I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 349 Never Separated

The Empress looked at her son, who seemed like a walking corpse, with eyes full of tenderness. "Yuanye, you haven't eaten or drunk anything for five days. I've cooked some porridge for you myself. Would you like to have a sip?"

Gu Ci acted as if he hadn't heard, and expressionlessly raised his hand to throw the paper money into the brazier.

The Empress was completely at a loss. Ever since Zhao Zhao died, Yuan Ye had become like this, ignoring everyone who spoke to him. She and His Majesty had tried everything, but they couldn't get Yuan Ye to utter a single word.

The Empress glanced at the coffin, tears welling in her eyes, unless Zhaozhao were to come back to life.

But how is this possible?
"Yuan Ye, tomorrow we will be sending Zhao Zhao's coffin into the mausoleum. How can you endure the journey if you don't eat something?" The Empress appealed to his emotions. "You don't want anything to happen to Zhao Zhao's coffin on its way to the mausoleum, do you?"

His dark, empty eyes twitched slightly, and Gu Ci nodded almost imperceptibly before offering no further response.

The Empress sighed inwardly, decided not to disturb her son any longer, and turned back to the palace to continue selecting items for Tang Zhao's burial.

[The host has returned to Da Yu. This time travel has ended.]

As the system notification ended, Tang Zhao slowly opened his eyes, only to find everything in complete darkness.

Tang Zhao frowned slightly, raised his hand to touch it, and only felt a smooth, mirror-like wooden board, which also gave off a fresh woody fragrance.

This must be the coffin that held her "corpse," Tang Zhao realized. He pushed hard for a long time, but the coffin didn't budge.

The air inside the coffin grew increasingly thin. Tang Zhao tried to breathe as steadily as possible while reaching out to his side. Regardless of what he grabbed, he raised his hand and slammed it heavily against the coffin.

Boom!
Gu Ci suddenly looked up and opened his eyes in disbelief.

Boom!Boom!Boom!
The coffins made one heavy sound after another, which was clearly heard even by the guards of the Protector General's Mansion kneeling outside.

Gu Ci practically tumbled and crawled toward the coffin, turning his head to press his ear against it.

Boom boom boom!
The sound of impact continued to emanate from inside the coffin, each strike feeling like a blow to Gu Ci's heart.

Gu Ci forcefully pushed the coffin open.

Light suddenly streamed into the coffin, and Tang Zhao instinctively closed her eyes. After her eyes adjusted, she slowly opened them and unexpectedly met Gu Ci's incredulous gaze.

Tang Zhao's eyes stung, and she murmured, "Gu Ci."

Gu Ci slowed his breathing. If this was a dream, he hoped it could continue forever and that he would never wake up.

Seeing that Gu Ci was staring blankly at her and had no intention of taking her out of the coffin, Tang Zhao simply did it herself.

She propped herself up and sat up, reaching out to wrap her arms around Gu Ci's neck.

Kneeling to the side, Qiu Yu let her tears fall and cried out loudly, "The girl is awake!"

Gu Ci was brought back to his senses by the shout. If he was the only one who saw that Zhao Zhao was dreaming when she woke up, why could Qiu Yu also see it?
"Gu Ci, it's so cold and dark in the coffin, I don't want to lie in it," Tang Zhao said, rubbing her cool forehead against Gu Ci's cheek. "Can you carry me outside to get some sun?"

"Okay!" Gu Ci replied subconsciously, reached out and lifted Tang Zhao out of the coffin, and strode towards the outside of the house, but stopped just before leaving.

Tang Zhao looked up at him in confusion, "What's wrong?"

Gu Ci looked down at her worriedly, "Are you afraid of being in the light?"

Tang Zhao laughed angrily, "I'm a person, not a ghost, or do you think I can't stand the light of day?"

Gu Ci hesitated, his feet remaining motionless.

