Xiao Jinheng shot a cold glance at Han Chijiao, then walked to Xiao Xitian and gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. He chuckled, "Little village girl, why are you trying to reason with a deaf ox? The barbarians are invaders, merciless killing machines. If they cared about the lives of ordinary people, they wouldn't have invaded our borders and slaughtered innocents in the first place..."
Xiao Jinheng had been listening at the door for a while and felt Han Chijiao's thinking was seriously flawed.
While wars between nations indeed involved immense interests, the barbarians, as the aggressors, not only felt no shame for their actions but considered them perfectly justified...
In this world, which nation would willingly endure the ravitation and torment of war?
"Hey, what are you saying, you little brat?" Han Chijiao glared at Xiao Jinheng, indignantly retorting, "What do you mean, reasoning with a deaf ox? If your Great Liang was strong enough to repel our army's advance, then the common people wouldn't have to suffer!"
Xiao Xitian: "..."
Xiao Jinheng: "..."
This was utter nonsense, what kind of preposterous statement was that?
So, weakness was a crime, and it meant death?
"Sister Han, what you're saying is completely illogical!" Xiao Xitian said with a stern face, her cheeks puffed out in anger. "Then, according to you, countries with less national strength should perish sooner and make way for your barbarian tribes?"
"Although our Great Liang doesn't have a powerful army, the court is still very kind to the common people. At least, in all the years under the Emperor's rule, no group of people has ever revolted or demanded the overthrow of the court..."
"But I have heard that within your barbarian tribes, due to the dominance of certain factions, internal conflicts are frequent. They even fight over a single sheep and take lives!"
"Your behavior is barbaric and crude, and your treatment of people and things is of low quality. To put it bluntly, even if the Great Liang empire were handed over to you, you might not be able to manage such a large country!"
Han Chijiao: "..."
Why was Sweet Baby contradicting her so much today?
Was she really wrong?
"You don't need to tell me all this!" Han Chijiao said huffily, sitting on the kang and pouting. "The decision rests with Abu. He's a warmonger, how can I stop him? Besides, I'm just a woman. If my hands are stained with blood, who would want to marry me in the future..."
Xiao Jinheng was slightly surprised to hear this, "So, Princess Han, you don't like war either?"
Han Chijiao rolled her eyes and didn't respond.
If she could control the entire barbarian tribe, she would lead her people to graze on wider grasslands, far away from the people of the Central Plains, with no interference between them...
She was born for the grasslands. She wouldn't be accustomed to living in the imperial palace.
Seeing that Han Chijiao remained silent, Xiao Xitian sighed and glanced out the window, "Alright, alright, today is New Year's Eve. Let's not talk about this for now. Lunch will be served soon. Sister Han, please change into clean and fresh clothes and come to the main hall to eat..."
Since it was the New Year, Gu Mingyan had also relaxed his supervision of Han Chijiao, allowing her to join the family for a meal in the main hall.
Han Chijiao's spirits immediately lifted upon hearing this, "Do you have pickled cabbage stewed with blood sausage?"
Xiao Xitian: "..."
When it comes to food, you're not yourself anymore!
"I don't think we made that dish. I'll go check the kitchen later. Come on, you brat, let's go!" Xiao Xitian said, then pulled Xiao Jinheng away.
On New Year's Day, lunch was also highly anticipated.
However, due to the different living habits of each household, the way they ate also varied...
Some families preferred to feast at noon and then rest in the afternoon. Around midnight, when they felt hungry, they would start making dumplings for the New Year's Eve dinner.
The old Yun family was different. Their lunch was almost a perfunctory meal. They would bring out some boiled pork bones, pig trotters, and ribs, steam some buns and flower rolls, and temporarily fill their stomachs...
All the main events were concentrated on the New Year's Eve dinner.
Yun Xiaobao sat on a stool, swinging his short legs, and said with a serious expression, "Grandpa, Grandma, I don't want to eat anymore!"
Gu Shi couldn't help but chuckle, "Why isn't Xiaobao eating? What will you do if you're hungry in the afternoon?"
"Grandma, I want to save my stomach for a good meal tonight. Otherwise, if I eat until I'm full now, I won't be hungry on New Year's Eve..."
This remark made everyone laugh.
Yun Jinshan playfully flicked his younger brother's nose and smiled, "My dear brother, if you eat until you're full now, and then don't wait until evening, the food in your stomach will be digested. So, you should eat what you should eat. Here, brother will give you a rib..."
Yun Xiaobao blinked his big eyes and obediently started eating the rib.
As guests of the Yun family, Xiao Jinfeng, Gu Mingyan, Old Man Sun, Guan Zhongbo, Xiao Xinling, and Han Chijiao also came to have lunch.
The main hall was packed with people, all heads.
One table wasn't enough, so Da Man and Er Man went to the storeroom to move another square table and placed it near the entrance...
Sun Tianxiu set off a string of firecrackers at the main entrance, then ran inside covering her ears.
The crackling sound drove away the old dust of the past year, and everyone gained a year in age.
For Xiao Xitian, at six years old, she was no longer as playful and naive as before. She not only had to help her family earn money but also lead the entire village to achieve prosperity...
This goal must be achieved this year.
"Why is there no wine?" Xiao Jinfeng frowned, his eyes fixed on Old Man Yun, "Can't we drink wine at noon?"
Old Man Yun: "..."
Why are you looking at me? It's the old woman who doesn't allow drinking, saying it might interfere with the afternoon's work.
In fact, the family had been busy all morning. The meat was boiled, the filling was mixed, and the vegetables were prepared. All that was left was to wrap dumplings. In the afternoon, apart from sweeping the floor and checking if the Spring Festival couplets on the door had fallen off, there was nothing else to do...
But the old woman insisted he not drink.
Gu Shi heard this and smiled slightly, instructing Jin Huaihua, "Huaihua, go get a wine bowl for Young Master Xiao!"
Xiao Jinfeng was a guest, so they couldn't mistreat his stomach...
A moment later, Huaihua brought a large bowl. As she handed it to Xiao Jinfeng, her hand was gently touched.
Xiao Jinfeng playfully pinched Jin Huaihua's little finger, his face beaming like a flower, "Miss Huaihua looks so beautiful today!"
The Yun family: "..."
What is this person doing!
Gu Mingyan glanced at Xiao Jinfeng, his expression changed slightly, and he instructed Qinglan, "Go, get me a wine bowl too. Today, I'll accompany Young Master Xiao until we're both drunk!"
Xiao Jinfeng: "..."