Chapter 318: A Three-Year-Old's Aging
The news of the great victory at Shuofeng Pass in Youzhou was like thunder from the sky, instantly dispelling the haze that had shrouded the court for days.
"A great victory at Shufeng Pass! Prince Wu and General Luo captured the Northern Di Khan Ashina Duoji alive, beheaded over 500,000 enemy soldiers, and captured over 100,000! The main force of the Northern Di was completely destroyed, and Dayan was victorious."
The hoarse but excited voice of the messenger echoed in the Golden Palace. Every word was like a heavy hammer hitting the hearts of civil and military officials, causing a deafening echo.
“Wow!”
After a brief, almost suffocating silence, the entire court was in an uproar!
The atmosphere, which had been suppressed to the extreme due to the emergency on the third front, was completely ignited by this blood-stained victory news.
The civil officials swept away their previous confrontational attitude towards the military generals, their faces flushed with excitement, and their words of praise came like a tide.
"Prince Wu is unrivaled in his power! He is truly the pillar of our Great Yan! A blessing to our nation!"
"General Luo commanded the troops with divine skill and mastered the art of war. This battle will surely go down in history and be remembered for generations to come!"
"Magnificent! This is due to your Majesty's immense blessings, the protection of your ancestors, and God's blessing on Dayan!"
“…”
Even those imperial censors who usually found fault with everything and often impeached King Wu for being "domineering", "arrogant", "behaving erratically" and "holding troops for themselves" seemed like different people at this moment.
Their faces were filled with proud smiles, and they rushed to praise:
"Prince Wu's sword remains sharp, and his demeanor is even greater than it was in the past! This battle has enhanced our nation's prestige and intimidated the barbarians. His achievements will be remembered for generations to come!"
"More than that! Lord Wu's military tactics are unpredictable, and he advances and retreats as swiftly as the wind. He is truly a role model for our generation and a pillar of our nation!"
If King Wu were in the court at this moment and heard the praise from the whole hall that almost blew the roof off, he would definitely put his hands on his hips with pride, look up to the sky and laugh so loudly that the tiles would shake.
Unfortunately, he was far away in the north at the moment, discussing with General Luo and several deputy generals how to defeat the Northern Di more quickly.
Sitting on the dragon throne, Yan Shixu's brows, which had been furrowed for two months, finally relaxed.
The fatigue brought about by discussing military and national affairs with important ministers for several days was also diluted a lot by this great joy.
With the capture of Ashina Duoji, the biggest threat to the north was completely eliminated.
He believed that before long, Uncle Wu and General Luo would be able to sweep away the remnants of the Northern Di, expand the territory for Dayan, and establish a century of peace in the north!
Yan Shixu immediately spoke in a loud voice, his voice piercing through the noise and carrying the majesty of an emperor.
"Well done! King Wu and General Luo have accomplished this unprecedented feat, enhancing our nation's prestige and strengthening our military spirit! Pass the order to immediately reward the three armies! Double the compensation for those killed in action. For the rest of the meritorious officials, on the day of their triumphant return, I will personally visit the parade grounds and reward them according to their merits and honor their contributions."
After the court session, Yan Shixu, in a good mood, personally went to the Bixi Palace to pick up Wen Li'er and the three children and went to the Cining Palace for dinner.
Inside the Cining Palace, the lights were bright, the air was warm, and the scene was harmonious and joyful.
Not only Yan Shixu and Wen Lier came with their children.
Ye Caiwei also arrived earlier than them with her two children.
The Empress Dowager was holding the delicate little Tangtang in her arms, whispering something to her with a smile on her face.
The wife of Prince Wu, Prince Qian, his wife, Princess Shiwei, Prince Lang and Prince Liang were all present.
Obviously, the good news of the great victory at Shuofeng Pass had already spread throughout the palace.
When the Empress Dowager heard that her son not only won a great victory but also captured the Northern Di Khan alive, she was so excited that she almost cried.
She said repeatedly: "Good! Good! Good! You are worthy of being the God of War of Dayan! May our ancestors bless you!"
In the midst of joy, she couldn't hold back her tears, which slowly slid down her wrinkled cheeks.
However, after the joy, one's heart began to be in turmoil again.
A mother worries when her son travels thousands of miles away, let alone when he is fighting on the battlefield in such a bitter and cold place?
King Wu was already over forty years old. As the saying goes, swords have no eyes and arrows are merciless.
She muttered, her voice trembling with fear:
"I wonder if he's injured? Are his injuries serious? It's so bitterly cold in the north. Is he eating well? Is he sleeping well? I heard that Ashina Duoji is incredibly ferocious and as strong as a bear. Did he suffer any injuries during the capture?"
