Chapter 108 "Then it's settled, every year from now on..."
After the 5,000 Imperial Guards accompanying the emperor were decided, it was not long before New Year's Eve arrived.
At Wanhetang, Xiao Rong, free from official duties, slept soundly through the night. When he woke up, he was about to stay in bed a little longer when Deng scolded him with a stern face: "What are you sleeping for? The children will be here soon, so get up now."
Looking at his wife's joyless face, Xiao Rong laughed and said, "It's the New Year, you should smile, don't scare Cheng'er."
Deng glared at him fiercely: "I'm not as carefree as you, able to laugh even when your three sons and two grandsons are going to the battlefield."
The eldest grandson, Xiao Chun, is exactly twenty years old this year. He has never liked studying since he was a child. He was forced to go to the Imperial Academy because he couldn't go against his mother's wishes. After getting into a fight with his classmates because of Yang Sheng's transfer from the capital, the eldest grandson completely gave up on the path of taking the imperial examination. He went to Li Wei behind his family's back and asked him if he could go to the Duke of Dingguo's mansion to learn martial arts with his second brother, Xiao Huan.
Like the old Duke, Li Wei had a dignified appearance. He didn't seem particularly close to his daughter, Li Huaiyun, but he was always willing to cultivate his grandson. Since teaching one or two didn't make much difference, Li Wei agreed to Xiao Chun's request. From then on, the two cousins went to the Duke of Dingguo's mansion every day, leaving early and returning late, to learn martial arts and military strategy.
Perhaps the eldest grandson was born to learn martial arts; after six or seven years of training, his skills even surpassed those of the second grandson. At the beginning of the year, both brothers were transferred to the Eastern Camp by Li Wei. Outsiders say that Li Wei treated the two sons of the Xiao family as his own grandsons, but there is a difference. Li Wei was much harsher on his own sons. Every son of the Li family who reached the age of eighteen had to go to the border for two years of training, and only when they turned twenty could they return to the capital to get married.
In terms of age, her two grandsons, Xiao Huan, will be nineteen by New Year's Eve. They have inherited their grandfather's tall and strong physique and are like soldiers. But in Deng's eyes, no matter how tall or strong a grandson is, he is still a child. She is not even at ease with her sons going to the battlefield, let alone her two grandsons who have never left the capital.
Just thinking about it brought tears to Deng's eyes again.
Xiao Rong sat up wrapped in the quilt, then pulled his wife into his arms and gently rocked her, saying, "The way you are reminds me of the way you cried when I was conscripted into the army."
Deng let out two sobs.
Xiao Rong leaned his cheek against his wife's head and said slowly, "At that time, I only had one thought: I didn't seek merit or wealth, I just wanted to come back alive to be with you and the children. We were poor back then. Even in our daydreams, we thought that being able to eat meat every day would be a good life. It's different for my children and grandchildren. They grew up in noble families and their relatives were either high-ranking prime ministers or dukes with great military achievements. Don't be fooled by the fact that they are all my sons. Which of my eldest, second, and third sons has ever looked up to me as a hero? My eldest and second sons want to be the next duke, and my third son... I'm too lazy to guess what he wants to be. Even the prime minister isn't like him."
Deng was amused by her husband's disdain, and then her tears stopped.
Xiao Rong then addressed his grandsons: "Eldest and Second Brother are indeed still young, but they are ambitious and promising. Aren't they better than those spendthrift playboys? Besides, you should trust your father-in-law. He will definitely take care of the two younger ones. As for the sons, the eldest will be at the front line, while the second and third will stay by the Emperor's side. Would the Emperor allow them to be in danger?"
After this persuasion, Mrs. Deng felt a little better, but she still hoped that her second son could switch places with her second grandson.
Xiao Rong: "...Do you think you're the Empress Dowager, able to arrange things however you want?"
Ms. Deng turned around and gave him a nudge.
.
Luo Fu was more reluctant to see the men go to war. After all, she was a step away from her two husbands and their nephews. Her closest husbands and brothers were staying by Emperor Xianping's side, which was not as dangerous as the front line.
