With the situation on the grassland unclear, Li Xi and Qin Xiaolin rode their horses to escort the main force at full speed.
They escorted the group at breakneck speed, galloping forward. They vigilantly scanned their surroundings, not daring to relax their guard in the slightest.
They finally returned to the border before nightfall, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
The general guarding the gates opened the city gates to welcome the Emperor Emeritus's return.
Without lingering for long, the retired emperor and his entourage set off for the capital day and night before dawn the next day.
They finally arrived at their destination in mid-February. The group was exhausted from the long journey, having endured wind and rain and sleeping outdoors.
However, everyone was excited to see the familiar Kyoto city walls.
The retired emperor directly ordered the ministers who accompanied him on the mission to go home first, without having to go to the palace.
Although Princess Xuanqing was no longer alive and the engagement was null and void, the ministers still managed to discuss several cooperative projects with the Xuan Yue Kingdom, achieving some minor success.
The ministers were all eager to return home, and upon receiving the imperial decree, they went home without stopping.
Qin Xiaolin then escorted the three members of the Emperor Emeritus family into the palace.
Seeing their familiar front door, Li Xi and Meng Zhelan were also very excited and called on their family members to move all their luggage to the front yard.
"Everyone gets a share, Uncle Chen, please distribute it to everyone," Meng Zhelan instructed.
The courtyard was filled with laughter and chatter. Ling'er went to the kitchen to cook a meal to reward her sisters.
Alone in the courtyard, Wan Yue was oblivious to the commotion in the front yard. He sat there in a daze, holding a silver hairpin.
Lost in thought, he didn't hear the footsteps behind him. He saw the man take the hairpin and exclaim in amazement, "I didn't expect this hairpin to be so new. The craftsmanship is truly exquisite."
Wan Yue then came to his senses.
Upon seeing the person who arrived, he opened his mouth wide, his pupils suddenly shrinking, as if he could not believe what he was seeing.
Although the person in front of me had some gray hair and wrinkles on their face.
But those familiar silhouettes and those deep eyes instantly transported Wan Yue back to the scene of his first meeting with her many years ago.
Tears fell silently, and he only said softly, "You're back, Madam."
Hongying looked at him, her eyes flashing with complex emotions.
She smiled and nodded, her voice soft yet firm: "Yes, I'm back, my husband."
The two remained silent, as if all words had been transformed into silence in the present moment.
Wan Yue felt his heart pounding wildly, as if it were about to leap out of his chest.
He reached out, wanting to touch Hongying's face, but he was afraid that it was all just an illusion, and that it would shatter once he touched it.
Hongying looked at his outstretched hand, smiled gently, and took the initiative to walk closer, placing her hand in his palm.
Her hands were warm and soft, instantly calming Wan Yue's heart.
"How have you been all these years?" Hongying asked softly.
Wan Yue shook his head, his voice choked with emotion: "It's not good. Every day without you feels like torture. I've been waiting for you, and I believe you will come back."
A tear glistened in Hongying's eyes as she gently squeezed Wan Yue's hand: "I'm sorry, I lost my memory due to some accident back then, until Xiaoxi found me not long ago..."
The two stood there quietly, letting time pass by.
Their hearts were now tightly bound together, as if nothing could separate them.
“Hongying, I knew you would come back, but our daughter…” Wan Yue wanted to say something, but Hongying interrupted him.
"Wan Yue, don't speak. I know what you want to say, but don't say it now." Hong Gu suppressed her grief.
Since regaining her memories, she has been constantly thinking about her husband and daughter.
Now that I've returned, my daughter has already passed away, and the grief I feel is beyond words.
She was afraid that if she opened her mouth, she would burst into tears.
"Yes, we won't say anything, none of us will." Wan Yue nodded and hugged Hongying tightly.
“Hongying, do you know how much I missed you while you were gone? Without you, I felt like the whole world had lost its color,” Wan Yue said softly.
Hongying didn't speak, but simply nestled silently in Wanyue's arms.
Li Xi stood quietly outside the courtyard gate, gazing at the two people in front of her, a feeling of indescribable sorrow welling up in her heart.
Although they have reunited, the thirty years they lost have become an irreparable regret.
Thirty years have passed in the blink of an eye. The youthful years are gone, leaving only the traces of time and endless longing.
What's even more heartbreaking is that their daughter has already passed away, which will be a lifelong pain for them.
She sighed softly, then slowly turned around and left.
At this moment, they both needed some time to pour out their hearts to each other...
Li Xi quietly returned to the front yard and chatted with the others.
Just then, snowflakes suddenly began to fall from the sky, swirling and fluttering down.
She looked up at the pristine white snowflakes, a strange emotion welling up inside her. Each snowflake seemed like the purest spirit in the world, quietly descending upon it with endless tenderness and blessings.
"It's snowing," she said softly, a hint of melancholy in her voice.
Those around them also looked up at the sky, their faces beaming with delight. In this cold winter, the snowflakes brought people a unique warmth and tranquility.
Li Xi stood quietly in the snow, letting the snowflakes gently fall on her hair and shoulders. She closed her eyes, feeling the coolness and moisture brought by the snowflakes, and a strange sense of peace and tranquility welled up in her heart.
Suddenly, a hand gently rested on her shoulder.
She opened her eyes and saw the person standing beside her. He was smiling at her, his eyes shining with warmth.
"Is it pretty?" he asked softly.
Li Xi shook her head and said with a smile, "It's beautiful, but the snow scenery in Xiyue Kingdom is still the most beautiful."
Upon hearing this, he smiled gently, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes, thinking to himself: Nothing is as beautiful as you.
Emperor Wenyuan and the retired emperor remained silent as they looked at the scroll.
Unexpectedly, the Emperor of Xuan Yue Kingdom was in cahoots with the Red Lotus Sect. For a moment, the atmosphere in the imperial study was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.
Emperor Wenyuan frowned, a flash of anger in his eyes: "This Emperor Jin is truly lawless, daring to collude with a heretical cult. Doesn't he fear being scorned by the people of the world?"
The Emperor Emeritus sighed and said slowly, "Power has always been a double-edged sword. I just never expected that he would collude with such a notorious cult as the Red Lotus Sect. And the Red Lotus Sect's influence in Jingyuan is growing stronger and stronger. Now, the Red Lotus Sect's influence in Jingyuan is becoming more and more rampant. It's time to completely pull this net away to prevent future troubles!"
The tranquility of a snowy night brings a sense of inner peace, as if all worries and anxieties have been covered by the snowflakes.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com