Chapter 70: A Vow of Unity
Three days have passed since the army set off, but the air inside the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion remains stagnant, as if the departure of the leader has drained most of its vitality. Even the scorching summer sun, shining through the high walls into the courtyard, seems weak and listless.
The servants became increasingly cautious, their conversations barely audible, for fear of disturbing the unsettling silence. The only vibrant sound was Mingxuan's childish voice reciting his lessons, which emanated from the west wing study every morning, bringing a touch of life to the otherwise desolate mansion.
Su Wanrou sat on the window couch in Guiren Residence, holding an account book in her hand, but her gaze lingered on the pages, instead staring absently at the jasmine bush in full bloom outside the window. The pure white flowers clustered together, their fragrance carried into the room by the warm breeze, sweet with a hint of bitterness.
The scene of their farewell on the outskirts of the city was still vivid in her mind. His imposing figure in black armor, Mingxuan's heart-wrenching cries, and her own tears that she had forced back. For the past three days, she had not slept well at night, and the slightest sound would wake her up. She would subconsciously reach out to her side, only to touch the cold brocade quilt.
“Madam,” Yunbin entered quietly and said in a low voice, “Steward Gu Zhong is outside requesting an audience, saying that he has…something important to report.”
Su Wanrou suddenly snapped back to her senses, her fingertips trembling slightly as the account book slipped onto the couch. She composed herself, bent down to pick it up, closed the account book, and placed it on the small table, her expression regaining its usual composure: "Please invite Steward Gu in."
Gu Zhong strode in, his face unusually grave, even carrying a hint of barely perceptible panic. Behind him followed a travel-worn man dressed as an ordinary merchant. The man had his head down, his hat pulled low, but Su Wanrou recognized him at a glance as one of Gu Yangui's personal guards, specializing in intelligence transmission.
“Madam.” Gu Zhong’s voice was a little tight as he stepped aside to let the guard come forward.
The guard knelt on one knee, presenting a letter sealed with wax with both hands, his voice hoarse and low: "Madam, an urgent letter from the Duke!"
Su Wanrou's heart sank, almost leaping out of her throat. Only three days! Unless it was something extremely important, he would never have so urgently sent someone back to the capital while on the march! Had the situation in the northern border changed? Or was it him…
She suppressed the unease surging in her heart and took the letter. Her fingertips trembled slightly as they touched the cold wax seal. She took a deep breath and said to Gu Zhong, "Steward Gu, please take this brother downstairs for some tea and food, and make sure he is settled in properly."
"Yes." Gu Zhong glanced at her worriedly, then led the guard away.
The door closed, leaving Su Wanrou alone in the room. She walked to the desk, carefully used a paper cutter to pry open the sealing wax, and took out the letter inside. The letter was only a thin sheet of paper, with Gu Yangui's familiar and sharp handwriting, which was more hasty than usual, indicating that it was written in a hurry.
However, the contents of the letter were not the sudden change in military situation or the dangerous battle she had been worried about.
The letter was concise and to the point:
"My dearest wife, Wanrou: It is as if I am seeing you in person upon reading this letter. After three days of marching, my heart is filled with turmoil. Our parting was hasty, and the words I left unsaid have weighed heavily on my mind. When we parted at the pavilion, seeing you struggling to hold back your sobs, standing alone with our son in your arms, my heart ached. All the affairs of the household, with our elderly grandmother and our young son Xuan'er, rest on your shoulders. The burden is immense, and I am deeply ashamed. Yet, despite all my worries, nothing can compare to this: When I return victorious, I will not let you down. I entrust everything at home to you, my wife. Take care. Your husband, upon returning from the banquet, writes this by hand."
There were no sweet words, not even a single direct expression of longing, yet between the lines were the regret of not being able to say goodbye properly, pity for her for her forced strength, guilt for placing such a heavy burden on her shoulders, and... that weighty promise, with triumphant return as the end goal.
"When I return victorious, I will not let you down."
Su Wanrou looked at that sentence over and over again, her vision blurring instantly. Tears streamed down her face without warning, dripping onto the letter and spreading a small ink stain. The composure she had maintained for the past three days, the suppressed worry and longing, all burst forth at this moment. It wasn't that she wasn't afraid, or that she wasn't lonely, but she knew she couldn't give up.
Now, this letter, hundreds of miles away, carrying his warmth and scent, seemed to have traversed mountains and rivers, giving her a reason to be vulnerable for a brief moment. He understood her strength, and he understood her hardships.
She held the letter and cried for a long time, as if she wanted to wash away all her confusion and helplessness with her tears.
two
After some time, Mingxuan's clear voice came from outside the door: "Mother! I've finished writing the calligraphy!"
Su Wanrou suddenly woke up, quickly wiped the tears from her face with a handkerchief, and then tidied her slightly messy hair in front of the mirror. After confirming that there was nothing unusual, she called out, "Xuan'er, come in."
Mingxuan flew in like a happy little bird, holding up a sheet of Xuan paper with the ink still wet: "Mother, look! I wrote so well today, even the teacher praised me!"
Su Wanrou took the large characters her son had written; they were crooked but extremely earnest: "Peace." Her heart skipped a beat. She hugged her son and said softly, "Xuan'er is so good. Who are you writing 'Peace' for?"
