Night is Still Young

The round table slowly rotated, and conversation flowed effortlessly thanks to Cheng Mo's affability and charm. The unprecedented delicacies and fine wines not only brought novelty but also elevated the atmosphere of the dinner.

Everyone was already slightly intoxicated, and outside, the sound of reed pipes signaled the start of the folk dance around the bonfire, with rhythmic footsteps echoing in the night.

XiangBei pulled Cheng Mo to lead the way to the stone platform, joining the lively gathering of the banquet. Both hosts and guests emerged, immersing themselves in the music, dance, bonfire, and moonlit night.

In the woods outside the estate, Tian One and his companions, dressed in black, joyfully savored the sumptuous feast. Their kind prospective princess had specifically instructed that they had no covert tasks tonight, and the kitchen had plenty of food reserved for them. Though lacking a bonfire for grilling, tonight's dining experience was one they had never had before. They exchanged blessings for their two masters in hushed tones, along with some harmless gossip.

Suddenly, four black figures appeared nearby, catching them off guard. Both sides froze until they noticed identical picnic blankets and equally lavish food and wine. They exchanged smiles and each group settled down in their respective spots.

Only the permanent shadow guards stationed at the Tong residence would have such thoughtful preparations from XiangBei—either the Cheng household shadow guards or the Huo household shadow guards serving Mrs. Tong.

So when two more figures emerged again, neither side was curious about the obviously identical blankets. It was clearly the covert shadow guards of the Qiao household, already acquainted with each other. The moonlit grove was eerily tranquil and harmonious.

Apart from quietly praising the food, the three groups occasionally raised their glasses in a toast. The bonfire in the stone yard burned brightest, and the sounds of the martial guards inviting each other to drink, the crackling of the bamboo and wood burning, and the dancing and singing of the mountain folk faintly reached the illuminated grove.

The shadow guards beside Cheng Mo and the Huo household guards beside General Huo, all four on each side, made no attempt to conceal their presence, swiftly entering the grove to find their respective teammates and sitting down unceremoniously to enjoy the feast.

Such carefree moments are always fleeting. As the fire dimmed and the songs faded into the distance, with everyone retiring for the night in the estate, the shadows in the woods disappeared into the familiar darkness, leaving only the seven shadow guards of the Tian residence watching their two masters from afar, holding hands as they walked towards the mountain cleft, where they met with the guards watching over the wild buffalo herd, discussing the arrangements for tomorrow's hunt.

Tomorrow would surely be a day filled with anticipation and excitement.

Hunting wasn't something XiangBei was particularly excited about. In her mind, the previous hunts with just a dozen or so people in the mountains, using primitive and crude tools, were the real challenges and adventures. Even though this time there were a few more tigers and leopards, with several regular army units armed with golden hook arrows, swift horses, and silver armor from multiple families, what danger could there be? None. If there were any, it would surely be due to not enough prey to go around, resulting in fierce competition.

She didn't care much, but she couldn't ignore the excitement and enthusiasm of the guests from the capital in the courtyard, making it impossible to lie down for even a minute longer. Well, XiangBei sighed deeply, resignedly getting up to prepare breakfast for them. Before she could even descend the stairs, she was intercepted by the big fool who was always the first to report in every morning. Fine, milk tea. The most adorable thing about the big fool was his daily morning craving for something sweet. A cup of milk tea with plenty of honey could keep him working hard until lunch, after which he could take his medicine and sleep until dawn.

Since everyone was going hunting today, it was a good opportunity to get him and a few other youngsters to make something together. If this household were to host such large receptions more often, they wouldn't have enough accommodation, let alone utensils. Should they keep going down the mountain to borrow from the Fuhai Tower? It was better to be self-sufficient and resourceful.

XiangBei had long noticed in his space that to the west of the estate, among a group of peaks covered in limestone, there was actually a clay mountain. She had discovered this hole while looking for a place to smoke meat. Technically, it should be called kaolin, the best refractory material for making porcelain and crucibles. Not far from where one descended the stone steps outside the estate and turned right, there was a clay pit about two to three meters high, with an opening about one meter high and five meters deep inside, likely left behind by the Tong family when they dug soil for building stoves in the past.