Chapter 150: Fun
Time passed day by day, and nine days had passed since I met Haitang that day.

During these nine days, Haitang did as Situ Jiuyue said, and taught Situ Jiuyue to use poisonous spiders to heal the scars on Haitang's face. Haitang did not say how difficult the process was, but when Zhao Ke, who came to report the news, talked about it, his face still had some reluctance.

It can be seen that it is really painful.

Haitang managed to endure it. The first seven days of treatment for the poisonous spider were the most difficult. During these seven days, Haitang did not scratch the wound with her hands, so she managed to get through it safely. As long as there were no complications, she would be able to recover her original appearance in no time.

It was a happy thing that the hard work she had endured had not been in vain and had yielded excellent results. In this brief joy, the second Miss Jiang welcomed her first New Year in Yanjing City after eight years.

Early in the morning, Jiang Li put on the brand new clothes made by the tailor, a blue satin flowered outer garment with a front opening and a blue cloud pattern skirt. She usually liked plain colors, so the color of the clothes was not bright, but the material was of high quality and the workmanship was also very pleasant. In the past six months, she has grown a little taller than before, and she is graceful and beautiful, a rare bright color in Yanjing City.

Tong'er inserted the sandalwood lotus silver hairpin into Jiang Li's bun, looked in the mirror, and was quite satisfied with herself. She said, "It's done, girl, take a look."

Jiang Li looked at the girl in the mirror, still a stranger. But now she no longer rejected the identity of Miss Jiang Er, and seemed to have accepted this fact from the bottom of her heart. After more than half a year of getting along, she became familiar with this new identity.

She said, "Let's go to Wanfeng Hall to pay respects to the old lady."

At the beginning of the new year, we have to pay our respects to the old lady.

In Wanfeng Hall, the Jiang family gathered together. Because it was New Year, everyone had a smile on their face. Except for Jiang Youyao, Jiang Bingji was young and didn't know much, but Jiang Youyao couldn't be happy no matter what. She didn't understand why the Jiang family was still smiling when her mother died? In the Jiang family, Ji Shuran had made some contributions but also worked hard. How could the friendship of more than ten years disappear in one day? The Jiang family was really too heartless!
She always blamed others for all the problems, but she didn't think about what Ji Shuran had done. Not to mention being sad for Ji Shuran, even if Ji Shuran died, others would say that she died a good death. Jiang Youyao showed all her unhappiness on her face, which made Mrs. Jiang even more disappointed. This granddaughter was stubborn and didn't know what was good for her. It seemed that she was led astray by Ji Shuran many years ago. It was a pity that they didn't realize it at that time, so she became the person she is now.

Madam Jiang wanted to ignore Jiang Youyao, so she talked to the Lu family and ignored Jiang Youyao. Jiang Yuanbo was also talking to Jiang Yuanping about the recent events. Jiang Youyao felt as if she was isolated by the Jiang family and was shaking with anger.

At this moment, Jiang Li came in.

As soon as Jiang Li came in, she greeted the old lady Jiang and her group one by one. Old lady Jiang happily accepted it and took the purse with the silver anklet from the maid and stuffed it into Jiang Li's hand. Lu also presented a purse. Jiang Youyao saw with her sharp eyes that the purse Lu gave to Jiang Li was much bigger than the one she gave to her.

It was really a nest of snakes and rats, working together in collusion. Jiang Youyao thought bitterly that if Jiang Li hadn't killed her mother, Lu Shi wouldn't have taken over the power of the family. Who knows, Lu Shi might have colluded with Jiang Li a long time ago, just to kill Ji Shuran!

Jiang Yuanping also smiled and talked to Jiang Li for a few words. He was a man, and he always looked friendly and smiling, but in fact he was a smiling tiger. But he did have some love for his niece as an elder. Especially Jiang Li showed extraordinary wisdom, which made Jiang Yuanping even more satisfied. Having a smart niece would bring more benefits to the family than having a stupid niece, at least she would not cause trouble everywhere.

The third wife, Yang, also gave Jiang Li a purse. Jiang Li thought that the third wife didn't have much money and wouldn't give much. But the purse was actually heavy. Subconsciously, Jiang Li looked at Yang and was surprised to find that Yang's clothes were much more expensive than before.

