Chapter 100: Burning Yang Qi The sky was getting light, and there was a crackling sound outside the house...
At dawn, the crackling sound of firecrackers outside the house disturbed the quiet morning.
Normally, firecrackers would not be set off in the backyard during the New Year holidays.
Yun Yang covered his ears and went under the quilt. He had just fallen asleep when he was awakened by the sound of firecrackers. He called Rong'er to ask, and found out that it was Xue Jin who deliberately set off firecrackers at the door of Jinxiang Pavilion.
Yun Yang jumped up, put on his robe, held the hand warmer and ran out. The snow was still falling outside. He pushed open the gate and was immediately filled with the deafening sound of firecrackers. In the wind and snow, Xue Jin's face with a wicked smile flashed by.
"Happy New Year!" Xue Jin shouted as he ran. "Watch out for fireworks splashing on your face. If you get disfigured, you'll be hard-pressed to seduce anyone!"
Yun Yang was furious and wanted to chase her, but he was only wearing his embroidered shoes, and one of them fell off as he ran, making him look very embarrassed.
"What's wrong?" Yun Jia also came out in her robe, covering her ears as she stood in the snow and called out to her sister, "Be careful, come back! Those firecrackers are blind!"
The sound of firecrackers was like thunder, continuous and endless. Yun Jia's voice was drowned out by the rumbling and crackling sounds. Yun Yang turned around and listened, but could not hear anything. She was afraid that her sister had caught a cold, so she had to turn back, help her sister close the door, and quickly walked into the house.
Yun Yang was extremely angry, but Xue Jin was going to be married next year, so she could do whatever she wanted, even act recklessly. No one would bother with a newly-married woman. The Second Lady loved her daughter dearly, and she was very obedient to Xue Jin in the days before her wedding, holding her in her hands for fear that she would melt.
This is really not the right time to fight her.
"What's wrong? Why are you so angry?" Yun Jia's hands were cold as she held her sister's hand. "I wanted to warm you up, but I ended up being even colder than you."
"Sister, you must stay away from Xue Jin in the future. Ever since I came to this house, she has been against me in everything." Yun Yang said.
"Xue Jin? Is she Master Xue's sister?" Yun Jia asked. "Master Xue has sent quite a few gifts to us these days, even the Uighur mutton bestowed upon us by the Emperor. I'm afraid this has made his sister jealous."
"Don't worry about her." Yun Jia settled her sister down and smiled. "Sister, what do you want to play and eat today?"
On the other hand, after three days of discussion among civil and military officials, the cabinet elders were sore from all their efforts that the final outcome of the rebellion in Shu was finally settled.
Let’s not talk about the other things for now. The most important thing is that the eldest prince was imprisoned in the imperial prison and was executed after the Lantern Festival.
Xue Yu returned to the mansion, took a bath and changed into casual clothes. He listened to Si Qing talking about the events that had happened in the mansion in the past few days, and Yun Yang's appearance was all in his mind.
Has she missed him these days?
He couldn't hide the guilt in his heart. His mother-in-law and sister-in-law were at home, and many relationships were not sorted out, but he had been lingering in the court for so long, and he really had no choice.
The bed in the duty room in the court was narrow and hard, and the bedding was damp. He had slept on it before when he was on duty as a Hanlin, and it was not so unbearable at that time. But this time, he tossed and turned almost every night, with Yun Yang's figure in his mind and a feeling of emptiness in his arms.
Xue Yu didn't know why she was like this. She felt helpless and sweet at the same time.
"Let's go to Jinxiang Pavilion." After bathing, Xue Yu felt refreshed and told Si Qing, "Take the flowing brocade I just brought back with you."
Flowing brocade is rare and precious, and not every minister can receive such a reward from the Empress. Such a beautiful light pink, making her spring clothes, she will definitely be happy.
"Miss Yun, Second Miss Yun, and Madam Yun are not at the mansion." Su Qing reported, "They left early this morning."
"Why didn't you follow?" Xue Yu frowned.
