Lunar New Year's Eve (1)

【Jinwang Mansion Study】

The fine snow gradually turned into a blanket of snow, pattering against the windowpanes like countless tiny, restless drumbeats.

After finishing his official duties, Xiao Chengyan had no heart to look at the ink before it was even dry. He got up and walked to the window, his figure becoming a solitary silhouette that couldn't blend into the false red lantern light outside the window.

The withered branches and rockery in the courtyard were being silently swallowed by the white. The distant sounds of children playing and adults laughing could be faintly heard, making the study seem as deathly silent as a tomb, and making the indescribable anxiety in his heart even clearer.

"Twenty-five..." The whisper was swept away by the wind and snow.

As soon as the thought arose, my heart tightened inexplicably, as if I were suddenly bound by an invisible thread in the wind and snow.

He frowned, raised his hand and pressed hard on his throbbing temples, trying to suppress the sudden, tightening palpitations in his heart along with the annoying noise outside the window. Days of tedious paperwork must have been irritating him with the hustle and bustle of the holidays.

[December 27th]

Yuelai Inn Lobby

The pre-closing hustle and bustle was tinged with weariness.

Gu Jinghong swallowed a pill, his face flushed and swollen like a drunkard, his clothes disheveled, and he staggered through the lobby, mumbling "Another...another pot..." as he headed straight for room C on the second floor.

The strong smell of alcohol was the best smokescreen. Just a few steps from the door, a waiter who was "dozing" in the corner suddenly opened his eyelids, his gaze as sharp as an icicle.

At the same time, alarm bells rang throughout Gu Jinghong's body—a very faint sense of restraint came from under the door crack.

In a flash, she slipped and, "drunk," crashed hard into the table piled with dishes next to her.

"Crash—bang!" The sounds of breaking, crashing, and screams of pain suddenly erupted, and the hall instantly descended into chaos.

Gu Jinghong accidentally injured his arm in the chaos, but he still slipped away like an eel and disappeared in the direction of the side door.

Outside the door were well-disguised sentries, and inside were extremely sensitive trigger mechanisms, with fine threads connecting to bells; the hawk's protection was as solid as an iron barrel.

But Gu Jinghong did not come away empty-handed.

This "drunkard" farce not only revealed the locations and reaction speeds of the sentries, both visible and hidden, but also confirmed Hawk's absolute reliance on the "silk thread mechanism"—he placed most of his vigilance on this tiny silk thread, believing it to be foolproof.

Gu Jinghong's lips curled slightly—on New Year's Eve, she would take advantage of the noise and, in front of the hawk, pierce through his self-righteous "iron bucket"!

[December 29th]

Although the wind and snow had stopped, dusk, carrying a biting chill, pressed down heavily.

Inside a side hall of the City God Temple, an oil lamp barely dispelled the darkness, its dim yellow light illuminating a large sheet of rough linen paper spread on a worn offering table. The cold, hard lines of charcoal pencil clearly outlined the front and back courtyards of the "Yuelai" Inn, the stairwells and corridors, and even the location of the washbasin stand in Room C.

Gu Jinghong stood in the dim light, her posture as straight as a pine tree, exuding the sharp aura of a subordinate of the Qianyuan Pavilion. Beside her stood four capable subordinates, all skilled operators within the Pavilion. The five of them surrounded each other, their presence heavy and focused.

With his slender white fingertip pointing to the threshold of the "C" room on the blueprint, he said, "We've already found out from our previous tests that there's a hidden sentry outside the door, disguised as a dozing waiter. He's positioned here and reacts extremely quickly. There's a very thin metal wire buried under the door seam, which triggers a bell inside the room, and it will go off immediately when touched."

Gu Jinghong's gaze swept over the four people in front of him, and his tone was calm and powerful, "New Year's Eve, at three-quarters past 5 PM, is our only chance. The banquet in the front hall is in full swing, with people making noise and drinking games, and the guards will be at their least vigilant. Most of the guards in the back courtyard have gone home, leaving the defenses undefended."

She looked up at Ah Qi from the action team. He was a skilled martial artist and adept at disguise.

