Chapter 69 "From now on, we'll call her Phoenix..."
“It was my fault. Once my sister recovers, she can be punished as she pleases,” he said.
Bai Xuerou glared at him, "You are a prince, who dares to punish you?"
“Sister can do it,” Ling Xun said without hesitation. “Sister can do anything for me.”
Bai Xuerou smiled involuntarily, then remembered something and asked, "Is it a boy or a girl?"
She originally wanted to ask, but Ling Xun led her astray, yet she still remembered.
“A girl,” Ling Xun said.
"So she's a lovely little girl." Bai Xuerou smiled. "From now on, we'll call her Phoenix."
The child's name had already been decided; regardless of gender, it would be Chengguang, or Ling Chengguang.
Only their nicknames were separated: girls were called Phoenix, and boys were called Ah Lin, Lin being the same as the unicorn.
Bai Xuerou is not a particularly arrogant or haughty person; in fact, she is quite humble. However, she made a rare bold move when it came to choosing a name for her child.
Her child deserves the title of "phoenix".
“Yes, Phoenix.” Ling Xun echoed, his gaze softening slightly as he looked at the child.
He was still angry, but because his wife loved him, he loved her too.
Then Ling Xun asked Bai Xuerou why she was called "Little Cotton-padded Jacket," and Bai Xuerou explained, and he finally understood.
As he spoke, he brought over a bowl of chicken soup porridge that had been kept warm and fed it to Bai Xuerou. After she finished eating, Bai Xuerou fell asleep again.
Bai Xue Rou lay in bed for three whole days before she finally had the strength to get up and get out of bed.
The difficult childbirth had drained her of her energy, leaving her listless, dispirited, and unable to muster any enthusiasm.
But to be alive is already a blessing.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Ling Xun remained in Tangshan without making a move until Bai Xuerou gave birth in June, finished her postpartum confinement in July, and finally took his wife and daughter to the battlefield in August.
This incident caused a great deal of controversy; who would bring their wife to the battlefield?
Logically, Bai Xuerou should have been attacked, but she wasn't.
The reason for this goes back to the beginning.
Bai Xuerou had been searching for high-yield crops such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn for many years, but these things were all overseas, which led to her making one trip after another to sea.
Until the fleet returned two years ago, they finally brought back potato seeds.
Last year, Bai Xuerou ordered people to try planting the seeds in various places. While figuring out how to plant them, she also cultivated a large number of seeds.
This year, we will send them to various places for people to try planting, so that people can have another food to eat.
With the Zhenbei Army around these past few years, the lives of the people who had suffered from war for so long have improved a lot; at least they no longer starve or freeze to death.
But if we want to have enough to eat and wear, we still have a long way to go.
Potatoes appearing at this time, though not at the best time, still provide people with another food option.
Starting from the first month of the lunar calendar, potato seeds were successively sent to various places. By the time they were fully ripe, the yield was so high that it was enough to fill one's stomach, which caused a great stir and brought gratitude from the people.
With such a large quantity and such a high yield, the taste is surprisingly quite good.
Many people can make a living off this.
Countless people praised and were grateful to Bai Xuerou, some even wanting to build a shrine in her honor, and they placed even greater trust in the Zhenbei Army.
She kept a tight grip on the Wu region, and after the Wu region was conquered, she sent people to spread the seeds there. She had no interest in achieving merit; she only wanted to ensure that more people could have enough to eat.
But this matter itself is a meritorious deed that will benefit future generations.
Because Bai Xuerou found both cotton and potatoes, some people even thought she was a goddess sent by heaven.
Bai Xuerou refuted the rumors several times and even had someone specifically issue a denial, but to no avail; the people became even more convinced.
She had no choice but to give up.
Therefore, even knowing that the Prince of Zhenbei would take his wife with him to the battlefield, everyone was only worried about her safety, and when they did speak, they only sighed at the love between the two.
During the march, people would come to pay their respects to Bai Xuerou in every place they arrived at.
