0p0 Chapter 298 New Year's Eve, the Ecosystem
Chapter 298 New Year's Eve, the Ecosystem
The snow in Xueyue City started falling on New Year's Eve.
Snowflakes were falling in the city, and the outside of the city was covered in silver.
Baili Dongjun, Sikong Changfeng and Yin Luoxia stood side by side on the attic, looking at the fireworks rising and exploding in Xiaguan City, but they had different thoughts in their minds.
One is a young man from a noble family, rich and glorious, and loved by everyone;
One is a wanderer, who has experienced all kinds of life;
One is the local gambling king, who is cunning but spotless.
On the night he passed through Dengtian Pavilion, Baili Dongjun wrote a letter home.
Fortunately, the carrier pigeon in Shaobai's world was conscientious and delivered the letter back to the Zhenxi Marquis Mansion before the New Year's Eve dinner was over.
Although the words in the letter were as plain and simple as before, they fully expressed the writer's longing for his grandfather and mother, and of course he also mentioned the prince.
I believe that when the letter was delivered to Wen Luoyuhe, Baili Chengfeng must have had a very funny expression on his face.
What he didn't know was that at this time Baili Chengfeng was leading thousands of cavalry in Yuzhou to attack cities and seize land.
Fortunately, it didn't take much effort. In just ten days, they conquered all 36 counties in Min and Yu states.
When the governor of Minzhou heard that the Pofeng Army was attacking, he actually gave up resistance and opened the city gates to surrender early.
Feng Jiyao, the commander of the Yuzhou garrison, put up only a few symbolic resistance before he tied his hands, dismounted and surrendered.
Grandfather Baili Luochen, whom Baili Dongjun had always missed, was now riding on a horse, embarking on a journey to govern Min and Yu states.
Therefore, the only relatives who received the letter from home were his mother Wen Luoyu and his cousin Wen Yanzhao, who was making medicine in batches.
……
Qiandong City, Zhenxi Marquis Mansion.
After the New Year's Eve dinner, Rui'er and Wen Luoyu stayed by the window to watch the New Year's Eve. Wen Luoyu frowned slightly, thinking about her son and husband.
If it weren’t for my nephew Wen Yanzhao, this year’s New Year’s Eve dinner would have been even more lonely.
Just when Wen Luoyu was lost in thought about Baili Dongjun, a few "coo, coo" calls of pigeons suddenly sounded outside the window.
Wen Luoyu was startled. Hearing the sound, he knew it was the carrier pigeon of the Baili family, so he opened his mouth and ordered:
"Rui'er, go and take a look!"
Upon hearing the sound, Rui'er immediately pushed the door open and found that the carrier pigeon was the one following Baili Dongjun, so he brought it back.
"Princess, it's a letter from the young master!"
Wen Luoyu was delighted and immediately took the carrier pigeon and pulled it out to take a look. Sure enough, it was Baili Dongjun's crooked handwriting -
"Mom, Happy New Year, Grandpa!"
I'm Dongjun, and I have good news for you. I've already cleared the sixteenth floor of Xueyue City's incredibly difficult Dengtian Pavilion! The sixteenth floor is filled with veterans who are as skilled as the Crown Prince. Give me some praise! Mother, Dongjun has been away from home for a long time. You should take care of yourself, stay calm, and don't argue with the Crown Prince. The last time I saw you, you were learning needlework. Be careful with the embroidery needle; it's easy to prick your fingers. If you need to do delicate tasks, ask Rui'er to help you; she's very skilled.
Tell Grandpa I miss him dearly! Qiandong City is cold and damp in the winter. Tell Grandpa to wear wolfskin kneepads. He has an old knee injury, so he shouldn't ride horses all the time! Tell Lieutenant General Chen to arrange a carriage for Grandpa. Once I've finished learning from Master, I'll go home to see you.
Oh, by the way, mother, please tell the prince that he is really tired commanding the troops outside! Tell him to take good care of himself and you to beat him less. When I get back, I will treat him to my newly brewed Xue Luo Qian Han! Okay, Master has called me to have the New Year's Eve dinner, wait for me to come home!"
pat, pat.
The ink on the letter paper was blurred by Wen Luoyu's tears.
Wen Luoyu smiled with tears in her eyes, staring at the note in her hand with her heart churning.
The reason is simple: Baili Dongjun has never been away from home for so long since he was born.
Moreover, he had gone through the dispute between Gu Yan in Chaisang City and the great test in Tianqi City, and had narrowly escaped death several times. How could a mother not be worried about him?
"Dongjun has only been out for over half a year, but he seems to have grown up a lot."
Wen Luoyu took the handkerchief handed to her by Rui'er, gently wiped the tears from her face and talked to herself.
Rui'er smiled brightly, "Young Master is a sensible and well-behaved child. I'm sure he's become more mature after training with Mr. Li for so long!"
