Chapter 669: Marrying you is my fortune, Duan Rongshi, for this lifetime!

After the main forces rendezvoused, Duan Rongshi first paid his respects to Pei Lao Furen, then he took Li Qingluo and Fangfang mother and daughter together onto horseback.

He shielded his wife and daughter in front of him, then led the myriad troops on horseback into the city.

"My empress, together with me we shall share the realm——"

"She, Li Qingluo——has made an indispensable contribution——"

"Without her, there would have been no two‑year victory!"

"She——may also be called ten thousand years——"

The populace and the ten thousand troops cheered together: "Long live the emperor, ten thousand, ten thousand, myriad myriad——Long live the empress, ten thousand, ten thousand, myriad myriad——"

"Long live the princess, thousand years, thousand years, myriad myriad——"

Fangfang clapped her little hands without a hint of stage fright.

Li Qingluo also straightened her back, sharing with Duan Rongshi the joy and glory of this victory.

Pei Lao Furen, who had followed alongside into the city, kept wiping the corners of her eyes.

Seeing her obedient granddaughter receive all the respect and honor she deserved, she felt nothing but comfort, and moreover a surge of emotion.

"He really is someone I, the old lady, did not misjudge."

"I hope his sincerity will endure… never failing her, just as this realm will never fail them."

Mantuo City bustled for an entire day.

At nightfall, Duan Rongshi and Li Qingluo finally managed to steal a moment of leisure, gaining a little private space.

However, Fangfang was still sleeping nearby.

She had clung to her father all day.

Perhaps feeling mighty, she clung to her father's armor, not even dismounting while Duan Rongshi handled military affairs.

So Duan Rongshi held her almost the whole day.

Even dinner was fed to her by him personally.

Fangfang was quite cooperative today, eating however much her father fed her.

Had Li Qingluo not noticed something amiss and quickly had the meal taken away, Fangfang's little belly might have burst.

After drinking a bit of digestive tonic, she finally fell asleep.

Moreover, she wanted to sleep in the empress's quarters, with no intention of leaving.

Li Qingluo let her be.

Besides, Duan Rongshi still wanted to steal a few more glances at his precious princess.

Even now he stood beside the bed, unwilling to look away for a moment, as if trying to make up for the months they had missed.

Li Qingluo beside him said helplessly, "From now on there will be plenty of time to look slowly."

"Come over here with me first."

Li Qingluo pulled Duan Rongshi over to a low couch nearby.

Then she said, "Take off your clothes."

Duan Rongshi lifted his head and gazed at her: "Luo'er, are you……in a hurry?"

Seeing that he didn't understand, Li Qingluo straightforwardly stepped forward to undress him.

"Yes, I am in a hurry."

"I'm hurrying to check whether you've sustained any injuries these past six months!"

Upon seeing that he truly had a long new scar on his chest, Li Qingluo's tears rolled down.

Not only here, but there are other bad scars as well.

"You——"

Although he had brought many trusted physicians on the campaign and they had indeed preserved his life,

Li Qingluo still felt heart‑broken and frightened, her whole body trembling.

"Where is the soft armor I gave you?"

"Why did you still get injured?"

"You risk your life so recklessly—what on earth are you trying to accomplish!?"

She wanted to punch him in anger, but ultimately couldn't bring herself to do it, so she slammed her fist onto the nearby table instead.

Duan Rongshi swiftly reached out and wrapped his hand around hers.

"Luo'er, it will hurt."

He said, full of resignation yet tinged with quiet happiness, "It's really just a minor wound."

"Your soft armor works well."

"But occasionally there are moments when it fails."

"If it weren't for your soft armor, I truly would not have made it back several times."

"Luo'er, you are my lucky star. Truly, I think of you constantly; I only wish to finish this war quickly and return to your and Fangfang's side."

Li Qingluo sniffed, speaking in a low voice: "So, you signed a peace treaty with the Western Regions, and that's why you've come back?"

Duan Rongshi rubbed her head: "The Gudou Marquis is dead, the Roudi imperial house exterminated; the Western Regions' ambition toward our Central Plains will not dare resurface for at least a century."

"If I didn't come back, I would truly have to march on Hala City."

"That expedition would take at least two years to return."

"After all, the mountains are high and the roads long; the journey is arduous, and we Central Plains folk are not acclimated to the Western Regions either."

"Even if we reached Hala City, how many of my three hundred thousand troops could make it back?"

That the soldiers could overcome hardships and penetrate the Western Regions' heartland is already extremely difficult.

Moreover, to completely dismantle the Western Regions' imperial court is an achievement not attained in hundreds of years.

Duan Rongshi did not want to attack and swallow the whole continent.

He only wanted peace under heaven and tranquility in the world.

"Thoroughly recovering the Western Regions is not impossible, but this matter must be planned gradually."

"Nowadays, the alliance of the thirteen Western Regions states has almost completely collapsed; they can no longer achieve anything."

"Unless the Western Regions themselves clean up, with several small states reconciling, there is still hope for a comeback someday."

"Nowadays, at least they have been beaten by us to the point they can no longer become a threat."

Originally, the Marquis Gu Du returned to Hala City wanting to regain power.

However, what awaited him was an assassination by the faction advocating peace.

The Rondi clan has ruled the Western Regions for three hundred years.

Nowadays, since they let the common people no longer live good lives, it is time to abdicate.