"At the beginning of the hour of You (5-7 PM), Ah Qi, along with two others disguised as delivery porters, pushed a cart to the back wall of the 'Fu Shun' general store in the alley next to the inn. The cart was to be filled with damp firecrackers and tinder, and to create an 'accident' by tipping it over to ignite the firecrackers. The commotion had to be loud enough to attract the attention of the guards in the front hall, the shopkeeper, and even those who might be on the second floor. The chaos had to last for at least half a cup of tea. Once that was done, they would leave according to the pre-arranged route."

Ah Qi clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Your subordinate obeys."

Gu Jinghong nodded and continued pointing to the location marked on the map, saying, "As soon as chaos breaks out, I will act immediately. From the east wall of the backyard, climb over the wall, go through the path behind the woodshed, avoid the main road, and reach the back stairs of the main building."

"I will use three consecutive loud shouts of drinking games as a signal, and once the noise in the front hall reaches its peak, I will use the metal wire at the bottom of the door to unlock it."

"Once you have succeeded, do not delay and immediately retreat the way you came. If there is any unusual activity in Room C or you encounter Hawk himself, your first priority is to get away. If necessary, you may abandon the box."

She looked at the last, tall and thin subordinate, named Ding Jiu, who was skilled in stealth and cleanup: "Ding Jiu, take one person and sneak into the backyard of 'Yongfeng' cloth shop at the beginning of the 5-7 PM to wait for orders. Once you see me climb over the wall, immediately provide cover, clear away any traces, and leave according to the pre-set route two. The contacts inside the cloth shop have already been taken care of."

Gu Jinghong said in a deep voice, "The primary risk of this operation is that Harrier Eagle has not attended the banquet. If there is still no sound from his room, the operation will be canceled. The secondary risk is that the sentries have not been lured away or the mechanisms have changed. The action team can create more chaos to attract attention, or directly launch a strong attack to contain him, but the main attack team must be adaptable and prioritize a safe withdrawal. If we encounter Harrier Eagle himself, we must fight to the death or escape. We must act according to the situation and make sure to save our lives!"

Finally, Gu Jinghong's gaze swept over the four men like cold stars: "For this operation, Zhuangmu Pavilion has already mobilized personnel to monitor the area around the inn and provide information support. The five of us are the core vanguard. Remember your respective duties. We will launch precisely at the beginning of the evening. This box concerns the military intelligence of the Northern Border; it cannot be lost. Understand clearly."

"Action!" The other four responded in a low voice, their figures disappearing like ghosts into the deep twilight and rising snow outside the hall, leaving only a few shallow footprints on the snow that were quickly covered by fresh snow.

Gu Jinghong was the last to step out of the palace gate, the icy air mixed with snowflakes hitting her face. She tightened her collar, suppressing all her emotions, and her figure quickly disappeared in the direction leading to the "Yuelai" Inn.

A faint scent of herbs seemed to linger in the air—the smell of the dressing on her arm wound. At that moment, it made her think of the pale face of someone who was also ill, someone who had asked her to return home on New Year's Eve.

【Jinwang Mansion Study】

The red lanterns of the Prince's Mansion reflected the snow's light, and the false liveliness, like thin ice, made the depths of the study seem like a silent prison.

The pile of military reports on his desk had been dealt with, but Xiao Chengyan did not feel any relief.

He sat stiffly behind his desk, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the cold paperweight, trying to suppress the growing, inexplicable restlessness in his heart. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his throbbing nose—tomorrow…New Year's Eve.

He seemed to have never been so restless before.

It was as if something extremely important and dangerous was quietly happening amidst the swirling snow. And his heartbeat involuntarily echoed the silent, approaching drumbeat.

...

New Year's Eve, Imperial Palace, Linde Hall.

Inside the magnificent palace, the air was warm and inviting, and the sounds of traditional Chinese string and wind instruments filled the air.

The Empress Dowager sat on her phoenix throne, her face kind and benevolent, receiving the endless stream of congratulations from princes, grandsons, and nobles. Delicacies were served in a continuous stream, and amidst the clinking of cups, the entire hall was filled with a harmonious and festive atmosphere.

Xiao Chengyan sat upright among the princes and nobles, not in a particularly prominent position, but due to his status and the recent turmoil, he attracted many subtle glances.

