Chapter 187 Extra: Tsubasa's Growth Diary
Cold Dew on the 13th day of the ninth lunar month
My brother and I were sent to stay in a side room of the Honeysuckle Pavilion by our godfather. We were sleeping soundly at night when we were woken up by a series of faint ringing bells.
I opened my sleepy eyes and saw that my brother was already awake.
We were curious why there was a ringing bell in the middle of the night, and we wanted to go out and see what was going on.
But Master Canghai, who taught us swordsmanship, sent us back and gave us two chamber pots, telling us to relieve ourselves inside the house and not to come out.
Through the crack in the door, I seemed to see candlelight burning in the bedroom of the Honeysuckle Pavilion.
The ringing was coming from that direction. With such a loud sound, my godfather and godmother probably can't sleep either.
Sunny on the 20th day of the ninth lunar month
It turns out my godmother also has homework to do. This morning, the three of us practiced calligraphy together in the study. My godfather's handwriting is so beautiful; no matter how hard I try, I can't imitate his style. My brother…
My brother is even worse; he's a master of martial arts, but he's really not good at writing.
My godfather came to the study to check our homework. He frowned and punished us by making us go outside the window to reflect on our mistakes.
I secretly peeked out the window and saw my godfather holding my godmother's hand, correcting her strokes.
It's so strange. My godmother writes so well, why does my godfather still need to teach her? He should be teaching me and my brother instead.
The 29th day of the ninth lunar month is cloudy.
Today, my godmother took us to the animal park to pick up Shuangjiang (a mythical creature) to play with.
My brother and I took the pastries our godmother gave us to thank Aunt Sangtian, who had bandaged our wounds that day.
She kept a free-range chicken and a mallard in her pharmacy. Perhaps she fed them too well, because the free-range chicken was so fat that it could hardly run, and the mallard was so fat that it could no longer flap its wings.
When we arrived, Aunt Sangtian was cooking. She warmly invited us to stay, but after glancing at the dark-colored dishes on the table, I still didn't dare to put them in my mouth.
My brother wouldn't let me eat it, saying that if I did, I might not see the sun rise tomorrow.
Aunt Sangtian smiled and said that the vegetable was not poisonous and that Uncle Haiyan liked to eat it.
I didn't quite understand, so I asked my godmother when I got back.
My godmother said that Uncle Haiyan doesn't like the food itself, but rather the person who likes to cook it.
I still don't quite understand. I just think Uncle Haiyan's stomach is amazing; it must be made of iron.
The Beginning of Winter on the 14th day of the tenth lunar month
My godmother said we're having dumplings today, otherwise our ears will freeze off in the winter.
This was the first time my brother and I had ever eaten dumplings. In no time, a lump of dough was transformed into thin sheets in the hands of my godmother and Aunt Chuntao, and then wrapped into dumplings. They were neatly arranged on the bamboo mat, looking so beautiful.
Dumplings are not only beautiful but also delicious. When steaming hot dumplings were placed in front of me, I suddenly felt like crying.
My godmother patted my head and asked me softly what was wrong. I said I felt so happy every day in the Regent's Mansion.
It's not as terrible as the rumors say; it's just like his real home.
I asked my godmother if I could call her "mother".
My godfather answered me, saying, "Call me Mother, but you can't be related by marriage."
I didn't understand what Master Canghai meant when he said my godfather was a jealous man, but now I kind of understand.
Oh, no, now I can call him Dad.
Minor Snow on the 15th of the tenth lunar month
My brother and I are in poor health, so my mother specially raised a dairy cow for us.
I have never seen a cow like this before; it doesn't need to give birth to calves to produce a lot of milk.
My mother said that if my brother and I drink a bowl of milk every day, we will grow taller.
Dad also found the breed of cow novel, and when he went to help, he accidentally splashed milk on Mom's face.
Then, Dad took Mom away...
The fourth day of the twelfth lunar month is the day of snow.
Father is going to war to quell the Xiongnu.
My brother said he wanted to go with Dad, and Dad was unusually kind to him today, telling him to stay and protect Mom.
I suddenly felt so useless, and I was extremely sad. I secretly cried in bed for a long time.
My mother lifted my blanket and wiped away my tears.
She said, "Ayi, don't be sad. Everyone has their own path to walk. There is more than one path in this world."
Sunny on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month
My brother, my mother, and I watched our father leave the city from the city tower.
Father was clad in black armor with hidden golden python patterns, and his scarlet cloak fluttered in the wind, making the accompanying army seem like mere background figures.
Dad is very capable; he will definitely change his mind and return home.
When I got back home, I noticed that my mother's nose and eyes were red.
I asked her what happened, and she said it was because it was frozen.
I know she's lying; she must have cried secretly.
New Year's Eve (the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month)
My mother took us back to my maternal grandfather's house, and my uncle said she was pregnant.
My brother and I were very happy. That night, we moved our pillows to the warm room outside our mother's bedroom to sleep.
My brother and I agreed that we would protect our little brother well until Dad comes back.
My brother said he didn't know why it wasn't a little sister; it was probably just a gut feeling.
April 1st (cloudy)
After my father's fake funeral, my mother moved us to Jiangnan.
Even though I knew it was fake, I still cried sadly, wondering when he would come back.
We left the Regent's Palace, and the moment the gate was locked, my brother gripped my hand tightly.
He said he would definitely come back.
I nodded in agreement. I couldn't bear to leave this place, not because of its immense wealth.
Rather, it's because this is where my father built up his family's wealth and glory.
Rain on April 17th
Dad came back, and our family had a reunion dinner together.
We changed our surnames back to our original ones with our father, and my brother and I will be called Han Yi and Han Yu from now on.
...
Five years later, on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, the Qixi Festival
Dad held a meeting with us, telling us to behave well so that he could ask Mom to give us a little sister.
But he didn't tell us exactly how he calculated it.
That evening, out of curiosity, we tried to eavesdrop, but Aunt Chuntao scolded us.
Well, we should call her Chun Tao now. We're not afraid of her, but we are afraid of Master Cang Hai. We still can't beat him.
...
Four years later, on June 20th, a gentle breeze...
I met my maternal uncle for the first time, and I heard that he had gone to guard the frontier.
He was tall and strong, and he wielded a nine-ringed gold-backed broadsword, which was a foot and a half long, with great skill and was able to fight on par with Master Canghai.
Accompanying him was a woman who looked several years younger than his uncle. My mother said that this was his future aunt.
But I noticed that my uncle didn't seem to like her very much. He always wanted her to leave, but he never succeeded.
By the way, I already know what liking someone means.
My brother knew even before I did that he liked his cousin Xi'er from my fourth uncle's family. Every time she came over, he would pretend to be injured and ask her to bandage him up.
He looks just like Uncle Haiyan back in the day...
Two years later, on the Mid-Autumn Festival (August 15th)
After celebrating my parents' birthdays, my brother and I will set off for Kyoto.
I am the top scholar in the imperial examination this year, and my brother is the top martial arts scholar. This should be a great joy, but my mother is unhappy.
She seemed to have a lot to say, but in the end she only said one sentence: If you're not happy in Kyoto, come home.
Father was quite pleased, holding his little sister in his arms, his expression softening. He said that Emperor Li Mingjin was having too much of a comfortable time, and it would be good for us to go to the capital to cause him some trouble.
...
Years later, Yu Nian sat in the courtyard looking at the letter her son had sent her, and she always felt that Han Ye was the biggest winner.
One of his children became prime minister, and the other became a general. Although he was outside the court, he still held half of the country in his hands.
Han Ye disagreed, saying that Yu Nian was the one who would have been the reason none of this would have happened without her.
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