Chapter 151 The Ice Melts and the Snow Falls, Auspicious Time Arrives
As the ice and snow begin to melt, golden light shines for miles around. Two horses, one white and one red, leap and gallop through the barren forest.
The trees surrounding the mountains have already shed all their leaves, effectively keeping the westerly winds at bay. Patches of white snow cover the yellow earth and black mountains, making them appear exceptionally dazzling and beautiful under the sunlight.
Deep in the forest, a flash of emerald green seemed to appear. Yang Xiao reined in his horse, exchanged a delighted glance with Bai Ming, then spurred his horse and galloped towards a flat area ahead.
A small, tender bamboo grove suddenly appeared before them, and behind the grove was a simple and unpretentious courtyard. Yang Xiao smiled knowingly, slowed down, and walked around the bamboo grove to the front of the courtyard.
The sound of horses' hooves gradually reached her ears, and the people playing chess at the stone table in the courtyard slowly stopped. She put her chess piece into the chess basket, smiled knowingly, and looked up at the front of the courtyard, meeting Yang Xiao's smiling eyes.
Dressed in brocade and riding a red horse, it still looked dashing in the sunlight.
Xiao Yan stood up, smiled, and tilted his head. "Next round?"
Yang Xiao sighed with a wistful laugh, dismounted, and stepped forward. "Now that things have come to this, I'd like to see if I can win... Wait a minute?" Yang Xiao frowned at the densely packed black and white chess pieces on the table, then looked at Xiao Yan with a playful smile. "Fine, you're leaving officialdom, so you're not playing chess anymore?"
“Those who retire from public life no longer need to ponder matters of war,” Xiao Yan laughed heartily. “Of course, they can do whatever they want.”
She looked up at Bai Ming, who had tied up his horse and was walking forward, and clasped her hands in a fist salute, saying, "General Bai, I've heard so much about you."
Bai Ming also clasped his hands and nodded to her, "I have long admired your name, please forgive my rudeness."
Yang Xiao glanced back at Bai Ming, who stood expressionless behind her, and couldn't help but chuckle. She then turned her gaze back to the chessboard. "Can one person play this brilliantly?"
"Of course not." Xiao Yan shook his head with a light laugh. Before he finished speaking, someone came out of the room with tea. When he saw Yang Xiaobaiming, he was stunned for a long time.
"Qi Lu?" Yang Xiao looked at the person in front of her in disbelief. She glanced back at Bai Ming and Xiao Yan, then at Qi Lu. "So that's why you're leaving after spending the New Year with Master." She looked at Xiao Yan and Qi Lu with interest. "You two have a story to tell?"
"Lingyu, General Bai," Qi Lu said, putting down his teacup with a wry smile, and bowing to the two of them, "what brings you two here?"
Yang Xiao chuckled and crossed her arms. "Only you're allowed to come?" She looked at Xiao Yan accusingly. "Tell me the truth, where does the story begin?"
“How could you not know what happened from the moment we met?” Xiao Yan smiled and patted Yang Xiao’s shoulder, then stepped aside to let the two of them into the house. “It’s windy outside, and you two must have had a long journey from Chang’an.” She poured a cup of tea. “Have some tea to warm yourselves up. I hope my simple meal will suit your tastes.”
Yang Xiao and Bai Ming exchanged a glance, smiled, and sat down. They looked at Xiao Yan with satisfaction and asked, "Having not seen you for half a year, how have you been?"
"These past six months have been the most enjoyable six months of my life," Xiao Yan said, serving tea to Yang Xiaoman. "And you?"
"These past six months have been the most exhausting six months for us," Yang Xiao shook her head with a wry smile. "But fortunately, we've been making progress every day, and our Chang'an Formation is getting better and better."
Xiao Yan smiled and stood up, bringing out the osmanthus cake that had been prepared beforehand. "That general of the previous dynasty was a life of debauchery, indulging in revelry every night. It seems that you two are truly loyal ministers who work tirelessly day and night."
