Chapter 37
In the Queen's palace.
Yunmian held her small bow and stood in front of the couch, watching Nanny Qiu Jin help her pack her luggage.
"Little princess, why are you in such a hurry to go? Do you have to leave today? Can't you..." Nanny Qiu Jin's worried muttering came to an abrupt end when she saw the joy and longing in the little princess' eyes.
She shook her head, sighed silently, and packed the bag in her hand and other prepared things into the box, waiting for the palace servants to carry them onto the carriage.
Everything was ready. She held back and asked, "My little princess, don't you really want me to go to the border with you? There are many dangers along the way, and you are young. What will you do if no one takes care of you?"
She had been taking care of the princess since she was a little girl, from the time she could speak till now, and had never been far away from her. But this time when they went to the border, due to the chaos and crises there, the princess said she would never let her follow and serve them.
How can she be at ease?
Her little princess is only eight years old this year. Although her personality has completely changed from when she was a child and she is now a little naughty and likes to play tricks on others, the little girl has rarely even left the imperial city. Wherever she goes, there are not a bunch of people following her and serving her carefully.
But now she suddenly had to leave the imperial city and go to the desolate and dilapidated border. It was heard that there were many barbarians in the border area, who were rude and unruly. What if her little princess, who was so precious, was bullied when she went there? There was no emperor, empress, prince or princess in the border area to pamper and protect her.
Just thinking about the little princess' life at the border, Qiu Jin felt so distressed that she wanted to persuade her not to go and stay in the imperial city.
But her little princess now has her own opinions. Even though she still likes to act coquettishly and clingy occasionally, it is just because she is spoiled. The rest of the time, she can arrange her life properly.
Yunmian knew that Aunt Qiu Jin was reluctant and worried. Not only Aunt Qiu Jin, but also the Queen, the Emperor, the Emperor, the eldest brother Yun Lin, the second sister, the third sister, and so on...
But she came to this world just for her mother. She didn't care about the completion of the task. She just hoped to be with her mother forever instead of being separated.
What's more...after hearing what her second brother said yesterday, Yun Mian seemed to see a sudden heavy burden, as heavy as a mountain, on her and her second brother's shoulders.
My second brother is only ten years old, but he has to start taking on his own responsibilities.
The second brother said not to run away, to be strong, and to make people afraid to question.
So Yunmian thought that maybe she should also take on some responsibilities.
Not for Daqing, not for the royal family, but just for herself, she should learn to grow up and take responsibility.
"Can't you just stay in the palace and accompany us peacefully?" The Queen's aunt's eyes were red. She rarely showed her emotions so openly, and her tone was also a bit angry: "I know you miss your mother, but last year you said you were just going to visit and come back, and now with all this... Are you planning to never come back? You don't want your uncle and aunt anymore. In your mind, all the people in the world are not as important as your mother's finger, right?"
She raised Yunmian as her daughter. The little girl liked to hug her legs and call her aunt since she was a child. Her little baby voice is so sweet and soft, who wouldn’t like her?
But she was sweet and gentle when she was a child, but now that she has grown up a little, she is like a bird that has finally grown wings. She can't wait to flap her tender wings and run to the border. Those of them who are trapped in the palace can no longer get any of her nostalgia.
Yunmian gently shook her aunt's slender fingers like a spoiled child, and said softly, "Aunt, please don't be angry with Mianmian. Mianmian has gone to the border and will definitely write to you and uncle every day until you get impatient. Okay?"
Her aunt, the queen, turned her head away with red eyes, unwilling to look at her.
Yunmian thought for a moment with a bit of distress, then opened her arms and hugged him, throwing herself into her aunt's arms, rubbing her cheek affectionately before she said in a muffled voice, "Aunt, Mianmian is reluctant to leave you and uncle, but Mianmian wants to be a general in the future, not a little princess in the palace. Mianmian wants to protect Daqing like mother, instead of letting you protect me."
Her second brother was willing to take the pressure and change the world for her, her eldest brother was willing to clear a smooth path for her, and even Yun Lin, who was almost her age, stuffed all kinds of gold and silver deeds into her arms while being angry when he learned that she was going to the border, for fear that she would be bullied and wronged and would not be able to fight back with money.
