The princess regretted it.

Chapter 273 The "Forgotten" Wu Family Father and Son

The carriage accompanying Mu En and his companions moved quietly through the procession, and no one in Mu En's group mentioned what was in the carriage. The emperor and several of his trusted ministers had long known about the father and son's situation, but at this moment, surrounded by cheering people and a grand and solemn triumphal ceremony, it was inappropriate to have them disrupt the fun.

After all, this was a moment to demonstrate national prestige and celebrate victory; any hint of disharmony could ruin this hard-earned festive atmosphere. Therefore, no one mentioned these two people, and no one knew what the two people in the carriage felt as they listened to the noise outside through the curtains.

During this long journey, the Wu family father and son were extremely self-conscious and spent most of their time hidden in the carriage. This was partly because they were unfamiliar with the soldiers, and partly because Wu Anshuo was injured and unable to get out of bed, so Wu Changfeng had to be there to take care of him. Therefore, they both very self-consciously spent most of their time hidden in the carriage.

Although they had arrived at the city gate and, according to etiquette, were required to disembark and greet the Emperor, their utterly disheveled condition posed a dilemma. Seeing each other's clothes disheveled and hair tangled from the journey, they couldn't even maintain the respectful demeanor of a subject before the Emperor. It was too embarrassing to meet him in such a state, so they simply remained in the carriage and didn't appear.

At this time, the Minister of Rites stepped forward and respectfully addressed the Emperor, "Your Majesty, General Mu and his men have just endured a long journey and a brutal battle. They have endured hardships and are exhausted both physically and mentally. They need to return home to rest and recuperate before returning to the palace to report on their duties. How about..."

The Emperor also realized what was happening and immediately spoke, "Tonight, a banquet will be held in the palace to reward all the generals. The Zhenbei Army's triumphant return is truly a great achievement. All of you generals and meritorious men have fought bravely on the frontier to protect our country and our people. I will reward them handsomely for their hard work. I will personally serve you fine wine and delicious food, and share the joy of victory with you. I will reward you according to your merits and commend your loyalty and bravery. I hope you will attend the banquet on time to celebrate this peaceful occasion."

With that, the Emperor boarded his private carriage, a richly decorated carriage with carved dragons and painted phoenixes, showcasing the Emperor's majesty. Following him were Mu En, his generals, and the ministers who had accompanied the Emperor, who entered the city through the city gates. The streets were already crowded with eager citizens.

When the people saw these generals, who were weathered but still stood tall and majestic, cheers rose and fell like waves, deafening.

Shouts of "General Mu is mighty!" and "Long live the Zhenbei Army!" The air was filled with laughter. Children excitedly rode on adults' shoulders, waving their homemade flags. Elderly people, tears welling in their eyes, clapped enthusiastically. Young girls shyly tossed their flowers to the generals.

The cheers along the way seemed like the most beautiful hymn to their heroic fighting, and the most vivid portrayal of this peaceful and prosperous era. Mu En and the others felt a sense of satisfaction at the sight of all this. The meaning of sacrificing one's life for one's country became tangible in that moment. They looked around at the people on both sides and clasped their fists in gratitude.

On the second floor of the teahouse, Mrs. Fan and her daughter-in-law craned their necks to look for a long time, but they didn't see Wu Anshuo and his son. They were filled with confusion and disappointment. Mrs. Fan frowned, her eyes filled with worry, and she muttered to herself, "Everyone is almost gone, why are there no Feng'er and his father?"

When Lanzhu heard this, she felt panicked. Her hand on Fan's arm involuntarily tightened, and her fingertips turned slightly white from the excessive force.

Fan looked at Lan Zhu in pain. Seeing her face pale as paper, without a trace of blood, she asked anxiously, "Lan Zhu, how are you? Don't worry. Maybe Feng'er and his son didn't go with Mu En. Maybe they are behind, with the army."

Lan Zhu's mind was now filled with the bloody image of Wu Changjian from her previous dream. The horrific scene haunted her like a demon, lingering. As she grew anxious, her stomach began to ache. At first, it was a slight pain like pulling a thread, but in an instant, the pain surged like a surging tide, becoming increasingly intense.

She suddenly felt something was wrong, and beads of sweat immediately rolled down her forehead, wetting her hair. She quickly exhaled deeply, trying to calm herself down using methods she had heard of, and said to Fan, "Mother, please go back quickly. I have a stomachache, I might be giving birth soon."

"What?!" Fan became nervous upon hearing this. She and the nanny beside her supported Lan Zhu and hurriedly left the private room, their steps hurried and flustered.

As she was going downstairs, Lanzhu stumbled in pain and nearly fell. Fortunately, Mrs. Fan and the nanny were quick to catch her. After finally helping Lanzhu onto the carriage, Mrs. Fan, in a trembling voice, hurriedly ordered the coachman to return home quickly.

At that moment, Wu Anshuo's carriage passed by the teahouse amidst the crowd, and he faintly thought he heard Fan's voice. Flustered, he lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and peered out. All he could see was a bustling crowd, so densely packed it resembled a surging ocean. It was impossible to distinguish the figures of Fan's mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

Wu Changfeng saw his father's action and was confused. He hurried forward to support Wu Anshuo, his eyes full of concern and confusion. He asked puzzledly: "Father? What's wrong?"

"I, I seemed to hear your mother's voice just now." Wu Anshuo slowly lowered the curtain, his face full of loss, and his voice carried a hint of melancholy that was difficult to conceal.

"Father, we will be back soon. Mother should be at home preparing to welcome us, so why is she here now? Father must have heard something wrong." Wu Changfeng persuaded softly, trying to reassure his father with a reasonable explanation.

"Well, you're right!" Wu Anshuo listened to his son's words, pondered them, and agreed. The thought of him and his son returning home in such a state soon filled him with a sense of melancholy. He recalled setting out on his journey, full of high spirits and ambition; he had imagined achieving great military exploits and returning in glory. But now, he was gravely wounded and in such a state of disgrace. The stark contrast between his former ambition and his current state of desolation made the injustice in his heart grow stronger, like a burning flame, surging wildly within his chest.

When he thought about the fact that there had been no news from the Third Prince during this period, he thought that he was a useless person and had no use value anymore, and wanted to give up on him. The resentment towards him in his heart grew deeper and deeper, like a poisonous snake, constantly gnawing at his heart, making him full of resentment and unwillingness.