Battle merits
In the seventeenth year of Yuanzhen, at the end of the year, Princess Kunrou, daughter of Princess Duanhe, returned after being missing for half a month in the southwest. She led four remaining generals to a great victory in the southwest, and all returned safely. Emperor Su was overjoyed and promoted her to Princess Kunrou for her merits, bestowing upon her ten thousand taels of gold, several acres of fertile land, and listing her in the register of the Empress.
Deputy General Liang Zhengyuan followed the army to quell the rebellion in the southwest. He was brave and skilled in battle, and his loyalty was commendable. He was specially appointed as a third-rank Wu'an General, enfeoffed as the Marquis of Liangping, and granted fertile land as a fief. His deeds are recorded in history.
The Princess was deeply moved by the story of Dou Lin, wife of the Imperial Censor Dou Yanxun, leading over a hundred of Zhiqiong's former students to kneel on the golden steps. Despite opposition, she adopted Lin as her goddaughter. From then on, Lin's deeds spread far and wide outside the palace, and the Empress bestowed upon her several bolts of tribute silk and several boxes of jewels. The Emperor was deeply grateful and specially conferred upon her the title of Lady Zhao'en, with the rites of a fifth-rank imperial consort, and included her in the Records of Imperial Consorts.
Overnight, Lin Xu seemed to have become the loyal and virtuous woman praised by everyone in Mu Jing's mouth. Even her friendship with Liao Yan was embellished by storytellers, who arranged several plays. The story of the princess and her old classmate cherishing each other and working together for a great cause quickly spread throughout the streets and alleys. Everyone became more and more curious about this newly appointed Lady Zhao'en, and they all wanted to see her in person. Even her past admiration for Dou Yanxun and her desire to marry him were brought up again.
Lin Xu has transformed from a despised good-for-nothing into a woman praised by all for her wisdom and courage, a transformation that even she herself finds embarrassing.
As the year draws to a close, the people of Dayu have been overjoyed with their repeated victories in battle this year. Red silk banners are already hanging high in the streets of Mujing City, and while peach wood charms have not yet been pasted on doors, red lanterns have already been lit. The streets are bustling with activity, spice shops are packed with customers, stoves are blazing, and the shouts of vendors selling New Year's cakes rise higher and higher.
On the second floor of Yunlai Tea House in the east of the city, the private room behind the curtain has a unique tranquility.
A gentle glow emanated from the charcoal in the stove, and a wisp of sandalwood incense dangled from the edge of the gold-threaded curtains, its delicate fragrance swirling around the windowpanes, casting an elegant shadow on the dimly lit room. Outside, however, a lively atmosphere prevailed; children ran and played under the streetlights across the street, clapping their hands as they imitated the storyteller's mannerisms.
"...Madam Dou remained silent, kneeling until the snow melted and the lamps burned. The palace steps were colder than iron for a thousand years before the princess turned and lived again..."
The child's tender voice drifted in through the window, soft and light, yet like a sharp bamboo arrow, striking the hearts of the two noble ladies inside the curtain.
Crown Princess Miao Yiyun sat on a carved armchair, wearing a begonia-red palace robe with dark patterns, the collar adorned with bright South Sea pearls. She held a cup in her hand, but her expression was indifferent, with only her eyes slightly raised.
Opposite her, Wei Tingya wore a soft, cloud-like crimson robe, her earrings trembling slightly. Her beautiful face shone like stars. She lowered her head but did not drink the tea, only slowly stroking the petal pattern on the rim of the cup with her fingertips.
Miao Yiyun finally chuckled softly, her eyes brimming with hatred that seemed about to spill out, yet her laughter remained alluring. "Before the new year even arrives, are there already people so impatient that they want to build a monument to their achievements?"
Wei Tingya knew that the Crown Prince had punished Miao Yiyun in the Eastern Palace for Lin Xu's sake, and that the Crown Prince's bitter remonstrance in front of the palace had long been a hot topic among the powerful and noble. Miao Yiyun had now lost all face, so she was naturally furious.
