Chapter 135 New Year
Pei Jingming didn't expect the princess to ask this.
He didn't show any clues in front of the princess, and even his facial expression did not change.
He doesn't dare.
So he bent down to take the sachet, and while lowering his head, he quickly concealed the emotions that were about to overflow from his eyes.
"Jingming dare not be distracted until the great cause is accomplished."
Zhao Yuanrong glanced at him obscurely, not knowing whether to rescue him or warn him, "Are you afraid to be distracted, or are you afraid to speak?"
Pei Jingming turned to look at her, just avoiding eye contact with the eldest princess. "If you don't believe me even if I tell you, why bother asking me?"
In his eyes, light and shadow were twisting and turning, ready to emerge.
"Okay, you two always like to argue." The eldest princess smiled and didn't ask any more questions.
Zhao Yuanrong changed the subject and said to Qu Ling, "Do you want to see Chi Yuan?"
She asked this in front of everyone.
Qu Ling's ears felt hot, but he didn't deny it.
Zhao Yuanrong chuckled, stood up and said, "Let's go."
"Now?"
"What else?"
Qu Ling couldn't keep up with her decisiveness. "Aren't we going to stay up with Auntie to celebrate the New Year?"
"Pei Jingming is still here," Zhao Yuanrong blinked. "He and mother have endless things to talk about. Let's just have fun on our own."
The princess reached out and touched Qu Ling's cheek lovingly. "Go ahead. Hou Xu is personally leading the Jinwu Guards to patrol the streets tonight. There will be no danger."
"Let's go." Zhao Yuanrong pulled Qu Ling out.
Only the eldest princess and Pei Jingming were left in the warm room.
"Is there anyone Jingming wants to meet?" asked the eldest princess.
The children have all reached the age of love, and it is very boring to stay by her side during such a long night.
"Yuan Rong likes to play," Pei Jingming lifted his robe and sat opposite the eldest princess, "I'll accompany mother to talk."
There was a charcoal brazier between the two of them, and the fire was crackling, so it didn't feel dull.
The snow fell silently on New Year's Eve.
When Qu Ling climbed over the wall by stepping on Zhao Yuanrong's shoulders, a thin layer of snow particles had already fallen on the hood of his cloak.
"Sister, will we be mistaken for thieves if we do this?"
Qu Ling climbed up with great effort.
"I've already inquired about it. The Marquis of Jingwei's mansion is divided into two. Chi Yuan lives in one half, and his biased parents and his younger brother live in the other half. The half we're crawling in is his territory."
Zhao Yuanrong protected her and sent her upwards.
"Chi Yuan is the official, and he just happened to catch a little thief like you."
After sending Qu Ling to the wall, she easily jumped up.
He turned around and jumped into the yard.
"Come down, I'll catch you." Zhao Yuanrong grinned and stretched out his hand.
Qu Ling landed steadily in her arms.
The two of them made subtle noises in the courtyard.
Qu Ling was about to pat his clothes when he suddenly saw a slender figure appearing from the corridor.
Chi Yuan was wearing a black cloak and holding a glass lamp in his hand.
"Are you two princesses going to use my house as a vegetable garden?" Chi Yuan's voice was filled with helplessness.
"Didn't I ask Hou Xu to give you a message?" Zhao Yuanrong said.
"You should be here to respond."
Chi Yuan's gaze fell on the tip of Qu Ling's nose, which was red from the cold. "If I hadn't received your letter, I would have been caught by the guards by now."
"I'll leave my sister with you for now," Zhao Yuanrong said, smiling as he pushed Qu Ling forward. "I'll come pick her up after midnight."
Without waiting for a response, he turned around and climbed over the wall again, disappearing among the houses.
The courtyard became quiet.
"Are you cold?" Chi Yuan knew she was coming, so he prepared a hand warmer and handed it to her from his sleeve.
"It's not cold. My sister took me on horseback riding and over the wall, so it's a bit hot." As she spoke, white mist dissipated from her lips.
Chi Yuan turned around and led the way, "It's snowing, let's go in and talk."
After passing through two moon-shaped doors, we arrived at a warm room.
I didn't see any servants along the way, so I guess they were sent away.
There was a charcoal fire burning in the warm room, some tea, and a chess board.
"At Guoqing Temple, I saw that you were an excellent chess player. I would like to learn from you today."
Qu Ling surveyed the layout of the warm room and asked, "Have you been alone all these years?"
"When our grandparents were still alive, we would stay up all night with them."
Chi Yuan took off the lampshade and picked the wick. "Later, when they were gone, we went to the main courtyard."
He smiled and said, "If I go, I will only disturb the fun of their family of three."
Later I simply didn't go.
His father felt guilty about him and always came to talk to him first. However, he would be called back by his mother for less than half an hour.
Qu Ling paused as he took off his cloak.
She knew these old things.
Chi Yuan has a weak relationship with his parents.
She too.
"Especially since our relationship got so bad later on," Chi Yuan poured a cup of hot tea and pushed it towards her. "I didn't want to see you because of the ugly fight over the Crown Prince position."
"I'll stay with you till the New Year's Eve." Qu Ling picked up the teacup and gently touched it to his. "From now on, I'll be with you every year."
Chi Yuan looked up at her.
