In a flash new year's eve arrived, snowflakes danced in the breeze, Ji Ling Xue wore the fluffy jacket Mo Xiang made as she hung rhyming couplets and door god on the door.
Mo Xiang stood on tiptoes asking: "Princess, help me take a look if the couplets are aligned."
Ji Ling Xue backed out of the courtyard, smiling: "They're not aligned, a bit further up."
The pitiful Mo Xiang jumped up, but it wasn't enough, she turned her head looking at Ji Ling Xue grudgingly: "Princess are you making fun of this servant?"
JI Ling Xue laughed heartily, "It's fine, lets get An Ge to stick them up."
Mo Xiang yelled into the air: "An Ge come quickly!"
An Ge dressed in black stood in front of Ji Ling Xue bowing, Ji Ling Xue blinked: "You are An Ge?"
Having rested for almost half a month, An Ge's injuries were almost healed, Mo Xiang delivered all kinds of supplement soups to him everyday, An Ge clearly protruding face gradually filled out, so it was no wonder Ji Ling Xue asked this.
An Ge scratched his head in embarrassment, "This servant is An Ge, princess, you haven't seen this servant for a while, but you couldn't have forgotten this servant right?"
Ji Ling Xue lips twitched, she said: "You've gotten a little chubby so I couldn't recognise you."
An Ge: "..."
After the courtyard was decorated, Lian Xin carried the ledger back, Ji Ling Xue called the three of them in front of her, each one was given a red envelope.
It was the first time An Ge had been rewarded so much money and was happy at a loss, they considered secret guards as those walking the line of life and death, even though their annual salary was more than the guards at the prince's residence, but wasn't as much as the red envelope Ji Ling Xue gave out at the end of the year.
Mo Xiang said: "Thank you princess, can this servant ask for half a day off..."
Ji Ling Xue waved her hand saying: "No need to ask this princess for leave, there's nothing going on in the residence anyway, I'll give you three days off, come back on the fourth day of new year to pay respects to this princess."
Mo Xiang said with a red face: "How can I, if we left, who will serve princess?"
Ji Ling Xue smiled: "It's nothing, as a mistress I should let you have a fealmw days rest, without you, this princess won't starve to death?"
Lian Xin said: "Princess, I'll stay and serve you, let Mo Xiang and An Ge rest for a few days, I have no relatives to visit here, I'll stay in the residence and take care of the princess."
Mo Xiang was touched, she nodded, "Then princess will be left to you, I'll bring you some tasty food when I'm back."
Mo Xiang's figure hesitated for a moment before she left, she cupped her hands at Ji Ling Xue before disappearing.
Ji Ling Xue turned smiling at Lian Xin, "These last few days have been hard on you, this princess will now look over the ledger, do whatever you want." Having spoken she turned and entered the house.
Soon it was noon, Lian Xin had just prepared lunch, Xiao Yi Chen walked over slowly, coming across Ji Ling Xue moving the abacus around in the house, he knocked on the corner of the table, smiling: "Are the earnings from the store this year making your hands tired with the abacus, do you need this prince to help you?"
Ji Ling Xue raised her head to glance at Xiao Yi Chen, curling her lips, "Forget it, I won't trouble prince."
Xiao Yi Chen leaned into Ji Ling Xue, continuing to say: "How can it be troublesome, this prince is very happy to be able to help princess share her problems."
Ji Ling Xue continued to move the abacus without lifting her head: "I'm almost done." As she spoke the abacus went papapa.
After a quarter of an hour, Ji Ling Xue looked at Xiao Yi Chen who was still standing next to her, "Prince...do you need something from me?"
Xiao Yi Chen nodded, looking around and asked: "Where's Mo Xiang and An Ge?"
Ji Ling Xue smiled: "I gave them a holiday, I let them go visit family."
Xiao Yi Chen gave an oh and nodded, "We can also set out to Dayan, do you want Lian Xin to come?"
Ji Ling Xue shook her head, "No need, it's risky outside, let her stay at the residence and look after the courtyard."
Xiao Yi Chen nodded, the arrangements would be left to him.
Ji Ling Xue spread out her hand at Xiao Yi Chen: "Prince, happy new year, where's my red envelope?"
Xiao Yi Chen patted Ji Ling Xue's palm, smiling: "There's no red envelope, this prince can give himself to you?"
Ji Ling Xue: "..."
Xiao Yi Chen's face approached Ji Ling Xue, waiting for her to blush in a cute reaction.
Ji Ling Xue blinked: "Prince, I'm hungry..."
Xiao Yi Chen looked at Ji Ling Xue speechless, she spoiled the fun.
After eating lunch, Xiao Yi Chen took Ji Ling Xue out of the residence by the hand, jumping onto a horse they headed to the outskirt of the city.
Ji Ling Xue tightened the cloak around her asking: "Where are we going?"
Xiao Yi Chen said: "We're going to appreciate flowers outside the city."
After a morning of snow, it had already stopped, on the roofs, the roads were covered in layers of snow.
Horse hooves stepped through the snow, snow flickering up.
Ji Ling Xue said: "There are flowers to appreciate in the residence, we can even appreciate snow, why must we go outside the city to appreciate them?"
The wintery cold was biting cold, blowing her face extremely painfully.
Xiao Yi Chen lowered his head to look at Ji Ling Xue in his arms: "It's even more beautiful in the outskirt of the city!"
Spurring the horse to full speed, fast as lightning out of the city, Xiao Yi Chen took Ji Ling Xue to Wangyue lake, a layer of ice already covered the lake, the branches by the shore were covered in snow, the cold wind shook the branches producing a wuwu sound.
Ji Ling Xue said: "Where are there flowers here?"
Xiao Yi Chen slowed down the horse and travelled through the woods, "It's in front." Having spoken he kicked the horse's flank, the horse hurried its steps up the hill, the horse sped up once again.
