A Figure on Jade Steps in the Wind and Snow 83

Chapter 83: Happy

The room was suddenly silent for a moment, and the howling north wind and the continuous firecrackers were isolated far away.

Their gazes met from a short distance, and they intertwined in the lights for a moment, then moved away.

The flickering candlelight seemed to have become a little brighter, and it curled up in the small space.

Shen Zhishu’s eyes were filled with a smile, and she suddenly asked, “Why doesn’t Your Highness close the window?”

Jiang Yu did not answer immediately.

She watched in silence, her gaze shifting from Shen Zhishu’s chest to the cedar branch.

…That person had come so suddenly that after her astonishment, she actually felt that it was as it should be.

Pursing her lips, Jiang Yu wanted to say, “Why are you here,” and also wanted to say, “Why didn’t you knock on the door, you gave me a scare,” but in the end, what came out was, “You’re here.”

It was a statement. Her tone was light and sparse and ordinary.

Jiang Wuya is answering irrelevantly, Shen Zhishu thought.

But in the end, there was nothing to answer for the question “Why didn’t you close the window.” It was nothing more than “I forgot,” “I wanted to get some fresh air,” and so on. It couldn’t be “I knew you would climb in through the window, so I left it for you.”

The room was not large. Shen Zhishu took a small step forward and almost reached the table.

She shook the branch in her hand and said in a low voice, “I’m here. I wanted to come earlier—”

She paused here and did not continue.

Her voice came to an abrupt end in the firecrackers, leaving a blank space that was hard to understand.

Jiang Yu had originally thought that she had thought of something, or had seen something, so she waited quietly for her to say the second half of her sentence.

She waited for a cup of tea’s time, but the second half of her sentence still did not come.

So Jiang Yu opened her mouth, “Then why?”

Shen Zhishu seemed to have been startled by this sudden question. She suddenly came back to her senses, blinked very lightly, and said, “Why what?”

“Why did you only come now?”

The word “only” was used very well, Shen Zhishu thought.

It was as if she had originally belonged to the Eldest Princess’s Manor, or should have been waiting here early.

Shen Zhishu reached out and fiddled with the cedar branch, and said slowly and methodically, “I rode my horse to North Mountain.”

“To North Mountain?”

“Mm,” Shen Zhishu handed over the pine branch, which was wet with snow, and said with a smile. “To pick it. I heard that on the last day of the year, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is particularly abundant, and the pine branches that have absorbed the spiritual energy can ensure a smooth year ahead.”

“When did the General go?”

“The Hour of the Pig.”

“Alone?”

“Mm.”

Jiang Yu gracefully raised her hand, took the cedar branch, and said with a nod, “Thank you.”

Shen Zhishu raised an eyebrow and asked, “Just a thank you? Is there nothing else to say to me?”

“Hmm?”

“Your Highness seems…” Shen Zhishu let out a low laugh. “Not surprised by my arrival. Could it be that Your Highness has a divine plan and knew this all along?”

Jiang Yu paced to the door and stuck the cedar branch in the crack of the door. She turned around, her tone as emotionless as ever, “I didn’t know.”

“Then…”

“Perhaps I’m just used to being expressionless,” Jiang Yu said very slowly, her words very light. “Anyway, I’m very happy. Did the General see it?”

Jiang Yu was a little different from usual.

In the past, although Jiang Yu was indifferent and cold, she always spoke with a clear and logical mind and could often say a long string of words in one breath.

But the current Jiang Yu… her thinking seemed to be a little jumpy. On the one hand, she said she was surprised, and on the other hand, she asked, “Why did you only come now”; on the one hand, she just said politely, “Thank you,” and on the other hand, she said, “I’m very happy.”

…Was she really very happy?

Shen Zhishu looked down at the top of her head, and then her gaze moved down and landed on her slightly rising and falling chest.

Jiang Yu’s breathing seemed to be a little more rapid than usual.

Thinking this, Shen Zhishu suddenly had the idea of teasing her. She took off her outer robe and hung it on the clothes rack, and said seriously, “I haven’t seen it for the time being. But if Your Highness smiles, I will see it.”

Jiang Yu thought seriously for a while and then used her traditional skill—a fake smile.

The face with the strange muscle movement looked a little strange in the candlelight.

Shen Zhishu: …

Shen Zhishu hurriedly raised her hand and smiled, “Don’t smile, don’t smile. I know Your Highness is happy.”

Jiang Yu said, “Mm,” very lightly.

Although the room was lit, it was still a little dimmer than during the day, so much so that some unclear thoughts emerged.

For example… the scent of cedar here was stronger than in the cedar forest, and smelling it could be soothing.

And for example… she had come here to worry about a certain Eldest Princess’s safety, but after seeing the Eldest Princess, she found that she really missed her.

No, she couldn’t say “really,” it should be… a little.

Jiang Yu happened to ask the question that should have been asked at the beginning, “Why did the General come?”

“I… came to see Your Highness,” Shen Zhishu said.

As soon as her voice fell, she suddenly realized that this was a nonsense sentence, which was equivalent to not answering at all.

However, Jiang Yu did not press further, but nodded and said, “Alright.”

This word was spoken lightly and slowly, and it dissipated in the sounds of all four directions in a flash.

Shen Zhishu looked around and smiled, “Where are Lantiao and the others? They were supposed to serve Your Highness in the New Year’s Eve vigil. Why is there not a single shadow of them now?”

Jiang Yu said, “They’re drunk and asleep.”

“You drank?”

“Mm.”

So that’s how it is, Shen Zhishu thought.

No wonder Jiang Yu was a little different today.

But that person had probably already washed up, so there was no smell of wine left. Even when she got close, she could only smell that familiar and clear scent of cedar.

