On the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month, Mr. Bao came back from the court and saw several shadow guards at the gate of Kaifeng Mansion, leading the fourth son, Xiao Liangzi, and others to set off firecrackers.

The yard is bustling, and the kitchen is preparing the New Year’s Eve dinner.

"father!"

Master Bao heard Bao Yan's voice coming from behind him. He looked back and saw little Bao Yan running in with several large rolls of red paper, followed by Pang Yu and several other classmates.

The adult was very curious and asked, "What are you doing?"

"Writing Spring Festival couplets!" Bao Yan ran into the yard, and Pang Yu said, "Many people in Taixue asked Xiao Mantou to write Spring Festival couplets. Let's help him bring the paper."

Putting down the paper, Pang Yu and the others ran home.

Xiao Sizi and Xiao Liangzi finished setting off the firecrackers and came in to write Spring Festival couplets with Bao Yan.

Mrs. Bao took Chen Xing'er and Yue Ya'er to cut out a lot of window paper and was pasting it up.

The door of Miao Miao Building is open, and there are several clothes drying racks set up at the door, and clothes and quilts are being dried.

Zhan Zhao took two pillows and took pictures at the door.

Master Bao looked into the room and saw that Mr. Wu was sweeping the dust with a feather duster.

Mr. Bao couldn't help but sigh, "Bai Shaoxia looks so noble even when holding a feather duster, it's really not easy!"

Yin Hou and Tianzun followed the Demon King back to Baihua Valley. Fifth Master originally wanted to go back to Icefield Island to accompany his grandpa, but Lu Xueer wrote a letter saying that his grandpa and uncle also went to Baihua Valley to celebrate the New Year.

The fifth master simply stayed in Kaifeng Mansion to accompany Zhan Zhao.

Mr. Bao was in a good mood when he saw the bustle in the yard. There were so many people here this year.

Nodding with satisfaction, Mr. Bao clasped his hands behind his back and leaned over to watch Bao Yan write the Spring Festival couplets.

Next to the Miaomiao Building, Gongsun was also cleaning up the house, sorting out the clothes of the fourth son and the young Liangzi, washing and drying what should be washed, and all kinds of books that were usually piled up in a mess.

Zhao Pu went back to the palace to accompany his mother. He said he would finish dinner later and wait for his mother to rest before slipping over to Kaifeng Mansion.

Lin Yehuo was not in Kaifeng Mansion, but he and Yiyi were in Zou Mansion at the moment, accompanying General Zou Yue to celebrate the New Year with Zou Liang.

"Yutang, what is this?"

Zhan Zhao stood on a chair, packed up the things on the cabinet, found a box, opened it and saw a small white oil lamp inside.

Zhan Zhao took out the oil lamp and took a closer look at it. There were four kittens painted around the base of the oil lamp, which looked cute and naive. The style of the oil lamp was a bit primitive and looked like an antique. Zhan Zhao wondered if Bai Yutang wanted it.

Something for the Goddess.

After Bai Yutang made the bed, he came over to take a look, stretched out his hand, and touched his head.

Zhan Zhao put the small oil lamp on the table, and Master Wu began to be in a daze.

When Tianzun first brought little Bai Yutang to Baihua Valley, Xiao Bai Yutang refused to turn off the lights and go to bed at night. When Tianzun turned on the lights, the children would make noises.

But Tianzun couldn't fall asleep with the lamp on, so he went to the warehouse to rummage through the cabinets and found this small antique oil lamp. He took it back and lit it, but the brightness was only a little.

Xiao Bai Yutang was finally willing to sleep peacefully.

Later, when Fifth Master grew up, he no longer had to sleep with the light on.

However, Tianzun always laughed at him because he was afraid of the dark and dared not turn off the lights to sleep, saying that this little oil lamp was the proof!

Later, Xiao Bai Yutang hid the lamp and forgot about it.

Not long ago, Fifth Master went back to Baihua Valley to tidy up the warehouse and found this oil lamp again, so he brought it to Kaifeng Mansion.

Master Wu put the lamp on the table and planned to light it when he went to bed tonight.

Zhan Zhao continued to clean up the cabinet, and with a "whoosh", something fell down on the cabinet. Zhan Zhao instinctively stretched out his hand to catch it.

The fifth master turned around and saw Zhan Zhao standing on the chair in a difficult posture. The chair was tilted and only one of the four legs was on the ground. Zhan Zhao was bent over and holding a dusty cloth mouse in his hands.

Fifth Master walked over a little and stared at the mouse.

It was a white, fat mouse with big ears... a puppet.

The Fifth Master looked at Zhan Zhao with some confusion - Mao'er, what are you hiding?

Zhan Zhao indicated with his eyes, "Take it, take it, take it."

The fifth master saw that there was dust on the mouse, so he took it and patted it, but it couldn't be cleaned, so he had to wash it.

