Men, listen, grab the top of the mountain and stand in the center position

Even a tiger won't eat its own cubs, so why is he keeping Xiao Shiyi under control? Wangshu couldn't understand. Although she had no fondness for these big stallions, as a prince who had been famous in Daliang for more than 20 years, he was always so confused. Maybe he was out of his mind.

"Could the big stud be a stand-in?" She muttered, acting as if she had lost her mind.

"How could that be?" Qin Xiuyuan played with the little woman's long hair. "She cursed me with such vigor through the city wall."

It was Wangshu who had tricked the old man in the first place, but that was also because the old man had gone too far in the past. "It seems that the success of the little traitor has made him very worried."

Little traitor! He admitted to being a traitor, but!! Qin Xiuyuan pinched her earlobe: ...How is he little?

"What are the chances of being killed?" This was a difficult question. The three hostages in his hands were released again. There was nothing left to exchange for bargaining chips.

Qin Xiuyuan was unsure. "We're besieging the city very tightly. Many people in the city have already been out of firewood and food. The nobles even burned fine wenge furniture and even beams for warmth."

It sounds absurd at first, but upon closer inspection, it aligns with reality. In the cold winter, without fire and food, there is no way to survive. Firewood comes before rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea.

"Your former boss has soldiers and generals. I'm afraid that even if those powerful people are willing to acknowledge your beauty, they are temporarily unable to do so."

As soon as he finished speaking, his earlobe was bitten by lips and teeth. Wangshu hit him, "If you don't want to listen, then forget it!" Protecting his ears, he turned over and faced away from him.

Who is this guy who is blaming others? And she is beautiful!

Qin Xiuyuan felt that he had no place in her heart!

Ever since Qin Xiuyuan came back, the kitchen has been busy frying, stewing, and cooking all kinds of food. Originally, his wife didn't care about the rituals of the New Year. Such a smart person didn't even bother to count the twelve hours in a day and the twenty-four solar terms in a year. But the child was growing up, and for the sake of the baby, she had to celebrate the New Year.

After sweeping the stove, wiping the furniture, helping to make dumplings and so on, the exhausted pair of kids followed Uncle Tang around to post door gods and the word "Fu" written in black on red paper. Qin Xiuyuan smiled with his hands behind his back as he watched the brother and sister holding rice paste and the word "Fu", following Uncle Tang's busy work step by step.

"Grandpa Tang, how much New Year's money will mother give me?"

The fat man who was ready to get rich overnight was daydreaming, "I want to go see acrobatics, and there are monkeys!" With Tang Bo's arm strength lifting him up, he carefully pasted the word "Fu" on the window frame, and pressed the rice paste with his little hands to make it stickier.

The skillfully cut window paper-cuts with the word "Spring" were gently spread out. Xiaobao held both sides and handed them high up. Finally, it was the red lantern. Qin Xiuyuan couldn't help but join in, holding it high for one person to hang on one side, without bias.

After hanging up the lanterns, Wa Wa rubbed his hands and ran into the warm house. Wang Shu, who couldn't stand the wind, leaned on the armchair with a sachet of silver and money in his hand. He chatted with his mother-in-law about Qin Xiuyuan's return to Chang'an.

"The road is difficult to walk on and it's too cold." Wangshu didn't want to walk.

Wang watched her lively grandchildren happily running in and out, feeling bitter, "I'll go with him this time."

"Mother-in-law, since the news has been passed on, it means there are benefits to be gained over there. For the time being, everything seems to be fine."

Wang shook her head. "You can't imagine how cruel a man can be."

Since Yiyuan was always obedient to his daughter-in-law, the daughter-in-law had no idea that her husband could also be a butcher.

"He's become increasingly displeased with Eleven over the past few years. No matter how well Eleven studies or how hard he practices martial arts, he never asks a single question when he comes home."

The reason was self-evident. Wangshu did not respond. Her concubine and children lived on the favor bestowed by the male master. She had only seen stories of concubines fighting for favor and losing favor, and concubines giving birth to children on TV and in novels in her previous life. In this life, her mother-in-law was the only one in her family who had managed to sneak into the harem of the powerful.

"It's a good thing that Eleven doesn't have a good relationship with him. He'll be close to you, Grandma, from now on." Wangshu comforted his grandmother, who was about to cry and lowered her head. "It's always good."

Little Eleven was extremely handsome when he was little, with glass-like eyes and a chubby figure that didn't look strong, which instantly made him look even more handsome than his own son, who was known for his rough and strong demeanor.

The man in the crimson robe who came in blocked her gaze from sizing up her son's weight, just like the picky look she gave him when buying cloth in the market.

The grand dinner that had been prepared for ten days was presented like a continuous stream of food. Chun Yang and Xiao Qing and Xiao Lu served the dishes one by one, frying, braising, stewing, and a combination of meat and vegetables. Dishes from Yaocheng, Yongzhou, Jingzhou, and Luoyang were all on display, with a variety of colors, aromas, and tastes. Two square tables were put together and covered with a red cotton tablecloth with festive Chinese New Year words. Sixteen plates and dishes of prosperity surrounded the Luoyang bird's nest and golden pot stickers in the middle. On Wangshu's side were her favorite fried crispy pork and braised fish pieces, in front of Wawa were hand-shredded salted chicken and fragrant braised tofu, and for Qin Xiuyuan were braised pork with dried vegetables and braised beef, each carefully selected.

Amidst the fat man's constant "wows," Wangshu gave Chunyang a thumbs-up. "Thank you for your hard work. You and Tang Bo will distribute New Year gifts to everyone in the mansion on behalf of the general and me." She pointed to the sachets on the tray to the side, then remembered something: drunkards could easily freeze to death on the streets during the New Year. "No drinking allowed inside or outside the mansion at night."

Qin Xiuyuan raised his eyebrows but said nothing.

Chun Yang thought of the ten jars of premium farmhouse rice wine he had prepared. Just the smell made his mouth water. Yesterday, everyone inside and outside the mansion had been given a portion of braised meat and a box of lotus roots. Many people were still carrying meat in their pockets, hoping for a lucky sip of wine. "Madam, we prepared ten jars of rice wine so that the soldiers on duty outside the mansion could have a drink to warm themselves up."

"I don't drink." Wangshu sat down, indicating that this matter was not worth discussing.

Chun Yang carried the heavy tray and distributed the gifts one by one. The New Year's rewards in the mansion were getting more generous every year. Even Tang Bo was a little grinning. "Madam, the gifts are increasing every year. You should be more diligent in your duties."

"Yes, Butler Tang."

"Yes, master!"

Weighing the heavy silver ingot, Chun Yang started talking about the alcohol ban. "My lady may have other concerns. We should eat more food tonight and not drink alcohol."

Xiaoqing waved her hand and said it was no big deal. "Madam can't stand the smell of alcohol. She gets a headache and dizziness when she smells it." The general hardly drinks at all.

The general might go to Chang'an one day, and the mistress, who is the backbone of the team, cannot fall ill again.

"Hide the silver and eat! Eat while it's hot!"

Joyful laughter drifted faintly into the main hall. "The reward money was generous. It sounded like they were so happy they were ready to turn the roof over their heads." Wang, holding a piece of short ribs, said casually, "Even the princess is not as generous as you. They are lucky to be able to serve under you."

Seeing his index finger stretched wide, the food in his mouth still lacked flavor. His sense of taste was slow to recover, so Wangshu ate slowly. He subconsciously declined the words such as slave, servant, concubine, legitimate wife, and illegitimate child. "It's been a hard year, and everyone has their share. Happy New Year."

She spends money when she has it.