Chapter 79 (Third Update): Welcoming the Crown Princess Back to the Palace...
The journey back to Jinling began on a day when it suddenly snowed in Liangzhou.
Unfortunately, although Liangzhou had been bitterly cold for the past few days, it hadn't reached the point of snowfall. Yet, on the very day they set off, it snowed in Liangzhou.
Mu Zhaozhi had never seen Liangzhou in the snow, nor had she ever traveled far in the snow. As soon as she got into the carriage, she couldn't help but lean against the window and watch the snow falling outside.
The world was covered in white snow, a silver-clad expanse. Everything in sight was blanketed in white, a vast expanse of white, with only bare branches and rooftops occasionally peeking out from the darkness, as if waving their hands under the heavy snow, showing off their existence.
Mu Zhaozhi loved watching everything buried by the heavy snow, cheering all the way, seemingly unafraid of the cold wind outside.
When Yunzhu first got into the carriage, Mu Zhaozhi was allowed to look at the snow. However, after nearly half an hour, her daughter's head remained pressed against the carriage window, and she didn't bring it back. Only then did Mu Zhaozhi forcefully pull her daughter's head back.
A charcoal fire was lit inside the carriage, crackling and popping as it swayed along the mountain road.
"If you keep looking, your ears will freeze," she threatened Mu Zhaozhi.
"No way!" Mu Zhaozhi, though young, was quite shrewd. Not only was she not frightened by Yunzhu at all, but she snuggled into Yunzhu's arms and said coquettishly, "Mother, don't you like snowy days? You said before that I was born on a snowy night, so you actually like winter, don't you?"
"..."
I told her not to get cold, so why doesn't she like snowy days?
Yunzhu tapped Mu Zhaozhi's forehead and said, "Yes, Mother loves snowy days, but even if you love them, you have to make sure you don't get cold first, right?"
"Hehe." Mu Zhaozhi knew she was in the wrong, so she warmed her hands by her mother's side for a while, but then she couldn't stay still and picked up a chessboard, waving it at Xiao Mingzhang.
Xiao Mingzhang was reading a book and eavesdropping on the conversation between the mother and daughter. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Mu Zhaozhi actually wanted to play chess with him. He raised an eyebrow and put down his book.
He asked Mu Zhaozhi, "So, will it be the same as last time, with the loser having their nose flicked?"
"Yes!" Mu Zhaozhi nodded.
The father and daughter then set up a chessboard facing each other.
The army's return carriages were very large. Inside, not only could three people sit, but a warm charcoal stove could also be placed, along with a tea table, chessboard, and other utensils.
It's unclear when this father and daughter developed such a tacit understanding. Yunzhu watched as Mu Zhaozhi left her embrace and began playing chess with Xiao Mingzhang. She hesitated for a moment, but couldn't resist, so she went over to watch as well.
Although she had learned the Central Plains language, Yunzhu was still far behind in chess skills, no different from a beginner. She stared at the chessboard for a while, then felt dizzy and couldn't understand it.
If she doesn't understand something, then we won't force her. We'll talk about it when she really wants to learn chess. Yunzhu has always known how to please herself.
Thinking this, she naturally moved away from the father and daughter, wanting to lean against the side of the carriage to relax.
However, Xiao Mingzhang grabbed her wrist at just the right moment, preventing her from sneaking away.
Yunzhu was completely confused.
Xiao Mingzhang said, "It would be a bit unfair for me to play against Azhi. Why don't you play? That way, I can teach you both at the same time."
"..."
Did she say she wanted to learn chess?
Lately, Xiao Mingzhang has managed to satisfy Yunzhu in almost everything, but this sentence displeased her. At this moment, she had no desire to learn chess!
She was about to speak and righteously refuse Xiao Mingzhang, but before long, Mu Zhaozhi also came up to her along with Xiao Mingzhang.
"Mother, please, come and play chess with me!"
"…………"
It was easy to refuse Xiao Mingzhang, but it was not so easy to refuse Mu Zhaozhi.
Yunzhu hesitated, but ultimately failed to sneak away.
The journey from Liangzhou to Jinling didn't involve much snowfall; the carriage only traveled for a day before it had almost left the snow-covered area.
However, for the next few days, Yunzhu didn't have time to enjoy the scenery along the way.
Because she was being held back by Mu Zhaozhi and Xiao Mingzhang, one of them insisted on playing chess with her, and the other insisted on teaching her how to play chess.
She was so busy in the carriage that she was dizzy. By the time she had finally learned the basic chess skills, they were almost at Jinling City.
Jiangnan.