She raised her delicately drawn eyebrows, fiddled with her teacup for a moment, and then said with a sigh, "It's a pity that those who stand so high will one day fall and be shattered to pieces. I think you should be happy about this, Your Highness."
Miao Yiyun remained silent, quietly studying Wei Tingya's expression, only to see her let out a sneer:
"Now, Lady Zhao'en is known throughout the land, and some even claim her virtue is comparable to Empress Zhangsun of the early Tang Dynasty? Listen to that! Does the person spreading such a rumor have a death wish? If she truly possessed virtue, that would be one thing, but I think that kneeling in the snowy night was not what she was after—a few ranks of imperial title, but rather your position, adorned with gold and jade, a position of unparalleled nobility..."
"How dare you!" Miao Yiyun's maid frowned and immediately scolded in a low voice.
Miao Yiyun, however, was not offended. She merely raised her hand to stop the maid, her expression cold. "But now the Princess protects her, the Princess safeguards her..."
A deep, unfathomable turmoil suddenly welled up in Wei Tingya's eyes: "Crown Princess, do you know what Her Majesty the Empress cares about most?"
Miao Yiyun paused for a moment, then said, "Naturally, it is His Highness the Crown Prince."
Wei Tingya smiled contentedly. "In my opinion, His Highness the Crown Prince's intentions are so obvious that it's precisely this that has brought Lin Shi to her death. Even if she's arrogant now, you shouldn't feel sorry for her. On the contrary, you should be glad that the day she falls hard will be so tragic..."
.
Having survived this ordeal, Lin Xu felt a sense of relief, and even the most ordinary days seemed to have become more interesting. Concerns poured in from the other courtyard, and her father, Lin Fu, made a special trip to the Dou family that very day to see her, only breathing a sigh of relief after confirming her safety.
Lin Fu was overwhelmed with emotion, looking at her with immense relief and a complex mix of feelings in his eyes. Before leaving, he took out the fifty-year-old ginseng and several boxes of nourishing pills he had brought with him, carefully instructing Zhu Ling to take meticulous care of her and to ensure nothing went wrong. Lin Xu watched this, and her heart ached once more.
Meanwhile, after she rested for a few days, Liao Yan sent her an invitation, specifically inviting her to stay at his residence for a while. The two had already caught up quite a bit since Liao Yan's return, and upon seeing Lin Xu, Liao Yan rushed over and threw himself into her arms. "How could you be so foolish... to kneel and plead for me..."
Even the usually stoic Liao Yan had tears in her eyes, as she gently stroked Lin Xu's hair. "Didn't I tell you? I'll definitely come back safely. I'm still waiting to teach you how to ride a horse!"
The two then embraced and wept, before bursting into laughter through their tears.
After more than half a year apart, Liang Zhengyuan seemed to have undergone a complete transformation. Even though he was once dashing and carefree, he always chatted and laughed with her without restraint. Now, his tall and strong figure exuded even more masculinity; standing with his arms crossed in the distance, he radiated an aura of composure. Seeing her looking at him, Liang Zhengyuan's features remained unchanged, but he now possessed a mature masculinity.
Liao Yan then recounted her experiences on this trip in detail.
On the day of the great victory over the enemy, Zhao Qiang and his men were overjoyed, and even several of his deputy generals became complacent, only preparing to return to the capital. At that time, Liao Yan was annoyed because several of her generals did not obey her orders, so she deliberately spent more time inspecting the cleaned-up battlefield.
Unexpectedly, this brief lingering led her to discover the ambush deliberately laid by Yun Ji's remnants! Alone and without a trace, she dared not speak out, and could only secretly lurk in the shadows, watching Yun Ji's new leader instruct his men on how to launch a surprise attack while the Yu Dynasty army was celebrating their victory. Liao Yan felt a chill run down her spine. She could only wait in a corner for them to leave, when suddenly an avalanche blocked her only route back to the camp to report the attack!
At that moment, she truly believed she was going to die there...
Hearing this, even though she already knew the ending, Lin Xu couldn't help but frown and look at Liao Yan with heartache.
Liao Yan helplessly flicked the tip of her nose and laughed, "I'm perfectly fine in front of you, aren't I?"
