Zheng Dinglian picked up the children and smiled as he instructed them, "Daddy will come back. You must be good and listen to your mother and aunt, okay?"
The children nodded, a determined glint in their eyes.
At this moment, Zheng Dinglian's gaze fell on his newlywed wife, Gu Qinlan.
She stood in the crowd, silently watching him, her eyes filled with worry.
Zheng Dinglian's heart tightened. He looked at Princess Duan and Zheng Huiyi and said, "Mother, sister, the fate of this expedition is uncertain. After I leave, Qinlan will take full charge of the affairs of the household. I hope you will give me your support."
Princess Duan was taken aback upon hearing this. She exchanged a glance with Zheng Huiyi, then nodded helplessly. The reluctance in her eyes quickly concealed the fleeting displeasure that had crossed her face. She said, "Lian'er, go in peace. Your mother knows that you have to go to the battlefield for the sake of Western Wei and the family. Qinlan is a sensible child; she will take good care of everything at home."
Zheng Huiyi bit her lip, looking at Zheng Dinglian with worried eyes, and couldn't help but ask, "Brother, you will definitely come back safely, right?"
Zheng Dinglian smiled and patted his sister's shoulder, saying, "Don't worry, brother will be careful and strive for an early victory. But, Qinlan, she..."
Gu Qinlan smiled gently, walked to Zheng Dinglian's side, took his hand, and said softly, "Husband, I know you're worried. I will take good care of myself and protect the Duan Prince's Mansion, waiting for you to come back."
Zheng Dinglian looked at Gu Qinlan, a warm feeling welling up in his heart. He held Gu Qinlan's hand tightly in return and said, "Qinlan, you are my most reliable support. After I leave, you must take good care of yourself and not overwork yourself. Remember, no matter what happens, don't force yourself to be strong."
A tear glistened in Gu Qinlan's eyes. She nodded vigorously and said, "Husband, I will remember. You must take care of yourself and not worry us."
The convoy slowly started moving, and Zheng Dinglian, astride his horse, waved goodbye to everyone.
Zheng Dinglian's warhorse embarked on its journey. Princess Duan, Zheng Huiyi, and the children watched his departing figure, tears streaming down their faces.
Zheng Dinglian rode his warhorse forward, but his mind was filled with a different picture.
He thought of his elderly mother and her worry for his safety; he thought of his younger sister, Zheng Huiyi, who was already of marriageable age but still unmarried; he thought of his children, who were so young, yet had to endure the pain of their father's departure; he thought of Gu Qinlan, newly married, yet having to face all of this alone.
He silently vowed in his heart: "I must return safely, protect them, and let them live a happy life."
Warhorses galloped, dust billowed, and Zheng Dinglian's figure gradually disappeared into the distance.
The crowd remained standing, gazing in the direction he had gone, their hearts filled with anticipation and blessings.
A somber atmosphere hung over the entrance to the Prince Duan's residence.
After seeing Zheng Dinglian off to war, Princess Duan, Zheng Huiyi, and Zheng Dinglian's three children couldn't help but hug each other and weep, and the servants around them also started sobbing.
In an instant, cries rose and fell, as if to engulf the entire Prince Duan's mansion.
At this moment, Gu Qinlan stood at the doorway, her fists clenched, her gaze resolute, her eyes fixed intently on the guests who were secretly laughing. She slowly walked to Princess Duan's side, gently helped her up, and comforted her in a tender yet firm voice:
"Your Highness, please don't be too sad. The Crown Prince will definitely return safely. Please take care of yourself."
Princess Duan looked at Gu Qinlan, a hint of gratitude flashing in her eyes, and nodded gently.
Gu Qinlan turned her head, her gaze sweeping over the ill-intentioned guests, and said angrily in a serious tone, "Gentlemen, do you find it funny that the Prince Duan's heir is fighting for the country?"
One of the guests couldn't help but laugh out loud, but Gu Qinlan's icy gaze forced him to shut his mouth immediately.
"If the Prince Duan's heir were your family, would you still be able to laugh?" Gu Qinlan's voice grew increasingly stern, sending a chill down the spines of the guests.
A guest hesitated before speaking: "Princess Consort, we mean no harm, it's just..."
Gu Qinlan interrupted him: "Does the absence of malice justify mocking someone else's suffering? The Zheng family has served in the military for generations, protecting the people of Western Wei. The ancestral hall is filled with the memorial tablets of the men, and the women of the Zheng family have never uttered a single complaint. It is only natural for the princess to worry about her son's safety. Why has that become something for you to laugh at?"
The guests looked at each other, unsure how to respond.
At this moment, Zheng Huiyi stepped forward, tears welling in her eyes, but she forced back her grief and said to the guests, "Distinguished guests, I know you are not close to the Zheng family, but please respect our feelings. My brother went to war for the sake of Western Wei and its people, and we are proud of him. Even if he dies on the battlefield, it is for the peace of Western Wei. What right do you have to laugh at us?"
Zheng Huiyi's words made the guests even more embarrassed. They lowered their heads and dared not look at Gu Qinlan and Zheng Huiyi anymore.
Seeing this, Gu Qinlan softened her tone slightly: "Gentlemen, I hope you can learn from today's events. The rise and fall of Western Wei is the responsibility of every citizen. Each of us should contribute to the peace and tranquility of Western Wei. It is our duty for the men of the Zheng family to serve in the army and the women of the Zheng family to guard the home. I hope you can understand our feelings."
A guest said with deep remorse, "Your Highness, we understand. We were wrong, please forgive our ignorance."
Upon hearing this, Gu Qinlan smiled brightly: "In that case, let's forget about it. I hope that everyone can contribute more to the peace and tranquility of Western Wei in the days to come."
The guests nodded in approval, praising Gu Qinlan, the new daughter-in-law of the Prince Duan's mansion, for her calmness, intelligence, competence, and decisiveness.
At this moment, an old man with white hair stepped out from the crowd, stroking his white beard as he nodded and smiled, saying, "Gentlemen, I have a few words to say about Prince Zheng's expedition to the northern frontier."
Everyone was drawn by the sudden sound and turned to look at the old man. He was dressed in a blue Taoist robe, with a thin face and bright, piercing eyes. Although his hair was white, he was calm and composed, giving off an air of otherworldly elegance.
"So it's Master Lu Yuan! It's true that seeing is believing!" Gu Qinlan recognized the old man as the renowned Master Lu Yuan.
She was slightly taken aback, not expecting that at this crucial moment, Master Luyuan would take the initiative to stand up for Zheng Dinglian.
Master Lu Yuan looked at Gu Qinlan, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes: "Has the Crown Princess already heard of my reputation?"
Gu Qinlan smiled slightly and said, "Master Luyuan's name is renowned far and wide. Not only me, but who in the entire Western Wei does not know him? Meeting you today, I can see that his reputation is well-deserved."
Master Lu Yuan smiled, turned to look at Princess Duan, and said, "Princess Duan, I know you are worried, but please believe me, Prince Zheng is no ordinary person. He is brave and skilled in battle, and dealing with the enemies in the northern border is not a difficult task for him."
Princess Duan sneered and said, "Master Lu Yuan, you make it sound so easy. But it's not your son who's going to the Northern Frontier, so how can you understand the worries in my heart?"
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