The Last Night of the Year

The result was that the maids, servants, and cooks in the prince's manor were delighted.

Each collected a red envelope, thanked their lord, and went out into the courtyard to set off fireworks.

For a time, brilliant fireworks filled the night sky above the manor, while laughter and cheers rang without end.

Seated in the flower hall, Wang Xian held a cup of wine and remained silent for a long while.

Tang Shisan seemed to sense his mood and couldn't help asking, "Did something from the past come to mind?"

Wang Xian sighed. "Back then, when my mother and I were in Huiwen City, we were happy during festivals too, but we never had anything this grand..."

"Fireworks were so expensive. We were thrilled if we could set off even two!"

"Unfortunately, my mother left too soon. She never lived to see this day."

"Shisan, if I were you, I'd go home and spend the New Year with your parents."

As he spoke, two streams of tears ran down Wang Xian's face. At that moment, he suddenly thought of the solitary grave on Shu Mountain.

Though King Qin Guang had said his mother had been reincarnated, Wang Xian had a premonition that she was up in the Ninth Heaven, silently watching over him.

Tang Shisan was taken aback.

Then she pursed her lips and replied, "Maybe it's because I've never lost anyone. Qingzhou is so lively, and it won't be any less lively without me. I'm not going back. I'll think about it next year."

Meng Xiaolou thought of Ximen Tinghua in Qingzhou and wondered if that fellow might be getting a hard time.

He chuckled. "Xiangyu was right. If we went back, at most we'd just be adding flowers to the brocade."

"You two idiots!"

Wang Xian mocked himself.