Because of concerns about assassination—
The assassin was likely hiding among the people, waiting for an opportunity to carry out the assassination.
Bai Xuerou never showed her face, but she had her maids comfort her and explain the reason.
After doing this several times, surprisingly, they actually caught a few assassins.
...
The guards on both sides were completely bewildered.
But it's a good thing that they caught them.
Before setting off with Ling Xun, Bai Xue Rou was worried about what people would say, but because of the love potion, she had no choice but to go.
Now that things are like this, she can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
At the end of August, Ling Xun arrived at the front line, took command of the rear, and led the three armies to attack Wu.
Wei Yi had been transferred back to Chang'an long before he set off, and now Guan Zhongkai and Liu Meng were on his left and right respectively.
With Bai Xuerou by his side, there was no objection from the Zhenbei Army.
Most of those who came to the army to risk their lives were ordinary farmers, and most of their families had benefited from Bai Xuerou, first with cotton, then with potatoes, and they were all extremely grateful to her.
The prince and his princess took it all for granted; otherwise, what if they were assassinated by someone with malicious intent?
Bai Xuerou stayed in the army, raising children while watching Ling Xun busy himself with daily battles.
Seeing him speak with such confidence and composure, their eyes lit up, and they even became a little more enthusiastic.
Ling Xun was momentarily flattered, and upon realizing the reason, he immediately put in even more effort.
Ling Xun was a born commander, his talent for warfare seemed innate, possessing both orthodox and unorthodox skills.
He personally oversaw the central army commanded by Guan Zhong, leading the entire force to conquer numerous cities in Wu. Afterward, he steadily advanced based on these cities, with assistance from both the left and right flanks.
In just one month, they had conquered most of the Wu region.
After two years of development, Wu believed it could put up a fight against the Zhenbei Army, but when the battle actually began, its army suffered a crushing defeat.
Only then did everyone realize that Ling Xun had held back his actions earlier in order to observe the situation within the Wu army and formulate a plan.
Therefore, the moment it moved, it struck like thunder, leaving the Wu region powerless to defend itself.
With things having come to this point, the defeat in Wu was irreversible, and the people of Chang'an were already making plans.
But at that very moment, a piece of news shattered the plans of most of the people.
In October, Qi Sicheng, the military governor of Jiannan Circuit, was assassinated.
Shortly after, Prince Chen died suddenly.
These two pieces of news were like a drop of water falling into a pot of oil, splashing and crackling.
Qi Sicheng of Jiannan Circuit has always been loyal to the Great Qi, and even though the world is now in chaos, he still submits to the court.
The people of Chang'an are ready and have secretly joined forces with Prince Chen. They are waiting for the Zhenbei Army and Wu to reach a critical moment in their battle, at which point Qi Sicheng, Chang'an, and Prince Chen will act simultaneously to divide up the Zhenbei Army.
Although Prince Chen harbors rebellious intentions, he poses far less of a threat to the Great Qi than Ling Xun. This boy is exceptionally talented; if allowed to grow unchecked, the Great Qi will have no future.
But if we suppress him, the Great Qi might be able to extend its national fortune for several more decades.
Despite the numerous problems facing the Great Qi, the court officials, who were clinging to this powerful tree for sustenance, still did not want to give up.
After all, they could act arrogantly and domineeringly in Daqi, but who knows what the future holds for Ling Xun?
However, the news of the successive deaths of Qi Sicheng and Prince Chen shattered everyone's plans.
Everything is ruined.
Sure enough, news of Qi Sicheng's death came shortly after, and then it was said that his deputy military governor had taken over the affairs of Jiannan Circuit and formed an alliance with the Miao people of the Ten Thousand Mountains in a short period of time.
Meanwhile, the princes of Chen were fighting amongst themselves, and the Great Chen Dynasty had fallen into chaos.
Chang'an has lost all its initiative and remains just a country besieged by the Northern Army.
Lang Cheng sighed almost immediately, "The situation is hopeless."
When he recalled that the Prince of Zhenbei had taken his wife away from Chang'an last year, he wondered if the prince had other motives, but he was also confused about whether he was really indulging in a life of pleasure.
