The Western Regions Mission, in this winter, entered the city amidst widespread attention.
To the people of the Capital, this was indeed a significant event to focus on during the cold winter; entertainment activities were scarce, and for the people of this era, outsiders from thousands of miles away with Exotic Realm charm always warranted attention.
Moreover, what about the Princess who was returning to her maternal home?
Zhao Douan stood by the washstand in his room, scooping up a handful of warm water onto his face, reluctantly going about his morning cleansing.
"Waking up early in winter is simply inhumane!"
Internally voicing his complaints, he looked at his own drenched face in the mirror, the remnants of sleepiness fading away.
After roughly drying his hair, Zhao Douan hurriedly put on his outer garments. Then, glancing at the splashed water stains that had accidentally spilled onto the floor while washing his face, he raised his palm, a small seal hovering over it.
Next, the water stains on the ground gradually dried up, evaporated into mist, and recondensed into droplets, blending back into the washbasin.
"I'm getting progressively more proficient!"
Zhao Douan caressed the Mystic Turtle Seal, his expression somewhat exhilarated.
These days, whenever he had free time, he would secretly practice with the Mystic Turtle Seal, constantly refining his ability to control this Suppressing Object.
Just like swords, they couldn't be wielded to their full strength just by picking them up; a Suppressing Object also needed to be mastered and adapted to, especially an ancient Magic Artifact of the Mystic Turtle Seal's caliber.
"I've already managed to initially control water, and even..."
Zhao Douan pushed open the room door, and the cold wind "whooshed" in, instantly brightening the charcoal basin placed on the bedroom floor, while the comfortably warm indoor temperature quickly plummeted.
Zhao Douan looked outside, the family garden enveloped in white, covered with accumulated snow, not to mention the snow and ice piled upon the rooftops and parapets.
Today finally cleared up, sunlight streamed down from the clouds, illuminating the whole yard with a blinding white glow.
"Snow is also condensed from water, and since the Mystic Turtle Seal is a creation of the 'Water God,' it should be able to control snow to a certain degree... but it's obviously much harder than controlling water. Why?
Is it related to the state of the water, or is it because, in this world, people perceive water and snow to be different? Thus, the Water God does not fully control magic related to snow?"
Zhao Douan fell into thought.
He shook his head, put away the Mystic Turtle Seal, and gave a self-mocking smile:
"One must eat one bite at a time; can't be too greedy."
On his way to the dining hall, house servants dressed in cotton clothes were sweeping snow, all respectfully saluting him.
Inside the dining hall.
His stepmother was already waiting, and Zhao Pan yawned, walking in unwillingly.
The young girl was wrapped in a cotton coat, uncombed and unadorned, protesting against the evil act of waking up early for breakfast in winter.
Zhao Pan's Pekingese dog, also shivering, scurried into the room from beside the young girl's feet, and then was chased out by You Jinhua waving a broom:
"How dirty is it to step all over the room with snow?"
The Pekingese dog huddled pitifully into a ball, wagging its tail begging for sympathy.
"Next time, just wipe its paws before it comes in."
Zhao Douan laughed and suggested casually as he sat down next to the dining table.
Stepmother You Jinhua sighed softly, saying with some emotion:
"I had heard that in winter, the poor fare worse than a wealthy family's dog. Now I see that wasn't an exaggeration."
Although You Jinhua had also been born into a prominent family on Xiping Road in her childhood, good days didn't last long, and at heart, she was still a woman of an ordinary household.
Even though the Zhao family had turned their fortunes around this year and had become part of Capital's nouveau riche, the family was far from developing the mindset of the aristocratic rich.
Zhao Douan sat in his chair, sipped a bowl of hot soup, and made no further comment.
In any era, such things invariably existed objectively.
"Didn't we just receive a sum of silver? Ask Uncle Zhao to buy some charcoal and rice, and wherever there are people in difficulty in the city, give them an appropriate hand."
Half of the dividends from the formula for saltpeter had ended up in his pocket, and the other half had gone to Jin Jian, who negotiated the deal on behalf of the Heavenly Master Mansion.
This left him with extra money, enabling him to make some donations, which in fact, wealthy people in the city did every winter.
Not to mention the "charitable hall" in East City that Zhao Douan had been supporting, this winter was not only snowier but colder than previous years.
Recently, prices in the city had risen considerably; it had no impact on the Zhao family, but it was tough for the impoverished city dwellers.
"Yes, I've already had someone prepare for it," You Jinhua said softly, her look toward her stepson growing more contemplative.
The eldest son truly had changed.
Zhao Douan ate his breakfast while casually flipping through the court residence report laid out on the table—
In the Great Yu Dynasty, there was already something like a newspaper, typically read by officials' families and various government offices.
It was somewhat like the papers and magazines compulsorily subscribed to by various levels of institutions and units in his previous life.
Zhao Douan glanced over and raised his eyebrows, saying:
"Has that Holy Monk from the Western Regions already gone to the Divine Dragon Temple?"
Days had passed since the Western Regions Mission entered the Capital.
Because Zhao Douan was home recuperating, he had rarely shown his face recently; the Empress had intentionally lowered his public profile, a form of protection.
Zhao Douan was content with the quiet, reducing his visits to government offices and not keeping up with city news as promptly.
The residence report recorded that yesterday the leader of the Western Regions Mission, the Red Sect Master, the "Holy Monk," formally visited Master Xuan Yin, the abbot of the Divine Dragon Temple.
The record on the residence report was brief but substantial, mentioning that the "Holy Monk" had thrown down the gauntlet, proposing to Debating Scripture on Buddhist Law with the Divine Dragon Temple and receiving agreement. The time hadn't been set yet, but it also was going to be in the near future.