Colorful flags fluttered on the dock of the naval port. The soldiers guarding the port were all in military uniform, standing on the dock with Fei Yanggu, waiting for the army to return.
Yinti and Yinzhen changed into their armor and stood on the deck. Yingenjueluo and Qingyan stood in front of the window of the flower hall, watching as they got closer and closer to the dock of the military port. Their hearts were finally at ease.
"Yiken'e, we're about to dock!" Qingyan said, looking at his son.
Yiken tugged at his golden-yellow casual clothes, preparing to appear before everyone looking sharp. Qingyan watched her son's little gesture with a smile. Her son did care about his image; he was growing up and starting to have his own little thoughts.
"Mother, should we go down with Father?" Yiken asked, tilting her little face up.
Qingyan looked out the window. The soldiers were all ready to go and were about to disembark from the ships with great pride. Her family members should stay away.
“We should wait until the last person to disembark, Yiken’e. You’re still young. When you turn 15, you can fight alongside your father!” Qingyan gently persuaded Yiken’e, hoping he wouldn’t throw a tantrum.
Yiken pouted, holding back his anger. Since the start of the campaign, not a single place had gone smoothly for him.
"Mother, I also want to get off the ship with Father!" Yiken'e understood that Qingyan and the others were women, and if they really got off the ship, people would definitely gossip about them, but he was different.
As soon as he finished speaking, Yinzhen's voice rang out, and Yiken looked at the doorway in surprise.
"Father, why are you back?" Yiken looked at him expectantly, hoping that Yinzhen would eventually take him off the ship with him.
Yinzhen walked to Qingyan's side and nodded slightly to Yingenjueluo Shi as a greeting.
"Sister-in-law, take Songkelierha to your elder brother's place. In a little while, follow him off the ship. At the dock, the women are all coming to welcome their husbands home, so you'll need to deal with Qingyan!" Yinzhen spotted the women at the dock through his binoculars and quickly came over to call them.
"Thank you, Fourth Master!" Yin Genjue Luo Shi was a little reserved when she saw Yin Zhen. After thanking him, her daughter left directly.
"Little darling, let's go down together!" Yinzhen said as he approached Qingyan. "Father-in-law has gathered all the women here; someone will definitely have to handle things."
Qingyan was stunned. Sure enough, it was her father who was really helpful.
On the return journey, Yinzhen repeatedly instructed that the family could not disembark together, which made her very sad, and Yiken'e threw a little tantrum.
"Father, can we really go down together?" Yiken'e reached out to Yinzhen and picked up his son.
"Of course, Yiken'e looks very handsome in his court robes!" Yinzhen looked at his son with affection and noticed that the little guy was wearing a golden court robe. Yiken'e rarely wore this outfit except for important occasions.
“Of course, this is the most important moment for me!” Yiken’e puffed out her little chest and looked at Yinzhen with confidence. “Father, this is my first time returning to the capital in triumph.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Yinzhen's eyes softened instantly. At the same age as Yiken'e, Yinzhen had never accompanied Kangxi on a military campaign. Yiken'e was the first among the princes to do so.
“Alright, Father will take you down with me, but when we disembark, you can only be carried by Father!” Yinzhen tilted his head and discussed with Yiken’e.
"Why?!" Yiken'e looked at Yinzhen in surprise. Why couldn't he let himself get off the ship?
“You’re not even as tall as the ship’s railing. It might be dangerous for you to disembark. You don’t want to upset your mother, do you?” Yinzhen couldn’t be sure that not all the soldiers on the expedition were loyal to him and his brother. Some harbored malicious intentions and were trying to get close to Yiken’e.
“Alright, I agree!” Yiken’e pondered for a moment and decided to follow Silver Needle’s arrangement.
Qingyan was relieved; Yiken'e no longer needed to throw tantrums, otherwise, she really wouldn't be able to control Yiken'e.
"Master, we're almost at the dock!" Su Peisheng said at the door.
Qingyan picked up Hutuli Fengsheng Zhalafen. The mother and daughter were dressed in bright red palace attire. Qingyan styled her hair into two small buns, adorned with a set of five-treasure gold hairpins. Hutuli Fengsheng Zhalafen wore her hair in two buns, with a small gold hairpin on each side and a small pomegranate carved from rubies on each side. As Hutuli Fengsheng Zhalafen moved, the two small pomegranates swayed back and forth, making Hutuli Fengsheng Zhalafen even more adorable.
"Little darling, let's go." Yinzhen moved Yiken'e to his left hand, put his right arm around Qingyan's slender waist, and the two walked side by side toward the fake ship.
The soldiers watched the family of four from afar, their hearts filled with envy. Throughout the Qing Dynasty, twins of opposite sexes were rare, and the Qing imperial family had only this one pair.
"Will you stay with me and look down upon the glory together?" Yinzhen smiled, hoping that Qingyan would always be by his side.
"Okay!" Qingyan agreed.
A perfect couple plus a pair of twins—this is the best representation of royalty.
The ship slowly arrived at the port. Fei Yanggu looked up at Yinzhen's family and the two brothers, Saito. Fei Yanggu was very happy that the children were able to return safely. He had prepared a banquet in advance to welcome everyone back.
To ensure that Qingyan could witness the triumphant return of the troops, the women of the military port were specially contacted and asked to come to the port dock to welcome the soldiers.
"Fourth brother, we need to quickly compile a list of our casualties, and make sure all the compensation and other matters are settled." Yinti looked down at the women below the ship, who were happily anticipating the return of their men.
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