Days passed, and the capital city shifted from summer into winter.
In the eleventh month, a heavy snowfall lasted for half a month, with temperatures cold enough to freeze people to death.
Even Chen Yi, who usually stayed inside his room, had to bundle up in thick cotton clothing, relying on the warmth of a brazier to get through the days.
As for the commoners outside the mansion, their situation was even worse.
Rumors spread that several people had already frozen to death in their homes in Changle County, inciting the wrath of the emperor within the imperial city.
According to his father, the emperor not only slammed his desk in fury but nearly ordered the beheading of the Capital Governor, declaring, "If people are freezing to death under the shadow of the imperial palace, what hope do the common folk across the land have?"
From this, Chen Yi could easily infer that the Wei Dynasty's stability over the past millennium was closely tied to the emperor's broad vision.
At the very least, the current ruler was a thoughtful and intelligent man.
But for Chen Yi, this was merely something to listen to and not act on.
After the "painful lesson" from before, he had learned to hide his talents.
If he casually mentioned ideas like heated beds or coal stoves, Xia Wanwan would surely drown him in even more lessons.
He didn't want to ruin his chance at enjoying the good life of a second-generation aristocrat by drowning in endless books and martial arts training.
That would be worse than death.
Sometimes, Chen Yi couldn't help but envy his older brother, Chen Yuan.
Just like right now, as Zhou Wanyi brought Chen Yuan over to visit the right wing.
Xia Wanwan and Zhou Wanyi sat by the heater, chatting casually, while Chen Yuan ran around with a wooden sword in hand.
Meanwhile, he—holding a book—didn't even dare to lift his head. All he could do was strain his ears to eavesdrop on the conversation between the two madams of the marquis' household.
"Different fates for different people... damn it!" Chen Yi cursed inwardly.
Xia Wanwan gazed at the falling snow outside the window and sighed, "If it's this cold in the capital, I can't imagine how much colder it must be at the Northern Border. I wonder what it's like for our husband when he's stationed there."
Zhou Wanyi chuckled, "With our husband's martial prowess, immune to cold and heat alike, he'll be fine. Nothing can harm him."
"Speaking of which, you come from Northern Zhili, which isn't far from the Northern Border. You must know the weather there well. Is it very cold?"
"Very cold," Xia Wanwan nodded. "Winter starts as early as September, and every household prepares firewood in advance."
"Even so, when heavy snow falls for days on end, some people still freeze to death in their homes."
"I remember when I was little, there was a heavy snowfall, and our firewood ran out early. My father braved the snow to seek help, but he could barely get a few sticks of dry wood," Xia Wanwan recalled.
"And then?" Chen Yi, curious about the story, lifted his head to listen.
"In the end, we had to buy some emergency firewood at the price of one silver coin per stick."
"One silver coin per stick?!" Zhou Wanyi exclaimed in disbelief. "Even here in the capital, that's unheard of!"
Xia Wanwan gave a bitter smile. "At the time, the roads were blocked by snow, and monsters lurked in the wilds. No one was willing to risk their lives for anything."
"Ever since then, our family has always stocked up on firewood well in advance to prevent such emergencies," Xia Wanwan said with a sigh.
Zhou Wanyi patted her chest in relief. "Now I understand why you worry so much about our husband."
"No choice..." Xia Wanwan replied softly.
Chen Yi, listening quietly, couldn't help but feel a little thoughtful. It wasn't just the heavy snow that concerned him—it was the lurking threat of monsters. If they kept stirring trouble at the borders, sooner or later, something serious would happen.
However, as far as he knew, the northern frontier had been peaceful for nearly twenty years. The last major invasion by the Demon Kingdom was when the new Demon Emperor ascended the throne. To prove himself, he led a grand army southward.
"That battle lasted three years, and countless lives were lost across the Wei Dynasty," Chen Yi thought. "Especially in Beizhili, where my maternal grandfather's family lived—nearly every household had white mourning banners hung outside their doors."
The sheer devastation painted a vivid picture in Chen Yi's mind, making it easy for him to grasp how grueling that war must have been.
Just then, the conversation between his mother and Zhou Wanyi shifted, pulling him back to reality.
"In a few months, our husband will rotate to the northern border," Zhou Wanyi asked with a smile. "Wanwan, will you take the chance to visit your family?"
Xia Wanwan seemed tempted by the idea but, after a moment of consideration, she shook her head. "It's not appropriate to follow the army on deployment. Besides, Yi'er's foundation building is coming up soon, so it's not a good time for me to leave."