Although his face was still pale from recovering from a serious illness, the cold and solemn expression between his brows had largely returned to normal. He only ate a few bites of the light dishes before picking up his wine cup and calmly observing the people in the hall, especially the expressions of several generals who held military power and the officials related to the southwest.

Several princes of similar age and with whom he had a good relationship walked over, carrying wine glasses.

"Fourth brother, are you feeling much better?" the Prince Duan asked with concern, his gaze sweeping over Xiao Chengyan's slightly pale face.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am now out of danger." Xiao Chengyan raised his cup in a gesture of respect, his tone calm.

"That's good, that's good." Another prince chimed in with a smile, then, as if remembering something, he said, half complaining and half teasing, "Sigh, speaking of which, you, Fourth Brother, have it so peaceful. Unlike us, those guys in the manor, they almost ripped the roof off just over who gets to come tonight, causing a ruckus for days. It's a headache!"

"That's exactly right." Someone nearby immediately chimed in, with a deeply sympathetic sigh of helplessness. "It's impossible to treat everyone equally! The slightest bias will cause trouble in the inner quarters. The concubines are vying for face, but even more so for favor. Only by treating everyone equally can there be harmony and prosperity in the family!"

"Treat everyone equally... Harmony in the family brings prosperity in all things..." Several princes remarked with emotion.

Xiao Chengyan listened, his face remaining expressionless, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the smooth rim of the cup. The vying for favor among concubines? Treating everyone equally? These concepts were too distant from his life.

Just then, the Sixth Prince, Xiao Chengmo, who had drunk a few too many cups, staggered over, carrying a wine pot. With a mischievous smile, he put one hand on the Second Prince, Xiao Chengjue's shoulder, but his eyes were fixed on Xiao Chengyan, and he interjected half-jokingly.

"Fourth Brother's residence is quiet. However... the new 'beloved' in Fourth Brother's residence, who earned Fourth Brother's comment that she's 'somewhat different,' must be a beauty of unparalleled grace. Why didn't Fourth Brother bring her to the palace banquet on New Year's Eve to show Grandmother? So that we could broaden our horizons?"

These words caused the atmosphere, which had been just casual chatting and complaining, to freeze for a moment.

The princes' smiles froze on their faces.

Who doesn't know that the Prince Jin's mansion never keeps female relatives? While there have been some rumors about that maid, given the poisoning incident and the Empress Dowager, it's always been a taboo subject. Sixth Brother's words are like throwing a firecracker into a bonfire!

Especially the Second Prince Xiao Chengjue, suddenly felt a chill rise from the top of his head and then quickly spread to his toes, and his eyes involuntarily glanced at Xiao Chengyan.

Sure enough, Xiao Chengyan's fingers tightened almost imperceptibly around the wine glass. He slowly raised his eyes, his gaze calmly meeting Xiao Chengjue's. His eyes weren't fierce, but they were as deep as a cold, ancient well, carrying a silent, heavy sense of oppression.

Xiao Chengjue subconsciously lowered his eyes to avoid Xiao Chengyan's gaze. After thinking for a moment, he realized that his father and mother were both at the New Year's Eve banquet tonight. Could they really be afraid of someone like him who had no mother?

So he slowly raised his head again, forcing himself to meet Xiao Chengyan's gaze.

Xiao Chengyan's gaze was piercing, and his body emanated a chilling aura, causing the Sixth Prince Xiao Chengmo to shudder. He instantly sobered up, and the smile on his face vanished: "Uh... Fourth Brother, Sixth Brother misspoke, misspoke! I'll punish myself with a cup, punish myself with a cup!" He hurriedly drank the wine in his cup in one gulp.

The other princes quickly tried to smooth things over with laughter.

"Old Six is ​​drunk and talking nonsense!"

"Yes, yes, fourth brother, please don't be offended!"

"Come on, let's drink!"

Xiao Chengyan did not react, but simply withdrew his gaze and took a small sip of the wine in his cup. The spicy liquid slid down his throat, but it could not suppress the emotions that were suddenly surging in his heart.

"My darling"? "Somewhat different"?

Gu Jinghong's eyes, burning with grievance and anger, seemingly filled with tears yet surprisingly bright, suddenly appeared before him. And there was that resounding, accusatory phrase, "clearly distinct."

Xiao Chengyan suddenly snorted softly—absurd.