Huangfu Shenglin had considered this possibility: "Father only asks you whether you like that girl, whether you truly want to marry her, or whether it's just for the White Tiger Divine Beast?"
"Of course not. The White Tiger Divine Beast was only the trigger; the rest of the outcome was my own choice." In fact, Huangfu Jue had asked himself this question many, many times, but the answer was always the same.
He didn't marry Yao'er because of the White Tiger mythical beast. He loved Yao'er and liked her. He was willing to spend his life with her, not some other woman he didn't know.
Huangfu Jue's answer relieved Huangfu Shenglin: "That's good. Since you are sincere in marrying her, then there's no problem. Although your father hopes that Southern Qi can also have the White Tiger Divine Beast, if it still can't be done this time, then your father has done his best, and I believe that the ancestors of Southern Qi will not blame us anymore. Besides worrying about the White Tiger Divine Beast, your father also hopes that you can be happy. As long as you are happy, it will not have been in vain for your father to send you to Eastern Chu when you were young. Even if the White Tiger Divine Beast was not summoned, it can still be considered as bringing you this beautiful marriage."
As Huangfu Shenglin spoke, he praised Duanmu Yao again: "That girl, I saw her, she's good-looking, has good character, knows medicine, and her status is even better. She's a perfect match for you! I can tell she likes you very much. Although you're marrying into the family, given the character of Xuanyuan Zhan, Su Xuening, and the new Emperor of Dongchu, they won't mistreat you. Knowing you're doing well here puts my and your mother at ease."
Huangfu Shenglin's words moved Huangfu Jue somewhat.
It turns out that in his heart, his happiness was still more important than the white tiger divine beast, and that was enough.
"I want to go back to Southern Qi."
"What?"
Huangfu Jue's words startled Huangfu Shenglin, sobering him up considerably: "You're going back to Southern Qi? You're not going to marry into the family?"
He's still waiting for him to give him a grandson so he can summon the White Tiger divine beast!
Even though this idea might not work, how could he give up without trying?
Moreover, he had sent his son to Eastern Chu more than ten years ago, and his wish was about to come true. How could he return to Southern Qi at this time? Wouldn't that be a complete failure?
"No, I want to go back and see my mother. After I see her, I will come back."
Huangfu Jue never considered not marrying Duanmu Yao!
Hearing that Huangfu Jue only wanted to go back to see the Empress, Huangfu Shenglin was relieved: "That's fine, but the journey from Eastern Chu to Southern Qi is long, and it will take time to go back and forth!"
Huangfu Jue was silent for a moment before speaking, "I have a way."
That night, the father and son, who hadn't seen each other for over ten years, talked a lot, which helped to reduce the distance between them.
The next morning, Huangfu Jue went to see Xuanyuan Zhan and Su Xuening: "Father said that Mother is ill. I want to go back to see her. The distance between Dongchu and Nanqi is far. I would like to borrow the Xuanwu divine beast."
Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Zhan had nothing more to say, so he immediately summoned Xuanyuan Xi and asked him to summon the Xuanwu divine beast.
Su Xuening also said worriedly, "Take Xing'er with you. She is a good doctor. When we get back, not only can your mother see her, but she can also examine her illness."
"Yes." Huangfu Jue nodded in agreement, then bowed gratefully to Su Xuening: "Thank you, Master's wife."
This was the first time Huangfu Jue and Duanmu Yao had returned home in over ten years, and Xuanyuan Zhan and Su Xuening had arranged many gifts for them to take back with them.
However, they took Huangfu Shenglin back to Southern Qi on the Xuanwu divine beast, while the gifts were taken back by the Southern Qi envoy.
When Huangfu Shenglin rode the Xuanwu divine beast, he cried his eyes out!
"So this is what it feels like to ride a divine beast!" Huangfu Shenglin cried uncontrollably as he carefully stroked the divine beast.
Huangfu Jue looked at him helplessly and said, "Didn't you say that divine beasts weren't important?"
Upon hearing this, Huangfu Shenglin immediately glared at Huangfu Jue with teary eyes: "The divine beast isn't important. How could I bear to leave you in Dongchu for so many years?"
Huangfu Shenglin then looked at the two of them expectantly and said, "Trust your father, your child will definitely be able to summon the White Tiger Divine Beast!"
Duanmu Yao and Huangfu Jue exchanged a glance, feeling somewhat unhappy.
She knew that her brother Jue's purpose in coming to Dongchu was to marry her, and the purpose of the marriage was to have children with her and summon the White Tiger divine beast.
She had known these things since she was a child, but it was the first time she had heard someone say them so bluntly, and she was still saddened.
Because of the feelings she had always cherished, which were highly purposeful from the beginning, she didn't even know if her brother Jue truly loved her or if he was only after the White Tiger.
Huangfu Jue understood Duanmu Yao's thoughts, but he didn't explain anything immediately. He just gave Huangfu Shenglin a glare, signaling him not to speak carelessly.
Realizing he had misspoke, Huangfu Shenglin naturally dared not say anything more.
They traveled in silence. It would take more than a month for a fast horse to travel from Eastern Chu to Southern Qi, and three months for a normal carriage. But now, riding the divine beast, they arrived in just one day and one night.
The three returned to Southern Qi on the morning of the second day.
The people in the Southern Qi imperial palace were stunned when they saw the Xuanwu mythical beast.
"What is that? Is it a kite?"
"No way, it looks like a living thing, like some kind of bird?"
"I think it's some kind of huge beast?"
"What a joke! What kind of beast can fly?"
Just as everyone was wondering what was in the sky, the Xuanwu divine beast landed in their palace.
Upon seeing the appearance of the Xuanwu divine beast, everyone was even more astonished.
"It really is a beast?"
"What kind of beast is this?"
"Could it be a mythical beast?"
"Yes! It's a divine beast, I think it's the Xuanwu divine beast?"
"But isn't the Xuanwu Divine Beast the guardian beast of Eastern Chu?"
It wasn't until Huangfu Shenglin, Huangfu Jue, and Duanmu Yao dismounted from the Xuanwu Divine Beast that everyone realized there were still people on its back.
"It's the Emperor!"
"That's...could it be our Crown Prince?!"
"The Emperor went to attend the Crown Prince's coming-of-age ceremony; perhaps he really will bring the Crown Prince back!"
"That girl is so beautiful and has such a great temperament!"
"Yes, she's a perfect match for our Crown Prince!"
As soon as Huangfu Jue dismounted from the divine beast, he ran towards his mother's Fengzao Palace without caring about anything else.
Nearly twenty years have passed, and he has forgotten many things in the palace, but he dares not forget the path through his mother's palace!
Huangfu Jue rushed to Fengzao Palace in one breath, and the palace maids were so shocked that they couldn't speak when they saw him.
Who is this young master? He looks so much like their emperor and empress. Could he be their prince?
The palace maids around the Empress of Southern Qi had been replaced time and again, and none of them had ever seen Huangfu Jue before, so naturally they dared not recognize his identity. Only Granny Huang, who had always served the Empress closely, recognized Huangfu Jue.
When Huangfu Jue entered Fengzao Palace, she recognized him immediately. He looked exactly like the young prince, so when the palace maids tried to stop him, they were stopped by Granny Huang.
Huangfu Jue staggered into the palace, his steps as unsteady as when he left.
Upon reaching the inner palace, Huangfu Jue saw the person he had longed for for over a decade. Two words caught in his throat, and after a long pause, he finally managed to utter, "Mother..."
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