end of December
Cang Jingqi's body was wrapped in many bandages, and it looked like his injuries hadn't healed yet.
He sat on a chair in the courtyard, making room for Han Jiang, with a bowl of dumplings on the seat: "I heard from Han Tian that you haven't left the house for many days, I was afraid you'd starve to death. Your cultivation hasn't reached the stage of abstaining from grains yet, has it?"
Han Jiang sat down next to Cang Jingqi: "Isn't it the New Year yet? Why are we eating dumplings already?"
"I bought it in advance. It's almost Chinese New Year, it's almost the end of the twelfth lunar month. Do you want to go down the mountain to buy New Year's goods? I'll pay."
Is it already the end of December? Han Jiang has been cooped up indoors for so long. She picked up where Cang Jingqi left off, "So generous?"
"It's only once in a lifetime, but you still have to pay me back for the crystal coffin."
Han Jiang remembered that the kitchen of the Four Continents Sect did not prepare meals for festivals. Generally, all the disciples would go home, and some elders would go home, while others would stay at the mountain gate. However, they would prepare their own meals at the mountain gate, which would not be provided by the sect's kitchen.
After all, there aren't many disciples and elders remaining in the Four States Sect, so using a large kitchen would be a waste.
Dinner for the Mid-Autumn Festival was cooked in Hanshan's kitchen.
The dumplings were still hot; they couldn't have been brought from the Demon Realm by Cang Jingqi, they must have been made in Hanshan.
"Your master wrapped it up, it's not poisonous, but it looks awful," Cang Jing scoffed.
"Master? When was this wrapped?" Han Jiang asked.
"Just now, with your junior sister too. This is the first batch of dumplings, and I brought it here especially for you."
Hanjiang immediately perked up: "Are they still in the kitchen? I want to go check!"
The kitchen was a mess, with flour scattered all over the floor.
Indeed, neither Han Tian nor Han Qi looked like people who would cook. To put it nicely, the Mid-Autumn Festival meal was made by five people working together; to put it bluntly, it was made by Cang Jingqi, Wen Xu, and three "helpers."
"I've prepared the dough, rolled out the dumpling wrappers, and made the filling. You two were just responsible for wrapping the wrappers and filling together and throwing them into the pot. And look what you've done!" Cang Jingqi was quite astonished.
Hantian said angrily, "It's just a slip of the tongue and some flour, is it really that big of a fuss? Stop talking nonsense and come clean it up!"
"Han Tian, do you have any humanity? I'm injured!"
"Enough with the nonsense, or you can forget about spending the New Year at my Cold Mountain this year. Get back to the Demon Palace!"
Cang Jingqi almost never celebrates festivals in the Demon Realm; he usually spends his time with Han Shan and Han Tian, and this year will likely be no exception.
"I'll do it, I also want to make dumplings."
Cang Jingqi said smugly, "Your disciple really knows how to care for people. I wish he were my disciple."
"roll."
Cang Jingqi ignored the glare Han Tian gave him, walked around to Han Jiang's side, picked up a broom and started sweeping the ground: "I'll sweep, you go and make dumplings with your junior sister!"
Hanqi had never made dumplings before, but on her first try, she made them even better than Hantian.
She untied her apron and handed it to Han Jiang.
"You can use it," Han Jiang said.
Han Qi turned around, her entire back covered in flour, her face smudged with flour and water: "Senior sister, I don't need this..."
The kitchen door was open, and the warm sunlight streamed in, turning my face a golden hue.
The pot inside was burning, the stove was warm, and the brazier was by the door. It was warm today, so no charcoal was added, and a few sparks flew out here and there.
As the cold season approaches, I remember my mother always saying that now is the best time of the year.
She couldn't understand how life could be a good life when there was so much pressure, so many troubles, and so many complaints born of suffering. She hadn't achieved anything significant, nor had she established a career.
Hanjiang naturally understood the principle that Xiaoman (the first fullness of spring) brings peace, so she was content with the status quo and chose to escape.
