Winter Solstice came around quietly, with a fresh snowfall to decorate the celebration of the new year. Mistress Fu came into town to visit, and the monastery’s residents came in to have a day off from training and a nice meal.
I probably ought to be living at the monastery, since I was technically in charge of running it. Ah well. One of my kids managed it day-to-day, and did a good enough job. Plus everyone was scared I’d break new students with my training regimen.
Would’ve noted that breaking them was the point, but Li reminded me that barely giving Initiates two hours to sleep was technically a form of torture. Bah. He deserved it back then, I’d give the trainees a proper four hours!
But now’s a time for celebration, not work. Hot food, lots of sweets, games to keep everyone warm and happy as we awaited the sun’s rise together. From what I’d read, there used to be some religious significance, but the Four Heavenly Kings wiped out religion, claiming all gods to merely be Ascendants pretending at the role. Without a living Ascendant to refute the claim (and four very greedy Elders perfectly willing to kill any who contested them), there wasn’t really a way to keep old faiths alive.
Chen and Song were walking along, holding hands and acting as excited as they had… wow. Had it only been five years since we first settled here? Well, they sat and talked, showing their affection for each other and some relief that Fu had spelled us all from “a carton full of hatchlings” and the various other kids.
Sigh. Yeah, I had to take a break. The kids deserved more of a childhood, and I’d been a horrible mother, either rushing about to do one thing or another or just too overwhelmed with the latest kits to look after the needs of the older ones. A lot of them resented me for that, and I didn’t blame them.
Well, at least my eldest pair were coming out alright… even if Chen handed me a bit of a surprise when she and Song ended up in my clinic. Reminds me, I need to warn Chang that I will literally kill him if he follows through on what he and Chiaki are planning. It would be cute, but no one would appreciate the reminder that Song nearly died being similarly reckless. Plus the girl’s one of my best students, I needed her to look after things for the next little while.
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This war had to be resolved by the Spring Equinox.
I shook off the thought, and grabbed a cup of amazake. A little sweet for me, but I was off liquor. Too much relied on me keeping my head clear, especially right now. Spotting Li talking to Kaoru and Zhong, I drained my cup and tackle-hugged him.
“Good to see you too, Xiang.”
I smiled and nuzzled him, but it seems we were both a little preoccupied with what was ahead of us.
“We need to forget things tonight. New Year.”
Li nodded, and his smile warmed. “You’re right, love. I’ve been too buried in reports and the children’s worries to properly relax. Let’s get some food.”
Arm-in-arm, we headed to the stalls. Technically we didn’t need to eat, but cultivation was easier on a full stomach. Plus you miss the sensation of tasting things after denying yourself for too long. I’d dive into the animal feed if it weren’t at its worst this time of year. Maybe during the spring mowing, when the grass and clover was fresh.
Kaoru just followed us with her husband in tow, her quiet smirk at knowing my thoughts obvious without me having to turn around and look. I just turned my head and stuck my tongue out at her in response.
“My my, aren’t you such a rude little bunny? Upset you can’t enjoy some fresh hay so you take it out on me? Quite unrefined.”
“I can flatten you. Make it an entertainment for the festival.”
“Now now, we’d destroy the village if we did that, and upset the children besides. Just relax and have fun, Xiang.”
I wanted to mutter that flattening people was fun, but the fox’s hearing was as good as mine and she’d just continue the teasing. Wasn’t really in the mood, so we watched a fireworks display instead. Chang had gotten really good with mining explosives, and he and Chiaki had apparently bonded over something they called “inorganic alchemy.” Something about how certain powders burned in different ways, and how to use alchemy to mix explosive compounds. Li paid more attention to that end than I did, said there were some possible military applications.
A few hours later, and the sun rose over the pass that led to the monastery. We made our wishes for a better year, and everyone went back to their lives. Possibly to bed, if they were lesser or non-cultivators.
I got home to a note from Li, telling him to watch after things while he took care of some urgent business on the eastern border.
Idiot Li. I’d have to smack him when I caught up.