The first time in history

Qian Mingduo looked at Xiao Cui and said, "Xiao Cui, you should also take care of yourself. If you need anything, tell the housekeeper."

Xiao Cui nodded, "Master, don't worry, I have arranged everything. My lady and I are looking forward to the baby being born healthy. By then, our family will have two little ones, and it will definitely be very lively."

At night, the family sat around the table to eat dinner. The table was filled with Qian Mingduo's favorite dishes, and the flickering lights illuminated everyone's smiling faces.

"Mingduo, you must have had a lot of interesting experiences this time when you went out, right?" Li Shishi picked up a piece of meat and put it in Qian Mingduo's bowl.

Qian Mingduo swallowed the food in his mouth and began to talk about his experiences abroad. The strange people and things, the customs and practices, fascinated Li Shishi and Xiao Cui.

After dinner, Qian Mingduo accompanied Li Shishi for a walk in the courtyard. The moonlight was like water, sprinkling on them.

"Do you know? When I was outside, I thought about you and the unborn baby every day." Qian Mingduo put his arm around Li Shishi's shoulders.

"Me too. Whenever it's late at night and everyone is asleep, I wonder what you're doing and whether you're thinking of me." Li Shishi leaned on Qian Mingduo.

The days passed in warmth and expectation. As Li Shishi and Xiao Cui's due date drew closer, the family became busy.

Qian Mingduo stepped into the palace, his steps were a little heavy due to the long journey, but his posture was still as straight as a pine tree. He walked towards Song Gaozong step by step, and each step seemed to carry the smoke and dust of the front line.

Song Gaozong sat upright on the dragon throne, seemingly calm, but his slightly trembling fingers revealed his inner nervousness.

He looked at Qian Mingduo, his eyes full of expectation and worry. After all, the situation on the front line was related to the life and death of the Song Dynasty.

"Your Majesty, I'm back." Qian Mingduo knelt on one knee, his voice hoarse but powerful.

"My dear minister, please stand up and tell me the battle situation on the front line." Song Gaozong said anxiously.

Qian Mingduo stood up, took a deep breath, and began to narrate: "Your Majesty, the fighting on the front line is fierce. The enemy is coming with great force, like a group of tigers and wolves, and their numbers far exceed ours. Their cavalry swept in like a hurricane, and the sound of their horses' hooves hitting the ground was like thunder. Every charge seemed to crush our defense line." He clenched his fists as he spoke, and the bloody scenes on the battlefield emerged in his mind.

Song Gaozong frowned, his hands unconsciously grasped the armrests of the dragon throne, and a wave of uneasiness surged in his heart: "Then how should our army respond?"

"Although our soldiers were at a disadvantage, they were all brave and fearless. We used our flesh and blood to resist the enemy's sharp blades, and put up a tenacious resistance at every mountain pass and every pass. The archers formed an array and shot arrows at the enemy like rain, and each arrow carried the determination to die together." Qian Mingduo's eyes flashed with tears, and he was heartbroken for the soldiers who died.

"Did we achieve any victory?" Song Gaozong's voice trembled slightly.

"Yes! During a night raid, our soldiers sneaked into the enemy camp like ghosts while the enemy was asleep. The flash of swords flashed in the night, and the shouts of killing broke the silence. That night, we killed countless enemy soldiers and seized a large amount of military equipment and supplies, which greatly boosted the morale of our army."

As Qian Mingduo spoke, a hint of relief appeared on his face.

Song Gaozong nodded slightly, his expression slightly relieved: "My dear minister, thank you for your hard work this time. Are there any new movements of the enemy army?"

"Your Majesty, although the enemy has suffered heavy losses, they are still gathering their forces and seem to be preparing for a larger-scale attack. Moreover, they are also trying to win over the surrounding tribes in an attempt to form a larger encirclement." Qian Mingduo looked at Song Gaozong worriedly.