"You flatter me," Bai Ming said, setting down his teacup and glancing at the osmanthus cake. "Thank you for the pastries you gave me back then."
"Mere pastries are nothing to mention," Xiao Yan chuckled and waved his hand. "Seeing the loving couple so inseparable, sending more pastries would be worth it."
Yang Xiao rested her chin on her hand and looked at Xiao Yan with emotion, "Fortunately, you are now praising people sincerely. Who would have thought that after the scheming Prince Xiao went into seclusion for half a year, he would become so unrestrained and carefree?"
"Have you ever thought that this is the real me?" Xiao Yan chuckled and sighed, downing his tea in one gulp. "How is the Chang'an Formation doing now?"
"You can rest assured about that," Bai Ming, who was chewing on pastries, also lowered his guard against Xiao Yan. "The original formation has been repaired, and the Prime Minister and the Grand Commandant have made repairs to the edges. The framework has just been set up, and construction will begin in half a month."
Upon hearing this, Qi Lu raised his hand and patted Xiao Yan's shoulder, "Don't worry, your brother and Mr. Xue's formations are no less than ours."
Yang Xiao looked up at Xiao Yan with interest, "Speaking of which, when he changed from 'Lu Qi' to Qi Lu, could you accept it?"
“Although he has concealed his true identity,” Xiao Yan picked up the warm teacup, smiled, and closed his eyes, “his past actions will never change because of his name. He is still that ‘Lu Qi,’ isn’t he?”
"Look at you, you're so lucky." Yang Xiao teased, pointing at Qi Lu. "Your master doesn't blame you, and Xiao Yan doesn't blame you either."
Qi Lu smiled and shook his head upon hearing this, "Yes, only you, as soon as you see me you say you want to beat me to death. I was kind enough to look after you earlier, and you almost nailed me to the wall with a needle."
The wooden house was instantly filled with laughter and cheerful chatter. Yang Xiao put down her teacup, turned her head, and saw that half of the plate of osmanthus cakes was already missing in front of Bai Ming.
She smiled as she watched Bai Ming chew on his pastries, then picked up a piece herself and nodded at Qi Lu, "So what about you in the future? Aren't you going back?"
Qi Lu lowered his eyes and pondered for a long time before nodding gently and looking at Yang Xiao. "I'll leave my brother to you. I made him angry a lot when we were young, and even now that we're grown up, I still cause him a lot of trouble." He held his teacup and sighed. "I've done right by the world and the people in this life, but the only ones I've wronged are my brother and father."
“You know Master has a sharp tongue,” Yang Xiao said, chewing on a osmanthus cake. “You’ve been away all these years, has he ever blamed you? I want to beat you up every time I see you, but he always says that you have your own ideas and he will always respect you…”
"That's why I feel guilty towards him."
“But you know exactly what he’s thinking,” Yang Xiao sighed with a smile. “Rather than having your nature bound and confined to the small area of Qingzhou, it’s better to let your horse run wild and let you come out and understand the world for yourself. Let go and trust his trust in you.”
Xiao Yan looked at Qi Lu beside her and sighed softly with emotion. She took a sip of tea and looked at Yang Xiao, "When you go back, please give my regards to Zhong Li'an and Cen Xun." She smiled as if she had thought of something, "We ran into each other by chance last time, but we didn't have a chance to talk."
"Okay, I will definitely convey your sentiments." Yang Xiao put the remaining half of the pastry into her mouth, then turned her head and saw that there was only one pastry left on the plate.
She looked at Bai Ming in disbelief, only to see him holding a piece of pastry between his fingers, staring defiantly at the lone osmanthus cake on the plate.
Yang Xiao nudged him lightly, both amused and exasperated, then picked up the last piece of pastry and placed it in Xiao Yan's teacup.
“It’s getting late,” Xiao Yan said with a smile, picking up the pastry. “Weren’t we supposed to meet in Longcheng? How about we set off after lunch?”
“Okay,” Yang Xiao nodded at Xiao Yan, “I’ll do as you say.”