Shen Zhishu replied casually, “Your Highness is not drunk.”

Jiang Yu was noncommittal, “I have a good tolerance for alcohol.”

“How good?”

“I don’t know. But probably better than the General.”

Shen Zhishu raised an eyebrow and smiled, “Being better than me is not good. I can’t drink.”

“Is that so?” Jiang Yu said in a faint voice. “There’s still some wine left. Would the General like some?”

Forget it. I’ll have some, Shen Zhishu thought.

She had only come to see Jiang Yu and would leave after confirming her safety. But at this moment, there was no one to serve Jiang Yu…

I’ll stay a little longer.

So Shen Zhishu asked, “Where is the wine?”

“It’s been put back in the storeroom,” Jiang Yu said. “The General is probably not familiar with the storeroom. I’ll go and get it. You can sit here.”

Shen Zhishu shook her head, “It’s so cold outside, it’s no joke if you catch a cold. Anyway, I also know where the storeroom is. Your Highness can give me the key, and I’ll just fumble around.”

Jiang Yu agreed halfway.

She did give the storeroom key to Shen Zhishu, but she went out of the room with Shen Zhishu.

The firecrackers outside were incessant. As they passed through several walls, they sounded a little muffled.

The new year seemed to be especially cold.

The manor was brightly lit, and a lamp was lit every few steps. The fur on Jiang Yu’s snow-white robe was dyed a warm color.

It was unclear whose child was making a fuss, and the childish clamor drowned out the sound of their footsteps on the green flagstones.

The two of them walked side by side for a while, and they were still a short distance from the storeroom. Shen Zhishu was the first to start a conversation, “It’s so cold, I wonder if it will snow later.”

Jiang Yu replied naturally, “It probably will. A timely snow promises a good harvest.”

Shen Zhishu smiled, “That’s right, this year will definitely be an auspicious year.”

Jiang Yu turned to look at her, “Why?”

“For the public, the border is already stable, and Nan’an will surely prosper,” Shen Zhishu said. “For the private, I have met Your Highness, and this year will definitely be more harmonious and smooth.”

“Mm,” Jiang Yu nodded and suddenly asked the previous question again. “Why did the General come today?”

It was as if she had been thinking about this matter from beginning to end, but her mind was working slowly, so she had not yet come to a conclusion.

Shen Zhishu thought to herself that this topic was changing really fast. On second thought, a person who had been drinking would naturally have a jumpy mind.

She did not answer as seriously as before, but instead kicked the ball back, “What does Your Highness think?”

Jiang Yu shook her head seriously, “I don’t know.”

When she shook her head, the tassels on her hairpin swayed along with it.

Shen Zhishu withdrew her gaze from them and said with a low laugh, “This subordinate is afraid that there is no one on duty in the Eldest Princess’s Manor. I’m afraid that Your Highness will be harmed by villains, so I came to confirm Your Highness’s safety.”

“Is that all?”

Shen Zhishu did not understand, “Hmm?”

“Are you just afraid that I will be hurt?”

“Hmm—”

Before Shen Zhishu could answer, Jiang Yu continued very quickly, “Then now that I’m fine, should the General be going back?”

The wind fell silent, and the treetop was motionless.

Shen Zhishu raised an eyebrow and asked, “Is Your Highness sending me away?”

“No.”

Shen Zhishu asked, “Then why are you asking me to go back?”

“Since the General is only here to confirm my safety, you probably didn’t plan to stay long. Perhaps you have something to do later—”

“I don’t,” Shen Zhishu smiled. “Why doesn’t Your Highness let me finish?”

Jiang Yu blinked and did not speak.

Shen Zhishu composed her words for a while and said, “I’m not just here to confirm Your Highness’s safety—if that were the case, wouldn’t it be better to just send a trusted subordinate?—but also to… make Your Highness happy.”

Jiang Yu looked down at the stone path, her tone without a ripple, her emotions unclear, “Does the General think… that I will be happy to see the General?”

“Of course,” Shen Zhishu said with a smile. “A friend is the first to send New Year’s blessings. Isn’t that something to be happy about?”

“Mm,” Jiang Yu affirmed this statement. “That’s right, I’m indeed very happy. Then… is the General willing to make me even happier?”

The north wind suddenly rushed to meet her, making Shen Zhishu narrow her eyes.

After a moment, she lowered her head and said, “Mm,” “What can I do to make Your Highness even happier?”

Jiang Yu: “Stay at the Eldest Princess’s Manor tonight.”

Shen Zhishu shook her head, “Your Highness has probably forgotten that it’s New Year’s Eve tonight. We have to stay up for the vigil, so we can’t sleep.”

Jiang Yu drew out an “Ah,” her brow furrowed slightly, and after a moment, she relaxed, “I did forget. Then let’s change it.”

“Change what?”

“The General can drink with me until dawn, alright?”

Shen Zhishu suddenly put her arm around Jiang Yu’s shoulder, “I’m not a good drinker, I’m afraid I’m willing but not able.”

“Then the General can drink a little less.”

“Alright.”

After Shen Zhishu had said “Alright,” she glanced at the horizontal branch by the side of the path, naturally pushed it aside, and then pulled Jiang Yu to the side a little, “Your Highness, be careful not to let the branch poke your eye.”

But the person in her arms suddenly stopped.

In the lights that were surging from all four directions, Jiang Yu’s eyes were half-covered by her eyelashes, and the emotions contained in them were complex. Shen Zhishu did not see them clearly.

Just as she was about to ask with a smile, “What’s wrong,” the next moment, Jiang Yu spoke directly.

She wrapped her arms around her waist, raised her face, and said:

“General, I am really, really happy now.”