But when the whole family gathered together for New Year's Eve dinner, Luo Fu's gaze swept over the faces of the five uncles and nephews who were about to go to war, and her heart was still heavy, without any joy of the New Year.
"Grandma, why are you crying?" Cheng'er asked, puzzled, noticing her grandmother wiping her eyes with a handkerchief.
Mrs. Deng quickly forced a smile and explained to her granddaughter, "Grandma ate too fast and bit her tongue." She then deliberately took a few breaths.
Cheng-jie, who believed it to be true, laughed crisply.
The laughter finally added some festive atmosphere to the Xiao family. Knowing their grandmother was worried about them, the eldest son, Xiao Chun, and the second son, Xiao Huan, sat down on either side of her, one serving her food and the other pouring her fruit wine, making Deng Shi both want to cry and laugh. Xiao Rong, feeling neglected by his two grandsons, was unhappy and brought his bowl over, also asking his grandsons to serve him.
"Hong-ge'er, take your sister to pour wine for your eldest and second uncles," Luo Fu whispered to her son.
Hong-ge then led his younger sister over.
Picking up the wine poured by his nephew, Xiao Hu patted the heads of the brother and sister with his other hand, instructing them to study hard and be filial to their grandparents and mother.
When they reached Xiao Lin, he picked up Cheng Jie'er and held her in his arms for a while. He then whispered in the little girl's ear, "Your mother loves to laugh, and your second aunt loves to cry. Before your second uncle comes back, Cheng Jie'er, go and play with your second aunt more often. Remember each time you go, and when your second uncle comes back, he will reward you with ten coins each time. How about that?"
Cheng-jie blinked and asked, "If I go every day, how much reward money can I get in the end?"
Xiao Lin: "It's one or three taels at the least. This is your wages for accompanying your second aunt. When your second uncle comes back, he will give you ten more taels because he feels guilty for not playing with Cheng-jie for so long."
Cheng'er currently receives one tael of silver a month from her aunt, and upon hearing that her second uncle was willing to give her so much, she immediately agreed.
When her second uncle put her down to stand, Cheng'er glanced at her eldest uncle sitting in the seat next to her for a while.
Xiao Lin coughed and pulled his little niece aside to remind her, "Your uncle has no money, so don't bother with him."
Cheng'er immediately took her brother's hand and left.
Xiao Hu, looking completely bewildered: "..."
After finishing the New Year's Eve dinner, Chengjie wanted to go to the garden to set off fireworks, and the whole family followed her.
The three Xiao brothers, who had long since grown up, and Yingjie, who was about to get married, seemed to have turned back into children tonight, playing happily with their little cousin. On the contrary, Hongge felt sad because of the sorrow of parting, and just stood by and watched, looking at his eldest brother, his second brother, and occasionally looking back at his uncle, his second uncle, and his father whose faces were blurred by the night.
After all the prepared fireworks had been set off, Xiao Rong helped his wife and told his three sons and grandsons to return to their respective courtyards. Those who wanted to keep watch were to do so alone, while those who were tired were to go to bed early.
"Daddy, my feet are so cold."
With nothing left to play with, Cheng-jie immediately turned into a lazy little girl and ran to her father's side to act coquettishly.
Xiao Yu lifted his daughter high in his arms, Luo Fu held Hong Ge'er's hand, and the family of four said goodbye to their relatives and walked towards Shensi Hall.
Halfway there, Cheng'er fell asleep on her father's shoulder. When they arrived at Shensi Hall, Xiao Yu told Luo Fu and her daughter to wash up first, and he took his daughter back to her room.
"Mother, aren't my eldest uncle, eldest brother, and second brother afraid?"
Hongge didn't rush back to his room. He followed his mother into the main room, his delicate brows furrowing.
Luo Fu pulled her son close, put her arm around his thin shoulder, and said, "It's hard to say. Uncle has fought bandits and been wounded. Judging from his appearance, he really isn't afraid to fight Yin again. My eldest and second eldest brothers haven't experienced the swords and bloodshed of the battlefield yet. Right now, all they think about is serving the court and making a name for themselves. When they actually get to the battlefield, they might be afraid, but it will be too late. They can only grit their teeth and charge forward. After charging forward many times, they probably won't be afraid anymore."