Yunmian didn’t want to be the group’s favorite as the system uncle inadvertently lamented that day. She just wanted to become strong, protect her mother, and protect all the people who loved her.
Yun Mian slowly helped the Queen's aunt wipe away her tears, then took two steps back. Then, under her aunt's tearful gaze, she smiled brightly with her eyes curved.
"Aunt, when I become a general, I will ride the most powerful and handsome BMW, with a red tasseled spear and blood-stained silver armor, and expand the territory and fight for you, uncle, and all the people of Daqing!"
The little princess always made promises with bright eyes and never broke them.
She wanted to be a general fighting on the battlefield, rather than a spoiled girl trapped in the backyard all her life, taking care of her husband and children.
Yun Mian stood on the shaft of the carriage, leaned over and stretched out her hand to pull her second brother onto the carriage, then turned around and looked at the towering walls of the imperial city.
Yun Zhao and Yun Lin, Yun Ying and Yun Shang, as well as their uncle and aunt, Nanny Qiu Jin, General Bai'an Guo... all lived in this imperial city, trapped by the city walls and protected by the city walls.
"Little Cotton! Become a general soon!!!" A girl's crisp call came from the city wall.
Yun Mian narrowed her eyes, raised her hand and waved to the people on the city wall, and responded loudly: "Okay --!!!"
He turned around, bent his waist, and lifted the curtain.
The driver whipped the horse hard, and the next second the wheels started turning and the carriage moved forward slowly.
"Little Cotton, you must come back alive..." Yunshang, who had just jumped up and down to let Yunmian be the general, said softly, looking at the team of carriages and horses that were moving farther and farther away, her eyes full of yearning and the most sincere wishes.
After leaving the imperial city, the voices around us gradually died down.
Yun Mian lifted the curtain and took a look. Apart from her team of carriages and horses, there were few pedestrians on this official road.
She then sat back on the couch, reached out and took the Governing State Manual from her second brother, and when he looked over, she said confidently, "You can't read on the bus, it'll hurt your eyes!"
Yun Chen let her snatch the book, and asked with a smile: "If you don't read books, what else should you do?"
"Look at the scenery along the way, look at the high sky and vast clouds, and look at the lives of the people." Yun Mian opened all the curtains, and bright light came in, illuminating her bright eyes.
"When my master taught me martial arts, he always told Bai Lie and me that fighting a war is not just about talking about it on paper. You have to kill the enemy with your own hands, ride through the battlefield on horseback, smell the freshest and warmest blood, and see the homeless people struggling to survive... Only when you have truly heard, seen, smelled, and even tasted human blood, can you become a qualified soldier."
"Look, second brother." She pointed to the farmland outside the carriage and said loudly, "I was like this when I was a soldier, and maybe you should be like this in the future too!"
"Don't sit in a high position like your uncle, but go out more often to see the world, understand the hardships of people's lives as described by the Grand Tutor, ask farmers how much eggs cost and how much vegetables cost, see the nobles riding horses in the streets, and see the refugees fleeing from famine..."
The little girl who had never shown her ambition in the palace, dressed in scarlet riding clothes, stood against the light and said to the future emperor: "Brother, I have escaped. You should not let yourself be trapped forever."
A young person cannot imagine how high the sky is or how thick the earth is, but she has someone supporting and protecting her behind her, so she has the opportunity and freedom to measure how long the road under her feet is.
As for his second brother, he was born to be a gentleman rather than a commoner. He could endure the regret brought by physical defects, and he could also shoulder the expectations and burdens of thousands of citizens in a country.
At least, Yun Mian thought so, as did her uncle the emperor, her eldest brother, fourth brother... and all of her second brother's relatives.
Yun Chen stared at his sister's bright smile in amazement. The slightly hot wind outside the window slowly caressed his cheeks. Suddenly, he also raised his lips and started to smile.
Don't want to be trapped forever?
When the whole world becomes the world in his hands, when all the people in the world become his people, only this world can trap him.
"Let's go. I'll take you to the border. You can accompany me to see the people's livelihood in the wilderness along the way."
