Chapter 335

The north wind rolled with broken snow foam, hitting the ebony window lattice of the Mingjing Si office, making a wailing sound.

The hall was warm and scorching. More than ten basins of charcoal fire were burning vigorously in the bronze charcoal basins, and sparks occasionally splashed on the blue brick floor, extinguishing in an instant.

Two rows of black lacquer wooden cases were arranged in order, with bronze candlesticks placed on them. The jumping candlelight reflected the "Mingjing Gaoxuan" plaque hanging on the wall, shining with dark light.

On both sides of the plaque were dozens of bronze mirrors of different sizes. The mirror surface was smoked with a thin layer of water vapor by the charcoal fire, but it could still vaguely reflect the people in the hall, adding a bit of eeriness.

Chen Yan sat in the main seat, his dark brocade robe embroidered with dark Taotie patterns. His fingertips tapped the bronze paperweight on the case carelessly, looking at the four Mirror Keepers, and asked: "Everyone, do you have any suggestions for improvement regarding this guard strategy for the La Sacrifice day?"

Yin Shizhi, the White Tiger Mirror Keeper who was playing with a jade folding fan, gave a light laugh. He raised his eyes and swept over the strategy files piled on the case, the fan bone tapping lightly in his palm, making a clear and crisp sound. His gaze flowed with a bit of certainty: "Chief, the guard strategy for the La Sacrifice has reached perfection. This subordinate believes there is absolutely no loophole to drill into!"

As he spoke, he slowly unfolded the folding fan, the translucent jade bone reflecting the faint light of the charcoal fire, and the cold plum blossoms painted on the fan surface seemed to be stained with warmth.

It wasn't that Yin Shizhi was blindly confident, but that this strategy had been revised more than ten times.

On that strategy file, there were dense red marks.

From how to identify the authenticity of the gilded patterns on the ritual vessels, to the influence of the wind direction on the shooting range of bows and crossbows at the Five Suburbs Altar, everything had been repeatedly deduced.

"Yes!"

Song Fei, who had always been steady, also nodded in agreement, echoing: "Unless those with ulterior motives use demonic arts and evil spells, it is difficult to find an opportunity!"

"Chief can rest assured!"

Li Tan and You Xian exchanged a look, both nodding slowly, agreeing with Yin Shizhi's view.

A faint, imperceptible smile hooked at the corner of Chen Yan's lips. He raised his hand and pushed the guard strategy covered with red marks on the case lightly, his fingertips pausing on the cover, his gaze falling on You Xian: "Then transcribe this agreed La Sacrifice guard plan once, and then present it to the Grand Chancellor for review!"

You Xian stood up in response, took the heavy file with both hands, the pages still carrying the warmth smoked by the charcoal fire.

He lowered his head and bowed, his voice steady: "Yes."

Chen Yan's fingertips tightened fiercely, the bronze paperweight was squeezed with a subtle chill. When he looked up again, that faint smile had vanished, and only deep gravity remained in his eyes: "Everyone, the La Sacrifice is of great importance, and it also concerns everyone's official career. You must not take it lightly!"

"You must raise your spirits to twelve points!"

After a pause, his knuckles tapped on the case, making a heavy sound, each sound like knocking on people's hearts.

He said the last few words extremely deeply, carrying undeniable majesty.

The La Sacrifice is one of the most important sacrifices at the end of the year.

It is to thank the gods for their protection of the harvest in the past year and to pray for good weather in the coming year.

Moreover, this is also the first La Sacrifice of the new dynasty, and there must be no mistakes!

"Subordinates obey the order!"

The response was uniform, shaking the candlelight slightly.

The four Mirror Keepers stood side by side, their dark official robes shining with dark light under the reflection of the charcoal fire. The neat "Nuo" sound hit the bronze mirrors on the four walls, folding back fragmented echoes, actually overpowering the wailing of the wind and snow outside the window.

"Go!"

Chen Yan raised his hand and waved, his dark sleeves bringing up a breeze, and the candlelight trembled lightly.

