Chapter 82 New Year's Eve May everything go smoothly for us from now on...
As dawn broke and New Year's Eve approached, a day for bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new, the Eastern Palace was filled with a festive atmosphere from early morning.
"Qi Zheng, give me back my little rabbit..."
Shen Yujiao lowered the curtain, blocking out the sounds of the two children chasing and laughing outside. She slowly walked into the bedchamber, only to find it had been cleaned and tidied. She was somewhat surprised and turned to look at the palace maids inside: "Where is the Crown Prince?"
Upon hearing this, the palace maid curtsied and said, "Your Highness went to the training ground with General He this morning and just returned. He is currently bathing and changing in the back."
Shen Yujiao's face flushed slightly as she muttered a complaint, "We have to go to the martial arts arena on New Year's Eve. Honestly, do we have to go into battle with my brother...?"
She paused, then turned and walked outside: "Tell His Highness to change his clothes and come over for breakfast as soon as possible."
"yes."
Although there was no palace banquet on New Year's Eve, everyone still had to go to the palace to pay their respects to the Emperor and Empress early the next morning. Therefore, after breakfast, the six of them gathered in the main courtyard's flower hall and sat around a large round table to make dumplings.
When compiling the menu earlier, Shen Yujiao discovered that everyone had different tastes. So today, there were seven or eight different kinds of fillings on the table, including vegetarian, meat, and seafood fillings.
"When the time comes, have the kitchen staff cook separately, and you can eat whatever filling you want."
"Great!"
"Then I'd love to try them all!"
Seeing the two children cheering and jumping for joy, the four adults exchanged glances. It seemed that the communication between the two sides last night had been effective. Although the two children had not been able to completely let go of their knots, at least their joy at the moment was genuine.
They were quite content with this; being able to spend the New Year properly in the Eastern Palace was enough. They wondered what the situation would be like in the capital city of Xia when the New Year arrived.
"Sister-in-law, why can't Yong'an make a dumpling wrapper?" Yong'an held a dumpling wrapper in his hand and approached Shen Yujiao with a frustrated look on his face.
Shen Yujiao looked down at the dumplings she had made and smiled, "You've made them very well. When I was your age, I couldn't make them as well as Yong'an."
Upon hearing this, everyone at the table laughed.
Jiang Chen thought to himself that Shen Yujiao wasn't exaggerating; when she was little, none of the dumplings she made ever came out of the pot whole. He Zhiju knew that Ajiao was showing affection for Princess Yong'an; she had been skillful since childhood, and her first attempt at making dumplings was excellent. Chu Rou had done some handicrafts with the Crown Princess a few times and knew that the Crown Princess was a master painter, but she couldn't really compliment her on handicrafts.
“Come here, Yong’an, come to your brother. I’ll teach you. I guarantee you’ll learn it in no time.”
It's not that Jiang Chen is bragging, but among the four people at this table, one has practiced martial arts since childhood, one has only studied poetry and books, and the other... well, let's not even talk about his cooking skills. In the end, he turned out to be the main force in making dumplings at this table.
Following Jiang Chen's side, Yong'an, just as he had said, quickly learned how to make dumplings. She returned to her seat happily, and then whispered to Qi Zheng. The two little ones fiddled with it for a while, and Qi Zheng also had some dumplings in his hands.
"I'm amazing, aren't I!"
Looking at the dumplings in Qi Zheng's hand, Yong'an was filled with pride. Qi Zheng, unusually, didn't object. His eyes sparkled, and he nodded emphatically, "Mm!"
The two younger children had a great time, and the older children were also very pleased. They smiled at each other and started talking about the New Year's Eve dinner that night.
After being handled by several people, the dumpling wrappers and fillings on the table were quickly transformed into plump, round dumplings. Looking at the table full of dumplings, the two children cheered and said they wanted to go to the kitchen to see how to cook dumplings.
Seeing that they were happy, Chu Rou didn't want to spoil the two children's fun, so she took them to the kitchen. When they returned from the kitchen, the two children were extremely excited. Shen Yujiao hugged Yong'an and took out a handkerchief to wipe the flour off her face.
"We're going to eat dumplings soon, how about your sister-in-law helps you wash your face?"
“Okay.” Yong’an nodded heavily, his cat-like face beaming with a wide smile.
The dumplings came out of the pot steaming hot and were packed into a food box and delivered to the main courtyard's flower hall while they were still warm. Yong'an and Qi Zheng sat at the table with their eyes shining. This was the first time they had made dumplings themselves. They hadn't even eaten them yet, but just seeing them cooked and served made them look forward to it.
Jiang Chen placed a cabbage dumpling into Shen Yujiao's bowl, then said to everyone, "Let's eat."
With his words, everyone picked up their chopsticks. The fillings from the kitchen were well-prepared, and the dumpling wrappers were rolled out thinly. All the dumplings served were whole, and no matter how they looked, each bite was full of sweetness.
After finishing their lunch of dumplings, Yong'an and Qi Zheng both looked like they were stuffed. They sat at the table with their eyes wide open, which amused Shen Yujiao. She walked over and waved her hand in front of Yong'an, saying, "Wake up, you two wake up."
Seeing the two children looking at her with some confusion, Shen Yujiao chuckled and said, "Don't just sit here after you've eaten. Go outside for a walk, then come back, take a shower, and get some sleep. We still have to stay up tonight to celebrate the New Year."
The dusting was supposed to be done yesterday, but it was delayed because of the Kongming lanterns. However, bathing is an essential part of bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new. In the afternoon, not only the two little ones, but also the children, had to wash away all the bad luck of the past year and welcome the new year.