Chen Yi's eyes narrowed slightly as he sneaked a glance at Zhou Wanyi. Is she plotting something again, just before my foundation building? he wondered. On the surface, her suggestion sounded reasonable—letting him undergo foundation building in Beizhili, surrounded by the experts of the Wuan Army. But something about it didn't sit right with him.
Just as his thoughts started to swirl, a familiar voice broke his concentration.
"Hey, little brother, what are you staring at?"
It was Chen Yuan, holding his wooden sword, tilting his head in confusion as he looked at Chen Yi.
Chen Yi couldn't help but chuckle at his older brother's earnest yet clueless praise.
"You're pretty amazing yourself, running around with that wooden sword all day," Chen Yi teased with a playful smile.
Chen Yuan puffed out his chest proudly. "Of course! One day, I'll be a great warrior like Father! When I go to Beizhili, I'll slay demons left and right!"
Chen Yi arched a brow. "You mean you'll actually go to the northern border?"
"Of course! Mother says I'm born to be a warrior!" Chen Yuan beamed, swinging his wooden sword wildly, as if slaying invisible enemies.
Watching his brother's carefree antics, Chen Yi sighed inwardly. Ah, ignorance truly is bliss.
Chen Yi felt three veins throb on his forehead as he caught a glimpse of Xia Wanwan and Zhou Wanyi's curious gazes. He forced a smile and said, "Brother is even more impressive; he can run so fast."
"Right? Grandma praises me like that too," Chen Yuan nodded seriously, brandishing the wooden sword. "Look at my Great Zhou Tian Sword Technique!"
With that, he leapt into the air and brought his wooden sword down with a forceful chop onto the table.
"Impressive, right?"
Chen Yi: "…"
He couldn't help but glance at Zhou Wanyi, wondering if this little troublemaker was going to get a beating for his antics.
To Chen Yi's surprise, Zhou Wanyi smiled at Xia Wanwan and said, "It looks like Yuan'er will need Yi'er's support in the future with that head of his."
"It's only natural for brothers to help each other," Xia Wanwan replied with a smile.
After a few more exchanges, Zhou Wanyi took Chen Yuan and prepared to leave. Before they departed, they agreed to go out together during the lantern Festival, and Xia Wanwan didn't decline.
She had already promised Chen Yi to take him out for a stroll, and with Zhou Wanyi and her son accompanying them, it would be a bit safer.
However, as Chen Yi watched Zhou Wanyi's departing figure, he couldn't help but feel puzzled.
There seemed to be a certain intention behind her visit.
Was she here specifically to persuade his mother to return to her family?
To discuss his foundation-building?
Or perhaps...
Chen Yi glanced down at himself, and a realization hit him.
Was she here to observe the changes after he consumed the soft bone powder?
....
In the following days, the weather cleared up, bringing some vitality to the Capital, but it remained cold.
As the Lantern Festival approached, families began hanging red lanterns, adding to the festive atmosphere.
However, Chen Yi felt somewhat disappointed.
His second birthday passed without any special celebrations.
Aside from the pastries prepared by his father's orders from the kitchen, there were no other substantial gifts.
Fortunately, Xia Wanwan had given him a few days of "vacation."
Not only were there no classes scheduled, but he was also allowed to roam freely within the marquis's residence.
Of course, he could only go with the accompaniment of the household servants.
"Master Yi, where would you like to go? I can take you there," a servant asked, kneeling to maintain eye level with Chen Yi, a cheerful smile on his face.
Chen Yi thought for a moment and replied, "Let's go to the training grounds."
The servant's expression became somewhat awkward as he said, "Uh, young master, according to the rules of the residence, I'm not allowed to enter there."
"Oh, but can I?"
"You can certainly go, but…"
"Then let's go!"
Without giving him a chance to refuse, Chen Yi darted out of the courtyard.
If it weren't for the fact that Xia Wanwan hadn't given him the opportunity before, he would have wanted to visit the training grounds a long time ago.
Before long, the servant led him to the entrance of the training grounds on the west side of the central courtyard, wearing a troubled expression as he said, "Young master, once you go in, please don't run around. If you get hurt, I might not survive it."
"Don't worry, don't worry…"
He casually brushed off the servant's warning and walked straight into the training grounds.
At two years old, he could run and jump, and with his beginner-level swordsmanship skills, there wasn't much to worry about as long as he was careful.
However, as soon as Chen Yi stepped into the training grounds, he was stunned by the sight before him!
"Are there really ten-meter-tall giants!?"
(End of this chapter)