Reborn Lady

Chapter 164

At noon, the scouts returned with a message from King Yan, stating that he had captured the Khan of the Kingdom of Jin alive and was preparing to withdraw his troops. He requested Wei Luo to lead his forces in retreat, and the two armies would rendezvous on the way.

Both Wei Luo and Feng Su smiled at the news.

Feng Teng, however, still thirsted for more and suggested, “Didn’t the Emperor instruct us to destroy the Kingdom of Jin? Now that their Khan is in our hands, how about we seize their capital in one decisive strike?”

Feng Su didn’t bother engaging in conversation with his impulsive son.

Cui Yu explained with a smile, “Although we’ve captured the Khan, there are still princes in their capital who won’t surrender without a fight. Moreover, if we decide to destroy the Kingdom, the Xiongnu in the west will likely mobilize their troops.”

While the Xiongnu were currently wary and hesitant to attack Wei directly, they would not stand idly by if Wei attempted to invade Jin and further expand its influence.

Feng Teng, feeling somewhat dejected, touched his nose.

Wei Luo said, “Let’s go.”

Three days later, the armies met.

King Yan, on horseback, observed his son galloping towards him in the snowy distance. Filled with sudden pride as a father and a true general, he turned to Guo Xiao and asked, “Guo Xiao, what do you think of my son?”

Guo Xiao sensed that King Yan wasn’t inquiring about him but rather comparing him to the other sons.

Acknowledging the third master’s exceptional qualities, Guo Xiao sincerely remarked, “The third master is heroic, decisive, and resourceful. It seems he has fully inherited your true teachings.”

King Yan chuckled, recognizing the similarity between himself and his third son, aside from the latter’s reluctance to smile.

“This son pays homage to his father!”

Approaching, Wei Luo dismounted and led the generals behind him to kneel down and offer their salute.

King Yan smiled, excused all the generals, and then inquired with Wei Luo about the details of the battle that night.

Wei Luo reported truthfully, and King Yan expressed great satisfaction. Once the military matters were addressed, Wei Luo mounted his horse. King Yan scrutinized him and asked, “Any injuries?”

Wei Luo instinctively glanced at his left arm and replied, “I was stabbed, but luckily it was just a skin injury.”

King Yan nodded, stating, “A child will stumble, and a general will be stabbed sooner or later. Just get used to it.”

Despite his words, when setting up camp in the evening, King Yan visited Wei Luo’s tent to personally inspect his son’s injury.

The Jin Kingdom’s scimitar was exceptionally sharp. Fortunately, the battle armor Wei Luo wore took most of the impact. While the injury was superficial, the wound was deep, and the flesh on both sides turned over. 

Any general would feel concern for their soldiers, and King Yan, being Wei Luo’s father, was no exception.

Since the expedition’s end, they hadn’t shared any heartfelt words. In a good mood after the victory, King Yan, while applying medicine to his son, asked, “Did you ever feel scared on the battlefield for the first time?”

Wei Luo’s throat tightened slightly as he watched his father lower his eyes, focused on tending to his wounds. The last time they were so close was when his father was bedridden due to tooth extraction.

“I haven’t been scared; I just had a few nightmares,” replied Wei Luo.

King Yan smiled, reminiscing, “Like me, the first time I went to the battlefield, I followed your grandfather…”

He recounted his youth, a time when he was just a young son with both civil and military skills, accompanying his father to battle. If he were ever injured, his father would visit, compensating for the long stretches of separation with a single heartfelt reunion.

His father, a busy man, could be absent for a year, but one visit would bridge the gap, providing a year’s worth of father-son warmth. However, after he became King Yan, more than twenty years passed without returning to the capital.

Despite being an only son, his father had many sons and countless grandsons. King Yan doubted whether his father still remembered his face. After applying the medicine, King Yan released a long sigh.

Observing his father’s sudden melancholy, Wei Luo regarded him with suspicion. King Yan patted him on the shoulder, then left without uttering a word.

Upon the army’s return to the border, after a wait of more than ten days, an order arrived from the capital. It directed King Yan to send people to escort the Khan to the capital. Simultaneously, the court dispatched another official to negotiate the terms of a truce with the Kingdom of Jin.

Guo Xiao led the army to continue stationing at the border as King Yan, being the vassal king, had the responsibility to send troops in case of war. After completing his duties, King Yan returned to Pingcheng with his son and three guards.

Wherever the army passed, the people of Yandi cheered and celebrated. King Yan had successfully protected the border on many occasions, earning the trust and support of the people in Yandi, who now believed in him more than the Emperor in the capital.

Approaching Pingcheng, King Yan instructed the three commanders to lead their troops back to the guard post first. He, accompanied by Wei Luo, Cui Yu, and a team of guards, entered the city without grand celebrations.

The people on the streets continued their daily routines of buying and selling goods. The appearance of more than a dozen horses didn’t immediately raise any suspicions. By the time the citizens realized that the leader was King Yan, he had already passed by.

“Is that really the prince? Didn’t he win the battle and capture the Khan? Why is it like this?”

Eunuch Hai, overhearing the comments, explained, “That’s because our prince often accomplishes meritorious deeds, and he doesn’t seek to show off!”

“That’s right, our prince isn’t the type to seek fame and reputation. His actions are all significant and practical!” 

King Yan smiled.

Three days later, Eunuch Hai reported to King Yan, “My lord, the common people have returned to their normal lives, living and working in peace and contentment.”

King Yan responded with a thoughtful “emmm”.