Chapter 78: Good News Reaches the Capital
Seven or eight days have passed since Su Wanrou returned from the flower-viewing banquet at the Marquis of Anyuan's residence. Autumn is deepening, and most of the sycamore leaves in the courtyard have fallen, leaving only bare branches pointing towards the distant blue sky. Su Wanrou's life seems to have returned to its previous routine—daily morning and evening greetings, handling household affairs, supervising Mingxuan's studies, and then, most importantly: waiting for news.
Gu Yangui's letters home became the warmest link between the flames of war thousands of miles away and the secluded mansions of the capital. His letters, like the man himself, were concise and restrained, yet Su Wanrou could always discern subtle nuances between the lines. He would describe the bitter cold of the border, "the wind cutting like a knife," but would also casually add at the end of the letter, "I saw the messenger arrive with plum blossoms, and I remembered your graceful posture with flowers in your hair"; he would say that the pre-war deployments were "all proceeding according to plan," but would also remind her, "It's getting colder in the capital, add more clothes and don't worry about those far away."
Su Wanrou read each letter repeatedly, almost memorizing them, and then carefully stored them in a sandalwood box by her bedside. That box has now become quite heavy.
That morning, as usual, Su Wanrou went to pay her respects to the Old Madam. The Old Madam was being served a bowl of bird's nest soup by her maid. When she saw Su Wanrou arrive, she beckoned her to sit down.
"Winter is approaching, and it looks like it'll snow on the border soon." The old lady put down her bowl and spoon, her tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible concern. "Did Yan'er mention the situation there in his last letter?"
Su Wanrou replied gently, "Grandmother, my husband wrote at the end of last month saying that although the north is cold, there is enough winter clothing and food, so the family need not worry. Judging by the days, the next letter should be on its way."
The old lady nodded and sighed, "I know his nature of only reporting good news and not bad. I just hope the war goes smoothly and is quelled soon, so he can come back before the end of the year."
As they were talking, an unusual commotion could be faintly heard outside, seemingly coming from the direction of the market. It grew louder and louder as it approached. At first, there were scattered shouts, but soon they coalesced into a cacophony of voices, mixed with the crisp sound of galloping hooves.
"What's going on outside?" The old lady frowned slightly.
A quick-witted maidservant rushed in to report: "Old Madam, Madam, it sounds like... it sounds like they're shouting 'Great Victory' on the street outside! They say it's a victory report from the border!"
"What?" The old lady sat up abruptly.
Su Wanrou's heart skipped a beat and then started pounding wildly. She instinctively clenched the handkerchief in her hand.
Almost simultaneously, a flurry of hurried footsteps came from the outer courtyard, mixed with the alarmed and overjoyed voice of the steward, Gu Zhong, who almost distorted his voice as he announced: "Good news! Good news from the border! Old Madam! Madam! The Duke has won a great victory!"
Before he could finish speaking, Gu Zhong staggered into the courtyard, disregarding his usual strict etiquette and decorum. He held aloft a military report with a striking red feather, tears streaming down his face, his voice trembling uncontrollably: "Urgent dispatch! Just delivered to the palace! The Duke has decisively defeated the main force of the Northern Di at Luoying Gorge, killing tens of thousands and capturing countless prisoners! The Northern Di royal court has sent envoys to sue for peace! A great victory! A tremendous victory!"
The entire Songhe Hall fell silent for a moment, then erupted into a huge cheer! The maids and servants were all beaming with joy and couldn't help but congratulate each other.
"Heaven has eyes! Heaven has eyes!" The old lady clasped her hands together, chanted Buddhist prayers several times, her fingers trembling slightly with emotion, and tears glistening in her eyes.
Su Wanrou felt a huge, scalding warm current surge from the depths of her heart, instantly coursing through her limbs and making her feel weak all over. Good news…the great victory at Luoying Gorge…he won! He's safe! These words echoed repeatedly in her mind, making her eardrums buzz. The worries she had suppressed for days, the grievances she felt when criticized at the banquet, the longing she felt alone in the dead of night—all of these transformed into scalding tears that unexpectedly streamed down her face.
She quickly covered her mouth with a handkerchief, but the tears just wouldn't stop. They weren't tears of sadness, but of extreme joy and relaxation, of the relief that came after days of anxiety.
"Good child, this is a joyous occasion, you should be happy!" The old lady smiled when she saw her tears, reached out and pulled her to her side, gently patting her back. "Yan'er is a good boy, he has not let down the Emperor's grace, nor has he let down our expectations. You have suffered these days too."
Su Wanrou leaned on the old lady's shoulder, shook her head, but her tears flowed even more fiercely.
At this moment, Mingxuan also received the news and ran back from the school like a little cannonball, throwing himself into Su Wanrou's arms, his little face flushed with excitement: "Mother! Mother! Father won the battle! Isn't that right? The teacher said Father is a great hero!"
