As the palace gates slowly closed,
the earth-shaking cheers were shut out.
The clamor faded.
At last, her ears were at peace.
Jiang Yuechu sat in the imperial carriage. The face that had been cold and proud all this time finally showed a hint of weariness.
Even back in Luling, when she faced four Demon Venerables and a Lamp-Lighting Demon Saint, she had never felt afraid.
With a great halberd in hand, all she had to do was kill.
But along the way, she had faced one feverish face after another, all while maintaining the bearing of the Grand Princess.
That had drained her far more than she'd expected.
Jiang Yuechu rubbed her stiff cheeks and grumbled inwardly.
Killing demons only took strength.
Being a person took heart.
Killing demons was still the easier life...
The imperial carriage reached a fork in the road.
An attendant eunuch who had been waiting nearby led a squad of imperial guards and court physicians forward. They carefully helped Bai Yulou down and escorted him to a carriage waiting beside them.
"Rest easy and take care of yourself, Elder Bai."
Standing atop the imperial carriage, the emperor called after the departing carriage, "As for everything else, don't worry."
Though the Great Tang palace was no blessed immortal abode, and held no miraculous treasures capable of restoring him fully to his Lamp-Lighting cultivation, it was, after all, the foundation of an empire.
Extending the life of this old man, who had nearly burned through his lamp and oil, for a while longer wouldn't be difficult.
As for what came after...
That would depend on the arrangements to come.
With Bai Yulou sent off,
the siblings had finally made it home in truth.
A family banquet had long been prepared in Zichen Palace.
There were no