The system squatted on the shaft of the car, listening to the wild and wanton conversation between the two half-grown children in the car, and couldn't help but wonder how blind this little world was in the beginning.
The demeanor of an emperor, who says that an emperor must be ruthless, scheming, and unscrupulous?
An emperor can be a scoundrel, a barefoot farmer, or any one of the three classes of scholar, farmer, merchant or artisan, but he cannot lack one thing.
This is exactly what Yun Yi lacks: kindness.
It is not the kindness towards oneself and the people around you, nor is it the kindness that comes from feeling pity when others casually act as if they are suffering. Rather, it is the kindness towards the people of the world, and the leniency towards oneself when one is faced with the hardships of governing the people.
Yun Yi has no kindness, Yun Zhao does not love the world but only loves weapons, Yun Lin does not love the world but only loves the sense of accomplishment of gaining wealth, and even Yun Mian, who grew up in this small world, the most important person in his heart is his mother Yun Peijin.
Only Yunchen is a gentle and strong person. Maybe he never cared about the world in his heart, but when a heavy burden is placed on his shoulders, he will be tolerant, grow, take the responsibility, and he has the ability to bear it calmly.
They brought enough guards with them, including five hundred soldiers specially allocated to her by her uncle the emperor under pressure from the court, and another five hundred guards who were specifically responsible for protecting her second brother.
With these soldiers around, they didn't encounter any major danger while stopping and starting along the way.
After traveling for about ten days, the carriage slowly stopped with a sigh.
"Your Highness the Second Prince, Little Princess, we have arrived at Qiliang City." The Imperial Guards reported respectfully outside the carriage.
Yun Mian tilted her head to look outside. There was a city not far away. At the city gate, people in dusty clothes were coming in and out, taking out their passes or carrying heavy things.
"Let's go into the city." Yun Chen knocked on the window with his fingers.
“Yes!”
The carriage started moving again, and Yun Mian leaned against the window to look at the pedestrians coming and going at the city gate.
She herself and this large team of carriages and horses had long become rare sights in the eyes of the people of Qiliang City.
"Brother, Master once showed me a border defense map. Qiliang City is the last border city on the border. The garrison is located further ahead." Yun Mian tilted her head to look at the young man and said softly, "Brother, do you want to go to the military camp with me?"
The emperor uncle assigned 500 soldiers to her, not for her to lead them to fight and die. Every soldier's life is life. After arriving at the border, Yun Mian will take them to report to the military camp, and then the border guard general Yun Peijin will make arrangements and assignments.
Yun Chen put down the scroll in his hand that recorded his experiences along the way, nodded and said: "I will go to the military camp with you. I haven't seen my aunt for a long time. If I go back now, my father and mother will ask about my aunt's current situation, but I don't know..."
He smiled and shook his head, as if he was going there just to give an explanation when he returned.
Rather than just to be able to give my sister a ride a little longer.
Yun Mian smiled with curved eyebrows and eyes: "Then let's rest in this city for one night, and tomorrow morning we will set out to look for mother."
However, when entering the city, this army of one thousand people still made the officials in the city alert. Even though Yun Chen was the second prince, he could only lead a few guards with him. The remaining soldiers had to be stationed five kilometers outside the gate of Qiliang City.
Yun Chen brought a few guards that he was familiar with, and Yun Mian only brought two soldiers who were responsible for security. One of them was named Wei Wu and the other was named Chu Tian.
With the cordial hospitality of Governor Qiliang and other officials, the two stayed overnight in the governor's residence and had the best meals they had eaten in the past half month.
"This...this little princess, is your mother General Pei?" the prefect asked respectfully.
Yun Mian nodded: "Yes, may I ask, Your Excellency the Governor, do you know how many times my mother returns to Qiliang City in a year?"
The governor shook his head with a complicated expression when he heard this: "Little Princess, your mother is a hero in the hearts of our border people. She hardly returns to Qiliang City once a year. From the beginning of the year to the end of the year, she is either guarding the border or leading troops to fight. It has been two years since those soldiers from Tu State came to plunder our people."
"Those soldiers come to our Qiliang City to trade some supplies or receive food and grass sent by the court. At other times, we rarely see them."