This is a place that Yunzhu has heard about since she was a child, but she has never been there.
As the carriage traveled through the water towns of Jiangnan, they had completely escaped the embrace of the swirling snow and misty rain. What greeted them was a damp fog that, though not raining, still felt invigorating.
“Jinling…” Yunzhu murmured the name of the capital city she was about to reach, then suddenly turned to Xiao Mingzhang and asked, “How many times have you been to Jinling?”
After their marriage, Yunzhu remembered that Xiao Mingzhang only went to Jinling once in three years, and that was when he went with Xiao Shao to report on his duties. What about before that? What about after that? She didn't know completely.
"Not many, but before I went to my fiefdom in Yunzhou, I lived in Jinling."
During his youth, Xiao Mingzhang had a very brief memory of a time that took place in Nanjing.
But that period of time was truly short-lived. Not long after, he followed his father and mother to their fiefdom in Yunzhou.
From then on, Jinling was no longer its homeland, but a distant capital.
"Now, you want to turn it back into your homeland?" Yunzhu's tone was slightly mocking.
Xiao Mingzhang glanced at her, took her hand without hesitation, and said firmly, "This will be our homeland."
With Prince Yi gone, Xiao Mingzhang was not entirely at ease about going to Jinling, but he was almost certain that the throne would be in the hands of Prince Huan's family.
Unlike Xiao Shao, who insisted on receiving the imperial edict of succession before feeling at ease, Xiao Mingzhang believed that no matter what means were used to ascend the throne, whether through civil or military means, as long as they succeeded, they would be the biggest winners.
How history is written is not important; what matters is what they do in the future.
As long as those in power genuinely care about the people, in the end, the people of the world and the passage of time will record their deeds in history.
Yunzhu stared intently at Xiao Mingzhang.
Having spent so much time with Xiao Mingzhang recently, she felt quite confused, finding it difficult to see any trace of the former Xiao Mingzhang in him now.
Even though she knew it was just one person, Yunzhu always found it hard not to compare him to the person she knew before.
The former Xiao Mingzhang was refined and easy-going, a gentleman universally praised. But now, he frequently reveals his ruthlessness and cold-heartedness in public.
Even knowing that his past was mostly a facade, Yunzhu still felt that she preferred the Xiao Mingzhang of the past.
Traveling with Xiao Mingzhang, she thought she would never see such an old friend again, someone who was worldly-wise yet not cynical, who handled everything with ease and grace. But just now, she felt that she had seen him again.
When Xiao Mingzhang talked about the common people, he was exactly the same as the Xiao Mingzhang that Yunzhu had met before.
They were equally confident, equally people-oriented, equally witty and relaxed, and equally casual and composed.
Suddenly, Yunzhu turned her face away, a faint smile appearing between her lips.
Xiao Mingzhang noticed. The man who was talking about his country and its people just a moment ago was now leaning down in front of his wife.
His handsome features were directly facing Yunzhu's delicate face. After catching the smile on her cheek, this man, who could strategize in both the court and the battlefield, showed a rare look of doubt.
He was puzzled by Yunzhu's smile.
But clearly, Yunzhu wouldn't tell him what she was laughing about.
He could only maintain this posture, staring at Yunzhu until Yunzhu couldn't stand the gaze any longer and nudged him. Only then did he let out a slight smile and slowly straighten up.
Yunzhu stared at Xiao Mingzhang getting up, then gradually turned her head away.
Although she couldn't tell what she was laughing about, Yunzhu felt that she was always easily captivated by Xiao Mingzhang's smile.
What is he laughing at? Is he laughing at her stamina, or at her expression?
She remained calm, arms crossed, about to ask a question, when the carriage suddenly stopped. Immediately, a soldier, covered in sweat, rode up, lifted the curtain beside Xiao Mingzhang, and shouted, "Your Highness, something terrible has happened! The He family has raised an army in rebellion!"
—
The He family was the maternal family of Prince Yi's mother.
The He family raised an army in rebellion, borrowing troops from the King of Qi.
The King of Qi is the younger brother of the current emperor.
Yunzhu never expected that such a thing would happen on their way to Jinling.
They were only one day away from reaching Jinling, but now, they certainly couldn't go to Jinling.
Xiao Mingzhang then temporarily settled Yunzhu and Mu Zhaozhi in the current city, while he led his troops to Jinling first.
When he went to Liangzhou, he took most of the troops from Yunzhou with him, leaving Xiao Shao with not many troops in Jinling.
The He family's rebellion, in principle, was not a cause for concern, but since they had allied with the King of Qi, we had to be vigilant.