Tang Zhao stretched out his arm, letting the sunlight shine on his palm. "Look, I haven't vanished into thin air."

"Don't talk nonsense!" Gu Ci said softly.

Tang Zhao stuck out her tongue. "I'm so cold, Gu Ci."

Without further hesitation, Gu Ci carried Tang Zhao out of the house and sat on the swing under the sycamore tree. The warm sun shone on them, and Tang Zhao sighed comfortably.

Gu Ci carefully squatted down beside Tang Zhao, staring at Tang Zhao with unblinking eyes.

The people from the Protectorate General's Mansion were stunned. Wu Yi'er was the first to react. He got up from the ground, ran to Tang Zhao, and knelt down with a thud, crying and laughing at the same time, "Miss, you're really alive!"

"What nonsense are you spouting!" Tang Zhao glanced at Wu Yi'er. "Your daughter isn't dead!"

"Yes, yes, the young lady is not dead!" Wu Yier raised his arm to wipe away the tears on his face. "The young lady just took a nap!"

Tang Zhao was satisfied.

The other guards from the Protectorate General's mansion also gathered around, watching Tang Zhao grin foolishly. Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter even clung to Tang Zhao's legs and cried their hearts out. It took Tang Zhao a great deal of effort to appease them all.

Chunfeng, fighting back tears, pulled Qiuyu downstairs. "Let's not delay the young lady and her husband's conversation here. Let's hurry down and take down all the white flowers and banners in this courtyard, take off our mourning clothes, and wash and groom ourselves so we can come back and serve the young lady!"

Wu Yi'er, accompanied by the personal guards of the Protectorate General's Mansion, removed all the white flowers and banners from the Manwang Mansion. Xia Mo took off her mourning clothes and hurriedly went to the kitchen to cook porridge for Tang Zhao.

Dongmei squatted expectantly beside Tang Zhao, but was forcibly pulled away by Chunfeng and Qiuyu, leaving with a look back every few steps.

For a moment, only Gu Ci and Tang Zhao remained.

Tang Zhao looked closely at Gu Ci, pouting unhappily, and said, "Why aren't you happy at all that I'm back?"

"I'm not unhappy."

Tang Zhao didn't believe it. "Your expressionless face doesn't look like you're happy."

"I'm very happy to see you," Gu Ci forced a smile, "but the thought that you'll be gone when I wake up from this dream makes me unhappy."

Tang Zhao blinked. "Gu Ci, this isn't a dream."

Gu Ci remained silent, staring intently at Tang Zhao, as if trying to etch Tang Zhao's image into his heart.

Tang Zhao reached out and pinched Gu Ci's face, twisting it slightly. "Does it hurt?"

Gu Ci shook his head, "It doesn't hurt."

Tang Zhao strained, "And this time?"

Gu Ci finally felt a slight pain, and he obediently nodded, "It hurts a little."

“Dreaming doesn’t hurt,” Tang Zhao said softly, rubbing her cheek that had been pinched red. “Gu Ci, I’m really back.”

Gu Ci murmured repeatedly, "Really back?"

"Yes, I'm back."

"Why did you come back?" Didn't you only go back after finally completing your mission?
"Because I can't bear to part with you," Tang Zhao tilted her head back and gently kissed Gu Ci's lips. "Gu Ci, I love you."

Gu Ci stood there, stunned.

At this moment, all the noise from the outside world disappeared, and it was as if only the two of them existed in the world.

Tears streamed down Gu Ci's face as he reached out and hugged Tang Zhao tightly.

Only at this moment did Gu Ci finally believe that none of this was a dream.

Because dreams are not so beautiful, in his dreams, Zhao Zhao always abandons him.

"So you're not leaving anymore?"

“Yes, we’re not leaving.” Tang Zhao’s waist ached from Gu Ci’s tight embrace, but she only hugged Gu Ci back tightly. “From now on, I will stay by your side and never be separated from you for the rest of my life.”