The New Year's Eve banquet ended according to the same old custom at the Hai Hour (9-11 pm). Then it was time for everyone to stay up late and eat dumplings together!
The Old Princess Consorts, advanced in age, had less need for sleep. They gathered together, chatting and laughing intermittently. This also resolved many of the rivalries from years past. Of course, whether it was just an act, no one knew!
The Consorts were also doing well. After all, they were still young, so staying up occasionally wasn't too much for them, and it wasn't as if they were staying up all night. Xia Ruqing, though drowsy, had become accustomed to it. Little Bun would wake up in the middle of the night for a feed every day, with Sister Liang, Sister Huang, and Sister Jiang all attending to him. She wasn't dead to the world; waking was a common occurrence! So, she just dozed off from time to time!