Ji Ling Xue instinctively turned to wrap her arms around Xiao Yi Chen's waist, placing her face into his chest.
The wind in the hill suddenly stilled, while the horse was running, Ji Ling Xue leaned into Xiao Yi Chen's arms listening to his steady powerful breathing, she abruptly felt at ease and warm.
The sky gradually darkened, Xiao Yi Chen slowed the horse down and looked down at Ji Ling Xue in his arms relaxed with her eyes closed, delicate skin more translucent than snow, a pair of red lips like a red flower blooming in the snow, Xiao Yi Chen couldn't help kiss Ji Ling Xue's red lips.
It was at this moment Ji Ling Xue opened her eyes, black eyes calmly looking at him, the two breathed close to each other, Ji Ling Xue actively wrapped her arms around Xiao Yi Chen's neck, placing her lips on his rather cold lips.
In a split second it was like a stone had fallen into the bottom of a serene lake, Xiao Yi Chen in return held Ji Ling Xue's waist deepening the kiss.
Ji Ling Xue felt the world was spinning in this moment, apart from Xiao Yi Chen and herself there was nothing else, what Ji Yu Qing and Yi Yun had already been thrown to the back of her mind.
After the passionate kiss, Xiao Yi Chen carried Ji Ling Xue quietly on horseback to the scene before them, snow covered all the trees turning them white, the distant capital city became very small, those clamours were so far it was inaudible.
Ji Ling Xue looked up at the sky, then turned to Xiao Yi Chen, "Didn't you say you wanted to bring me here to appreciate flowers, where's the flowers?" There was nothing in the great expanse of whiteness in front of her.
Xiao Yi Chen raised his hand counting backwards: "Three...two...one..." With the last number, he made a signal, the sky was instantly filled with magnificent and dazzling fireworks, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, beautiful dazzling flowers.
Ji Ling Xue looked up at the beautiful flowers filling the sky in front of her, hearing Xiao Yi Chen's voice beside her ear: "These are the flowers this prince spoke of."
Ji Ling Xue turned to look at Xiao Yi Chen, "Why do we have to watch the fireworks from here?"
Xiao Yi Chen held Ji Ling Xue's hand, placing it against his chest, looking at the sky together, "This prince only wants to watch them with you."
Ji Ling Xue smiled, even though the sky was dark, the snow covered hill reflected her sparkling eyes, seeing the slight smile on Ji Ling Xue's lips, Xiao Yi Chen suddenly felt happy and also smiled, so liking someone, even her smile can be infectious.
Liking what she liked, feeling sad when she was sad, always thinking of her no matter what.
Ji Ling Xue turned back to the sky, a red firework flew up into the sky and exploded in to a flower, Ji Ling Xue said: "I've almost been married to you for three years, this is the first new year's eve I spent with you."
Xiao Yi Chen lowered his eyes: "I'm sorry..." He had disregarded her too much in the past.
Ji Ling Xue turned to Xiao Yi Chen, smiling: "There was nothing wrong with your past self, only after you fell in love with me do you feel you owe me too much, so...in the future...you need to make it up to me."
Xiao Yi Chen nodded, picking Ji Ling Xue up and spinning around on the spot, "Fine, this prince promises you, from now I'll only treat you well."
At the end of the fireworks, Xiao Yi Chen took Ji Ling Xue back down the hill on horseback, the two of them however didn't return to the capital city, they went to the western outskirt to Qingfengyashe, Xiao Si seeing Ji Ling Xue and Xiao Yi Chen, welcomed them with delight.
"Prince, princess, you want to see the new year through with us?" The person who asked was Xiao Si.
Xiao Si and the others were originally homeless, now Qingfengyashe had become their home, after they saw the last customers off they cleaned the restaurant up, placing a few dishes on the table, treating it as new year's eve dinner.
Even though there was going to be a branch of Qingfengyashe in the city, they still liked this store outside the city, there were too many memories here, and they had built it themselves, there were already sentiments.
The scholar in green stood to the side smiling at Xiao Yi Chen and Ji Ling Xue as he cupped his hands in greeting, outside Ji Ling Xue and Xiao Yi Chen never put on airs, thus everyone didn't hold back on inviting Xiao Yi Chen and Ji Ling Xue to eat with them.
Ji Ling Xue nodded, "En, we came to have new year's eve dinner with you." As she spoke she looked at the dishes, for the first time she went to the kitchen and made a few dishes.
So-called seeing the new year, it was the gathering of family having a new year's eve meal, lighting candles and waiting through the night, symbolising chasing all the evil, pestilence, illness and bad luck away.
Xiao Si carried over an earthen jar of wine: "It's rare for prince and princess to celebrate the new years with us right?"
The scholar in green smiled: "Xiao Si, you're addicted to alcohol, looking for an excuse to drink!"
Xiao Si curled his lips, you scholar talk too much.
Ji Ling Xue said: "Drink, drink, let's play a drinking game, perfect for a long night!"
Hearing Ji Ling Xue agree with himself, Xiao Si immediately said with confidence, "Bookworm, see if I won't get you drunk tonight."
The scholar in green hurriedly waved his hands and said he didn't dare.
Three rounds of drinks, men were sprawled over tables, Ji Ling Xue and Xiao Yi Chen were given special treatment, they didn't actually drink much, the two of them walked to the window hand in hand to look at the night.
Xiao Yi Chen said: "Let's go to Dayan tonight."
Ji Ling Xue raised an eyebrow asking: "We're leaving just like that, what about the capital city?"
Xiao Yi Chen said: "I found a substitute, I already asked for sick leave from the palace, don't worry that imperial brother of mine will cover for me, as for you, Mo Xiang will arrange everything for you."