SFS Chapter 1013 Missing Family on New Year's Eve
Chapter 1013 Missing Family on New Year's Eve
It was New Year's Eve again. A biting cold wind threatened to pierce Chang'an, but inside the Prince of Liang's mansion, lights flickered brightly, trying to keep the chill out. In the main hall, a large table laden with delicacies sat in the center. Ma Teng, dressed in a gorgeous brocade robe, sat at the head of the table with a worried look on his face. To one side of the table sat Li Ru, the brilliantly resourceful strategist known as the "Old Fox," who had just hurried back from Bingzhou.
Sitting below were the brothers Ma Xiu and Ma Tie, their faces etched with worry for their older brother, Ma Chao. Beside them sat Ma Chao's three adopted sons. The youngest, Ma Guan and Ma Xiang, were only four years old. They seemed to sense the solemn atmosphere among the adults, sitting obediently, their faces shone with a hint of innocence. And even younger, Jiang Wei, barely learning to walk, was being carefully held by his wet nurse.
At another table, the women sat together. Ma Chao's confidantes, all gentle and virtuous, accompanied his mother. However, despite the enticing aroma of delicious food, the atmosphere at both tables was subdued, at odds with the festive atmosphere expected on New Year's Eve.
Ma Teng forced himself to stay calm, picked up his wine glass, forced a smile towards Li Ru, and said, "Mr. Wenyou, it's rare for you to come back today, let's have a drink together." After that, he raised his head and drank it all in one gulp. Then he put the wine glass down heavily and said worriedly, "Mr. Wenyou, Chao'er is now on the grassland. I don't know what his situation is like. I'm worried about him."
Li Ru gently put down his wine glass, bowed slightly, and said calmly, "Lord Shoucheng, please do not worry too much. With the King of Liang's talent and strategy, even in such a harsh place as the grassland, despite the harsh conditions, it is not expected that there will be too much danger. The King of Liang is brave and courageous, and with many loyal soldiers following him, he will definitely be able to overcome this danger."
Ma Teng nodded slightly and responded, "Well, having said that, once this child gets stubborn, no one can persuade him. It really makes me helpless. Now the situation is complicated, and I don't know how he will deal with it over there." As he spoke, he couldn't help but sigh again, his voice full of deep worry and helplessness for his son.
Seeing their father Ma Teng worried and the oppressive atmosphere making people uncomfortable, Ma Xiu and Ma Tie exchanged a glance and understood. Ma Xiu waved to Ma Guan and Ma Xiang and said softly, "Guan'er, Xiang'er, come and pour a glass of wine for Grandpa and Mr. Li to cheer him up." The two brothers, who were usually lively and active, seemed to have noticed that the adults were in a bad mood. They responded with a serious "OK" and walked over to Ma Teng and Li Ru with their short legs.
Ma Guan picked up the wine jug, stood on tiptoe, and carefully poured wine for Ma Teng and Li Ru. His serious expression made him look as if he was completing a very important task. Ma Xiang helped pass the wine glasses, muttering, "Grandfather, Mr. Li, drink." These two discerning young men truly warmed Ma Teng and Li Ru's hearts, and a smile appeared on their once tense faces.
Ma Teng touched the heads of the two men lovingly and asked, "Guan'er, Xiang'er, have you been studying hard recently?" Ma Guan looked up and answered crisply, "Grandfather, I've been learning something with Mr. Xun Yu recently." Ma Xiu couldn't help laughing and said, "Hey, father, you don't know, this kid is very naughty, and he almost annoyed Lord Xun to death." Li Ru chuckled and waved his hand after hearing this and said, "Hey, don't be annoying him. You have to find something for the children to do, otherwise they will get sick from being idle." After hearing this, Ma Teng couldn't help but smile again.
Then, Ma Teng looked at Ma Xiang and asked, "How about you, young man? How have you been lately?" Ma Xiang's eyes lit up, and he said excitedly, "Grandfather, I'm learning sword techniques from General Wei Yan. How about I dance for you?" Ma Teng smiled and nodded, "Okay, good job, young man, you have ambition!" A guard nearby quickly brought a wooden sword, and Ma Xiang took it and immediately began to dance with style. His small figure shuttled around the hall, his immature moves a little clumsy, but his seriousness was unwavering.
This scene attracted the women at the neighboring table to lean over and take a look. Looking at his innocent and adorable grandson, Ma Teng's smile grew even brighter, but as he smiled, tears welled up in his eyes.
Ma Teng felt very close to Ma Chao's adopted sons, and seeing their innocent and lively appearances filled his heart with love. However, as he studied the children's faces, Ma Teng's thoughts drifted away, and he thought of Ma Chao's biological son, Ma Yue. Since that child's birth, Ma Teng had never seen him once.
He was not partial to these adopted sons, but Ma Yue was his own blood after all. What's more, he lost his mother at a young age and lived alone in the distant Jiangdong. He didn't know what kind of life he was leading. When he thought of this, Ma Teng felt as if his heart was hit by a heavy hammer.
Li Ru was a sharp-witted man. He immediately noticed something was wrong with Ma Teng's expression and asked with concern, "Lord Shoucheng?" Ma Teng hurriedly covered his eyes with his sleeves, trying to hide his emotions, but his voice trembled. "Ah, I'm feeling a little uneasy." Li Ru's eyes were filled with worry. He asked again, "Lord Shoucheng, is there anything bothering you?"
Ma Teng sighed deeply, his eyes full of sadness, and said slowly: "Seeing these children, I can't help but think of Ma Yue who is far away in Jiangdong. From the time that child was born until now, we, the grandfather and the grandson, have never even seen each other. He lost his mother at a very young age, and I don't know how much taller he has grown now..." Before he finished speaking, tears in his eyes were already flowing like a broken dam, and he couldn't stop it.
