Seeing Empress Dowager Yan’s absent-minded appearance, her maid cleaned her hands and stood beside the Empress Dowager, bending down to adjust the fine white fur blanket draped over her legs while saying in a low voice: “Empress Dowager, today is New Year’s Eve. Even if His Majesty and the Ninth Prince return, they’ll have to go inspect the camp and certainly speak with the soldiers for a while. Why don’t you have some bird’s nest porridge first to tide you over?”
“No…” Empress Dowager Yan rubbed the hand warmer cover embroidered with azure bamboo in her arms, let out a long sigh, then pulled out her handkerchief to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes.
“The Empress Dowager is thinking of the Late Emperor.” Her maid also reddened her eyes, knowing that the Empress Dowager and the Late Emperor had deep feelings for each other.
“In previous years on this day, the Late Emperor would always be by my side, accompanying me. He would always surprise me with little trinkets to make me happy. The Late Emperor always said the national treasury was tight, so he could only give me worthless little things, but… A’Nu, in my heart, I was very joyful. No matter what he gave me, it showed that he had me in his heart! I was truly very happy…”
Thinking of all the past moments with Murong Yu, Empress Dowager Yan’s tears flowed like streams. She wished she could go to Murong Yu right now, but if she left, there would be no one to restrain A’Yan. If he developed other thoughts, her child simply couldn’t handle it.
Empress Dowager Yan was clear in her heart that although she had no great abilities, Murong Yan had always respected her as his sister-in-law. With her present… A’Yan ultimately wouldn’t act without any scruples.
“A’Nu, do you think… A’Yan might not come back to celebrate New Year’s Eve? After all, today is New Year’s Eve, and that Great Zhou Emperor is carrying his flesh and blood. How can A’Li and I compare in importance to his child?” Empress Dowager Yan’s heart ached painfully.
Just as she was speaking, a little eunuch outside lifted the curtain and entered, bowing before saying: “Empress Dowager, His Majesty and the Ninth Prince are coming this way!”
Empress Dowager Yan quickly dabbed her tears with her handkerchief, supporting herself on A’Nu’s hand as she stood up, showing a joyful smile: “Quickly go, have several people carry lanterns to welcome them. Today, the wind and snow are heavy… tell His Majesty and the Ninth Prince to be careful of slippery roads!”
“Yes!”
“Go warm a pot of the fruit honey that Consort Meng personally brewed. That apricot blossom honey has a rich fragrance and leaves a lingering taste. Although A’Li is young, he can drink two cups! Also, let A’Yan taste Consort Meng’s craftsmanship.” Empress Dowager Yan said with a smile.
“Alright!” A’Nu responded and turned to warm the fruit honey.
Murong Li and Murong Yan entered carrying the cold air, removing their heavy cloaks before stepping forward to pay respects to Empress Dowager Yan.
“Your son greets Mother! Happy New Year, Mother!”
“A’Yan greets Sister-in-law! Happy New Year, Sister-in-law!”
Seeing that Murong Yan, who had already removed his mask, had a smile between his brows and seemed not to mind the words she had said before, Empress Dowager Yan felt much more at ease.
She turned to glance at her personal maid A’Nu, who quickly smiled and brought forward a red lacquered gold-decorated square tray painted with bamboo, containing two red pouches—one embroidered with a golden dragon, the other with a golden python.
Empress Dowager Yan picked up the pouch embroidered with the golden dragon from the tray, smiling as she said to Murong Li: “A’Li, this is the New Year’s money pouch Mother gives you. In the coming year… you must continue to work hard and be a good emperor who won’t disappoint your father and your Ninth Uncle!”
Murong Li stepped forward to receive the pouch, smiling as he said: “Your son will also be a good emperor who puts Mother at ease and puts the people at ease.”
