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The four personal maids Ji Yucang selected for Gu Yanran had never served her before and were skilled in martial arts.
Besides serving and protecting her, their main task was to ensure that Gu Yanran could not cause trouble after marrying into the Yang family, especially not doing anything harmful to her mother-in-law or husband.
With the four maids taking turns to supervise, even if she was unwilling, she could only live a peaceful life at home.
After Gu Yanran’s marriage, Shen Ning’s health improved day by day after several days of recuperation. She had no problems with moving around freely, except for her face, which still showed a pale weakness.
Ji Yucang no longer needed to guard her day and night and gradually resumed attending court. However, he returned early in the afternoon, which was fortunate since he had promoted a group of capable officials and generals, arranging court affairs in an orderly manner, and the military was also methodically preparing for the expedition.
Time passed day by day.
The at least two hours of close interaction every afternoon and evening, as well as the intimacy of sleeping in the same bed at night, were enough to make their feelings soar, and also allowed Shen Ning to gradually accept their marital relationship.
As winter approached, the weather grew colder day by day.
The provisions had already been sent ahead.
The training in the military camp was strict and intense. As the New Year approached, various drills could not slow down. Ji Yucang had preemptively established various reward and punishment systems. The expedition to Nan Dynasty was an excellent opportunity for promotion for everyone.
The soldiers were full of fighting spirit, and even before the army set out, they had already shown the spirit of achieving merit. Until the New Year’s festival, Ji Yucang ordered a day of rest, allowing Chu Yunxiao to lead the soldiers in celebrating the New Year in the military camp, eating dumplings and adding some meat dishes, replenishing their vitality and strength.
Shen Ning’s body gradually regained its vitality.
This year’s New Year’s Eve was the least festive New Year’s Eve since the founding of the Yong Kingdom. Ji Yucang held a palace banquet, but the atmosphere was not lively. The ministers were preoccupied, and they couldn’t help but think of the unusual situation in the palace compared to previous years.
The young Emperor, who had not yet taken power, was under house arrest, the Empress Dowager was under house arrest, and the consort the Emperor had just conferred was also under house arrest.
The entire Yong Kingdom was now under the control of the Regent, and Princess Pingyao was also a presence that could not be ignored. No one in the court could be sure of Ji Yucang’s intentions.
The Regent, holding great power, did not seem to harbor ambitions for the throne, leading some ministers who had considered expressing their loyalty to be at a loss for words.
Shen Ning did not attend the New Year’s Eve palace banquet but stayed at the Regent’s Residence to prepare the reunion dinner with Shi Qin and the others. Before Ji Yucang entered the palace, he instructed them to wait for his return, saying that the palace banquet would not last too long.
As expected, Ji Yucang returned after less than an hour in the palace. That night, the fireworks in the sky above the Regent’s Residence were even more dazzling than those in the palace. The servants’ faces were flushed with excitement as they continuously set off fireworks and firecrackers, spreading a festive atmosphere throughout the estate. The steward, watching the fireworks fill the sky, muttered to himself, “The estate has never been this lively before. This is the atmosphere New Year’s should have…”
Ji Yucang and Shen Ning stood in the courtyard, listening to the servants’ lively laughter and looking up at the bursts of fireworks in the sky. A genuine smile appeared on their lips.
“I wonder if we’ll still be here this time next year.”
It seemed that Shen Ning was just expressing her feelings, but after hearing her, Ji Yucang thought carefully, “We should still be here. After the New Year, the army will set out in the first month. Given Nan Dynasty’s current military strength, half a year should be enough to destroy their country.”
Shen Ning remained silent.
Half a year?
That was really overestimating Nan Dynasty.
With Western Zhou Dynasty involved, Nan Dynasty, caught between the two countries, might not even last three months before facing destruction.
Shen Ning looked in the direction of Nan Dynasty, her eyes complex.
She certainly resented their heartlessness, but Nan Dynasty was, after all, her country, the land she had risked her life to protect. The people of Nan Dynasty were so innocent, yet they were burdened with such a stubborn and suspicious tyrant. Not only did he ruin his own country and the legacy of his ancestors, but he also made countless civilians suffer the ravages of war.
Now, it was powerless to change fate, ending the war as soon as possible was the best choice.
The fireworks filled the sky all night.
In contrast to the liveliness of the Regent’s Residence, Ji Jin in the Chonghua Palace felt a deep sense of desolation. He stood by the window, looking at the dark and cold palace at night, vaguely sensing the festivities outside the palace.
On the table lay an array of sumptuous dishes, long cold, brought by palace attendants who said it was the Regent’s special order, as it was New Year’s Eve, and the Emperor should not be deprived of his due treatment.
Ji Jin could only muster a cold smile at this.
Treatment?
What kind of treatment did he still have?
On second thought, he felt that all of this was his own doing. Ji Jin leaned against the window, closed his eyes gently, and could not help but feel waves of regret.
If he had stayed contentedly on the throne, not opposed him after taking power, not followed his mother’s wishes to scheme against him, and instead obeyed him, would he not have treated him this way?
It shouldn’t have been like this.
Ji Jin sighed bitterly, blaming himself for being too impatient. If he could have endured until taking power, or even found a way to cure his poison and gain his trust, rather than following his father’s wishes and using such despicable means to control him, would he not have angered him?
His uncle had always been a proud but principled man.
If he could have secured the throne and gradually taken control of the government, promoting and cultivating his own loyal followers, then…
Then, wouldn’t he have been able to do as he pleased?
Unfortunately, it was too late for such thoughts now.
It was too late for any thoughts.
Ji Jin leaned quietly and solitarily against the window, feeling the cold and bitter solitude of the palace. They say the higher you climb, the colder it gets. He hadn’t truly reached the heights, yet he still felt the bone-chilling cold.