I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 362 Happy New Year
The next day, under the blazing sun, the courtyard of the hot spring was peaceful, with only the chirping of insects and birds.

Inside the bed curtains, Gu Ci, who had woken up early, turned to gaze at the innocent sleeping face beside him for a long time before finally leaning down to kiss Tang Zhao's bright red and full lips, and began to caress them.

"Ugh!" Tang Zhao was groggily woken up and tried to push away the person causing the disturbance, but the man grabbed her wrist and kissed her.

Tang Zhao, still grumpy from waking up, glared at Gu Ci with a mixture of dissatisfaction and petulance.

Gu Ci was dazed, recalling how Zhao Zhao had looked at him like this last night when she was beneath him, while constantly begging for mercy, which aroused Gu Ci's restlessness.

Seeing the lust in the man's eyes, Tang Zhao was startled awake and tried to get up to hide under the bed curtains, but she forgot that she was sore and weak all over. Her arms went limp and she fell into Gu Ci's arms.

Gu Ci reached out and kneaded Tang Zhao's slender waist, feeling the delicate body in his arms wriggling restlessly. His voice was low and husky as he assured her, "Don't worry, I won't touch you."

Tang Zhao didn't believe him. "Last night you kept saying it was the last time, and what happened?"

This man didn't stop until midnight!

Gu Ci blushed slightly, "I'm sorry, I didn't want to either, but I just couldn't control myself."

Heaven knows that before carrying Zhao Zhao to bed, Gu Ci genuinely wanted to end things quickly.

Although he had never been with a woman, there were many married men in the Northwest Army. When they got together, they inevitably talked about crude things, and Gu Ci inevitably overheard a few words, so he had a superficial understanding of matters between men and women.

After Zhao Zhao returned, Gu Ci, being prepared, secretly asked someone to inquire about matters of the bedroom, knowing that a woman's first time is inevitably uncomfortable and requires extra care.

But planning is one thing, reality is another. Gu Ci only realized how difficult it was to extricate himself after experiencing it firsthand.

It is much, much, much harder than winning a battle.

He lost control for a moment and pestered Zhao Zhao for more than a few times. It was also Zhao Zhao's fault for indulging him and feeling sorry for him. If Zhao Zhao didn't want to, could he have forced her?

"So, it's my fault then?" Tang Zhao laughed in exasperation. "Fine, then let's do it once a year from now on!"

A year? Gu Ci quickly begged for forgiveness, "Zhao Zhao, it's my fault, it's all my fault, please forgive me?"

Tang Zhao sneered, pushed Gu Ci aside, and rushed to the inside of the bed curtains.

Gu Ci embraced Tang Zhao from behind, his large hand touching Tang Zhao's abdomen. "Child, your mother is angry. Please plead for your father."

Tang Zhao sat up abruptly. "What child? Where did this child come from?"

“After consummating the marriage, you will naturally have children,” Gu Ci said seriously. “Maybe the child is already in your belly.”

"Gu Ci, you're really not that amazing," Tang Zhao kicked the man in the chest. "And have you no shame!"

"If you don't get pregnant, then you need to be even more diligent," Gu Ci said, leaning down to kiss Tang Zhao's ankle. "Zhao Zhao, I really want a child of our own."

He was almost thirty. Most men his age would have children by now, but he had only just consummated his marriage with Zhaozhao, so he naturally had to hurry.

Tang Zhao felt that this topic could not be discussed any further, so she pointed at him and said, "Get out of here."

Gu Ci dared not anger Tang Zhao any further and quickly left.

The two stayed at the hot spring courtyard for two days before returning to the farm before the New Year.

The festive atmosphere at the farm is already strong. Every household has put up New Year couplets and the character "福" (good fortune). Some families have even bought red paper and cut out paper-cut window decorations.

Children, dressed in their new clothes and holding snacks and candies, gathered together, laughing and running around, while the adults busily slaughtered chickens and ducks to prepare for the New Year's Eve dinner.

