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Mo Yan smiled and nodded, then put down her cup.

“It’s alright, she doesn’t need to patrol the streets tonight,” surprisingly, it was Wang Chao who spoke. “She can just go back to her room and sleep soundly after getting drunk, wouldn’t that be great? By the way, speaking of which, you’ll be promoted to head constable soon, you should work on your drinking capacity so you don’t get drunk by those little brats.”

Mo Yan moved closer to Zhan Zhao and said smugly, "I'm not afraid at all, Brother Zhan will protect me... Oh?" As she said the last word, she tilted her head to look at Zhan Zhao, her tone slightly naive and inquiring.

Zhan Zhao had no choice but to nod with a smile.

Wang Chao was puzzled and asked curiously, "Why did Brother Zhan drink for you?"

Mo Yan ignored him, picked up a plump piru and placed it on Zhan Zhao's plate, saying solicitously, "Brother Zhan, eat quickly, it's best to eat it while it's hot, it'll be a pity if it gets cold."

Seeing that she treated him as before, without the slightest distance, Zhan Zhao, though not entirely understanding her thoughts, felt a deep warmth within him. Her cheerful demeanor meant it didn't matter if she was carefree or heartless; only then could he feel at ease going to Liao. Thinking this, he did as she instructed, picking up a piece of piranha meat, dipping it in sauce, and eating it. The meat was incredibly tender and delicious, truly a top-quality delicacy.

"Is it good?" Mo Yan asked, tilting her head.

He swallowed, nodded, smiled at her, and asked, "What did you add when you baked it? It's so delicious."

“It wasn’t me, it was Ma Da Sao,” Mo Yan replied, picking up a slightly smaller one herself. “These piranhas weren’t roasted directly in the oven. They were marinated in sauce overnight beforehand, and then sprinkled with licorice juice while roasting, which is why they have such a sweet and fragrant aroma. Can you taste it?”

Zhan Zhao smiled and shook his head, saying, "When it comes to food, how can I compare to you?"

Mo Yan, without any modesty, nodded in agreement: "Of course."

Watching their exchange, though their words were ordinary, the warmth within them was palpable. Wang Chao and the other rough, straightforward men were still somewhat bewildered, but Ma Da Sao had already grasped the situation. Although she didn't quite understand why Zhan Zhao had fallen for Mo Yan, she was still happy for the two of them. At this moment, she simply smiled and poured more wine for Ma Han and the others.

"By the way, Brother Zhan, I seem to have heard the lord say that you will be marrying the princess to the Liao Kingdom. Is that true?" Zhang Long asked hurriedly, remembering this matter.

Zhan Zhao nodded with a faint smile.

Ma Han asked anxiously, "Going to such a far place as Liao, when will you be able to return?"

Zhan Zhao shook his head: "Right now, I don't know either." As he spoke, he glanced at Mo Yan, who was engrossed in disassembling the Pili, seemingly oblivious to their conversation.

"Is he not coming back for three or five years?" Ma Han exclaimed in surprise.

Wang Chao shook his head and sighed: "Protecting the princess is not a matter of three or five years; it could mean staying for a lifetime."

“That won’t do!” Ma Han, being an honest man, immediately said, “This princess is getting married on her own, why should she drag someone down with her? With Brother Zhan’s skills, it would be a waste if he stayed in Khitan.”

Although he knew Ma Han meant well, Zhan Zhao still said in a deep voice, "Brother Ma, you are mistaken. It is Zhan Zhao's good fortune to be able to serve the country loyally. How can it be considered a waste?"

Ma Han realized he had misspoke and quickly said, "Yes, yes, I misspoke. Let's drink, let's drink, let's not talk about such unpleasant things..."

Chapter Twenty-Seven [VIP]

After a few rounds of drinks, Wang Chao and the others were all heavy drinkers, and the Daughter's Red wine they brought was almost gone. Mo Yan, on the other hand, was obedient and only drank two small cups before focusing on eating. They chatted about some trivial matters in Kaifeng Prefecture, thanked Sister-in-law Ma, and then dispersed.

Mo Yan cleared away the dishes for Ma Da Sao and cleaned up the kitchen before leaving. She had indeed eaten a lot that day, unaware of the delicious food before her. Only now did she feel a bit bloated and painful in her stomach. Not wanting to go back to her room, she simply went out to the night market outside the mansion and strolled around leisurely for a long time. After digesting her food, she returned home.

From afar, she could see a dark figure loitering around the east gate. As it drew closer, she realized it was Zhan Zhao. She rushed forward and asked in surprise, "Brother Zhan, why are you still here so late?"

Zhan Zhao had been waiting for her for a long time. He had originally intended to wait for her when he left Ma Han's house, but Wang Chao and the others pulled him away, so he had to wait until they dispersed before going to the courtyard to look for her. However, he did not expect that Mo Yan had not returned to the courtyard.

"You went to the night market to eat again?" He didn't answer, but asked with a slight smile.

"No, I just ate too much, so I had to go for a walk." She tilted her head to look at him, smiling, and said, "Brother Zhan, you weren't waiting for me, were you?"

Zhan Zhao lowered his eyes, his eyes full of smiles, and after a moment, he nodded slightly and said, "Yes."

Upon hearing this, Mo Yan was very happy and looked at him with a smile.

"What I said this morning..." He hesitated for a moment before asking, "Aren't you angry?"

“You’re only thinking of me, I’m so happy, how could I be angry?”

Upon hearing this, Zhan Zhao was slightly taken aback. She could understand his predicament. While feeling relieved, he also felt a bit bitter.

"After I go to Liao, you..." He trailed off, unsure how to continue, and finally changed his words to, "You must take good care of yourself."

When are you leaving?

"Around May or June."

Mo Yan scratched her ear and asked doubtfully, "There are still half a year to go. Isn't it a bit early to tell me all this now?"

Zhan Zhao was slightly embarrassed, but nodded with a faint smile.

“…Then you should go back and rest early,” he had no choice but to say.

"Okay, then you should get some rest too."

She walked briskly through the east gate, but suddenly stopped and turned back to ask, "Brother Zhan, if you go to the Liao Kingdom and never see me again, will you miss me?"

Zhan Zhao paused for a moment, and without thinking too much, replied, "Of course."

"I knew it, me too."

She smiled gently, said nothing more, slipped inside, and disappeared.

The moon was bright and the stars were few, and shadows were cast on the ground. Zhan Zhao stood quietly there for a long time.

In the days that followed, festivals came one after another. First, the twelfth lunar month was approaching, and the kitchen was busy making cured meat, wine, and vinegar. They also had to break ice, pound rice, and store it away. Then came the Laba Festival, which kept them busy peeling walnuts, pine nuts, chestnuts, and so on. Then came the winter sacrifice to the Kitchen God, cleaning the house, performing the Kitchen God dance, chasing away the year's chaos, and making several bowls of porridge. When Mo Yan wasn't out patrolling the streets, except when she went to visit her senior sister at the Nangong Villa, she basically stayed in the kitchen helping Ma Da Sao, busy and happy.

Besides his official duties, Zhan Zhao also had to learn about Khitan customs and traditions, court documents, and so on. He often discussed the current situation of the Liao Kingdom with Mr. Gongsun in the study. One day, when he had some free time, he wondered if Nangong Ruoxu's illness had improved, so he went to visit him at Nangong's villa.

Under Doctor Xue's careful care, Nangong Ruoxu had been taking the medicine for more than half a month. When Zhan Zhao saw him now, he felt that his complexion had improved a lot compared to half a month ago.

"Master Zhan!"