The third room was the most difficult room in the Jiang family. Old Madam Jiang didn't care about them. Yang's dowry was not generous, and it all depended on Jiang Yuanxing's salary. That little salary was barely enough for the family to spend. It was for this reason that Jiang Yu'e tried to please Ji Shuran and her daughter in the hope of getting some "gifts".

But now... Jiang Li saw Jiang Yuyan. Jiang Yuyan's clothes were also made by Old Madam Jiang. The fabric was brand new, but the gilded cloud-shaped agate hairpin on her head was not given by Old Madam Jiang. This hairpin cost about one hundred taels of silver, which was a considerable expense for the third room.

Seeing Jiang Li staring at her in a trance, Jiang Yuyan asked timidly, "Second sister, is there something wrong?"

"It's okay." Jiang Li smiled, "I just think the hairpin on Fourth Sister's head is very beautiful."

Yang rolled her eyes and laughed first, "What are you talking about, Ah Li? You have seen all kinds of beautiful jewelry, but you probably don't like Yuyan's hairpin."

Madam Jiang frowned slightly. Yang's words were clearly meant for her. Among the daughters of the Jiang family, the daughter of the third branch was the worst dressed. But so what? She didn't like Jiang Yuanxing in the first place. If it weren't for Jiang Yuanxing's mother's interference, why would there be a gap between her and Old Master Jiang? If the third branch had the ability, they could naturally climb up, and she would never stop them. But if they didn't have the ability, she wouldn't support them.

Jiang Li smiled and said, "Although the hairpin cannot be called a perfect hairpin, it is very suitable for Fourth Sister, so I was stunned."

Jiang Yuyan blushed and lowered her head. Her appearance was not outstanding among the daughters of the Jiang family, but after dressing up, she could be considered pretty. Jiang Li's praise made her feel at a loss.

Before Yang could say anything, Old Madam Jiang looked at Jiang Li and said, "Girl Li, when will Master Ye San and Shijie come over?"

Jiang Li smiled and said, "It should be soon."

"The Ye family?" Jiang Youyao's voice changed slightly, "Why are they here?"

"This year, my cousin Ye and my third uncle are both celebrating the New Year in Yanjing City. My father said that since we are family, we might as well celebrate the New Year together." Jiang Li said in a gentle voice.

Jiang Youyao sneered: "What kind of family member is this!"

"Youyao!" Jiang Yuanbai said in a deep voice. His tone was too harsh, and Jiang Youyao stopped talking immediately. But she was very dissatisfied in her heart. The Ye family and the Jiang family had not had any contact for many years. What? Now that her mother is dead, they are rushing to build a good relationship with the Jiang family? Even if Ji Shuran is dead, it is the Ji family, not the Ye family, that has a marriage relationship with the Jiang family! If the Ye family can come, why can't the Ji family come?

This is clearly the case of people leaving and the tea getting cold!
Jiang Youyao suddenly felt sad and felt that she was a lonely person in the Jiang family. No one liked her. The more proud Jiang Li was, the more she hated her. If she was not in the mansion, once she got the chance, she would definitely take revenge on Jiang Li!
Jiang Li saw her gnashing teeth and knew what Jiang Youyao was thinking at the moment, and shook her head in her heart. However, this time Jiang Yuanbai asked her to invite Ye Shijie and Ye Mingyu to the Jiang Mansion, which surprised Jiang Li. This is a good thing for Ye Shijie. With Jiang Yuanbai's care, Ye Shijie's official career will be smoother. The officialdom is no longer clean, and only by standing at a high enough level can you protect the people you want to protect. Ye Shijie also has to protect the Ye family. As long as it does not violate his conscience, it is not a bad idea to take some shortcuts.

Although Ye Shijie and Ye Mingyu both expressed their unwillingness to come, Jiang Li finally convinced them after much persuasion.

As he was speaking, a servant came to report that the master and young master of the Ye family had arrived.

Ye Mingyu and Ye Shijie not only came by themselves, but also brought Xue Huaiyuan with them. When they first saw Xue Huaiyuan, the Jiang family was a little stunned. Ye Mingyu said confidently: "I am worried that Mr. Xue is alone in the Ye Mansion. Why not bring him along? Mr. Xue is much better now. Hey, Mr. Jiang is also an official. Speaking of which, Mr. Xue was also a good official in the past. You can talk more, maybe Mr. Jiang can get some inspiration."