Shen Yujiao immersed herself in the wooden tub, the only sounds in her ears being the water and the soft rustling of Mu Jin massaging her scalp. She closed her eyes, immersing herself in this warm and comfortable atmosphere.
“Your Highness,” Mu Jin whispered softly behind her, “You are so kind.”
"What's so good?"
"When you first joined the Crown Prince's Palace, I was very worried. I was worried that you wouldn't be able to adapt to the climate of the capital, that you would have many discomforts after marrying into the royal family, and that many things would not go as you wished. But now, everything is fine. Seeing you happy and content, Sister Muxi will surely be happy for you too."
“Mu Jin…” Shen Yujiao slowly sat up, turned her head and took Mu Jin’s hand: “When we go to Jiangnan Prefecture again next time, will you come with me to pay respects to Mu Jin?”
"Mmm!" Mu Jin's eyes reddened, and tears welled up in her eyes, dripping into the wooden bucket and mingling with the water.
As dusk settled, Jiang Chen rubbed his slightly sore neck, put the book aside, and before he could speak, the door opened and Shen Yujiao came in with a tea tray. She sat down on the daybed next to Jiang Chen, poured a pot of hot water from the stove, and glanced at the half-open book.
"Are you reading military strategy books again?"
“Yes,” Jiang Chen got up and sat down opposite her, watching her skillfully begin grinding tea. “After all, we’ve traveled to ancient times. These military books are rare and hard to find in later generations. It’s worth taking a look at them.”
Shen Yujiao looked up at him and asked, "Just for this?"
"You really can't hide anything from me. Although I've been staying at the manor these past two days, news from the military camp hasn't stopped. Things might not be good at the Northern Frontier camp. Taking advantage of the New Year holiday, the Northern Di launched several surprise attacks. The Great Xia is exhausted from fighting back, and it's probably not going to be able to celebrate the New Year properly."
Although the soldiers were fighting on the front lines, the New Year held a special significance for every Xia person, which was deeply ingrained in their very being. The Northern Di people clearly knew this, which is why they launched frequent surprise attacks. As a result, the morale of the army was easily disrupted.
Shen Yujiao poured hot water into the teacup and asked softly, "Is it time for war?"
The tea whisk struck the teacup, making a crisp sound. Jiang Chen looked at the foam that rose after being whisked and shook his head slightly: "I don't know, but the emperor said that we should have a good New Year."
Shen Yujiao paused in her work, then nodded and hummed in agreement. "Have a good New Year"—this phrase could be interpreted in many ways.
"Come and have a taste."
Jiang Chen took the teacup, brought it to his lips, and took a small sip. The rich aroma of the tea filled his mouth instantly, and a smile appeared in his eyes as he nodded and praised, "Delicious."
Seeing his contented expression, Shen Yujiao smiled as well: "To be honest, after living here for a while, I've actually started to get used to life in Daxia."
Although Jiang Chen did not answer, he had the same thought in his heart. Lately, when they talked, they basically stopped mentioning the idea of going back. Whether or not to go back, this question had long been unanswerable.
Going back would be good, as their real family, friends, and lives are in that time and space. Only by returning to the modern era can they truly live their lives again.
Staying here is also a responsibility for them. After being in the Great Xia for so long and experiencing so many hardships, Jiang Chen and Shen Yujiao can no longer ignore the burden on their shoulders. The Crown Prince and the Crown Princess are not just titles.
The Great Xia appears prosperous and peaceful, but in recent years, due to the weakness of Crown Prince Chen, the princes have been fighting each other. From the court to the common people, no one can get out of this mess. The He family and the military camp, and Zhu Tong and the tax system are the most obvious examples.
Although the situation has somewhat reversed since the Crown Prince and his wife were replaced, the troubles accumulated over the years cannot be completely eliminated in a day or two, and they cannot simply leave.
Let nature take its course.
Jiang Chen put the teacup back on the table and said softly. He reached across the table, took Shen Yujiao's hand, and gently stroked it in his palm: "Anyway, with you by my side, it doesn't matter where I am."
"Who have you been learning from lately? You've got quite a story to tell."
"Does this even need to be learned? Of course it is..."
Just as the atmosphere was getting right, Yong'an's shouts suddenly came from outside the window: "Brother! Sister-in-law! They're going to set off firecrackers! Come out quickly!"
The tender moment in the study was interrupted. The two exchanged a smile, both somewhat helpless, but mostly joyful. "Let's go, it's almost New Year's!"
In front of the main courtyard gate, a young eunuch was already waiting with two strings of firecrackers on a bamboo stick. He was ready to greet the Crown Prince and Crown Princess as they arrived. When Zhu Yu gave the order, the deafening sound of firecrackers echoed from the main courtyard throughout the East Palace. Everyone covered their ears, but their eyes and mouths were full of smiles.
After the firecrackers were set off, the four adults and two children walked together toward the main hall of the courtyard. The New Year's Eve dinner was already laid out on the round table, a whole table of delicacies that made one's mouth water. Jiang Chen was about to say let's start eating when he noticed that everyone was looking at him.
“Alright,” he raised his glass and said, “This is the last meal of the year. After the New Year’s Eve dinner and staying up all night, it will be the new year. Everyone has worked hard in the past year. I wish everyone a better year ahead.”
He wasn't good at handling such occasions, so it was already quite an achievement for him to be able to say something like that. Therefore, no one made things difficult for him. Shen Yujiao took over the conversation: "Then let's wish each other good health and smooth sailing in the coming year, and that Yong'an and Qizheng's wishes will come true, okay?"
"good!"
The glasses clinked together, and the warm yellow light shone on everyone's faces, reflecting their smiles. Whether it was a hopeful outlook for the future or an expectation for what lay ahead, everyone's face was filled with the bright glow of happiness.
Then let's wish each other all the best in the future.
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