Imperial Oral Decree

As evening fell and the lanterns were lit, all the small households of the Prince of Qin’s Manor gathered at the Lin Residence.

The Lin family were generations of physicians, not officials, so strictly speaking, they were commoners. That meant there weren’t so many formalities to observe.

Coming to the Lin family for New Year’s Eve dinner, everyone could relax and let loose. The atmosphere was lively and cheerful.

The dinner was held in the main hall of the Lin Residence. Because there were so many people, three tables were set up. Men and women sat together, unlike other households where men and women sat separately.

As one of the head chefs for the New Year’s Eve dinner, Lingdang brought several chefs from the Eight Treasures Pavilion to help out. So, even with so many people to feed, the food was prepared quickly and beautifully, soon filling all the tables.

Everyone took their seats. The Medical Sage Lin’s family and the young couple, Alexander Hayes and Su Li, sat at the main table, while the others chose seats based on how close they were to one another.

It had been a long time since the house was this lively. Medical Sage Lin was in high spirits and brought out his best wine, which he’d hidden away for years, to share with everyone.

The wine jar looked rather plain, but once opened, the fragrance filled the room. Alexander Hayes took a deep sniff and praised, “Excellent wine!”

Medical Sage Lin laughed heartily and personally poured wine for his son-in-law. The two raised their cups, just about to drink, when a Lin Residence attendant hurried in, looking puzzled. He said, “Prince Alexander, someone from the palace is here for you. They say there’s an Imperial Oral Decree.”

“Oh?” Alexander Hayes thought this was truly odd. Why would the Emperor send an oral decree to him on New Year’s Eve?

Su Li also found it strange. For some reason, she felt uneasy, though she couldn’t pinpoint why. She kept her composure and waited to see what the messenger would say.

The messenger was a young eunuch. He greeted Alexander Hayes politely, wished him a Happy New Year, and then began to announce the Imperial Oral Decree.

"The Emperor’s Imperial Oral Decree:

Upon hearing this, Alexander Hayes’s gaze flickered. He replied, “Yes, I accept the decree.”

The Emperor’s oral decree left everyone present puzzled. Lady Wang didn’t want to spoil the festive mood, so she ushered the others back inside to continue the meal, while Alexander Hayes, Su Li, Medical Sage Lin, and Lady Wang remained outside.

Su Li stepped forward with a smile, took out a purse, and handed it to the young eunuch. She said warmly, “Eunuch, you’ve worked hard to deliver the decree on New Year’s Eve. Here’s a small token—please enjoy some tea.”

The young eunuch weighed the purse and exclaimed inwardly—it was heavy indeed! No wonder the Prince of Qin’s Consort was known for her generosity.

With plenty of silver and such polite treatment, the young eunuch was happy to say a bit more—an unspoken rule in these circles.

“Eunuch, why did the Emperor send this oral decree right now?” Su Li asked.

The young eunuch smiled, clasped his hands respectfully, and explained, “Consort, here’s what happened. This afternoon, Marquis Wei Yuan personally entered the palace to meet the Emperor. He complained that Prince Alexander was busy with official duties and rarely visited his parents. The Marchioness, missing her son, fell ill from longing.”

“The Emperor then asked, ‘It’s New Year’s Eve—surely Prince Alexander can visit home?’ Marquis Wei Yuan just shook his head and smiled bitterly, saying his son was spending the evening with his in-laws. The Emperor understood the Marquis’s intentions and sent me with the oral decree, asking Prince Alexander and Consort Su Li to return to the Marquis’s residence for the family dinner.”