Looking at it now, everything was foreshadowed.
Sure enough, less than half a month later, the Wu region was captured.
Ling Xun arranged for people to take over.
Bai Xuerou's potatoes, now unimpeded, flowed into the Wu region.
Over the past year, although Wu was restricted from contacting the outside world, news could not be stopped, and most people knew about the potato incident. This was even one of the reasons why the Zhenbei Army's march was so successful.
Seeing their hope of having enough to eat dwindle because of hostility, many couldn't help but wonder if they would have been spared such hardship if they had joined the Zhenbei Army. Furthermore, the Zhenbei Army's covert maneuvering and the dissemination of information further dampened the soldiers' fighting spirit.
With each back and forth, and each side gaining and losing ground, the battle ended more easily than expected.
The entire Zhenbei Army was even more grateful for Bai Xuerou's kindness.
Now that the people of Wu have learned that they can also grow it, every household is overjoyed, and the submission has been unexpectedly smooth.
The Wu region was now at peace.
In November, the Zhenbei Army marched towards Lingnan.
Lingnan is hot and humid, and full of poisonous miasma, but the army was well prepared. Due to the terrain, the campaign was delayed, but in February of the following year, they successfully captured Lingnan and established a military governor to control the region.
Bai Xuerou spent the New Year in Lingnan.
In all her years, she had spent most of her time in Yandu, followed by Chang'an. Compared to that, this year's experience was truly remarkable.
Winters in Lingnan are always warm and lush.
There were just too many mosquitoes, which was particularly annoying, but with Ling Xun's medicine, it wasn't a big problem.
At this point, all under heaven except for Jiannan Circuit and Chen State were united.
Ling Xun left Guan Zhong behind to oversee Lingnan.
Of the three generals of the Zhenbei Army, the most reliable was Guan Zhongkai, the most composed was Wei Yi, and the most valiant was Liu Meng.
Lingnan was in chaos. Even if someone was subdued, they were only outwardly compliant but inwardly resentful. The people there were ruthless and aggressive, and only the steady approach of Guan Zhong could keep them in check.
Liu Meng was left in Wu to deal with those powerful families. He had a fierce appearance but a cunning and meticulous mind, yet he also possessed an unreasonable and domineering nature. He was best suited to deal with those scheming and treacherous noble families.
At this point, the three generals each performed their duties.
However, the Zhenbei Army has never only had three generals; there are many good generals below them. In recent years, while recuperating and training troops in Wu, Ling Xun has promoted many people.
And through this great battle, two more people stood out, adding two more generals to the Zhenbei Army: one was a veteran named Zhang Hui, and the other was a rising star, only in his thirties named Hong Changfeng.
After settling all parties in and ensuring that no unforeseen events would occur to the greatest extent possible, Ling Xun led his army to Shannan West Road.
From here, one can head west towards the Chen Kingdom, or south towards Jiannan and Qianzhong. Most of the Zhenbei Army, aside from those stationed in various regions, were transferred here.
Those with discernment immediately understood his intention, but they didn't know who he would target first, or whether he would attack both simultaneously.
The atmosphere in Chang'an was quite strange. The people were celebrating such a victory, celebrating the stability of the country under the rule of the Prince of Zhenbei and the peace that was about to come to Anqing, but the officials were all somewhat silent and worried.
Fearing their own fate after Ling Xun's great victory, they couldn't help but feel resentment as they looked at the jubilant people.
Having gained some benefits from Ling Xun, he forgot that he was a subject of the Great Qi.
But the truth is, as long as the emperor is well-fed and clothed, the common people don't really care who the emperor is or what dynasty or country it is.
They may not be smart, but they still know whether they are doing well or not.
In April, the Zhenbei Army attacked Jiannan Road.
The battle ended faster than many had expected. The Miao people, who were originally allies, betrayed the newly appointed military governor and helped Ling Xun seize control of Jiannan Circuit.
