Chapter 485 Return to Beijing
When Shen Changze woke up, it was six days later, the tenth day of March.
Yu Cheng had dealt with all the post-war affairs and was preparing to return to the court.
Hearing the guards report that Shen Changze had woken up, Yu Cheng went to check on him.
"Your Highness." Shen Changze weakly supported himself and tried to get up to greet him.
Yu Cheng raised his hand and said, "Your injuries have not healed yet, so there is no need to be polite. Just lie down and relax."
"Thank you, Your Highness." Shen Changze lay back down, panting slightly.
Although the imperial physician had used medicine and ginseng soup to keep him alive these days, he had not eaten for many days and was very weak. He had lost a lot of weight and looked listless.
If he had not just drunk a bowl of porridge, he would not have had the strength to speak.
Yu Cheng had experienced it personally and knew Shen Changze's current physical condition, so he asked him to speak less and just listen. After
telling him a brief account of what had happened in the past few days, Yu Cheng changed the subject and asked Shen Changze whether he would go back to Shangjing with him or recuperate here and make plans after he recovered.
For Shen Changze, the border had both good memories and painful experiences, which made him love and hate it, with complicated emotions.
He was reluctant to leave because Cheng Jinchu was there, but he had to go back to Shangjing because of his relatives.
If Yu Cheng went back to Shangjing first, the Jing'an Marquis' Mansion would be in chaos after learning that Cheng Jinchu had died in the battle and he had lost his arm.
After thinking it over, Shen Changze decided to go back with Yu Cheng.
Anyway, his injury is not fatal, and it will take ten days or half a month to recover. It's just that his body is weak, so he just needs to walk slowly on the road.
"Then you should rest well, and we will set off for Beijing the day after tomorrow." Yu Cheng gave him one more day for fear that Shen Changze could not bear it.
Shen Changze agreed, and
finally said with shame and doubt: "Your Highness, don't you blame me for being stupid?" Yu Cheng sighed and said: "I understand that you made this decision because you saw that the overall situation has been decided. You are not stupid, you just want to give yourself an explanation."
Just like he insisted on personally conquering the border, it was all to resolve his heart knot.
In the eyes of outsiders, this may be an extremely stupid behavior, but only they themselves know how painful it is for a troubled heart to indulge in self-blame and not be relieved.
Since a man stands in the world, he should live upright.
Furthermore, Shen Changze's action also vindicated Da Zhao.
Integrity is not something you do for others to see, but to make yourself feel at peace with yourself.
"Do you regret it?" Yu Cheng asked, looking at Shen Changze's dry sleeves.
Shen Changze tilted his head to look at his broken arm, clearly feeling the pain from the wound, and said firmly, "No regrets."
Yes, no regrets.
Even if they lose an arm, even if they are left with a lifelong illness, they will not regret it.
Yu Cheng let out a long breath, got up and left.
Shen Changze rested for a day, and felt a little better in the afternoon of the second day, so he asked Huo Chong to take him to see Cheng Jinchu.
After getting off the sedan chair and walking to Cheng Jinchu's tomb, Shen Changze habitually used a fire stick to light the paper money, but when he started, he was shocked to find that his left hand was missing, so he could only ask Huo Chong for help.
After Huo Chong helped to light the paper money, Shen Changze took the paper money one by one with his right hand and burned it. After burning the paper money for Cheng Jinchu, he went to the side to burn the paper money for Cheng's father.
I'm afraid he won't come back after leaving this time.
The border is stable, but he also lost his left arm and can no longer lead the army to fight. He can only prolong his life in Shangjing.
After burning the paper money and inserting incense, Shen Changze touched Cheng Jinchu's tombstone and said something.
"Jinchu, I have avenged you."
"I will go back to Shangjing tomorrow. Don't worry, I will take good care of Yan Yang and Yan Huan and raise them to adulthood."
"It's cold and lonely here. If you feel lonely, come to find me in your dreams..."
The wind gently blew Shen Changze's empty sleeves, as if someone was caressing him gently, and as if responding to his words.
