Chapter 568: Chapter 568: Little New Year

Xiao Lansi stared at the crumpled ball of paper for a long while. In the dim moonlight, the line of words on it was perfectly clear.

She was quiet for a long time, as if she had stopped breathing altogether.

Finally, when the sound of guards on patrol passed by outside again, she snapped back to her senses.

A faint, mocking smile touched her slightly chapped lips.

Then, she shoved the wad of paper into her mouth, chewed it forcefully, and swallowed it down.

Tears welled in the corners of her eyes, which were faintly bloodshot.

But her eyes, with their slight blue tint, revealed a grim, bitter hatred.

Her pale, slender fingers clenched silently, the knuckles turning white.

Suddenly, an indescribable pain surged from the depths of her body. It was a dense, crawling sensation, like a swarm of ants, enough to drive a person to collapse.

Xiao Lansi squatted down, then slowly lay on the floor, her body curled up and trembling.

The room was dark and, without a charcoal fire, as cold as an icehouse.

Yet as Xiao Lansi shivered, fine beads of sweat broke out on her forehead.

An unknown amount of time passed before the pain finally began to recede.

She was soaked through, her lips ashen. Limp and exhausted, she lay sprawled on the ground.

BOOM—!

The sound of fireworks exploding seemed to come from outside.

Xiao Lansi slowly opened her eyes, her gaze unfocused.

After a long moment, her lips curled into a strange smile.

’The Wazhen Mission has arrived, too. I suppose the Capital City is about to get even livelier, isn’t it?’

***

The palace banquet ended, and the clamor faded into silence.

Ye Chutang left the palace with Xiao Wu, made a detour to the Imperial College to deliver some pastries to Ye Jingyan, and only then returned to the mansion.

The night was late, but Xiao Wu wasn’t the least bit sleepy. Full of energy, she was lying over a small table by the bed, flicking the beads of an abacus. CLACK, CLACK, CLACK.

Ye Chutang took off her cloak and went to wash her hands. Catching sight of Xiao Wu’s spirited state out of the corner of her eye, she couldn’t help but smile.

"Still calculating?"

Xiao Wu nodded vigorously, looking over with eager eyes.

’Silver! So much silver! If the tariffs discussed today are finalized, there’s a fortune to be made!’

Xiao Wu suddenly thought of something. Her eyes widened with excitement as she searched around, pulling a recently delivered tea cake from a drawer.

’Tea!’

’If our tea could be sold in Wazhen, we’d earn so much more than we do in the Capital City!’

Ye Chutang walked over and gently tapped the girl’s smooth little forehead. "Your little brain gets especially sharp whenever silver is involved," she teased.

Wazhen was poor in resources; tea, silk, and porcelain were all luxury goods to them.

They were very willing to purchase these items at high prices. In Wazhen, such things were symbols of nobility.

If trade were to open up, it would indeed present a massive business opportunity.

Hearing this, Xiao Wu grew even happier, her little face flushing red.

’Does that mean Big Sis thinks I’m right? If this business really takes off, we’ll make a killing!’

"It’s not that simple."

Ye Chutang threw cold water on her enthusiasm.

"When is cross-border business ever that easy? The journey from the Capital City to Wazhen is long and arduous. If anything at all were to happen on the road, you’d end up taking a loss."

At these words, the little flame of excitement burning in Xiao Wu’s heart was instantly extinguished.

She pouted.

’Big Sis has a point.’

’The Wazhen people are fierce, unruly, and aggressive. Judging by their posture during the negotiations in the hall today, they’d probably break a peace treaty at a moment’s notice even if they signed one.’

’The only reason the Wazhen people are being so polite and proper now is that they can’t afford to go to war.’

’You only bow your head when you need a favor from someone.’

’No one can be sure they’ll keep their promises forever.’

’Sigh.’

’Looks like we should just focus on running our business well here in the Capital City...’

"However, there are no permanent enemies and no permanent friends in this world—only permanent interests." Ye Chutang changed the subject, raising an eyebrow with a faint smile. "Mu Mu Zhen’er was able to unify Wazhen and build the grand foundation he has today, which is enough to prove he’s a remarkable figure. But a person like that isn’t necessarily able to hold onto power securely. If Wazhen wants to rest, recuperate, and become prosperous and powerful, a clever person will have to step up."

Xiao Wu was a little baffled.

’Ugle?’

’But from what she saw today, that man didn’t seem to understand much of anything. He hardly seemed to fit Big Sis’s description of a "clever person," did he?’

Ye Chutang smiled and shook her head. "Don’t overthink it. Those are problems for Wazhen to worry about."

’If the time is right, there’s no reason we can’t expand our business to Wazhen.’

’But one thing is certain: now, at least, is not the time.’

Xiao Wu nodded, only half-understanding, but the words left a faint impression on her heart.

’Big Sis said anything is possible in this world. As long as I choose the right moment, something others can’t do... I just might be able to!’

Ye Chutang took her hand and led her toward the bed.

"Let’s sleep early tonight. The new year is almost here, so we’ll get up early tomorrow to go shopping."

Hearing this, Xiao Wu was once again filled with delight.

But just as she was about to clap, she remembered her hand was still holding her big sister’s—

’Huh?’

Xiao Wu suddenly stopped, a dazed look on her face.

Noticing she had stopped walking, Ye Chutang looked down and asked, "What’s wrong?"

Xiao Wu looked up, her expression hesitant.

’Big Sis’s hand... it doesn’t seem as cold as it used to be, does it?’

She subconsciously glanced at the nearby charcoal brazier, which was no different than usual.

The room was as warm as ever, but her big sister had always been in poor health. Her hands and feet were always ice-cold in the winter, and even constantly holding a hand warmer didn’t help much.

’But today...’

Ye Chutang’s eyelashes fluttered.

’I’ve been so busy lately, I didn’t even notice the changes in my own body.’

’The Thousand Layers of Snow that Shen Yanchuan gave me is truly effective.’

Xiao Wu, unaware of the reason, held Ye Chutang’s hand with only one thought in her mind: ’This is wonderful! Big Sis’s health is better than before!’

Ye Chutang tapped her on the nose and smiled along with her.

"Looks like we’ll be able to have a warm new year?"

***

As the new year’s festivities approached, the streets were bustling with people, decorated with lanterns and colorful banners, creating a lively atmosphere.

Ye Chutang also took her male and female servants out to buy many things.

This was the first new year they would celebrate in the Capital City since their return, so naturally, it had to be a grand occasion.

The only regret was that A Feng wasn’t there. However, she had previously sent him plenty of clothes and silver coins, so he should be able to have a prosperous new year in Xia City.

Since the Wazhen Mission had arrived in the Capital City, Ye Chutang had not entered the palace again.

Emperor Muwu’s condition was relatively stable. Chu Qiyuan and the staff from the Imperial Hospital were taking turns watching over him, which was sufficient.

Everything seemed peaceful and quiet.

Ye Chutang had even seen some of the Wazhen people out shopping on the street.

There were too many details to work out in the peace talks between the two sides. It was possible that Ugle and his contingent would have to spend the new year in the Capital City.

「On the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, the Little New Year.」

The Imperial College had let out for the holiday early. Ye Jingyan woke up at the crack of dawn and, with Xiao Wu, began sweeping the dust and cutting paper decorations for the windows.

Ye Chutang, with nothing else to do, set out a plate of hearth candy for the brother and sister.

However, just as they had finished tidying up, a servant came running in anxiously.

"Second Miss! The Marquis Zhongyong Mansion sent someone to summon you!"

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