Many people recall that Ling Xun's birth mother seems to have come from the Miao region.
It is said that someone heard a Miao leader refer to the King of Zhenbei as his cousin.
If Ling Xun were to ascend the throne for the first time, some people might attack him because his birth mother was of Miao ethnicity, thus jeopardizing his position.
But now, after several years and countless battles, Ling Xun's position is unshakeable. Even if some people mention it, others quickly refute it.
In May, Jiannan Road was acquired, and everyone thought that Ling Xun would soon attack Chen State. However, Ling Xun ordered his troops to garrison, seemingly wanting to recuperate.
This startled many people.
Over the past year, Bai Xuerou followed Ling Xun to various places. When they were on marches, she was in the army; when things were quiet for a short time, she lived in the city.
The journey has been arduous and exhausting.
But Bai Xuerou felt it was alright.
At first, she was tired, after all, she had been living a life of luxury for many years, and the farthest she had ever gone was climbing Luoxian Mountain. But after getting used to it for a while, she began to find it interesting.
Not everyone has the opportunity to see this beautiful land.
It was tiring, but once my physical condition improved, I felt okay.
They encountered many dangers along the way, but being part of the Zhenbei Army, they had at least ten thousand troops around them. Even when they were surrounded by enemy forces several times, they were rescued in time.
Assassinations were even more common, but Bai Xue Rou was careful enough and always relied on others, so nothing bad happened.
Now that the Zhenbei Army is stationed here for recuperation, Bai Xuerou has finally had some free time.
In the sweltering summer heat, the two chose to live in a courtyard by the water in the garden. From the water pavilion, one could see a large expanse of lotus flowers, and the emerald green lotus leaves brought a sense of coolness to the summer.
She ordered people to lay bamboo mats on the floor of the water pavilion so that Phoenix could sit on them and play.
But clearly, she was more interested in the lake outside than the bamboo mat, and always wanted to go there.
Bai Xuerou was worried that her daughter would fall into the water, but she didn't want to spoil her daughter's fun, so she had someone carry her over, let her little feet touch the water, and picked some lotus leaves for her to play with.
But Phoenix seemed to enjoy playing in the water and always wanted to go down.
The chaos caused by the commotion was immense.
Phoenix was not a bad-tempered child; in fact, she was quite well-behaved and adorable. Even when she was being stubborn, she would not lose her temper but would cling to Bai Xuerou's legs and pester her.
Although the little girl was small, she already knew that Bai Xuerou was the one who could decide her fate, so she called her sweetly and softly, "Mother, Mother."
Then she pointed to the water, raised her little face and looked at Bai Xuerou with pleading eyes.
Bai Xuerou couldn't help but soften her heart, so she had someone carry her there again.
"It's so tedious," she complained helplessly, but her voice was full of doting affection.
"What has our Phoenix done now?" Ling Xun came to find the mother and son after discussing matters with his subordinates. As soon as he arrived, he heard Bai Xuerou's voice and asked with a smile.
With his wife and daughters present, this once formidable and almost intimidating overlord became gentle, showing none of the awe-inspiring presence he displayed in public.
In the blink of an eye, it has been three years since Bai Xuerou and Ling Xun got married.
He was already twenty years old. His physique and appearance hadn't changed much since he was eighteen. However, his aura had become more and more steady and profound. The youthful exuberance he once had had had faded away at a rapid pace, leaving only the demeanor befitting a powerful ruler.
Powerful, composed, and reliable.
No matter what happens, just seeing him calms my mind.
But this was only in front of outsiders. When facing Bai Xuerou, Ling Xun would always unconsciously act like someone his age should.
She is even a bit childish and willful, and occasionally competes with Phoenix for favor, which makes Bai Xue Rou both amused and helpless.
Upon seeing him, Bai Xuerou relaxed completely, stood up, and unconsciously reached out her hand. Ling Xun naturally took her hand, and the two sat down together.
"Look, you always want to play in the water." She looked at Phoenix, who was being held in mid-air by her maid and splashing in the water, laughing happily.
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