MTL - It’s Hard For a Good Wife and Mother-Chapter 120
The Imperial Garden is located between Xiuyue Palace and Xiukun Palace, and there is a pavilion that can accommodate a hundred people.
The pavilion is located on the artificial lake, connected to the land by a stone bridge shaped like a rainbow. The bottom of the pavilion is in the shape of a boat made of rocks. The base is relatively high, and it looks like a boathouse from a distance. The perspective of viewing flowers from the pavilion is the most open. Not to mention spring and autumn, when the summer is hot, there are hollow columns specially used to hold ice cubes in the pavilion, which makes it cool and comfortable to be in; air, and the hollow pillars that originally held ice cubes can be heated by fire for heating.
At the second quarter of the unitary hour, it was already dark, and the palace people carrying wine, vegetables and fruits came to the imperial garden in a long line, stepped over the stone bridge, and sent them into the pavilion. A lantern is hung every one foot on the periphery of the pavilion, illuminating the entire pavilion brightly, like daytime.
At this time, Mo Dai was still in Chaoyang Palace. In the eyes of outsiders, she is lying lazily half-lying on the soft couch with her eyes closed and dozing off, but in fact she is discussing with Maruniu how to get out to find Xiao Sheng and Mo Xiaoyi later.
"Sister, it's time. If it's late, I'm afraid I'll offend my mother!" Guan Xuan stepped forward and said.
Modai opened her eyes and sat up: "Let's go."
Just after walking out of the palace gate, the Maru Niu in Mo Dai's arms suddenly jumped off the ground and disappeared into a cluster of ivy.
"Maru Niu, come back!" Mo Dai yelled from behind, and then went to pick the ivy, the palace servants who followed her were a little flustered, and also followed to pick the ivy.
"Sister, let the palace people look for it, let's hurry to the banquet!" Guan Xuan said.
"Maru Niu is my favorite pet..."
"Sister, it's important to go to the banquet!" Guan Xuan urged again.
So, Mo Dai turned her head three times and looked back, looking extremely anxious about the loss of her pet. After they left, the palace people were still scrambling inside the ivy to find the little pink pig, while another unknown figure left quietly.
Pretending to be the imperial concubine Guan Yuan, what Mo Dai is most afraid of is to offend the gang of gentlemen who are on Guan Yuan. However, she is afraid of something. On the way to the imperial garden, when passing a moon gate, she happens to see a man in a suit. The luxurious man in deep purple robe led a few palace servants to walk ahead, the distance from her was only ten feet away, and it was too late to avoid her.
That luxurious man was either someone else or Zuo Zhengjun Luanyuan, but when he saw him stop inadvertently and then turn his head inadvertently, he was first surprised, then delighted: "Your Highness, what a coincidence!"
Mo Dai forced herself to smile and said: "Yes, what a coincidence." After saying that, she could only walk forward and walk side by side with Luanyuan, while Guan Xuan could only follow behind.
Mo Dai didn't know how Guan Yuan got along with Luanyuan on weekdays. She always felt that this man was approaching her intentionally or unintentionally. Sometimes his arms touched, sometimes his fingers touched. , Mo Dai felt uncomfortable all over, subconsciously turned her face to look at Luan Yuan, but just met his glued eyes, Mo Dai's mouth twitched, she didn't open her eyes indiscriminately, she didn't want to speak, she kept silent, just paced Speeded up a little.
When Luanyuan looked at Mo Dai, her face turned red, and when she saw her face away without interest, she felt disappointed and unhappy, and couldn't help thinking of the news that the palace guards came to investigate, and cursed secretly in her heart, Ye Ling These two sluts, Yeyou, seduced His Highness's soul away, let's see how long they can be successful!
The dinner was quite lively, with singing and dancing, and the sound of silk and bamboo orchestras was endless.
Guan Yu invited several highly respected ministers to come. Mo Dai was not interested, and just smiled and perfunctory, buried her head in hard work, and didn't say much, and Guan Yu spoke all by herself. Presumably the eldest princess was too silent today, and the ministers were a little puzzled.
Guan Yu also noticed it, and hurriedly took a piece of fish and put it in Mo Dai's bowl, and said at the same time: "Yuan'er, eat slowly, the food outside the palace is terrible, it's really hard work for you!"