I don't know when it started, but she chose not to pay attention to others and focused all her attention on herself, and her social circle became smaller and smaller.
No breakthroughs, no changes, no participation.
So much so that she forgot how to live.
When she was little, she would help make dumplings, getting flour all over her face, and would run off to play all day long; but now that she's grown up, she just stays cooped up in the house, finding everything troublesome and slacking off in everything she does.
"Han Xiaoman, your dumplings are much better than your master's." Cang Jingqi cleaned up the kitchen.
“Of course, my mom taught me,” Han Jiang blurted out.
Hanqi asked in confusion, "Who?"
"I watched my mother make dumplings when I was little, and I learned how to do it myself," Han Jiang quickly tried to explain.
Hanqi held up the dumplings she had made and compared them to Hanjiang's, muttering, "Why didn't I think of learning that back then..."
"It's all the same once it's in your stomach," Han Tian said. "Let's cook them all in one pot!"
The kitchen became noisy again. For a fleeting moment, Hanjiang wished this moment could last.
In that fleeting moment, it was as beautiful as a dream.
The execution of Remer has been handed over to the Vermilion Bird Pavilion by the Four States Sect, and the results are still pending. The message from Crimson Gold says that Remer has regained his senses thanks to the Tranquility Pearl.
The position of sect leader will be temporarily held by Elder Chicheng, but without a sect leader's decree, he can only act as sect leader for one month, and we will discuss it again after the new year.
Lei Mo's sect leader token has been hidden somewhere, and they couldn't find it even after searching the entire Lei Mountain.
The Sect Master's Decree was personally designed by the former Sect Master and can control the protective formations of the Four Provinces Sect.
The mountain-protecting formation is currently open, so when unrest occurs outside, those who flee can temporarily take refuge in the Four Provinces Sect.
These were things Cang Jingqi told Han Jiang, but the elders forbade him to say them during the meeting.
Han Tian really tells Cang Jingqi everything.
Han Jiang felt that Han Tian trusted Cang Jingqi far too much. Regarding the previous shadowy figure, Han Jiang believed that Cang Jingqi must be involved.
In addition, Cang Jingqi made a new discovery in the forbidden book area.
"So you're saying you were looking for a book when you were in the restricted book section that night?" Han Jiang asked.
“We didn’t look for it at the time, but we found it with Lei Mo later,” Cang Jing said. “It’s about manipulating spiritual power. It’s true that only the former Demon Lord and my two siblings can manipulate spiritual power, but that forbidden book mentioned that it can also be learned through cultivation.”
Now things are really messed up. The rebels had initially identified Cang Jingye as the prime suspect, but now they have to start to rethink their strategy.
At first, Han Jiang thought the shadowy figure was a man, the one who controlled the people in the wooden house to line up in Mizhou. Later, she encountered another shadowy figure, and the two figures spoke with identical voices, realizing that the voice was a disguise.
According to Cang Jingqi, the method of learning it is not difficult, and it is even simpler if one is a human-demon hybrid.
A human-demon hybrid does not necessarily possess both demonic and spiritual energy within their body. Rather, it depends on which parent has stronger spiritual power, thus determining whether the child possesses demonic or spiritual energy.
"Once you can control demonic energy and spiritual energy, you can achieve manipulation. The next step is long-term training," Cang Jingqi said.
Han Jiang flipped through the forbidden book, turning to the last page: "A book from ten years ago?"
"Yes, it was written by a demon who was trying to study the Demon Lord's manipulation of spiritual power. He was discovered and killed on the spot. The book was originally kept in the Demon Palace, but later, fearing that demons might see it, it was moved to the Four Continents Sect. The book also records many secret cultivation methods of demons."
"So what's the next step?"
“Take him back to the Demon Palace and deal with him after the former Demon Lord emerges from seclusion.”
Han Jiang returned the book to Cang Jingqi and put it away safely.
The two said they were going down the mountain to buy New Year's goods, but they didn't actually buy anything; they were just wandering around aimlessly.
