When the group returned from the village of scholars, none of them mentioned what had happened there. They only said that they had gone to wander around the surrounding area.
Although Madam Yang felt that they had been wandering around for two hours, since Gu Ziyi had already said so, the Shen family naturally didn't ask any more questions.
After hearing Lili's words, Gu Ziyi felt much of the fog in his heart dissipate, and his mood became even more cheerful.
Shen Jiawen couldn't share her excitement; she kept it to herself. She could only read the book that Grandpa Yang had given her discreetly, otherwise the handwriting on it would surely be recognized.
Fortunately, they now have their own separate rooms, so Shen Jiawen is no longer worried about this issue.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new, winter nights come early, and Lili even dragged Gu Ziyi to set off fireworks.
Gu Ziyi had never done this before. At first, she was quite reserved, but she was soon infected by the fun and went to set off fireworks with them.
The Shen family has many children, and a large group of them gathered together to set off fireworks, creating quite a lively scene.
Later, many children from the village came and played with them, and the whole square was filled with children's laughter.
"Fifth brother, don't run away!"
"Second brother, what are you doing? Why are you bullying a child?!"
"Just practice cooking more, stop talking nonsense!"
Shen Jialu and Shen Jialuo chased each other around the square, making Gu Ziyi laugh.
When has the palace ever been so lively?
Brotherly love and respect, and the company of parents—these were things he dared not even dream of.
His father and mother loved him, but one needed to rule the country and the other needed to be a model for the world. He was destined from birth to be different from ordinary children.
He enjoyed wealth and honor, but he had to lose something in return.
Gu Ziyi felt a pang of emotion, wondering how his mother was doing in the palace, and whether a palace banquet was being held there at this time.
Involuntarily, a hint of sadness appeared on her face.
Suddenly, a lit sparkler was placed in Gu Ziyi's hand, its colorful light constantly changing as it burned.
"Your Highness, let's play together! What child doesn't love playing with fireworks?"
Gu Ziyi was stunned and turned his head to look over.
Lili held a sparkler tightly in her hand, her eyes sparkling with anticipation and excitement.
Carefully striking a match and extending it to the fuse of the sparkler, the fuse hissed and sparked instantly.
Lili quickly withdrew her hand, looking at the sparkler with a mixture of nervousness and joy.
It has to be a sparkler, fairies should play with sparklers!
With a soft "bang," the tip of the sparkler burst into brilliant sparks, as dazzling as stars, illuminating the little dumpling's rosy cheeks, which were frozen in the cold air.
Gu Ziyi chuckled and gently pulled Lili's sleeve up a little to prevent sparks from flying.
Lili tilted her head slightly, her eyes reflecting a kaleidoscope of colors, and looked at Gu Ziyi with a smile: "Your Highness, was it fun? Were you happy?"
Sparks flew everywhere, like a group of dancing little elves.
Sparklers drew beautiful arcs in the air, their light shimmering in the night, as if bringing endless vitality to this peaceful night.
Pear jumped around happily, her face beaming with joy.
The gentle whistling of the cold wind filled the air, while the sounds of children laughing and playing rose and fell.
A bright moon hangs in the sky, light snow falls gently, and before my eyes, in the flickering firelight, are pure and beautiful smiles.
The wind blew Gu Ziyi's black hair, and he said softly, "It's fun, it's enjoyable."
I've never been happier than I am now.
"That's good. Will Your Highness be able to play this in the capital?" Lili asked curiously.
Gu Ziyi shook his head: "Although it exists in the capital, I have never played it."
"So you've had your fun now." Lili moved the sparkler a little further away and leaned closer to him. "Your Highness, let me tell you a secret. This sparkler actually has another name: fairy wand!"
"Oh? Why is it called a fairy wand?"
"Because it's a fairy playing with a fairy wand, hehe."
Gu Ziyi was silent for two seconds, then suddenly laughed out loud, pinching her cheek with his left hand, which had never touched fireworks before: "Hmm, fairy."
Lili smiled sweetly at him, her dimples becoming even more charming: "Brother Ziyi, Happy New Year."
"Yes, Happy New Year."
Yang prepared an even more lavish dinner.
The only leftover dish on the table was half a bucket of eight-treasure rice left over from yesterday.
Eight-treasure rice symbolizes family reunion and happiness. The glutinous rice is soft, sticky, and sweet, and it's paired with various ingredients such as red dates, lotus seeds, and red bean paste, creating a colorful dish. It's sweet but not cloying, and it's a perfect substitute for rice for the past two days.
"Come, Your Highness, this eight-treasure rice is one of our specialties. It's steamed twice, making it even softer and more glutinous. Please try it. And these four-happiness meatballs are handmade by me; I guarantee they're bouncy and chewy!"
Yang served Gu Ziyi rice and then warmly served him some dishes.
Although Gu Ziyi is the crown prince, he is still a child. It is hard for Lady Yang not to like such a sensible, polite and gentle child.
Since they were already so familiar with each other, Yang had no more reservations.