The women at the neighboring table heard their conversation and were instantly infected by their sadness. Zhen Mi, a sensitive woman, heard this and her beautiful eyes turned red, tears welling up in her eyes. She bit her lip gently, trying to suppress her sobs, but her shoulders still trembled slightly.
Zhang Qiying has always been kind. At this moment, she couldn't help but raise her hand and gently wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. Her eyes were full of heartache and pity for Ma Yue.
Zhang Fubao was younger and more innocent. When he heard about Ma Yue's experience, his nose felt sore and tears began to fall. He muttered softly, "This child is too pitiful..."
Lu Wan's eyes were already wet. She lowered her head slightly, not wanting others to see her losing composure, but her trembling shoulders still revealed her inner sadness.
Cai Wenji felt the same way. She herself had gone through many hardships. Thinking of Ma Yue losing his mother at a young age and being alone and helpless, she couldn't help but feel sad. Tears flowed down her cheeks and she murmured, "How can there be such a pitiful thing in this world..."
When Ma's mother heard this, she was even more heartbroken and covered her face with tears: "My grandson, my grandson..." For a moment, the atmosphere in the hall was depressing and suffocating, as if the whole world was shrouded in this deep sorrow.
Seeing everyone immersed in grief, Dong Bai thought for a moment and said, "There's nothing else to do now. Why don't we go and get the child so he can be reunited with his family?" Ma Teng sighed helplessly and said, "Ah, if it were easy, we would have brought him back long ago. But I'm afraid that if Chao'er doesn't go, Ma Yue's uncle, Shamoke, won't let him go. He's still angry with Chao'er, so this is going to be difficult."
At this time, Dong Bai whispered to comfort him: "Wait for Brother Chao to come back, and we will go to pick him up together. Don't be too sad when Yue'er comes back and reunites with his family." Everyone nodded, and it took a lot of effort to calm Ma Teng down.
But the old lady, looking at the women, couldn't help but think of her daughter, Ma Yunlu. Her eyes were filled with worry as she murmured, "I wonder how Yunlu is doing in the Central Plains." Everyone's heart sank again upon hearing this, and the oppressive atmosphere, which had been slightly relieved, seemed to intensify again. Everyone understood that the situation in the Central Plains was complex and the fighting was ongoing. Ma Yunlu's safety was a real concern, caught in the middle of it all.
The banquet ended hastily amidst everyone's worries and concerns. At this moment, in the distant Wu County, there was also a banquet, and Ma Yue, who had worried Ma Teng and others, was in the middle of it.
Zhou Yu and Shamoke sat side by side in the main seat. Zhou Yu was dressed in a moon-white brocade robe and a silk scarf on his head. He had an elegant posture and a faint smile on his face, showing his refined demeanor. Shamoke was tall and strong, with a dark complexion. He was dressed in animal skins and had a long sword on his waist, exuding a rough and heroic air.
At one side of the banquet table sat Gan Ning, Taishi Ci, Ling Cao, and other former Sun Ce generals. Gan Ning's eyes were sharp, revealing an uninhibited heroism. Beside him, Taishi Ci stood with a calm demeanor and a resolute gaze. On the other side sat the Mu brothers, who served under Shamoke. Each of them was sturdy, with a bold and unpretentious demeanor. Their hearty laughter punctuated the meal.
The table was filled with fine wine and delicious food, and the aroma of wine was everywhere. At this time, Zhou Yu raised his glass, stood up, glanced at everyone, and said with a smile: "It is a rare opportunity for you all to gather together today. Come, let's drink this cup together!" Everyone stood up and raised their glasses to celebrate. For a moment, the banquet hall was filled with laughter.
Shamoke frowned slightly, leaning closer to Zhou Yu and whispering, "General, has there been any unusual activity from Sun Quan recently?" Zhou Yu gently set down his wine glass and said with a slightly solemn expression, "Four veteran generals came to talk with me a few days ago. It seems they've stopped fighting us. It's just that the fighting in the Central Plains is so intense, and Sun Quan hasn't participated in it at all. It's really hard to understand what he's thinking."
Upon hearing this, Shamoke slammed his hand on the table, a fierce glint in his eyes as he shouted, "If he behaves himself, it'll be fine. But if he makes any more moves, I'll fight him to the death!" Zhou Yu, seeing this, quickly smiled and tried to smooth things over, "It's a rare occasion for us all to be together today, so let's not talk about these unpleasant things." He then turned to the back hall and shouted, "Come on, come on. Ma Yue, Sun Shao, Zhou Xun, come pour some wine for the leader."
Soon, Ma Yue, Sun Shao, and Zhou Xun came out from the back hall. Ma Yue, always a carefree person, came to Shamoke first. When Shamoke saw his nephew, his eyes were filled with excitement. He picked Ma Yue up, muttering "my good nephew" and trying to kiss Ma Yue on the face.
Ma Yue refused to give in. He stretched out his little hand and pushed Shamoke's face away, frowning and shouting, "Your beard is too prickly, don't get close to my face!"
Sun Shao, who was standing at the side, looked at Shamoke with squinted eyes. Seeing Shamoke holding Ma Yue, he looked nervous, his small hands tightly gripping the wooden sword at his waist, which was held straight and upright, as if he would not hesitate to attack without hesitation if Shamoke did not put Ma Yue down.
Zhou Xun, on the other hand, was quite elegant. He walked slowly to Shamoke, stood respectfully, with a polite smile on his face, and watched the scene in front of him quietly.
Seeing this, Shamo Ke was stunned at first, then burst into laughter, his hearty laughter echoing in the hall. He didn't get angry, and gently put Ma Yue down, saying with a smile: "Okay, okay, if you don't want to be intimate, then don't be intimate. My nephew really has personality!"