"I never force you to do anything... It's up to you to decide what to do!"
After saying this, Tuoba Ze sighed heavily, turned around, and walked away.
Just as he reached the tent entrance, Tuoba Hong suddenly called out to him from behind, "Wait!"
"Is there anything else?" Tuoba Ze raised his head slightly and asked coldly with his back to him.
Tuoba Hongyi kept his back to him, closed his eyes and remained silent for a while, as if he was deeply caught in a rather chaotic struggle. When he opened his eyes again, he was still looking at Yi Shangyun's face and slowly said to Tuoba Ze, "I'll go with you."
Upon hearing this, Tuoba Ze turned around in surprise and stared at his back. After a moment of stunned silence, he suddenly exclaimed in admiration, "That's right, that's what a man from my great grasslands should be like."
After saying that, he burst into unrestrained laughter: "Hahaha, hahahahaha..."
“But…” Unexpectedly, Tuoba Hong suddenly uttered this sound, and Tuoba Ze’s laughter immediately stopped.
Tuoba Hong said, "However, if I am to stay with her until she wakes up, I will at least have to wait until the full hundred days of the Rejuvenating Pill are over."
"Okay! I promise you." After a moment's thought, Tuoba Ze readily agreed, then once again raised his voice and strode out of the tent.
After Tuoba Ze left, the tent immediately returned to its usual tranquility.
For some reason, at this moment, Tuoba Hong also felt that the candlelight filling the tent was so bright that it hurt his eyes unbearably. It was as if, at this moment, he finally understood her feelings.
Suddenly, he stretched out one arm and casually made a circle behind him. Instantly, only the dim candle on the bedside table remained in the entire tent.
Tuoba Hong then took one of Yi Shangyun's hands in his own, brought it to his lips, looked at her face with deep affection, and said with utmost tenderness, "Wule, I am willing to do anything for you, do you know that? Wake up quickly, you must wake up, I will always be with you, and I will never leave you for the rest of my life."
Suddenly, a gust of wind swept by, and in the blink of an eye, two lines of hot tears quietly rolled down the corners of Yi Shangyun's tightly closed eyes under the dim candlelight.
The sun rises and the moon sets, the clouds roll and unroll, and day after day passes.
Finally, it was exactly one hundred days since Yi Shangyun took the Rejuvenating Pill as soon as she arrived on this vast grassland.
After today, around midnight, the Rejuvenating Pill will completely lose its effects, and Yi Shangyun will return to her original appearance.
The sky is vast and blue, the fields are boundless. Today is a beautiful day with clear skies, gentle breezes, and bright sunshine.
Tuoba Hong finally followed Tuoba Ze's advice and brought Yi Shangyun back from the extremely poor slums on the grassland.
At this moment, among the countless tents of all sizes in front of them, a particularly luxurious and spacious tent was filled with the aroma of incense and the fragrance of flowers.
Yi Shangyun lay there quietly, fast asleep. Beside her, Tuoba Hong, his face covered in stubble, stayed by her side day and night without leaving her side.
Because she would occasionally murmur at night, Tuoba Hong had the illusion that she was about to wake up. After tossing and turning several times throughout the night, perhaps because she was too tired, she was now lying on the edge of his bed, holding Yi Shangyun's hand tightly, and was sleeping lightly with a smile on her face.
In his sweet dreams.
A few dreamlike, snow-white clouds drifted across the azure sky, and the grassland was covered with wildflowers of all colors. A gentle breeze carried the fragrance of flowers and the scent of fresh grass, creating a joyful and intoxicating atmosphere.
The hardworking and simple herders are driving herds of cattle and sheep across the grasslands and lakesides, their melodious pastoral songs filling the air, creating a scene of such comfort and ease.
Yi Shangyun, dressed in a flowing white dress, wore the most radiant and beautiful smile on her flawless face. Together with him, they rode across the vast grassland, becoming the most admired and envied couple on the grassland.
Under the sunlight, everyone's smiles were so sincere, radiant, free, and happy, unconstrained in the slightest, like eagles soaring freely across the sky.
And this azure sky embraces all its untamed spirit...
Suddenly, a beautiful woman dressed in a gorgeous nomadic robe walked in with a smile, carrying a half-full basin of water in her hands.
She quietly approached and gently put down what she was holding. Then she went to the side and blew out the still-burning candle before returning to pat his strong arm. A sweet, coquettish voice roused him from his reverie: "Second Prince, Second Prince..."
Tuoba Hong then slowly woke up from his dream, opened his eyes and sat up.
The maidservant hurriedly said with concern, "Your Highness has been keeping watch here all night. Go and rest for a while. I will take over watching over this young lady for you."
When Tuoba Hong saw that the maid had come to help him with his grooming, he stood up and instructed her, "Today is very important. You must serve her carefully. If there is any disturbance, call me immediately."
