The abstinent prince, practicing Buddhism, is seduced by a voluptuous beauty into breaking his vows.

Ashina Lie stepped forward and bowed to Grand Tutor Jiang and Jiang Ci, his attitude unusually proper and respectful. However, when his gaze swept over Su Yaoyao, a glint still appeared in his eyes.

Su Qingrun stood silently in front of her younger sister.

Ashina Lie: "..."

Xie Yu also arrived, wearing a new robe that accentuated the young general's dashing appearance. Seeing Su Yaoyao, he grinned, "Happy New Year, Yaoyao!"

Most surprisingly, Chu Qingzi also came.

Today she wore a moon-white jacket and skirt, with a silver-gray cloak over it, her whole demeanor as aloof and cold as a plum blossom in the snow. When she entered, everyone was stunned for a moment.

Madam Jiang smiled and waved, "Qingzi's here, come in and warm up."

The Prime Minister's residence had always been on good terms with Grand Tutor Jiang, so her presence was not surprising.

Chu Qingzi nodded slightly, her gaze sweeping over Su Yaoyao, and the corners of her mouth curved almost imperceptibly. "It was boring elsewhere, so I came to bother you since it was lively here."

Su Yaoyao felt that strange feeling welling up inside her again, but she didn't think much of it and greeted her with a smile, "Sister Chu is here, please have a seat!"

For a time, the main courtyard of the Grand Tutor's mansion was as lively as a market.

Anar chased after Jiang Huaijin, insisting on teaching him how to wrestle on the grasslands; Jiang Wanning whispered something to Chu Qingzi, and Chu Qingzi's lips curved into a rare smile; Xie Yu and Ashina Lie were at odds again, bickering back and forth; Jiang Jingchen watched the commotion from the sidelines, occasionally adding fuel to the fire.

Su Qingrun stood under the corridor, looking at the chaotic scene before her, and her lips twitched.

Su Yaoyao leaned closer and whispered, "Brother, is it lively?"

Su Qingrun was silent for a moment: "...It's too lively."

"It's good to have a lively atmosphere," Su Yaoyao said with a grin. "The New Year is all about having a lively atmosphere."

She turned and ran to the center of the courtyard, clapping her hands at the crowd: "Come on, everyone! Quiet down! I've prepared a surprise for you!"

A crowd gathered around curiously.

Su Yaoyao had her servants bring out several large wooden buckets filled with a yellowish liquid, topped with a layer of fine foam.

"What's this?" Anar leaned closer to smell it. "Wine?"

"Beer," Su Yaoyao announced proudly, "I had it specially brewed!"

Beer didn't exist in ancient times.

But she was used to drinking it in her previous life and was really craving it, so she simply found a few reliable brewers and experimented repeatedly with the recipes in her memory. After struggling for almost two months, she finally came up with a version that was barely drinkable.

Meanwhile, several charcoal grills were set up in the yard, grilling lamb skewers, chicken wings, and beef, sizzling and releasing a fragrant aroma that filled the entire yard.

"Come on, have a taste!" Su Yaoyao poured a large bowl of beer for everyone and gave each person a few skewers of grilled meat.

Anar was the first to try it. After taking a sip, her eyes lit up: "This wine is delicious! It's not strong, and it has a malty aroma!"

Ashina Lie also took a sip, raising an eyebrow: "It's really good. It's even more unique than the mare's milk wine from our grasslands."

Xie Yu and Jiang Jingchen were old acquaintances. They took the skewers and started eating, exclaiming as they did so, "Yaoyao, your cooking skills are amazing."

Chu Qingzi held the wine bowl, took small sips, and didn't say anything, but her brows and eyes relaxed considerably.

Jiang Huaijin also wanted to drink, but Song stopped him, saying, "Why would a child drink alcohol?" She gave him a bowl of goat milk, and the little guy pouted, looking aggrieved.

