Born of Worry

In the sixth year of Dayin calendar 230, in the winter of the third year of Jian'an, on the [-]th day of the twelfth lunar month, New Year's Eve.

"Hey, hey, come here! It's alright, that's enough! Hey, you... you're off the mark! Go back... Hey, can you do it? It's so hard to hang a lantern..."

"You do what you want!" Lin Ruxuan glared at Li Ye, hung up the lantern, jumped off the stool, and pointed to the side, "Here, hang these up."

"Tch, look at your virtue | Let's hang on, I'll hang on..."

Li Xian stood watching with a hand stove in his hand, turned to Mo and asked, "Do you want to hang a few too?"

Mo Wen glanced back at him, and said with a smile, "Why, do you think I can't hang up well?"

"No... just want to see you hang up..."

"Okay, then I'll hang up." Mo Wen smiled, stretched out his hand to a lantern on the ground, and the lantern slowly floated into the air, flying all the way to where it should go, and the rope on the lantern was firmly tied there. .

Li Xian was stunned for a moment, and when he realized it, he pointed at him, "...Hey! You're cheating!"

Mo Wen raised his eyebrows, and quibbled: "Why did I play tricks? You asked me to hang up and I hung up. Anyway, you didn't say how to hang up, did you?"

"you……"

Mo Wen took Li Xian's hand stove, carried him up and walked into the room, causing Li Xian to struggle and shout: "What are you doing! What are you doing, you dead dragon! Why are you doing this again! Let me go! Let me go!"

Over there, Li Ye finished hanging the last lantern, rubbed his hands that were about to freeze, and said to himself: "Sure enough, this kind of work has to be done by servants..."

He and Lin Ruxuan were packing up and going back when they suddenly heard a commotion in the distance, and looked back to see Li Kuang and Li Ling's group walking towards this side.

"Yo, it's strange, my elder brother and second brother are here together?" Li Ye quickly stepped forward to greet the two, and said to Lin Ruoqing who was following behind Li Ling: "Second sister-in-law, happy new year! I haven't seen you for a few days." Sister-in-law is beautiful again!"

Lin Ruoqing smiled and said, "You're the only one with a poor mouth!"

"Hey, second sister-in-law, where is my elder sister-in-law?"

"Your sister-in-law is inconvenient, so she won't come today, and your elder brother may have to rush back later."

"That's right, sister-in-law seems to be giving birth to a son in a few days! Well, let's not talk about this, let's go in quickly, it's cold outside."

A group of people entered the Dragon Palace, but Li Ling didn't see Li Xian, so he asked, "San'er, where is Xiao Xian?"

"He? He was still there just now. He should be carried into the house by that stupid dragon now. Hey, today is Xiao Xian's birthday. Have you prepared any presents?"

"Of course. Speaking of this gift... San'er, you are the first one here. Have you prepared any presents?"

Li Yebai glanced at him, "Nonsense, that's my own brother, can I not prepare a gift? It's already tied up in the stable, but I haven't told Xiao Xian yet, I'm waiting for you to come and give it together."

"I've heard for a long time that you are going to send a horse. It seems to be true." Li Ling patted the things in his hand, "No, a good horse with a good saddle!"

Li Ye was dumbfounded, "...I didn't mean second brother, you are too lazy, aren't you? If I give a horse, you give me a saddle?"

"You know what, my saddle is custom-made, specially for Xiao Xian, it won't rub your thighs after sitting for a long time, what do you know?"

"I don't understand, so what about the elder brother? What did the elder brother prepare?"

Li Kuang opened a long parcel that he was carrying, and said: "A good horse is equipped with a good saddle, and a weapon needs to be handy. I'll attach this three-foot green spear, what do you think?"

Li Ye: "..."

"I really convinced you," he said with a headache, "so what are you going to do with this outfit? Fighting?"

"Little Xian is not young anymore," Li Kuang said, "What's more, the king of a country cannot be free from blood forever. We are definitely not fooling around by giving these things. He will always need them, don't you think?"