"Your Highness, please go with peace of mind. This servant understands."
Nevertheless, he stood aside and watched silently for a while with great unease. Seeing that the maid was quick and clever, Tuoba Hong nodded slightly and walked out of the tent.
Back in his tent, he bathed with the help of his maid and changed into a clean bamboo-green robe. After having some breakfast, he suddenly felt refreshed and clear-headed, as if he were completely awake, without a trace of sleepiness.
Seeing the beautiful scenery outside, he had a sudden thought and walked out to a similarly impressive tent next to him.
The scenery around the tent was pleasant, but all was quiet, except for a few strong guards standing guard at the entrance.
The guard caught sight of Tuoba Hong approaching and was about to bow and greet him when Tuoba Hong stopped him. The guard then quickly reached out to help him lift the curtain.
Perhaps afraid of disturbing the sweet dreams of the people inside, he stepped inside quietly.
Suddenly, a rather low and weak voice came from inside: "Is that Hong'er?"
Tuoba Hong suddenly stopped and replied, "It is your son, Father."
As soon as he finished speaking, he strode hurriedly toward the bed and helped the old king sit up.
The current ruler of the Northern Lie Kingdom is now a frail old man with white hair.
"Cough cough cough cough, cough cough cough cough..." He got up and sat on the couch, coughing for a long time while covering his mouth. Finally, still panting heavily, he asked, "I heard you promised your brother that you would go to the battlefield?"
As Tuoba Hong draped an outer garment over him, he asked in surprise, "How did Father know about this?"
The old king smiled, his breath weak, his tone low yet carrying an air of solemn authority: "On this vast grassland, what can escape my father's notice?"
Tuoba Hong immediately fell silent, revealing a troubled expression. The old king secretly noticed this, saw through it but did not say anything, and asked instead: "Tell your father, why have you suddenly changed your temperament? Your father remembers that you have always hated war the most since you were a child."
Tuoba Hong did not want the old king to suspect the current tense war in Beilie, so after a moment's thought, he raised his head and said confidently, "Expanding territory, protecting the country, and shedding blood are the lifelong ambitions of men. As a member of the royal family, how can I, Hong'er, be willing to show weakness?"
The old king smiled faintly and said, "If only you truly thought that way, but I'm afraid there's another reason."
"Father, Hong'er..." Sure enough, how could Tuoba Hong's thoughts, who had lost his mother at a young age and was raised by his father alone, not be seen through by the old king's discerning eyes? After only a few words, he was completely speechless.
The old king sighed, but did not ask any further questions. He seemed to have some suspicions in his heart, so he frowned and then said, "Hong'er, in recent months I have noticed that you often seem absent-minded and lost in thought, which is quite different from before. Is it possible that you have someone you like?"
Upon hearing this, Tuoba Hong immediately lowered his head and pursed his lips, feeling as if he had nothing to say, because even now, everything between him and Yi Shangyun was just wishful thinking on his part.
Seeing his hesitation, as if he found it difficult to speak, the old king smiled and said, "Even if you don't say it, your father can guess. Is it that woman named Wule that your royal brother brought back from the Western Qin Kingdom some time ago?"
"Father..." Upon hearing this, Tuoba Hong raised his head in alarm, about to explain something, but was stopped by the old king.
The old king thought for a moment and exclaimed, "Wule, she is indeed a rare and wonderful girl. Not only is she a skilled doctor, but she is also upright and kind. If she can stay on the grassland, it will be a blessing for all the people of the grassland."
Upon hearing this, Tuoba Hong was beaming with joy as he recalled and pondered what the speaker said. However, he suddenly lost his smile, thought for a while, and then sighed heavily.
Then, with a serious expression, he said, "But Hong'er, if you are just an ordinary herdsman's son, then your father is just an ordinary herdsman on this vast grassland. Hearing this news, I will be genuinely happy for you and wish you both well. Because, my Hong'er, you have finally grown up."
He paused, seemingly reluctant, but had to continue speaking softly: "But you know, I am not an ordinary herdsman, so you are not an ordinary herdsman's son either. In the end, one cannot have both power and beauty."
The old king, looking deeply at his son whose expression had gradually turned to one of melancholy and confusion, said, "From the moment you were born, you were destined to be the master of this vast grassland, whether you like it or not. This is a mission you can never escape in this life. Your life is meant to be dedicated to protecting this land and your people, not..."
Before he could finish speaking, Tuoba Hong hurriedly defended himself, saying, "Why does it have to be me and not my elder brother? Isn't my elder brother more suitable for this? Father, you know I never wanted to take your place."
The old king stared at his bright, stubborn eyes for a moment, then couldn't help but cover his mouth and cough heavily again: "Cough cough cough cough..."
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