New Year's Eve dinner
Before the New Year, the empire's nobles and high-ranking military officers would be invited to gather at the palace for a royal banquet.
This was an honor for them, representing the emperor's trust.
Those close advisors who were especially favored by the emperor would be arranged to live in the palace.
As expected, Sangye saw Wu Jinyue.
This was the second time she had seen this famous marshal in person; the last time was in the critical situation at Alpha Fortress.
At that time, Kuwano was in the Imperial Garden, introducing the foal to Lin Yangchuan.
This foal was a "Ferghana horse" specially selected by Sangye from the grasslands. Its coat was light golden with a smooth, metallic sheen. Although still young, it was already evident that its limbs were strong and agile, its body was slender, its nails were prominent, and its temperament and endurance were gentle, showing no signs of the restlessness or anxiety that comes with being separated from the herd.
These horses originated from the desert regions of the Middle East and were smuggled out by horse traders and introduced from abroad. However, the breeding theories and natural environment at the time made it impossible for them to survive.
Thus, only this group of survivors remained in Shifangwu.
However, to prevent the foal from developing depression due to isolation from its own kind, Kuwano brought its mother out as well.
Its mother was not so easy to talk to; the Royal Garden was filled with its irritable neighing, its eyes fixed on the foal.
With Sangye's strong reassurance, Mama Ma finally calmed down.
Lin Yangchuan hugged the pony, but he was even more eager to try his luck with Malaysia.
Although Sangye had already tamed the creature in the cave, he still dared not take any risks. Just as he was putting protective gear on Lin Yangchuan, Wu Jinyue appeared from the long corridor behind the palace. She was holding the hand of a little girl who had just learned to walk. The little girl had pigtails and a round face like a meat bun, which was exceptionally cute.
Lin Yangchuan and Sangye stopped what they were doing and stood beside the horse.
The two obediently bowed to Wu Jinyue—Lin Yangchuan was not supposed to, but Lin Shuangqiao had taught her to always respect the generals who had contributed to the empire for many years, so she only gave a military salute.
Wu Jinyue lowered her eyes and bowed slightly, as a way of returning the greeting to the two of them.
The little one she was holding raised her other hand, opening and closing it as if to greet the two of them.
Wu Jinyue smiled faintly.
This gave Sangye time to truly observe her.
Minur doesn't actually look like Wujinyue. Minur has a distinct ethnic style, but the fleeting expression in Wujinyue's eyes always gives Sangye the feeling that Minur is right in front of him.
"Little Jia Shuo~" Lin Yangchuan squatted down and called out to the little boy carefully.
Wu Jiashuo let go of Wu Jinyue's two fingers and stumbled toward Lin Yangchuan.
The nanny following behind Wu Jinyue immediately caught up.
"Major General Sangye, would you like to walk with me?" Wu Jinyue suddenly spoke, her voice surprisingly gentle, unlike her tough and cold appearance.
Kuwano didn't understand what he meant, but there was nothing to worry about.
She and Wu Jinyue strolled along the paths of the Imperial Garden.
“That’s my second great-grandson, Wu Jiashuo. I believe you’re already very familiar with your first child. Ningning has always caused you a lot of trouble; she’s a very energetic child. But you cured her leg, for which I am very grateful.” Wu Jinyue started the conversation.
"It's nothing." Sangye was telling the truth, and Wu Huansheng was indeed a generous "customer," from whom Sangye made a lot of money.
“You and His Highness must have a very good relationship, otherwise, given his personality, he might not have come back this year,” Wu Jinyue said. “He has missed the New Year’s banquet for many years, and His Majesty is actually very saddened by this.”
Lin Shuangqiao and Wu Jinyue both understood why Lin Changli had suddenly decided to come back this year.
Sang Ye scratched her forehead a little embarrassedly, her skirt brushing against the fallen flowers on the path.
The imperial gardens of the palace didn't have any particularly rare or delicate flower varieties that couldn't be cultivated or grown—the cost would be too high. But it was still a rare spectacle within the empire.
“My eldest granddaughter and her husband have a very good relationship. They’ve never been apart since they met. When they were getting married, it caused dissatisfaction from her mother. Her mother didn’t want her to marry a guide from such a low background, thinking he would only be a burden to Sheng Sheng. She felt that dating was fine, why get married? The mother and daughter had a huge fight, and in the end, Sheng Sheng came to me and asked me to make the decision.” Wu Jinyue recalled the past with a slight smile.
“She truly loves Mu An; I can see it in her eyes. Both her mother and I are very strong-willed, and Sheng Sheng grew up in a family environment managed by us. She was inevitably influenced to some extent. It's not surprising that she chose a gentle, kind, and somewhat indecisive man as an adult, but one who is exceptionally resolute at times.” Wu Jin Yue’s black hair cascaded down her back, long and curly, resembling a curved fox tail, with a faintly visible fox tail swaying happily behind her. “So I supported her decision, which caused her mother to refuse to speak to me for over a month. Then, when Ning Ning was born, that incident happened. If it weren’t for Mu An, both mother and daughter might not be alive. Only then did her mother gradually accept Mu An. She definitely won’t be hostile towards me anymore when she comes back this year.”