"Miss Yun didn't let me follow you..." Si Qing scratched his head.
Xue Yu was startled when he heard this, and he sat down and patiently flipped through the pile of visiting cards and gift lists.
During the Chinese New Year, people will give gifts, which is inevitable, and most of them do not leave their names.
His fingers slowly moved across the lines of words on the gift list, but his mind had already flown away. Yun Yang didn't ask anyone to follow him. Why? Why did he allow someone to follow him a few days ago?
Is it that places where girls go are not suitable for men to go?
Thinking of this, at lunchtime, Xue Yu's pen was still hanging on the rice paper, and the dark ink was spreading. The feeling of restlessness became more and more difficult to suppress.
After dinner, he took a short rest. He was obviously very tired, but he couldn't sleep. He got up, took his sword and went to the Qing Lake. He felt bored before he finished practicing a set of sword techniques. It happened to be dinner time, so he changed his clothes and went to Madam Xue.
Before entering the yard, I could smell the aroma of meat mixed with sesame and dogwood.
Xue Yu just remembered that the emperor was compassionate to his ministers and had bestowed many gifts upon them, including the mutton that was tributed from the northern border.
Madam Xue had a good temper since she was young. She loved the hustle and bustle, and she also loved to eat and knew how to eat. At this moment, she even asked the servant to set up a bronze stove in the yard to roast mutton. A light blue smoke rose from the crackling sound of the charcoal fire, and the warm firelight made the bluestone floor tiles shimmer.
The servant was half-kneeling in front of the stove, holding a whole rack of lamb ribs with an iron fork in his hand. The lamb seemed to have been soaked in grape juice from the Western Regions, and the fat was amber-colored. Old Madam Xue actually flipped and roasted the lamb herself with the iron fork. Oil splashed into the charcoal fire, splashing a few clusters of golden-red flames, which startled the little maids beside her and made them stumble back, covering their faces.
Xue Yu raised his lips slightly and walked forward. Before he could speak, Old Madam Xue greeted him with a smile, "Lingjun, you are a lucky man. I just set up the stove and you smell the food and come here?"
"Grandma, let me do it." Xue Yu took the iron fork and skillfully sprinkled some sesame seeds on the mutton.
There was no wind after the snow, and the charcoal fire was warm, so the grandfather and grandson started chatting.
Madam Xue said, "Eating mutton is good in winter. It aligns with the saying that roasting it can invigorate yang energy. Once it's roasted, send some to your mother-in-law and Yun Yatou."
"Yes, Grandmother," Xue Yu said. His face was calm under the blazing firelight. He paused and said, "Grandmother, after this New Year is over, let's prepare for my marriage to Yunyang."
"What about her sister Yunjia? The only reason your relationship with Yunyang isn't known to the whole family is because her mother doesn't agree." Old Madam Xue fiddled with the ribs that had been roasted until they were curled into a golden bow, and sprinkled some salt on them. In the warm mist, the old lady's expression seemed kind and calm. "Lingjun, it's not easy to meet someone you love. Grandmother won't be an obstacle and is willing to help you. It's a good thing to have someone waiting for you at home. Unlike your father, he hasn't been remarried for many years because your mother died young and there was no one waiting for him..."
Old Madam Xue was originally not very supportive of Xue Yu's affection for Yun Yang, but after Fourth Master Xue came back, he reported in detail what Yun Yang had done on his trip to Shu, and Old Madam Xue began to waver.
Xue Yu has been indifferent since childhood, and if he meets someone he likes, he may find it difficult to extricate himself.
Since this is the case, it is better to help others achieve their goals.
"Grandson thanks grandmother. I will marry Yun Yang in this lifetime." Xue Yu put down the iron fork, his expression serious. "Yun Jia and Yin Shi can stay in the Xue Mansion forever. If they want to return to Youzhou, grandson will do his best to help them."
"They are orphans and widows, and with no men in the family, they rely on you." Old Madam Xue said, "You must always reflect on yourself and never let them feel like they are dependent on others."
"Grandson saves."