It turned out that after Prince Yi's death, the emperor also fainted, and Prince Huan had been in control of the court in Jinling. The He clan had long been dissatisfied with the court headed by Prince Huan. Knowing that if things continued this way, and Prince Huan ascended the throne, they would only end up with their entire clan being exiled, they simply joined forces with Prince Qi, who also harbored rebellious intentions and was dissatisfied with Prince Huan, and together they launched this rebellion.
Xiao Mingzhang didn't know much about the Prince of Qi. He only knew that the Prince had been staying in his own fiefdom. He didn't know when the Prince had arrived in Jinling, nor how many troops the Prince had brought with him.
So he could only rush to Xiao Shao's side as quickly as possible.
He didn't have time to say much to Yunzhu, so he could only hold her hand tightly before leaving and tell her to take good care of herself and Azhi.
Yunzhu will naturally take good care of herself and Azhi.
It wasn't like she was going to war; how could she not take care of herself? But she looked at Xiao Mingzhang with worry, wondering whether he would live or die on his journey.
This rebellion is happening in Jinling. Prince Qi and Lady He must also be after the throne, right? Although Xiao Mingzhang didn't say it, Yunzhu probably knew. Perhaps her life or death depended on this.
If they succeed, they will be crowned emperor, and endless power will come their way; but if they fail, it will not only be Xiao Mingzhang, but soon she and Azhi will also be doomed.
Suddenly, for a moment, Yunzhu regretted coming back with Xiao Mingzhang.
She never denied that she was a coward who clung to life. If she had known that she and Xiao Mingzhang would have to go through this ordeal, she would never have turned back.
But it's no use saying all this now. At this point, all she can do is protect her daughter and wait for news from Xiao Mingzhang.
"If you really have no other choice, then take Azhi and run away." Xiao Mingzhang whispered in Yunzhu's ear. Just before leaving, he seemed to have heard Yunzhu's thoughts again, and suddenly turned around and said these words to her.
Yunzhu stood there, stunned.
It's one thing for her to want to leave, but it's quite another for Xiao Mingzhang to tell her to leave.
She gripped Xiao Mingzhang's wrist tightly with both hands, pressing all the veins out, causing his silver helmet to tremble violently.
Her eyes were red, and she had originally wanted to say some soft words to Xiao Mingzhang, hoping he would come back soon, but the words that came to her lips suddenly became: "Xiao Mingzhang, if you can't come back alive to pick me and Azhi up, then you can wait in the afterlife to see me remarry with Azhi. I will definitely not wait for you anymore!"
"Okay, I understand." A smile spread across Xiao Mingzhang's face.
How could he not tell when Yunzhu was telling the truth and when she was lying?
He cupped Yunzhu's face in his hands and unexpectedly left a faint mark on her forehead.
Yunzhu lowered her head and suddenly noticed a tear welling up in the corner of her eye.
In the blink of an eye, Xiao Mingzhang had already released her.
He bent down and looked at his bewildered daughter.
He had already said goodbye to Mu Zhaozhi once before, but seeing her staring intently at him again, Xiao Mingzhang couldn't help but pat his daughter's head again.
"Azhi, let's wait for Father to come back and pick you up, okay?"
Mu Zhaozhi blinked. She didn't actually know what Xiao Mingzhang was going to do, but she had been getting along very well with him these past few days, so she nodded decisively.
"Then remember to come back soon!" she told Xiao Mingzhang.
"Alright." Xiao Mingzhang's smile grew even brighter. After bidding farewell to his daughter once again, he led a group of fully equipped soldiers and headed straight for Jinling without looking back.
As Yunzhu watched his figure on horseback grow farther and farther away, soon disappearing into the vast dust, she couldn't help but take a few more steps in the direction he had gone.
"Mother, let's go upstairs." But Mu Zhaozhi took her hand.
She looked up at her mother, wondering why her mother's eyes were filled with tears.
Isn't it just a simple farewell? Xiao Mingzhang said he would be back soon.
Mu Zhaozhi chose to believe him.
“A-Zhi…”
Yunzhu looked down at her daughter's small figure and suddenly felt a pang of regret.
But she didn't regret coming back with Xiao Mingzhang; instead, she regretted that she should have called Azhi to call him "Father."
Although Mu Zhaozhi and Xiao Mingzhang have always gotten along well, Mu Zhaozhi has never called Xiao Mingzhang "father" in all this time.
If he really doesn't come back this time...
If he really doesn't come back this time...
Yunzhu will truly regret it immensely.
