Truthfully, at the beginning Prince Jing hadn’t thought that far ahead, after all, no one could be certain of the war’s outcome. It was just that the seven hundred warhorses fleeced from Northern Qi completely opened up his perspective, making him magnanimously spare Tuoli’s little life.

What if he could still exchange it for something else—this had been Prince Jing’s simple and casual thought at the time.

Who could have imagined that he’d exchange it for an additional two thousand warhorses and two horse ranches!

Unlike Great Zhou’s capital city blooming with flowers like brocade, the distant northern territories still had howling cold winds and falling snowflakes, and colder than the weather was the Qi Emperor’s mood.

“You’re saying you were in Zhou people’s hands all along?” The Qi Emperor stared at Tuoli kneeling on the ground, his gaze wishing it could turn into a knife to carve flesh from his body.

In terms of age, the Qi Emperor was about the same as Emperor Tai’an, and even more burly and tall in build. But at this moment his face was sallow, with dark circles under his eyes—clearly he hadn’t slept well for some days, looking extremely haggard.

Tuoli was still confused even now.

After being captured by that brat Prince Jing’s heir Qi Shuo, he’d never seen the sun outside again. As a result, having finally returned to his own side, they were saying his uncle was dead, and moreover killed by his hand, and that he’d been exchanged back twice, making him a criminal who caused Qi to seek peace.

“If this subject dares deceive Your Majesty, may I never be reborn!”

Seeing Tuoli swear oaths and refuse to admit fault unto death, the Qi Emperor arranged for people to go investigate.

Now that hostilities had ceased, benefits collected, and Northern Qi thrown into chaos, Prince Jing’s heir venturing alone into danger no longer needed to be concealed unto death. Under General Xu’s deliberate disclosure, Northern Qi spies quickly learned the truth.

Upon learning the truth, the Qi Emperor directly spat out a mouthful of old blood.

Returning to the capital side, after Emperor Tai’an and Prince Jing had a pleasant conversation, he finally allowed the father and son to return to the prince’s mansion.

Walking out of the imperial palace, Prince Jing heaved a long sigh of relief: “That exhausted me to death.”

Qi Shuo remained full of spirit, his bearing upright.

Looking at his son, Prince Jing couldn’t help but sigh with emotion: “Being young is still the best.”

Without realizing it, the impression of his eldest son being weak and sickly had dissipated.

Prince Jing’s mansion wasn’t far from the imperial city. Father and son soon saw a group of people eagerly waiting outside the mansion gates.

Princess Consort Jing at the front quickly walked forward to meet them, showing a smile to father and son with reddened eyes: “Finally back—”

Prince Jing grasped Princess Consort Jing’s hand, his voice also somewhat excited: “Let’s go inside to talk.”

The group entered the mansion in a mighty procession. Prince Jing completely relaxed: “I’ll bathe and change first.”

“Everything’s prepared.” Princess Consort Jing looked toward Qi Shuo.

“This son will also go wash up first.”

“Go, go. If you feel too tired, sleep after bathing.”

Princess Consort Jing worried day and night about her husband and son, feeling sorry for the hardships they suffered in the northern territories. But today seeing her son in good spirits, her distressed emotions couldn’t help but diminish a tiny bit.

This father and son pair… seemed quite well actually. Not only did Shuo’er look better, the prince had actually gained weight compared to when he left the capital!

In contrast, she and Qiong’er had both lost considerable weight, and even the usually spirited Huan’er had become steadier.

Prince Jing and Qi Shuo went separately to wash up, while Princess Consort Jing sat in the hall with Qi Huan and Qi Qiong to wait.

“Father Prince and Big Brother look pretty good.” Qi Huan’s eyes held a smile. His father and brother’s safe return allowed him to completely set aside his worries.

Yay, now he’d have the mood to play at the Jinshui River again!

“They are quite a bit better than I imagined.” Since waiting was boring anyway, Princess Consort Jing instructed a maid to bring fragrant roasted melon seeds to pass the time.

Prince Jing finished washing up first and came in to see the scene of the mother and her two children cracking melon seeds.

His steps paused, feeling quite unaccustomed.