Even as Liao Yan casually recounted how she was trapped alone in the deep mountains, surviving only on grass and snowmelt, and how she later used the snow to successfully bury Yun Ji's remaining troops, Lin Xu couldn't help but shed tears. Such a courageous and resourceful person—thankfully, she had insisted on not letting the court decide her fate!
"Later... just when I was in despair, I heard anxious voices coming from the empty valley. I thought it was Yun Ji and his gang of old bastards returning, and I was preparing for a final battle when I realized that the person who came was Ying Zhi..."
When Liao Yan mentioned Liang Zhengyuan, her eyes and brows were filled with a smile. "He's such a decisive person, yet his voice was trembling with tears. Isn't that embarrassing? I didn't even notice."
Lin Xu understood perfectly well that after going through life and death together, the bond between Liao Yan and Liang Zhengyuan could no longer be compared to that of ordinary acquaintances or comrades-in-arms. Liang Zhengyuan was willing to risk his life to turn back and save her, even though Lin Xu had asked his cousin to do everything in his power to protect the princess before they left. Liang Zhengyuan's own intentions must have played a part in this.
She looked at Liao Yan, who was talking animatedly and with great enthusiasm, towards Liang Zhengyuan, who was standing under the flower corridor in the distance. The two looked at each other, and Liang Zhengyuan smiled calmly.
Lin Xu returned the smile. If the two of them really were... she would naturally be genuinely happy for them.
Their return journey was fraught with peril, and each of them sustained injuries to varying degrees. Liang Zhengyuan, in an attempt to rescue Liao Yan, who had not eaten for days, accidentally fell into a valley, fracturing multiple bones. This caused their return journey to be delayed for so long, and they also missed He Qijiang's search party.
Even now, when the eldest princess saw Liao Yan, a hint of anger still flickered in her eyes, but she only sighed and summoned several imperial physicians, some of the best in the palace, to treat Liao Yan and Liang Zhengyuan. Each time they took her pulse, the eldest princess simply sat quietly to the side, watching the physicians treat her injuries and pulses, and only left quietly when her daughter was sound asleep.
Liang Zhengyuan has now been promoted and will soon officially take up his post in the Five Cities Military Command. When he came to the Princess's residence to bid farewell to Liao Yan and Lin Xu, Lin Xu had already been with Liao Yan for five days.
Now that her pregnancy is progressing further, she has difficulty moving around. While Liao Yan was still in the inner room being served medicine by a maid, she took a few steps out and went to the corridor to breathe in some fresh air.
But in the distance, red plum blossoms dotted the landscape, and a figure stood beneath the octagonal pavilion, draped in a dark black cloak, his back broad and imposing.
Lin Xu was overjoyed to see Liang Zhengyuan return, but hadn't had a chance to say a few words to him yet. He smiled and said, "Cousin, why are you standing here so quietly? Do you wish to enjoy the sight of plum blossoms in the snow all by yourself?"
Liang Zhengyuan turned around, his eyes first looking at Lin Xu's smiling face, then down to her protruding belly, before subtly averting his gaze.
He smiled and said, "Xu'er." He then stepped forward and personally invited her to sit down.
The two exchanged a glance, and then both smiled. They both felt as if they had been in another world, and for a moment they were in a daze.
Liang Zhengyuan poured her a cup of hot tea and handed it to her. "I plan to set off early tomorrow morning to pay my respects to my uncle, and then I will leave the capital to report to the Military Command."
Although Lin Xu knew that the court was short of military generals, and Liang Zhengyuan had made great contributions in this campaign, he was naturally given important responsibilities, she still couldn't help but worry about his health.
“My cousin has just returned from the battlefield and hasn’t had a chance to rest for half a month before he has to travel back and forth again. It would be best if he were to be careful.”
Upon hearing this, Liang Zhengyuan lowered his head and took a sip of tea. Through the rising steam, his features were quite blurry, making it difficult for her to see him clearly.
"And what about you?"
She raised her eyebrows, puzzled.
"And what about you? You're pregnant now. Has he taken good care of you? How could he bear to let you take such a risk?"
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