In the manor, Chunfeng bought red lanterns and hung them all around the manor. Red ribbons for good fortune were tied to the trees. Xiamo and Dongmei, along with the guards of the Protector General's Mansion and the Prince's Mansion, were busy in the kitchen. Qiuyu, on the other hand, was making red envelopes for each person with Steward Ge.

In the Minzhou prefectural government office, Ma En finished reading the official documents submitted by various prefectural governments and nodded in satisfaction.

Thanks to Her Highness the Princess's great fortune, half the people of Minzhou have found work today, received their wages before the New Year, and bought rice and cloth. The number of people who have frozen or starved to death in various prefectures has greatly decreased. For this alone, the officials of Minzhou deserve a top-notch evaluation from the Ministry of Personnel.

"Everyone has worked hard. If this year goes smoothly, next year will definitely be better." Ma En used his own salary to distribute red envelopes to the officials of the prefectural government. "Starting today, the government will be closed for seven days. Everyone should have a good rest and have a good New Year!"

"Thank you, sir!"

After the New Year's Eve dinner, Tang Zhao rolled up his sleeves and joined in making dumplings.

As a leading catering enterprise in Shanghai, Tang's Group's Tang Zhao may only have theoretical knowledge of cooking, but he is certainly capable of making dumplings.

In particular, she can make all kinds of dumplings: crescent dumplings, ingot dumplings, goldfish dumplings, lace dumplings, lucky bag dumplings, and mandarin duck dumplings, leaving everyone dazzled and dumbfounded.

"Miss, you have this skill too?" Xia Mo exclaimed in admiration. "Please teach me, Miss!"

"I want to learn too!" Qiu Yu raised her hand.

"Alright!" Tang Zhao taught them each method in turn.

It must be said that women are naturally skillful. Tang Zhao only demonstrated it once and learned the four seasons. However, the guards of the Protector General's Mansion and the Prince's Mansion either gave themselves away or didn't complete the task properly.

If we're talking about the clumsiest one, it has to be Gu Ci.

Tang Zhao looked at the oddly shaped dumpling in his hand and praised it against his will, "Very good, very unique."

Gu Ci placed the dumplings in the most inconspicuous spot.

An hour later, the steaming dumplings were ready. Everyone was given a large bowl and they ate and chatted together.

"Ouch!" Zhaohui bit his tooth. "What's that?" He spat out what was in his mouth, looked at it, and exclaimed in surprise, "It's a little goldfish!"

"Princess, why are there little goldfish in these dumplings?"

Tang Zhao explained, "The custom of eating dumplings symbolizes that the person who gets the dumpling will have good fortune in the new year."

Upon hearing this, everyone else buried their heads in their food and ate voraciously. Even Gu Fu, who didn't like dumplings, ate a big bowl. Unfortunately, she didn't find the little goldfish in the dumplings, but instead found a cabbage and mushroom filling.

Tang Zhao joked, "It seems our eighth sister will definitely find a good husband next year."

Gu Fu smiled shyly.

After eating dumplings, it was time to stay up all night to welcome the New Year. Several guards gathered together to play cards and drink. Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter played mahjong with Gu Fu. Everyone laughed and joked together, and soon the New Year's bell rang.

Gu Ci looked at Tang Zhao tenderly, "Zhao Zhao, Happy New Year."

"Gu Ci, Happy New Year," Tang Zhao said, extending his hand.

Gu Ci: "What?"

Tang Zhao replied matter-of-factly, "A New Year's gift!"

Gu Ci chuckled, took out his meticulously carved bat-shaped jade pendant from his bosom, warmed it in his hands, and then hung it around Tang Zhao's neck.

"What about mine?"

"What?" Tang Zhao feigned ignorance.

"new Year's gift."

"Spending the New Year with you is the best gift I can give you," Tang Zhao patted his chest. "Young man, you should know how to be content!"

“That’s right,” Gu Ci suddenly picked up Tang Zhao and carried her to the bedroom. “Since we can’t sleep anyway, we might as well do something else to pass the time.”