After his gaze circled the four people's faces, he added: "Everyone perform their duties. After the La Sacrifice ends, the Grand Chancellor will definitely have heavy rewards!"

A sharp light flashed in Li Tan's eyes, and he bowed again.

Yin Shizhi lowered his head, and the jade fan tapped lightly in his sleeve.

The four people exited the council hall one by one. The moment the door closed, the sound of wind and snow was completely locked outside.

Chen Yan leaned back slowly, his wide dark sleeves covering the back of the chair.

The light of the charcoal fire cast clear and dark patterns on his face. That gravity dissipated, and deep, bottomless playfulness emerged in his eyes.

His fingertips rubbed unconsciously, his finger pads grinding over the edges and corners of the paperweight, making a subtle "rustling" sound.

"La Sacrifice..." Chen Yan murmured to himself, the tail of his voice drawn out extremely long, carrying a bit of unspeakable meaning.

His gaze swept over the remaining ink marks of the strategy on the case, and then fell back on the bronze mirrors on the four walls that reflected the empty hall, as if he could see all kinds of scenes at the sacrifice not long after through the cold mirror surface.

His fingertips paused fiercely, the playfulness in his eyes suddenly condensed into a point of cold light, and then dissolved, re-covering with that layer of unpredictable smile.

"What a good opportunity!"

"You must seize it!"

A curve hooked at the corner of Chen Yan's mouth, and he slowly closed his eyes, his knuckles tapping lightly on the paperweight.

Each one was like falling on the key point of the chessboard.

The wind and snow are still long, the good show has just begun.

The twilight was like ink-soaked cotton, seeping in bit by bit from the cracks in the window lattice, blurring the bronze mirrors in the hall into shadows.

"Young Master."

A low voice broke the silence. Zhu Yi walked in silently, lowered his head and bowed: "It's getting late, we should return to the mansion..."

"Hmm?"

"Is it already this dark?"

Chen Yan slowly opened his eyes, the calculation in his eyes had been collected cleanly, leaving only the usual indifference. He looked at the dim sky outside the window, moved his fingertips away from the paperweight, and asked: "What time is it now?"

"It's past the half of the You hour (5-7 PM)!" Zhu Yi replied.

"Let's go, we should return to the mansion..." Chen Yan nodded slightly, took the fox fur cloak from the back of the chair, and draped it over his shoulders casually, "If we don't return, Suiwan, Qingyu and the others will be worried!"

"The street is also getting more and more lively..."

"Many people are preparing New Year's goods!"

Hongye's gaze swept over the lanterns lit one after another on both sides, her tone carrying a bit of rare lightness.

Pedestrians were coming and going on the bluestone road.

Peddlers carrying shoulder poles shuttled between them, their baskets piled with red paper, velvet flowers, and bundles of cypress branches, their shouts mixed with white steam drifting away: "Incense and candles for the La Sacrifice—top-quality pine smoke incense!"

Outside the wine shop at the corner of the street hung freshly slaughtered cured meat, the oily light shining warm yellow under the lanterns. Several women were surrounding the vendors picking candied fruit, the crisp sound of copper coins clashing mixed with laughter and curses spreading far away.

There were even children running wildly on the street holding sugar paintings, the sweet fragrance of candied haws drifting over the cloth banners, intertwining with the spice smell drifting from the grocery store opposite.

"This is just the beginning?"

Zhu Yi tightened the long sword in his arms, the bronze ornaments on the scabbard flashing under the lanterns, and laughed: "It will be truly lively as it gets closer to the first month..."

After saying that, he looked up at the thickening night, and continued: "When the time comes, Hongye, you can ask Qingyu to bring you to see it!"

Zhu Yi remembered that after the La Sacrifice, it was close to the first month, and that was truly the whole city rejoicing.

Dragon dances and stilt walking could be lined up from the beginning of the street to the end of the alley, and the lanterns at night could illuminate half the sky.