After the Marquis Gu Du died miserably, the entire Western Region army became scattered sand.

The faction advocating peace quickly took control of the imperial court, usurped the throne and proclaimed themselves king, then the new king Lan Hufeng actively rushed to the front lines and advocated for a ceasefire and peace talks.

At that time, Duan Rongshi had just captured and killed all of the Marquis Gu Du's remaining sons.

Seeing this situation, the new king Lan Hufeng hurriedly and proactively bowed to meet Duan Rongshi.

And presented numerous peace terms, letting Duan Rongshi consider them carefully for a long time.

"Besides tens of thousands of cattle, sheep, horses, and camels each year, there are also tens of thousands of gold, silver, and cloth."

"And slaves."

"And the royal princess..."

Li Qingluo looked at the booklet up to this point, then raised her head to look at Duan Rongshi.

Duan Rongshi reached out and took it.

"You took the wrong one."

"This is the one I previously abolished."

"This one is the new one."

Duan Rongshi did not fully accept Lan Hufeng's peace terms.

He did not want slaves.

Nor did he want any marriage alliance princess.

Since the Rondi royal family has been completely wiped out, he no longer needs to pursue the Western Regions' humiliation of the Nanping Princess.

But neither side will again use women to solidify peace.

Therefore, besides tribute, he only needs Hala City to, like other Western Region small states conquered by Duan Rongshi, submit to the Central Plains and become a vassal state immediately.

He does not intend to annex the Western Regions.

But he also will not allow the Western Regions and the Central Plains to stand on equal footing again.

Lan Hufeng saw that if the Central Plains troops continued like this, not only would the vassal states be affected, but these Western Region small states would likely all become part of Lanhai.

So, he could only grit his teeth and agree.

Afterwards, both sides finally withdrew their troops together.

However, nowadays the Central Plains' territory has expanded to a thousand li beyond Mantuo City.

The remaining conquered territories were left unattended and not clearly demarcated.

But the Western Regions did not dare to go and occupy them for the time being.

Thus both sides left things as they were, each busy with rest and recuperation, from then on formally ceasing hostilities and ending the war.

Li Qingluo looked at a tall stack of booklets of the Western Regions' vassal states, naturally very pleased.

"Ah Shi, will we no longer have to fight in the future?"

"The soldiers can lay down their arms and return to farming, the people can live in peace and prosperity, and everyone can go about their own lives."

"Ah Shi, that's wonderful."

"I finally understand why you agreed to become that emperor."

"Because only you yourself can decide how far to go, and then you can stop all of this."

"What you strive for is peace for all under heaven! Whereas I previously only thought of myself—I was narrow-minded."

"Duan Rongshi, you are my pride and also my glory!"

Her eyes shone brightly as she actively rose and embraced his neck, full of admiration and affection.

Duan Rongshi only felt his chest burning hot.

Hearing her words that came from the depths of her heart, his previously calm heart began to beat fast and strong.

"Luo'er, how are you not also my pride?"

"You have governed Mantuo City very well."

"The memorials and state affairs sent to you, you have also handled them very appropriately."

"Moreover, the peace of the world today also has your share of merit."

"If it weren't for your constant resupply from the rear, if it weren't for your stabilizing the realm in the rear, if it weren't for your providing the strategy for the western march, we would not have so easily won this victorious battle."

Li Qingluo compiled into a booklet the extreme weather, terrain, even local customs and conditions that would be encountered on the western march, as well as the characteristics of those small states.

Besides letting Xuan Ce and Zhui Yu, who have been to the Western Regions, along with a few assassins, accompany the march, it was her booklet that truly played a great role all along.

Because she was meticulous, she even recorded some minor matters.

Those minor matters sometimes actually helped greatly.

Therefore, what Duan Rongshi carried on this campaign was not only the Pei Jia military tactics, but also Li Qingluo's this book of western expedition strategy.

Moreover, it was also her secretly instigating the rebellions of Loulan, Wusun, and the Eagle King State, etc.

Duan Rongshi never hides from Li Qingluo the great deeds she has done.

So now the army and even the world know that the Empress of Great Chu is also a remarkable woman of great talent, brilliant strategy, and a grand vision!

If it weren't for the Empress, the boys of the Central Plains would not know how many innocent lives would have to be sacrificed and shed blood.

Moreover, generals Zhui Yu, Po Feng, and Leng Dian also spread and support Li Qingluo as Empress, so her current reputation and prestige are indeed not low.

It can be said that the common folk also greatly love this Great Chu Empress who came out of the mountains and wilderness.

Duan Rongshi holds her on his lap, reaches out and gently embraces her: "In this great victory of the expedition to the Western Regions, I am the one whose contribution is indispensable!"

"Marrying a wife like you is Duan Rongshi's lifelong happiness."

"In the future Lan Hai Nation, having an Empress like you will also be a blessing for the world ten thousandfold."

Li Qingluo: "Lan Hai Nation?"

"Do you intend to change the country name—"

Duan Rongshi lowered his head and blocked her.

"Shh— we'll discuss tomorrow."

"We should catch up on old times."

It should be known that during this separation of several months, he had almost become a monk.

Missing her to the point of sleepless nights, tonight he certainly will not easily…

However, the two hadn't even taken off their clothes, and the one on the bed sat up, rubbing his sleepy eyes and looking at them, shouting: "Father?"

"Mother—"