This is a small town in Jiangnan, only a day's journey away from Nanjing.
However, Yunzhu stayed here for three days.
These were perhaps the three most agonizing days of her life, even more so than the days when she fled from the Prince Huan's mansion.
She knew nothing of the situation in Jinling, nothing of Xiao Mingzhang's fate, and nothing of her own future. What lay ahead for her and Mu Zhaozhi? It all depended on Xiao Mingzhang's outcome.
Mu Zhaozhi was more open-minded than her, because she originally didn't know what had happened either.
In three days, she took Yunzhu on a thorough tour of this small town in Jiangnan.
The gentle, watery Jiangnan region is completely different from the rugged, unrestrained grasslands of the frontier. This is the first time Mu Zhaozhi has seen someone build stone steps by a babbling brook, and it is also the first time she has seen someone washing clothes on the stone steps. The brook and the stone steps are much more convenient than the streams on the grassland.
She heard people walking through the streets and alleys speaking a bunch of languages she couldn't understand, so she curiously pulled her mother along, wanting to follow them and listen to what the so-called soft Wu dialect was all about.
She had never seen those bluestone roads, never seen trees that bloom in winter, never experienced the humid winds of Jiangnan, and never tasted Tiaotou cake or Dingsheng cake.
She felt unfamiliar with everything about Jiangnan, and curious about everything about Jiangnan.
Yunzhu didn't want to go out with her daughter at a time like this; these were turbulent times, and it would be better to stay put. But looking into her daughter's curious, bright eyes, which seemed to be looking at her as a child, she couldn't bear to tell her the truth, so she went with her anyway.
She had never been to Jiangnan before, and everything about Jiangnan felt unfamiliar to her.
When Yunzhu heard the soft Wu dialect, she felt as if she had entered a completely different country. In this country, she was a beginner, with only a little knowledge and ignorance, about to embark on a new adventure.
But this adventure was not what she wanted.
"Azhi!" The second day in this small town was the most frightening day for Yunzhu.
She saw a burly man selling candied hawthorns approach Mu Zhaozhi when she wasn't looking.
For Yunzhu, who had experienced her daughter's kidnapping, such moments always warranted her utmost vigilance.
She wanted to call for the guards immediately, but in the blink of an eye, she saw that the guards were clearly right next to Mu Zhaozhi, and the reason the burly man selling candied hawthorns was close to Mu Zhaozhi was because Mu Zhaozhi herself had called out to him—
She wants to eat candied hawthorn.
Yunzhu was relieved, but her whole body was covered in cold sweat from head to toe.
Ayan noticed something was wrong with her and took her back to the inn where they were staying.
They warmed themselves by the fire in the house, and it took several hours before Yunzhu finally came back to her senses from this dazed state.
Ayan was very worried about Yunzhu, but after Yunzhu came to her senses, she shook her head and felt that she was still fine.
She knew the root of her problem; only news of Xiao Mingzhang could help her escape her current state.
But where is Xiao Mingzhang?
Yunzhu had no way of knowing, nor did the guards who were protecting her and Mu Zhaozhi.
The winds that swept through Nanjing, a city ravaged by carnage, could not reach this peaceful little town.
It wasn't until the third day that news of Xiao Mingzhang finally arrived.
Having experienced yesterday's fright, Yunzhu was at least a bit calmer today than the day before.
Mu Zhaozhi got up early in the morning, wanting to go shopping again. Although she was not in good spirits, she still mustered her energy and went with her.
As she walked along the bluestone slabs, Mu Zhaozhi exclaimed in amazement, marveling at the unique charm of this Jiangnan town.
Yunzhu followed behind her daughter, not saying much, only responding when her daughter called her name.
They strolled around until evening before returning to the inn. The Jiangnan town in winter was not as warm as Yunzhu had imagined. The river reflected the gradually descending sunset, and the sunlight was like the color in the water. The light shone on people, but instead of warmth, it carried a dampness.
When they returned to the inn, Mu Zhaozhi was still recounting what she had seen and heard that day, and also thinking about where she should go for a stroll the next day.
Yunzhu looked at her helplessly. Back when they were at the border, she had no idea that she was such a lively and active girl. She thought she would be as steady as Xiao Mingzhang.
As they walked in, they were surprised to find the room filled with soldiers.
Yunzhu's heart skipped a beat, and cold sweat soaked her entire body once again, thinking that Xiao Mingzhang had lost.
But the next moment, all the soldiers knelt down before her.
They said in unison, "We are here on the orders of the Crown Prince to welcome the Crown Princess and the Princess back to the palace!"
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