Chapter 85: Returning Home

In the span of a month, Lin Shu completed the strategic arrangements for the Xiongnu grasslands. After their lesson, the Zhao army had lost all interest in venturing beyond the Great Wall, making it unnecessary to station a large force in the Mo Eastern Garrison, and the garrison at Beihai, which faced no enemies, was similarly reduced to a fraction of its former strength.

To guard against Qin and the Great Yuezhi, Lin Shu established two new major camps in the southern and central deserts. The Southern Desert Garrison was built atop the Great Blue Mountains, just north of Yanmen Commandery on the border between Qin and Zhao. Its commander was Site, who led eighty thousand troops, of which twenty thousand were infantry. The Central Desert Garrison was situated in the southeastern foothills of the Altai Mountains, over a hundred kilometers northwest of the Hetao. Commanded by Yimu, it also boasted eighty thousand troops, with twenty thousand infantry.

The Southern Desert Army consisted mainly of soldiers from the Mo Eastern Garrison and Xiongnu warriors, while the Central Desert Army was formed from the Beihai Garrison and more Xiongnu troops. Each of these enormous new camps was comprised of several fortress towns and absorbed half the Xiongnu’s able-bodied men and nearly half their population. With their strongholds and the might of the northern army, they were more than capable of resisting large-scale invasions by the Yuezhi or Qin. Not that Qin had any leisure to concern itself with the northern steppes at present.

In a single month, dozens of cities rose from the grasslands of the central and southern deserts. Having completed his task, Lord Lin was finally preparing to return home.

The carriage moved slowly forward, followed by ten thousand Snowland Warriors. When the carriage picked up speed, the warriors matched its pace without hesitation.

“Halong, you may return now,” Lin Shu called out, sighing quietly without turning his head.

“At your command, my lord!” Halong dismounted and bowed deeply. From now on, he would be in charge of the Xiongnu tribes and no longer had the opportunity to follow his lord into battle.

“Go,” Lin Shu said with a shake of his head, returning to the carriage.

With a thunderous roar, the Dragon Horse turned back to bid farewell to the warriors.

“My lord!” The carriage had already sped a hundred meters away, and the warriors bowed once more in respect.

From the Snowland Tribe to the Xiongnu, Halong had always been by his side. Leaving this silent giant behind pained Lin Shu, but he had no choice.

“My lord, only Halong is truly suited to command the tribes of the central and southern deserts. Besides, the Grand Commander Halong is not fit to lead the great army,” Yan Fei remarked with a wry smile, amazed that her lord could still be so sentimental.

During the day he was addressed as ‘my lord,’ but at night as ‘husband’—Yan Fei’s earnest demeanor cheered Lin Shu considerably.

“Go rest in your chambers for a while, Yan Fei. When you wake, we’ll be home,” he said.

The carriage wheels began to float, and the Dragon Horse galloped at full speed—a reflection of Lin Shu’s own lighthearted mood.

“No need, husband. Let me give you a massage and help you relax,” Yan Fei replied. In the past month, her idle husband had often sought her company.

With home so near, Yan Fei didn’t want to provoke Jingni or the Moon Goddess’s jealousy.

Lin Shu smiled bitterly and nodded. Yan Fei was overthinking things. All he wanted was a brief nap so that upon waking, he would see Jingni, Xiaoyue, and the others.

To surprise Jingni, Lin Shu had already sent a message: he would return the day after tomorrow.

The carriage raced across more than two thousand kilometers, ignoring all concern for energy consumption, and finally arrived at the capital of Hekou an hour after sunset.

The autumn wind was brisk, and a sudden violent gust nearly toppled the soldiers on the city wall.

“What’s going on?” All the torches were blown out, and the armored guards immediately went on alert.

[Silence. His Majesty returns.]

The mysterious command echoed in their minds, and the guards understood at once.

“It’s the lord!”

“Welcome home, my lord!” they called as the gates opened automatically, none showing a trace of panic.

Lin Shu was still asleep and made no greetings to the soldiers. Once inside the gates, the carriage slowed, its surroundings illuminated by bright lanterns—not to guide the Dragon Horse, but to avoid startling the patrons of the shops lining the main avenue.

