Two months later.

The resurrected Emperor Shizong led ten thousand troops and trampled the Dayuan Kingdom.

Great Jin incorporated the Dongling Kingdom and Dayuan Kingdom into Great Jin’s territory. Great Jin’s national territory reached an unprecedented height.

On a day with excellent sunshine, Emperor Shizong returned triumphantly to the capital.

“Welcome Emperor Shizong’s return to court!”

“Welcome Emperor Shizong’s return to court!”

The young Emperor and Grand Empress Dowager, accompanied by civil and military officials, came to welcome him. The common people of the capital also gathered at the city gates, discussing incessantly.

“Isn’t there a young Emperor now? Where does this Emperor Shizong come from?”

“You don’t know? Emperor Shizong was previously reported dead, which is why the young Emperor ascended the throne. Turns out he didn’t die—he was secretly operating in the Dayuan Kingdom, working from within and without with General Weiwu to take down the Dayuan Kingdom.”

“Then doesn’t our Great Jin now have two Emperors? Won’t this cause chaos?”

“Hey, what you’re saying actually makes quite a bit of sense!”

Amid the crowd’s discussions, a procession of carriages and horses appeared at the city gate.

At the very front, the person on the tall horse wore silver armor. When the sunlight shone down, the armor reflected silver light so brilliant that people dared not look directly at it.

The clip-clop of horse hooves resounded through the sky, magnificent and imposing, as if proclaiming a great victory.

“It’s Father!” Chu Changsheng stood on the city wall, seeing the man on the tall horse from afar, and said excitedly, “Let’s hurry and greet Father!”

Chu Hongyu had long been impatient as well.

Whoever wanted to be Emperor could be Emperor—he wasn’t doing it anymore anyway.

Previously he had to struggle on, protecting Mother and his younger siblings, but now that Father had returned, why should he keep struggling? He wanted to become that carefree child again.

The two siblings quickly walked down from the city tower.

Yun Chu held Chu Hongjue’s hand and went down together.

The distant procession drew closer and closer, and the common people couldn’t help but cheer.

Yun Chu’s gaze was fixed intently on the man on the tall horse. She saw that his face was crisscrossed with scars, and although his neck was covered by armor, she could still clearly see the whip wounds on his neck…

As she examined Chu Yi, the man’s gaze also fell upon her.

Having not seen each other for nearly half a year, she had grown thinner, Jue’er had grown bigger, Yu’er had become more composed, and Changsheng had grown taller…

He could no longer control himself. He dismounted from his horse and ran toward Yun Chu.

He embraced his wife and three children all at once.

“I’m sorry, Chu’er, I’m sorry…”

His voice was hoarse to the extreme, a sound squeezed out from his chest cavity.

Yun Chu asked in disbelief: “What happened to your voice?”

Chengxu followed over and said: “Master’s throat was burned to become like this. Fortunately, his life was saved…”

“Father…” When Chu Hongyu saw that Chu Yi’s face and hands were covered in injuries, his eyes immediately reddened. “What happened? Why are you covered in wounds all over…”

He had originally wanted to throw the imperial throne to his father, but seeing Chu Yi in this condition, all his words stuck in his throat.

“Grand Empress Dowager, please don’t blame Master…” Chengxu helped explain. “Master was previously pierced by ten thousand arrows and fell into the sea. He drifted at sea for three days before being rescued by members of the Dayuan Kingdom’s royal family…”

Only then did Yun Chu learn what this man had experienced.

When he led troops in pursuit of the enemy, he fell into an enemy trap, was pierced by ten thousand arrows, and plunged into the sea.

After drifting at sea for three days and nights, he was rescued by the Second Prince of Dayuan Kingdom. That Second Prince learned his identity from his clothing, knowing he was the Crown Prince of Great Jin, and imprisoned him in a water dungeon, whipping him daily, forcing him to write letters to Great Jin in an attempt to create chaos in Great Jin.

Every day he thought of ways to unlock his shackles. After spending a month, he was finally able to open them. Then, when the Second Prince was alone, he leaped up from the water dungeon and strangled him with a thin iron wire.

Afterward, he threw the Second Prince into the water dungeon, locked him with shackles, took an iron hammer, and smashed the Second Prince’s face to pulp.

Next, he used iron wire to scar his own face. With a bloody and mangled face, no one could recognize him.

