Li Ziwei received the imperial edict, went to the government office to receive the official documents and seals, and after a moment of confusion, he shouted and ran home as fast as he could.
When the widow learned that her son had become the prefect of Changjin City despite being a commoner, her first thought was that he was just trying to make her happy.
Li Ziwei showed his mother the official seal and the government documents, and Li's mother was overjoyed. Immediately, the mother and son agreed on three rules:
1. Don't be greedy for a single penny.
2. Do not do anything against your conscience.
3. Strive to enrich the country (state) and strengthen its military.
After making arrangements for Li Ziwei, Yin Jin'an went to Zhao Song's house and told him that he was going back to the capital.
Zhao Song immediately asked, "What about my daughter?"
"Are you planning to go back with us? Or will someone from the palace come to pick you up?"
"Shall we go back together?"
Zhao Song naturally hoped to do it as soon as possible; if the time dragged on, who knew what changes might occur?
Yin Jin'an nodded and said that he and his soldiers would return to the capital first, while Zhao Qiaoqiao and the wedding procession would follow slowly behind.
“Princess Longxiang saw Miss Zhao’s treasured clay figurines in the mansion and couldn’t stop thinking about them. I am willing to pay for their purchase.”
"Since the princess likes them, I will certainly present them to her." He called to Zhao Qiaoqiao, asking her to bring the box of clay figurines.
Zhao Qiaoqiao brought the clay figure to Jiutian, and Kuangren Chu took it, saying, "Let this old man open his eyes."
He examined the clay figures closely. Jiutian, with his keen eye, used his divine eye to see clearly that there was nothing wrong with them; there were no taboos or impurities on these little clay figures.
Jiutian picked up the little clay figure and looked at it, saying, "Miss Zhao, these clay figures are not the ones you gave me to play with the other day. These are newly replaced ones."
Zhao Qiaoqiao said, "Princess, these are the ones I showed you that day."
“No,” Jiutian said with certainty. “It’s not those. Those little clay figures are from a long time ago and still have a smell.”
Zhao Qiaoqiao said again that the princess must have made a mistake.
Yin Jin'an's face immediately turned ugly, and she said, "Are you saying that the princess has wronged you?"
"That's not what I meant," Zhao Qiaoqiao said, taking advantage of the situation and referring to herself as "your concubine."
"I haven't issued an imperial decree yet, so you're not yet my concubine." Yin Jin'an's bluntness made Zhao Qiaoqiao and Zhao Song somewhat embarrassed.
Jiutian pinched her little fingers together and asked, "Where's your maid? Why isn't Cuiyu here?"
"She was sick, and we were afraid that her illness would affect the princess and His Majesty, so we didn't call her over."
Zhao Qiaoqiao naturally dared not tell the truth, because it was Cuiyu who donated blood.
The group left Zejin City and joined up with Gu Bahuang. The army then set off back to the capital.
Zhao Song escorted Zhao Qiaoqiao south of Blackwater City and then returned. Zhao Qiaoqiao took her dowry and headed to the capital.
Yin Jin'an hurriedly returned to the capital. Along the way, whenever there was a city, Gu Bahuang would have people sound gongs and announce: "His Majesty personally led the expedition and won a great victory. All the territories have been returned, and the Liao army and foreign invaders have been completely annihilated."
The people were overjoyed and praised His Majesty the Emperor as an invincible war god.
Many prefectures and cities wanted to see the Emperor's face, but Yin Jin'an refused them all.
After more than ten days, I returned to the capital.
Yang Hanfeng had already informed Xiahou Yan in the palace. Xiahou Yan then sent a ceremonial guard out of the city, and all the civil and military officials went to the city gate to welcome His Majesty's triumphant return.
The entire city turned out, with gongs and drums resounding and colorful flags waving. People spread the news along the streets, and the whole of Xingqing Prefecture was in an uproar.
Yin Jin'an's imperial carriage did not return directly to the palace, but went to the post station instead.
Zhou Shaoyu and Xie Zhaozhao have received news of Emperor Aotian's victorious return to the capital and are preparing to meet with him.
They have been staying in Xingqing Prefecture for more than half a month, and tomorrow is May 16th, Jiutian's birthday.
However, they did not expect that Yin Jin'an would not return to the palace to rest, but would come directly to the post station.
Go out to greet them immediately.
Yin Jin'an was anxious. When they arrived at the post station, she carried Jiujiu off the imperial carriage and strode towards the largest Jade Dragon Pavilion.
At the entrance of the Jade Dragon Kingdom Pavilion, Zhou Shaoyu and Xie Zhaozhao were already standing to greet them.
Standing beside them were ten-year-old Zhou Qiyuan and five-year-old Zhou Qize; the family of four stood in the center.
Next to him was Xie Yu, Xie Zhaozhao's elder brother.
Behind him stood a long line of people—
Southern star, northern dust, eastern moon, western sunset.
Li Yunmu, Zhou Lingyin, Ren Jialin, Xie Jue.
Chu Zhongtian, Wang Fen, Yunyang, Yunyuan, Yunyao, Yunxiao, Yunhe.
Yin Jin'an felt her eyes getting hot.
In an instant, he was transported back to the Great Gan region, where he saw a wild and untamed land. Sunlight slanted across the lush green grass, and a young man rode his horse at breakneck speed.
At that time, he wore a bright red robe, with a finely crafted steel sword at his waist. He had striking eyebrows and bright eyes, and exuded a heroic aura.
Carrying quivers and wielding a bow and crossbow, he resembled a burning flame. His arrival was like a whirlwind, stirring up everything around him.
I've got it now. He, Li Yunmu, and Zhou Lingyin are the scoundrels that people in Tokyo despise.
I've got it! We've opened the Maritime Silk Road and are going to purchase goods and sail overseas together with Yunyang and Yunhe.
I've got it! I'll join Ren Jialin and Xie Jue to attack the barbaric lands and the thirty-six northern prefectures...
He is still a boy, while the Crown Prince who oversees the Jade Dragon Kingdom is already fifteen years old!
It feels like a lifetime ago.
They are no longer young, but the days of fighting together, drinking together, and celebrating together, those days of youthful recklessness, all flashed before their eyes in an instant.
It turns out he had never really gone far.
As soon as Xie Zhaozhao stepped off the imperial carriage from Yin Jin'an's side, her gaze was fixed on him and the child in his arms.
My hands trembled uncontrollably, and my eyes welled up with tears.
She didn't know what the two people's faces looked like behind the masks, and she couldn't recognize them now.
My heart was torn apart with pain.
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