Xue Huan and Pei Ji huddled together in a recliner, covered with a blanket. The recliner wasn't very spacious, so half of her body was tucked in with him. However, since they had even slept in the same bed before, Xue Huan didn't feel awkward, but rather at ease.
Pei Ji held her in his arms, "Huanhuan, go to sleep. I'll look after Xiang."
Xue Huan was about to say this to him, but upon hearing this, she couldn't help but smile, a smile that held a sweetness she hadn't even realized. "I'm not sleepy."
Pei Ji lowered his head slightly and brushed his lips across the top of her hair: "I'm not sleepy either." How could he bear to fall asleep when he could snuggle up to her so intimately?
Xue Huan turned over and lay on top of him, covering his eyes domineeringly, "No, you are sleepy, go to sleep."
Pei Ji couldn't help but curl up the corners of his lips, and closed his eyes obediently, "Well, I'm going to sleep."
Go back a few hours.
Imperial capital, imperial palace.
A New Year's Eve banquet is being held in the Minguang Hall. The hall is brightly lit, with singing and dancing, and the atmosphere is harmonious.
Everyone had a smile on their face.
In the middle of the banquet, suddenly, brilliant fireworks exploded in the night outside the hall, which immediately attracted everyone's attention and they looked towards the sky.
The emperor and the empress dowager were surrounded by the crowd and came out of the hall. They stood on the high steps and admired the spectacular fireworks.
At this moment, someone exclaimed: "The fire is breaking!"
Everyone followed the man's gaze and saw a fire rising into the sky from somewhere in the harem.
"That place seems to be Fenghuan Palace?" a concubine whispered.
The emperor's face changed slightly, and he immediately ordered: "Gong Yang, quickly take people to put out the fire!"
"yes!"
After this accident, the banquet obviously could not continue.
The emperor returned to his bedroom, took a book and leaned on the couch to read, but he couldn't read a single word for a long time.
After an unknown amount of time, the candle on the candlestick suddenly made a beeping sound. The eunuch walked over quietly and used an iron stick to move the candle wick, making the candle flame brighter and more stable.
The emperor asked, "What time is it?"
The eunuch replied, "It is midnight, Your Majesty."
After a while, Gong Yangxun came back.
The emperor sat up and asked, "What's the matter?"
Gong Yangxun took a few steps closer and bowed, replying, "Your Majesty, the fire in Fenghuan Palace was too severe. By the time it was put out, Mrs. Huo and several palace maids had already been…burned to charcoal."
After Gong Yangxun finished speaking, he held his breath and stood there. The entire hall fell into a heart-wrenching silence.
After a long while, he finally heard the emperor at the top say, "Since that's the case, drag him away and bury him."
Gong Yangxun took the order and left. When he reached the door, he couldn't help but glance back, only to see the emperor covering his eyes with his hands. He didn't know whether he was dazzled by the bright firelight in the hall or because he was tired.
The imperial concubine living in Yaochi Palace also heard the news.
At that moment, she couldn't help but laugh, feeling indescribably happy.
That bitch Huo is finally dead! No one will ever be able to suppress her again, hahahahaha...
"What can we do about the beautiful scenery and beautiful weather? Whose yard can we enjoy so much..." The imperial concubine walked around the room and started singing, with joy that could not be concealed in the corners of her eyes and eyebrows.
However, what no one knew was that those who were burned to death in the fire in Fenghuan Palace were not Huo and A Yan and others who never left her, but several death row prisoners with similar body features.
The Huo family members had been smuggled out of the palace long ago.
When the city gates opened the next day, the Huo family and their men, along with the people who rescued them, joined a merchant caravan, left the imperial capital openly, and headed for Fengchi County, hundreds of miles away.
Shanghe Village.
On the first day of the new year, the villagers got up very early. Before it was dark, smoke was rising from the chimneys of many houses.
At the Xue family's side, Xue's mother also got up early. She didn't turn on the lights, but put on her clothes in the dim light coming through the window, so as not to disturb her little daughter who was sleeping on the inside of the bed.
Walking out of the room and into the main hall, she saw her daughter and "son-in-law" snuggling together on the recliner with their eyes closed. She stepped forward and gently nudged Xue Huan, "Huan Huan, go to the room with A Kang and take a nap. Mother will watch over the incense."
Xue Huan was indeed drowsy, because she had to change the incense stick every once in a while, and if she wanted to practice, she would have to interrupt from time to time, so she simply didn't practice, but leaned on Pei Ji and closed her eyes to browse the books in the library in her sea of consciousness.
Who would have thought that he actually fell asleep later.
She was startled and subconsciously looked at the incense burner. She found that the incense in the burner was only half burned. She couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. She thought she had fallen asleep and missed the incense.
In fact, she did miss it. The incense was lit by Pei Ji.
Xue Huan: "Okay."
She poked Pei Ji on the face. Pei Ji grabbed her hand, pretending to have just woken up, and looked at her in confusion.
"Get up, let's go inside and catch up on some sleep."
When Xue Huan really lay down, she couldn't fall asleep. However, she didn't really want to get up. Wasn't it uncomfortable to curl up in the quilt?
There was also a human-shaped heat pad next to her.
But she couldn't stay for long, because some people from the village had already come to pay New Year's greetings.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, every household in the village will greet each other.
Xue Huan patted Pei Ji, signaling him to let her go. She got up from the bed, took out the beautiful new clothes that Xue's mother had made for her from the closet, and put them on.
All four "children" in the family were given new clothes to wear.
In modern times, the New Year atmosphere has become very weak, and Xue Huan no longer looks forward to wearing new clothes like she did when she was a child. However, in this era, the New Year atmosphere is extremely strong, and various New Year activities make her feel full of ritual. The excitement and anticipation for the New Year that she had as a child has returned.
After putting on her new clothes, she turned around in front of the mirror happily.
Pei Ji also changed into new clothes, which was an indigo brocade robe embroidered with dark bamboo patterns. It looked particularly straight and straight on him, and he was so handsome that people wanted to pounce on him immediately.
Seeing him like this, Xue Huan's acting addiction came back. She raised her chin and walked over to him with a look of arrogance and insolence, "What's your name? I'm attracted to you. Come home with me and be my husband, otherwise, you will suffer."
Pei Ji blinked, and cooperated by showing a weak look of being oppressed. "You, don't come over here. I have a wife. I only love my wife. I will never be your husband."
"Oh? Really?" Xue Huan smiled wickedly and approached him step by step. Pei Ji stepped back step by step, and finally retreated to the bed and sat down.
Xue Huan approached him, one hand on his shoulder, the other lifting his chin, and said in a malicious tone, "I don't care whose husband you are. Anyway, I've fallen for you, and you're mine."
She leaned over and kissed him on the chin. "I've stamped my stamp on you. You're not allowed to flirt with other women anymore. Do you hear me? Otherwise, I'll break your legs."
Pei Ji felt numb all over after her kiss and could only lie there and let her do whatever she wanted.
"Okay, from now on I'm yours and I'll never hook up with other women."
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