The Song Dynasty was the king for thirteen years before he knew that he was Tianlong.

Chapter 337 Fragrance disappears
On the night of the 29th, the city was searched all night, only stopping at dawn.

It is now Lunar New Year's Eve. Since the war is over, we should celebrate the New Year as usual.

Although Miechuan belongs to a military prefecture, a small number of people also live there. Whether they are Tangut or Khitan, they all celebrate the New Year by bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new.

In the morning, Zhao Ti ordered the three city gates to be closed tightly and instructed the soldiers to guard the breach in the city wall. He then ordered those in the army who could write to compose Spring Festival couplets and carve decorations for the doors.

Door banners, also known as spring banners, door signs, or hanging signs, are a traditional New Year's custom item that replaces peach charms.

This item is made by stacking layers of colored paper and carving auspicious words or patterns with a carving knife. Each piece is about half a foot square. Those with great strength can carve through hundreds of pages of paper, and each page becomes a door decoration, which is pasted on the door or the top of the window to symbolize joy and celebration.

Miechuan was a military city. The east and west sides of the city were barracks, while shops, markets, and residential areas were only located in the south of the city.

Zhao Ti ordered his soldiers to deliver the extra Spring Festival couplets and door decorations to the people, knocking on each door, saying auspicious words, and reassuring the people so that they could have a peaceful New Year.

Next, colorful decorations were set up in the city. Mi'e River was barren, and there wasn't enough silk to adorn the trees with red and green, so Zhao Ti had people cut red and green paper into thin strips and glued them to the tree branches, making it look festive.

In the afternoon, the scouts returned from a hundred miles away, but found no military activity in any direction. Zhao Ti then ordered Zhe Keshi to organize the slaughtering of chickens and sheep to prepare for the New Year's feast.

The army naturally didn't have that many live poultry and livestock; most of them were purchased from ordinary people at prices 50% higher than the market price, much to the delight of the people.

Before nightfall, the banquet was set up, and the soldiers lit firecrackers made from modified rocket tubes. Although the sound was not as loud as the spring cannons, it was still appropriate for the occasion.

Before the banquet began, Zhao Ti had someone bring over the merit book. After discussing and recording the merits in front of all the generals, he then announced the start of the banquet.

The city was brightly lit, as if it were daytime, a sight never before seen since the city's founding.

The banquet ended close to midnight, and everyone except the generals on patrol duty returned to their barracks to rest.

Zhao Ti dismounted at the military headquarters in Miechuan. When he went to the bedroom, he saw Yuan Xiaoxian sitting in front of a table of wine and wine, her face flushed, just like a peach blossom in March.

He frowned slightly, but then, remembering that it was New Year's Eve, he smiled and went inside.

"Husband, you're back?" Yuan Xiaoxian greeted him with joy.

Zhao Ti asked, "Are the dishes to your liking?"

Yuan Xiaoxian took his arm and said, "They're all delicious, but it's no fun eating alone. Husband, please join me."

Zhao Ti shook his head and said, "I've already eaten."

Yuan Xiaoxian, her eyes slightly glazed with intoxication, said, "Then my husband will drink with me."

Zhao Ti said, "Why are you drinking? You've already had enough. You should pack up and rest."

Yuan Xiaoxian's eyes sparkled as she asked, "Husband, have we ever drunk the nuptial wine?"

Zhao Ti said, "Princess Cheng'an is talking nonsense again. You and I were never husband and wife. It's just that you lost your memory and made it up in your mind. So where did this talk of drinking from the same cup come from?"

Yuan Xiaoxian's eyes sparkled like water as she pulled him and said, "Husband, shall we drink now?"

Zhao Ti chuckled: "We haven't even had a wedding ceremony yet, so which wedding banquet are we going to drink from?"

Yuan Xiaoxian said, "Heaven and earth can bear witness to this moment, so let's consider it our wedding ceremony."

Zhao Ti looked at her for a few moments and asked, "Princess Cheng'an, have you had too much to drink?"

Yuan Xiaoxian said, "I only drank a little less than half a pot, how could that be more? I've been waiting for my husband to come back so we can drink the nuptial wine together."

Zhao Ti glanced at the wine pot on the table, shook his head, and said, "I won't drink."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Xiaoxian asked sadly, "Why won't my husband drink?"

Zhao Ti said slowly, "That's not good."

Yuan Xiaoxian looked at him and said, "Husband, I don't want to be a princess. I only wish for you to be my husband."

Zhao Ti remained silent for a long time. Yuan Xiaoxian said softly, "Husband, tonight is New Year's Eve, and the new year is just around the corner. Will you not grant me this wish?"

