075

The hall door was gently pushed open, and Song Ling walked in, wrapped in a heavy cloak, and stamped her foot at the doorway.

"Is it snowing outside again?"

After Yu Baizhou came in behind her, Wang Zhiyan walked behind them and closed the door: "Go over there and warm yourself by the fire, then we'll eat later."

"Merson has prepared the tea and is waiting for you."

Wang Zhiyan glanced behind them: "Just you two?"

“The deputy generals are spending the New Year in the military camp, so they won’t be coming.” Song Ling took off his cloak and handed it to the outstretched hand beside him, saying, “Su Duan said he would come, but with the snow falling so heavily, the road from Shannan Prefecture to Yun Prefecture is in bad condition. There’s been no word from him yet, so he might not be coming.”

"Who said that?"

Laughter suddenly came from the crack in the door. Song Ling subconsciously pushed the door open, and a blast of cold air rushed in.

Yu Baizhou wrapped the cloak around her again and looked at it with her.

Amidst the swirling snow, two carefree figures approached from afar, only revealing their faces when they were right in front of them.

It turned out to be Su Duan and Wei Yan. The two were wrapped in heavy outer robes and wore somewhat unusual felt hats. Their ears were red from the cold, but they were still smiling.

"Why are you two together?" Wang Zhiyan greeted them with a smile, "Come in and warm yourself by the fire, or you'll freeze your head."

"We were going in different directions, but what a coincidence that we ran into each other outside the governor's mansion." Su Duan brushed the snow off his hat and shoulders, walked in, greeted the men, and then drank a cup of hot tea.

Wei Yan followed closely behind, patting his outer robe: "That's right, we only found out on the way that we weren't planning on coming. Deputy General Shi said he was injured, otherwise he would have definitely come. He asked me to come and wish you all a Happy New Year on his behalf."

"Is Vice General Shi seriously injured?" Song Ling asked casually. "Has a doctor been called?"

Yu Baizhou, standing to the side, slightly moved his eyes, and his hand holding the teacup paused a few moments.

However, Wei Yan was a little numb from the cold and didn't notice his abnormality. He took the hot tea that Su Duan handed him, took a sip, and said, "It wasn't too serious, but the arrow was two inches away from his heart. He wanted me to thank the strategist in a special way. If it weren't for you constantly telling Shi Jiu to stop him, he would have lost his life there."

Song Ling nodded: "It's nothing serious."

Yu Baizhou glanced at her but said nothing.

Wang Zhiyan, who was standing next to him, noticed that something was off in the atmosphere. She patted Mo Song's hand and quickly stood up to smooth things over: "It's getting dark. I've prepared private rooms for you all. Tonight, let's not talk about anything else and just drink until we drop."

"I'll go and tell someone to serve wine and dishes."

"There's nothing happening over in Wuqi, right?" Su Duan looked at Song Ling, clearly sensing something. "Otherwise, we can't drink tonight."

“No, Jimu just had a son and is having a banquet right now.” Song Ling was completely unaware of the shock she was giving to ordinary people: “In addition, King Wuqi is dead and the royal family is in complete chaos right now, so they don’t have time to take care of us.”

"He died just like that?" Su Duan shook his head. "People really don't live long."

"How can things be as chaotic as we are?" Wang Zhiyan rubbed her hands together as she walked in. "I think Luoyang is even worse."

“Not necessarily,” Yu Baizhou suddenly said, “They’re probably in an even more chaotic situation than we are. It’s been months and there’s still no result.”

Wei Yan scoffed, "Just like in an opera, what's that line?"

“One act ends and another begins.” Mo Song quietly added, which earned him Wang Zhiyan’s mocking remark to Wei Yan: “You even took the imperial examinations, yet you’re not as good as our Mo Song.”

Mersun: "Ahem—"

“The imperial examinations don’t test this,” Wei Yan retorted silently. “You haven’t even taken the imperial examinations, so don’t laugh at me for being just as bad.”

"If women could participate in the imperial examinations, would you even have a chance?" Wang Zhiyan rolled her eyes at him. "You'd probably be squatting somewhere out there. Let alone anything else..." She slammed the wine jar down in front of him. "Even when it comes to drinking, you can't beat me!"

"Are you challenging me?" Wei Yan's face tightened, then he smiled: "Let's have a competition?"

Seeing the tension between the two, Su Duan quietly asked Song Ling, "Aren't you going to do anything about it?"

"What right do I have to interfere?" Song Ling glanced at him: "Go ask her wife."

Well, Su Duan glanced at Yu Baizhou again, but the other party kept his eyes glued to Song Ling the whole time, not giving him even a second glance.

He turned to look at Mersun and saw the same scene again.

"Aren't you going to do anything about it?" Su Duan gritted her teeth and sat down next to him. "She's your fiancée now, and you just watch her drink with other men? Aren't you worried?"

Mo Song, holding his teacup, gave him a strange look: "Isn't it obvious that Ayan doesn't like him?"

“In our family, Ayan is in charge. You’ve got the wrong person.”

Damn it… Su Duan gritted his teeth and went to drink alone. He should have known better than to come today.

They're taking advantage of him because he doesn't have a wife... but it seems Wei Yan doesn't either, so Su Duan felt a little better, just a tiny bit. This wine, however, tastes quite good.

As night deepened, the snow outside stopped sometime earlier, revealing the bright white moon. The translucent moonlight shone on the pristine snow and diffused into the warm, cozy room, where conversations, laughter, drinking games, and jeers rose and fell.

The outside was getting chilly and extremely quiet, a stark contrast to the lively atmosphere inside.