Thus, he took the Second Prince’s place and became a member of the Dayuan Kingdom’s royal family.

At that time, he had wanted to write to Yun Chu, but countless people in the Dayuan Kingdom’s royal family were watching him. Too many spies made it impossible for him to act.

He heard news that Yu’er had ascended the throne and Yun Chu had become Grand Empress Dowager. Hearing that mother and son were safe, he could only suppress his anxious heart and continue plotting…

He persuaded the Dayuan Kingdom’s Emperor to cooperate with Great Jin and destroy the Dongling Kingdom in one stroke.

After Dongling was destroyed, the Dayuan Kingdom’s ambitions expanded, and they wanted to move against Great Jin and annex it.

His identity was also discovered by someone. He set a fire that burned down the Dayuan Kingdom’s palace, burning to death those who knew his identity. At the same time, he also burned his throat, making speech very difficult…

After receiving Yun Chu’s letter, he immediately assassinated the Dayuan Kingdom’s Emperor, creating internal chaos in the royal family while coordinating externally with Great Jin, catching the Dayuan Kingdom completely off guard.

The Dayuan Kingdom, whose territory far exceeded that of the Dongling Kingdom, was thus destroyed.

After half a year, he had finally returned.

In his arms were his wife and children, before his eyes was Great Jin, and beside him were his subjects.

This feeling was especially reassuring.

“We pay respects to the Grand Emperor!”

All the officials bowed in unison.

Only then did Chu Yi release the people in his embrace.

“Father…” Chu Hongyu said softly, “Can I return the imperial throne to you? Shall I issue an edict right now?”

Father was far more capable than him. Relying on himself alone, he had trampled two neighboring kingdoms. If Father were Emperor, Great Jin would surely usher in the greatest prosperity in its history.

Chu Yi touched his head, his voice hoarse: “The common people’s evaluation of you is very high. Although you are young, you have won the hearts of the people. Be your Emperor well.”

Chu Changsheng spoke up: “Being Emperor is too exhausting. Father needs to recover from his injuries, so it’s not suitable. Brother, you should continue being Emperor.”

Chu Hongyu’s eyes reddened.

Yes, Father was injured to this extent. His entire body probably didn’t have a single patch of uninjured flesh, and his voice was hoarse too… Without three to five years, he couldn’t possibly recover.

“Right, I need to recover.” Chu Yi said, “Chu’er, take Jue’er with you and accompany me to Nanyang to recuperate.”

“Nanyang?” Chu Hongyu paused. “A few days ago, court officials memorialized that bandits have been appearing frequently in Nanyang recently. Father, you…”

Just returned from campaign, and already going to Nanyang to eliminate bandits?

Father worked so hard—what right did he have not to work hard? He had actually wanted to throw off his responsibilities and quit?

He immediately addressed the court officials: “Esteemed ministers, we didn’t hold morning court today, so let’s make up for it now. Come, prepare the imperial carriage, return to the palace!”

The vast procession returned to the palace.

Yun Chu and Chu Yi sat in the same carriage. Her hand passed over his face, and she couldn’t help but sigh: “Do you really have to go to Nanyang?”

“It’s to make that boy Yu’er improve himself. Once he has some achievements, he can’t help but become complacent. He needs some pressure.” Chu Yi embraced Yun Chu and said, “However, there really are bandits in Nanyang. If bandits gather and become a plague, who knows how many common people will suffer. I must go personally.”

“But—” He gazed at Yun Chu’s eyes and brows. “I don’t want to be separated from you again. Let’s take Jue’er and travel south together.”

Yun Chu looked back at him: “Alright.”

From this year onward, the Great Jin Dynasty entered an unprecedented era of prosperity.

The Grand Emperor and Grand Empress Dowager, bringing Prince Yan with them, traveled south in disguise for private investigation, sweeping away all bandits so that bandit troubles never occurred again. They showed compassion for the people’s circumstances, resolved to control rivers, and composed one legendary story after another.

The young Emperor governed the nation with care, issued countless policies benefiting the people, and broadened channels for talent selection. Countless scholars and martial men were able to display their abilities, ushering in an era of peace and prosperity.

From the western frontier to the eastern Ling Sea, the four barbarian tribes all submitted.

Every year during the twelfth month, tributes came from all directions, and all nations came to pay court.

—<End of Main Text>—