Chapter 640

Qin Ling pulled the disappointed Li Yunchu away.

After stepping out, Li Yunchu finally showed some sorrow: "Luo'er still won't forgive me, accept me."

"Back then I really was too harsh on her."

"But I'm still better than her parents, right?"

Qin Ling: ……

In comparison, I'm even better than Princess Qinyu.

Heh, but he didn't dare say it.

After all, he's just scraping by; he only hopes that this little ancestor's child in the womb will be born safely, so he and his wife can be completely free.

Then, adopting seven or eight kids, teaching them medicine, wouldn't they later be able to enjoy family bliss?

Qin Ling thought about it and felt delighted.

Over here, after Qin Ling and Li Yunchu left, Zhui Yu also came rushing in with a letter.

"Miss, Your Highness has sent a letter."

Li Qingluo heard the voice and immediately sat up.

"Ashi's letter came? Quick, give it to me!"

This is Duan Rongshi's second letter!

After receiving the previous letter, Li Qingluo also replied to Duan Rongshi with a brief two sentences.

"All is well; please do not worry."

She really didn't know how to describe the dangers she'd faced along the way, so she simply didn't mention a word.

Only today did she finally receive Duan Rongshi's second letter.

As the child in her womb grew, Li Qingluo, day by day stroking her belly, missed Duan Rongshi more and more.

Though they'd been apart for four months, to her it felt like four years.

She had wanted to return soon, but instead she kept getting deeper into trouble.

Zhui Yu presented a thick stack of letters with both hands.

Even he couldn't help feeling indignant on behalf of his master: "Miss, look at the letter Your Highness sent you—he practically wants to burst the envelope."

"This time it wasn't sent by pigeon post; instead, someone was specially dispatched to shuttle it for over a month before delivering this thick stack to you."

"Your Highness must be missing you terribly, yet you—your last reply was just two brief sentences."

Li Qingluo broke into a sweat: "Then what do you want me to reply to Your Highness?"

"Say we killed Baza in Eagle King City."

"Say we went through several dangers in the Stone Grotto Secret Realm."

"Say how many dangers we encountered on the way to Loulan, or how we were nearly surrounded and crushed there, barely escaping."

"Not a single thing can be said."

"Your Highness's situation isn't much better than ours—dark intrigues fill the court, and the situation is chaotic."

"If we can avoid adding chaos and distracting him, that's what we should do."

"Alright, you go out first; don't disturb me while I read the letter slowly."

As for the young lady's analysis, Zhui Yu naturally agreed wholeheartedly.

So, with head bowed, he could only obediently leave.

Li Qingluo hurriedly opened the letter.

Upon seeing the familiar handwriting before her eyes, she couldn't help but redden her eyes.

Without hesitation, she hurriedly read on.

However, the more she read, the heavier Li Qingluo's expression became.

The Chu emperor actually announced at the state sacrifice grand ceremony that he would launch a campaign against the Western Regions.

And he appointed Duan Rongshi as Grand Marshal of the Three Armies, ordering him to lead the Great Chu's troops to retake all the cities seized from Great Chu in the Western Regions!

Upon hearing this news, the people of Great Chu were all filled with fervent zeal.

Their Great Chu has been weak for twenty years.

Over these twenty years, the territory has been nibbled away bit by bit, and they have encountered a cowardly tyrant who only knows to cede lands and keep pushing back.

Great Chu has long been a land of trembling rivers and mountains, with unsettled hearts.

The people's livelihood has worsened day by day, and the populace can barely survive.

In just the two months since Li Qingluo left, Duan Rongshi had already suppressed eight rebel armies that had risen in revolt.

Perhaps it was because Prince Yue Duan Rongshi's ability made the people of Great Chu suddenly glimpse a hint of hope.

Over these years, the land has been lost, and the wind and rain toss about.

If this continues, the ruin of Great Chu's lands and rivers is only a matter of time.

Those scholars and soldiers all harbored a determination to restore the lands and rivers, so when the conscription notice was issued, and after the King of Yue was appointed Supreme Commander of the Three Armies, young able-bodied men flocked to enlist one after another, all wishing to serve their country.

In Duan Rongshi's letter, he wrote that he never expected the people of Great Chu to be more fervent and passionate than those of DaLiang.

Moreover, they seemed to have great faith in this newly appointed Great General.

He did not understand why they trusted him.

Even DaLiang did not trust him, yet the people of Great Chu actually believed this King of Yue who had appeared out of nowhere would lead them to reclaim their lands and rivers.

However, Duan Rongshi still accepted the tiger talisman.

And he intended to sincerely help Great Chu retake those cities.

This ran contrary to some of his original plans.

However, he did not regret it.

As long as the people can live and work in peace in the future, even if Duan Rongshi loses something from it, he feels it is worth it.

Duan Rongshi also mentioned Man Tuo City in passing.

And he said, "Luo'er, you must have guessed who the King of Lanhai is, right?"

"Lanhai is a small border kingdom."

"It's so small that perhaps no one in the Western Regions, DaLiang, or Great Chu has ever paid it any attention."

"But it does indeed truly exist."

"It lies at the northernmost point where the Western Regions and DaLiang meet, at the foot of Kunshan Mountain."

"If possible, the next time we meet I will personally tell you the story of my maternal grandmother."

Besides that, Duan Rongshi also chattered on about many trivial matters.

For example, one day he ate a pastry that was hard to swallow.

For example, he personally caught an assassin in his manor.