Mo Dai almost didn't choke, and obediently ate the piece of fish: "Yes, Empress, I haven't eaten such a delicious meal for a long time!"
As soon as Modai said this, the ministers began to praise Guan Yuan.
Seeing that Mo Dai was eating deliciously, Miaoyi couldn't help getting up and adding a duck leg to Mo Dai's bowl: "Yuan'er, eat more, you've lost weight!"
Looking at the fatty duck leg, Mo Dai gnawed on it without hesitation. From the corner of her eyes, she suddenly caught sight of the most obvious eyes of Guan Yuan's husbands, and her scalp tightened for a while, and her old God, if each of Guan Yuan's husbands gave her a piece of food, it would be no wonder she didn't hold back.
"Well..." Mo Dai just took a bite of the duck leg and put it down, covering her stomach with her hands, and said in a low voice to Guan Yu, "Mother, my son has some stomach discomfort..." Mo Dai blinked at this point, omitting " If you want to go to Gongfang", Guan Yu must be able to understand.
The corners of Guan Yu's mouth twitched, and he couldn't help but slander, it's no wonder that eating like you just now feels comfortable, so he waved her to let her go.
Guan Xuan did not attend the banquet, but hid in the dark to protect Mo Dai, and was walking back behind Mo Dai at this time.
"Guan Xuan, lead me to the nearest Gong room." Mo Dai said, although she was pretending just now, she had to pretend if she wanted to, how many pairs of eyes in this palace were secretly staring at her!
Mo Dai went to Gong's room, and met Maru Niu inside.
Mode was surprised: why are you here?
Maru Niu: I came smelling the breath of Xiao Sheng and Xiao Yi, in the palace in front, I am here to pee now!
Mo Dai didn't take it seriously: You're just a pig, you can just sprinkle it anywhere.
Maru Niu growled lowly: Don't compare Laozi with those pets who have no brains and morals, Laozi is a noble spirit pig!
Mody: Have you finished peeing? Let's act now!
Maru Niu: Someone is following you, just outside Gong's room, but luckily no pervert is so perverted to peek at you peeing!
Mo Dai was a little annoyed: I can't stay in this **** palace for a day!
Maru Niu curled his lips: I thought you were having a good time!
Mode squinted: Believe it or not, I threw you into a bunch of boars.
Maru Niu shook, and then said angrily: Damn woman, you better be careful not to be eaten by those men until there are no bones left!
Mo Dai smiled provocatively, except for her husband-in-law, those men were just clouds in her eyes, if she was not afraid of tearing her face, she would not bother to talk to them.
Mo Dai came out of Gong's room with Maru Niu in her arms, and unexpectedly found that Luan Yuan and several palace servants were waiting for her outside Gong's room.
"Your Highness, have you come out? I'm worried about you, so I followed you to see the situation! Does Your Highness want to go back to the pavilion again?" Luanyuan said pleasantly.
Mo Dai felt dizzy, and wanted to sneak into Xiukun Palace to find Xiao Sheng, but she didn't want to meet such a difficult guy, so she just continued to pretend.
"I won't go back, I'm not feeling well, so I'll go back to Chaoyang Palace and lie down!" As he spoke, he swayed weakly, because he had just collapsed.
Unexpectedly, this was exactly what Luanyuan wanted, he hugged Mo Dai into his arms, and immediately hugged her up: "In that case, the lord will take His Highness back to the palace to rest!"
Mo Dai was a little frightened, the Luanyuan, who obviously looks delicate and tender, is so weak, why is it so "feminine" at the moment?
How did she know that Luan Yuan hadn't known the taste of meat for three months, and at this moment her heart was on fire, and she wished she could be overwhelmed on the spot. Men in the deep palace are all lonely and empty, especially at his age, those desires are raging.
Guan Xuan wanted to help Modai out of the siege, but his identity was too sensitive, and on the surface, the husband and wife could not do too much, so he could only give Modai a sympathetic look, but he promised not to let her Luanyuan is really messing around.
Well, Luanyuan didn't mess around much, but as he was walking, where was his hand touching? He definitely intended to let her know that he was already in love, the heat on his body was scorching hot, the heart almost jumped out of his chest, and the panting... Uh, what he ate at the banquet just now was not rice, but an aphrodisiac, right?
