Early in the morning, snow still fell softly outside as Ming Tan found herself pinned to the bed for another passionate encounter.
As she rose, her hair disheveled and cheeks flushed, the maids who came to attend to her kept their eyes lowered. Yet Ming Tan couldn’t shake the feeling that knowing smiles played on their faces, making her uncomfortably self-conscious.
On this New Year’s Eve, the household was dressed in festive attire to welcome the new and bid farewell to the old. The maids wore vibrant new jackets, while Ming Tan donned a striking red fox cape. Only Jiang Xu stood out, still clad in his usual thin, dark silk robes.
Ming Tan tried to persuade him to change, but he insisted he needed to visit the training grounds and heavier clothes would be inconvenient. She conceded, “Then, my lord, wear this crane-patterned robe for now. I’ll hold it for you when we reach the grounds.”
With that, she picked up the robe and stood on tiptoes to drape it over Jiang Xu’s shoulders.
After a night of snowfall, the rooftops and tree branches were blanketed in white. At the training grounds, servants had already cleared a space for their lord to practice his swordplay.
Ming Tan sat nearby, clutching his robe and a small hand warmer. Jiang Xu, whether intentionally or not, soon moved beyond the cleared area into the snow. His dark attire contrasted sharply with the pristine white as he executed each move with precision and grace.
Mesmerized, Ming Tan watched intently, her thoughts filled with admiration: “How handsome my husband is! How skilled!”
Her eyes never left Jiang Xu as his blade danced, sending snowflakes swirling through the air. Even as he sheathed his sword, she remained captivated.
As Jiang Xu walked back towards her, Ming Tan suddenly noticed a small snow lion had been sculpted in the snow behind him, carved by his sword strokes.
Amazed, she hurried over to examine the crouching snow creature, its form already taking shape. “My lord,” she exclaimed sincerely, “you’re incredible! To create something so adorable with just your sword!”
Jiang Xu casually broke off a dry twig and handed it to her. “You can finish the rest.”
Ming Tan nodded eagerly and crouched down to add details to the snow lion’s fur. The cold quickly numbed her hands, forcing her to alternate between her left and right, tucking each into her sleeve to warm up.
Thankfully, there wasn’t much left to do. Soon, she stood back to admire their handiwork, her eyes crinkling with satisfaction at the lifelike result.
Jiang Xu glanced at her reddened hands and discreetly slipped the hand warmer back into her grasp.
…
Meanwhile, Bai Minmin, sharing a similar mindset to Ming Tan, had also decided to build snow lions with the children of the household upon seeing the snowfall.
However, working with children proved far more challenging than collaborating with the Prince of Beidi. The little ones, well-meaning but unhelpful, caused more chaos than assistance.
After a morning of frustration that nearly drove her to exasperation, Bai Minmin’s hands were painfully red and numb. Back in her room, as she soaked them in warm water, her maid fretted and scolded, hastily applying frostbite ointment.
Days later, during the New Year visits, Bai Minmin met with Ming Tan. Before she could share her woes, Ming Tan enthusiastically recounted how she and her husband had built an adorable yet majestic snow lion. She even suggested they build one together next time it snowed.
Puzzled, Bai Minmin asked, “Weren’t your hands cold?”
“Why would they be cold?” Ming Tan replied.
Bai Minmin was bewildered. Upon further inquiry, she discovered that Ming Tan’s idea of “building” a snow lion consisted of her husband doing most of the work, while she merely added a few finishing touches with a twig before quickly returning to her hand warmer.
“Well, well,” Bai Minmin thought, “how nice to have a doting husband.” For the first time in her two years of marriage troubles, she felt a twinge of envy and a sudden urge to find a good match.
But let’s set aside what followed and return to New Year’s Eve. After completing the snow lion, Ming Tan and Jiang Xu distributed three months’ worth of bonuses to the household staff, along with words of gratitude and encouragement. The servants were filled with joy and appreciation.
In truth, the prince’s household had never mistreated them, but it had always been cold and solemn. Now, with the arrival of the princess, the festivities finally felt complete.
Ming Tan was unaware that this was the first time Jiang Xu had celebrated the New Year in his residence since coming of age and establishing his household.
In previous years, he had spent the holiday either at the border or in the palace.
The border, despite harsh conditions, had its charms. The army cooks would prepare a feast, and everyone would gather around bonfires to roast lamb, creating a lively atmosphere. The palace, however, held little appeal for him. Alone, even the grandest fireworks seemed cold and unimpressive to his eyes.
From the south-facing windows of the Prince of Beidi’s residence, one could see the fireworks over the imperial palace. Yet on this night, it seemed no one in the household paid them any special attention.
In the Qian Hall, Ming Tan and her maids laughed and played, chasing each other with sparklers and firecrackers.
In the courtyard, a fire was lit, and the chef’s marinated lamb rotated on a spit. The skin sizzled and cracked, turning a golden brown.