Four Happiness Meatballs symbolize the four great joys of life: fortune, prosperity, longevity, and happiness. The meatballs are large, plump, and golden in color. One bite reveals a crispy exterior and tender interior, bursting with meaty aroma. The juices flow in your mouth, bringing a sense of pure bliss.
Gu Ziyi looked at the meatball for two seconds, then smiled and thanked her, "Thank you, Madam."
"You're too kind, Your Highness. You're still growing, so please eat more."
Old Mrs. Shen laughed and said, "Our village can't compare to the capital, Your Highness, please be understanding."
"How could that be? Xinghua Village is very nice and lively."
The atmosphere was just right, and Shen Ye, who was originally hostile to Gu Ziyi, softened up and happily ate the Central Plains delicacies.
The snow was still falling outside, but the charcoal fire inside was burning brightly, making it as warm as spring.
*
When Lili was five years old, Shen Laosan passed the imperial examination and became a Juren. Although he was not at the top of the list this time, he was still among the top three.
Regardless of whether they were in the top three, the provincial examination was a further competition among talents from various counties, and this result was already quite good.
The following spring, Shen Laosan went to the capital to take the imperial examination, but failed to become a successful candidate.
Although he didn't make it to the final imperial examination, this result was the best that Shen Laosan could achieve, and he had no regrets.
Shen Laosan was a tribute student, which meant he was qualified to become an official.
Perhaps Gu Ziyi had made arrangements with the capital, because Shen Laosan's post happened to be in Liucheng, replacing Qin Renjie as the new magistrate of Liucheng.
As for Qin Renjie, he was promoted and went to the prefectural city to become the prefect of Nanlin County. Zhui Feng, who had been managing affairs in place of Gu Ziyi in the prefectural city, no longer had to stay there.
At the entrance of Xinghua Village stands a monument that records Shen Laosan's passing the imperial examination in the 24th year of the Yuanming era and his return to his hometown to serve as an official.
The entire Xinghua Village stood up straighter this time, and it almost changed its name to "Gongshi Village" (meaning "village of tribute scholars"), but the Shen family stopped it.
When Shen Laosan went to Liucheng to take up his post, Yang Shi and her two children stayed at the county magistrate's office to take care of him.
However, although other members of the Shen family would occasionally stay at the county magistrate's office, they generally stayed in Xinghua Village.
Lili often comes back because, under her leadership, Xinghua Village has expanded its agricultural production beyond potatoes to include sweet potatoes, corn, soybeans, and double-cropping rice. Lili often returns to "take over" her duties.
The only somewhat unexpected thing in the past two years was that it was discovered that Grandpa Yang had taken Shen Jiawen as his student.
Fortunately, Madam Yang and Old Master Shen already knew that the old man was highly learned, and since Old Madam Shen also wanted to give the children an early education, they felt more at ease having Old Master Yang personally teach them.
So, apart from Shen Jiawen, the other four children were sent to a school in Liucheng to study. They lived in the county magistrate's office on weekdays and returned to Xinghua Village on holidays.
It was tough on Shen Jiahao and Shen Jiaqing, who had to spend extra time learning their own things in addition to reading books every day.
Fortunately, both of them were exceptionally talented, and they managed to do both well.
Winter goes and spring comes, spring goes and winter comes. The pear trees by the river bloom and fade, fade and bloom again. In the blink of an eye, Pear is already eight years old.
The chubby little dumpling grew into a well-proportioned and adorable little girl.
For some reason, she only grows a pitifully small amount of height each year, even though most girls her age are growing taller.
Lili did the math and realized that she was only 1.2 meters tall at the moment.
Great, you can go to the park for free.
(Lili smiles)
Houfu has grown into a big dog the size of half a pear, and now it's difficult for her to give Houfu a bath.
Houfu stood up from the basin of water, strode out with bold steps, and shook off the water all over his body.
Lili was caught off guard and splashed with water droplets all over her face. She wiped them off with her sleeve without expression, then grabbed the culprit and scolded him: "Fufu! You did that again!"
Houfu licked her face with his mouth open and spun around to tease her.
Lili sighed helplessly, "You naughty little dog, you're five years old already, why do you still look like you're five months old?"
Huang Ying carefully wiped the water stains off her with a handkerchief and said with a smile, "Fu Fu does this every time. Are you not used to it, Miss?"
Huang Ying was Li Li's maid. Li Li met her a few years ago when she was wandering around Liucheng. At that time, Huang Ying was being sold by a slave trader in the bustling city. She was a girl who was just over ten years old, thin and small, and looked even smaller than Li Li.
Only after asking did I learn that Huang Ying had fled from Xixiang County to Nanlin County to escape the disaster. Later, she could no longer survive and had no choice but to sell herself to a slave trader to make a living.
Lili then took Huangying home and made her her maid.
Yang brought over a glass of honey water with ice crystals in it. Looking at Lili, who was eight years old but still acted like a three-year-old, she felt even more helpless than Lili.
