Yue Xiyuan ordered the withdrawal of troops from Luancheng, the southernmost point of the moat.
It wasn't until the machine-made boat drifted on the river for a whole day that it finally reached Luancheng.
"Your Highness, Your Highness, we have arrived."
The bumpy ride had already made Liu Xuening even weaker, and the mechanical ship was already reeking of foul odors.
Chen Jingshu peeked out through the open door, where a hand was already waiting.
"Thank you for your hard work, Jing Shu."
Upon hearing this, her nose tingled, and her eyes instantly filled with tears, threatening to fall in large drops.
Chen Jingshu looked at Yan Shaoheng, then felt embarrassed and immediately turned her head away.
She tried her best to hold back her tears, her whole body began to tremble, and the journey felt incredibly long.
Yan Shaoheng pulled her into his arms and gently wiped away her tears.
"Alright, alright, everything will start anew, we have a long future ahead of us."
Just then, Yue Zhixiao, who had just come out, saw this scene. "Ahem..."
Upon hearing Yue Zhixiao's voice, Chen Jingshu quickly left Yan Shaoheng's embrace.
She wanted to give the father and son a formal meeting.
"Xiao'er, this is yours..."
Yan Shaoheng interrupted, perhaps fearing that Yue Zhixiao was not yet ready to accept reality.
"Jing Shu, we can't stay here any longer. Let's go back first."
"Okay, whatever you say."
At this moment, Chen Jingshu was like a young girl, knowing how to be shy and how to act coquettish.
"Your subordinate greets the Princess and the young prince."
Before them stood dozens of shadows, all identical in build and attire, and they shared a common name: 'Shadows'.
Chen Jingshu nodded, "Thank you for your hard work."
Yan Shaoheng led Chen Jingshu at the front, followed by Yue Zhixiao.
Ying pulled Liu Xuening out of the mechanical ship. The smell on her body made Ying frown.
Liu Xuening secretly vowed in her heart that she would repay Yue Zhixiao a thousandfold for all the grievances she suffered today.
Looking at the carriage in front of him, Yan Shaoheng turned to Yue Zhixiao and said, "Xiao'er, why don't you ride in the carriage with us?"
The Chen Jingshu of the past was always brave and decisive, with eyes only for power and profit. The Chen Jingshu before him now was nothing like the Empress Dowager he remembered.
Yan Shaoheng didn't want to see his mother like this, but he also didn't want to share a carriage with Liu Xuening.
"No need, I'd rather ride a horse."
Yan Shaoheng led Chen Jingshu into the carriage, while Liu Xuening was thrown into a later carriage used for storing miscellaneous items.
The group continued south, and once they left Luancheng, they reached the border between the Yue Kingdom and the Yan Kingdom.
Yan Shaoheng held Chen Jingshu's hand tightly and pulled her close to his chest.
"It's been almost thirty years, and we've finally been reunited."
“Shaoheng, I don’t know how long I have been looking forward to this moment. There have been countless days and nights when I thought about ending my life. But looking at Xiao’er growing up, I can’t bear to see him lose his mother at such a young age, with his father not by his side either.”
"I'm sorry."
“It’s not your fault, it’s all my fault. If I hadn’t taken it upon myself to escape from the palace that day, none of this would have happened.”
This is a source of pain for Chen Jingshu every time it's mentioned.
The guilt deep in Yan Shaoheng's heart was like a raging fire, scorching his soul.
"How can this be your fault? If anyone is to blame, it's me. I made a promise to you that has lasted for over twenty years."
At this moment, Chen Jingshu burst into tears again, shaking her head, "I have never blamed you."
"Let's not mention this again, okay? Let's just pretend it never happened, okay?"
Chen Jingshu nodded. "Okay."
Suddenly, Yan Shaoheng felt a sharp pain in his chest. He covered his chest with his right hand, and the gu worms moving back and forth made his chest rise and fall.
"What's wrong, Shaoheng? Are you feeling unwell? I'll call Chengying over."
Yan Shaoheng grabbed Chen Jingshu and said, "I'm fine, it's just that I've had chest pain for years."
"Chest pain? Have you seen a doctor? Is it serious? Let me take a look."
At this moment, the worm in his chest must be sucking his blood, wriggling incessantly in his chest.
He certainly couldn't let her see him like this; it would definitely frighten her.
"It's alright, Yunxi prescribed some medicine for me, I'll be fine after taking it, don't worry."
Yan Shaoheng shakily poured out a few pills and put them in his mouth.
Chen Jingshu poured him a glass of water and handed it to him, saying, "Drink some water to help you settle down."
"See, I feel much better after taking the medicine."
Yan Shaoheng endured the excruciating pain and pretended to be fine, just so that Chen Jingshu wouldn't worry anymore.
His forehead was already covered in sweat, and he could only wipe it off with his sleeve when she wasn't looking.
Are you really alright?
"It's alright now."
Yan Shaoheng smiled slightly at her, his eyes filled with tenderness.
"It's good that you're alright. When we get back to the manor, I'll make sure to keep an eye on Yunxi and check your pulse again. Don't even think about lying to me."
"Okay, whatever you say."
In order to prevent Chen Jingshu from noticing his abnormality, he had already taken a pill before greeting her.
The pills taken during the day may suppress the pain to some extent, but they will cause the pain to return tenfold or a hundredfold at night.
Why did the elixir become ineffective so quickly today? Yan Shaoheng didn't understand.
"Shaoheng, what are you thinking about?"
"I wasn't thinking about anything."
After a moment of hesitation, Chen Jingshu sat up straight and asked, "Shaoheng, if you ascend the throne, will you pass it on to Xiao'er in the future?"
Without a second thought, Yan Shaoheng gave an affirmative answer, "Of course, if I don't give the throne to Xiao'er, who else can I give it to?"
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