Li Ye made a "stop" gesture, "Okay, I won't argue with you, then let's see whose gift Xiao Xian really likes."

The three of them ended the topic, and it happened that Li Xian also received the notice and came out from the back room.The three of them swarmed up, and you said to each other:

"Little Xian! Happy New Year! This is me..."

"Hey Xiaoxian! Today is your birthday, take a look at mine..."

"Little Xian, my horse has been tied to you..."

"Hey, okay, it's so cold today, it's not easy for the three brothers to come all the way, so go inside and change your clothes to warm up by the fire!"

As Li Xian said, he hurriedly asked the court ladies and eunuchs to push the few people away, heaved a long sigh of relief, and Mo asked him, "What's the matter? Don't you take a look at the gift they gave you?"

"You don't know my three older brothers." Li Xian looked helpless, "You didn't know that they gave it secretly the year before last. You weren't there when they came last year. Do you know what gift they gave me?"

"I don't know, you didn't tell me."

He waved his hand, "Don't mention it, my elder brother gave me a hound the year before last, and then guess what, my second brother gave me an ivory carving right after. Last year, my third brother gave me a bunch..."

"A bunch of what?"

"Porn Palace Album..."

Even Mo Wen couldn't help laughing, "Then, have you read it?"

"I..." Li Xian was very embarrassed, and hurriedly changed the subject, "What about you? What are you going to give me?"

"What if I say... I didn't prepare a gift?"

"what……"

Mo Wen leaned into his ear lightly, and said, "If you want... how about I give it to you at night? I guarantee...you will be satisfied."

"You..." Li Xian blushed for a while, "You pervert, don't make trouble..."

"Okay, don't make trouble." Mo Wen chuckled, "It's still quite cold in this hall, how about going inside to be warm?"

"Ah."

Near noon, the group moved to the Emperor's hidden dragon hall. Li Ning greeted him at the door early, and rushed forward to give Li Xian a bear hug, "Fourth brother! Happy New Year! Happy birthday!"

"Okay, my sister is the most obedient, let's have fun together!"

Li Ning led a few people into the main hall, stuffed him with the gift he had prepared in advance, and said, "Fourth brother, this is what your father gave you the year before last, right? Why haven't you changed it yet?"

Li Xian shook off the black mink fur, "Why change it? It's not broken, isn't it still in good condition?"

"It's not warm after wearing it for a long time. Quick, put this new one on."

"Okay, I'll listen to you."

Li Xian put on a sable fur, Mo Wen looked at him from the side, and said, "It looks good."

"……Uh?"

"You look good in anything."

Li Xian blushed, "Cough..."

"Hey, you two..." Li Ning rubbed goosebumps, "Fourth Brother, Dad is looking for you, why don't you go and have a look?"

"Huh? Daddy is looking for me? I'll go right away."

Li Zhang called his youngest son to an empty room, patted his head lovingly, and said, "Little Xian..."

Li Xian was inexplicably a little apprehensive, "Father..."

"Now, I am completely relieved of you. It seems that I, the old man, have a good vision. Xiao Xian, you have not let daddy down."

Li Xian thought for a while and said, "Father, I..."

"Father knows it all," Li Zhang interrupted him, "There is no one who knows a son like a father. How can I, a father, not know what a son thinks? You are the most obedient of my sons."

Li Xian rolled his eyes silently in his heart, thinking what he said to be obedient or not, isn't it that I'm easy to bully...

"Xiao Xian, I won't say much about other fathers. Today is your birthday. Have your brothers all given you presents?"

"Given it, not only them, but also those ministers. I sent someone to clean it up. I heard that it can't be piled up in one room. But dad, you haven't given me a gift this year..."

Li Zhang smiled and patted his head again, "Isn't Dad calling you here to give you a gift?" He said as he took out a sandalwood flat box wrapped in red brocade, "Let's have a look."