Repeatedly stroking Cheng Jinchu's name, thinking of her voice and smile in his mind, Shen Changze was reluctant to leave.
It was not until dusk that Shen Changze left at the urging of Huo Chong.
After a period of clear weather, the climate at the border became warmer. The cold winter was over and spring was here.
The next day, Yu Cheng and Shen Changze left the border town and returned to Shangjing amid the farewell of the people.
After the war, except for the reinforcements from Ancheng and Fucheng, the rest of the remaining army stayed behind to guard the border. Yu Cheng and Shen Changze only took their guards back to Beijing.
Di Ming, who was returning to Ancheng, was on the same route as them, so they traveled together for two days.
As for Chang Qing, who had made meritorious contributions, he died on the battlefield while protecting Wang Yuan's son. Wang Yuan's son survived and returned to Ancheng with Di Ming as a garrison.
At the fork in the road, Yu Cheng got off the car and told Di Ming to heal his wounds after returning to Ancheng, and wait for the imperial edict to be issued to recruit new troops to fill the Ancheng garrison.
Although Getu promised to coexist peacefully with Dazhao and not to start a war again, basic defense was essential.
"Farewell, Your Highness." Di Ming watched Yu Cheng's carriage drive away, his eyes full of admiration and submission.
With such a wise ruler, Da Zhao will surely be strong and prosperous.
The weather is getting warmer day by day, and the beautiful spring scenery is intoxicating. However, Zhou Boxu had no intention of enjoying the scenery, and he was riding fast all the way.
On March 13, Zhou Boxu returned to Shangjing.
Looking at the Shangjing city gate so close, Zhou Boxu became more and more anxious.
"Drive!" After a brief pause, Zhou Boxu shook the reins and went straight to the city gate.
"My lord, my lord is back!" The city guards were overjoyed to see Zhou Boxu.
Zhou Boxu nodded to them, ordered the accompanying guards to return to Zhou Mansion to report the news, and he went directly to the palace.
Shortly after noon, the streets were crowded with people, and it was difficult to control the horses, so they had to slow down.
After finally reaching the palace gate, Zhou Boxu dismounted his horse and entered the palace impatiently, heading for Zhongling Palace.
When the palace maids saw Zhou Boxu, they were stunned at first, and then hurried to announce the good news: "Congratulations, Prince Consort, the princess gave birth to a pair of twins, a boy and a girl, and both mother and child are safe."
"The princess... gave birth?" Zhou Boxu was shocked.
The maid said, "Yes, she gave birth last night."
Last night, that is, he was one day late.
Zhou Boxu's eyes darkened when he heard this, and he regretted it in his heart.
He should have been faster, resting one hour less every day, and he would have returned yesterday.
With a regretful sigh, Zhou Boxu walked to the main hall.
Concubine Yu Gui and Madam Zhou were both there, and they were both surprised and happy to see Zhou Boxu.
"You're back, come and see the child." Madam Zhou stood up and walked to Zhou Boxu with the child in her arms.
The children had just finished feeding, and Madam Zhou and Concubine Yu Gui each held one. Madam Zhou held a boy, and Concubine Yu Gui held a girl.
The two children had very similar eyebrows and eyes, but the girl was a little thinner.
Zhou Boxu looked at the two children, excited beyond words. He wanted to reach out and touch and hug them, but then he remembered that he had been in a hurry all the way and his body was covered in dust and dirt, so he retracted his hand.
"Is the princess okay?" Zhou Boxu asked worriedly.
Yu Guifei said: "Fortunately, there is no danger, but the bleeding during childbirth is too much and the body is seriously damaged. Now she is sleeping again."
After Yu Lan started yesterday afternoon, she struggled until midnight to give birth to two children. The birth process was a bit difficult, but fortunately, she had given birth to a child before, so it was a little easier.
Yu Lan wanted to wait for Zhou Boxu to come back, but giving birth is not something she can decide. It all depends on God's will.
When God's will comes, people can only go with the flow.