Seeing Xiao Yan and Qi Lu both get up and head to the kitchen, Yang Xiao raised her hand and pointed at Bai Ming, "Are you trying to eat Xiao Yan out of house and home to vent your anger?"
“How could that be?” Bai Ming lowered his head and scratched the tip of his nose, then turned to Yang Xiao and smiled. “It’s impossible.”
The sun was high in the sky, then gradually set in the west. The fiery red sunset drifted through the clouds, heading towards a small town in front of us.
Sparks twinkled in the street. Xiao Yan reined in the horses, turned around and smiled at the group, "We've arrived."
“This isn’t far from Dragon City,” Yang Xiao said, peering ahead with interest. “Why are there fires everywhere?”
“This place is called Yangquan, right next to Longcheng.” Xiao Yan dismounted and led the group toward the bustling scene before them. “When I was still in Longcheng, I often came here to celebrate the Lantern Festival.”
As Yang Xiao listened, she ran forward with great interest.
But then, one could see sturdy mud cylinders erected on the street, with countless small holes in the cylinder walls, from which flames hissed out.
Crowds of people rushed forward, eagerly sticking chopsticks into various kinds of noodles and holding them up to the fire. Billowing smoke rose upwards, passing over the lanterns and swirling in the twilight sky, illuminating the festive and peaceful atmosphere.
"Slow down, or we'll get separated!" Xiao Yan shouted at Yang Xiao, both amused and exasperated. He quickly took two steps forward, put his arm around her shoulder, and said, "This fire platform is called 'Club Fire,' used to commemorate Nuwa's efforts in mending the sky with stones, and to ward off evil and bring blessings."
“Clubfire, that’s a common name.” Yang Xiao turned around with a smile upon hearing this. “This thing is quite rare; I’ve never seen it before.”
Xiao Yan smiled and pointed at Yang Xiao, "Of course you haven't seen it before. This tower fire is unique to this place; it's rare even in Longcheng." She looked around at the stalls on both sides of the street and saw that the whole street was selling lanterns and flower cakes.
"Why is the whole street covered in jujube flower cakes? Is this a local custom?"
“Of course,” Xiao Yan nodded. “On the night of the Lantern Festival, eating flower cakes roasted over a fire with a stick will ward off disasters and bring peace and prosperity in the new year.”
Yang Xiao nodded in understanding, then turned to look at Xiao Yan, "Will it taste good?"
Xiao Yan was taken aback by his words, then smiled and shook her head. She took out a few copper coins from her purse, turned around and handed them to the old man on the street, "Uncle, have a few flower cakes!"
"Alright!" The old man's voice came from the noise, and soon a bag of flower cakes and a pair of chopsticks appeared in Xiao Yan's hands.
Bai Ming also looked at the scene before him with great interest. "Should we use chopsticks to skewer them and grill them now?"
“Yes,” Xiao Yan replied with a smile, already skillfully arranging the flower cakes in his hands and distributing them to everyone. “Baking flower cakes is easy, but squeezing in is difficult.”
Following her gaze, everyone looked towards the fire tower, where people from the entire street crowded together, seemingly unafraid of the flames burning their sleeves. They knew that the vibrant red was a symbol of good fortune and happiness, and they happily stretched out their flower cakes, hoping for good luck in the coming year.
During the annual festival, the whole street was extremely lively. The four of them looked around and couldn't find a place to stand.
Bai Ming looked up and saw the embers on the fire in the center of the crowd flickering intermittently. He immediately had an idea, turned around and took Yang Xiao's hand, "Here, give me the flower cake, I'll try to see if I can bake it in the center of the fire."
"Okay, but go slowly, don't crowd the people."
"Don't worry, it'll be fine." He put the two chopsticks together and then held out his hand to Xiao Yan, "Can I grill yours too?"
Seeing this, Lu Qi also took the flower cake and stepped forward, smiling and nodding at Bai Ming, "I'm not short either, Brother Bai, let's go together."
After saying that, the two of them each took two flower cakes and stood on tiptoe to place them on top of the fire.
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