Chapter Thirty-Nine: New Year's Celebration

The crackling of firecrackers rang out to bid farewell to the old year!

Feng Xiaobao watched with great interest as the bamboo firecrackers exploded before him. These were simple tubes and rods of bamboo, thrown into the bonfire, erupting with a series of sharp, popping sounds.

Such were the firecrackers of the Tang dynasty—true gunpowder firecrackers would not appear until the Song. For now, only these rustic versions existed.

It seemed that the path to inventing gunpowder firearms was still long and arduous!

Winter faded into spring, time swept by, and once again it was the season to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new. Feng Xiaobao cheerfully celebrated the Spring Festival with his friends.

Oh, in the Tang dynasty, there were no gunpowder firecrackers at New Year, and no lucky money for children!

But the festivities were lively and brimming with the spirit of the season.

The Tang dynasty’s Spring Festival culture was rich and abundant. There was the burning of firecrackers, ancestral rites, sweeping and cleaning the house, closing shops and businesses, pasting up new peachwood charms, hanging lanterns and decorations, dining together on New Year’s Eve, and staying up all night to greet the dawn. When the New Year arrived, the streets emptied—even in the busiest markets of the southern and northern districts, you could count the passersby on your fingers. Everyone hurried home to reunite with family, shunning the streets—such has been the way of the Chinese people for thousands of years.

Since arriving in the Tang dynasty, Feng Xiaobao had spent Spring Festival with his adoptive father. To have a family during the holidays was to truly feel its warmth. In Luoyang, Princess Qianjin was his only “relative,” but as a princess of the Tang royal house, she celebrated the festival in the palace with other royals, officials, and members of the imperial clan.

The Tang court’s custom of staying awake through New Year’s Eve was grand and widespread. On that night, the officials in charge of rituals, led by the Grand Minister of Ceremonies, would bring their subordinates and thousands of male and female court musicians and dancers to perform the exorcism dance before the great hall—a performance meant to drive away evil spirits and epidemics. As they danced, giant candles were lit throughout the palace, incense perfumed the air, and the night shone as bright as day.

It was a magnificent affair, and no royal or court official could be absent. Princess Qianjin, both a member of the royal family and close to the empress, could not miss such an important event, so Feng Xiaobao had to celebrate alone.

But he was not lonely, for he volunteered at the Temple of the Supreme Lord, overseen by Daoist Master Xuanqing. The wealthy patrons of the Charity House made donations, and Feng Xiaobao himself contributed ten strings of coins. He hired cooks to prepare a sumptuous New Year’s Eve feast and invited elderly widows and orphans from the Charity House to celebrate together.

Many devotees from the Charity House came with their families to share the meal, and joy filled the temple.

The temple was swept spotlessly clean, tables and chairs were set up. Each table was laden with delicious vegetarian dishes, tall stacks of foreign-style cakes, dried fruits, peanuts, and sunflower seeds—an abundance of treats.

Feng Xiaobao greeted the guests at the door himself, warmly welcoming them, helping the elderly and young to their seats, pouring tea, handing out snacks, and attending to everyone’s needs.

When the banquet began, he served dishes and cakes to the elders, tirelessly bustling about. He never lost patience, chatting with the elderly, sharing his stories and observations, speaking loudly for those hard of hearing.

Though he possessed modest wealth and powerful connections, he was humble, eager to help others, never falling behind in contributing incense to the temple or making donations to the Charity House. He did good deeds within his means.

He possessed a kind heart.

A person’s reputation is precious; Feng Xiaobao was acutely aware of his words and actions, striving to cultivate a good name. Sunshine, cheerful, positive, and kind—these were the labels that clung to him.

“May you always stay true to yourself,” Daoist Master Xuanqing watched him and thought silently.

“A person who enjoys doing good cannot be truly wicked—if one does not support such a person, whom else would they support?” Xuanqing mused.

On New Year’s Eve, Feng Xiaobao saw Xuanqing eating a foreign-style cake. He smiled warmly and nodded. The two exchanged glances—a silent understanding passing between them.

…

That night, snow fell over Luoyang, and Feng Xiaobao kept vigil with Princess Qianjin in her residence.

They spoke softly together. Princess Qianjin described the grand exorcism dance at the palace: “The emperor and empress attended in person. All the royals, officials, and nobles were there. The palace held a lavish banquet, officials recited poems, fireworks and lanterns lit the night—it was a dazzling display of our great Tang dynasty’s prosperity!”

Outside, the wind howled. Within, the two sat by the hearth, talking in low voices. The firelight reflected off the princess’s radiant face, her beauty overwhelming Feng Xiaobao with love.

“What are you staring at?” Princess Qianjin asked shyly.

“I can’t help it—you’re so beautiful!” And indeed, she maintained herself well, was in high spirits, and her beauty shone all the more for it.

“You’re not so bad yourself!” Feng Xiaobao had grown tall—he stood a full one meter eighty-six. With regular exercise, good nutrition, and a disciplined life (no late-night revels), his upper body formed a classic V-shape, his muscles firm and powerful. Princess Qianjin couldn’t resist reaching out to touch that strong physique.

With a gentle tug, Feng Xiaobao tumbled onto her couch beside her.

…

The long night stretched on. Seeing that Princess Qianjin seemed bored, Feng Xiaobao suggested, “Shall we play Go?”

“No,” she replied.

“Why not?”

“You’re such a poor player—it’s no fun!” Princess Qianjin was a skilled Go player, often playing when she had free time, while Feng Xiaobao’s abilities were mediocre. Beating a weaker opponent was hardly entertaining; she didn’t want to bully him.

