Several bowls of hot dumplings were suddenly brought, one bowl at a time, and placed on the long table next to the military case in the large tent.
Xia Zhaoyi glanced at it, withdrew his gaze, and continued to mark on the map.
The soldiers nearby glanced at the movement and then looked away.
The newly recruited generals couldn't help it. They looked over and over again and swallowed.
Xia Zhaoyi's voice was clear and sweet, with a slightly low tone. She analyzed the strategic layout point by point. When she saw the greedy expressions on the generals' faces, she stopped holding the charcoal in her hand.
Several generals woke up with a start, quickly came to their senses, and looked at Xia Zhaoyi.
Although they were said to be generals, they were not exactly so. The original generals of Huazhou soldiers and horses were all separated from their heads under Zhang Ji's ruthless iron sword.
These generals are all newly selected soldiers.
It was difficult to know the true character of these "generals" after only a short period of contact, so Xia Xingming left it to his lieutenants, Xia Zhi and Yan Haiqi, to observe.
Because of Xia Zhaoyi's pause, these "generals" were all shocked. They all took a step back, looking guilty and remorseful, lowering their heads and clasping their fists: "Second Miss, I know I was wrong!"
"It's us who lost our composure."
"Second Miss, I will never dare to do it again next time!"
…
The Xia Jiajun generals looked at them without saying a word.
After a moment of silence, they looked up at Xia Zhaoyi uneasily and found that the girl's eyes fell on the dumplings, and then she looked at the soldiers at the door.
Zhan Ning was also there, pointing to the dumplings: "Second Miss, today is New Year's Eve."
As soon as he said this, several Xia family generals beside Xia Zhaoyi woke up from a dream.
Xia Zhaoyi smiled and put down the charcoal: "Let's go eat dumplings."
The food and grass were all brought from Peifeng City, which was very sufficient.
Dried vegetables, meat and other grains were bought by Li Manguanchi and others when they went to stay in Jingfu.
After marching all the way into Huazhou, I was not too willing to eat. It happened to be New Year's Eve today, so a group of people discussed it and made dumplings.
Everyone went to serve dumplings, and many people said that if this bowl of dumplings hadn't been brought, they wouldn't have remembered that today was New Year's Eve.
Xia Zhaoyi chatted with them for a while and then came out of the big tent.
The overly hot atmosphere made the temperatures inside and outside the tent completely different.
Except for them, everyone also has dumplings, which contain less meat and mostly vegetables, but they are very enjoyable to eat.
Li Man and Yang Fugui were chatting. Guan Chi, Fan Yu, and Liang Dechang, who were originally scouts, stopped working as scouts after being assigned a special mission by Xia Zhaoyi. Now they are idle and holding a bowl in each hand.
They gathered there to discuss the "battle plan."
Xia Zhaoyi was suddenly in a good mood. She found a deserted hillside and sat there alone.
Others couldn't remember that today was New Year's Eve, but she always remembered it.
She never forgets the year, month and hour. When she has nothing to do, it is good to count the fortune and misfortune with her fingers.
At this time, the stars in the sky are bright, and next to the Wenqu star is the new guest star from last year. The Taishi Bureau named the new star "Xuan Yan".
Many stargazers in the world immediately gave up and sent letters to each other. Finally, they gathered in Yeshan for a meeting and decided to order their commander to ping the Great Yuan Guchi Star.
Naming new stars has always been the job of the Qintian Supervisor and the Taishi Bureau.
The Taishi Bureau used to rule the country's astrology, and it was authoritative and irresistible. This time it was met with failure for the first time.
Siping Dayuan Guchixing, such a long and difficult-to-pronounce name, is what those stargazers specifically provoke and ridicule the Taishi Bureau.
To this day, no one admits that it is the "Xuanyan" star, but the Siping Dayuan Guchi star is so difficult to pronounce, and it is impossible to spread it. Now it is called Guchi.
Now, this Lone Pond star is shining brightly, and there is a purple nebula in the east like smoke traces, its light is blurred.
The Tao is purple energy coming from the east, and it is also a new star. This is an astrological sign of great auspiciousness and joy.
But this good fortune and this joy can be seen by everyone who looks up at the stars, but it is impossible for everyone to be good and happy.
A gust of wind hit her face, bringing with it the chill of a winter night, but Xia Zhaoyi didn't feel cold because she raised her eyes to look at the stars. Those stars really fell in her eyes, clear and bright, as bright as the sea.
There was some noise in her ears. Xia Zhaoyi turned around and saw that it was Su Yumei. She smiled: "Miss Su."
Su Yumei walked over and said with a smile: "I didn't want to disturb you, but they were afraid that you were worried and wanted me to see you. Who made me the only girl in the entire barracks besides you."
"I have nothing to worry about. I feel happy when I am alone occasionally."
"Ah, then I'm really disturbing you," Su Yumei stopped, "I'll leave now."
"No," Xia Zhaoyi said, "It's good to have company."
Su Yumei chuckled, walked over and sat down next to her.
The clothes of both of them are extremely simple. Xia Zhaoyi still wears unisex clothes that do not distinguish between male and female, while Su Yumei always wears clothes that are old and faded.
"The dumplings are delicious, but they said you didn't eat them," Su Yumei said.
"Um."
"I do not want to eat?"
Xia Zhaoyi paused and said, "I don't have any idea whether to eat it or not, I just don't have the idea to eat it."
"Pfft, I was stunned by you."
"It's okay, just leave it there." Xia Zhaoyi smiled.