"Lili, come here and drink some sweet water. Mom put ice in it, it's cold."
"Here you are."
Lili took a towel and dried Houfu halfway, then patted its little bottom and let it play.
"Thank you, Mother."
Pear loves sweet drinks, and iced ones are even more delicious.
"After you finish drinking, hurry to the front yard. Zhuifeng is bringing the grain."
"Brother Zhuifeng?"
"Yes, they've all been moved into the warehouse in the north of the city as usual. Zhuifeng is waiting for you to review the booklet."
"Okay, Lili will go now."
After Lili spent almost a year managing all kinds of vegetables in Xinghua Village, the cooperation with the border officially began.
With Gu Ziyi around, Lili felt at ease. Apart from a trip to the border last year when Lili was invited to visit and take a look around, she hardly had to manage anything, and everything was proceeding in an orderly manner.
Lili lifted her skirt and ran to the front yard, where she happened to run into Master Tang, one of Shen Laosan's men.
Master Tang: "Miss, are you going out? Would you like to take two guards with you?"
Huang Ying answered for her, "Don't worry, Master Tang, Miss is just going to meet a guest and won't be leaving the house."
"Alright, alright, then Miss, please be careful."
"Uncle, I understand."
After saying that, she skipped and hopped to the front yard, while the orioles behind her kept calling out to the young lady to be careful.
Master Tang chuckled. Master Shen was kind and benevolent, Madam Shen was friendly, and even the young lady was so lively and spirited.
When Lili arrived at the front yard, she was eager to see the harvest of the thousand acres of fertile land on the border this year, but she encountered an unexpected guest.
"Hey, Brother Ziyi?"
A young man stood in the hall, his appearance radiant and extraordinary, dressed in white with an elegant and refined air, and his looks were incomparably handsome.
Since Lili moved to the county magistrate's residence, she has rarely seen Gu Ziyi, only once or twice a year, on Lili's birthday and the first day of the Lunar New Year.
Another year has passed, and in the blink of an eye, Gu Ziyi has become a thirteen-year-old boy. The already handsome little boy has become a dashing young man.
When those eyes look at someone, they are like water, rippling gently, infinitely tender.
Gu Ziyi chuckled and beckoned her over.
Lili obediently went over, and Gu Ziyi casually took off the pearl hairpin from her hair and replaced it with a hair ornament.
Lili looked up, trying hard to see the hairpin clearly, but could only see the golden tassels hanging from the end of the hairpin, swaying back and forth, colliding with each other as she moved her head, making a tinkling sound.
"What is this? Lili likes it!"
Gu Ziyi said softly, with his hands behind his back, "You say you like it without even seeing what it looks like?"
Lili thought to herself, "How bad could something sent by His Highness the Crown Prince be?"
It's either priceless or the only one of its kind; how could she not like it? One of them is worth half of her treasure chest.
Lili didn't say that, but smiled and said, "I like anything His Highness gives me."
Gu Ziyi raised an eyebrow, pleased by the answer.
"I'm glad you like it, Lili. Your eighth birthday is in a few days. I'm afraid I won't be able to make it then, so I'm coming early to give you your birthday present."
Lili was secretly proud. How could she not know how to make people happy? This was a little boy she had watched grow up, and he would grow up to be a big boy too.
Hehe, as long as she's happy, this thigh will be very useful for her this winter.
However, this was the first time in several years that he had missed his own birthday, which made Lili a little puzzled.
"Is there anything I can help you with, Your Highness?"
A dark glint flashed in Gu Ziyi's eyes, but he quickly concealed it under his gentle expression: "It's nothing, it's just that the recent power struggle in the Great Jin seems to be coming to an end, and they're getting a bit restless. I need to go and deal with it."
"Dajin?"
Five years ago, the emperor of the Great Jin Dynasty fell seriously ill, and the most intense power struggle took place between the eldest prince and the crown prince's faction in the court.
The fourth prince was demoted to a commoner five years ago, and the fifth prince—also known as Shen Ye—is already dead and missing in the eyes of the Great Jin, along with the Great Jin's number one expert.
So, apart from the eldest prince and the crown prince, only the second prince remained in the struggle.
The following year, for reasons unknown, the second prince requested to be granted the title of king and went to his fiefdom, thus declaring his withdrawal from the struggle for the throne.
During the five-year struggle between the eldest prince and the crown prince, the seriously ill Jin monarch clung to life, mortally ill but not dying.
The two fought for five years, openly and covertly battling it out, neither willing to give in.
Now, Gu Ziyi's statement that the affairs of the Great Jin Dynasty are coming to an end means that the Great Jin emperor has passed away.
No, but Lili hasn't heard the news of the Great Jin Emperor's death yet.
Gu Ziyi smiled and said, "It's been recently."
Lili blinked, somewhat shocked and somewhat sighing.
She naturally knew what this meant; it meant that the struggle for the throne in the Great Jin Dynasty was about to be decided.
This outcome was forced upon us.
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