Chapter 74. My name is not on the list.
Lu Jinlan sighed, "She didn't say anything, she just told me that Lin Cheng was due to give birth in three months and that I shouldn't leave the capital. Tell me, why would she be worried about me leaving the capital out of the blue?"
Xiang Ruzhen's heart skipped a beat. "Could it be that the situation at the front has changed again?"
Lu Jinlan shook her head. "It's hard to say. I ran into the academic supervisor a few days ago. She said there's been a lot of bad news lately. Twelve of the senior students sent out by the academy have already sacrificed their lives."
Xiang Ruzhen frowned. "We'll be second year when school starts, so maybe we can be sent abroad earlier. This battle has been going on for more than half a year, and there's still no sign of dawn. I'd like to go to the front lines and do my part."
Lu Jinlan advised, "You're getting married soon, don't think about going to the front lines. Actually, these things aren't up to us to decide, let's just wait for the notification."
Less than half a month after these words were spoken, news of another defeat came from the front lines. The Emperor issued an edict to send students from the Royal Academy back to the front lines to replace the wounded and injured officers.
After reviewing the list of those to be sent abroad, the three of them went to find Dean Ling Zhixu, because their names were not on the list.
Ling Zhixu was tidying up her study at home when she saw the three people rush in. She merely glanced at them indifferently, seemingly unsurprised.
Lu Jinlan hurriedly asked, "Dean, why aren't we on the list?"
Ling Zhixu retorted, "Yan Yu isn't on the list either, why don't you ask why?"
Yan Wuxin said, "Yan Yu is the Emperor's daughter, and the Emperor is reluctant to let her go to the battlefield, but we are not..."
Ling Zhixu snorted and laughed, "That's right, you're not the emperor's daughters, but your identities aren't ordinary either. Those who aren't on this list all have powerful backgrounds, take Jinlan for example."
As Ling Zhixu climbed down the ladder, he dusted himself off. "I suspect that Her Majesty and General Song have long had an understanding. General Song is currently leading 300,000 Song family troops in a bloody battle at the front, risking his life to defend the territory. On the battlefield, where swords flash and life and death are unpredictable, how could she possibly allow you to go to the front lines again?"
"Therefore, when the list was being submitted, His Majesty told me in advance that the name Lu Jinlan did not need to be included."
She looked at Lu Jinlan and said, "This is your mother-in-law's good intention, so please don't ask anymore. As for the two of you, as far as I know, the list was reviewed by the Prime Minister. After she looked at it, she personally crossed out Wu Xin's name. The Prime Minister is a kind-hearted woman and naturally does not want Wu Xin to go to the front line to suffer, or even risk his life."
Xiang Ruzhen hurriedly asked, "What about me?"
"You?" Ling Zhixu smiled helplessly. "Ruzhen, you are not the same person you used to be. In the past, you probably couldn't refuse even if you wanted to. But now, there are people who are working hard for you."
“You were originally first on the list, but before the imperial decree was issued, Censor Jin heard about it. She ran to the Emperor and wailed, saying that her daughter had heroically sacrificed herself, and that she had served in the court for most of her life, devoting herself wholeheartedly to her duties with utmost loyalty and diligence.”
She said that Ruzhen would soon be the head of her Jin family, and begged the Emperor to have mercy on her for losing her daughter. Ruzhen was the only hope for the Jin family, and she should not let Ruzhen take any more risks.
"Lord Jin is a senior minister, holding a high position. What could the Emperor do when she pleaded so earnestly? Naturally, he crossed out Ruzhen's name."
Ling Zhixu's words silenced all three of them.
They looked at each other and suddenly realized that, without realizing it, they had each developed their own powerful backers.
After a long silence, Lu Jinlan finally asked, "Won't some people think this is unfair?"
Ling Zhixu looked up at them and said, "Those who felt it was unfair, didn't they all stay?"
The three were speechless. Indeed, they were the most troublemakers in the entire academy, and they were the ones who led the trouble.
Whenever any injustice occurs, the three of them quickly gather a group of supporters, vigorously waving their fists and shouting, "Injustice! Injustice!"
However, fate is ironic in this way: it suddenly turns around and throws them to the opposite side of what they once were, catching them off guard and leaving them no time to adapt.
Ling Zhixu comforted them, "You don't need to feel guilty. Everyone is used to this kind of thing. Go back and do what you need to do. It's just that now the academy only has four students left, and classes won't start for the time being. Study hard at home, so you don't forget everything when school starts."
*
Lu Jinlan returned to Zhongyong Garden and entered Song Lincheng's room with a heavy heart.
"You're back?"
"Um."
Lu Jinlan sat by the window, her brows furrowed in worry.
Observing Song Lincheng's expression, he quickly asked, "What happened?"
Lu Jinlan said, "His Majesty has issued an edict today to send students from the Royal Academy to the front lines."
Song Lincheng was taken aback, his eyes filled with worry, "Then...when are you leaving?"
Lu Jinlan shook her head. "I'm not on the list."
Song Lincheng breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. My mother is on the front lines, which is already enough to worry me. If you go too, I'm afraid I'll be on edge all the time."
Lu Jinlan glanced at him, "But if I don't go, wouldn't I be a coward? Letting your mother, an old woman, fight bloody battles on the front lines while I hide in the capital and live a life of ease, how can I face myself?"
Song Lincheng remained silent for a moment, head bowed. After a long while, he finally asked, "Besides you, does everyone else have to go?"
"Besides me, Ruzhen, Wuxin, and the eldest princess, all the other classmates are going. Time is of the essence, they will set off tomorrow."