Another example, during the Mid-Autumn Festival he and the Chu emperor jointly offered sacrifices to his mother.

The streets were filled with people carrying lanterns, only he was alone and solitary.

He missed her greatly, hoping his wife would return home soon.

Li Qingluo received the letter and pressed it tightly against her chest.

After a long while, she then read it over twice.

Only then did she pick up her pen to reply:

"A Shi, I have received your letter. I am delighted to see your handwriting and to hear you recount the recent major events in your life."

"To be frank with you, I am now in the Hala Imperial City of the Western Regions."

"My master has been rescued, and I have also seen Nanping. If things go smoothly, regardless of the outcome, I will hurry back to meet you as soon as possible."

"As for your saying that Great Chu is launching a campaign into the Western Regions, since you have decided to take command, I naturally support you wholeheartedly."

"The people of Great Chu regard you as the hope to save the land and rivers, and undoubtedly because they have seen your talent for suppressing rebels, they have each regained confidence, believing the nation can still revive its former glory."

"A Shi, I know you love the people."

"Whether they are people of Great Chu or DaLiang, you yourself are of both nations' bloodline, so you need not bear any psychological burden."

"By the way, A Shi, I still want to tell you something."

"In the Western Regions I may have encountered a relative connected to you by blood."

"Everything, we can discuss in detail when we meet again. Peace, Luo'er."

Although the word count still does not match the many words of Duan Rongshi, it is still much better than last time.

After the ink on the letter dried, Li Qingluo personally sealed the envelope and then summoned Zhui Yu.

"Send it out urgently."

Zhui Yu pinched the envelope's thickness; although dissatisfied, she ultimately dared not complain.

She merely glanced resentfully at her young mistress, then quickly turned and left.

After Zhui Yu left, Ana'er returned again.

"Come on, you personally go out with me for a trip."

Li Qingluo was about to lie down, but had to hurriedly get up again.

She rose slowly and put on her fur garments; the wind in the Western Regions, when it blows, cuts like a knife, making one's flesh ache—if it were not absolutely necessary, Li Qingluo truly would not want to go out.

Que'er hurried forward to help Li Qingluo straighten her clothing for the day, while Ana'er waited impatiently at the side.

Until she unintentionally glanced at Li Qingluo's belly.

Although the robes were bulky and loose, she still felt that Li Qingluo's appearance seemed somewhat off.

"Could it be…"

Ana'er narrowed her eyes, then stared fixedly at Li Qingluo.

Li Qingluo sensed her strange gaze and quickly touched her own cheek, saying, "But do I have a flower on my face?"

Ana'er: "Nothing, just get ready and come out quickly."

Having said that, she rose and went out to wait.

Li Qingluo was puzzled, but Que'er said, "How come I feel that the Wusun Empress's tone has suddenly softened a lot just now?"

Li Qingluo: "Really?"

Her reactions have been a bit slow lately.

Qin Ling said it was normal.

Many women who are about to become mothers have poor memory and slow reactions.

Therefore Li Qingluo has recently been constantly misplacing things.

But she surely wouldn't fail to notice a change in others' attitudes, would she?

Li Qingluo had no idea that just now Ana'er had already guessed she might be pregnant, and since everyone around her kept calling her a young lady, Ana'er assumed Li Qingluo, like herself in the past, had encountered a heartless man and thus was forced to bear her pregnancy alone while traveling south and north.

Her current situation is actually worse than her own former state.

At this moment, Ana'er felt a stir of kinship in her heart toward Li Qingluo.

She also had it not easy…

Moreover, she had been threatened by herself to come to Hala City.

Forget it, from now on I'll treat her more kindly.

After Li Qingluo came out, she walked ahead, her steps slowed considerably.

Even Li Qingluo noticed that Ana'er was indeed different from before in her thoughtfulness and patience.

After finally arriving at the manor gate with great effort, Nan Gongdi had already been waiting for a long time.

"Master."

Li Qingluo went over to pay her respects, "How are you?"

Nan Gongdi's health has not been good all along.

Clearly Qin Ling said he only had superficial injuries, with no damage to muscles or bones, yet Nan Gongdi grew more and more listless each day.

He takes medicine every day, yet he simply won't get better.

Li Qingluo suspects Qin Ling is a quack doctor.

Qin Ling felt insulted and jumped up higher than eight zhang.

"He himself has a heart ailment; what can I do?"

"If you can't let go of your worries, even if your grandfather-in-law came, he'd be helpless."

Grandfather-in-law...

Luo Fan, far away in Rongle, let out a loud sneeze.

Pei Lao Furen looked at him with concern: "You're a doctor yourself; you surely haven't come down with typhoid, have you?"

Luo Fan gave a "hehe" laugh: "Yeah. It's not like last night you stole my blanket, leaving me to freeze outdoors all night."

Pei Lao Furen flushed and glared at him: "Nonsense! Go away, go away, don't be an eyesore here. I'm going to write a letter to Luo'er to ask when she'll be back."

"She's become an aunt already, and she's been gone for several months."

"I don't know how things are in the Western Regions; I don't know if you managed to save that Nan Gongdi fellow."

Luo Fan fell silent for a moment.

He knew her worry.

Such peaceful waiting was never her nature.

So he simply asked: "Jingchuan's health is usually hardest to endure in winter, but this year it's much better. I don't need to attend to him all day; getting through this winter should be fine."

"Now he and A Lan's child are already four months old. Do you want to go to Mantuo City?"

"If you want to go, I'll accompany you."