Mo Dai was a little nervous and disgusted, but she still had a weak look on her face: "Zuo Zhengjun, I can still walk on my own, please let me down quickly!"
"No, His Highness is not feeling well, and I am willing to hug His Highness!" Although Luanyuan was struggling, she was sweet in her heart, and His Highness still cared about herself after all.
You want to, I don't want to!
Mo Dai was still struggling to get down, but she was stunned by Luan Yuan's words: "Your Highness, don't rub it any longer, if you continue to rub it down, your lord can do it, but just..."
Modai doesn't move anymore, so he can hug him as much as he wants, there won't be a piece of meat left or right!
When Mo Dai finally lay down on the bed in the inner hall of Chaoyang Palace, she breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that she was finally able to be quiet.
Unexpectedly, within a moment, Guan Yu led a group of people to Chaoyang Palace, among them was the imperial doctor.
Guan Yu asked the imperial doctor to take Mo Dai's pulse, and the imperial doctor did not find anything wrong after a while, but seeing His Highness's uncomfortable and weak appearance, she could only make up a casual cause, saying that Mo Dai's spleen, stomach and intestines were too tired, In other words, if you are full, you only need to prescribe a few decoctions of invigorating stomach and eliminating food.
When Guan Yu led the crowd away, Luan Yuan voluntarily stayed to take care of Mo Dai. For this reason, Guan Yu took a meaningful look at Mo Dai, seeing how Mo Dai wanted to punch her so badly, then What look, don't worry, she will never get involved with Guan Yuan's man!
Modai thought, she just pretended to be sick, she didn't believe that Luanyuan could do that regardless of the patient's weakness, but in the end she underestimated Luanyuan's mobility, when she pretended to be asleep, he actually wanted to solve it with all his might She wears a shirt. Mo Dai couldn't bear it anymore, and sat up angrily: "What are you doing, didn't you see that this hall is sick?"
Luanyuan was startled, and then blushed, but then smiled: "When did your highness become so reserved? Your highness can deceive others, but you can't deceive your lord. Your highness is not uncomfortable at all, and the night before the dinner Ling Yeyou and the two side lords are about to faint, so is it possible that the appearance of the lord is not enough to make His Highness fall in love?"
As Luanyuan said, she tore off her own robe, revealing a smooth chest, fair skin, smooth and tight belly, and it was not easy to maintain such a good figure after giving birth to two children, and he himself It is also very beautiful.
"Hurry up and put on your clothes, don't catch the cold!" Mo Dai frowned, is there really such a shortage of women?
"Your Highness!" Luanyuan suddenly knelt down in front of Mo Dai, and then raised her head, her face was full of tears, "I know that what I have done is too dissolute and shameless, but I miss you, I miss my wife, Is it wrong to want to have **** with your own wife? Or is it that His Highness is so cruel, he likes the new and dislikes the old, and now he only sees Yeling Yeyou. When the first prince of Yun Kingdom marries in the future, His Highness must only spoil him. I heard that His face is all over the country, and then His Highness will no longer have a subject in his eyes..."
"Don't talk nonsense! This hall is really tired!"
Mo Dai suddenly had a headache, yes, Qiongqing was going to marry to Qiongguo, but Guan Yuan was dead, and he would be a widow when he married, no, Guan Yu would be greedy for his beauty and **** him away? gone? Mo Dai felt that it was very possible, so she felt uncomfortable, thinking that there was a very thin thread stuck in her heart, itching and uncomfortable, and she wanted to tear it off with her hands, but she couldn't pinch her head no matter what.
"Your Highness!"
"Shut up! If you talk again, get out!" She really thought she had no temper, and if she offended her, she would beat him no matter whether he was a man or not!
Listening to the woman's cold voice, Luanyuan's heart was broken, and she just knelt in front of the bed and shed tears silently all night.
Modai also doesn't care about him, she will definitely not accept Guan Yuan's men, instead of giving them hope, it is better to kill their thoughts as soon as possible.
The next day, Luanyuan passed out in front of the bed, her forehead was hot, and she fell ill.
Mo Dai ordered the palace servants to carry him back to Lanyue Hall, and then called the imperial doctor to see him and prescribed medicine, but even though Luan Yuan called His Highness over and over again in pain, Mo Dai did not soften his heart.
