Zhao Yunshen harbored a secret: he always believed he had ulterior motives towards Gu Li, and he even doubted his own sexual orientation.
It wasn't until he was bestowing rewards that he saw his lieutenant had transformed from a handsome young man into a beautiful young woman, and only then did he understand what had happened.
He was both angry and happy at the same time, and soon after, he issued a secret decree to the Gu family.
"Ah Li, the Emperor is going to bestow upon you the title of Imperial Noble Consort. This is a wonderful thing! Who in the world is more honorable than you?"
Gu Qihang smiled happily, and even Wu was overjoyed.
Xiao Li left without saying a word, her face long and sullen.
That evening, she went to the palace, carrying a bottle of spiritual wine produced by her space.
“Ah Li, I’m so glad you came to see me.”
Zhao Yunshen didn't even address himself; he wanted A-Li to know that he was sincere.
Xiao Li shook her head. "Come on, let's drink!"
Zhao Yunshen laughed, and the two ate and drank together. After a bottle of wine was finished, Xiaoli slowly began to speak.
"My father has always been worried that there are no outstanding young men in the family, and he fears that the Duke's mansion will decline in his hands."
She paused for a moment before continuing.
“I joined the army not for my father, but because I didn’t want to live in this small backyard.”
Zhao Yunshen opened his mouth, but did not interrupt Xiaoli.
"I love life in the border town; it's carefree and I can do whatever I want there..."
I can gallop freely on horseback, or leisurely sip a drink; I can admire flowers and the moon in spring and autumn, and pick plums on horseback in winter and summer—pure bliss!
Xiao Li looked at Zhao Yunshen seriously, "Do you understand?"
After a long while, Zhao Yunshen finally got up. He returned to his desk, said nothing, and only waved his hand.
Xiao Li bowed and left the main hall.
The following day, the Duke of Dingguo's mansion received another imperial edict, appointing the Duke of Dingguo's eldest daughter, Gu Xiaoli, as the Grand General of Anguo, granting her a border city as her garrison, allowing her to maintain a private army of three thousand, and bestowing upon her the salary of a first-rank official.
"Thank you for your great favor, Your Majesty!"
Although Gu Qihang was a little disappointed that the Imperial Noble Consort had become a general, he was happy with both of them and didn't care anymore.
Madam Wu was anxious about her daughter's marriage, and now she was about to leave for her post. If she hadn't been so worried about Gu Jinghao, she would have wanted to go to the border town with her daughter.
Xiao Li understood her thoughts. Women in this era did not have such progressive ideas; most of them were focused on being good wives and mothers.
She could only try her best to comfort her mother, promising to write home every month to let her know she was safe. Only then did Mrs. Wu reluctantly bid farewell to Xiaoli.
Xiao Li never returned to Beijing to settle down again in her life. She spent thirty years in the border town, the first ten of which were spent improving people's livelihoods, developing land, and promoting farming.
The middle ten years were dedicated to training troops, deploying formations, improving weapons, and manufacturing advanced weaponry...
Ten years later, the results were put to the test. She opened up trade markets and exchanged goods with neighboring countries. If there was any infringement, she would never give up.
Not only did it recover lost territory, it also took over many vassal states for the dynasty.
After Zhao Yunshen's first wife died in childbirth, the position of empress remained vacant. He wrote a letter to Xiaoli, promising that the position would remain vacant for her.
Xiao Li ignored them all.
The love of an emperor cannot last, and she would rather preserve this beautiful memory.
Xiao Li saw Gu Qihang and Madam Wu off, and her younger brother Gu Jinghao became the new Duke before she left this world.
Upon hearing this news, Zhao Yunshen was deeply disturbed. He sat quietly at his desk for a whole day before carefully sketching a picture of a young boy riding and shooting. Upon closer inspection, the boy was none other than Xiao Li.
(over)
Qian Xiaoli is a golden phoenix that flew out of the mountain village. She is hardworking and cherishes every opportunity. After graduating from university, she got a job at a Fortune 500 company.
The company offers excellent benefits, including an annual salary of one million and a motorhome.
She happily brought her elderly mother from the countryside to live with her, but little did she know that she had brought a troublemaker with her.
Not only did Qian's mother come herself, but she also brought her uncle's two children, Baiyan and Baihe. The two children were already eighteen years old, had just graduated from high school, and were looking for jobs. They said they needed to stay with her for a while.
They stayed there for a year until Qian Xiaoli couldn't stand it anymore and helped them find suitable jobs, at which point they moved out.
Feeling too lonely, Qian's mother went out to play every day, and from then on, Qian Xiaoli's home became lively.
Qian Mu either babysits other people's children or does housework for others. Sometimes, seeing how pitiful homeless people are, she will take them home to stay for a few days.
Qian Xiaoli said she had cried, but it was no use at all; she would still do whatever she wanted.
In the end, Qian Xiaoli was fired from her company because she was too worried, which led to a major mistake in a project. Her house and car were taken back, and she also had to pay a large sum of money in compensation.
But then she discovered that the savings book had been used by Qian's mother for charity and donated all of it. In a fit of anger, she sent Qian's mother back to her hometown.
After she finally paid off the company's debts, she received a call from home saying that her mother was seriously ill.
But to her surprise, it turned out to be a complete lie. Qian's mother found her a husband, and on the wedding day, she was given a drug that made her unconscious and was then married off.
When Qian Xiaoli woke up, she had become the wife of an old bachelor. Her family kept a close watch on her and only allowed her to go out and move around after she had given birth to a child.
Marriage registration in rural areas is not rigorous. With a little money, Qian Xiaoli got a marriage certificate without even going to the wedding, which has now tied her down.
For the sake of her child, Qian Xiaoli did not choose to leave and reluctantly spent her life with the old bachelor.
Even in the dead of night, she could still feel the afternoon sun shining on her, as she sat in her clean and bright office cubicle, enjoying her afternoon tea.
The rich aroma of coffee and the soft, sweet little cake filled her tongue with a delicate flavor.
However, all of this is now so distant, once so close, so real, and now only regret remains.
Qian Xiaoli was unwilling to accept it. It was her mother who had broken her wings, and she wanted to make her mother feel the same way about losing hope.
Xiao Li opened her eyes. This world was too difficult. The original owner both loved and hated her mother.
The original owner had no father since childhood. It is said that he was carried away by a tiger while hunting in the mountains, and his body was never found.
The reason was that Qian's mother had just given birth and needed to replenish her nutrition, but the family didn't have money to buy meat, so Qian's father went hunting.
Why was there no money at home? Because Qian's mother took all the money back to her parents' home to buy meat for her younger brother.
Qian's mother was not only a sycophant who supported her brother excessively, but also a saintly figure. Whenever she saw a beggar on the street, she would always give him something.
They might even take beggar children home and care for them meticulously.
The original owner was able to finish university thanks to half of her own hard work and half of the help from village officials, who waived her tuition fees, which enabled her to complete high school.
After entering university, because of her excellent grades, the school helped her find a work-study position and applied for student loans...
The mother of the money also had a great influence on the original owner. She often said that one should repay kind people, and the original owner agreed with her.
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