The 30th day of the twelfth lunar month, bid farewell to the old and welcome the new.

Everywhere in the city was filled with joy, and the streets and alleys were filled with New Year's celebrations. Even the palace changed from its usual solemnity, with joyful smiles on the faces of the palace residents, and the nobles continued to hand out rewards, from top to bottom.

There was laughter and laughter everywhere.

The Zhongshan Hou Mansion seemed particularly busy, because this was the first New Year's Eve that Pei Yue officially spent in the mansion, and in less than a month it was his big day. The servants decorated the inside and outside of the Hou Mansion as if

It's like a fairyland on earth.

Taohua was dressed in a pink dress and looked a bit dignified like a lady. However, after seeing Pei Yue, her original shape appeared. She held Pei Yue's hand like a kitten and asked curiously: "Master,

Where is Sister Ye?"

Pei Yue smiled and said: "She has something to do and will come back later."

Taohua patted her chest and said, "That's good. I thought the young master had annoyed Sister Ye."

Pei Yue patted the back of her hand and said, "I know you care about the young master, let's go play."

Seeing her disappearing figure as delicate as a swallow, a gentle smile appeared on Pei Yue's face, but his mind drifted to the distance.

Ye Qi left Kyoto early in the morning.

…

In the northern suburbs of Kyoto, not far to the north of the Shouyang Mountain Mine, there is a well-preserved courtyard among the green valleys.

"Ye Qi, how should we deal with this?"

Chen Xizhi held up a mutton chop and asked with a slightly red face.

Ye Qi frowned slightly and said, "Why are you so stupid? Don't you even have any ability to survive?"

Chen Xizhi said helplessly: "I've never cooked before, so of course I don't know how to do this."

Ye Qidao: "Then I said to bring the food box directly, but you insist on me bringing the ingredients, and now you tell me that you don't know how to cook them. Do you want to eat them raw directly?"

Nong Yu chuckled and said: "Miss, Miss Ye, you go to the inner room to drink tea. Just leave this place to me and Aunt Chen. I guarantee that we will have food in a while."

Chen Xizhi smiled and said: "Okay, then I'll thank you for the hard work."

Nong Yu and another middle-aged woman quickly responded humbly.

Ye Qi was slightly surprised. She had never thought that Chen Xizhi had such a respectful side before. During those years in the Hengduan Mountains, Chen Xizhi would never have been able to do this. It seems that the quiet life of more than a year has changed some aspects of her.

.

Although the small courtyard is well-furnished and has been maintained intact by Pei Yue, it is not large after all. Chen Xizhi knows it very well after only a few days of living there. The only difference from the original is that six or seven residential buildings have been built near the small courtyard.

, those who moved in were all Pei Yue's close confidants, who were responsible for continuing to monitor Chen Xizhi, and also shouldered the task of protection.

"I heard that this is where you and Pei Yue first met?" Chen Xizhi poured two cups of steaming tea and asked with interest.

Ye Qi sat opposite her and answered calmly: "Yes."

Chen Xizhi asked curiously: "From that time on, you made up your mind not to marry him but him?"

Ye Qi said calmly: "I told you a long time ago that the relationship between me and Pei Yue is not the infatuated man and woman you imagined. He will not be unable to live because he is separated from me, and I will not insist on pestering him to discuss marriage.

Marry. Senior sister, many things are not black and white or either/or in your eyes. Most of the time, you just let nature take its course."

Chen Xizhi shook his head and said: "Why speak so openly. Without you, Pei Yue, not to mention a first-class prince, would have become a skeleton in Qishan."

Ye Qi did not refute this sentence, but asked softly: "You haven't given up yet?"

Chen Xizhi smiled and said: "So what if I don't let it go? I can't even cut the mutton chops now. Except for Nong Yu and Aunt Chen, everyone around me is your spy. Even without these people watching, what can I do? The Chen family's money

In your hands, those hands are already dead and scattered, and I have long been a useless person."

Ye Qi said gently but firmly: "Senior sister, there is no need to test me, and don't pretend to be so weak. I know your abilities better than anyone else. Even if you have no power, as long as I give you enough

Given time and space, you can still do things that many people don’t expect.”

The smile on Chen Xizhi's face froze and he asked helplessly: "Are you really going to lock me up for the rest of your life?"

Ye Qi tilted his head slightly and said nonchalantly: "That's why I came here specially to spend this New Year with you."

Chen Xizhi blinked and asked, "Rest here at night?"

Ye Qi shook his head and said: "After lunch with you, I will return to Kyoto."

Chen Xizhi originally wanted to make a few sarcastic remarks, but when he saw the sincere look on her face, he felt his heart soften and sighed: "That's it, I haven't been able to persuade you since I was a child, and of course you can't persuade me either. Just go round and round like this.

Years have passed, and I have finally regained some of the feeling I had in the mountains, and this is enough."

A trace of sadness flashed in Ye Qi's eyes.

Chen Xizhi changed the subject and said: "Tell Pei Yue that he can use the millions of taels of silver from the Chen family as he pleases. But please remember, the purpose of my doing this is not because of him, but... it is for my junior sister.

I hope he can treat you well as always. I know my words have little weight now, but if he treats you unkindly in the future, I will not let him go even if I am a ghost."

Ye Qi was slightly startled, and then said after a long time: "Okay, I will tell him."

Chen Xizhi said softly: "He took time off from Qinyuan and Xiangyun, and then turned his focus to the state capital below. It seems that he has made plans to rebel in the future?"

Ye Qi was not surprised that she had such keen observation and rich association skills. He still said calmly: "Rebellion based on a business name? You shouldn't be such a naive person."

Chen Xizhi smiled and said nonchalantly: "Remember what I said before committing suicide in front of the Chenghuang Temple in Xingyang City? Pei Yue will definitely rebel. I hope that when he kills Liu Zheng in the future, he can chop more for me.

One knife."

Ye Qi remained silent.

Chen Xizhi held the tea cup with both hands, took a sip, and said with a smile: "I suddenly don't hate him anymore, because he is more suitable to do these things than me."

She paused and said softly: "Please tell Pei Yue that if he needs to establish relations in the Southern Dynasties, maybe I can provide him with some help. Of course, it is best for him to come to me for an interview."

Ye Qi didn't think much about it at first, because she knew that Chen Xizhi had borrowed 800 elite soldiers from Southern Zhou, which showed that she did have a close relationship with those martial artists of Southern Zhou. But looking at Chen Xizhi's meaningful smile, she suddenly felt a

I feel like things may not be as simple as they appear.

Thinking of this, Ye Qi said quietly: "Okay, I will tell Pei Yue."

Nong Yu's happy voice came from outside: "Miss, it's time to prepare dinner."

The banquet was very sumptuous and the atmosphere was harmonious.

But no one expected that Chen Xizhi would get drunk so quickly.

Ye Qi sent her back to the bedroom, told Nong Yu a few words and left in a hurry. She had to rush back to Kyoto, where Pei Yue and relatives of the Hou family were waiting for her to have New Year's Eve dinner.

After the bedroom became quiet, Chen Xizhi slowly opened his eyes.

Sigh lightly.
Chapter completed!