Chapter 204
New Year’s Eve (2)
While Mu Mingtang was thinking about how things changed after her parents pa.s.sed away, she thought Xie Xuanchen didn’t notice her sudden mood change. But as a keen person, how could he not notice that?
Xie Xuanchen once heard Mu Mingtang talking about her parents’ deaths, how she became a refugee, and how she was adopted by the Jiang family. At that time, he felt that this little girl had suffered a lot, and now while listening again, he was very distressed.
In the past few years, Mu Mintang had experienced many twists and turns. So, now life has stabilized to some degree, and she was looking forward to celebrating New Year this year with Xie Xuanchen.
After thinking about her past experiences, Xie Xuanchen felt sorry for Mu Mingtang. In fact, he also hadn’t celebrated New Year seriously for a long time.
Xie Xuanchen came from a superior family background, was gifted with talent, and had a gentle and beautiful mother who cared about him very much. Although his father, Xie Yi, was very strict with him, Guo Rong[1] treated Xie Xuanchen much better than his own son. He didn’t lack material things or love, so he never paid attention to things like festivals. Everything was fine until his mother was killed by Emperor Gong. Because of that, his home was scattered in an instant.
After his mother’s death, Guo Rong became the emperor after killing Emperor Gong, Xie Yi stood by Guo Rong’s side, and Xie Xuanchen also established the mansion alone. Xie Xuanchen was also busy with foreign affairs, and never cared about festivals and other things. So he gradually forgot about the taste of Chinese New Year. As he can remember, the last time he celebrated New Year was probably when his mother was still alive.
Xie Xuanchen didn’t let go of Mu Mingtang’s hand, sighed and asked, “Do you want to make new clothes for the New Year?”
“Make new clothes again? Just made them the day before yesterday. One batch.” Mu Mingtang said. Now the palace was full of various kinds of fabric, so making new clothes wasn’t a big deal anymore.
They got rewards from the emperor often as if the emperor wanted to gain face, and as soon as the emperor sent them, the queen and the queen-mother would send something along with them. Because of this, Mu Mingtang’s closet was full of clothes.
Mu Mingtang changed clothes every day, and there were still many clothes squeezed in the closet, which had never been worn.
Xie Xuanchen chuckled: “The day before yesterday, you made clothes for the twelfth lunar month, and now I want to make clothes for you for the New Year, how can it be the same? I’ll ask someone to send this month’s fashionable fabrics to choose from.”
Mu Mingtang stared at Xie Xuanchen without blinking her eyes, sighed and said, “I know you are kind, but when my parents led me to make clothes when I was a child, they went shopping from store to store, not like this. no need to do so.”
She didn’t want to pick anymore, she was too tired.
Xie Xuanchen was dissatisfied with these words: “I can also take you out. I’m afraid that you will find it annoying to go out, so I have someone bring them in. If you want to go to the store to buy, we can do it in the afternoon. Arrange a cart.”
“Ah…” Mu Mingtang hurriedly stopped him, “No need.”
Maids who were ordered to prepare a horse cart by Xie Xuanchen, paused for a while when they heard Mu Mingtang’s words. They were confused, so they looked left and right, not knowing who to listen to.
Xie Xuanchen took Mu Mingtang’s hand, pressed it firmly, and said, “Listen to me, set the car.”
“Yes.” Maids replied.
“If you really go out, don’t go to the clothing store.” Mu Mingtang said.
“Don’t you like it?”
“It’s too tiring, I have a headache looking at it. But we haven’t bought the lights for the New Year’s Day. Why don’t we go to see the lights?”
Xie Xuanchen didn’t care, it wasn’t him who wasted his brain in the end, he nodded happily: “Okay, listen to you.”
Even though it was troublesome, Mu Mingtang got excited, so she went to get dressed. Since she came to the capital, she had gone out a handful of times. She was the Jiang family’s adopted daughter, so she dared not ask permission to go outside. Later, she married Xie Xuanchen, but because of his illness, she never went out for a walk.
She spent two years in the capital in vain. In fact, she has never seen its prosperity.
This time Xie Xuanchen is also going out, which is completely different. Mu Mingtang doesn’t have to worry about the time and distance, and she was very happy all morning. Xie Xuanchen was relieved to see her so happy, but more of a pity.
In fact, it was his fault, he should have taken her out long ago.
TL Notes:
1. Guo Rong – He was the emperor before Xie Xuanchen’s father, Xie Yi became the emperor. ↵