Golden Branch

After New Year's Day, it was the second year of Yuanzhen.

The third year of the saint's reign.

In March, when everything comes back to life, the Western Expedition Army, which has been on the march for two years, officially returns to the capital.

The war in the northwest was not completely over, it was just a temporary ceasefire.

Princess Ping'an married into the Tibetan state, and Dayu and the Tibetan state formed a temporary alliance.

There were also western foreign states such as Tuyuhun and Gaochang, which all achieved superficial peace with Dayu.

In this situation, the Turks became Dayu's only enemy.

The Turkic Khan assessed the situation and, because his several attacks were met with strong counterattacks by the Western Expedition Army, he took the initiative to submit a letter of credence - a truce!

The cessation of hostilities in the northwest, though only temporary, was enough for the officials in the court to suggest withdrawing the army.

Especially the Ministry of Revenue——

Money!

That's all money!

For an army of tens of thousands, not to mention the consumption of horses, weapons, etc., just the daily food and fodder is a figure that would make the Minister of Revenue feel distressed.

If the army returns home one day earlier, it can save one day's money and food.

The territory of the Dayu Dynasty was too large. Either the west was dry or the east was flooded. In the southwest, there would be earthquakes from time to time.

In addition to natural disasters, there are also "man-made disasters"——

The construction of the Grand Canal is still ongoing, which not only requires the conscription of a large number of laborers, but also consumes huge amounts of money and grain.

...There are so many holes that need to be filled, and the chief officials such as the Minister of Revenue are so worried about these things that their hair is about to fall out.

My hair is so thin that it can’t even hold a hairpin!

Not to mention, the one sitting on the dragon throne is a god-like general who loves to fight.

The war was still going on in the northwest, so his attention was focused on the northeast.

The saint wants to fulfill the unfulfilled wish of the former emperor and conquer Goguryeo!

Go!

Go! !

These two words sound lightly spoken, but the money is pouring out.

Although a large amount of commercial taxes were collected in the past two years due to Princess Langya and Prince Wang, the saint's private treasury was also filled to the brim.

But, as I said before, for such a huge dynasty, no matter how much money there is, it is not enough.

The bigwigs in the council hall would rather spend money on matters concerning the national economy and people's livelihood rather than on wars.

What a warmongering!

The Dayu Dynasty has a fairly rich financial foundation, but we cannot squander it all on the war!

Saint: ...Okay!

Then we should withdraw the Western Expedition Army first, rest for a few days, and then turn our attention to Goguryeo.

Prince: ...Okay!

If Yeye wants to fight, then let him go. He will establish the country, and Langya will help raise military funds.

The Supreme Father and Son reached an agreement and ordered the Western Expedition Army to return to the capital.

"Shisan Niang, your husband should be back soon."

In the princess's mansion, under the crabapple tree in the main courtyard, Wang Heng, Wang Mian, and Zheng Shisan sat together, drinking tea and chatting.

When mentioning the latest topic in the capital, Wang Mian asked Zheng Shisan a question.

Zheng Shisan's eyes softened as he heard this. "Yes! I just received a letter from my husband yesterday. He has already returned with the army."

This time, Yang Shou was definitely going there to gild himself.

Including him, more than a dozen royal family members and noble sons went to the northwest in April last year. Now, less than a year later, they have returned with the army.

They did not participate in many serious wars, and at most responded to some small conflicts.

However, as long as they went to the battlefield, as long as they directly fought against the Turkic cavalry, as long as they beheaded people, they would be rewarded.

Yang Shou was lucky, or rather, Lu Jue was quite caring towards Yang Shou.

After going to the northwest, following Lu Jue, he really gained a lot of credit.

Although it is not big, Dayu’s military achievements can be accumulated.

Wang Heng helped Yang Shou estimate that he should be able to get a promotion after his return this time.

Yes, he was barely able to climb up the wall, which lived up to her previous recommendation.

Everything went smoothly for Yang Shou in the northwest, and Zheng Shisan felt particularly safe in Prince Rui's Palace.

Prince Rui, Princess Rui and other elders became more and more satisfied with Zheng Shisan.

Their only regret was probably that Zheng Shisan did not become pregnant before Yang Shou left Beijing.

If she had been pregnant at that time, now that Yang Shou has returned to Beijing, it would be a perfect "double happiness".

Zheng Shisan: ...What are you happy about?

Amian said that it is not easy for women to get pregnant too early.

She was only sixteen last year and her body had just grown, so it would be safer to wait two years before getting pregnant.

All I can say is that the joys and sorrows of one’s husband’s family and one’s own family are never the same.

Zheng Shisan can't rely on her real family, but she still has the princess and A Mian to rely on.

Zheng Shisan knew that she was neither as noble as Wang Heng nor as capable as Wang Mian, but she was better at being obedient.

She followed the princess and Amian, and did whatever they did.

Even if I can't be as dazzling as them, I won't go too far wrong.

"According to the time, we will reach the capital in another month."

Zheng Shisan didn't want to get pregnant too early, but she missed her husband very much.

It’s not that she and Yang Shou have a deep relationship, but as a new bride, if she doesn’t have a husband by her side, she will still lack some confidence in her husband’s family.

