Reborn Lady - Chapter 234

On Lu Long’s side, because the Imperial Court sent additional troops, he gathered another five hundred thousand troops. When he learned that King Yan was going to attack Weizhou and Datong, he hurried over with the army.

The five hundred thousand  troops in his hands were mostly from the south, and they grew up in the warm south of the Yangtze River. How could they stand the severe cold of the first month in the north? They got frost bites on their hands and feet. The most annoying thing was that they rode so hard. When they arrived in Weizhou and Datong, the Yan Army had already retreated. Lu Long led his men to chase them, but was ambushed by the Yan Army secretly waiting for them, and lost tens of thousands of troops.

Lu Long didn’t dare to face defeat, so he retreated to Dezhou again. He had to head south with the Yan Army, and the Imperial Army continued to wait there.

After the battle, it was already the beginning of March, and King Yan and others returned to Pingcheng to rest for a few days.

This time, Princess Xu didn’t send anyone to greet him, and Yin Hui didn’t receive the news in advance. While drawing kites for the children in the study, someone pushed the door open.

When Yin Hui turned her head, she saw Wei Luo standing at the door in battle armor, looking heroic and mighty… Well, the beard had grown again.

Yin Hui said in surprise, “Are you back again?”

Just as she walked in front of Wei Luo, her nose was overwhelmed by the smell of blood and dust on his body. She turned around, covered her mouth, and retched a few times.

Wei Luo also knew that he smelled bad, but he didn’t expect her reaction to be so strong. His face changed, he exited the study, turned sideways, and said, “I’ll go take a shower first.” 

Yin Hui didn’t stop him and walked silently, suppressing that uncomfortable force.

Wei Luo saw her and left with a sullen face.

While taking a bath, someone pushed the door open. Wei Luo recognized her figure through the screen. He looked at her body and said coldly, “Don’t come over.”

Yin Hui stood on the other side of the screen.

After Wei Luo finished rubbing, he picked up the bucket and washed his body clean, then walked over there, stepped into the bathtub without looking sideways. Only showing above his chest, he looked at Yin Hui expressionlessly.

Yin Hui was not frightened by his icy face. She walked up to him with a stool, sat on the edge of the bathtub, and talked to him with a smile, “Why are you so sullen? Do you think I despise you?”

Wei Luo lowered his eyes and remained silent.

Yin Hui reached into the bucket, gently splashed water on his side, and said casually, “I don’t dare to dislike you; it’s because the youngest in our family can’t stand your smell.”

Wei Luo raised his eyes suddenly.

Yin Hui’s cheeks were slightly flushed, saying, “You are to blame.” After a test, it turned out to be a happy pulse (pregnant).

Wei Luo had already moved to her side. Knowing that his wife didn’t dislike his bad smell but that she was pregnant with another child, the ice on Wei Luo’s face had quietly melted. He held her hand and asked, “Conceived in the twelfth lunar month?”

Yin Hui glared at him, “Besides the twelfth lunar month, when else?” 

He wasn’t around at other times, so could she conceive by herself?

Realizing that he asked a stupid question, Wei Luo was a little embarrassed, but immediately cheered up again and said, “Birth at the end of September or early October?”

Yin Hui nodded, “It should be.”

Wei Luo remarked, “Your birthday is on the sixth of October, so maybe he can be born on the same day.”

Yin Hui retorted, “What’s so good about rushing his birth? If birthdays are celebrated on the same day in the future, will it be for the child or for me? I’d rather miss it.”

Wei Luo found it amusing. Birthdays meant cooking a few more dishes than usual. Was he still short of it?

But her delicate appearance was cute, so Wei Luo followed her and said, “Okay, then let him wait.”

Since she was pregnant, the two of them must not do anything in the bathtub, so Wei Luo quickly dried his body, put on his clothes, and led Yin Hui to the inner room to talk. 

In Qinzheng Hall,  King Yan was lying on the bed, and Princess Xu was sitting beside him, massaging his legs, while chatting about things in Pingcheng. 

The crisis in Pingcheng had long been resolved, and the people had returned to live and work in peace and contentment, gaining more confidence in King Yan. Rich merchants either donated silver or grain, contributing their efforts one after another.

King Yan listened with a smile.

He was not short of money. Yin Yong was a capable person, having met many wealthy businessmen and officials, and even held some officials’ handles. In the past year, Yin Yong had successfully raised military supplies and recruited loyal men for him. The four magistrates of the prefecture saved the army a lot of trouble. The merchant guards that the Yin family used to support their business also joined the army, following the people he sent to transport food, which happened to be their expertise.

After chatting about the people in the city, Princess Xu recalled the good news and said with a smile, “The third daughter-in-law is pregnant again.” 

On hearing that, King Yan was both happy and amused, “She conceived again. Last time it was when we were in the country. There was a war again this time, so it will save my third son from being robbed by a concubine for his desires while she is pregnant.”

Princess Xu responded, “The third son has a cold temper and is not greedy for women at all. He would rather spend his free time on his children. You can tell from Wu Lang and Qi Lang’s enthusiasm for him.”

King Yan nodded approvingly and said with emotion, “He is a good father. When I was his age, all the children were left to you.”

Princess Xu added, “At that time, the frontier was not stable. You and the first Emperor were fighting outside. Therefore, you guarded the frontier so that the children could enjoy peace.” These words struck a chord with King Yan, and he didn’t regret not being able to spend more time with his children when he was young.

It was a pity that Mrs. Wen could only give birth to his third son.

King Yan sighed.

Princess Xu asked, “What’s the matter?”

King Yan shook his head and only squeezed her hand.

The rest period was even shorter. Five days later, King Yan’s army began to march south and fought fiercely with Lu Long’s five hundred thousand troops in Dezhou.

Lu Long fought and lost, retreating to Jinan. The Yan Army was only halfway away from Jinling.

All the officials in the Imperial Court reviled Lu Long for being incompetent, and even Huang Ren, the chief assistant, was ashamed to protect Lu Long again.

In September of the same year, Emperor Wei Ang finally removed Lu Long and appointed General Sheng Shiting as the commander.

At that point, the Yan Army’s southward trend finally slowed down.