Zhan Zhao straightened up, the stool swayed, and he jumped into the air and turned around gracefully.

Fifth Master raised his foot and lightly kicked the chair that was tilted to the side.

The chair fell back and landed on all fours. Zhan Zhao also easily landed on the chair and waved his hand... raising a cloud of dust.

The fifth master quickly turned his face, and Zhan Zhao said directly: "Ah sneeze..."

The chair tilted again, Zhan Zhao took advantage of the situation and sat on the chair, stretched out his hand and rubbed his nose.

Zhan Zhao took the white mouse puppet handed to him by Master Wu and began to be in a daze...

He saw this when he was visiting a temple fair when he was a child. Yin Hou saw him pointing at the mouse and bought it for him.

During that time, Xiao Zhanzhao was particularly fond of this cloth mouse, hugging him day and night. At that time, the old men and women in the Demon Palace laughed at him because he was really a cat and would not let go of the mouse once he caught it.

When the Demon Palace was sweeping the dust a while ago, Yin Hou found this mouse from a pile of toys that Zhan Zhao had when he was a child, and brought it to him.

Zhan Zhao was quite embarrassed. He couldn't just say that he slept with the white mouse in his arms when he was a child, so he secretly hid the cloth mouse on top of the cabinet.

Fifth Master took it and looked at it, and thought it was quite cute, but a little gray.

Zhan Zhao took the mouse out, went to the yard to get a basin of water, and started washing the mouse with a brush.

The fourth son, who was standing by the table holding a piece of paper for Bao Yan, saw it and trotted over to take a look, then ran into the room again.

After a while, the fourth son came out holding a little fat black cat doll and handed it to Zhan Zhao, "Cat!"

Zhan Zhao took the little fat cat and found that it was also a little dusty.

The fourth son said that he bought this at the temple fair last year and that he could make a pair with this fat mouse.

Zhan Zhao simply soaked the kitten in the basin and washed it with the mouse.

After washing the dolls, Zhan Zhao took two clips and put a cat and a mouse on the clothesline to dry.

Everyone passing by in the yard would take a look and nod - Wow! This pair looks like a perfect match.

…

Gongsun finished cleaning the house and ran to the clinic to sort out the medicinal materials.

In fact, the clinic was messier than the room. There were all kinds of prescriptions on the table. Gongsun was cleaning them up when he smelled a sweet smell.

When he looked up, someone handed him a piece of pastry and brought it to his mouth.

Gongsun instinctively opened his mouth and said "Ah woo". After holding it in his mouth, he looked up and saw Zhao Pu feeding him with one hand and holding the same piece of cake in the other hand, chewing on it.

Gongsun was puzzled - didn't you go home to be with your mother? Why did you come here?

Zhao Pu said, "Myna has gone to my house. There are many people there now. I'll slip out and stay with you for a while."

After eating the pastries, Zhao Pu helped Gongsun clear the table.

On the table is a small black jade pressed square turtle that the fourth son had bought for Gongsun.

The prince picked it up and looked at it, "I also raised a turtle when I was a child."

Gongsun asked, "What happened next?"

"Put it in the palace pool. I saw it a while ago. The basin is so big." The Ninth Prince put the little jade turtle down and showed Gongsun how big the turtle was.

Gongsun said that he had raised one when he was a child, and later put it in the mirror lake. It is probably very big now.

Zhao Pu started to touch his chin, "Sir, I don't seem to have raised anything else except turtles."

Gongsun said that he had raised many strange things. While talking, he wanted to take Zhao Pu to the backyard of the clinic to look at the poison box. Zhao Pu was so frightened that he quickly waved his hand.

While they were chatting, Zhe Ying ran in and asked Zhao Pu how many jars of wine he had.

Zhao Pu said to load them all into the car.

Gongsun was a little puzzled, "What kind of wine?"

"Oh." Zhao Pu said while studying two medicinal materials, "I'm going to Black Wind City in a while. Let's go back and accompany Lao He."

Gongsun blinked and asked, "When?"

"Let's go to Black Wind City on the seventh day of the lunar month to celebrate the Lantern Festival."

"Oh." Gongsun looked at Zhao Pu again, "Then I'll go too."

Zhao Pu looked at Gongsun and said, "Really?"

Gongsun nodded, "Yes! The fourth son will also go together, and the young Liangzi will go home by the way. How can this child not go home for a year?"

Zhao Pu touched his chin and looked at Gongsun with raised eyebrows, "Oh..."

Gongsun's face felt slightly hot, "Why did you glare at him? Are you not welcome?"

"Welcome!" Zhao Pu smiled and nodded, "Of course you are welcome."

"That's pretty much it!" Gongsun held the packed medicine box and kicked Zhao Pu, "Hurry back and stay with your mother. Come back in the evening!"
To be continued...