As soon as Ye Mingyu saw Jiang Yuanbai, he wanted to rebuke him. Jiang Yuanbai also knew that it was impossible to reason with this man. Therefore, he just snorted coldly and ignored him.

As for Xue Huaiyuan, he came. Besides, as Ye Mingyu said, he looked much better, standing quietly on the side, just not saying anything.

So, although there were a few fewer people in the Jiang family's reunion dinner, there were also a few more people.

At the dinner table, Madam Jiang asked about Ye Shijie's recent situation with concern. Although Ye Shijie didn't have any good feelings towards the Jiang family, he was more polite than Ye Mingyu. He answered all the questions asked by Madam Jiang, very appropriately. The handsome young man had a promising future and knew how to advance and retreat. The two brothers Jiang Yuanbo and Jiang Yuanping both showed satisfaction on their faces.

Jiang Li noticed that Jiang Yuyan, who rarely looked up when speaking, frequently looked at Ye Shijie today. Although her glances were very subtle, Jiang Li still caught them.

Jiang Li was thoughtful and couldn't help but look at Ye Shijie.

Ye Shijie is born handsome and heroic, and his age is the best age for him. Although he is only a deputy director of the Ministry of Revenue now, I heard that His Majesty likes him very much, so he will have many opportunities to move up in the future.

There are many girls who like this kind of boy. But... if Jiang Yuyan really likes Ye Shijie, it is impossible. First of all, the Ye family will never have a marriage relationship with the Jiang family again. They have already lost a daughter in the Jiang family, and it is impossible to lose a grandson. Secondly, Mrs. Jiang will not agree, because Jiang Yuyan is just the daughter of a bastard. Thirdly and most importantly, Jiang Li does not see any affection in Ye Shijie's eyes.

Ye Shijie has no interest in Jiang Yuyan, so this matter will never succeed no matter what.

Maybe she was looking at Ye Shijie too intently, and Ye Shijie also felt it. He looked up and happened to meet Jiang Li's eyes, and he was stunned. Jiang Li smiled, lowered her head and continued to eat. But the exchange of their eyes fell into the eyes of others.

Jiang Yuanbo frowned slightly. Ye Mingyu was delighted, but Jiang Yuyan's expression suddenly became gloomy.

Jiang Youyao said: "Second sister and Cousin Ye seem to be very close, which is really enviable. They see each other every now and then, which shows that they are really affectionate."

"Third girl." Madam Jiang said calmly, "If you feel unwell, the maid can help you go back."

Jiang Youyao stared at Madam Jiang in disbelief. It would be fine if it was normal, but in front of outsiders, Madam Jiang was so ruthless! She just couldn't stand Jiang Li, Jiang Yuanbai and the old lady praising Ye Shijie so much. If you didn't know, you would really think Ye Shijie was an extraordinary person. He was just a commoner from a merchant family. He got lucky and became a small official, but he was so extraordinary.

She was so angry that she threw her chopsticks down, and all the grievances she had suffered in the past few days burst out at once. She said, "Youyao is indeed not feeling well, so I won't accompany you. I'll go back first!" She asked the maid to take her back to her room in a huff.

The atmosphere suddenly became awkward.

Jiang Yuanbai sighed and said, "I have spoiled my daughter so much. Please forgive me for making a fool of myself."

"Don't laugh, it's fine." Ye Mingyu said with a fake smile: "It's just that it's best to treat everyone equally when they are spoiled. You can tell at a glance that Ah Li's personality is not spoiled. She is so sensible that it makes people feel distressed. That's why it's funny."

Jiang Yuanbai was speechless again by Ye Mingyu, but he knew he was in the wrong regarding Jiang Li, so he didn't say anything more.

At least on the surface, the meal was considered a complete success. In the afternoon, Madam Jiang continued to chat with Ye Mingyu and his nephew, accompanied by Mrs. Lu and the Jiang Yuanbo brothers. In the evening, after everyone set off firecrackers, it was time to go back home.

Before returning home, Ye Mingyu and Ye Shijie went to Jiang Li's yard to talk for a while.