Nearby, a table was set up with a milky-white hot pot, bubbling away. Thinly sliced beef and mutton, fresh vegetables, and an array of dipping sauces completed the spread, promising a delicious feast.
Jiang Xu sat at the table, drinking alone, his gaze never straying from the petite figure in the red fox cape.
The maids, who normally feared him, seemed to have forgotten their place in the festive atmosphere. They laughed and played with the princess without restraint, and the prince showed no signs of anger or reproach.
Nevertheless, aware of his presence, they maintained some decorum. When Ming Tan tired and sat down to rest, the maids courteously bowed and withdrew.
Ming Tan’s forehead glistened with a fine sheen of sweat. She took a sip of the fruit wine Jiang Xu had poured, her eyes crinkling with contentment.
Seeing they were alone and confirming there were no hidden chambers nearby, Ming Tan, still buzzing with excitement, moved to sit on Jiang Xu’s lap.
“My lord,” she said earnestly, looking into his eyes, “this is the happiest New Year’s Eve I’ve ever had. Celebrating with you feels like having a real home. I’m truly, deeply happy.”
Jiang Xu gazed at her, about to respond, when Ming Tan suddenly remembered something. “Oh, right! I have a gift for you.”
She had been carrying it close to her heart. After a moment of searching, she proudly presented it to him.
It was a familiar mandarin duck-patterned sachet, though the colors differed slightly from the one he had received before. This one had an interlocking heart-shaped tassel at the bottom.
He opened the sachet to find a lock of hair tied with a red string. The strands varied in length, clearly collected rather than cut.
Ming Tan explained sheepishly, “I take such good care of my hair, I couldn’t bear to cut it. And I wouldn’t dare cut yours, so I gathered these from our bed and dressing table.” Her tone grew more confident as she continued, “Well… anyway if it’s not yours, it’s mine. With my hair mixed with yours, it symbolizes ‘husband and wife joined in matrimony, their love and trust undivided’!”
Jiang Xu examined the gift silently.
Ming Tan began to feel slightly embarrassed. What kind of “joining of hair” was this if she couldn’t even bring herself to cut it? Would her husband find it distasteful?
As she hesitated, wondering if there was still time to cut a proper lock, Jiang Xu closed the sachet and tucked it into his robes. “The princess’s gift pleases me greatly.”
Catching himself, he quickly corrected, “Tan’er, I love your gift.”
Ming Tan sighed in relief. “I’m so glad you like it!”
“But I haven’t prepared a gift for you,” Jiang Xu mused. After a moment, he suggested, “How about this: tell me a wish. If I can fulfill it, that will be my gift to you.”
Ming Tan hadn’t expected a return gift, and now, presented with this opportunity, she found herself at a loss.
“Hmm… let me think,” she said, furrowing her brow.
“Take your time,” Jiang Xu said solemnly. “But remember, for it to count as a New Year’s gift, you must decide before midnight.”
How unfair!
Ming Tan shot him an accusing look but wracked her brain nonetheless.
As she pondered, Ming Tan nibbled on some food and sipped more fruit wine.
As midnight approached, Jiang Xu obliged her tipsy request and carried her to the rooftop.
The Prince of Beidi’s residence, built to royal specifications, stood taller than its neighbors. On this night, the capital was aglow with countless lanterns. As the hour struck, fireworks burst into the sky, not only from the imperial palace but from the homes of the wealthy throughout the city. For a moment, the night sky blazed as bright as day.
Nestled in Jiang Xu’s arms, Ming Tan watched the dazzling display, murmuring to her husband, “It’s beautiful, but not unique.”
Jiang Xu hummed in agreement.
They had both witnessed the most spectacular fireworks of their lives over Snow-Reflecting Lake in Li County.
As the clamor subsided and night reclaimed the sky, Ming Tan, still slightly dizzy, suddenly exclaimed, “It’s snowing!”
Jiang Xu looked up to see crystalline snowflakes drifting down through the darkness.
They sat in silence for a while, until the snow began to fall more heavily. Then, Jiang Xu carried Ming Tan down from the roof.
As he moved to take her inside, Ming Tan reminded him, “We’re supposed to stay up all night on New Year’s Eve.”
“There’s much to do on New Year’s Day. We should rest now,” he countered.
Seeing the logic in his words, Ming Tan didn’t insist. After all, with just the two of them in the residence, staying up or not made little difference as long as they were together.
As they settled into bed, Ming Tan clung to Jiang Xu, reluctant to let go.
Just before drifting off to sleep, she finally decided on her wish.
Leaning close to Jiang Xu’s ear, she whispered drowsily, “My lord, my wish is for you to love me a little more in the coming year. Just a bit more than now. That way, if I make this wish every year, you’ll love me more and more…”
Jiang Xu gazed at her silently.
This wish, he realized, might be beyond his power to grant. Because at that moment, he felt he already loved her deeply.