Chapter 89: Time Has Long Been Written
It was snowing.
The red walls of the Imperial Palace in the capital were capped with white.
The entire Imperial Palace was covered in a snow-white roof, appearing exceptionally pristine.
Officials submitted memorials stating that auspicious snow foretells a bountiful year. It hadn’t snowed for three years, so this snowfall was a great omen.
It happened to coincide with Heir Han’s birthday.
The Emperor wanted to personally celebrate Heir Han’s birthday.
No one in the capital was unaware of how favored Heir Han was.
His status was even more exalted than the Crown Prince’s had been back in the day.
If you offended the Crown Prince, he was magnanimous and wouldn’t do anything to you.
But if you offended Heir Han, Heir Han was certainly not magnanimous; he would torment you to death.
The Emperor would only laugh it off, finding his nephew’s temperament straightforward and adorable.
Heir Han’s consort lacked good fortune; she passed away just three years after marrying into the family.
The Emperor intended to select a new consort for Heir Han.
On this day, all titled court ladies brought their eligible children to the palace.
The palace banquet lasted until midnight.
Songs and dances filled the air.
Wine flowed freely.
The Emperor, having drunk too much, held his young favorite concubine and pointed at the play on stage.
The soldier carrying urgent documents was stopped outside the Imperial Palace.
The Prefecture City of Jingzhou had fallen!
In a small room inside the Imperial Palace, a young eunuch, beaten to the brink of death, braved the snow and stumbled his way out.
He staggered and stumbled.
He collided with the magnificent stage.
He grabbed a red garment, his face paler than the snow, and began to sing. His voice was plaintive and sobbing, like a cuckoo weeping blood. The Emperor suddenly stepped off the stage and, swaying, hoisted the little eunuch up.
…
After the snow.
The sky cleared.
“The sun has not failed us, and we must not fail the sun.” (Note 1)
Jiang Mianmian woke up early and dressed exceptionally, exceptionally warmly.
Mother said it is colder after the snow than when it is snowing.
She dressed Jiang Mianmian until she looked like a literal ball.
She counted that she was wearing about eight layers of clothing, plus two small robes on the outside.
The snow in the courtyard was very, very thick, truly like a thick quilt.
Once dressed, Jiang Mianmian dashed into the courtyard.
Her two legs stumbled, she paused for a moment, and then she lost her balance and flopped onto the snowy ground.
It didn’t hurt at all.
She struggled to prop up her ball-like self with her hands, tried hard to support herself with her legs, wiggled her little bottom to cheer herself on, then climbed up and continued stumbling forward.
Then, splat.
She flopped onto the ground again.
Jiang Mianmian was tired and didn’t want to climb up anymore. Her face couldn’t even touch the ground because she was dressed too roundly; she was like a little turtle, belly against the ground, limbs flailing.
“Pfft.” Laughter came from outside the courtyard.
Jiang Mianmian struggled to lift her head to look.
Standing at the gate was a little boy wearing a small cloak, with bright armor on his knees and chest, and holding a small sword in his hand.
Beside him stood a burly, expressionless man as sturdy as a tower, and a thin gentleman in a long robe with a small mustache on his face.
It was the little boy who had laughed at her.
The little boy had very white teeth, and he looked very handsome when he smiled.
Toothbrushes weren’t very good at this time, so it was rare to have teeth this white.
Jiang Mianmian was tired from lifting her head, so she flopped it back down.
Another laugh came from the gate.
“Mr. Jiang, Mr. Jiang, guests have arrived!” Xiao Wu, who was following the three, shouted loudly.
Jiang Mianmian watched the little ants at the gate running busily. The vigilance of the people in this village wasn’t even as good as her little ants; by the time they shouted, she would have already been carried away.
The group at the courtyard gate saw the infant flopped on the ground and found her exceptionally adorable.
Just then, however, they saw a white horse in the snow open its mouth and bite the infant’s back.
The burly man as sturdy as a tower beside the young boy almost drew his weapon to strike the horse.
