bookrandom Chapter 2304 Triumph
Chapter 2304 Triumph
Inside the carriage, I don't know how much time passed, perhaps just a moment, perhaps longer.
Chu Ning's body, which was leaning against Feng Mulan's shoulder, finally stopped trembling.
He took a slow, deep breath and then exhaled slowly, as if to expel all the pent-up emotions and grief from his chest with that breath.
Then, he gently broke free from Feng Mulan's support and sat up straight on his own.
He opened his eyes, and those eyes, which had been filled with grief and exhaustion not long ago, were now bloodshot but had regained their former depth and clarity.
The paleness on his face gradually faded, replaced by a calm and resolute expression.
He raised his hand and gently wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with the corner of his sleeve, his movements returning to their usual composure.
"My beloved concubine is right."
Chu Ning's voice was still a little hoarse, but it was steady and powerful, carrying an unquestionable determination.
"It was I... who couldn't control myself for a moment."
He stood up, though his posture remained upright.
But Feng Mulan could sense that the weakness and shock he felt due to his immense grief had been forcibly suppressed and subdued, transforming into a different kind of restrained yet powerful force.
Chu Ning walked to the side of the carriage, looking out the window at the rapidly receding scenery and the winding official road leading north ahead, his gaze as firm as iron.
"I will keep General Han's last wish in mind."
He spoke slowly, each word carrying weight: "Stabilizing the country and allowing it to recuperate are the top priorities at present!"
"I will never make any decision that goes against this general principle due to momentary grief or impatience!"
He turned around and looked at Feng Mulan, his face now displaying the commanding, all-encompassing expression of an emperor.
Although the sadness deep in his eyes had not completely faded, it had been covered by a stronger sense of responsibility and will.
"By imperial decree, the time for rest and reorganization has come. The entire army shall continue its rapid advance!"
"I must return to the capital as soon as possible! To complete General Han's unfinished business and to fulfill his expectations for the future of Great Chu!"
Looking at Chu Ning's figure, which had once again stood tall like a pine tree with a burning gaze, Feng Mulan felt both gratified and a touch of indescribable sorrow.
She knew that the Chu Ning who could briefly lean on her shoulder and show vulnerability had disappeared.
Standing here once again is the Chu emperor, who bears the weight of the world on his shoulders and must always remain calm and dignified.
She bowed gracefully: "Your Majesty, I obey your command."
Twelve days later.
The biting north wind howled across the vast fields outside Kyoto, whipping up withered grass and dust that lashed against the towering city walls, making a whistling sound.
It was the twelfth lunar month, and the sky was a hazy, leaden gray. The sunlight was thin and pale, offering little warmth.
The air was filled with a dry, cold chill, foreshadowing the deepening of winter.
However, the atmosphere outside the east gate of Kyoto at this moment was completely different from the bleak winter scene.
The wide official road was already cleared and heavily guarded by the Imperial Guards, who stood at attention, stretching to the horizon.
Banners fluttered, ceremonial guards were magnificent, and canopies stretched like clouds.
Directly in front of the city gate stood the women of the imperial harem and members of the royal family, led by Empress Shen Wanying and Vice Empress Wu Zetian.
The entire court, including the prime minister and the six ministers, formed a large and orderly welcoming procession according to strict ranks and etiquette.
Empress Shen Wanying wore a solemn and gorgeous bright yellow phoenix robe and a nine-tailed phoenix crown.
Although she was over twenty-five, her appearance remained gentle and dignified, and her temperament was calm and graceful. However, there was a hint of worry and fatigue from the long wait in her eyes.
Half a step behind her was Wu Zetian, the deputy empress.
Dressed in a deep purple palace gown, with her hair piled high and adorned with gold and jade hairpins, she possessed a striking beauty and imposing phoenix eyes, exuding an aura of sharpness that could not be ignored.
Behind the two, wet nurses and nannies carefully looked after the young princes and princesses.
Five-year-old Prince Chu Tian, dressed in a small prince's robe, looked around curiously.
Nine-year-old Princess Chu Xiuning already looked like a young girl, obediently holding her younger brother's hand.
The two-year-old Second Prince Chu Ying was held tightly in the arms of his nanny, his big, dark eyes wide open.
All the civil and military officials, dressed in court robes and holding jade tablets, stood solemnly in the cold wind. No one whispered to each other; only the occasional soft gasp of breath from the cold could be heard.
Deng Hongwen, the Minister of Rites, stood at the front of the civil officials' line, occasionally adjusting his attire.
He then looked up at the end of the official road, his expression showing both the reverence to welcome the emperor and the solemnity of a heavy responsibility on his shoulders.
His Majesty sent a message in advance by carrier pigeon instructing on the preparations for the state funeral of the Duke of Zhongguo. There were countless things to do, time was tight, and the pressure was immense.
The cold wind fluttered the flags, and time seemed to pass exceptionally slowly as we waited.
After an unknown amount of time, a sliver of a flag tip finally appeared on the horizon.
Immediately following was the outline of an endless, black tide of troops, accompanied by the faint, rhythmic sound of horses' hooves and footsteps.
"He's here! His Majesty has returned in triumph!"
A suppressed commotion and whispers arose in the crowd, which quickly subsided into silence.
Shen Wanying's gaze remained fixed on the end of the official road. When the familiar black dragon flag and the banner with the character "Chu" clearly came into view, she took a deep breath of the cold air.
Turning his head to Deng Hongwen, the Minister of Rites beside him, he gave the order in a gentle yet clear voice:
"Lord Deng, play the music."
Deng Hongwen immediately bowed and said, "Your subject obeys Your Majesty's decree."
He straightened up, took a few steps forward, faced the court musicians who were already lined up neatly on both sides of the welcoming procession, and shouted loudly, his voice carrying far in the cold wind:
"His Majesty has returned in triumph! Musicians, play the triumphal march!"
"Here!"
The leader of the musicians responded loudly and waved his command flag.
In an instant, solemn, majestic, and triumphant court music resounded!
Bells, drums, chimes, zithers, flutes, and so on... all kinds of musical instruments resonated together, forming a magnificent and powerful sound wave that instantly dispelled the winter chill and desolation, echoing across the fields outside Kyoto.
The music is not only a tribute to the return of the king, but also a praise for the soldiers who fought valiantly, and a declaration of this hard-won victory.
Amidst the stirring triumphant music, the returning royal army, with unstoppable momentum, rapidly approached the city gate from afar.
At the very front of the procession, Chu Ning, dressed in military attire with a black cloak embroidered with gold dragons, sat upright on the magnificent "Black Cloud Covering Snow," his back straight, his face calm, and his eyes sharp as lightning.
More than ten days of forced marching left obvious marks of wind and frost on his face; his skin was slightly dark, and his jawline was more defined.
But his imperial majesty and the profound temperament he had developed after being tempered by blood and fire made him even more captivating than before he went to war.
Behind him was Feng Mulan's imperial carriage, along with a group of generals including Xue Huaide, Zhao Yu, and Ma Chao.