Originally complete strangers, they became like-minded friends and devoted lovers. Gathered together now, they shared joy and laughter, a rare moment of pure bliss. This was perhaps the most lively and heartwarming New Year they had ever experienced, and maybe also their last peaceful year in southern Xinjiang.

Next year, after spring planting, the war might be even more urgent than this year, and they will all be separated more often than together again. But the future is good, full of hope.

It's worth it for the country, for the people, and for yourself.

………

With a thud, Wei Yan collapsed onto the table.

Wang Zhiyan laughed heartily, hands on her hips: "I still won!"

As she spoke, she swayed and felt a little dizzy.

Mosson kept a close eye on her, carefully supporting her arm.

Wang Zhiyan: "Don't worry, I'm not drunk!"

Mersom: "Hmm, you're not drunk."

After agreeing, he gestured to Song Ling and the others, "I'll take her back to rest first."

“I’ll drag this guy to the side room too.” Su Duan put down his teacup, his lips twitching slightly as he looked at Wei Yan’s drunken state. “What are you trying to prove?”

"Can you drag him?" Song Ling asked doubtfully. "He doesn't look light."

At this moment, Yu Baizhou stood up and said, "I'll accompany you to take Jinghe back." After saying that, he turned around and instructed Song Ling, "A-Ling, wait a moment, I'll be right back."

Su Duan felt a pang of reluctance: "Actually, I can do it myself..."

"Stop talking nonsense." Yu Baizhou hoisted the dazed Wei Yan onto his back like a sack of potatoes and looked at Su Duan: "Keep up."

Su Duan scratched his head; it seemed he wasn't needed for this.

Song Ling stared at the wine glass in her hand and drank it all in one gulp. She didn't know how much time had passed before the door opened again.

“It’s been sent back…” Just as I looked up, I saw Yu Baizhou carrying something in.

When it was placed in front of her, Song Ling was still a little confused. Pointing to the bowl of noodles in front of her, she asked, "This is..."

"noodle."

“I know this is noodles,” she said with a helpless smile, “but didn’t we just have a meal? Why are you serving noodles again?”

Seeing that her expression was genuine, Yu Baizhou thought that perhaps she had forgotten: "Isn't today your birthday? This is... longevity noodles."

Song Ling stood there stunned in the distance: "Birthday? Who said that..."

Yu Baizhou saw the surprise in her eyes, moved his lips and said, "Chu Yan."

"He told me."

"Isn't that wrong?" Yu Baizhou tried to explain, "That's okay, just treat it as the New Year."

“That’s right,” Song Ling shook her head, “I just didn’t realize it for a moment. I haven’t celebrated my birthday for many years.”

For the past ten years or so, she had mostly spent New Year's Eve in the bamboo house, just like every other day, reading an ancient book by candlelight. The concept of birthday was quite foreign to Song Ling.

Moreover, she didn't know when or where she was born. Her so-called birthday was merely the day she was carried up the mountain, not the day she was born.

She must have had parents, but whether they were alive or dead, no one except her master who brought her back knew.

With her thoughts returning to normal, Song Ling looked at him apologetically: "Sorry, I forgot."

"From now on, we'll celebrate every birthday together." Yu Baizhou pushed the noodles towards her: "Want to try a bite?"

Song Ling smiled and tentatively asked, "Did you make this yourself?"

It was just a guess, but the man nodded slightly and said, "It's my first time making this, I don't know if it will taste good."

No wonder it took you so long to come back; you were cooking noodles.

Just as Song Ling took her first bite, she suddenly felt something in her hair. She subconsciously looked up and saw the man carefully tying her hair up.

"What?"

“A hairpin,” Yu Baizhou said softly, “I think it’s very pretty and suits you.”

“I really like it.” Song Ling put down her chopsticks and looked at him with a smile in her eyes: “This must be the most special New Year’s Eve I’ve ever had.”

She said she was completely genuine, no longer alone, no longer experiencing empty silence and loneliness. She now had many friends around her and a lover whose heart was overflowing with her love.

"The noodles were delicious, but it's a pity we can't finish them." Song Ling said with some regret, "Will they spoil tomorrow?"

"If you want some, I'll make it next time." Yu Baizhou took her bowl and chopsticks and finished the rest of the noodles. Food shouldn't be wasted.

“It’s so late, let’s go back.” Song Ling took his hand. “Zhiyan wants to have her wedding on the third day of the Lunar New Year. Madam Wei can’t manage it all by herself, so I have to stay here for a few days.”

“Initially, quite a few people in Yunzhou objected, but fortunately, Zhiyan was tough on them.” Song Ling smiled slightly: “Now those people wish they could stay in their mansions.”

"Is A-Zhou leaving tomorrow, or staying for a few more days?"

Yu Baizhou wrapped her in the cloak to make sure there was no draft before opening the door: "I'll leave early tomorrow morning. I'll be back on their wedding day."

"A suitable person has not yet been selected in Yangzhou."

Song Ling felt her hand being grasped back, and the two stepped into the snow side by side: "Perhaps we can try Baili Wuxiang, but he has been in seclusion for many years, so we'll have to see if the general can persuade him to come out of seclusion."

“The Baili family was once a prominent clan, and although they were defeated in a coup during the previous dynasty, many of their collateral branches still went on to pursue official careers.” Yu Baizhou said with some helplessness, “I also considered him, but the Baili family has always looked down on military generals and is extremely difficult to persuade.”

"What, General, are you backing down already?" Song Ling poked his arm. "Have you forgotten what I taught you in the first place?"

"I haven't forgotten," Yu Baizhou said with a smile, putting his arm around her shoulder when no one was around. "If we really can't get her out, I'll just bring her back by tying her up."

Song Ling: "This child is teachable."

Yu Baizhou: "Don't you even know who the gentleman is?"

…………