Chapter 119: A Reluctant Farewell
The 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month is the Little New Year.
Before dawn, the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion was already brightly lit, but there was not a trace of the usual hustle and bustle. Only the dull sounds of armor rubbing and horses' hooves pounding could be heard, creating a sense of unease that made one's heart pound.
Su Wanrou didn't sleep all night.
She was carefully attended to by Qingdai and several head maids, and dressed in the full makeup of a first-rank duke's wife. Her scarlet silk robe embroidered with gold phoenixes, and heavy jeweled headdress, enveloped her slender figure, giving her a dignified yet almost fragile air of authority. In the bronze mirror, her face was subtly concealed by rouge, but the faint dark circles under her eyes could not be hidden.
“Madam, it’s almost time.” Butler Fu’s voice rang out from outside the door, with a hint of barely perceptible hoarseness.
Su Wanrou took a deep breath, supporting her waist, and slowly rose with Qingdai's help. The child in her womb seemed to sense the atmosphere of parting and stirred restlessly. She gently placed her hand on the child's belly and silently murmured, "My dear child, let's see Father off to war together."
In the front courtyard, the personal guards were already lined up, their black armor gleaming coldly in the pre-dawn light. Gu Yangui, dressed in full military attire, stood before the steps, quietly giving final instructions to his adjutant. His figure was as upright as a pine tree, the black armor making his face appear even more stern, his brows radiating an inescapable air of menace. Only when his gaze turned to the approaching figure in crimson robes did his expression soften instantly, revealing a deep, almost overwhelming tenderness and reluctance.
He strode forward, ignoring the many stares around them, and steadily took her arm. "Why did you come out? It's chilly this morning; you should have stayed inside and rested." His voice was low, carrying the weariness of a sleepless night, but even more so, worry.
"Even after a thousand miles of seeing you off, we must eventually part. I must... see you to the gate of your residence." Su Wanrou looked up at him, trying hard to force a smile, but her lips felt as if they were weighed down by a thousand pounds, and she couldn't lift them. Her gaze traced his features, as if trying to etch his image into her very bones.
Gu Yangui said nothing more, but squeezed her hand so hard it almost hurt her, then quickly released it, as if afraid of revealing too much emotion. He turned to Gu Mingxuan, who was wearing a brand-new brocade robe and being led by his wet nurse.
Xiao Mingxuan kept a straight face, trying his best to imitate his father's usual stern demeanor, but his slightly reddened eyes betrayed him. He stepped forward and respectfully bowed deeply: "Father, your son wishes you a resounding victory and a swift return!"
Gu Yangui bent down and patted her son's shoulder hard, saying in a deep voice, "Good! Listen to your mother at home, study hard and practice martial arts, and protect this family for your father. Can you do that?"
"Yes!" Mingxuan puffed out his little chest, his voice loud and clear, filled with the determination of a child.
The time had come; there was no time to waste. Gu Yangui gave Su Wanrou a deep look, a look that contained a thousand words, but in the end, it all boiled down to one sentence: "Wait for me."
Having said that, he turned abruptly, his cloak billowing in the wind, and resolutely mounted his horse. His movements were clean and swift, carrying an indomitable spirit.
"Set off!"
At a command, the cavalry sprang into action, the dull thud of hooves and the clanging of armor breaking the silence of dawn, like a black torrent slowly surging out of the gates of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.
According to etiquette, Su Wanrou was required to ride in a carriage to the long pavilion outside the city to bid farewell to the army together with the women and relatives of the emperor.
The carriage wheels rolled over the cobblestone road, and the heater inside burned brightly, yet it couldn't dispel the chill in Su Wanrou's heart. Leaning against the soft cushions, she closed her eyes, listening to the increasingly noisy crowd outside the window—the people of the capital had spontaneously flooded the streets to see off the departing army. Cheers, blessings, and the cries of children mingled together, forming a tragic yet fervent torrent.
Mingxuan sat close to her, his little hands nervously clutching her sleeve, and whispered, "Mother, Father will definitely beat the bad guys, right?"
Su Wanrou opened her eyes, hugged her son, and said softly, "Yes, definitely. Your father is the God of War of the Great Zhou, and has never been defeated."
Ten miles outside the capital, there is a long pavilion.
A biting wind howled, causing the flags to flutter loudly. Many officials and their families had gathered inside the pavilion to see them off, and upon seeing the carriage of the Duke of Zhenguo's wife, they all stepped forward to pay their respects. Su Wanrou forced herself to remain composed, interacting with the crowd and responding politely to the various greetings, some sincere, some tentative, but her gaze kept drifting involuntarily towards the end of the official road in the distance.
After an unknown amount of time, a slight tremor came from the ground, and billowing dust rose in the distance.
It's here!
The crowd stirred. Su Wanrou's heart leaped into her throat. With Qingdai's help, she stood up, took a few steps forward, and fixed her gaze on the approaching army.