"Hey, you are really worried," Su Yumei was curious. "Recently, you seem to have been asking those scouts if they have got the letter."
"...do I have it?"
Su Yumei raised her finger: "At least three times."
"..."
"Ah Li," Su Yumei said seriously, "Are you waiting for someone's letter?"
Xia Zhaoyi thought for a while: "Maybe it's because I'm waiting for an answer."
"Answer?"
"Well, it has something to do with these soldiers, and it also has something to do with my very important relatives," Xia Zhaoyi frowned, "I didn't wait, so I felt a little empty."
Su Yumei blinked: "I can actually hear you describe it like this."
"You actually used the word 'actually'," Xia Zhaoyi looked at her and said with a smile, "Is it weird that I described it like this?"
"Because, in my heart, you are a very extraordinary girl," Su Yumei smiled, "Look, since I met you this time, nothing you have done is earth-shattering and generous. Sometimes I wake up late at night and wonder
It feels like a dream, it's incredible that you are not even twenty years old."
Xia Zhaoyi was rarely playful and said slyly: "I should be twenty-two years old."
"twenty two?"
"Haha..." Xia Zhaoyi laughed brightly, looking back at the stars in the sky with bright eyes, "Yes, she is twenty-two."
In the previous life, he died in the sixteenth year of Dinghai, and was reborn in the year of Ji Chou. Not counting the two years in between, he experienced Ji Chou, Geng Yin, Xin Mao, Ren Chen, and Guisi, until this year, the year of Jia Wu, exactly twenty-two.
Su Yumei was infected by her smile and said with a smile: "Miss Ah Li, let's talk about what happened before. The empty feeling in your heart is about the relative you mentioned. Do you mind telling me?"
Xia Zhaoyi shook his head slightly, looked at the stars and said, "It's not a question of whether you mind or not, but it's that you can't say."
"Okay, but if you are really upset, you can talk to me about other things to share your worries."
"Well," Xia Zhaoyi turned to look at her, "You've been holding manuscripts all the time lately, how busy are you?"
"Busy," Su Yumei said happily when she mentioned this, "these newly recruited soldiers and horses are all farmers or handymen, and there are also soldiers from Suhe County. They once worked in those kilns. I and them
It is really convenient to ask for advice. Perhaps because the captured soldiers surrendered, they were inevitably anxious and frightened in the army, so they tried their best to answer my questions seriously, and explained everything they knew. They considered and paid attention to every detail."
"That's great." Xia Zhaoyi was also happy.
"Well, I have accumulated a lot of manuscripts. When I sort them out, I can publish them again."
"I have kept my promise and will definitely contribute the money." Xia Zhaoyi said.
"Hahaha..." Su Yumei laughed, then sighed with satisfaction, looking at the infinite world in the distance, "It's great. Before, I always felt that the world was rough and difficult, and every step was difficult. Since I met you, Miss Ali, it has been like a broad road.
It's open in front of me, the sun is shining brightly, everything is going well, this feeling is really happy."
"But in my eyes, you are optimistic and open-minded by nature, and you have never seemed to be trapped by suffering."
"Haha," Su Yumei looked at her, "Miss Ah Li, Happy New Year."
"Have fun together." Xia Zhaoyi smiled.
"I don't know whether I should be happy or not. I am another year older."
"Sufferings can't hold you back. It's just years. What does it matter? What you gain is experience, knowledge, and wisdom." Xia Zhaoyi said.
"Hahaha, I finally understand why you said you are twenty-two. If you really want to calculate it like this, I think you are more than twenty-two."
"...Then I am a centenarian?"
"Pfft, you are bragging."
"Hahahaha..." Xia Zhaoyi smiled cheerfully.
Xia Junnan and others who were hiding far away breathed a sigh of relief when they saw their branches trembling with laughter.
"Second Miss smiled very happily." Xia Chuan said reassuringly.
"Ever since we met, the second lady has been smiling happily every day," Xia Zhi said.
"Hahahaha," Xia Junnan burst into laughter, "Why are you still bragging? I'm embarrassed to say this even with such a funny name as Junnan."
As soon as he said this, everyone else laughed.
Afraid of being overheard by Xia Zhaoyi, they hurriedly patted each other to signal to stop arguing.
After laughing for a while, the depression in his chest seemed to be relieved. Xia Zhaoyi took a long breath, feeling quite cheerful and broad-minded.
"Do you still feel empty in your heart?" Su Yumei asked.
Xia Zhaoyi blinked her bright eyes, thought for a moment, and shook her head: "I don't know."
Because she had laughed, her complexion was very rosy, her outline under the stars and moon was warm and gentle, and her pair of bright eyes were like the night wind rippling by, letting down broken stars and moonlight.
But... suddenly it became quiet, and there seemed to be waves in my heart again.
The feeling of emptiness seemed to be gone, replaced by a very full... sea?
She didn't know if such a weird description was correct, but it really seemed like waves were floating, very light and flat, but there seemed to be a deep undercurrent underneath.
Everything, gradually and slowly, seemed to turn into a pair of deep and soft eyes.
Xia Zhaoyi suddenly froze, staring blankly into the darkness ahead.
"Miss Ah Li?" Su Yumei called softly.
"Hmm..." Xia Zhaoyi came back to her senses, her eyes returned to clarity, and she looked at her with a sparkling look, "Huh?"
Su Yumei found that she seemed to be "stupid" again...
It was exactly the same as the situation in the country inn outside Shoushi City.