Empress Dowager Yan smiled and nodded, taking the pouch embroidered with the golden python from the tray, looking at Murong Yan with a smile: “A’Yan, in previous years when you weren’t home for New Year’s Eve, your elder brother would always prepare a New Year’s money pouch for you, saying he’d give it to you when you returned! This year… A’Yan is indeed in Yan Kingdom for the New Year, but your elder brother…”
Speaking to this point, Empress Dowager Yan’s voice choked, and her eyes reddened again. She forced herself to maintain her composure and smiled at Murong Yan: “So this year’s New Year’s money pouch, your sister-in-law gives to you! Don’t take to heart what your sister-in-law said that day. Your sister-in-law was narrow-minded and hurt our A’Yan’s heart.”
“Sister-in-law, we’re family, so let’s not speak as strangers! Even teeth and tongue sometimes knock against each other, and relatives in ordinary families also bicker. It’s just that because we were born into the imperial family, when we discuss family matters… we’re also discussing state affairs!” Murong Yan wanted to ease the atmosphere, his gaze falling on the pouch in Empress Dowager Yan’s hands. “Sister-in-law, A’Yan is already an adult! Taking this New Year’s money pouch, wouldn’t little A’Li laugh at me?”
Empress Dowager Yan was amused into laughter: “He wouldn’t dare! In your sister-in-law’s eyes… you’ll forever be that child your sister-in-law first met!”
Murong Yan no longer stood on ceremony, stepping forward to receive the New Year’s money pouch and thanking her solemnly.
“Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, Ninth Prince, the dishes have been reheated once more and are ready to eat!” A’Nu stepped forward and bowed.
Murong Yan sat down at the round table, watching his sister-in-law continuously serving food onto his and Murong Li’s plates, inevitably thinking of Bai Qingyan again…
If Bai Qingyan hadn’t told him to return for New Year’s Eve, he would certainly have stayed in Great Zhou to accompany Bai Qingyan. And his sister-in-law, spending her first New Year’s Eve without his elder brother’s company, would have been so sad. She might have become even more suspicious that he would one day hand over the Yan Kingdom to Bai Qingyan, developing deeper misunderstandings about the Great Zhou and him.
“Your elder brother said this braised lion’s head dish was Mother’s specialty, and A’Yan loved eating it most when he was young. I made this following the recipe Mother left behind. This is only the second time I’ve made it, so I don’t know how it tastes. A’Yan, try it!” Empress Dowager Yan served him a piece, smiling as she had him taste it.
When his mother was still alive in his childhood, during breaks from handling court affairs, she always liked to make many foods for their brothers that they had never heard of or seen before. After my mother passed away, those flavors gradually faded from memory with time.
“Thank you, sister-in-law!” Murong Yan smiled.
Watching his mother and Ninth Uncle getting along harmoniously, Murong Li’s expression also brightened with more smiles. This was how a family should be.
·
White snow fell all night, covering all the layered eaves and azure tiles of Pingdu City under crystalline snow-white, even the charred ruins had accumulated thick layers of fluffy white snow on top.
Bai Jinzhi rose early and came to Bai Qingyan’s place for breakfast, incidentally wanting to find out how her elder sister planned to proceed. But just as she arrived outside her elder sister’s door, she heard Fifth Brother once again bringing up the matter of having her elder sister return to the capital city.
She quickly signaled Wei Zhong not to announce her, pressing her ear against the carved partition to eavesdrop.
“The spring examinations begin at the end of February or early March. At the latest, I must return before the palace examination, so I’ll set the departure for the end of the first month…” Bai Qingyan cleaned her hands and served Bai Qingyu a piece of steamed cake with her chopsticks, smiling as she looked toward the door. “Xiao Si, come in for breakfast too. Stop eavesdropping.”
Bai Jinzhi lifted the padded blue-gray curtain and entered, smiling as she said: “I just arrived and haven’t heard anything yet!”
Speaking thus, Bai Jinzhi walked to the brazier to warm her hands by the fire, then cleaned her hands before sitting at the round table. Wei Zhong added a set of bowls and chopsticks for Bai Jinzhi and served her a bowl of porridge before retreating to the side.