The air outside was biting, and Yu Zeyan let out a breath, a white mist blooming before him. He looked up at the sky, a vast expanse of black dotted with lonely stars.
The Emperor, while suppressing the noble families, was also reclaiming military power from the newly ennobled. Although the Yu family had relinquished their military authority, their position in court remained precarious, neither high nor low.
The Emperor's intentions were clear: he did not wish for the new gentry to grow too powerful, becoming influential families a century hence.
To this day, he still couldn't fathom why the Emperor had bestowed a marriage upon Yue'er, but for the Yu family, it was hardly a good omen.
When Yu Zeyan arrived at Qingfeng Courtyard, Yu Mingyue and Yu Mingjing were setting off firecrackers. The crackling of the fireworks and his daughter's laughter temporarily made him forget his earlier disquiet.
"Did Father and Grandmother have another disagreement?" Yu Mingjing asked, walking over to his father while his sister played with Chi Dan and the others.
The old madam always caused a scene every New Year's Eve; they were accustomed to it.
"Your fourth uncle has been trying to find a way back to the capital," Yu Zeyan said, not hiding anything from his son.
His fourth brother had always been restless, and he feared he would inevitably return to the capital within the next two to three years.
"If Fourth Uncle returns to the capital, what does Father intend to do?" Yu Mingjing looked at his father with pure, trusting eyes.
Yu Zeyan gazed at his son for a long time, then at his wife and daughter laughing not far away, and finally back at his son. "Speaking of which, it's been many years since I've left the capital."
"Does Father wish to... serve on the border?" Yu Mingjing immediately guessed his father's thoughts.
"The battles at Yumenguan are incessant, and the current commander, Marquis Chenliu, is due to be replaced in two years. I do indeed have this intention."
"This son wishes to accompany Father."
"Jing'er..."
Yu Zeyan himself didn't mind; he had accompanied his father on campaigns in his youth. But Jing'er was young and inexperienced, and the battlefield was fraught with peril.
"I am the heir, and the honor and disgrace of Duke Dingguo's mansion rest upon me. This son does not fear hardship!" Yu Mingjing looked at his father quietly, his youthful gaze sharp and filled with a touch of heroism.
Yu Zeyan had always known his son was good, but only at this moment did he truly regard him as a man.
His Jing'er had truly grown up. Cui Shi had raised him well.
Yu Zeyan patted his son's shoulder and smiled, "Good. This is the worst-case scenario. Perhaps your fourth uncle will be unlucky and never return to the capital. You still need to study more with your tutor these past two years, read more."
"Father, rest assured!"
"Go now, keep your mother company."
"Will Father join us?"
"Yes, together!"
Yu Mingyue saw her father and brother approaching and waved, "Daddy, Brother, come quickly! Mother said these fireworks will have words!"
Yu Mingyue and her brother lit the fuse together. A string of sparks shot out, then burst from the bamboo tube, blooming into several large characters in the sky: "May there be peace year after year."
"Wow, so beautiful!" Yu Mingyue clapped her hands and cheered.
"Indeed!"
Yu Mingjing looked at the illuminated night sky and murmured to himself, "May those I wish to protect be safe year after year!"
Xie Jia'an also saw the fireworks from the neighboring courtyard. He looked up and silently recited the characters, his gaze drifting towards the outskirts of the city. A hint of warmth touched his cold eyes, illuminated by the fireworks, as he quietly whispered, "May there be peace year after year!"
Yu Mingyue stayed up to see the New Year in, and it wasn't until after midnight that she went to bed. The moment her head hit the pillow, she was fast asleep.
Today was the grand imperial court assembly, an annual event for the Great Wei. Yu Zeyan, Second Master, and Third Master left for the assembly before dawn.
Civil and military officials, clad in magnificent robes, surrounded the horses with torches. The city of Luoyang was bathed in a fiery glow.
Second Master and Third Master, being of lower official rank, could not enter the main hall and had to wait outside. However, for minor officials like them, who merely existed to draw a salary, this was their only chance to approach the imperial palace in a year. Even shivering with blue lips, they felt a sense of honor in being so close.
Minister Mo, on behalf of the Emperor, read the congratulatory address. After the ceremonies, there would be a sacrifice to heaven, followed by a banquet. These proceedings, in previous years, would not conclude until the afternoon.