Su Yaoyao smiled and ruffled his hair: "Good boy, I'll treat you to a drink when you grow up."

Jiang Huaijin tilted her head up: "Then when will I grow up?"

"It'll be here soon."

The crowd laughed.

After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere became increasingly lively.

Anar got drunk and insisted on playing a drinking game with Su Qingrun. Su Qingrun resisted at first, but Anar kept pestering her and had no choice but to go along with it. As a result, she lost three rounds in a row and was punished by drinking three bowls of wine. For once, two blushes appeared on her face.

Ashina Lie chimed in from the side, "Lord Su is no good! Come on, let's have a contest!"

Xie Yu rolled up his sleeves: "I'll do it too!"

Several people sat around the charcoal stove, drinking bowl after bowl until their faces were flushed.

Jiang Jingchen, always eager for a good show, acted as referee, announcing, "Lord Su wins! The First Prince loses! General Xie, you're punished with a drink!"

Su Yaoyao held a wine bowl, leaned against a pillar, and looked at the people in the courtyard with a smile.

Chu Qingzi walked up to her without her noticing and said softly, "Your friends... are very good."

Su Yaoyao turned her head to look at her: "Sister Chu is also my friend."

Chu Qingzi was taken aback, lowered her eyes, and smiled slightly. "Mm."

Su Yaoyao touched her wine bowl: "Come on, bottoms up."

Chu Qingzi raised the bowl and drank it all in one gulp.

When the moon was high in the sky, the courtyard was already littered with people lying all over the place.

Su Qingrun and Ashina Lie stopped their drinking contest at some point, and sat back to back on the ground, ignoring each other.

Xie Yu lay sprawled on the bench, muttering, "Another bowl, please." Jiang Jingchen, still relatively sober, sat beside him, drinking tea to sober up.

Anar lay face down on the stone table, her face buried in her arms, it was hard to tell whether she was asleep or drunk.

Jiang Wan Ning was coaxing the sleepy Jiang Huai Jin. The little guy, seeing the commotion, refused to go inside to sleep and snuggled in her arms, his little face flushed.

Where is Su Yaoyao?

She was still standing.

He ate bowl after bowl without batting an eye, acting as if nothing was wrong.

Ashina Lie turned around and saw her, his eyes widening in disbelief: "You... why are you still standing there?"

Su Yaoyao raised an eyebrow: "Your Highness, you need to practice cooking more. This is nothing!"

Ashina Lie: "..."

Jiang Jingchen looked up at him and said, "I forgot to mention, my sister... can really hold her liquor."

"She can really hold her liquor?" Xie Yu struggled to sit up from the bench, giving him a "you're too conservative" look. "Back then, she drank all four of us by herself! We were all knocked out, and who was the other one again...?" He couldn't remember for a second, and then slumped back down, feeling dizzy.

Ashina Lie fell silent.

Looking at Su Yaoyao's smiling face, he suddenly realized that his drinking contest earlier... had been a bit silly. The woman before him seemed to radiate light, repeatedly overturning his perceptions and surprising him time and time again.

Chu Qingzi whispered from the side, "Miss Su certainly has a huge capacity for alcohol."

She had drunk quite a bit tonight, but her face remained aloof, though her eyes were slightly red, giving her a more human touch than usual.

Su Yaoyao leaned closer and whispered, "Is Sister Chu drunk too?"

Chu Qingzi shook her head: "No."

"Really not?"

"...A little."

Su Yaoyao smiled and put her arm around her shoulder: "Then I'll help you inside to rest for a while."

"No need." Chu Qingzi pressed her hand, paused, and said softly, "I want to... watch the fireworks a little longer."

Su Yaoyao was taken aback, then realized what was going on.

Chu Qingzi is such a reserved person, usually keeping to herself, so she probably rarely has the opportunity to celebrate the New Year in such a lively atmosphere.

"Okay." She squeezed her hand. "Then let's watch it together."