Su Wanrou squatted down, hugged her son tightly, wiped away her tears and smiled, "Yes, your father is a great hero. He won a great victory and will be back soon."
"That's great!" Mingxuan cheered.
The Duke of Zhenguo's mansion was filled with jubilation, and the entire capital city was already in a state of frenzy.
The good news was delivered to the capital at dawn by messengers carrying red flags on their backs, their voices booming as they traveled. The news spread like wildfire, reaching every street and alley. In restaurants, teahouses, and markets, everyone was excitedly discussing this great victory.
"Have you heard? The Duke of Zhenguo surrounded the Northern Barbarians at Luoying Gorge! He beheaded tens of thousands!"
"Not only that! They even killed the Left Wise King of the Northern Barbarians! Let's see if they dare to be arrogant now!"
"As expected of Duke Gu! His military strategy is divine!"
"That's great, we can finally have a peaceful New Year!"
Inside the palace, during the morning court session, the emperor, holding the report of victory, was overjoyed. He lavishly rewarded the Duke of Zhenguo and his troops in court. The imperial decree further fueled the city-wide celebrations. Many citizens even spontaneously hung red lanterns and set off firecrackers at their doors, making the celebrations even more lively than the Lunar New Year.
At the gates of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, carriages and horses came and went in an endless stream. The imperial gifts arrived first, with eunuchs announcing the imperial decrees; gold, silver, silk, antiques, and jade artifacts were on display. Immediately afterward, congratulatory invitations and gifts from various households arrived like snowflakes. Princes, dukes, cabinet ministers, officials of the Six Ministries… regardless of previous relationships, all sent respectable stewards to offer their congratulations. The gatekeepers were overwhelmed with invitations, and the storerooms were overflowing.
As the matriarch of the Duke's mansion, Su Wanrou displayed remarkable composure and orderliness. She quickly wiped away her tears, calmed the agitated Old Madam and Mingxuan, and then began to methodically take charge of the situation.
She first instructed Gu Zhong to treat all the messengers who came to offer congratulations with courtesy, serving them tea, snacks, and silver. However, she advised that the gates of the mansion should not be too noisy to avoid attracting criticism. She simply stated that it was the lord's duty to serve the country and that he did not deserve their kindness. She would prepare a small feast to express his gratitude when the Duke returned in triumph.
Next, she personally arranged for the receipt of the palace's gifts, compiling a register and storing them in the archives, remembering every single detail. For the gifts sent by various households, the valuable ones were recorded, while the ordinary ones were handled according to the circumstances. She neither returned them all to avoid offending anyone nor accepted them all to avoid gossip; she handled the situation with perfect tact.
Throughout the day, Su Wanrou was extremely busy, dealing with guests from all sides and handling various affairs. She maintained a composed and joyful smile throughout, her demeanor calm and collected, her commands decisive. Many stewards from noble families who came to offer their congratulations were secretly amazed: this young Duchess, faced with such a momentous event, was truly remarkable and not to be underestimated.
It wasn't until evening, when the guests had thinned out, that the mansion finally quieted down a bit.
Su Wanrou finally had a moment of leisure and went alone to the highest pavilion in the mansion. Leaning on the railing, she gazed into the distance. The entire capital city seemed still immersed in an atmosphere of joy, and the faint sounds of firecrackers and cheers could still be heard in the distance. The afterglow of the setting sun gilded the magnificent city with a warm golden hue.
She gripped the railing tightly, letting the evening breeze caress her feverish cheeks. The forced composure and busyness of the day had transformed into a surging tide of longing and a belated, overwhelming joy. He had won; he would be back soon. These words echoed repeatedly in her heart, carrying a chilling sweetness.
She took out Gu Yangui's most recent letter from her bosom and pressed it to her chest, as if she could feel the warmth between the lines. She recalled the malicious speculations at the flower-viewing banquet, the difficulties caused by Madam Zhou and Wang Jingshu, and the protection from Han Qing and other former subordinates... All the grievances and hardships vanished at this moment, leaving only boundless pride and anticipation.
“Madam,” Yunbin quietly walked up to the pavilion and draped a cloak over her shoulders, “It’s getting chilly, take care of yourself. The kitchen has prepared dinner, and the Old Madam and the young master are waiting for you.”
Su Wanrou turned around, her face bearing a relaxed and bright smile that Yunbin hadn't seen in a long time. Her eyes sparkled, more captivating than the sunset on the horizon.
"Okay, I'll go right away." She replied softly, taking one last look at the winding official road under the northern sky, as if she could see the triumphant procession, riding in the glory of victory, speeding homeward.
She knew that their reunion was just around the corner. And having been tempered by this war and tempered by this experience of standing on her own, she would greet his return with even greater confidence and determination.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com