Li Xian opened the box and found a pair of jade bracelets wrapped in silk. One was made of black jade and the other was made of white jade. There is me, and there is you in me.

"When your father and I went south, I met your mother in Hangzhou and saw it in an antique shop by accident one day. Thinking about it, I should give it to you now." Li Zhang's eyes lingered on the pair of jade bracelets , "This black jade one, you wear it yourself, and the white jade one...give it to the future queen."

"……father!"

"Don't rush to say no, this matter, father will not force you, whenever you want to want a queen, as long as you want, can you say it?"

"I……"

"Okay, let's go back, your brothers probably have to wait."

Li Xian came out one after the other with the Supreme Emperor, and sure enough, he saw Li Kuang and the others had changed clothes and were waiting at the door, Li Ye was the first to rush up, and said to Li Zhang, "Father, what good things did you give Xiao Xian again? Don't let us see, why didn't you send me off on my birthday? Was it your own?"

"Go, you stinky boy, you hate me every day, and you still have the nerve to ask me for a gift? When will you keep your mouth shut, and then come and discuss with the old man."

"You!" Li Ye rolled his eyes fiercely when he blocked him back.

Mo Wen returned to Li Xian's side, he seemed to see something wrong with his expression, and said, "Xiao Xian, what's the matter?"

"...Ah? No, it's nothing." Li Xian had already put the sandalwood box close to his body, but he was still not at ease.

"Is there something on your mind? Or just now... what did the Supreme Emperor tell you?"

Li Xian squeezed out a smile, "It's nothing...well, I'm fine. Let's go, go and walk around with my father."

Time flies to the evening, after the New Year's Eve dinner, several people started to make dumplings.Originally, this kind of thing should be left to the imperial chef, but I don’t know who suggested it first, to compare the better-looking and delicious dumplings made by the other, and everyone responded, borrowing the dough and dumpling filling from the imperial chef and started making dumplings.

However... the ideal is beautiful, but the reality is cruel.None of these princes had ever made dumplings before, and the dumplings they made were uglier than the other. Either the stuffing was too little and the sides were too wide, or they couldn’t hold their mouths open. They were big and small and crooked. Alas.

After making the dumplings for a while, Li Kuang was the first to throw his hands away. Li Ling said, "The gentleman is far away from the cook", and he also let go of the picker. Um, and wiped the white face on his forehead.

Lin Ruxuan was going home a long time ago, but was forcibly detained by Li Ye. After thinking that there seemed to be no living people in his family, he also accompanied them to make dumplings, but he refused to participate in the too lively scene. He should still be in the three-year filial piety period.

But to be honest, even though Lin Ruxuan was born as a general, his abilities in other aspects are not too bad. For example, this dumpling is a level higher than that of the Li Kuang brothers. .

Li Xian was eating snacks beside him, seeing that his three elder brothers had given up, he couldn't help laughing and said: "You guys can't do it, you won't make it until one third of it is done."

Li Ye rolled his eyes, "You can do what you want. I'm from the south, I don't eat dumplings at all, and it's normal if I don't know how to make dumplings, unlike the two of them... Oh, by the way, and that stupid dragon, don't you Just watch, come and pack."

Mo Wen, who was lying innocently on the gun, glanced at him, then handed Li Xian a piece of candied fruit, actually went to wash his hands, sat down, picked up a dumpling wrapper, squeezed the filling and squeezed it tightly, all in one go, and even wrapped a dumpling lace.

Li Kuang, Li Ling, Li Ye: ...

Mo Wen didn't even look at them, and continued to make dumplings like clouds and flowing water. Li Ning and Lin Ruoqing also joined in to share part of the burden for him.

Li Ye really couldn't say a word, so he just ignored him. Just as he was about to go to Li Xian's place, he saw his brother, who was turning his elbows outward, grab a handful of almonds, moved a stool and sat next to Mo Wen. up.

So next, Li Ye saw His Majesty the Emperor and a certain stupid dragon staged a series of scenes that are not suitable for children, such as "En En Ai Ai", "Qing Qing We We", "Hey, I come and I kiss you" and so on. , It made him get goosebumps all over the place.

