie.

Fanning and his family got off the carriage, and Zhu Xiaoli brought his two sons to greet Fanning, while his wife and daughter went to greet Fanning's family with Zhu Jie.

Fan Ning smiled and said, "Today is the New Year with my family, so don't consider the position of the court. Everyone should celebrate New Year's Eve happily according to their family generation."

Having said that, Zhu Xiaoli did not dare to show off his elders in front of Fanning, but still respectfully invited Fanning to the mansion, while his two sons greeted Fanning's three sons.

Fan Ning actually has four sons, the youngest son Fan Zhou is only one and a half years old, and his mother Cao Xiu was held in her arms, and the wet nurse also followed.

Fan Ning's mother Zhang Sanniang is an elder of the Fan family and is surrounded by stars and is surrounded by the Zhu Mansion.

The Zhu Mansion was decorated with lights, and the wide atrium and the east courtyard were filled with large tables. Lanterns hung above their heads, illuminating the yard like daylight.

There was a large round table with a diameter of five meters in the lobby. Although more than 200 people in the Zhu Mansion sat together for the New Year, there were not many owners, including Zhu Fan's family, Zhu Yuanfeng's eldest son Zhu Xiaoli's family, and his daughter Zhu Jie took her daughter and son-in-law, and then Fan Ning's family.
Chapter completed!