Song Lincheng thought for a moment and asked in surprise, "They're all going? Even Ling Hou's daughter, Ling Zhaoren, is going?"
Lu Jinlan smiled. "Of course she has to go. The Ling family army still has 400,000 troops. She is Ling Zhijing's daughter. Even if the Ling family army is completely defeated, someone will risk their life to protect her. Whether she goes or not, her life will not be in danger."
Song Lincheng had already guessed her thoughts, and he grasped her hand anxiously, asking nervously, "What about you? You've already decided to go, haven't you?"
Lu Jinlan nodded slightly, "Yes. I know you're worried about me. You and Qilang are about to give birth, so I should stay by your side."
"However, this war is extraordinary. The Jiang and Qu kingdoms invaded Hua's territory at the same time. The Song family army and the Ling family army were both engaged in the battle. After fighting for half a year, there was still no progress, and reports of defeats came from time to time. My classmates and seniors went to the front line, and some of them even sacrificed their lives."
"At this time, if I were still at home, taking care of my husband and children, eating, drinking and having fun, do you think I would be happy?"
"I may not care what the world thinks of me, but I don't want to look down on myself."
Song Lincheng was filled with worry, "But...but Sister Xiang is getting married soon, and you're leaving at this time..."
Lu Jinlan shook her head. "When we parted today, Ruzhen had already gone to the Jin residence. Although she didn't say anything, I knew she would definitely go. As for Wuxin, she knows we're going, so she must want to go too. However, the Prime Minister might not agree. Actually, it would be better if she didn't go. She could stay in the capital to take care of Ruzhen and my family, and we could feel more at ease."
Song Lincheng sighed softly, rested his head on her lap, and said helplessly, "Since you've already made up your mind, I'm afraid I can't stop you no matter what I say. Although I am a woman of marriage, I also understand the principle that a country is a country, and without a country, there is no home. If you want to go, then go, but you must promise me that you will come back safely."
Lu Jinlan touched his cheek. "Don't worry, I can assure you that I will protect myself. No matter what news you hear, you must believe that I will be alright."
"must?"
Yes, definitely.
*
At the same time, Xiang Ruzhen was kneeling in front of Jin Yunning, pleading, "Please let me go."
Jin Yun Ning frowned. "Reason?"
Xiang Ruzhen said with a righteous expression, "A good daughter should protect her country and defend her home."
"You?" Jin Yun Ning almost fainted from anger at Xiang Ru Zhen. "Do you think going to the battlefield is a good thing? You could die at any moment."
Xiang Ruzhen said with a sigh, "I don't think it's a good thing, but it's precisely because it's dangerous that I should go. Otherwise, who should go? We are usually called the dragons and phoenixes among men, the pride of heaven. Now the court is in need of people, and if everyone else goes, there's no reason for me not to go."
Jin Yun Ning glared at her, "Your two friends didn't go either, did they?"
“They will go. We always think alike, otherwise we wouldn’t have become friends.”
Jin Yun Ning sighed helplessly, "Zhen'er, one person cannot change the outcome of a war, so why are you so persistent? Besides, what will Qing'er do if something happens to you?"
Xiang Ruzhen lowered her eyes and said helplessly, "If something happens to me and the marriage is called off, please help Xueqing find a good wife who will cherish and take good care of him."
"No!" Jin Xueqing rushed in from outside, crying, and demanded, "What do you mean the engagement is off? It can't be off. I've already decided on you for life, and you can't push me to someone else."
Xiang Ruzhen held his hand and comforted him, "I didn't mean to push you to someone else, I meant if something were to happen..."
Jin Xueqing cried, "What if? If you are as loyal to the country as my sister, I will be a widow."
Jin Yun Ning couldn't listen anymore and frowned, saying, "What nonsense are you talking about? What widow? You haven't even married him yet."
Jin Xueqing pouted, looking even more aggrieved.
With tears in his eyes, he asked Xiang Ruzhen, "When are you leaving?"
"tomorrow."
His tears fell in a steady stream. "So soon? Couldn't it be a day later?"
Xiang Ruzhen was taken aback. "What are you going to do?"
*
As Lu Jinlan was about to leave, Song Lincheng ordered his men to pack their belongings. Lu Jinlan also called Lou Yumin and Lu Qilang over, and had to give them a few words of advice.
"I'll be gone for at least a year and a half. While I'm away, you all need to get along well. It's one thing to be jealous and bickering normally, but while I'm gone, you need to help each other. Take good care of yourselves and the children too."
She took out the prepared medicine, "This is for you to take during childbirth. Yu Mian knows how to use it, I'll have him tell you later."
She glanced at Song Lincheng and Lu Qilang's bellies, still somewhat worried. "Manager Ping has already prepared the best doctors, but I'm still not at ease. I'll write a letter to Yunzhou later and ask my father to come and take care of them; he has experience."
With red eyes, Qi Lang said, "You don't need to worry about us. The battlefield is dangerous; you're the one who should be most careful."
Lu Jinlan smiled, "Have you forgotten what I told you? I have a cheat code, nothing will happen. You two take good care of yourselves and don't worry unnecessarily."
Yu Mian said, "How can we not worry? It happened so suddenly, we weren't prepared. Why don't you wait a few days before you leave, and I'll go to the temple to get a peace charm."
As everyone was talking at once, Xi Mo came to report: "Young Master, Young Madam Yan has arrived."
Lu Jinlan hurriedly said, "She must have something to do so late. Please invite her in."
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