Ye Mingyu asked Jiang Li: "Why do I feel that Madam Jiang and your father are much nicer to you this time? Did they do something excessive to compensate you?"

Ye Mingyu suddenly looked careless, but in fact he was a rough but thoughtful person. He naturally noticed the warmth of Madam Jiang and Jiang Yuanbo towards Jiang Li this time. He didn't know the inside story of Ye Zhenzhen's death, and he just thought that the Jiang family felt guilty for wrongly accusing Jiang Li of pushing Ji Shuran to miscarry, but he also felt that it seemed to be a bit too much.

If they just felt guilty about it, they would just treat Jiang Li well. But it was intriguing that they also had this attitude towards their former jewel in the palm, Jiang Youyao. Could it be that Jiang Youyao was really the illegitimate child of the Jiang family, so that's why she was like this? Thinking of this, Ye Mingyu said to Jiang Li, "A Li, let me ask you something, is Jiang Youyao your father's daughter?"

Jiang Li: “.”

She said helplessly: "What are you thinking about, uncle."

"Their actions are so weird that one can't help but think too much." Ye Mingyu muttered.

Ye Shijie also felt a little strange, but he didn't ask much. As for this cousin, Ye Shijie knew very well that Jiang Li had her own ideas, and no one could force her to say something she didn't want to say.

"Cousin Ye." Jiang Li suddenly called out Ye Shijie's name when he was lost in thought. Ye Shijie turned around and asked, "What's the matter?"

Jiang Li hesitated for a moment, thinking of the look Jiang Yuyan had given Ye Shijie at the dinner table, wondering whether she should remind Ye Shijie. Unexpectedly, her coy look caught Ye Mingyu's eyes, and Ye Mingyu was delighted and said, "You guys chat, I'll go out first." He even pulled Xue Huaiyuan out.

Jiang Li and Ye Shijie were the only ones left in the yard. Ye Shijie felt a little uncomfortable for no reason. Seeing Ye Mingyu leave, Jiang Li felt that there was no other way but to say something, so she said, "Cousin Ye, you have to be careful of the fourth sister."

"Jiang Si?" Ye Shijie was stunned. "What do you mean?"

"I think... Fourth Sister seems to like you very much." Jiang Li was a little embarrassed when she said this, but she thought it was better to take precautions before things happen, so she just said it all at once, "Actually, Fourth Sister is pretty good on weekdays, but she's a little timid. But I'm worried, the third branch of the Jiang family has been a little weird lately. Jiang Yu'e schemed against you and me at the palace banquet before, and I'm always afraid that they'll repeat the same mistake and use the same old tricks again. Although it's a bit of a mean person to say this. But it's never a bad thing to be careful in everything, and you don't want to be entangled in troubles, do you?"

Jiang Li stopped talking and didn't say more, but I believe that with Ye Shijie's mind, he also understood what she meant. There is a Jiang Yu'e in the third room. Although Jiang Yuyan has never done anything bad, she is inevitably bewitched by others, either imitating Jiang Yu'e or being advised by Yang.

For Jiang Yuyan, marrying Ye Shijie would be a good match. Not to mention that Ye Shijie is now an official and will prosper in the future, the wealth of the Ye family is enough to make people jealous. Although people always look down on merchants who are full of money, being a merchant and having no worries about food and clothing is a good thing that many people can't ask for.

After listening to Jiang Li's words, Ye Shijie said, "I understand. I will be on guard against Jiang Si."

Jiang Li nodded, and Ye Shijie asked again: "I heard from my third uncle that you have been very close to Duke Su recently?"

Jiang Li was startled. Ye Shijie was too busy on weekdays. Every time Jiang Li went to the Ye family, Ye Shijie was not there. The same was true for Situ Jiuyue. Therefore, Ye Shijie and Ji Heng did not run into each other often. But it did not mean that he did not know.

"The Duke helped me." Jiang Li replied with a smile.

Ye Shijie said, "You have to be careful. Ji Heng is very scheming. If he wants to use you to control the Jiang family, it might not be good." Last time during the court discussion, King Cheng threatened Jiang Li, and it was Ji Heng who helped Jiang Li out. Ye Shijie still remembers it now. He felt strange at that time, why did Ji Heng stand up for Jiang Li. After hearing Ye Mingyu say it several times, Ye Shijie had a strange feeling, and always felt that the relationship between Jiang Li and Ji Heng was not as simple as it seemed.