Under the black banner, Gu Yangui rode ahead at breakneck speed. He had clearly also spotted the striking crimson figure in the pavilion, and he reined in his horse, causing it to rear up and let out a long neigh.
Under orders from their commander, the army temporarily halted for rest, giving the soldiers time to say their final goodbyes to their families. For a moment, the area around the pavilion was filled with the sorrow of parting and the whispered words of advice; cries and farewells echoed throughout the air.
Gu Yangui dismounted and strode towards Su Wanrou. The surrounding noise seemed to vanish instantly, leaving only his ever-approaching figure in the world.
He walked up to her, his military uniform a stark contrast to the solemnity of her imperial robes. They stood facing each other, holding hands and gazing at each other, speechless for a moment.
A thousand words stuck in her throat, yet she couldn't utter a single one. Su Wanrou looked up at his travel-worn face, at his lips chapped by the cold wind, at the deep, unyielding reluctance in his eyes, and felt as if an invisible hand was gripping her heart tightly, the pain suffocating her. Tears welled up uncontrollably, blurring her vision, and she bit her lower lip desperately to keep from crying out loud.
Gu Yangui's throat tightened. He reached out and gently wiped away her tears with his calloused fingertips, his movements careful as if he were handling the most precious and fragile thing in the world.
"Don't cry..." His voice was terribly hoarse, "How can I leave in peace seeing you cry?"
Su Wanrou nodded vigorously, trying to stop her tears, but she couldn't. She reached back and tightly grasped the hand that was wiping her tears, her icy fingers drawing on the burning warmth of his palm.
"I...I won't cry." She choked back tears, almost incoherently, "You...you must take good care of yourself...eat...sleep...don't get hurt...my child and I...are waiting for you to come home..."
As she spoke, she took his hand and placed it on her pregnant belly. "My child, say goodbye to your father and wish him peace."
As if sensing something, the baby in her womb moved forcefully at that moment.
Gu Yangui trembled violently. The clear fetal movement he felt in his palm was like a warm current, instantly shattering all his strength. This tough man's eyes suddenly reddened. He leaned down, ignoring the stares of others, and gently pressed his cheek against her belly, whispering, "My good child, protect your mother... Father will be back soon."
Time relentlessly ticked by. The lieutenant had no choice but to step forward and whisper a reminder: "Lord Duke, the time has come; the army should set off."
Gu Yangui suddenly sat up straight, giving Su Wanrou one last deep look, as if he wanted to absorb her face into his eyes and take it away. He suddenly pulled her into his arms, a brief but all-out embrace that almost suffocated her.
"Wanrou, take care! Wait for me!"
Having said that, he resolutely released her, turned around, and strode towards his warhorse, never looking back. He feared that if he turned back and saw her tears, all his resolve would crumble.
Su Wanrou stared intently at his back as he mounted his horse, watched him raise his whip, watched him merge into the black torrent, watched the black banner grow farther and farther away in the wind, and finally became a blurry black dot at the horizon, disappearing completely from sight.
The cold wind whipped up snowflakes, lashing her face, the icy sting bringing her back to her senses. The cries around her grew louder, but she felt only emptiness, as if her heart had gone with that figure.
“Mother…” Mingxuan’s tearful voice brought her back to her senses. She looked down and saw her son’s face covered in tears.
Su Wanrou knelt down and hugged Mingxuan tightly, wrapping him in her cloak. This time, her voice was unusually calm, with a resolute tone as if she had survived a catastrophe: "Mingxuan, don't cry. Your father went to protect our country; he's a hero. Let's go home and wait for his triumphant return in peace."
With Qingdai's help, she stood up, took one last look in the direction where the people and horses had disappeared, then straightened her back, turned around, and walked towards the carriage.
Her back view was resolute, just like her husband's.
The return journey seemed exceptionally long and quiet.
Inside the carriage, Mingxuan, exhausted from crying, leaned against her and fell into a deep sleep, tears still streaming down his face. Su Wanrou gently stroked her belly, feeling the pulse of the little life inside, and gazed out the carriage window at the desolate winter scenery receding into the distance.
She stopped crying, but felt a void in her heart, as if a cold wind was blowing in.
She knew that from this moment on, she was no longer the pampered wife who could completely rely on her husband. She was the mistress of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, the support for Mingxuan and their unborn child, and the "anchor" that Gu Yangui had placed behind them. She had to be strong, she had to protect this family until he returned.
"My husband, go and fight in peace," she said silently in her heart. "I will make sure that when you come back, you will see a complete and warm home."
The carriage creaked as it rolled through the snow, carrying all the worries and beliefs of a mother and wife, heading towards the deep mansion that would soon be without its master.
Separation is for a better reunion. And this belief will sustain her through every day in the future without him by her side.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com