After saying this, he took the short blade from the servant's hand. With a flash of silver light, the roasted lamb neck meat turned into more than ten thin and translucent pieces of red jade.
My grandmother is old and her spleen and stomach are not functioning well, so cutting it into thin slices will make it easier to digest.
Xue Yu placed the mutton on an ice porcelain plate and handed it to Old Madam Xue. The caramel-colored meat patterns were particularly tempting.
"Grandma, although father is traveling abroad, his roots are in Shangjing, by your side. He will definitely come back to reunite with you." Xue Yu smiled slightly, "Grandma, try it. Once you're full, you won't miss father anymore."
The snow had started falling again without anyone noticing. The servants and maids hurriedly moved the stove back to the corridor. Old Madam Xue was full and had enough to drink, so she waved her hand and asked Xue Yu to come in for another bowl of mutton soup.
The mutton soup was clear and fragrant without any spices, but his restlessness only grew. It was snowing, so what about Yunyang and the others? He had no desire to drink mutton soup.
But seeing his grandmother's earnest invitation, Xue Yu had to suppress his anxiety and picked up a bowl to drink.
"Pack up these baked goods and take them to your mother-in-law and Yunyang." Old Madam Xue leaned on the soft pillow and pointed. "Let them try them too. They are delicious."
"Master, Miss Yun is back." Si Qing came to report.
Old Madam Xue saw her grandson's expression change and he stopped being absent-minded.
The old man smiled knowingly and waved his hand, "Go ahead!"
Xue Yu's heart calmed down, he nodded slightly, washed his hands, and went to the gate.
When he walked out of the courtyard, his steps were still leisurely, but when he turned on the corridor, his steps became more hurried.
Yun Yang would not show her unhappiness on her face. She was past the stage of showing her emotions on her face. Moreover, she had her mother and sister by her side, so she did not rely solely on Xue Yu.
In fact, after calming down, she didn't know who she was angry with. Xue Jin was like a grasshopper in autumn, and she would be married in a few days. There was no point in her getting angry with Xue Jin.
The main reason was that what Xue Jin said hit the nail on the head about what she feared. She was afraid that she was not worthy of Xue Yu, and she was even more afraid that Xue Yu was just infatuated with her.
He was angry that he was just as Xue Jin said, losing his integrity and shamelessly getting together with Xue Yu, but still reluctant to leave.
She was also angry with Xue Yu, angry that he had such a sister and had been at odds with her ever since she entered the mansion.
Yun Yang had never felt so confused and worried before. She took her sister and mother to travel in Shangjing City for half a day. She was absent-minded the whole time. She didn't feel hungry at mealtime, and even her favorite food was tasteless.
When Yun Yang returned to Jinxiang Pavilion, he didn't realize that he had lost contact with Xue Yu. When Xue Yu came over, snow had already fallen on his shoulders. He greeted Yin and then asked the servant to bring up the roasted mutton.
The cracked skin and flesh of the mutton still exude a faint aroma of pickled saffron and raisins, mixed with the nutty aroma of popping sesame seeds. It is simply soul-stirring and makes people's appetites come out.
Yun Yang quickly called his sister and mother, cut a piece for each of them, and ate it with the fragrant pancake, which warmed his whole body.
It is so easy to satisfy the desire for food.
Xue Yu sat beside him. Yin was sometimes lucid and sometimes confused, so he answered his mother-in-law's questions very patiently. However, when he tried to grab Yun Yang's hand under the table, she always dodged it easily.
The two of them were arguing back and forth under the table, but at the table, she had a calm expression and was upright and polite. She skillfully switched between addressing him as brother-in-law and Lord Xue. Apart from that, she ignored him and did not speak to him at all.
It was as if she had never done anything inappropriate with him, nor had they ever been intimate.
Xue Yu took a deep breath and stared at her quietly. Yun Yang sat upright, reaching out to take food with a graceful posture. She ate the fragrant pancake and meat in small bites, chewing silently, occasionally squinting her eyes slightly, looking very comfortable.
