Royal Palace

Murong Yu and Murong Qing were summoned to the palace for the New Year's Eve dinner. After dinner, the group went to the villa where the Emperor Emeritus was staying to celebrate the New Year. The Emperor Emeritus did not allow anyone to enter, but only sent word not to come looking for him again.

Upon hearing this, the group returned to their respective palaces and residences.

Prime Minister's Residence

Mu's father, Sima Qingqing, Mu Qi, and Mu Qing had a reunion dinner together. Mu Ya did not return to the Prime Minister's residence because she was newly pregnant and still in the early stages of pregnancy. It was inconvenient to go out on a snowy day, so Sima Qingqing had someone send her some homemade pastries.

Jiangnan

Villagers ate roasted sweet potatoes and stayed up all night on New Year's Eve. Every household was warmly lit up with lights, and laughter filled the air.

Shanghe Village

Ying followed Zhang Huaien to help prepare the New Year's Eve dinner. Zhang Huaien didn't stand on ceremony with him and asked him to help chop firewood in the yard.

When Hu Da and Hu Er from the Assassination Pavilion came looking for someone, they saw their usually tall and aloof Pavilion Master, who seemed indifferent to the world, diligently chopping firewood in a simple farmhouse courtyard with an axe. After finishing chopping the firewood in a few strokes, he returned to Zhang Huaien's side, following him in and out like a little tail.

Hu Da: "..."

Hu Er: "......"

Hu Er couldn't help but rub his eyes, looking utterly bewildered.

Hu Er swallowed hard, then blurted out something shocking: "Could this be the legendary 'baby bird complex'? When the eldest brother woke up from his injury last time, the first thing he saw was Zhang Huaien, and he treated him like his father?"

The more he thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed. After speaking, he nodded as if to sound convincing, then looked up at Hu Da and asked, "Brother, do you think my analysis makes a lot of sense?"

Hu Da looked at Hu Er, who was completely oblivious, then glanced at Ying standing behind Hu Er and twitched his lips. Despite the pressure, he gave Hu Er a wink.

Unfortunately, Hu Er didn't receive the message and kept asking, finally saying, "If you don't believe me, take a closer look. Hey, where's the old man?"

Hu Da glared at him irritably, then bowed to those behind him and said, "Greetings, Pavilion Master!"

Hu Er froze upon hearing this, turned around and bowed to the figure behind him, saying, "Greetings, Pavilion Master!"

Ying nodded to the two of them. Hu Da had come over to ask about the New Year celebrations at the pavilion, and when he learned that Ying did not plan to go back for the New Year, he did not force her.

Hu Da: "Then we'll head back to the pavilion and won't disturb the pavilion master's New Year celebrations any longer."

Ying nodded and turned to return to the Zhang family.

Hu Er called out to him, "Master, I have something else to report."

Ying stopped and turned to look at him.

Hu Er: "It's nothing major. It's just that I'll be leaving the cabinet after the New Year. I'll be living a normal life with my family from now on, so I'm saying goodbye to you in advance."

"It's been a long-cherished wish of mine. Rather than drifting aimlessly in the martial world like a rootless duckweed, it's better to find a place to settle down and return to my roots in the bustling city." With his long-cherished wish about to be fulfilled, Hu Er felt much more relaxed. He looked up at his shadow, seemingly waiting for a blessing.

Ying nodded, patted Hu Er on the shoulder, and then turned and left.

Hu Er looked flattered. After regaining his senses, he asked Hu Da, "Brother, do you think I'm crazy? Just now, I actually felt that Ying was very gentle."

Hu Da didn't answer, but simply patted him on the shoulder and turned to walk back. He thought to himself, "You can know a person's face but not their heart; you can draw a tiger's skin but not its bones. In this world, some people with smiling faces aren't necessarily friendly, and some with indifferent faces aren't necessarily heartless..."