Who knows the difference between Xie Yixiang and Xian Jingyue, in the next few days, Xie Yixiang never saw his senior brother again. I don't know if the senior brother received any important tasks after entering the palace that night to face the saint.

As soon as these few days pass, it is the last day of the year, which is the Chinese New Year's Eve celebrated by the whole country. Xie Yixiang got up early in the morning, only to see that the sky was gloomy, but it was a cloudy day with winter clouds, and the north wind was blowing. Go to the street again to hang around, Jinling City is even more deserted, only some sporadic passers-by hurry, although the streets are lined with lights, as far as the eye can see, there is a red Spring Festival couplet, but there is no festive atmosphere.

When she returned home, she saw that the front hall was already very lively, and the housekeepers in the house stayed in the front hall from early morning to noon to receive gifts, all of which were New Year's goods sent by officials at all levels in the DPRK and China. Occasionally, officials came in person and wanted to meet General Xie, but they were pushed by the housekeeper, only saying that the old man was unwell; when he encountered an official who could not shirk it, Xie Qinghui also received him as the only son of the Xie family. In the afternoon, the people who came to give gifts gradually stopped, apparently going home for the New Year, and Xie Fengxuan, who had been staying in the room for these days, finally stepped out of the room and ordered the butler to prepare the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner in the evening. Seeing that the old man was in good spirits, the butler hurriedly rushed to the kitchen with joy and said with a smile: "This year is different from the past, it is rare that the second young master and the third young lady are at home, of course, this Chinese New Year's Eve dinner must be well prepared!"

Xie Qinghui and Xie Yixiang, brother and sister, saw that although their father was haggard, his words were full of energy, and it could be seen that the injuries on his body were no longer serious, and they were all smiling. The two accompanied their father to chat in the back hall, talking about some past family affairs, during which Xie Qinghui couldn't hold back his curiosity, and asked his father how he learned that the "corpse army" would sneak attack Jinling, and then led the army to intercept it, but Xie Fengxuan just shook his head and said with a smile: "If there is no accident, you will know about it later." Xie Qinghui was inexplicable when he heard it, and he didn't know what would happen "later" on this Chinese New Year's Eve?

Staying like this until it was dark and the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner in the mansion was almost ready, Xie Fengxuan asked his two sons and daughters to go to the hall together. The three of them stepped into the hall all the way, but saw that there were two large round tables of rosewood on the hall, on the right table, there were all kinds of hard dishes such as chicken, duck and fish, and there were five carved wooden chairs around the round table, corresponding to five pairs of celadon bowls and chopsticks, and on the left table, there were all vegetarian dishes, even the fish and meatballs were made of flour, but there was only a wooden chair and a pair of chopsticks.

Xie Qinghui and Xie Yixiang couldn't help but glance at each other, both puzzled. You must know that there are only three of them in the house, including their brother and sister and their father, and even if they want to ask the housekeeper to sit at the table, they only have four pairs of dishes and chopsticks, so how can they set up five seats? In addition, what is the meaning of the vegetarian banquet on the left? Could it be that at this New Year's dinner on the night of the Chinese New Year's Eve, my father actually invited other guests? Xie Yixiang couldn't help but think about it, and asked tentatively, "Could it be ...... Could it be that the eldest sister is coming back?"

It turned out that in addition to Xie Qinghui and Xie Yixiang, Xie Qinghui's knees, there was also an eldest daughter, Xie Xunfang, who had married the emperor's eldest son many years ago, and was also the identity of the princess, and she had hardly returned to her parents' house over the years. Therefore, Xie Yixiang saw that there were two tables of dishes in the hall, and thought that the eldest son of the emperor had given him a special grace to allow the eldest sister to go home for the New Year; Who knew that Xie Fengxuan sighed, shook his head and said with a wry smile: "The eldest son of the emperor has entered the palace early this morning to ask for peace, and was left in the palace by the emperor for the New Year. And your eldest sister is a princess, so naturally she has to accompany her, how can you have time to come back and accompany me, a bad old man?"

Xie Yixiang was suddenly disappointed, and was about to ask if there were any other guests coming, when she saw that the housekeeper in the house was leading an old man and a young man through the courtyard outside, and went straight to the hall;

It is said that since the night of the hurried farewell, Xie Yixiang has never seen his senior brother again, and he should be very happy to see him again at this time. However, today is clearly the Chinese New Year's Eve family banquet, but my father invited my senior brother to the house, and at the same time invited the elder Hu Lao, and his intention is naturally obvious. Even though Xie Yixiang is used to seeing strong winds and waves, at this moment, she can't help but blush, where can she dare to come forward to greet her senior brother?

Xie Fengxuan had already stood up to greet him, and greeted the two of them from afar, and said with a smile: "Please, please, please!" Jingyue has only one person at home, and the Chinese New Year's Eve is inevitably a little deserted. Since everyone is also a family, and it is rare for dogs and dogs to be at home, it is just to add two more pairs of dishes and chopsticks, so I simply invited you over. If there is any rudeness, please bear with Hu Laoduo!"

As soon as these words came out, Xie Yixiang's heart jumped even more, it seemed that his guess was right, the reason why his father invited his senior brother and Hu Lao together tonight was mostly to finalize the marriage contract between himself and his senior brother, and even picked a good day on the spot and ordered himself and his senior brother to visit the church to get married. Thinking of this, Xie Yixiang was already very embarrassed, and she couldn't wait to find a crack in the ground to get into, and she almost had to hide in the back hall.

In the face of Xie Fengxuan's enthusiasm, Xian Jingyue's face was obviously a little embarrassed, and she didn't know what to say. Hu Lao next to him was very excited, and immediately bowed to Xie Fengxuan to the end, and said: "General Xie has killed the villain! Thanks to the general's ability to look up to the child Jingyue, this is what he has achieved today, such a great kindness, the villain should be remembered in his heart, and he will never forget it! The general has orders, whether it is on the knife mountain or under the sea of fire, the villain is omniscient, why should the general be so polite. ”

Xie Fengxuan hurriedly helped Hu Lao up, casually said a few words, and then invited him and Xian Jingyue to sit at the round table on the right, and sat on the master's seat himself, and asked Xie Qinghui and Xie Yixiang to sit together. In this way, the five pairs of dishes and chopsticks at this table have been settled, obviously for the two guests, Xian Jingyue and Hu Lao, but the table on the left is still empty, and I don't know who prepared it. It seems that although General Xie has not stepped out of the door recently, he has already made some arrangements in secret, and the guests he plans to invite tonight are probably not just Xian Jingyue and Hu Lao.

When the people in the house put together the wine and food one after another, Xie Fengxuan poured his wine glass full of warm puree carvings, raised his glass and said some auspicious words to congratulate the New Year, and invited everyone present to drink together. At this time, Hu Lao, Xian Jingyue, Xie Qinghui and Xie Yixiang at the table all had their own hearts, and seeing that the host was the first to toast, they hurriedly retracted their thoughts and toasted together.