Furthermore, even if he didn’t want to, Zheng Shisan had to show it.

Yang Shou likes his delicate little wife who is as pretty as a dodder flower, and Zheng Shisan wants everyone to know that she regards her husband as her heaven and loves him as her life.

Wang Heng & Wang Mian: ...We understand and respect the behavior of our concubine’s best friend.

However, Wang Mian, who has read too many melodramatic ancient novels, always has a very rich imagination.

In particular, short plays were just becoming popular before she traveled through time.

Among the many popular types of short plays, there is one in which a young general goes off to war and his bride works hard to support her husband's family.

After several years of hard work, I finally waited for my husband to come back, but he was not alone.

Either there is a female general who fights alongside you, or there is a female military doctor who saves your life.

The husband changed his mind and tried to demote his wife to a concubine or to have a second wife.

As for the wife, she decisively gave up on the scumbag, slapped him in the face on the spot, and turned around to find another partner.

Brainless, but fun.

Wang Mian took a look at Zheng Shisan's pitiful appearance and quickly shook his head, throwing away all the messy thoughts in his mind.

Tsk, what am I thinking about?

This is reality, not ancient online fiction, so where are all the melodramatic and clichéd memes?

It was only when Wang Mian entered this fictional feudal dynasty that he realized how outrageous the settings in the novel were.

The ancients were not so feudal, and the strict class barriers were not so easy to break.

Selling herself to bury her father, meeting the male protagonist, and then climbing up the social ladder, all of this never happened.

Because the slaves that the real wealthy families wanted were either born in their families or people bought and sold through formal and legal channels.

These slaves, whether selected or bought, would not immediately go to serve their masters.

Once you enter the house, there will be a special lady in charge to teach you the rules.

Their parents, relatives, backgrounds, etc. will also be thoroughly investigated.

Nobles would not employ slaves whose relatives had died out and whose origins were unknown.

If this is the case with slaves, let alone concubines.

As for "equal wife", it is even more ridiculous.

China has been a monogamous country since ancient times, so where did the concept of "equal wives" come from?

The Kaitai Code of the Dayu Dynasty explicitly stipulated that a concubine could not be taken as a wife.

Although there are exceptions, as long as one still wants a career and a reputation, one will not take risks.

Zheng Shisan's family was in decline, but she was the princess's study companion.

During the more than one year since she married into the Rui Wang Mansion, she has also proved her worth with her "achievements".

With her, the label of former emperor on Prince Rui was finally torn off.

Because of her, Yang Shou, a playboy, had the opportunity to join the Gilded Group.

It's only been a year, and there's still a long way to go.

Even if Yang Shou was blinded by the beauty, Prince Rui and Princess Rui would not allow the vixen from outside to enter the house.

"Yeah, novels are novels, and reality is reality. In reality, how can there be so much melodrama?"

Wang Mian thought secretly.

However, subsequent facts told Wang Mian:

There is also a saying that art comes from life!

The reality of the drama is far more exaggerated than the novelist's imagination.

……

April was Wang Heng’s seventeenth birthday.

In May, Lou Yu’s eighteenth birthday party was held at the Duke of Qi’s Mansion.

It was mid-May, the summer was scorching, and the Western Expedition Army, which was supposed to have arrived in the capital last month, had just returned.

Many people had already gathered on both sides of Zhuque Street.

Behind the crowd, there were carriages of various regulations.

They were either curious passers-by or had relatives in the Western Expedition Army. They received the news in advance and were waiting by the roadside early.

"Princess, the army is about to enter the city!"

"Here they come! The army is entering the city!"

"Where's the prince? Why can't I see him?"

"...Found it. The prince is wearing silver armor, looking so handsome!"

In a carriage, the curtain was lifted.

Zheng Shisan leaned on the car window and tried to look out through the gaps in the crowd.

The maid beside her seemed even more excited than her, chattering non-stop.

Zheng Shisan also saw her husband. After a year, he was still the same person, but his skin was tanned and his eyes had become much more resolute.

Although he went there to gild himself, he actually went to the battlefield and faced fire and blood, life and death.

After experiencing the war, the former playboy underwent a qualitative transformation.

He is no longer a naive and frivolous boy, but a man who can take responsibility.

Zheng Shisan looked at the man on the horse from afar, and a hint of relief flashed in his beautiful eyes.

Her husband has matured and has a promising career, which is definitely a blessing for her as a wife.

not necessarily!

On the small road on the other side, an inconspicuous carriage silently entered Qinrenfang where the Prince Rui's Palace was located.

However, the carriage did not go directly to the Prince Rui's Palace, but stopped at the gate of a small courtyard two streets away from the Prince Rui's Palace.

The small courtyard with three entrances is not conspicuous in Qinrenfang where the powerful and wealthy gather, but it is elegant and quiet.

After the carriage stopped, the driver jumped out and brought a footstool swiftly.

The carriage door curtain was lifted, and a frail woman in a crimson chest-length skirt walked slowly down.

She has a delicate face, a timid temperament, a slender figure, and exudes a pitiful aura that can arouse men's desire to protect her.

“…This is the capital city!”

"It is indeed magnificent and rich. This courtyard alone is full of luxury. I wonder how noble and magnificent the Rui Palace is!"