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墨書 Inktalez
This winter, the snow fell endlessly, and by the time of the New Year, the entire Taizhou was covered in a layer of silver frost and snow.
Qin Yizhi sat in his study, deliberately spending an entire afternoon writing Peach Talismans.
Although many people now prefer to use paper, for the Qin Family, this was a good time to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new. It was essential to use peach wood for better exorcism effects, so he had someone custom-make many thin peach wood boards.
"Increase years without increasing life, spring fills the world and blessings fill the door," "Winter snow wants to whiten a thousand miles of grass, spring sunshine again reddens ten thousand flowers"...
One pair after another, these were very ordinary, very clichéd, yet very festive couplets. Qin Wenyuan brought his eldest son and daughter, along with his daughter and son-in-law, to write them. Before long, not only were the Peach Talismans hung outside every door of the house, but there were also many extra ones distributed to neighbors.
Xiu and Zhao Zichang had just arrived in Taizhou before the New Year. It wasn't that they walked slowly; rather, their special identities meant that local officials inevitably fawned over them. Zhao Zichang was always gentle and never made anyone uncomfortable. When encountering enthusiastic local officials, it was hard for him to leave abruptly. It was only as Spring Festival approached that they had to hurry along and finally managed to reach Taizhou just before the holiday.
In those days of inconvenient transportation, traveling was truly a torturous task. The two of them collapsed from exhaustion as soon as they got home, especially Xiu, who slept for an entire day before finally getting up. It was Qin Yaru who knew that sleeping too much could make one feel more tired and dazed, so she reluctantly pulled her up.
After regaining their energy, the couple had a great time in Taizhou. They went out shopping together, had snowball fights, laughed and played around. Occasionally, they even childishly argued about whose snowman was cuter. It was much more enjoyable than living in the capital.
Zhao Zichang had always been down-to-earth, while Qin Yizhi was somewhat pedantic. Even though he was a royal heir, he treated Zhao Zichang as a son-in-law without any restraint.
The family gathered around the table cheerfully, discussing everyone's Peach Talismans. Qin Yizhi especially liked Qin Yaru's calligraphy and couldn't help but smile: "Aman's writing has improved a lot. I used to think Aman’s strokes were insufficient; her writing could only be considered decent—neat but lacking spirit. Now looking at this piece of writing, it carries both grace and sharpness. At first glance, it seems plain and unadorned, yet it actually contains profound meaning. If not for years of immersion in this art with dedication and focus, one could never achieve this."
Qin Yaru raised an eyebrow; however, there was an undeniable hint of loneliness in her eyes—after all those years immersed in this art form, back then her only way to pass time and relieve loneliness was through reading, practicing calligraphy and painting, or playing the zither. She repeatedly practiced those skills from her boudoir without end during countless days and nights; there was nothing else.
Secretly rubbing her brow to brush away that little bit of awkwardness hidden deep within her heart—like wiping away dust from home—she revealed a graceful smile on her face again. To have today is already a great fortune; one must not be too greedy; otherwise, her husband would not be able to bear it.
As the festive season approached, many people were busy with gift-giving, and the household was bustling with activity. Gift-giving was not an easy task, and Qin Yizhi did not understand much about it, while Qin Yaru had no experience. In the end, they had to rely on Qin Xiu, the young lady of the house.
Despite her youth and lack of formal education in the customs of gift exchange, Qin Xiu had spent many years at the Brothel Management Office, accustomed to receiving and sending guests. She was not ignorant of social etiquette. Having married into the Eighth Prince's Mansion as the young lady, she would eventually manage household affairs. Although Zhao Zichang felt pity for her youth, the matrons of the royal residence had given her plenty of lessons.
At this moment, Qin Xiu handled the gift-giving quite well, without allowing anyone to find fault. While her status played a role—no one could create discomfort in front of her—it still relieved Qin Yaru.
If it weren't for Qin Xiu's willingness to take on this responsibility, Qin Yizhi would not have opposed it either. The young prince genuinely liked Qin Xiu, and although Qin Yaru did not want her sister to marry into royalty, even in the relatively free Song Dynasty, a bride entering the royal family would likely not feel very comfortable. However, seeing that Qin Xiu was still her old self—though with a touch more charm—lively and cheerful as ever, it was clear that life in the Eighth Prince's Mansion had not been too painful for her.
Finally, it was New Year's Eve. The family gathered around a long table without any formalities, enjoying hot pot together. The broth had been prepared by Qin Yaru several days earlier; its milky white color looked excellent. As thinly sliced lamb was added, steam rose up with an enticing aroma that made everyone's mouths water.
Outside, firecrackers exploded intermittently while inside, everyone jovially fought for food. Qin Yaru opened a jar of aged Daughter Red wine; the men drank heartily while the women sipped a few cups. The first New Year celebration of the Qin Family ended amidst laughter from a group of tipsy men!
On New Year's Eve, it was customary to stay up late. Due to his old age and frail health, Qin Yizhi leaned back on a couch watching his children play various games. Zhao Zichang and Qin Xiu sang duets together, their melodies either festive or strange; only they could understand the lyrics.
Qin Wenyuan practiced shooting in the courtyard; his skills were impressive enough that even outsiders could see his talent. Qin Yizhi was somewhat surprised; although his son had always enjoyed martial arts, he had only learned some ordinary riding and archery skills at school and had never studied under a renowned master. After all, Qin Yizhi was a scholar; scholars and warriors were often seen as opposites in any dynasty. The Song Dynasty particularly valued literature over martial prowess. He never wished for his son to become a warrior; if it weren't for the necessity of learning Gentleman's Six Arts, scholars were often seen as incapable of physical strength. If that were not the case, perhaps Qin Wenyuan's interest in martial arts would have been extinguished before it even began.
Qin Yaru sat by the window playing Go by herself, occasionally glancing at her brother and sister. Although it was getting late, firecrackers continued to sound outside; this night felt quite lively.
She remembered celebrating New Year’s at the Chen Family with her in-laws; she had laughed then too but suddenly could not recall what she had found amusing or whether she had truly been happy.
Later on, when she reached the Twenty-First Century, she also celebrated New Year’s with far more entertainment options than now. During those celebrations, her entire family gathered to watch the Spring Festival Gala. Everyone appeared to be laughing and happy; however, she felt as if she were trapped in a dream—no matter how joyful it seemed at that moment, nothing remained after waking up.
Eventually, after meeting Gao Feng, she found it difficult to celebrate New Year’s properly anymore; it seemed that every festive season made Gao Feng increasingly busy.
Qin Yaru held the cold chess piece in her hand, a smile appearing at the corner of her mouth. She still felt that this year was the most fulfilling one she had experienced in both this life and her past life.
Lost in thought, she suddenly heard the sound of horse hooves outside, mixed with the barking of dogs and the crowing of roosters. Qin Yaru paused, her eyes widening, and quickly touched her forehead, covering her mouth as she tried to restore her beautiful face to its original gentle expression.
On the wall sat a man clad in Silver Armor, an incredibly handsome man, the kind that every woman's dream lover would resemble. (To be continued)
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