When Princess Duan caught sight of Zheng Dinglian entering the mansion, she hurriedly stood up and, before he could even put down his luggage, warmly pulled him into the circle of conversation.
However, Zheng Dinglian's opening remarks froze the smile on Princess Duan's face. His words were like a shard of ice piercing her heart: "Mother, I will set off again and throw myself into the battlefield."
Princess Duan's face immediately turned pale, her astonishment evident: "How...how can there be another war? Didn't we already win?"
Zheng Dinglian's eyes revealed reluctance and guilt: "Last year's floods caused many places to lose their harvest, and some small countries around Western Wei took the opportunity to launch rebellions. Recently, His Majesty has been discussing countermeasures with us and has ordered me to return to the northern frontier."
Princess Duan's eyes quickly blurred with tears. The northern frontier was her nightmare, the place that had taken the lives of her husband and two sons.
Despite her fear and reluctance, what could she do? Could she really stop Zheng Dinglian from going to the battlefield? Not only would she not receive the Emperor's permission, but she would also betray the expectations of the Zheng family's ancestors.
Gu Qinlan's heart was equally heavy. The thought of the life-or-death test her husband was about to face made her heart ache as if it were being pricked by needles.
However, in front of Princess Duan, she tried her best to hide her anxiety, not wanting to add to the princess's burden with her worries.
So she tried her best to make her tone sound relaxed: "Mother, there is no need to worry too much. My husband's understanding of the Northern Frontier is unparalleled. With him here, the Northern Frontier will surely be impregnable, and those Northern Di Kingdoms that dare to provoke us will tremble under his iron cavalry."
But Princess Duan clearly could not accept such comfort. Her body trembled and her voice was weak: "Qinlan, take me to the ancestral hall. I want to pray to our ancestors for their protection."
She hoped to invoke the power of her ancestors to ensure Zheng Dinglian's safe return.
Zheng Dinglian also stood up and, together with Gu Qinlan, helped Princess Duan into the quiet and solemn ancestral hall.
Inside the ancestral hall, each memorial tablet carries the glory and memories of the Zheng family. These tablets were once precious items they carried with them when they fled Jindu.
Upon arriving in the capital, Gu Qinlan solemnly placed these memorial tablets in the ancestral hall of the Prince Duan's residence.
In the ancestral hall, Zheng Dinglian and Princess Duan knelt together in worship.
Princess Duan said softly, "You all go ahead, I'll stay here alone."
The couple kowtowed and left the ancestral hall. Gu Qinlan couldn't help but ask, "Has His Majesty given any instructions on when we will depart?"
Zheng Dinglian replied, "In three days."
He noticed that Gu Qinlan's eyes were already red, and knowing that she was also feeling heavy-hearted, he tried to comfort her.
But Gu Qinlan turned around and said in a deliberately relaxed tone, "I need to hurry up and pack. Last time you left in a hurry and didn't even have time to bring your basic necessities. This time, I must make sure that everything is prepared perfectly."
Before she could finish speaking, she hurriedly left.
Zheng Dinglian watched her retreating figure, his heart filled with bitterness.
In the past, when he was still an innocent boy, watching his father and brothers go to war, the busyness of his mother and sisters-in-law was just a daily routine for him.
However, when he himself became the one about to go into battle, he truly felt the concern and reluctance of his family behind him.
Soon, the news that Zheng Dinglian was about to go on another expedition spread like wildfire throughout the Prince Duan's residence, and everyone's mood became extremely heavy.
Everyone instinctively lowered their movements and voices, afraid of putting more psychological pressure on their owners.
At the same time, they were also filled with worry and fear. After all, they had served in the Zheng family for many years and had a deep understanding of the cruelty and ruthlessness of the battlefield.
Some of the older servants couldn't help but go to nearby temples to pray for their masters' safety.
Gu Qinlan spent two whole days preparing more than a dozen truckloads of supplies for Zheng Dinglian.
Food, clothing, daily necessities, and carefully prepared medicinal herbs and pills were all provided.
Nevertheless, she still felt it wasn't enough, always feeling that she could do more for her husband, as if that would give her some peace of mind.
On the morning of the third day, as dawn broke, Zheng Dinglian quietly stopped Gu Qinlan, who was about to step out of the house: "Qinlan, the things you have prepared are more than enough, there is no need to buy anything else."
"Today, stay by my side and keep me company for a while."
A gentle spring breeze caresses the willow branches, which sway softly, and tender green shoots peek out from the treetops, where birds frolic joyfully.
In the distance, a magnificent horse carries a tall, imposing man, and upon closer inspection, one can see that a petite woman sits in his lap.
The horse galloped swiftly, heading straight for the nearby mountains, only coming to a slow stop at the summit.
Zheng Dinglian carefully helped Gu Qinlan slide off the horse.
Gu Qinlan tried to tidy up her disheveled hair, but it was all in vain. The strands of hair remained loose, as if they were about to collapse at any moment, making her look rather disheveled.
Zheng Dinglian couldn't help but chuckle, only to be met with a glare from Gu Qinlan.
What a reckless person! Who messed up her hair? Unfortunately, her maid wasn't around, and she was powerless to fix her hair herself.
Zheng Dinglian stepped forward and gently pulled out the hairpin from her hair.
A strand of jet-black hair cascaded down in an instant, fluttering in the wind.
His fingertips gently ran through her hair, softly massaging her scalp. "Qinlan, there's no need to be too formal. Except when you're meeting the Emperor, you can be yourself as you please."
This was the first time someone had spoken to her like this, and she was stunned for a moment.
Then, she smiled gently: "It's not as simple as you think..."
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