When he wasn’t in the capital, was this how the princess consort and the pair of children were?

“Is the prince hungry?” With Prince Jing’s arrival, Princess Consort Jing naturally couldn’t be bothered with cracking melon seeds anymore.

Prince Jing plopped down in a seat and waved his hand: “I just ate at the palace—not hungry at all.”

Princess Consort Jing then threw out a pile of questions, such as whether he’d been injured, whether Qi Shuo’s injury was real or fake, and what the food and lodging were like…

Prince Jing talked until his mouth was dry. Seeing Qi Shuo enter, he felt as if granted a great pardon: “Shuo’er, come quickly. Your mother has many things to ask you.”

The corner of Qi Shuo’s mouth twitched slightly, but he still obediently walked over.

Looking at her son who appeared even more handsome after bathing and changing clothes, Princess Consort Jing’s gaze was especially tender: “Back then when we received news that you were injured, the family was worried sick.”

“It’s this son’s fault for making you and younger brother and sister worry. It was just a minor flesh wound. To smoothly complete the plan, we claimed the injury was severe to outsiders…”

Princess Consort Jing completely set her mind at ease: “That’s good then. Shuo’er, quickly tell us about things in the Qi army camp.”

Qi Shuo glanced at Prince Jing and received his old father’s helpless look.

He’d never been a rebellious child. To make his mother happy, he patiently began speaking.

Princess Consort Jing and the Qi Huan siblings all listened with great interest, and even Prince Jing listened with rapt attention.

He’d never asked in such detail before, so the answers he received were naturally also brief.

After finishing about northern matters, Princess Consort Jing brought up major capital events: “Not long ago, that person was escorted to the capital. His Majesty enfeoffed that person as a prince and bestowed a garden for him and his son to reside in.”

This referred to Emperor Pingle.

“So Big Brother and Qi Ming are confined together in one place?” Hearing this news, Prince Jing’s expression was somewhat complicated.

Sparing the old emperor and old crown prince’s lives while giving them respectable enfeoffment, but confining a pair of father and son who resented each other together—he didn’t know whether to say Fourth Brother was kind-hearted or cruel-hearted.

Fortunately, fortunately, he was only Fifth Brother.

“How was Master Mingxin arranged?” Qi Shuo knew of Lin Hao’s feelings toward Master Mingxin and proactively asked.

Princess Consort Jing smiled: “Master Mingxin was restored to the position of National Preceptor.”

Prince Jing said in surprise: “I didn’t see him at today’s banquet though.”

“It seems shortly after returning to the capital, he entered seclusion.” Princess Consort Jing clearly wasn’t very interested in the topic of Master Mingxin. She shot a sidelong glance at her eldest son. “Shuo’er, returning so quickly, will Second Miss Lin have time to finish reading that brick of yours?”

Facing his mother’s teasing, Qi Shuo’s expression didn’t change: “A’Hao reads quickly.”

Qi Qiong covered her mouth and laughed to the side.

Only Prince Jing and Qi Huan were completely confused, asking in unison: “What brick?”

Princess Consort Jing disdainfully swept her glance over the father and son: “What are men curious about such things for?”

Prince Jing and Qi Huan: ?

“Shuo’er, if you’re not tired, go to the general’s mansion first. During the days you went north, the general’s mansion worried along with us quite a bit. Now that you’re back, we can’t neglect propriety.”

Qi Shuo smiled and agreed: “This son will go right away.”

Once Qi Shuo left, Qi Huan and Qi Qiong also couldn’t sit still. When only the married couple remained in the hall, Prince Jing said: “Shuo’er’s wedding should start being prepared. Today His Majesty even said to let him marry soon.”

Hearing this, Princess Consort Jing smiled: “Since His Majesty said so, there’s nothing to worry about. Going any later it will be hot—how about this month?”

Previously it was because of the Crown Prince’s death that happy events couldn’t be held, but now the mourning period that needed to be observed had passed, and moreover His Majesty had spoken—naturally there were no more concerns.

“Fine, this month it is. Princess Consort, inform the general’s mansion as soon as possible.”

Thus the wedding date for Qi Shuo and Lin Hao was set.