12dz Chapter 448 Final Chapter
Chapter 448 Final Chapter
Outside Lingsi City.
All the civil and military officials of the court saw off Crown Prince Dou Xiaoxiao, who was leading his troops north.
This time, it was General Hongluan who led the army, her silver armor shining brightly in the morning sun.
She reined in her horse and stood before the long procession, her spear planted firmly on the ground, her voice resounding across the land: "Your subject will surely protect the Crown Prince, defeat the Northern barbarians, stabilize the borders, and live up to Your Majesty's grace and the people's trust!"
Crown Prince Dou Xiaoxiao was dressed in a black outfit, and his handsome appearance was even more striking after he removed his brocade robe.
He raised his hand and pressed down on General Hongluan's spear, saying in a deep voice, "General, there is no need for further words. We are going to face the national crisis together. I, the Crown Prince, will advance and retreat with the three armies."
All the civil and military officials bowed in unison, their shouts echoing throughout the pavilion: "Respectfully seeing off the Crown Prince! Respectfully seeing off the General! May our dynasty achieve a resounding victory and return in triumph!"
Dou Xiaoxiao nodded, walked to Mu Tiantian's side, his eyes filled with longing and reluctance: "Tiantian, I will wait for me to return and marry you!"
Mu Tiantian wore a plain white ruqun dress with an apricot-colored cloak over it.
She stood tall and straight in the cold wind, her face, unadorned, showing no trace of shyness.
She gazed intently at Shawn Dou, then reached out and tidied the messy hair at his temples.
She had prepared a jade pendant for peace, and now she took it off and placed it in his palm, saying, "This jade will accompany Your Highness, protecting you from swords and spears, and ensuring your safety year after year."
Dou Xiaoxiao gripped the jade pendant tightly, his eyes swirling with reluctance, but he only nodded heavily: "Once I have pacified the Northern Barbarians, I will surely marry you into the Eastern Palace with a grand procession of ten miles of red bridal attire and an eight-bearer sedan chair."
After saying this, he mounted his horse and gave one last look at the civil and military officials who had come to see him off.
Finally, his gaze fell on Lin Zhiyan, and he nodded slightly to him.
Lin Zhiyan, also known as Da Niu, was dressed in a blue official robe and stood tall and straight. He immediately bowed in return.
His expression was calm and composed, but his eyes held a solemnity.
The two have known each other since childhood. Although Tian Tian chose him, it did not affect the friendship between the three of them who grew up together as childhood sweethearts.
As the army departed, Da Niu gazed at Dou Xiaoxiao's retreating figure and murmured, "May Your Highness return safely and in triumph!"
Seeing that Dou Xiaoxiao had led his troops away, Gao Mengli and Lin Xi followed Dou Zhan back to the palace.
As evening fell, the two of them were all smiles, unable to suppress them!
What a miserable life! This awful "ox-and-horse" life can finally be over!
As soon as they stepped out of the palace gates, the two almost high-fived in celebration.
Packing my luggage back home was faster than going into battle!
He packed away the most valuable items, leaving the antiques and paintings to chance, wishing he could sprout wings and fly back to Wangyue Village right now.
On the day they were about to leave the city, it was just dawn. The two of them changed into light clothes, shedding the constraints of their official robes, and felt light and carefree.
Gao Mengli lifted the carriage curtain to let the wind blow through her, laughing and scolding, "In the past, I had to get up at dawn to attend court and review official documents until the third watch of the night. This life of being a beast of burden is finally over!"
Lin Xi slumped back in the car seat, stretched out a big yawn, and felt completely relaxed: "That's right! From now on, I won't have to worry about court intrigues or keep an eye on military affairs in the north and south. I can just sleep, eat, and stroll around. That's the kind of life a marquis should live!"
For several days, they traveled by water, traveling day and night, heading straight for Wangyue Village.
As soon as they entered the village, they saw wisps of smoke rising from chimneys, farmers working on the ridges of the fields, and children playing. A wave of lively atmosphere hit them, and the two of them instantly relaxed.
When the villagers saw the two marquises return, they greeted them warmly and joked that they had finally decided to come back to "enjoy their good fortune."
Isn't that exactly what "enjoying good fortune" means?