Yun Mian nodded thoughtfully, and after thanking the prefect, she turned around and returned to the courtyard arranged by the prefect.
Her second brother was waiting for her at the gate of the courtyard.
"Little Cotton, this is for you." He handed over a long knife.
"Knife?" Yun Mian took it in surprise and pulled the knife out of the scabbard. The extremely thin blade reflected a white light under the moonlight. Without trying the knife, Yun Mian knew that it must be an extremely well-forged long knife.
Seeing her holding the long sword that was taller than her waist and couldn't let it go, Yun Chen smiled and explained, "This sword is a gift from me, my elder brother, and Yun Lin to you."
The eldest brother did the hard work and was responsible for drawing the shape, while Yun Lin paid for it. Together, the three brothers made this knife for their sister who was travelling far away.
Facing Yunmian's sparkling eyes, Yunchen raised his hand and rubbed her head, saying softly: "Little Mianhua, just do whatever you want. As your elder brothers, we will only bless you, and we will never stop or force you to do anything you don't want."
Yun Mian held the knife and nodded vigorously: "Second brother, thank you!"
The boy smiled and patted her on the head, coaxing her to go to bed quickly and not stay up late playing with knives.
It can be said that he has her under control completely.
Yun Mian held the knife and stood in the yard, hopping and waving at her second brother. After the man had gone far away, she returned to her bedroom and showed off happily.
"Uncle System, look at this knife. Isn't it very sharp and beautiful?"
"Uncle System, my sisters gave me clothes and skirts, and my brothers gave me gold and silver swords. I am so happy!!"
The eight-year-old child rolled around on the bed happily. It took him a long time to stop smiling. He slowly drew the long sword from the scabbard, and then suddenly chopped it down at the air.
There was a loud sound of breaking air, Yun Mian held the knife firmly, feeling extremely satisfied.
The system squatted on the table beside it and watched the little girl show off. When the time was almost up, it conscientiously repeated Yun Chen's instructions just now: "Mianmian, your second brother told you not to play with knives too late. Are you going to see your mother tomorrow with dark circles under your eyes?"
As soon as the double power came out, the little girl who was having fun immediately put down the knife, washed up and went to bed quickly, for fear that she would really have dark circles under her eyes tomorrow.
After the host fell asleep, the system slowly opened the task panel.
Main mission progress: 7.3 percent.
Side quest progress: 2.1 percent.
It no longer had any hope, so it no longer spoke to the child about the progress of the mission. Just like Yun Chen and the others, the system only hoped that Yun Mian could live happily in this world. Missions and the like were actually not that important.
As for the small world collapsing because the side quests were not completed? Isn't that the small world's own fault for choosing the people who were blind? What does it have to do with its host?
Moreover, it really likes its host after leaving the imperial city.
It is an open, bright, tender and energetic little cotton!
It hopes that its host can always be so happy and free.
When the cocks crowed, Yun Mian yawned and began to jog around the prefectural mansion in a daze. After running four full laps, she waved happily to her second brother who walked to the door.
"Brother, when I was running just now, I heard someone shouting, they were selling meat buns, shall we buy a few to try?" Yun Mian came closer with great energy, her fair little face full of anticipation.
Yun Chen wanted to say that the governor had already prepared breakfast, but seeing how eagerly his sister was craving for the meat buns, the words on his lips became: "Okay, let's go together."
The children who were allowed by their parents cheered, swung their high ponytails, and jumped forward as nimbly as rabbits.
Meat buns, meat buns, meat buns!
Yun Mian swallowed his saliva and waved proudly at a basket of steaming meat buns: "Shopkeeper, I want all of these!!"
Shopkeeper: “…”
"My dear little nobleman, you can buy them all, but don't waste them. Although these meat buns are not valuable, they are food that can feed people..."
The shop owner was an old man in his fifties. He did not happily pack the Yunmian for him immediately, but instead kept muttering about how hard it was to get food.
Yun Mian listened obediently, and after he finished speaking, she pointed at her second brother and other guards who had just come over, and said softly, "Uncle, don't worry that we will waste food. They are all martial artists, and they eat a lot. I'm afraid I won't buy enough, so just sell it to us."