Maru Niu had no choice but to be ruthless towards the one who admired Mo Dai. In front of her, there were two beauties who stripped naked and sent them to her door. She knocked him out, and then there was a beaut who confessed affectionately in front of the bed. She made him kneel in front of the bed all night. , As a result, the family fell ill.
After a few more days like this, Mo Dai has not found an opportunity to go to Xiukun Palace to find out the situation, so he can only spend his days in Chaoyang Palace. After Luanyuan recovered from her illness, she never got entangled with her, and she behaved well when meeting each other on weekdays, and she was no longer as impulsive as that night.
Mo Dai was a little anxious, she thought about rushing into Xiukun Palace regardless, but she was afraid that Guan Yu's old fox would be bad for Xiao Sheng and Mo Xiaoyi. Gui Yi hasn't appeared since that day when he went to track down Guan Xuan's senior sister. Modai is not worried about him. Although he is only a child, he is quite evil and he will not suffer any disadvantages.
Early this morning, after breakfast, Mo Dai was walking in the small garden outside Chaoyang Palace with her arms in her arms, but she was thinking about how to gain Guan Yu's trust.
Maru Niu said: If I were that old woman, I wouldn't trust you. A person who is not tempted by money, power, and beauty, that old woman feels that he can't control you. Why don't you just accept it? Yuan's man?
Mo Dai glared at Maru Niu: Don't say I can't accept it in my heart, even if I can accept it, I will never do anything to offend my husbands!
Maruki squinted at her: Stop being hypocritical in front of me! When you married Xiao Sheng, did you ever think about being sorry to Mo Wuyun and the others? When you married Mu Qianche, did you ever think about Xiao Sheng and Mo Wuyun? When you were planning to marry Shi Mo, did you think about being sorry to Mu Qianche, Xiao Sheng and Mo Wuyun?
Modai was silent, and Maru Niu talked about the pain in her heart, which made her feel like a scumbag.
Maruki sighed: Don't blame yourself, you married them because you are really good to them, and it's too late for them to appreciate you, so how can you feel that you are sorry for them? You have been delaying in taking any action, not breaking up with Guan Yu, but you are actually waiting for that beautiful prince, right?
Mody: I didn't...
Maru Niu: You are well known for being dull. You obviously have someone in your heart, so don't pretend to be confused. Do you want to watch that old pervert Guan Yu **** Qiongqing away?
Mode: I'm just feeling a little upset... Uh, did you hear something?
Maruniu: That's right, I overheard Guan Yu's conversation with her cronies. Who doesn't love beauties? That is to say, you are dead-brained!
Modai didn't expect her guess to be correct, so she really couldn't ignore Qiong Qing.
As Madai was walking, she suddenly heard a child's muffled weeping from behind a clump of evergreen bushes. The sound was so small that if you didn't listen carefully, you wouldn't be able to hear it.
Mo Dai can be cruel and ruthless to men, but she is not immune to children, so she went around and saw a thin and small figure sitting on a stone by the flowerbed, with her face buried in her knees, shaking from crying.
Mo Dai had a vague impression that this child seemed to be Guan Yufeng, the third grandson of Shujun Nihong.
"Yufeng, what's wrong with you?" Mo Dai asked, kneeling down.
Guan Yufeng will be three years old this year, when he suddenly heard someone talking, he was startled, and when he raised his face, he saw Modai looking at him with concern.
Guan Yufeng knew that the person in front of him was his mother. In his impression, his mother never took the initiative to talk to him, and always gave him an indifferent glance. He was terrified of her.
Noticing the terrified look in the child's eyes, Mo Dai smiled, and took out a handkerchief from her sleeve to wipe away the tears on his little face: "Come and tell my mother, who is bullying you, and my mother will make the decision for you." !"
Guan Yufeng stared at Mo Dai in a daze, wanted to say something but shut his mouth in the end, his father said, if he said it, both he and his father would die, he knew what death was, he had seen the elder brother Guan Yuguang He squeezed a little bird to death with his own hands, and blood flowed out of the little bird's mouth. The situation was terrible, so he didn't want to die, and he didn't want his father to die either.
Seeing that the child did not speak, his little fists were clenched tightly, as if he was holding back something in pain. Mo Dai couldn't help but hold the child's small fists, the hands were cold, she subconsciously clenched her hands, trying to warm those small hands.