“Hey, what’s with that carriage? It’s so fast!” a merchant in an upstairs tavern exclaimed. Normally, carriages entering the city moved at a crawl, especially at night.

“That’s the lord’s carriage!” someone replied after a glance at the insignia.

Everyone knew the lord wasn’t expected until the day after tomorrow, yet these nights the Young Minister of Fate liked to stand atop the government hall, gazing westward.

“Hmph! Leaving me to return alone!” The young minister nursed her resentment at being left behind by Lin Shu, and the recent busyness of the inner council made her even more irritable.

Wait—he’s back! He’s really back!

Her heart leaped, and she hurried to the small royal palace.

“Sisters! Your husband’s back—the carriage is already halfway down the avenue!” She announced her return before even entering the villa. Perhaps her joy came from Yan Fei’s return, for the high priestess often relied on her help.

Jingni, just about to sleep, kicked off her blanket, and the Moon Goddess hastily donned her cloak, even forgetting her veil.

“Hmph, the lord’s already back but claimed he’d return the day after tomorrow!” the young minister grumbled at the sight of Jingni.

“That rascal should have told us sooner!” Jingni nodded in exasperation.

“Let’s go—Yan Fei’s been lazy for a month, too!” The Moon Goddess was none too pleased at the thought of her elder sister spending a carefree month with their husband.

As they opened the palace doors, the guards on the great bridge swiftly turned it into position. Jingni didn’t wait for the bridge to settle but crossed the chain locks above the moat herself. Luckily, it wasn’t broad daylight, or she would have been more reserved.

“So impatient!” the young minister muttered, hurrying after her.

Catching sight of the carriage, Jingni and the Moon Goddess rushed forward.

[Your Majesties, the lord is still asleep. Shall we wake him now?] Xin Ying asked, recalling Lin Shu’s instructions to rouse him only once they were on the bridge.

“Fine! Still asleep, the scoundrel! Let him rest a while longer,” Jingni sighed, exasperated by her husband’s lack of restraint.

The Moon Goddess was equally annoyed.

“Yan Fei is becoming more and more outrageous!” the young minister affirmed, convinced her sister had been spoiled since joining Lin Shu.

Xin Ying offered no explanation and sent all three women straight to the master bedroom.

To no surprise, the couple was asleep, entwined in their nightclothes.

“He really must be exhausted,” Jingni remarked upon seeing there was nothing improper, scooping up little Yan’er and realizing she had misunderstood.

The Moon Goddess wanted to send Yan Fei back to her own chambers, but was too embarrassed to say so.

“Are we home?” Yan Fei was the first to awaken, having only gone to sleep after noon. Sensing the familiar surroundings, Lin Shu opened his eyes as well.

“Xin Ying, why didn’t you wake me?”

[Commander, we’ve just reached the palace bridge.]

The Moon Goddess fixed her gaze on Dongjun, while Jingni was lost in her own thoughts. The atmosphere was tense until the young minister broke the silence, “I’m going to my room.”

After so long, she found herself missing her little chamber.

“I’ll go too,” Yan Fei said with a sigh, her face flushing as she left the room.

As soon as Yan Fei departed, the quiet Jingni glared at Lin Shu.

“Hmph! Husband, why did you take so long to return?”

Lin Shu said nothing, simply pulling the two of them down to sit beside him.

The lights dimmed, and Xin Ying carried little Yan’er to the young minister’s arms.

Little Yan’er, seeing her mother, blinked in confusion—was she still dreaming?

“Fourth Mother!” Though her words were slurred, the young minister understood her meaning.

“Hmph! The bad lord, always teaching Yan’er nonsense!” Whenever he had time, Lin Shu would teach Yan’er to speak—Jingni was ‘Mother,’ the Moon Goddess ‘Second Mother,’ Yan Fei ‘Third Mother.’ When the young minister overheard herself being called ‘Fourth Mother,’ she was both annoyed and embarrassed, though she had grown used to it.

With Yan’er gone, Jingni felt a pang of discontent, but she had little time to dwell on it.

Another quiet, passionate night passed, and word quickly spread throughout the city—the lord had returned.