Upon seeing this, Princess Wu hurried forward and comforted him with a smile, her tone carrying the briskness and pride typical of a military officer's family.
"Mother, you are just too concerned about him!"
"You haven't seen the prince on the battlefield with your own eyes. His aura is ten times more ferocious than that of the wolf king on the grassland!"
"That Ashina Duoji may look intimidating, but he's nothing more than a paper tiger in front of the prince. How could he possibly hurt him?"
"Just relax and wait for him to conquer Beidi and come back in triumph to kowtow to you!"
Princess Shi Wei also said softly, "Grandmother, my father is a skilled warrior. I have never seen anyone truly harm him in my life. He is surely safe and sound, so rest assured."
Yan Shilang, who was sitting nearby peeling chilled lychees, immediately raised his head upon hearing this.
The young man was full of vigor and ambition: "Just wait and see, Grandmother! Give me another ten years... oh no, five years! I will definitely be able to surpass you and be even more powerful than my father!"
His resounding "declaration" attracted everyone's attention.
The boy, who is not even fourteen years old, has a tall and straight figure like a newborn poplar. He is full of energy and vigor, and his brows reveal undisguised confidence and assertiveness.
King Wu had two legitimate sons. The eldest son, Yan Shiqian, lived up to his name, a modest gentleman, gentle as jade, and devoted to literature.
The youngest son, Yan Shilang, was a replica of King Wu in both appearance and rebellious temperament.
However, King Wu had been in the military camp for many years and had been tempered by the wind and frost. His skin was dark and his body was as strong as a mountain.
Yan Shilang has not yet fully grown up, and he has a bit of the childishness and vitality that are unique to teenagers.
Yan Shilang does have the capital to show off.
He had been brought up by King Wu since he was young, and through his influence, he developed an excellent talent for martial arts, with strong muscles and bones, and an extraordinary level of comprehension.
At the age of a teenager, his kung fu skills were rarely rivaled by his peers.
He can also fight back and forth with those battle-hardened lieutenant generals in the military camp, and it is difficult to tell who is better.
Little Xiaoxiao had already come in front of Yan Shilang, with his round little face tilted up, his eyes sparkling with admiration.
He said in a baby voice, "Uncle Lang, Xiaoxiao wants to be like you, very powerful, very powerful!"
Yan Shilang laughed heartily, stuffed the crystal clear lychee flesh into his mouth, and deliberately put on a stern face and snorted:
"Practicing martial arts is very hard. You train in the coldest days of winter and the hottest days of summer, exposed to the wind and sun, and sweating profusely. Can your small body endure this hardship?"
Xiaoxiao was nourished by the sweet lychee juice, his cheeks were puffed up, but he tried hard to make a serious expression.
He nodded vigorously, his voice unclear but extremely firm.
"Xiaoxiao can endure hardships! Xiaoxiao is not afraid!"
"Good! Ambitious!"
Yan Shilang was amused and rubbed his furry little head hard.
"Uncle Lang, wait! Once you've mastered your skills, if there's still war on the border, follow me and fight to protect our country!"
"If the world is at peace, follow me and roam the world, doing justice! Together, we will traverse the world with swords in hand, avenging our enemies and taking our revenge!"
As Yan Shilang finished speaking, the expressions of everyone in the hall became subtle.
Xiaoxiao is the eldest prince...
It is estimated that he will become the eldest son soon.
As the future crown prince, Xiaoxiao will shoulder the heavy responsibility of governing this vast country.
What he needs to learn is the mindset of an emperor and the way to govern the country and maintain its security.
Therefore, it is impossible for him to ride a horse on the battlefield and kill people everywhere like Yan Shilang, and it is even more impossible for him to abandon his country and travel the world with a sword.
When little Xiongxiong saw that his brother had received Uncle Wang’s “promise”, his round little head quickly popped in between Yan Shilang and Xiaoxiao.
He raised his little hand high and shouted anxiously:
"And Xiongxiong! Uncle Lang, Xiongxiong wants to go too! With Uncle Lang and brother!"
His fear of being left behind, aggrieved and serious look instantly diluted the subtle atmosphere and made everyone in the hall burst into laughter.
Wen Li'er looked at her innocent son and just smiled, not really taking these childish words to heart.
Children's world is always full of fantasy.
But it was not until many years later that she deeply understood what it meant to "look at a child's future by the age of three."
The nature of the children that they unintentionally revealed had already laid the groundwork for their fate.
The atmosphere of dinner was warm and relaxed, with people drinking and laughing, as if the dark clouds that had been weighing on people's hearts for days had been completely blown away by the good news from Shuofeng Pass.
Yan Shixu looked at the warm scene of his family reuniting and enjoying the happiness of family life. His heartstrings, which had been tense for too long, relaxed for a moment and he enjoyed this moment of peace.
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