When Zhao Ti saw her lowered gaze, her brows furrowed as if shrouded in mist, and a thin mist of sorrow floating in her eyes, he couldn't help but feel a pang of tenderness in his heart.

Yuan Xiaoxian slid her slender hand down his arm, took his hand, and walked towards the table.

Zhao Ti sighed softly, "Then let's have a drink." Yuan Xiaoxian couldn't help but say happily, "We should drink three cups, because the nuptial wine is always three cups."

Zhao Ti pondered for a moment and said, "After drinking three cups, it's not good to have anything else to do. Let's pack up and rest."

Yuan Xiaoxian nodded: "After drinking the nuptial wine, we should naturally rest."

She carefully filled the two wine glasses on the table, then looked at Zhao Ti. Zhao Ti had no choice but to pick up a glass, and Yuan Xiaoxian smiled and picked up a glass as well. The two crossed their arms and drank the first glass together.

Then came the second and third cups. After finishing them, Zhao Ti asked, "Is that enough?"

Yuan Xiaoxian smiled and said, "Husband, we may enter the bridal chamber now."

Zhao Ti's lips twitched: "What bridal chamber?"

Yuan Xiaoxian said mischievously, "After drinking the nuptial wine, it's time for the wedding night..."

Zhao Ti raised an eyebrow: "Pack up and go to sleep quickly."

After a while, the two finished tidying up. Yuan Xiaoxian closed the door and came to the bedside: "This servant will help my husband to rest."

The beds in the military commander's quarters were naturally different from those inside the tents; they were very large, with carved bed frames and openwork designs, and there were curtains in front of them.

Zhao Ti said, "Princess, there's no need for you to do anything. You're just afraid to sleep alone. This bed is spacious enough to fit two quilts. You can sleep in one set of bedding tonight."

Yuan Xiaoxian, with her exquisite features and captivating charm, said, "I will do whatever my husband says."

Zhao Ti nodded and was about to turn off the light when Yuan Xiaoxian said, "It's New Year's Eve tonight, husband, please don't extinguish the candles."

Zhao Ti laughed and said, "I had forgotten about that. During the New Year, we naturally light lamps to stay up all night, and it's the same everywhere else."

The window paper was no longer as dark as before; it had a yellowish hue, caused by the lights from all over the city reflecting off it.

Zhao Ti climbed onto the bed and got into bed. Yuan Xiaoxian then came over, gently sat down on the edge of the bed, and lowered the curtains.

She had removed her hairpins, and her smooth black hair fell down, making her look like a beautiful jade in the lamplight, with a graceful and ethereal beauty.

Then she also got onto the bed, and took off her moon-white undergarment. Zhao Ti couldn't help but ask, "What is the princess doing?"

Yuan Xiaoxian remained silent and continued to remove the clothes one by one. Zhao Ti's breathing became slightly heavy. A moment later, a snow-white, soft body entered the quilt and snuggled into his arms.

Zhao Ti said slowly, "Princess, you..."

Yuan Xiaoxian's voice was incredibly shy and barely audible: "Husband, let's consummate our marriage."

Zhao Ti paused for a moment upon hearing this, then took a deep breath and raised his arm: "Then let's consummate the marriage!"

As a firecracker went off outside and the morning sun shone in, Zhao Ti opened his eyes, only to find his arms empty. He reached out and touched the bed, but there was no one there.

He thought for a moment, then lifted the covers and got up. But when he saw the plum blossoms scattered on the mattress, he hesitated for a moment and asked, "Princess?"

No one responded. He frowned, got out of bed, and went to the outer room, but still did not see Yuan Xiaoxian. The hairpins that Yuan Xiaoxian had taken off last night were also gone from the table.

However, there was a letter on it. Zhao Ti picked it up gently and read the few words on it. It was left by Yuan Xiaoxian.

My husband, I'm leaving now.

Being with my husband is the happiest thing in my life. My husband will always be my husband, and I will always be his fairy.

Husband, please don't look for me. I won't go back to shamanism, nor will I go to the capital. Husband, guess where I'll go?

Perhaps I'll go to heaven, where my husband won't be able to find me...

Zhao Ti held the letter in his hand and walked out of the room. He questioned everyone in the military headquarters, including the soldiers standing guard outside the door, but no one saw Yuan Xiaoxian.

He returned to his room, squinted, and muttered to himself, "Where did he go?"

He then looked around again, a hint of melancholy appearing on his face: "So he just left like that? He left nothing but a letter..."

(End of this chapter)