But they saw the horse open its mouth wide, only to grab the infant’s clothes and drag her up.
Seeing that she was sitting steadily, it released its teeth.
It stood before the infant like a majestic guard.
Jiang Mianmian sat on the snow, looking at the little boy who was mocking her. Even if she lost the battle, she wouldn’t lose her spirit; she glared at the little brat with a serious and earnest expression.
Jiang Changtian walked out and picked up Mianmian, who was sitting in the snow.
The people standing at the gate were all calm and composed; even that child had a natural air of someone in a superior position.
Paying a visit and seeing an exquisitely beautiful infant—while somewhat stunning—was still acceptable.
After all, she was just an infant.
But when they saw the long-haired young man in a gray robe walk out, they were all stunned.
“Green robes dampen the silk sash, an excellent scholar is like a flying dragon!”
The young man’s green robe was still dusted with flour, as if he had been preparing food.
He came out, first picked up the infant, gently patted her, then touched the infant’s face, hands, and feet, before finally looking at them.
The young man smiled before speaking; he appeared to be a very gentle and kind man.
“I did not know distinguished guests were coming and failed to welcome you from afar. Please, come in.”
The group pushed the door open and entered, dirtying the white snow in the courtyard.
Jiang Changtian did not mind at all and led them to the reception room.
It was very simple: a table, a few floor cushions, and two wooden shelves nailed to the wall. One shelf held a few books, and the other held a row of inverted bamboo cups.
There were no paintings on the walls.
There were no decorative vases in the room either.
Not even a single flower branch.
But sitting here, one could see the two trees at the gate.
One tree had only branches, while the other still had leaves, now covered in white snow.
“Please sit. My humble abode is simple, so please do not mind,” Jiang Changtian said.
Qin Luoxia had already brought over two bamboo-woven pottery jars. They were pottery jars inside, wrapped in a woven bamboo basket on the outside to prevent burns.
Inside the pottery jars was charcoal.
This was equivalent to a charcoal brazier, used for heating.
She brought the jars over, nodded slightly nervously at the visitors as a greeting.
The small room became slightly warmer with the two pottery jars placed inside.
“Thank you, Sister Xia. Please help bring over a pot of tea,” Jiang Changtian said.
Qin Luoxia looked at Mianmian in his arms and asked, “Husband, do you want me to take the baby away?”
Seeing the capable woman bring things in, the man with the mustache assumed she was a servant.
She was a very spirited and heroic country woman, but given Mr. Jiang’s appearance, it made sense that his servant would be a bit special.
However, he didn’t expect this woman to actually be his wife.
“No need. Mianmian is very well-behaved; I’ll just hold her. You go be busy, and prepare some more food,” Jiang Changtian said gently.
Jiang Mianmian felt that Father’s eyes were filled with affection… something must have happened between the two that she didn’t know about, hmph.
Qin Luoxia left shyly and quickly returned with a large pot of water.
She deftly scalded the bamboo cups, poured water into them, and placed the pot on the pottery jar to maintain the water temperature.
She was extremely fast; before everyone had even thought of what to say, she had already served the hot water.
Jiang Mianmian had a cup too.
She said sweetly, “Thank you, Mother.”
The man with the mustache spoke, “Thank you, Madam.”
The little boy followed up and shouted, “Thank you, Madam.”
Qin Luoxia blushed at being called “Madam” twice, but she still responded generously.
Everyone could see her awkwardness, but they could also feel that she was an extremely good and gentle woman.
The man like a tower stood outside the room, while the young boy and the gentleman with the mustache sat inside, along with Jiang Mianmian and Father.
Qin Luoxia came out and handed a cup of water to the man like a tower, saying, “Big Brother, you have a cup too to warm yourself up.”
The man like a tower shook his head and refused.
Qin Luoxia did not insist. However, when handing the water, she glanced at his weapons—two large sabers. They were very sharp and heavy; they looked like excellent blades.
(Note 1: A very good quote from Mr. Shen Congwen, which feels just right to use here. Because today is very special.)
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