"This suggestion is good..."

Hongye heard this, the corners of her eyes curved, and the plain sword tassel swayed lightly in the wind: "Yun Xi should also have never experienced it. Let's find a free time and come together!"

Chen Yan listened to the two of them talking to each other in front, his footsteps did not stop, but a faint smile bloomed at his lips, which dissipated when blown by the wind, leaving only a bit of gentleness in his words: "It's almost the end of the year, in a few days I will give each of you a generous year-end bonus!"

"Young Master, what is this year-end bonus?"

Hongye blinked, listening to this unfamiliar vocabulary, not understanding, and asked in confusion.

Year-end bonus?

Never heard of it before.

"It's a reward to reward you for your hard work this year!" Chen Yan smiled indifferently and explained.

Chen Yan is generous to his subordinates and partners, and even more so to his own people.

Everyone in the Chief's mansion, including servants and the Embroidered Attire Envoys on duty, has a year-end bonus.

The pockets are stuffed bulging.

"Then I will respectfully obey..."

Zhu Yi's Adam's apple rolled up and down, a layer of excited red appeared on his face, and his eyes glowed.

After saying that, he rubbed his hands and laughed: "And ask for two more Western Hu women!"

Don't say, don't say, recently Zhu Yi is really craving Western Hu women with deep eyes and high noses, deep eye sockets, agile eyes, long and thick eyelashes, and diverse hair colors.

Especially like watching them dance the Hu spin dance and the Zhe branch dance...

Pleasing to the eye!

"Okay." Chen Yan did not hesitate at all, his brow lifted slightly, and he responded.

Hongye was thoughtful, the heat on her face faded a bit, replaced by a bit of hesitation. She looked down at her sword, the plain sword tassel sweeping lightly over the back of her hand, her voice much lower: "But I have only followed the Young Master for a short time..."

Her fingertips unconsciously picked at the rope on the hilt, and when she looked up, her gaze carried a bit of awkwardness: "And I haven't made much contribution..."

"It's already a grace that the Young Master can take me in..."

Unlike Zhu Yi who had followed for more than ten years, Hongye only felt ashamed.

After all, she had been by the Young Master's side for less than four months in total...

Chen Yan interrupted Hongye's words, smiled indifferently, and said: "We are all our own people, saying these words is being distant!"

Zhu Yi nodded, echoing: "The days ahead are still long, there will be opportunities for you to shine, Hongye..."

Turning the corner of the street, the noise suddenly faded, and in front was a quiet alley.

The residual snow on the bluestone slabs was not swept, reflecting the light of the lanterns and turning cold white. Occasionally there was a light sound of withered branches breaking behind the low walls on both sides, making it even more quiet.

"I don't know what delicious food Qingyu prepared today..."

"I'm a bit hungry!"

Chen Yan was tightening his cloak and walking forward, when he felt his footsteps lag behind, he stopped and turned around, only to see Zhu Yi and Hongye's previously smiling faces now as cold as ice, their pupils shrinking, staring dead at the shadow of the courtyard wall on the left, and asked: "What kind of expression do you two have?"

"Young Master, something is wrong!"

"There is killing intent!"

Zhu Yi had already pulled the long sword out of his arms by half an inch, the dark scabbard reflecting the faint light leaking from the end of the alley, emitting a cold luster.

"They hide their breath extremely well, they are all masters!" Hongye had already turned to stand behind Chen Yan's left, her shoulders and back under the red shirt stretched straight, her right hand pressing on the hilt.

"Hmm?" Chen Yan was startled.

"It's meaningless for you all to hide and hide anymore..."

"Better to appear!"

Zhu Yi let out a sharp shout from his throat.

A sinister laugh rolled out from the depths of the shadows, like rusty iron sheets rubbing against stone, carrying bone-chilling coldness: "Chief Chen, these two guards of yours are really not simple..."

"We have already hidden so secretly, yet we were still discovered!" ===== CHAPTER 336 =====