Tonight was New Year's Eve, after all. Even with two armies facing off, both the Xiongnu and the soldiers of the Dayan Dynasty needed a night of rest. It was a time that should have been spent in joyful reunion with family.
The tumultuous celebration outside stood in stark contrast to the silence within Li Yun's tent.
It wasn't that he couldn't go.
If the commander-in-chief were to attend—and a commander who was also His Majesty the Emperor, no less—it would only fan the flames of the revelry, making it even more extravagant.
Instead, Li Yun himself had only made a brief appearance at the feast. After toasting all the soldiers with a cup of wine, he had waved his hand and told the deputy general who tried to make him stay, "Let them enjoy themselves."
A pot of wine, the strongest burned saber, was kept warm on the corner of his desk, but it remained almost untouched. He had never been one for excessive drinking, and tonight, he found alcohol even more useless.