Jiang Li said: "I know."

She only said "I know", but did not say that she agreed to listen to Ye Shijie and be careful of Ji Heng. For some reason, Ye Shijie felt uncomfortable in his heart. He hated this feeling and said, "In this case, I have nothing else to say. Now go back to the mansion with Uncle San." After a pause, he finally added, "If you have any trouble, you can come to the Ye Mansion and tell us. Although I don't have the power and status of the Duke of Su, I won't harm you."

Jiang Li curved her eyes and said, "Thank you, cousin Ye."

Her smile was actually a bit dazzling in Ye Shijie's eyes. Not sure if he was avoiding her or something, Ye Shijie immediately turned his head away, said no more, and went out with Ye Mingyu.

The Ye family members went back, taking Xue Huaiyuan with them. After setting off the firecrackers, they talked for a while in Wanfeng Hall. Old Madam Jiang was old, and soon she felt tired, and said she wanted to go back to sleep. Only a few young people were left in the hall. Jiang Jingrui wanted to stay up all night, but Jiang Jingyou refused, saying he wanted to go back and rest, as he had to get up early tomorrow morning to review his lessons. Jiang Li was not very willing to stay up all night either, and there was really nothing to say. It would be better to go back to the yard to sort out how to deal with Xiao Deyin.

After holding on for a while, Jiang Jingrui, who had been clamoring to stay up all night, nodded his head in drowsiness. Mrs. Lu couldn't stand it anymore and asked the servants to take him back to sleep. Jiang Li stood up and said to Mrs. Lu, "Second Aunt, I'm really tired too. I won't accompany you today. I want to go and rest first."

"If you don't want to celebrate, then don't celebrate." Mrs. Lu also felt a little bored. She didn't know if it was because there were a few people missing or what, but she felt that this year's New Year was a little unpleasant. Even Ji Shuran, who she used to hate, became friendly now. It would be more lively with one more person, but now it was not lively at all.

Mrs. Lu smiled and said, "I'm going to rest too. Let's talk about it tomorrow morning."

Wanfeng Hall suddenly became empty. There was still an hour before the end of the year and the New Year. Jiang Li and Tong'er walked to Fangfei Garden together. Tong'er murmured, "I thought it would be much more lively when I arrived in Yanjing City and returned home to celebrate the New Year. Why is it that now it seems worse than before?" So many things have happened one after another in these days. Who can really be happy without distractions? I can still hold on during the day, but at night, I can't help feeling sad. I simply turned a blind eye and hid in my own room, fell asleep, and slept until dawn, and it would be a new year.

Jiang Li smiled and said, "What's the big deal? Aren't you still by my side? Besides, what does the excitement have to do with us? At least now we have better food and warmer clothes than in the temple. People should be content."

"Indeed," Bai Xue smiled, "People should be content. When the servants were at the farm, it was lively, but the whole family could only eat a bowl of radish a night, and sometimes they had to go hungry. To be happy, you have to fill your stomach first. It's better for a family to live well apart than to starve to death together."

Jiang Li smiled. The words were rough but the truth was there. It was exactly the truth that as long as people were alive, there was hope for everything.

When I returned to Fangfei Garden, Qingfeng Mingyue was eating the red cakes made for the maids in the kitchen. It was said that after eating one, everything would go well in the new year and there would be no more worries.

Mingyue said to Jiang Li, "Miss, the biggest one is on the table in the room. Remember to eat it. After you eat it, everything will go well in the coming year."

Jiang Li couldn't help laughing when she heard the maids talking and laughing outside. But when she walked into the house and saw the red cakes on the table, she couldn't laugh anymore.

The red cake took up almost half of the table, and Jiang Li couldn't finish it no matter what. If she really had to finish it to pray for peace and good luck in the coming year, then she decided not to eat it. She was afraid that after eating it, she would not be able to wait until the next year, and this year would be unsafe.

She pushed the red cake aside, walked to the desk and sat down, unconsciously thinking of the snacks Ji Heng had made before. I wonder if the Duke's Mansion will make red cakes tonight, and if so, will Ji Heng cook. If it is a red cake made by Ji Heng, it must be much more delicate and lovely than the one in front of it, and it must taste much better. If you can eat it safely and smoothly, then it is okay to eat one red cake made by Ji Heng.