Finally, several people finished making all the dumplings. Li Ye laundered a copper coin for Lin Ruxuan in the middle, but was snatched away by Mo Wen, who didn't know which dumpling it was wrapped in.

Mo Wen handed all the wrapped dumplings to the imperial chef, and then pulled Li Xian aside: "Come on, change clothes, let's go out."

"Ah?" Li Xian was still biting half of a wrapped walnut, "Where are you going?"

"Stop eating, come with me, and take you out."

"But we haven't eaten the dumplings yet..."

"You just ate so many snacks, and you still have the stomach to eat dumplings? Let's go out first, and we'll eat when we come back later."

"Oh……"

Li Xian put on the sable fur that his sister had given him again, and asked Mo Wen out of the hall, but he didn't know what kind of medicine he was selling in the gourd, so he asked, "Mo Wen, where are you taking me?"

"You'll know when it arrives."

It was almost midnight, Mo Wen took Li Xian all the way out of the palace, because it was the Chinese New Year period, there was no curfew, and it was New Year's Eve, so the streets were still very lively at this point, with firecrackers, fireworks, dragon and lion dances Yes, every house is decorated with lanterns and festoons, and the whole Weiyang City is almost as bright as day.

Li Xian seldom came out at night, and he was very surprised to see such a night scene. If Mo Wen hadn't dragged him along, he might have gone somewhere by now.

On the road, I saw a stall selling candied haws that had not been confiscated. Li Xian clamored to eat some, but Mo Wen had no choice but to buy it for him; I also ran into a shop selling nuts that was not closed, so I went in and weighed two taels of hazelnuts and two taels of cashew nuts; Yes, Li Xian wanted to rush in again, but Mo Wen really couldn't see it, so he stopped him and said, "Xiao Xian, don't buy any more, we didn't come out to eat."

"Huh? Then what are we going to do?"

Mo Wen dragged him into a shop, Li Xian saw a row of lanterns hanging outside the shop, and said in surprise: "Hey, Mo Wen, look at these lanterns, did the third brother buy and hang them today?"

"Well, it looks like it." Mo Wen turned his head to look for the boss, "Ma'am, let's hang some firecrackers."

"okay!"

Li Xian took out the silver from Mo Wen's pocket, but he didn't take out the broken ones, but took out a whole ingot. When he took the firecrackers from the old woman, he saw the cracks all over her hands, and couldn't help saying: "Ma'am , your hand..."

The woman was a little embarrassed, she hurriedly withdrew her hand, and said with a smile, "Hey, it's okay, it's cold today... I'll give you some change."

"Uh...well, there's no need to look for it, we're leaving now."

"Hey! Little brother, wait!" The woman stopped Li Xian, "I'm so sorry, how about...how about I give this to you."

The woman gave Li Xian a small firework that was placed next to her, but Li Xian had to accept it after pushing it away, and she heard her say: "This firework is a new model, it looks good when it is lit, it's Chinese New Year's Eve Yes, let's play with it."

"Okay, thank you, ma'am, let's go."

"No thanks, no thanks, good boy, go slowly!"

At this time, a young man came out from the back room, dressed like a scholar, and said, "Mother, who were those two just now?"

"No one, here to buy firecrackers." The woman said to herself, "These two children are really handsome..."

The scholar saw that the place where the fireworks were originally set was empty, and frowned immediately: "Mother, you gave them those fireworks? Those fireworks are very expensive! Why do you..."

"Go, you child, it's just a firework, give it away as soon as you give it away, and the kindness of a drop of water will be repaid, understand?"

"I'll tell you what's going on... These firecrackers and fireworks are the ones that let people sell us cheaply. There are not many of them in total. I was expecting these fireworks to make more money this year. You are lucky..."

"Go, go, read your book, don't make trouble for mother."

"Really... Oh mother, don't push me!"