“A little bit.” Su Wanyan turned her neck: “They learned paper cutting early in the morning and tried sewing lucky bags. They sat for hours. No wonder they like to visit each other’s homes. Otherwise, it would really be boring.”
“However…” Su Wanyan picked up the lucky bag from the small basket: “It’s quite fun. I made one. Take a look.”
The lucky bag was dark red with a gold and embroidered love lock in the middle. The workmanship was a bit rough, but you could tell that Su Wanyan had put a lot of care into sewing it.
The villagers pointed out each stitch to Su Wanyan as she embroidered, otherwise she really couldn't have done it.
Yu Nanqing picked it up and examined it carefully: "Very good."
"It's for you." Su Wanyan looked up and smiled. "They told me to sew one, and I was thinking about making one for you, so I did. It's just not very pretty, not as good as theirs."
Yu Nanqing's heart trembled slightly, and he suddenly lowered his eyes: "Yan'er."
"Hmm?" As they looked up, their lips were almost touching.
Su Wanyan's breath hitched. At such close range, she could even clearly see the desire hidden in Yu Nanqing's eyes.
She clenched her fist in her sleeve, pursed her lips, and looked into Yu Nanqing's eyes.
In the midst of tender affection, as if granted permission, Yu Nanqing lowered her lips an inch and gently covered them.
The soft touch made him unable to resist increasing the pressure.
Yet, fearing she might lose control, she forced herself to separate in a moment of restraint.
Su Wanyan reached out and ripped off his collar, prolonging this brief moment.
Yu Nanqing's heart skipped a beat. He gently lifted the back of her head with his large hand, his breathing becoming heavier uncontrollably.
"Your Majesty." Just then, Huang Ye's voice rang out from outside the noren curtain.
Su Wanyan and Yu Nanqing were both startled and quickly separated themselves as Huang Ye lifted the warm curtain.
A cold wind blew in, dispelling the ambiguity in the room. Huang Ye entered carrying the meal: "Your Highness, Your Majesty, lunch is ready."
"..." Su Wanyan's cheeks flushed slightly, but she quickly composed herself: "I was just hungry."
Yu Nanqing stood behind Su Wanyan, lightly covering his still-warm lips, his slightly turned face revealing his already flushed ears.
"Have you and Luo Xue eaten yet?" Su Wanyan asked again with a smile.
Huang Ye replied, "Your Majesty, we have already eaten. You and the Prince should eat while it's hot, otherwise it won't taste good."
She put down the food and tidied up the small baskets used for making New Year's goods, saying, "This servant will take these upstairs."
"Mm." Su Wanyan nodded.
Once Huang Ye had disappeared from sight, Su Wanyan looked up and asked, "Aren't you going to eat?"
Yu Nanqing's heart was still pounding from what had just happened. Seeing that Su Wanyan was already calm and composed, he pursed his lips, feeling quite unwilling. He pretended to be calm and composed himself before slowly sitting down at the table: "The village chief came by earlier and asked us to come over for dinner on New Year's Eve."
"Hmm? The village chief came by?" Su Wanyan asked curiously, "When?"
"Just now." He uttered two words, then added, fearing he hadn't explained clearly, "When I returned, perhaps seeing the main room bustling with activity, I didn't want to disturb them."
As he spoke, he had already placed a dish on Su Wanyan's plate.
Su Wanyan naturally put the meat in her mouth, then suddenly realized, "Then let's bring some smoked meat. The villagers brought it to us a few days ago."
"Hmm." Yu Nanqing smiled slightly: "The money the village chief returned last time can be used as New Year's money to give to his grandson."
Su Wanyan's eyes brightened slightly: "You've thought this through. We'll do it your way."
"Yes, there is something I need to tell Yan'er."
Su Wanyan raised her eyes: "Go ahead."
Yu Nanqing was in no hurry. He waited until the yellow leaves on the second floor came down and he stepped outside before calling out, "Tanaka."
Tanaka entered by lifting the noren curtain, bowing respectfully: "Your Highness?"
"Stand guard outside the door; no one is allowed to approach."
"Yes." Tanaka accepted the order and turned to retreat outside the noren curtain.
Seeing his serious demeanor, Su Wanyan asked curiously, "What's wrong?"
Seeing that no one was around, Yu Nanqing looked at Su Wanyan and said, "It's about Yan Gongyi."
Su Wanyan blinked and pricked up her ears: "What's wrong?"
"She is the Empress Dowager's person." To be precise, she made a deal with the Empress Dowager, but that's not entirely wrong either.
Su Wanyan was only stunned for a moment upon hearing this, but she quickly accepted it and nodded: "Since you know, what do you want to do?"
Yu Nanqing probably already has a plan, otherwise he wouldn't have had Tanaka guard the door.
Yu Nanqing changed the subject, smiling helplessly: "Just as I thought, Yan'er had indeed guessed it."
Su Wanyan always remained remarkably calm whenever something was expected.
Su Wanyan glanced at him: "No, I just think it's all too coincidental."
If Yu Nanqing found something strange, didn't she find it strange too?
In the Great Snow Mountain, a woman was able to survive the attacks of bandits, who were from the Hundred Valleys. Yu Nanqing even said they were conducting human experiments.
Given their cold-blooded and brutal nature, why did they let Yan Gongyi go? Was it really because Yan Gongyi was well hidden? Or did Yan Gongyi possess extraordinary abilities?
Either they conspired with the bandits, or they seized the opportunity presented by Yu Nanqing's bandit suppression campaign, and their stakeouts were not just for a day or two. Such a suspicious situation made it impossible for Su Wanyan to convince herself that there was no ulterior motive.
She just doesn't say it.
She felt that if she could think of these things, Yu Nanqing certainly could too.
Naturally, she hadn't expected that this matter was related to the Empress Dowager, but upon closer reflection, there was no one else besides the Empress Dowager.
“However…” Su Wanyan was still chewing when she couldn’t wait to lean closer to Yu Nanqing and whispered, “Isn’t the Empress Dowager’s reach a bit too far? She’s even found out about the Snake Clan and your affairs. It’s been so many years, and you’ve barely even talked to me about the Snake Clan. The Empress Dowager’s investigation into this matter probably didn’t happen overnight.”
"Hmm." Yu Nanqing thought so too. It would take at least two or three months, or at most a year and a half, otherwise the Empress Dowager wouldn't be able to find out about the snake clan.
Yu Nanqing placed a stir-fry dish on Su Wanyan's plate: "Yan'er, I'm thinking of turning the tables on you..."
Su Wanyan and Yu Nanqing's meal lasted for an hour.
Tanaka, having received no orders, remained guarding the gate.
Until the curtain inside the room was lifted, Yu Nanqing came out. Tian Zhong's nose was red from the cold, and he bowed and said, "Your Highness!"
Yu Nanqing slightly raised his hand, and Tanaka then bowed and withdrew.
Inside the house, Su Wanyan was already sleepy, and went upstairs to the second floor when Yu Nanqing left.
When Huang Ye arrived, Su Wanyan was already asleep.
The snow fell as people collected the leftover food from the first floor, and the wind and snow outside had intensified again.
Yu Nanqing transferred a small team from the post station to guard Yan Gongyi, with Xiao Bu supervising them.
On the day of the bandit suppression, the villagers already knew that Yu Nanqing had men under his command, so they were not too surprised to see more than a dozen extra people in the village.
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