Jiang Li was stunned for a moment, and suddenly found that she was thinking about it again. She couldn't help but smiled and shook her head. Maybe she had been with Ye Mingyu for a long time, and even their thoughts became very similar. Why did she think of this inexplicably? If Ji Heng knew that she was thinking about this now, he might not help her anymore.

Suddenly, Jiang Li caught a glimpse of someone standing behind her. She was startled and immediately turned around to look. She saw Zhao Ke standing behind her, looking at her innocently.

"Why are you here?" Jiang Li was surprised. Normally, when she had something to ask Zhao Ke, she would blow the whistle. Zhao Ke would not come uninvited. Even if he came, he would stand outside the window and would never come into the house.

Zhao Ke said: "The Duke has asked his subordinates to pick you up."

"Pick me up?" Jiang Li was stunned: "Where to?"

"Go to the Duke's Mansion." Zhao Ke's answer was a matter of course.

"Now?
"Now."

Why would she be asked to go to the Duke's Mansion at such a late hour, on New Year's Eve? Could it be that... Jiang Li was startled. Could something have happened to Haitang? She immediately looked at Zhao Ke nervously, "What happened? Did something happen to Haitang's wound? Is she okay?"

Zhao Ke looked at her in confusion: "Miss Haitang? Miss Haitang is fine."

Jiang Li heaved a sigh of relief after hearing this, and then she asked in confusion: "If there is nothing wrong, why do you want me to go to the Duke's Mansion now? What important things does the Duke want to discuss with me?"

"Important?" Zhao Ke tilted his head and thought for a moment, then said, "I guess so. When Miss Jiang went to your house a few days ago, she promised to go there to roast venison. Today, the old general has prepared all the ingredients and is just waiting for Miss Jiang to go."

Jiang Li: "..."

She was speechless for a long while, and after a moment she said, "Now? You want me to go to the Duke's Mansion to roast venison?" Ji Heng must be a fool!

"What's the problem?" Zhao Ke's tone was as righteous as his master's, making it impossible for him to refute, and even doubt whether he had done something wrong. Zhao Ke said: "The old general has been waiting for this for a long time, and finally got everything together. On weekdays, everyone is very busy, and today is New Year's Eve, and everyone is here, so he is willing to start grilling."

"Everyone?" Jiang Li grasped the key point in Zhao Ke's words.

"Master Wenren, Miss Situ, Lord Lu, Lord Kong, the old general..." Zhao Ke said, "You have met them all last time."

She had indeed seen them before last time, and it was this group of people who had taken the initiative to say that they had promised to help them roast the venison, and now they had turned this proposal into reality.

"The Duke said that if Miss Jiang wants to repay him, now is the opportunity." Zhao Ke said the last sentence.

Jiang Li: “…I’ll go.”

……

It was not easy to escape from Jiang Mansion without Ji Heng by his side.

Although Zhao Ke had already arranged everything, Jiang Li still felt a little uneasy when she went out the back door. Fortunately, Ji Heng's black sedan had already stopped outside. Seeing that there was no one around, Jiang Li got on. After sitting on it, she felt something was wrong. This was Ji Heng's sedan. Usually, Ji Heng would sit in it alone. Now that she was sitting in it, she felt a little charming.

If this were seen by others, I would never be able to wash myself clean even if I jumped into the Yellow River.

But since it has already come out, there is no need to be so particular about it. After all, no one knows about it. After tonight, no one will know about it. Since Ji Heng sent the sedan chair over, it is obvious that he does not care about it.

Thinking of this, Jiang Li became calm and generous again.

But... she was still a little speechless. On such a New Year's Eve, she was taken out of the house in a sedan chair and taken to someone else's house to roast venison. It was really shocking. Although she was not really the daughter of the Prime Minister and did not have the arrogance of a noble woman, this was not unusual even for a woman from an ordinary family.

Why is this? Or maybe those people around Ji Heng, whether it's Wen Renyao, Lu Ji, or General Ji, Situ Jiuyue, are all willful and reckless like Ji Heng. If you want to do something, you must do it. After all, birds of a feather flock together. She should have understood this a long time ago.