Guan Yufeng was a little terrified and didn't understand what his mother wanted to do. However, his mother's hands were soft and comfortable. He was a little greedy for the feeling of being held, and he lowered his head in embarrassment. When he lowered his head, Mo Dai suddenly moved from him. There was a glimpse of a bruise down the middle of his back through the slit of the neckline.
Mo Dai's heart tightened, and she suddenly remembered the child abuse reports in her previous life. She rolled up Guan Yufeng's sleeves subconsciously, and she saw that his arms were covered with bruises that were obviously pinched and beaten.
"this is…"
Guan Yufeng suddenly broke away from Mo Dai's hand, got up in horror and ran away, after running for two steps, he remembered something, stopped, bowed to Mo Dai and then ran away again.
Behind Lanyue Hall are Biqing Garden, Bixi Garden, Bihe Garden and Bilu Garden, where Guan Yuan Sibianjun lives.
At this moment, a child ran into Biqing Garden, saw his father, Ni Hong, coming out of the main hall, he hurriedly stopped, and called out: "Father."
"You are really capable, know how to avoid father?" Neon's voice was cold.
Seeing Ni Hong walking towards him step by step, Guan Yufeng shook his head hastily: "Father, don't hit me, I won't hide anymore, I won't hide anymore..."
The corners of Nihong's beautiful mouth showed a slight twist, and the originally docile expression also showed a bit of ferocity. He stepped forward and slapped Guan Yufeng's face mercilessly: "Say, father gave birth to you. What's the use? Why aren't you a daughter? Then your mother will come to see your husband anyway! You useless thing! Useless thing!..."
While cursing, Ni Hong pinched Guan Yufeng's arms and back, Guan Yufeng cried again, trembling all over, begging for mercy: "Father, don't pinch, it hurts, it hurts..."
"It hurts? Did it hurt when your father gave birth to you? Ah? You hurt, doesn't your father not hurt?..." Ni Hong cried as she spoke, pinching Guan Yufeng while crying, pinching and pinching, and lovingly hugging Guan Yufeng In the arms, the father and son cried together.
"Feng'er, father is sorry for you, father shouldn't be like this, but father just can't help it, father's heart is suffering... When will such a day end?" Ni Hong said more and more sadly.
Mo Dai stood at the gate of the garden, and the two palace guards stood behind her in fear.
When Nihong found out about Modai's existence, he fell to the ground in fright. Seeing it, His Highness saw him beating a child, His Highness would definitely think that he was a vicious man, he was finished...
Maybe it was because Mo Dai looked at Nihong with too serious and scary eyes, but Guan Yufeng felt that she would punish his father, so he knelt on the ground and begged for mercy: "Mother, don't blame father, it's all because of Feng'er. Well, to make my father angry, the wind doesn't hurt, it really doesn't hurt..."
Mo Dai almost couldn't control her tears, and Guan Xuan, who was hidden in the dark, couldn't help but clenched his fists, as if he saw his own shadow from Guan Yufeng back then. The father is not strong, and the child can only force himself Strong and sensible.
Mo Dai didn't speak, just stepped forward and hugged Guan Yufeng in her arms, and ordered the palace servants to invite the imperial doctor. The appearance of Nihong was obviously abnormal, presumably she was sick.
"Shujun, I will take Yufeng to Chaoyang Palace first, so that you can recover from your illness, and come to pick Yufeng back when you recover!"
Ni Hong nodded again and again, feeling joy after the panic in her heart, and hurriedly ordered the palace servants to pack up a few small clothes and send them over.
Guan Yufeng snuggled into Modai's arms obediently. Although he was curious about Maru Niu, he politely held back and did not move.
Mo Dai knew that it was wrong for her to be close to Guan Yufeng, but she couldn't help it. Whenever she saw this child, she would think of Mo Xiaoyu and Mo Xiaoyi back then, and then her nose would become sore.
Mo Dai personally took a hot bath for Guan Yufeng, applied ointment, then changed into clean clothes, carried him to the imperial dining room, and said that she wanted to eat delicious food with him. For several days in a row, Modai ate and slept with Guan Yufeng, taking Guan Yufeng wherever he went.