The old man looked in the direction of her finger, and saw that except Yun Chen, all the others were tall and strong men. Then he nodded happily in agreement.
The buns were hot, and even though they were wrapped in a layer of oil paper, Yunmian's fingertips were still slightly red from the heat.
"So delicious!" She took a bite without caring about her image at all. It was hot and fragrant, with the heat and fragrance lingering around her nose. She squinted her eyes in satisfaction after she swallowed it.
The store owner was generous with the fillings. The buns had thin skin and large fillings. A light bite revealed the chopped meat inside, which was emitting fresh and fragrant hot juice. Yun Mian took one bite after another. Even though Uncle System and Second Brother advised her to eat slowly, she still endured the heat and ate bite after bite.
"Second brother, you should eat quickly too." She also urged others: "You all should eat quickly, it's really delicious. When you return to the imperial city, you will definitely not be able to eat such delicious meat buns. By then, I will not rush all the way to deliver them to you~"
She had clearly never been to the border town, but she had integrated into it vividly. Her words were full of the smug boasting of a child with his tail raised. It was as if she was showing off the new land where she would live in the future, or unabashedly displaying the joyful freedom she had gained.
Not only Yun Chen, but even the guards behind him were infected by the little princess's emotions. With inexplicable anticipation and joy, they lowered their heads and took a bite of the steaming meat bun.
The little princess raised her chin and asked them proudly, "How is it? Is it delicious? Eat more, or you won't be able to eat it when you go back later!"
It does seem to be more fragrant and fresher than what I had in the imperial city.
Perhaps this is the unique taste of the border town. When I return to the imperial city in the future, I might really miss it.
Yun Chen smiled and patted the girl's fair forehead. When she looked at him accusingly, he said gently, "Even if no one is watching, you are not allowed to wolf down your food. I've asked the imperial physician, and it's not good for your health. You are here to be a general, not a greedy cat, understand?"
The future General Yunmian stood up straight and said, "I know! Second brother, please stop nagging me. Otherwise, no one will listen to me and Yunlin will give you money to buy you peace."
Yun Chen: “…”
I'm feeling a little itchy and hope my aunt can take care of this spoiled, complacent little bastard who always likes to play tricks on others.
After breakfast, Yun Mian was respectfully escorted out of the city gate by the prefect. This time, Yun Mian did not take the carriage. Instead, she sat upright on the horse, wearing her newly acquired long sword and a scarlet riding suit.
Not a particularly large horse, but not the pony she once trained on.
The little girl rode her horse straight at the front of the army, moving towards the border at a fast pace.
It took about half a day to walk before we saw the military camp in the distance.
This place is still a long distance away from the border line, and that distance is the war zone reserved by the two countries. Of course, you can also break through their respective border lines and conquer and plunder as long as you have the ability.
A team of cavalry was stopped far away before they reached the outskirts of the military camp.
After reporting and checking their identities, the soldiers stayed as usual, and Yun Mian and Yun Chen were led inside.
"Little princess, now that you are here you won't go back to the imperial city?" The person who came to pick them up was Yun Peijin's close confidant, and also the uncle who had watched her grow up in the Princess's Mansion.
Yunmian nodded obediently.
The other party suddenly became happy: "That's great, you will live in the Qiliang City behind from now on. As long as there is no war, the general can return to the city to reunite with the little princess, so that we won't be separated for three years. Every time the general talks about not being able to return to the capital, he feels very guilty, always feeling that he has not been able to take good care of you."
Yun Mian blinked and smiled silently. She did not tell the other party at this time that she would not return to Qiliang City, but would stay in the military camp to "cause trouble" for them.
The sky is high and cotton can fly freely; the territory is vast and bears all the youthful spirit of the little princess.
There may be an extra update tomorrow.
Thanks to the little angel who cast the mine:
An ordinary conversion, ohnmd 1;
Thanks to the little angel who irrigated the nutrient solution:
Watch the world smoke through 15 bottles;
Jinghu 10 bottles;
Dark blue 7 bottles;
Yu Yu, Wen, and Yun Jiang gave 5 bottles;
1 bottle of XiaoXiaoXue, AmberTeoh, ohnmd;
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