Under the glass lamp, she was well-behaved and quiet, and seemed to be a different person from the girl in Nanchan Temple who was very angry in front of the Buddha.
But Chi Yuan knew that they were one person.
Her current well-behaved and quiet state is the result of her overcoming many difficulties.
He took out a sachet from his sleeve and said, "This is for you."
"My aunt gave me some New Year's money, will you give me some too?" Qu Ling took it with a smile, but found it was very heavy.
When they opened it, they found it was full of land deeds and banknotes.
"When my grandfather was alive, he bypassed my father and divided the family property into two halves. Chi Che and I will each take half," Chi Yuan said. "When the imperial decree granting the marriage comes, my half of the family property will be your betrothal gift."
This means that he wants to hand over all his wealth to Qu Ling.
"Then these..."
"It's my private property," Chi Yuan said a little embarrassedly. "The salary of a Junior Official in the Dali Temple isn't much, but fortunately, it covers my daily expenses and the income from the farms and shops in the mansion is more than enough."
He suddenly laughed, "I am already alone, the princess cannot abandon me."
He was not familiar with how to please his wife-to-be.
I asked several colleagues who have families and got the same answer.
"Give her all the money and hand over your future salary. That will be more effective than any sweet words."
Qu Ling covered her chest with her hands. It must be because the tea was too hot, causing her heart to ache.
Her eloquent mouth became clumsy.
All the words in my heart seemed not enough to express them.
After a while, he said stiffly, "This mansion is yours, no one can take it away. If it's not yours, I'll give it to you even if I take it away."
Chi Yuan's eyes were filled with smiles, like stars surging.
Outside the window, the snow keeps falling.
Chi Yuan plays chess with her, waiting for the New Year to come.
The sound of bells and drums came from afar.
It’s midnight and the New Year has arrived.
Chi Yuan said softly, "A Ling, Happy New Year."
Qu Ling dropped a black dot, his eyes full of light, "A Yuan, may you be safe every year."
On the street, Zhao Yuanrong was following Hou Xu on night patrol.
Hou Xu was dressed in black armor, which glowed coldly in the snowy night.
When Zhao Yuanrong went out, she also changed her clothes and tied her long hair up high.
"Brother, it's been quite quiet this year. Are you all scared that everyone knows your Great Commander Hou is back and you're too scared to move?"
Hou Xu looked at this junior sister helplessly.
Since she was twelve years old, she would follow him on patrol every New Year's Eve.
At first he thought the girl was just playing around, but later he understood her deeper meaning.
The soldiers of the imperial guards all knew that the princess was an extraordinary warrior and could share the joys and sorrows with them.
"There's movement up ahead." someone shouted.
The sound of fighting came from deep in the alley. Zhao Yuanrong didn't wait for Hou Xu to react and rushed out like an arrow.
Three thugs are robbing an elderly couple of their New Year's goods.
Zhao Yuanrong flew over and kicked.
When Hou Xu and his men arrived, she had almost crushed the criminal's hand.
The young soldiers stepped forward to help the frightened old couple up and asked them to find out the whole story.
The criminals were tied up and the couple was sent back.
When patrolling in Nanshi, a house caught fire due to firecrackers.
Zhao Yuanrong picked up the bucket of water and rushed to the fire. By the time the fire was under control, her pretty face had been smoked black and sparks had burned several holes in her cuffs.
"Princess, wipe your face. You have worked hard." The young guard handed over a handkerchief with a red face.
Zhao Yuanrong wiped his face carelessly and said, "You guys have worked hard too."
Hou Xu watched from the side.
The general of the Jinwu Guard told him that during the three years he was away from Beijing, Zhao Yuanrong would patrol the streets on New Year's Eve as usual.
Many of the generals of the Twelve Imperial Guards were secretly on good terms with the Crown Prince, but only the Left and Right Golden Guards and the Left and Right Thousand Oxen Guards, the most important Imperial Guards, were close to the Princess.
The brothers have all witnessed the princess's skills and admire her actions.
She has always been very smart, and Hou Xu couldn't take his eyes off her.
As midnight approaches, bells and drums ring throughout the city.
Zhao Yuanrong stood on the city wall, looking at the lights of thousands of houses.
"Brother, remember to call me when you patrol the streets next year."
She was getting ready to leave to pick up her younger sister who was staying at someone else's house.
"then."
Just as she took a few steps away, Hou Xu threw a brocade bag over to her.
"New Year's gift."
Zhao Yuanrong pinched it and found it was hard. When he opened it, he saw half a fish talisman.
"If I die one day, the Imperial Guards will not be completely controlled by the Crown Prince." Hou Xu smiled.
"Thank you, General." This time, Zhao Yuanrong did not call him senior brother.
With this half fish token, Zhao Xuanyi's painstaking efforts in the imperial guards over the past three years were less effective.
A hint of sadness flashed across Hou Xu's eyes.
When he gave her the fish talisman, she was just grateful but not moved.
Zhao Yuanrong has always been sober, and Hou Xu knew it a long time ago.
"Yuan Rong, I hope you win." He said seriously
"I will definitely win."
The snow was still falling as Zhao Yuanrong walked down the city wall.
When the bell rang, she had made a wish.
This year, we will step into the Golden Palace and crush the Song family thieves.
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