The men in Guan Yuan's harem began to move around. They sighed and sighed if they had no children. If they had children, they began to urge them to get close to Modai. It's just that Guan Yuan has four children in total. The eldest son and the second son were born by Zuo Zhengjun. One is ten years old and the other is four years old. Dare not to get close to Mo Dai, and the fourth son was born by Lu Shijun, who has just turned one year old, and he can't even speak, so it's useless.
In the imperial study room, Guan Yu listened to the news reported by the dark guards, a half-smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and a gleam flashed in his eyes: "She can control her body and not get involved in Yuan'er's harem! Keep staring, I want to see how long she can last!"
Guan Yu still doesn't trust Mo Dai very much, he is not greedy for beauty, but he loves children very much, this is not like her at all! She was afraid that Modai would run away at any time, and she still counted on her to keep the palace in check. A royal family without a princess is obviously going to decline, and she couldn't let Xiaoxiao take the opportunity to enter.
After the hidden guard disappeared, another dark guard appeared.
"How long will it take for the first prince of Yun Kingdom to arrive in Qiong Kingdom?" The New Year is approaching, and Guan Yu still wants to make him a nobleman in the New Year! She had thought that the Prince of Yun Kingdom might not be willing, but since he has married to Qiong Kingdom, he has to follow the customs of the country. As a man, after marrying them, he will naturally be obedient!
"You can reach the territory of Qiong Kingdom today, and if there is no accident, you can reach the palace the day after tomorrow!"
"Okay, I ordered people to prepare to welcome the first prince of Yun Kingdom!"
The number one beauty in Yunguo!
Guan Yu couldn't help swallowing, a fire was burning in his chest.
"Your Majesty, the Eldest Empress and the Third Emperor's grandson are asking to see you!" A palace official announced outside the door.
Guan Yu came back to his senses and raised his eyebrows: "Let them in!" It was nothing more than trying to trick her, she was too tender, and she was always the only one who could trick others!
Mo Dai took Guan Yufeng's little hand and walked in with a food box, one big and one small saluted Guan Yu.
"Emperor Mother, my son personally made some food, and I brought it here for you to try!" Mo Dai opened the food box as she said that, inside was her fried French fries, and the dark red sauce in the small bowl next to her was made by her. Hawthorn Sauce.
"Oh? What kind of food is this? I've never seen it before!" Although Guan Yu was curious, he didn't do it.
Mo Dai saw that she didn't dare to try it, so she said to Guan Yufeng, "Yufeng, come and try it for the emperor's grandmother."
Guan Yufeng nodded excitedly, picked up a piece of golden potato chips with his little hands, dipped them in the hawthorn sauce in the small bowl, and then put them into his mouth to chew. When Mo Dai opened his mouth, Guan Yufeng picked up another stick dipped in sauce and put it into Mo Dai's mouth. Everyone, one big and one small, ate happily.
Guan Yu felt a little moved when she saw it, so she pinched a stick of dipping sauce and ate it. It was crispy, sweet and sour, and had a special flavor. Guan Yu ate it one after another, and finished a small plate of French fries in a short while, but she still couldn't get enough of it. :"any left?"
"Yes, but it has already been sent to the queen's place, and it is estimated that it has been eaten up." Modai said.
"That's all you're going to do?" Guan Yu asked with squinted eyes.
"En." Mo Dai nodded, "Mother, continue to work, my son will go back first!" Then she took Guan Yufeng and left, Guan Yu was a little surprised, huh? Didn't she come to ask her husband's whereabouts? Of course, she asked, she would not say.
In a corridor, one big and one small walked slowly.
"Mother, there are still a lot of French fries in Chaoyang Palace!" Guan Yufeng said excitedly.
"Yeah, but that's for Yufeng." Mo Dai looked at him with a smile.
"My mother is so kind!"
"That's because Yu Feng is good."
"Mother, Feng'er will be very good, can mother be nice to father?"
Mo Dai was silent, not knowing how to answer the child, she really couldn't adapt to the life in the deep palace.
Guan Yufeng thought that Mo Dai was angry, so he said timidly: "Mother, I'm sorry, Feng'er will never speak again!"
Seeing Guan Yufeng's big terrified eyes, Mo Dai hugged him up.
She will not have much time to protect him. According to Guan Xuan's news, Qiongqing will be able to arrive at the palace in the next day. She wants to borrow Qiongqing's ability to go back home together. It is almost the end of the new year, and the family must be there Waiting for them to go home for the New Year!