Since Tong'er and Baixue were not around, Jiang Li could only sit in the sedan alone and think about random things. There were hot tea and snacks in the sedan, just like when Ji Heng was there, but Jiang Li didn't have the energy to use them at all.

With such a puzzled mood, the sedan chair finally arrived outside the Duke's Mansion.

Because today is New Year's Eve, most of the streets are deserted. Like weary birds returning to their nests, on the annual reunion day, people always want to stay with their families and welcome the coming of the New Year.

The same was true for the Duke's Mansion. The number of red lanterns on the eaves had doubled without them noticing. The last time I came to see them, there weren't that many. And because Ji Heng loved luxury, the lanterns were made of the finest tencel silk dyed red. The flickering candlelight inside made the lanterns also shimmer with tiny luster. The tassels hanging under the lights were made of yellow crystal stones. On a snowy night, the row of lanterns under the gate was so gorgeous that people couldn't help but stop and look.

Zhao Ke said, "Second Miss Jiang, please."

Jiang Li then withdrew her gaze and stepped into the gate of the Duke's Mansion.

The servants of the Duke's Mansion were probably very strange. Unlike the Jiang Mansion, the servants of the Jiang Mansion could be seen everywhere, and it seemed that everyone was very polite and followed the rules. In the Duke's Mansion, the servants were busy with their own things and did not greet people. However, Jiang Li guessed that this was because the masters of the Duke's Mansion were Ji Heng and General Ji, so the servants would only greet the two of them. As for others, in the eyes of this servant, it was not worth worrying about them.

The servants are as arrogant as their masters, Jiang Li thought.

The huge Duke's Mansion seemed to be much warmer than outside. I wonder if it was because of the underground heating. Or maybe it was because the colorful flowers made people feel spring in their eyes and warm their hearts. Zhao Ke led Jiang Li through the front hall, through the corridor, to the backyard, stopped at the gate, and said, "We're here."

Jiang Li looked up.

Along the way, there were no lights in the rooms except for the lanterns hanging in the Duke's Mansion. Apart from the dim lanterns, it was extremely quiet, as if everyone had fallen asleep. However, when I arrived at this courtyard, it was as if I had suddenly entered a new world, and the view in front of me was suddenly bright.

A clearing was cleared from the snow, on which was a pile of firewood, the flames burning brightly, turning the snow in the entire yard red. Sparks flew out, like stars falling to the ground, disappearing in an instant, but the heat remained.

The sound of people mixed in, making everything lively. In an instant, the originally gorgeous and exquisite mansion suddenly gave birth to an infinite atmosphere of fireworks. Everyone in it was alive.

Jiang Li walked forward a few steps and saw Situ Jiuyue standing in front of the fire, frowning as if thinking about something. Jiang Li then saw clearly that there was indeed a pile of sharpened bamboo sticks next to the fire. They had indeed prepared everything they needed just as they said.

Jiang Li was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.

Wen Renyao approached Situ Jiuyue, as if asking her something. But it was obvious that Situ Jiuyue was not in a good mood. Kong Liu and General Ji, who was wearing a thin single-layered garment, were fighting, as if they were going to spar with each other. Lu Ji stood far away. He was a gentleman, and he probably had some distance from things like roasted venison. He stayed far away from the fresh venison on the side, as if he could not avoid it. Haitang was very quiet. She was now in the Duke's Mansion and had a connection with Jiang Li. Maybe for this reason, she was there tonight. She just sat aside, wearing a veil, and I don't know what she was thinking.

Jiang Li felt a little strange. This Duke's Mansion was completely different from what she had imagined. In fact, Jiang Li had already felt it when she came here last time. It was hard to imagine that Ji Heng, who was deep-minded, moody, and lived so soberly, would live in such an atmosphere. She thought that the environment Ji Heng lived in was full of fighting, intrigue, and the kind that could not see the light of day.

But that's not necessarily the case. Not all people are as they seem on the surface. What she saw before her might also be on the surface. She hadn't really gotten into it yet. In the final analysis, she didn't really understand Ji Heng.

Just as she was thinking this, Zhao Ke suddenly said, "The master is here."

Jiang Li looked back in the direction Zhao Ke was looking.