Hongge'er: "Where is my father? He's not a military officer, so why did the Emperor order him to accompany the emperor?"
Luo Fu smiled and said, "Although your father is not a military officer, he is well-versed in military strategy. When he was the magistrate of Loujiang, he arranged for the local militia to defeat a large number of Yunnan bandits who came to plunder grain. The Emperor appointed him to accompany him, which must be because he thinks that your father can also provide him with advice and fill in the gaps in his plans when he arrives in Liaozhou. The Left Chancellor, the Second Chancellor, and several other ministers are all getting old and cannot withstand the bumpy ride of two or three thousand miles. Your father is in his prime. Who else but him can take on such an important task?"
The reluctance in Hong's eyes turned into deep admiration for his father.
After Hongge'er left, Luo Fu called the maids in, washed up, and crawled into bed to wait. Unexpectedly, she waited for a long time.
When Xiao Yu finally arrived, Luo Fu took a special look at his eyes.
Xiao Yu: "...I didn't cry. Besides, the army only set off on the seventh day of the month. I'm not going to be so sentimental tonight."
Luo Fu: "That's hard to say. Mother started crying early tonight."
Hot water was left in the room. Xiao Yu first washed his face and rinsed his mouth, then moved the copper basin to the canopy bed. While soaking his feet, he talked with his wife: "Mother's life has been really hard. First, she sent Father to the battlefield, then she sent my eldest brother to suppress bandits, and then..."
“Then I’ll send you to jail and send you to Guizhou,” Luo Fu said on his behalf.
Xiao Yu: "...In short, when we are not around, I will trouble you, Madam, to take care of my mother in my place."
Luo Fu snorted, "You don't need to tell me. My mother and I have long been like mother and daughter. Besides, you don't need to think too poorly of our lives. We have plenty of ways to pass the time, such as visiting relatives and friends, playing cards and listening to operas, going on spring outings to enjoy flowers, and shopping in the market. You all just need to take good care of yourselves."
Xiao Yu stared intently at his wife, whose bright eyes and white teeth shone under the lamplight, and said with a wry smile, "My wife is so happy, I'm worried that she might forget me."
Luo Fu: "Hong-ge looks so much like you, seeing him is like seeing you, how could I forget him?"
Xiao Yu: "...Will Madam not want to see me because of this?"
Luo Fu stuck her foot out from under the covers and kicked him.
Xiao Yu quickly carried the copper basin to the side room, returned, washed his hands again, then turned off the light and pounced on the bed. He started kissing the back of the foot that his wife had kicked him from, and then gradually moved upwards.
After a good night's sleep, Luo Fu was awakened the next morning in Xiao Yu's arms by the sound of firecrackers going off in the street.
"On the first day of the Lunar New Year, congratulations to my wife and me on growing another year older," Xiao Yu said, rolling over onto his wife from one side, his face beaming.
Luo Fu: "...Don't congratulate me on this anymore, I don't like getting a year older."
Xiao Yu: "I will grow up whether I like it or not, and I will grow up alone, so I like to grow up with my wife."
Because of the two lonely New Year's Eves he had spent alone in Loujiang, Xiao Yu cherished every New Year he spent with his wife all the more.
He was smiling. No matter how handsome he was, he was still a thirty-seven-year-old man. He looked better when he wasn't smiling, because when he did, a few shallow wrinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes.
The past fourteen Lunar New Year's Days have flashed before our eyes: newlyweds, couples separated by distance, couples reunited after a long separation, and couples who have become parents after the birth of their children.
With a softened heart, Luo Fu tilted her head back and kissed Xiao Yu on the corner of his eye.
Lying back down, Luo Fu held up her little finger to him: "Then it's settled, we'll spend every year together from now on."
Xiao Yu supported his body with his left arm, hooked his right arm around his wife's hand, and said gently, "I wish to grow old with you, my wife."
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Author's Note: Xiao Yu might not be able to control his tongue, but our Fu'er will work hard to keep this promise. [heart][heart][heart]
100 little red envelopes, see you tomorrow!
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