Kuwano listened quietly; older and high-ranking women always possessed extraordinary wisdom.
“Minur is actually quite like me.”
Sangye was surprised that Wu Jinyue would suddenly say that, and she almost stopped in her tracks.
“After you met her, you searched for me on the intranet—you know you were a criminal then, and all your traces would be recorded by Eve.” Wu Jinyue chuckled. “If you were curious about me, you would have searched for me after you met Shengsheng. Eve warned me, and I knew it then.”
Sangye remained expressionless. Eve actually did such a thing?
“She looks small, but she’s just as stubborn and opinionated as I am. I probably wasn’t a good mother to her. She might blame me for Brian’s death. So I had Sheng Sheng ask her if she wanted to leave, but she refused.”
After Wu Jinyue finished speaking, he fell silent.
Sangye didn't know how much Wu Jinyue felt for Brian, but it was obvious that she loved Minur more, just like the initial arguments between the siblings. Wu Jinyue didn't even mention her dead son.
“…” Sangye was silent for a moment. She didn’t know if what she was about to say was right, but it was very obvious that Wu Jinyue’s lineage had the same stubbornness.
"You're actually angry, aren't you?" Kuwano asked, not cautiously, but rather frankly.
"I'm angry?" Wu Jinyue turned to meet her gaze, adjusting her plaid shawl. "What do you mean?"
"She is clearly your daughter, but she didn't choose to stand on your side."
Wu Jinyue clutched her shawl tightly.
Her most secret thoughts were revealed by Sangye.
She knew she shouldn't think that way. Minur didn't know what she had been through, didn't know the hurt she had suffered, and she shouldn't expect her daughter to empathize. Besides, Minur grew up in the snow-capped mountains and had a sense of belonging to them.
But she was still a little annoyed, a little resentful, and a little disappointed.
Minur was once the closest person to her in the world.
Minur's actions were seen as betrayal by her, so Wu Jinyue left without looking back and refused to see Minur again.
Sain tried to persuade her to meet him again, but she flatly refused.
Until Wu Jiashuo was born, she could only stay with others for a short time. If she didn't see Wu Huanyin for a long time, she would cry loudly.
This is just a normal reaction for a child.
Perhaps it was the surrounding scenery that stirred up memories, causing Wu Jinyue to inexplicably recall Minur's childhood. She disliked this weak version of herself; it wasn't her style.
Even she, upon Lin Changli's return this New Year, actually thought of her eldest daughter.
Wu Jinyue loathed this feeling; she shouldn't be like this.
"Let's just have a casual chat today." Wu Jinyue looked ahead, her shawl rustling through the bushes.
They circled the Imperial Garden once and returned to the starting point.
Wu Jiashuo was already pouting and about to cry, and the nanny was carefully comforting her.
"Grandma—I'm looking for Mommy," Wu Jiashuo drawled, insisting on going back.
"Okay, let's go back now." Wu Jinyue stepped forward and hugged her.
"Mom." Wu Jiashuo hugged her neck, calling out "Mom" repeatedly. Wu Jinyue lowered her eyes.
“Marshal,” Sangye suddenly called out to her from behind, “sometimes a meeting can solve a lot of problems.”
Wu Jinyue turned her head and looked at Sang Ye together with Wu Jiashuo, who was leaning on her shoulder.
Sangye nodded.
Wu Jinyue turned and left.
Lin Changli, leading a cat and three dogs, with a baby in his right arm, pushed open the other gate and entered the garden. He met Wu Jinyue from afar and bowed respectfully.
The cats and dogs happily circled around them.
"You're being biased, why are you only holding the little one?" Sangye teased as he took the little old lady.
"It's old and can't walk anymore." Lin Changli patted its head and scratched the slightly yellowed fur around its mouth.
As he spoke, he glanced back in the direction Wu Jinyue had left. "Marshal Wu Jinyue is a very strong-willed woman, even stronger than my mother in some ways. In matters like this, I'm afraid she'll find it difficult to listen to other people's advice."
Sangye imitated how he scratched the little one's chin and scratched his chin: "They came to talk to me, so they must still want to make some changes."
Looking back, Lin Yangchuan had already secretly climbed onto the horse's back while the two of them were chatting, and was still holding the reins of the pony, secretly taking small steps.
Malaysia was surprisingly shrewd.
*
On the first day of the new year, the emperor will deliver a New Year's address, summarizing the various achievements of the empire over the past year, announcing the general direction of the empire's future development, and extending New Year's blessings to everyone.
She also announced that Black Tower had made remarkable progress in treating the mentally disturbed Sentinels, and that all Sentinels could potentially be cured in the future.