On a snowy night, his red clothes are particularly eye-catching. Jiang Li always wonders why men in the world don't wear red clothes. She always thinks red might be a favorite color for women. But Ji Heng always loves to wear red clothes. Not only does he wear red clothes, but he also looks very good in them. There is not a trace of rouge and powder on him. Although he is extremely beautiful, his beauty is indifferent, just like his golden folding fan painted with gorgeous peonies. No matter how beautiful it is, it is also a weapon that kills people.

He slowly walked up to Jiang Li.

Jiang Li looked at him and said with a smile, "Duke."

"Don't laugh if you don't want to," he said, "I know you don't want to come here."

Jiang Li: “…Nothing.”

"When it comes to saying one thing and thinking another, no one is better than women." His beautiful eyes looked like some kind of gemstone in the night, making people want to stare at them. "You are the best among them."

"If this is considered a compliment from the Duke, then I accept it." Jiang Li said frankly, "But tonight, it wasn't the Duke who invited me here, right? I think it was General Ji's idea, and the Duke couldn't resist, so he asked Zhao Ke to bring me here?"

Ji Heng said: "Since you know, you shouldn't blame me."

"I didn't complain to the Duke." Jiang Li chuckled. Jiang Li knew what kind of temper General Ji had. It was interesting to think that the moody Ji Heng had no way to deal with General Ji.

"Don't think it's funny," Ji Heng looked at her with a smile, "You'll understand in a moment."

Jiang Li's smile suddenly stopped. Just as she was about to say something, Wen Renyao looked over here and suddenly found that the two of them had arrived. She called out, "Miss Jiang Er, Ah Heng, why didn't you say anything when you came? Come here quickly. We're only waiting for you two!"

Ji Heng's smile suddenly became sharp, and when she looked at Wen Renyao, Jiang Li couldn't help but feel a little cold. She couldn't help but wonder, what gave Wen Renyao such courage that he could ignore any look from Ji Heng?
Tsk, this is probably the brilliance of their "Jixianmen"!
Jiang Li and Ji Heng walked towards them. The bonfire was burning brighter than before. As they got closer, they could hear the crackling sound of sparks, which seemed particularly vivid in the night.

"Girl Jiang!" General Ji said with full energy, "Everything is ready for you! Don't you know how to roast venison? Come on!"

This old man is just like Ji Heng, as if it is natural for others to obey him. Maybe this is a common problem among generals? They just give orders and their subordinates just need to obey. Jiang Li walked over and first took a look at the venison. The deer must have been freshly hunted. The fur had been quickly removed, but it was not cut very carefully. A large piece was placed in a silver basin.

Jiang Li asked: "Is this a new hunt?"

"Of course." General Ji raised his head proudly: "I hunted it myself. I waited for an hour before I found it!"

Jiang Li: "...The old general is still strong despite his age."

The venison, bamboo sticks, and seasonings were all ready. General Ji even found a bunch of birds, no one knew where he found them from, and asked Jiang Li to make beggar birds. Of course, with so many people, they couldn't just eat roasted venison. Bamboo mats had already been laid out in the snow. There were also mats under the bamboo mats, and on top of the bamboo mats, there were furs to keep warm.

On the bamboo mat, there was a long table. The table was already filled with some exquisite pastries and snacks, as well as fine wine. There were two kinds, a turquoise porcelain wine pot and a large wine jar, which was probably just dug out from the ground not long ago, and even the mud had not been wiped clean.

This is their New Year’s Eve dinner, this thought popped up in Jiang Li’s mind.

She thought that the New Year's Eve dinner at the Duke's Mansion would either be a grandparent and grandchild eating alone in front of a large table of delicacies, after all, there was no one else in the mansion. Or it would be like the Jiang Mansion, where guests were invited but everyone had their own thoughts. Although it was lively, it was not warm.

But in this Duke's Mansion, there was no toasting, no one with ulterior motives. They were all familiar people, the indifferent ones smiled, the heavy-hearted ones got rid of their restraints, there was no other entanglement, just like the most ordinary people's family.

Her original reluctance and unwillingness seemed to disappear suddenly and unconsciously.

　Today is the best, with tears in my eyes 〒▽〒

　　
　
(End of this chapter)