During Qianyu's reign, the country either ceded territory, paid reparations, or engaged in marriage alliances—a chaotic mess that made the neighboring enemy states so prosperous and powerful that they seemed to be living in a paradise!
Now that everything has settled down, they can finally relax!
The two became idle marquises and returned to Wangyue Village, where they completely retired!
However, not long after he settled down, he learned that Dou Weiyi's Western fleet was about to embark on a long voyage!
They left a letter for Da Niu!
Lin Xi grinds the ink, Gao Mengli holds the brush.
The two men lay on a small stone table in the courtyard, writing in a flamboyant and unrestrained style, completely unlike the proper demeanor of court officials of the past.
Dear Son: After lying down for three months, my waist is fat and my legs are weak!
Hearing that Dou Weiyi's Western fleet was setting sail, he was very excited and decided to go with them on a spontaneous trip.
The world is vast and the journey is long; we want to go out and explore!
You should ask your third uncle, who has a separate lineage in the family tree, to take care of the houses and fields in Wangyue Village. He's been treated like a king at home, and his body is stiff and his limbs have atrophied. He can't stay still!
If anything serious happens, go to your uncle and aunt; they will help you handle it. Don't worry!
There's no need to search further; the return date is uncertain. Son, we'll meet again in the future!
The letter was signed, "Your parents will always love you!"
Fold it before the ink was dry and press it onto the selected stone table!
The two hurriedly grabbed their pre-packed bundles and sneaked out of the courtyard before dawn.
Fearing that if they were even a step too late, they would be stopped by Da Niu, who was up practicing martial arts!
They didn't want Da Niu to be a "left-behind child" either!
But the world is so big, and they've never seen it before, so they want to go and see it!
The two jogged all the way to the village dock.
Dou Weiyi is standing with his hands on his hips, directing his online army to move goods.
Seeing the two of them running up breathlessly, he glared at them and said, "What are you two doing here? Don't you want to enjoy your comfortable life in Wangyue Village anymore?"
Gao Mengli patted her panting chest, "I'm tired of lying flat. You're going on a long voyage, we'll go with you to see you!"
Lin Xi nodded in agreement: "We've been to the imperial court, we've been to the villages, now we're going to the Western Ocean to lie down!"
Dou Weiyi: "..."
At this moment, Da Niu held the letter left by Gao Mengli, smiled helplessly, but his eyes held a hint of envy.
He already knew his parents' nature.
Having grown accustomed to a leisurely life, I'm determined to have a great time now that I've had this opportunity.
He turned and instructed his guards: "Prepare more commonly used medicines and moisture-proof cloth, and send them to the village dock by fast horse. Make sure you catch up with Prince Dou's fleet."
At this point, he quickly picked up his pen and wrote a letter: "Father, Mother, have a safe journey. The Western Ocean is full of storms. Please take care of each other. I hope you will bring back your experiences of the sea frontier to share with me when you return, so that I can broaden my horizons!"
The guards obeyed and sped away.
Da Niu stood in the courtyard, gazing towards the dock and sighing softly.
A smile played on his lips.
After half a lifetime of hard work, his parents finally got what they wanted. He was so carefree and insightful, living a more enlightened life than the people in the court.
The sea is unpredictable.
Gao Mengli and Lin Xi rode the "pirate ship" every day. At first, they were so seasick that they were dizzy and vomited all over.
After enduring several days and taking the herbal decoction prepared by Doctor Li, he gradually adapted.
During the day, I lean against the ship's railing, gazing at the azure sea and sky, watching seagulls circle overhead, and listening to the sailors recount tales of foreign lands.
That night, I drank with Dou Weiyi on the deck, cursing the incompetence of the Qianyu Dynasty in the past, laughing at the peace and stability of the country now, and chatting about how novel the West really is.
Dou Weiyi's fleet, carrying porcelain, tea, and silk, cut through the waves.
They also experienced different customs and cultures, tasted strange seafood, and saw tribes with unusual costumes.
The former restraint in the imperial court has completely faded away, leaving only a carefree and unrestrained demeanor.
Occasionally, he would write letters to Wang Yue, his words filled with amusing stories from the sea, never mentioning when he would return.
They simply say, "The sea is vast and the sky is high, so you can fly freely!"