Xue Yu was stunned. Watching her eat was a pleasure to watch.
Yun Yang's eyelashes were like small fans, casting a faint shadow on her fair face, covering up all the emotions in her eyes. Seeing him looking at her inquiringly, she looked confused and gave him a fake smile.
Xue Yu thought that she must be very unhappy.
"Brother-in-law, it's getting late. You should go back and rest." Yun Yang finished his meal without even raising his eyelids, stroking the bowl of mutton soup. "Thank you for your hospitality, brother-in-law. The mutton bestowed by the emperor is just different."
While Yun Jia was helping Yin Shi to rest, he leaned close to her and whispered, "Tell me, what's wrong?"
"It's nothing. It's cold and the roads are slippery. Brother-in-law, please go back to your yard." She said lightly.
But he couldn't help but hug her in his arms, "You are so sharp-tongued, and you are pushing me away?"
Yun Yang raised her eyes and met Xue Yuqing's elegant eyebrows. The concern in his narrow eyes immediately struck her uneasy heart. Her heart was pounding. She quickly struggled to turn away and said, "I'm fine. I'm fine."
"You're unhappy," he said.
"What does it have to do with you if I'm unhappy? Let me go!" She whispered angrily, coldly and delicately, "Don't let my sisters see it!"
Xue Yu saw her like this, with her eyes full of smiles and lips as red as peach blossoms, twisting restlessly in his arms with a bit of panic, which made him take a deep breath and feel even hotter.
He hugged her tighter, his chest pressed against her back, his warm, soft lips pressed against her ear. Whether it was truly due to the burning yang energy or some other reason, his voice was hoarse, "So what if they saw it? How long are we going to keep it a secret from them?"
The evening breeze ruffled their tangled sleeves. Yun Yang pushed him away, angrily saying, "Everyone coming in and out can see us now. Sister will also be able to see us when she comes out after settling mother down."
"Um."
His breath was warm and he responded nonchalantly, burying his head in the crook of her neck and kissing her red earlobe.
Yun Yang's face was cold and calm. She struggled to break free and stood up to walk out. Xue Yu didn't expect her to be so strong and was pushed so hard that he almost lost his balance.
When she entered the room, she paused, turned around, and gave him a cold glance. That look was enchanting and indifferent, with an indescribable emotion.
Xue Yu watched the slender figure disappear into the door, looking depressed, and took a deep breath.
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The author has something to say: This article is almost finished, thank you for reading! You can go to my column to check it out, I will write about it in advance!
I’d like to recommend the next novel to be published, which is a really good novel by Jie Gou Literature, “Hibiscus Cries in the Dew and Orchid Smiles”!
The male protagonist is the son of the female protagonist's father's concubine. He is a dark, inferior and pitiful little guy.
The plump and charming heroine is a talented woman that everyone in Beijing wants to marry! In fact, the heroine has no real ambitions. She is a very vulgar person who likes handsome men and admires the third place winner. She doesn't even notice the admiration of her non-blood-related brother.
The hero later rose to power on his own and became a ruthless and powerful official. His sister also married a good husband of equal status. The hero secretly observed the heroine's every move, including but not limited to giving the heroine's husband a drug that would make him infertile. The heroine didn't know what was going on and even went to the temple to worship.
As a result, the heroine suddenly died one day. The hero found out that she was murdered by her ambitious husband. The ambitious man who had been planning every step of the way did not make any plans and directly killed her husband's family to avenge his sister! As a result, his career was ruined and he was sentenced to exile and died on the way.
Then both of them were reborn. This time the elder sister wanted to repay her brother, so she took him by her side and raised him well. The younger brother pretended to be stupid and used all kinds of screen to charm the heroine. The sour and taboo tug-of-war between them was particularly intense. The heroine finally transformed her brother, who seemed honest and insignificant in her previous life, into a peerless gentleman. She realized that she had developed some different feelings for her brother. In order to stop him from being confused, the heroine hurriedly arranged a marriage for herself. Who knew that her brother couldn't help himself this time...
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