"When I left, the willow trees were swaying. Now I come back, it is raining and snowing."
Although Kyoto in the depths of winter is not as cold as the northern frontier, it is still covered in silver.
On this day, the new emperor of Qisheng Dynasty, Ye Xiuqiong, together with all the civil and military officials and the people of the city, waited quietly at the gate of Kyoto despite the cold weather.
A few days ago, good news came from the northern frontier that the Yebei Army won a great victory and will go to the capital to report on their work today.
"Are you nervous?" The new emperor ignored his imperial dignity and secretly pulled Ye Nanyiyi's sleeve.
Ye Nanyi didn't hear it.
The wind picked up. A majestic, orderly team seemed to emerge from the snow, and some people among the people began to cheer: "Look! The Yebei Army is back."
Amid cheers and horns, the emperor and the regent personally went down the city wall to welcome the millions of lions.
Covered in ice and snow, like a snowman, the leading general turned over and dismounted neatly. It was Shen Ze. He knelt on one knee on the ground, presented Beiying's letter of surrender, and shouted: "Your Majesty. The Yebei Army has fulfilled its mission. Beiying's wolf lord died and his country was destroyed. The northern border won a great victory."
"I, Qisheng, can stabilize the country with my literary skills and the military power, and the four seas are in awe of him. Long live Your Majesty, long live His Majesty, long live His Majesty." Led by the old ministers of the neighboring cabinet, everyone knelt on the ground and shouted "Long live His Majesty" three times.
Ye Xiuqiong's voice was trembling with excitement. He glanced at Ye Nanyi without leaving any trace and said, "You are all good men of Qisheng Dynasty. Please stand up quickly."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Everyone stood up, but Chen Ze clasped his fists and knelt for a long time without getting up.
"General Shen, what are you doing? Please stand up quickly!" The emperor took two steps forward and lifted up Shen Ze's hand.
Between heaven and earth, the wind and snow seemed to be getting stronger.
Deputy General Shen did not answer, he knelt and moved sideways. Behind him, four Yebei soldiers carried a long black box, which was a coffin.
"General Gu, the last son of the Gu family, died in the northern frontier. His only wish was to have his remains returned to his hometown. I beg Your Majesty to grant this wish."
All the generals shouted in unison, shaking heaven and earth.
That day, the wind and snow in the south of the Yangtze River seemed to blow on everyone's heart.
The civil and military officials in Kyoto then remembered that the three generations of the Gu family who had sacrificed their lives in the northern frontier were originally from Kyoto.
Together with countless young people, they took away the white hair of mothers in the south of the Yangtze River, the tears of spring in the boudoirs, and the babbling of children, but left behind only a few piles of graves, looking in vain in the direction of home.
The wind is getting stronger.
It was mixed with sporadic snowflakes, seemingly blowing from the northern frontier, and hitting my face painfully.
There seemed to be a blush at the corners of the emperor's eyes, but it was covered by the wind and snow.
The emperor's sister-in-law must not reveal her identity until she dies. Perhaps, she is willing. But the emperor's brother, what should the emperor do?
"Approved!" The emperor personally stepped forward to brush off the snow on the coffin. He clenched his fists and then unclenched them. "I will posthumously confer the title of General Zhenwu on Gu Junwen. He will enjoy the incense of the temple and be buried in the imperial mausoleum."
"Your Majesty, this is against the rules." Grand Tutor Yan advised.
Eunuch Deng rushed over and put a cloak on the emperor, but the emperor waved it away.
The sound of the wind and snow was loud, but the emperor's voice was even louder: "There is no need to discuss this matter any further."
He is an emperor whose words are law and he holds the whole world at his fingertips. He cannot shed tears, but he also wants to do something for his brother and his wife.
The young emperor quietly watched Ye Nanyi's receding figure, his expression uncertain whether he was sad or happy.
Although a country is big, it will perish if it is warlike; although the world is at peace, it will be in danger if it forgets war.
This was what the Empress's sister-in-law told him. He was still waiting for her to return victoriously so that they could discuss the deep meaning of this sentence together. But he didn't expect that she would never come back.
Famous officials, great ministers, literati, eminent monks, famous scholars, and learned and wise men.
There are many people coming and going in this world every day, but no one is Gu Junwen anymore.
That winter, countless girls in the boudoir cried until their silk handkerchiefs were wet, and countless people in Kyoto chased the coffin all the way to the outside of the imperial mausoleum.
"Gu Junwen, I have made Chang'an a prosperous city. This cup is for you and the heroic spirits who have died." Xing Sheng'an stood on a hill not far away, looking at the coffin being carried into the mausoleum from afar, and spilled a cup of sake on the ground.
"I always feel that people like you will never die." Pouring another glass of wine, he tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp, his voice blown away in the wind and snow.
A few days later, Regent Ye Nanyiyi's resignation letter was delivered to the emperor's desk.
"Approved." Ye Xiuqiong turned around and looked at Eunuch Deng who was standing by the side. Eunuch Deng came forward with a smile.
"I'm not surprised. I knew it from that day. Little Dengzi, from now on, I am truly the supreme emperor who has the final say."
"Congratulations, Your Majesty." Eunuch Deng immediately fell to the ground and knelt down in worship.
He didn't dare to look up. He had the absurd feeling that the emperor looked particularly lonely.
Ten thousand people kneel down to worship you, and you will be admired by the world for eternity, but the price you pay for it is eternal loneliness.
Ye Xiuqiong will be recorded in history with his reputation of unifying the world. However, since he is an emperor, no one will even remember his name. Future generations will give him a title, and from then on he will just be an emperor.
Three months later, a small town in the northern part of the Saibei.
"Jun Wen, go out for a walk more often. It's good for your wound recovery." Ye Nanyi tried hard to lift the quilt that the person on the bed was holding tightly.
“No, no, no!” Gu Junwen’s impatient face emerged from the thick quilt, “You are so annoying, don’t bother me.”
"It's because you don't get enough sun. It's been five months and your injury hasn't healed yet." Ye Nanyi pinched Gu Junwen's face helplessly, and his hand turned red from the slap.
He sat quietly beside the bed, looking at Gu Junwen's fierce yet cute sleeping face, patiently tucked the quilt for her, and couldn't get enough of looking at her.
"It just looks scary. Why, haven't you recovered yet?"
"It's a lifelong experience." Ye Nan hugged Gu Junwen, who had sat up, and said, "When you were lying in front of me with wounds all over your body, my heart almost stopped."
"It's a good idea given by everyone. I can use this opportunity to fake my death and escape. It's too tiring to stay in Kyoto. It's better to just be a layoff."
"By the way, where is the system you mentioned?"
"It's going on vacation. Don't worry, I will always be with you in the future."
"Okay, we'll never be apart again. Thank you for staying."
Life was peaceful inside the house, but outside, Shen Anan and Lin Lin were still making a scene.
The cold wind swept across the land, snowflakes fell here and there, but the monument of the Yebei Army stood firm in the ice and snow, guarding the land where they risked their lives.
Qisheng's country was rich and powerful, and it was thriving. Everything was as they wished.
If one day the building is about to collapse and the smoke of war rises again, they will not hesitate to pick up their swords and mount their horses.
Because this is their country, their home.
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