Zhulan's family received many gifts when they moved, with the most valuable one coming from the county magistrate: an embroidered screen ornament. Other guests from the county brought substantial gifts, too, most of which were officials giving fabrics and scholarly items like writing brushes and ink, while others gave food and pastries. For the month following the move, Zhulan's family didn't buy any pastries.
With the New Year, and having received all those visits during the move, Zhulan's family naturally had to reciprocate. In preparation for returning the favor, they bought a silly coat and a sheep for the holiday, slaughtering it and distributing the meat to their neighbors. The gift for the county magistrate's family was even more generous, costing over thirty taels of silver just for the New Year's gift.