Wen Luoyu carefully rolled up the note, stuffed it into her arms and said with a smile:
"Ah~ As a mother, I can finally rest assured."
"Rui'er, get some paper and pen. Although my father won't let me tell Dongjun about our family situation, he is still Baili Luochen's grandson. I intend for him to live a carefree and happy life, but a man still has to accomplish great things!"
Rui'er took the order, took the paper and pen and placed them on the table, poured water from the teapot and began to grind ink.
Wen Luoyu was determined. She picked up the wolf-hair brush and began to write a letter to Baili Dongjun.
……
Pofeng Army, West Camp.
Different from the peaceful and tranquil Zhenxi Marquis Mansion, in the west camp of Qiandong City, there is a figure who is busy all the time.
A large warehouse, more than several dozen feet wide, was newly built in the southeast of the West Camp. It was made of fir wood for pillars and oak wood for rafters, with stones piled underneath and covered with green tiles on top.
The entire warehouse is very solid and is used by Wen Yanzhao to test the medicine.
Wen Yanzhao naturally lived up to everyone's expectations. Since arriving in Qiandong City, he has been working day and night to refine the hundreds of medicine man embryos that Baili Chengfeng escorted to him one by one. Except for a few who could not withstand the effects of the medicine and died suddenly, the rest have been successful.
All of these embryos were death row prisoners brought back by Baili Chengfeng from the four states that he had already conquered, and they were also mixed with many bandits and bullies that he had captured along the way.
Although Wen Yanzhao was one of the few remaining masters in the Divine Wandering Profound Realm, he knew very well that his own strength alone was not enough to confront Beili's hundreds of thousands of troops head-on.
Even if I kill all these people with poison, what benefit will it bring to me?
It would only add to the killing. Moreover, most of these soldiers would voluntarily surrender when they encountered the Pofeng Army.
In addition to increasing one's own bargaining chips, another reason for refining medicine is to prepare for the fight against the immortals in the four realms.
This is something.
Let’s not disturb Wen Yanzhao who is concentrating on his work for now, let’s go and see what others are doing.
……
Tianqi City, Zichen Palace.
As the lights come on, the imperial capital is bustling with activity.
The starry sky is bright and the fireworks are dazzling.
In contrast, there was Emperor Tai'an who was seriously ill in the Zichen Palace.
The most respected seventh prince, Prince Langya, is in Shu. The third prince, Xiao Ruojin, who was extremely frightened after his concubine was taken away, is hiding in his mansion in fear. The grass on the tomb of Prince Qing, who used to be obedient, is now two feet high.
Poor emperor, when he was seriously ill, there was not a single filial son by his bedside, only a gloomy-faced eunuch Zhuoqing, serving him.
"Your Majesty, this is a talisman that the Imperial Master obtained for you to cure illnesses and diseases. It says that after midnight, at the beginning of the new year, if you burn it and take it with cinnabar, it will definitely have miraculous effects!"
Zhuoqing stood in front of Xiao Chongjing's bed, holding a cinnabar yellow paper talisman.
Xiao Chongjing closed his eyes slightly and raised his hand with difficulty to wave:
"It's no use. I know my own health very well. If you eat all kinds of grains, you're bound to get sick!"
"Have you managed to find any results with the people you sent to look for Medicine King Xin Baicao?"
Zhuo Qing's heart trembled, and he bent his waist even deeper:
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I have failed to do my job well and have not yet found the whereabouts of the Medicine King..."
Xiao Chongjing's heart sank when he heard this, and after a long while he gasped and replied:
"Alas... I don't blame you. Send someone to continue looking!"
"Has the wind returned?"
Zhuoqing wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and replied:
"Prince Langya has not returned since leaving the capital. Someone in Shu sent a letter saying that Prince Langya and Lei Meng are currently fighting in Guixi City."
Xiao Chongjing: "I understand. Ask the Minister of State and several ministers to handle the affairs of state. I will not be attending court for a long time."
"Also... take back the imperial seal and place it in the Purple Palace. All memorials requiring red seals must be submitted in front of me."
Zhuoqing naturally understood that the old emperor was afraid that someone would abuse his power and cause chaos, so he immediately knelt down and replied:
"I will obey your command and draft your Majesty's order today and announce it to all the ministers!"
……
Sanqipu, Yunzhou border.
With the joint efforts of Ye Dingzhi and Ye Xiaofan, the thatched house was finally renovated.
The thatched roof was replaced with kiln-made green tiles, and the beams and pillars were all made of high-quality wood.
Even the window panes were specially made and installed by craftsmen invited from Yunzhou City.
It’s more like a renovation than a renovation.
But Ye Dingzhi was very stubborn. He was the one who paid for the money and did most of the work. Even after the house was built, he still called it a thatched house.
But Ye Xiaofan preferred to call it the Green-tiled House, because only the richest family in the village had a Green-tiled House.
Later, under the persuasion of their sister Shen Qiqi, the two brothers compromised with each other.