The speech was broadcast live to the entire galaxy, while the nobles gathered to listen.
Lin Changli and Lin Yangchuan stood on either side of her. Lin Changli's face was calm. He pulled the little phoenix out and placed it on his shoulder, lifelike. His appearance was like a reassurance, confirming the new treatment that Black Tower Star had found.
The camera pans across the scene, revealing the faces of the women who lead this empire. They come from different backgrounds, classes, and have different experiences, but they all gather here to raise a toast to the future.
Du Yuan stood beside Sangye, gazing at his radiant life.
Du Yuan suddenly leaned close to Sangye's ear and said, "Did you know that people in the cultivation world like to marry off their daughters? There are also all sorts of cultivation techniques that are passed down only to sons. If they don't have a son, they'll adopt one, and the adopted son is even closer to them than their own daughter."
Sangye chuckled; she was no longer emotional, just like a modern person looking at a caveman.
The little phoenix waited for Lin Shuangqiao to finish speaking, then eagerly flew down to the stage. It circled the high banquet hall a few times, found its target, and swooped down.
Then Sangye grabbed her and said, "Don't mess up my clothes."
Sangye held it in her arms, openly accepting the ambiguous gazes from those around her. She noticed that the little phoenix's body temperature was higher than usual, and Sangye hadn't seen it for a long time; it wasn't the kind of well-behaved child that would stay obediently in the mental image.
"What's wrong with you?" Sangye asked with some concern.
The little phoenix was a little embarrassed and shy. It stretched out its claws and preened its brighter feathers. It said, "You'll see in a few days." As it spoke, it affectionately nuzzled her face.
Hearing this, Sangye felt a little relieved and hugged the hand warmer while admiring the banquet hall's furnishings.
Not far away, Qiu Lingxin stood next to an older woman. She glanced at Sangye expressionlessly, pursed her lips, and was patted on the back by the older woman: "Why hasn't Linghua arrived yet?"
“She’s become obsessed with money lately, constantly making commissions at auctions.” Qiu Lingxin checked the schedule. “It’s almost over.”
The older woman nodded; she never asked the children what they were doing.
Aso Ment didn't bring his two daughters, only Jiang Sili. They would return to Black Tower tonight; this trip was only for attending the New Year's banquet.
She was standing next to Lin Shuangqiao, talking to her, and Lin Shuangqiao was clearly very happy.
Melusin arrived late. She had been so engrossed in a relationship with a handsome merman from the Tide Sea that she hadn't paid attention to the time until Duke Vera Seren started making a furious phone call. Only then did she realize something was wrong and quickly hitched a ride back on the Aso Ment warship.
Her appearance caused quite a stir, almost as much as Lin Changli's.
The reason is that no one wants to run into this young duke, nor does anyone want to run into the little Pixiu that follows her around shaking its head; no one wants anyone to know where the money has gone.
Melusin rushed home to change into a dress—the Seren family also had a suite in the palace, but they didn't stay there often, and their close relationship with the emperor didn't need to be shown through a suite—and walked up to Lin Shuangqiao and bowed under Vera's angry gaze.
Lin Shuangqiao patted Vera on the shoulder. Melusin was known for her free and easygoing nature; it was just her nature.
Wu Jinyue brought her large family with her. She held little Wu Jiashuo and greeted Saiyin, who would be heading to Chaohai to reunite with his family in a few days.
Sangye quietly counted the number of people and found that only Wu Huansheng's family was absent. Wu Huansheng was indeed a very responsible officer who would never leave his post without permission, even on a day like today.
Wu Xiangxi, Wu Huansheng's mother, touched Wu Jiashuo's little hand and sighed.
Wu Xiangchuan, Wu Xiangxi's younger sister, looked at her with a smile and teased her, "Even if Sheng Sheng were to hold a wedding with Mu An now, you would still be willing to attend, right?"
Wu Xiangxi sighed again, "They can sleep in my room if they want, just come back first."
Not far away, Lin Changli walked through the crowd towards her.
This time, the food at the banquet was no longer alcohol and cloyingly sweet cakes.
Kuwano spent two days instructing the chefs in both the inner and outer kitchens on how to prepare basic banquet meals.
The banquet table was piled high with all sorts of roasted chicken legs and wings, pan-fried cod fillets, pan-fried steaks, baked snails, garlic vermicelli clams, Australian lobster, king crab, bowls of oyster chowder, seafood risotto on shelves for everyone to take, and crème brûlée, rum baba, chocolate mousse, ice cream, and various other desserts piled high on the dessert table...
A dazzling array of items.
When instructing the chef, Sangye felt completely exhausted, and in the end, she and Du Yuan went in half a day early to help, which enabled them to complete the task successfully.
As for the ingredients...
Sangye looked at the amount of money flowing in with great satisfaction.
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Author's note: As planned, it should be finished by the end of this month~ (If it doesn't finish as planned, then just pretend I didn't say anything [shy])
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