Murong Fu rode his horse, holding Xishi in his arms, singing and chanting all the way. He left all pursuit behind and returned to the borders of the Kingdom of Dali. Not a single cavalryman could catch up to him, though one rider managed to trail far behind—that rider was none other than Fan Li.
Murong Fu rode into Kunming, the new capital of the Kingdom of Dali. Following the Nanyue State’s northern invasion, all opposition forces within the country had been swept away, leaving only Duan Zhengchun, of the Duan clan, whose whereabouts remained unknown. Throughout the capital, there were constant murmurs: "A home cannot go a day without a master, and a nation cannot go a day without a ruler." Even while Murong Fu was away campaigning against Nanyue, he received dozens of petitions daily from the populace urging him to ascend the throne. This was precisely why Murong Fu wanted to return to Dali quickly; attacking Nanyue was political righteousness, and returning to take the throne was equally so.
It was already midnight when they reached the Murong estate. Murong Fu leapt from his horse with Xishi in his arms. Both caught their breath and smoothed out their hems at the same time. Xishi blushed, gave Murong Fu a light tap, and said, "It’s all your fault. My feet feel as though I’m stepping on tofu."
Chapter 251