From then on, Ye Dingzhi sincerely felt that he finally had a home.
Although it is a green-tiled house that is only slightly better than a thatched house, it houses Ye Xiaofan, Shen Qiqi, and the old man and his wife Shen who love him and treat him like their own son.
On New Year's Eve, the door of the blue-tiled house was open.
There are ribs stewing in the pot, and a pot of beef brisket is placed on the pot fork, which emits some wonderful aroma under the steaming heat.
"Sister, can we eat now? I can't wait!"
Ye Xiaofan was looking at the stove, drooling.
Shen Qiqi brushed away her hair and wrapped the pot lid tightly with a towel.
"What's the rush? Go kowtow to your father and mother. After you kowtow, your father will give you New Year's money!"
Ye Xiaofan didn't seem to care about the New Year's money because Ye Dingzhi had given him a large sum of gold and silver when he returned to Tianqi.
"I've already knocked my head three times. Now I just want to taste whether the ribs are cooked."
Ye Xiaofan shook his little head and looked at his sister expectantly.
"Go, go, I'll call you when I'm done!"
At this moment, a gust of wind rushed in from outside, and Ye Dingzhi was holding a string of red firecrackers in his hand.
The door frame was a little close, and he lowered his head slightly and bumped into Shen Qiqi who turned around to get the ladle.
"oops!"
The girl screamed in shock, her face flushed with shame. Ye Dingzhi held her up and spoke gently:
"Qiqi, why are you so careless? Did you bump into anything?"
Shen Qiqi lowered her head, her voice as thin as a mosquito's buzzing:
"It's okay, I was just too careless..."
Ye Xiaofan jumped out at an inopportune moment, grabbed the firecrackers from Ye Dingzhi's hand, and shouted excitedly:
"Wow! It's firecrackers! Are you buying this for me?"
Ye Dingzhi nodded and rubbed Ye Xiaofan's hair.
Ye Xiaofan jumped up and down while holding the firecrackers: "Ye Dingzhi, I declare that from today on, you and I are the best friends in the world!"
As soon as these words were spoken, Ye Dingzhi and Shen Qiqi burst into laughter.
"Thunderbolt!"
"Thunderbolt!"
Ye Dingzhi used a long branch to raise the firecracker high, and Ye Xiaofan lit the fuse...
The red paper wrapping the firecrackers was blown to pieces with a deafening sound, and fell all over Ye Dingzhi's head and body.
Shen Qiqi covered her ears and leaned against the door frame. She actually saw a smile on Ye Dingzhi's face that she hadn't seen in a long time...
It was peaceful and reassuring, just like when he first came from Nanjue and settled in this village many years ago.
"Let's eat!"
The New Year's Eve dinner was simple but sumptuous, with stewed beef brisket, lamb ribs, winter bamboo shoots and bacon, a plate of fried fennel beans, and a dish of Ye Xiaofan's favorite braised pork.
There was a jar of rice wine on the table, with a new mud seal. Everyone had a smile on their face, calm and happy.
In the corner, the Zhenwu sword, which had not been unsheathed for a long time, was quietly leaning against the water tank, with a wooden sword standing next to it.
"Ye Dingzhi, what are your plans for next year?"
"Wait until you've mastered the Poetry Sword Technique!"
"My sister will be eighteen next year. How long do I have to wait?"
"You little brat, do you think your sister is too old?!"
"Sister, sister...be gentle, you're about to twist my ears off...I just want you to marry Ye Dingzhi as soon as possible!"
"You little bastard, stop talking nonsense in front of your parents!"
"..."
After a long time, Ye Xiaofan, having eaten and drunk his fill, slipped out to play with the children from the same village. Old man Shen and his wife also went back to rest, and the blue-tiled house returned to peace.
Under the starry night, Ye Dingzhi sat on the doorstep and looked up at the starry sky, as if he was still thinking of that name in his heart.
Suddenly, a fur robe appeared on his shoulders, and there was a pair of slender hands with slightly calloused features.
"Thank you, Qiqi, you are still awake."
Ye Dingzhi thanked him softly.
Shen Qiqi responded: "It's cold outside, go back to the house and rest early."
Ye Dingzhi nodded and teased the new leather coat on his body.
The fur coat was very soft and warm. Shen Qiqi had spent several months making it, and her hands had more than a dozen stitches on them.
"Do you still think about her?"
Shen Qiqi stood beside Ye Dingzhi and asked tentatively.
Ye Ding was stunned and didn't comment, but his heartbeat betrayed him.
"It's okay. I know you're sentimental. If you forget her right away, I'll look down on you."
Shen Qiqi's words made Ye Dingzhi feel better.
"Qiqi, I..."
Ye Dingzhi hesitated to speak.
Shen Qiqi turned around, her eyes like stars in the night sky:
"I understand. Don't worry, I will wait until you have a place in your heart that belongs to me."
This time, the boy's face was even redder than the girl's.
……