By the end of December, the area down the mountain was already bustling with activity.
"Han Xiaoman, look—" Following the direction Cang Jingqi pointed, Han Jiang saw all sorts of people.
Without technology, life is not good. Anzhou was in turmoil, and many people fled to Mizhou and Yanzhou. Fortunately, the harvest in some areas was good this year, and with the coordination of the government and the Vermilion Bird Pavilion, the people were able to barely have a good New Year.
There's no internet, no cell phones. Everyone here is immersed in their own lives, rather than getting caught up in other people's.
They can't see other people's lives, so they just keep their heads down and live their own.
There are many things to do every day.
Children cry, run, and laugh; couples argue, support each other, and get through each day; charcoal sellers carry their loads, and businessmen shout out their wares.
This is the world that Cang Jingqi observes from the sidelines; he observes from the sidelines, yet he walks in the mortal world.
"If you don't work hard, you'll starve; if you work hard, you'll be exhausted... Living is a tough thing," Han Jiang said.
"Living is an interesting thing."
"What's so interesting about it?" Cang Jingqi seemed to find something interesting in everything he did.
"It's as interesting as making dumplings on a mountain." Cang Jingqi stretched out his hand to Han Jiang. "Xiao Man, come and see this interesting world!"
It's as fun as making dumplings on a mountain... This phrase kept echoing in Hanjiang's ears.
She vaguely took Cang Jingqi's hand and was pulled along slowly down the street.
She walked forward almost unconsciously, letting the hustle and bustle of the city pass by her ears, and the vitality that had been lost while trapped in the room was returning in a strange way.
As the sun set and the air grew colder, Han Jiang suddenly felt warmth in his palms and realized he was still holding Cang Jingqi's hand.
Han Jiang immediately withdrew his hand: "Your Highness, it's late, let's go back."
Cang Jing nodded.
Hanjiang wanted to say something, but no matter what she said, the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.
"Here, take this." Cang Jingqi's hand, wrapped in gauze, held a packet of candy. "Han Tian said you like mung bean cakes, but I think those must be from the old Han Jiang. You don't seem to have eaten them much, but you eat more candy."
Han Jiang stared at the bag of candy: "Why did you suddenly bring me out for a walk to clear my head?"
"Did I say I came out to relax? Not to buy New Year's goods?"
Han Jiang was taken aback, then lowered her head, took the candy, and nodded.
"Cang Jingqi..." The two of them stood still, and Han Jiang suddenly spoke. She had no idea why she would call his name, but it seemed to be the only thing she could do.
“I won’t be spending the New Year with your master this year,” Cang Jingqi said. “Amo is in trouble, so I have to go back to the Demon Realm.”
Han Jiang clutched the candy in her hand tightly.
Wishing you good luck in advance!
"I'll go to the Demon Realm with you," Han Jiang interrupted. "You promised to take me with you to the Demon Realm."
Sister Wen is dead, Cang Jingmo is dead, the system is broken, how much worse can things get?
It's impossible to quickly get back on your feet after a long period of stagnation; she's been running away from life for too long, both in reality and here, but this time she wants to give it a try.
She mingled in the crowd, blindly pushed forward, going with the flow, not causing trouble, not making a fuss, and not even looking up at anyone.
She wanted to try going out in the sun and living an interesting life, like making dumplings on Hanshan Mountain this afternoon.
"Xiaoman, how was your shopping trip with Aqi this afternoon?" Hantian had just finished his work at the library and made a special trip to Hanjiang Villa. "There are still some books in the forbidden book section that haven't been sorted out yet, otherwise I would have gone with you—Xiaoman?"
Han Tian looked at the dark courtyard and the empty room, but there was no sign of Han Jiang.
All that remained was the voice record left by Cang Jingqi: "Han Tian, I'm taking the Demon Realm to celebrate the New Year during Xiaoman!"
At this moment, Han Tian had a thousand curses he wanted to utter, but all that came out was a single, gritting name: "Cang Jingqi!"
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