Baili Yingfeng, who was looking at the topographical map on the wall, turned around and met Miao Nanyan's gaze.

This was the first time Miao Nanyan had seen Baili Yingfeng in armor.

The man before me had sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, his face was resolute and angular, and his hair was tied up with a jade crown.

He wore silver armor, a belt with animal patterns around his waist, a silver longsword with the character "North" engraved on its tip, and black satin boots.

"They've arrived," Baili Yingfeng said calmly.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects."

Miao Nanyan nodded, looking at the tall man in armor in front of her.

"Yes, Chen Yuan, take Nanfei to the tent next door to rest."

“Then,” Baili Yingfeng looked Miao Nanyan up and down.

"Put on the military doctor's uniform."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

...

On the night of the Spring Festival, the capital city was filled with the deafening sound of gongs and drums. The booming sounds of gongs and drums shattered the darkness of the night, and the bright red lanterns of every household illuminated the night as if it were daytime.

Despite the bitter cold and the occasional snowflakes falling from the sky, people who stayed up all night to celebrate the New Year braved the freezing weather to leave their homes, carrying torches. Some of the more cautious even wore veils and walked through the streets and alleys of the capital, beating drums and gongs to celebrate the arrival of the new year and pray for good luck and more wealth.

According to Nanyang custom, adults and children do not sleep on New Year's Eve, which is called "keeping watch over the eve of the Lunar New Year". The longer they stay up, the longer they are believed to live and the better their prospects for the coming year.

They would sit around the stove and listen to their grandparents and elders tell family stories or unforgettable events from previous years. They would eat and talk, and the elders would keep the fire burning brightly, symbolizing a prosperous and thriving future.

The people in the capital cut bamboo poles and paulownia wood into sections and burned them in braziers, making crackling sounds that scared Nian away.

The crackling sounds outside grew louder and louder, signifying that bad luck was being driven away and a good omen was being ushered in for the new year.

...

After the banquet at the Nanyang royal family, Ah Xiang led Yun Duoduo towards Fu Shuang Palace.

Sun Huohuo returned to his family home with his father, Sun Ren, tonight, and Jin Zhuangzhuang also returned to the Jin family home with General Jin and Madam Jin.

New Year's Eve is a time for family reunion.

"Aunt Xiang, what kind of gift should I give my eldest brother as he gets married?"

Yun Duoduo scratched her head, thinking about what she needed to prepare.

"I'm sure the Crown Prince would like whatever the princess sends," Ah Xiang said with a smile.

"But Princess Guantao seems a bit pitiful. On New Year's Eve, a time for family reunion, she has to come to Nanyang for a political marriage." Yun Duoduo looked into the distance, lost in thought.

"Alone and miserable."

"Bang bang bang!"

"They're setting off firecrackers!" Yun Duoduo clapped her hands and shouted.

She ran and jumped, trying to see what it looked like outside the palace walls, but her legs were too short and she wasn't tall enough to see anything no matter how she jumped.

"Aunt Xiang, I really want to leave the palace and see the world!"

Ah Xiang picked up Yun Duoduo and let her sit on her shoulders.

Yun Duoduo clung to the wall, peeking out and seeing only the scattered lights of the brightly lit capital city.

"Aunt Xiang, let's go take a look in the attic!"

Yun Duoduo got off Ah Xiang, and the two walked towards the pavilion in the backyard of the palace.

...

After wandering around for a while, Ah Xiang took Yun Duoduo back to her bedroom.

When we arrived at Fu Shuang Palace, the imperial kitchen staff were just delivering the dishes.

"Aunt Xiang, didn't we already have our meal in the main hall?"

Yun Duoduo looked curiously at the people from the imperial kitchen. "Why are they bringing food again?"

"Your Majesty, you were worried that the little princess hadn't eaten enough, so you specially sent Eunuch Zhao over to instruct me to bring some food over."

The head of the imperial kitchen said with a smile.

"Ninth Princess, the dishes His Majesty instructed me to prepare are all quite special!" The head eunuch said enthusiastically.

"Oh?" Yun Duoduo looked at her father-in-law, who was beaming with excitement, with great interest. She could feel the enthusiasm emanating from him.

“Princess, please look, these braised chicken heads and braised chicken wings symbolize peace and tranquility.” The eunuch pointed to a dish in front of Yun Duoduo.

"These chicken wings symbolize a bright future and soaring high."

"This chicken head symbolizes that one will rise above others in the future."

Yun Duoduo nodded. "Yes, it has a good meaning. If anyone in the family is taking the college entrance exam, they can eat this dish."

"And these golden fried rice cakes symbolize gold and silver, and represent the wish for wealth in the new year."

[Would it symbolize good fortune in the New Year? Hmm, this dish, with its needle and cloth prickles, would surely be something my third brother would enjoy.]

"And this, dried bean curd and peanuts, symbolize 'abundance' and 'many children'."

[Having many children, Father, isn't that a bit inappropriate?]

Yun Duoduo changed her posture and sat in the chair to relieve her psychological discomfort.

This dish seems more suitable for the eldest prince, who is about to get married.

"This braised crucian carp symbolizes abundance year after year. When this fish is served, most of it is left uneaten, which means that there will be plenty of fish every year!"

"Okay! Thank you, sir!"

"Thank you for your trouble, sir."

"Father-in-law, have some fun." Ah Xiang stuffed some loose silver into the steward's hand.

"Father, have you sent food to your brothers?" Yun Duoduo asked.

"Alas, His Majesty is so busy with state affairs, how could he possibly care about the other princes? The Ninth Princess's honor is unique in this palace!" The eunuch looked out the window and suddenly lowered his voice to say.

"Please thank Father Emperor for me." Yun Duoduo nodded.

"Thank you for your trouble, sir."

Ah Xiang saw the steward off.

Yun Duoduo stared blankly at the dishes on the table. After A Xiang returned, she pointed to a dish on a white jade plate and said, "Aunt A Xiang, please have someone send this dried bean curd and peanuts to the eldest prince."

"good."

"Uh, take the braised chicken wings and chicken heads to the Second Prince."

"And this, fry some rice cakes and send them over to Third Brother."

"Yes, Princess."

After finishing distributing all the dishes on the table, drowsiness gradually crept in.

Everyone says that you should stay up all night on New Year's Eve, but Yun Duoduo was too sleepy. She took off her shoes, changed her clothes, lay on her back on the bed, and fell asleep in no time.

...

The next morning, in the backyard of the Jin residence, Jin Zhuangzhuang was squatting on the ground fiddling with insects.

Jin Zhuangzhuang was wearing a light pink cotton dress. The hem of the dress kept rubbing against the mud on the ground, getting covered in mud. The mud almost blended into the dress, making it look like the pink dress had black edges.

Jin Jinzhi was wearing a black robe, and she looked very clean.

His jade crown combed his hair up, revealing his bright eyes and making him look very handsome.

He lifted the hem of his shirt to avoid getting it on the dirt on the ground.

"Zhuangzhuang, look at you! Your face is covered in mud. If your father sees this, he'll definitely scold you!"