“Then…” Feng Xiaobao’s eyes sparkled, “Let’s try Five-in-a-Row!”

“What’s Five-in-a-Row?” she asked.

Five-in-a-Row was played on a Go board; the first to get five stones in a row wins.

The rules were simple, and Princess Qianjin, intrigued, eagerly joined the contest.

As they played, Feng Xiaobao distractedly instructed a maid to cut stiff paper and make cards labeled AKQ12345678910, plus jokers.

That’s right—Feng Xiaobao was inventing playing cards!

Since everyone in the modern world knows how to play cards, why not introduce them here?

When Five-in-a-Row grew tiresome, the cards were ready. Feng Xiaobao presented them to the princess: “I call these the Qianjin Cards—a gift for you. I hope you like them!”

“Did you see these on your travels again?” Princess Qianjin’s tone was not mocking—she was simply used to Feng Xiaobao’s habit of attributing all his strange inventions to stories from his wanderings.

“No, no! I came up with them myself, just for you! I hope you’ll be happy!” Feng Xiaobao shamelessly took credit, naming the cards after her.

“Come, let me show you!” he said.

He spread the simple paper deck on the table, displaying the faces to the princess and the two young, pretty maids she had called to join them. “This deck of cards represents order and rules—from A to ten, from J to K, with big and little jokers. The structure is simple and clear, but the games are many.”

“Let’s play ‘Score Grab’!”

“Or ‘Eliminate the Big D’!”

Feng Xiaobao explained several basic games. First, “Score Grab”—a two-player contest with five cards each. Then the endlessly entertaining “Landlord.” The simple yet captivating rules fascinated Princess Qianjin and her maids; they quickly fell in love with the new games.

After a few rounds, Feng Xiaobao suggested, “Just playing for fun is too dull, and betting money is improper. It goes against the harmony of the occasion. How about…”

“What?” the princess asked.

“Let’s play a game everyone can enjoy, without hurting anyone’s interests.” Feng Xiaobao’s intentions were less than pure.

“Alright, let’s do it!” they agreed enthusiastically.

…

An hour later, Princess Qianjin and her maids sat shivering in embarrassment, clutching at their clothes, thoroughly exposed, while Feng Xiaobao laughed gleefully.

They had lost every stitch of clothing to him in the card games!

Though Feng Xiaobao didn’t lay a finger on them, the sight alone made him grin like a rogue, and Princess Qianjin gnashed her teeth in frustration.

One-on-one, the ladies couldn’t beat him. But when they exchanged glances and teamed up against this shameless fellow, Feng Xiaobao smoothly changed tactics, introduced a double-deck game, and suggested they play “Tractor” (the upgrading game).

He explained the rules, showing them how to play.

The game sounded so intriguing that Princess Qianjin’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.

“Why do two pairs make a tractor, three pairs a train, and four pairs a spaceship? What are tractors, trains, and spaceships?” she asked curiously.

“Oh, that’s from…” Feng Xiaobao started to fabricate.

“That’s from your travels in the countryside!” Princess Qianjin finished for him—she’d heard this excuse so many times she could recite it herself. “You’ve certainly seen a lot out there!” she teased.

Unfazed, Feng Xiaobao replied, “Of course!”

“What a wondrous countryside!” Princess Qianjin remarked.

At this, one of the maids, who actually came from a rural area, couldn’t help but laugh. In the countryside, there were certainly no such things as soap, biogas, tractors, or spaceships!

Luckily, Princess Qianjin took him at his word. Otherwise, she might have treated him like a laboratory rat and interrogated him mercilessly—unless he succeeded in rebellion and made her empress!

They played on and on until dawn. Princess Qianjin sighed, “This is the happiest New Year’s Eve I’ve ever had!”

How true that was—for next year’s New Year’s Eve, she would not spend it with him.

…

As dawn approached, the snow stopped. All across Luoyang, people bustled about. Servants of the grand mansions swept away the snow at their gates, while government workers cleared the main streets.

From the upper floor of the princess’s residence, one could see clusters of lanterns illuminating the darkness before dawn. Feng Xiaobao stood by the window, watching quietly as Princess Qianjin came to his side.

“Why not sleep a while longer?” she asked.

“I’m wide awake,” Feng Xiaobao replied, gesturing outside. “Is all this effort really necessary?”

“Of course! The officials must go to court and offer their New Year’s greetings to the emperor!”

Princess Qianjin pointed toward the imperial city, where the glow of lights pierced the night sky.

“A thousand rays of dawn welcome the new sun, ten thousand red candles usher in spring!” With the first light, royals, officials, and envoys from myriad nations gathered at Luoyang’s Qianyuan Palace to celebrate the New Year with the emperor and empress. The Crown Prince and high ministers offered ceremonial gifts; the Chief Minister delivered messages of congratulations from the provinces; the Censorate reported auspicious omens; the Minister of Revenue presented tributes from across the empire; and the Minister of Rites recited the gifts of foreign lands.

Cries of “Long live the emperor!” echoed across the vast realm, the emperor raised his hand, and all the people bowed low.

Princess Qianjin spoke proudly of imperial grandeur, and Feng Xiaobao listened, his thoughts swelling with longing. In the end, only one idea filled his mind: “I want to be emperor!”

“There was once a chance for rebellion laid before me, but I did not seize it. When it was gone, regret overwhelmed me. There is no greater pain in life than this. If heaven were to grant me another chance, I would say only four words: I want to rebel! And if I could add a condition, it would be: Succeed on the first try!”

…

If Princess Qianjin knew the schemes turning in his mind, she would likely order the palace guards to have him drawn and quartered—unless, of course, he succeeded in his rebellion and crowned her empress.