"For Father!" Mingxuan looked up, his eyes sparkling. "I hope Father will be safe and sound!"
"Alright, Father will receive Xuan'er's heartfelt wishes and will surely be safe and sound." Su Wanrou kissed her son's forehead, her heart filled with tenderness. A child's purest wishes are often the most comforting.
After talking with Mingxuan for a while, checking his homework, and watching him eat some snacks, the wet nurse took him downstairs for a nap.
The room fell silent again. Su Wanrou walked to the desk, spread out a new sheet of paper, and began grinding ink and moistening her brush.
She had so much to say to him. She wanted to tell him that everything was fine at home, that her grandmother was in good health, and that Mingxuan was well-behaved and sensible; she wanted to tell him that she had initially sorted out the affairs of the household, so he didn't need to worry; she wanted to remind him that the border was harsh and cold, and that he must take care of himself and be cautious in everything he did…
The pen tip hovered over the paper for a long time, but the writer didn't know where to begin.
In the end, she wrote only a few words, just like him:
"To my beloved husband: I have received your letter, please do not worry. Everyone in the household is well, Grandmother is healthy, and Xuan'er is making good progress. Xuan'er and I pray every day for your success and early return. I will take care of everything at home, so please do not worry about us. We look forward to your return. Your wife, Wanrou, writes this."
There were no complaints, no fears, only the simplest reassurance of safety and the most steadfast promise.
"I'll take care of everything at home."
These five words carry a weight heavier than a thousand pounds. They represent the strongest support and deepest concern she could offer him.
She carefully sealed the letter, called Yunbin over, and instructed, "Give this letter to the brother who just delivered the letter, and ask him to take it back to the Duke."
"Yes, madam."
After Yunbin left, Su Wanrou carefully folded Gu Yangui's letter and kept it close to her body. That small piece of paper seemed to carry his warmth, soothing her heart and giving her boundless courage.
She walked to the window and looked north. The sky was vast, and white clouds drifted lazily by. She wondered where he was at that moment.
"Wait for me to come back." — That was his parting instruction.
“I’ll take care of everything at home.” — This was her response across mountains and rivers.
There were no vows of eternal love, no romantic walks under the moon, only this simplest yet most solemn vow, made between the husband and wife. A bond and trust that transcended romantic love, bordering on camaraderie, was firmly forged in that moment.
The phrase "working together" is no longer just a beautiful vision, but a responsibility and commitment ingrained in our very being.
three
In the evening, Su Wanrou went to pay her respects to the old lady.
The old lady was in better spirits than the previous two days and was chanting sutras in the Buddhist hall with Granny Fang by her side. When she saw Su Wanrou enter, she put down her prayer beads and beckoned her to come closer.
"Has news come back after the banquet?" the old lady asked with concern, her eyes filled with hope.
Su Wanrou felt a pang of sadness, knowing that the old lady must have been worried these past few days. She nodded and quoted from Gu Yangui's letter, choosing the parts that would reassure the old lady: "My husband said in his letter that everything is going well, and that Grandmother need not worry, and that taking care of herself is the most important thing. He also praised Xuan'er for being sensible."
She didn't mention any of her guilt or worries, only reporting good news and not bad.
Upon hearing this, the old lady breathed a long sigh of relief, and the first genuine smile in days appeared on her face: "It's good that everything went smoothly, it's good that everything went smoothly. May Buddha protect my grandson and keep him safe and sound." She took Su Wanrou's hand and patted it gently, "Good child, you've worked hard these past few days. This family is so fortunate to have you holding it together."
“This is my duty as a granddaughter-in-law,” Su Wanrou replied obediently.
As Su Wanrou emerged from the old lady's quarters, the sunset had already painted half the sky crimson. Instead of returning directly to Renju, she strolled to the martial arts training ground in the back garden.
This was the place where he had taught her to ride a horse, and the sand still seemed to bear the marks of his hooves. On the nearby weapons rack, all eighteen kinds of weapons were polished to a gleaming shine, gleaming coldly in the setting sun. She could almost see him practicing his spear here, agile as a dragon, his momentum unstoppable.
She stood quietly until the sun had completely sunk behind the western mountains and dusk had fallen.
"Madam, it's getting windy, let's go back inside," Yunbin said softly as she came over with a cloak.
Su Wanrou adjusted her cloak, took one last look at the empty training ground, turned around, and walked firmly toward the gradually brightening Guiren Residence.
Her figure remained slender, yet it seemed capable of bearing the weight of the deepening night.
Back in her room, she checked Mingxuan's homework as usual, had dinner with him, and handled household affairs until late at night.
Lying in bed, she no longer felt the emptiness and coldness beside her. Clutching the safety amulet at her chest, she thought of the short yet weighty letter, and a sense of peace settled in her heart.
"Wait for me to come back."
"I'll take care of everything at home."
Though separated by a thousand miles, their hearts are bound together by this shared vow.
The night was still long, and the road was still long. But she knew she wasn't walking alone.
Volume Two: The Difficult Life of a Spoiled Wife (End)
Volume 3: My Harmonious Family (Chapters 71-110)
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