The last sentence really touched the queen's heart.
If there was one thing she couldn't let go of the most, it was her daughter whom she had finally found.
No mother would wish for her daughter to marry far away, especially when they had been separated for more than twenty years and had only just begun to enjoy family happiness. Now, her daughter was about to marry thousands of miles away.
What was so good about staying in the palace? Her long - held wish was to travel around the countries and experience local customs.
Moreover, the concubines in the palace were real. Even if he didn't favor them, she couldn't simply ignore their existence.
Now, with the possibility presented by Emperor Jiang Jing, she was truly tempted.
Seeing the queen's wavering expression, Emperor Jiang Jing said, "My dear, don't worry. This time, you won't have to wait long. After the New Year, Niannian's wedding date will be set. Once Niannian gets married, the crown prince can ascend the throne."
As Emperor Jiang Jing finished speaking, a bright light suddenly appeared behind him. A beam of light shot up from below and then exploded into a huge firework at the highest point.
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
...
Amid the sounds of the fireworks, the queen seemed to say something, but Emperor Jiang Jing didn't catch it.
On the first day of the New Year's court session, the head of Princess Zhaohua was truly sent back, and the person who brought it was Zhui Yun.
The second betrothal gift was now complete.
Emperor Jiang Jing asked the imperial astrologer to calculate the wedding date for the princess. There were two auspicious days in the near future: the twenty - ninth day of the first lunar month and the sixteenth day of the third lunar month. He let Ji Junye choose.
He and the queen were inclined towards the sixteenth day of the third lunar month. Although the items needed for the princess's wedding had been prepared long ago, the end of the first lunar month was too hasty. Moreover, the third day of the third lunar month was Si Bao's birthday, and they wanted to accompany Si Bao on her birthday.
Ji Junye, of course, hoped for the wedding to be as soon as possible. But after Shen Qing's comprehensive consideration, she also chose the sixteenth day of the third lunar month, so his opinion was overruled.
The sixteenth day of the third lunar month it was. It gave him time to do other things anyway.
He sent a message to his confidants, asking them to spread the news that he had met a lost princess of the Jiang Kingdom during his battles and had a daughter with her. Then he sent another letter back to the capital, asking Prince Rong to prepare the items needed for the wedding.
After much thought, he decided it would be better to separate her current identity from her past. Otherwise, Si Bao's existence would always be questioned.
If he said he met Shen Qing after his military expedition, then she was a different person.
They had suffered because of their identities in the past. This time, he would never allow her and Si Bao to be slandered.
Although Si Bao's age didn't quite match, she was almost four years old. At this age, there wasn't much difference among children. It wouldn't matter if he said she was a year younger.
Madam Lingzhang was Madam Lingzhang, and Princess Chen'an was Princess Chen'an. They just looked alike.
Prince Rong in the capital, upon receiving the news, finally felt a weight lift off his heart. Although he was surprised that the imperial sister - in - law was a lost princess of the Jiang Kingdom, overall, the joy outweighed the surprise.
He only knew that if his elder brother didn't marry the imperial sister - in - law back soon, he might just grow roots in the Jiang Kingdom.
The emperor's job was really not easy. He finally understood why emperors didn't reign for long. In the two years since he had been handling government affairs, his health had deteriorated, and he was rarely in a good mood.
He was practically waiting every day for his elder brother to come back.
Sure enough, as soon as he received the letter, he immediately ordered people to prepare for the wedding with the highest - level treatment.
Zhui Yun came to the princess's mansion the day after he arrived in the Jiang Kingdom.
Seeing that he was alone, Ji Junye, rarely talkative, asked, "Didn't Sheng Mei come with you?"
It was no wonder he asked. Usually, Sheng Mei would cling to Zhui Yun wherever he went. If she didn't see him during the day, it was okay, but if she couldn't find him at night, she would go out looking for him.
Everyone in the military camp knew that Zhui Yun had a beautiful wife. Not only was she beautiful, but she was also extremely clingy. She couldn't bear to be separated from him for a single day.
Shen Qing pricked up her ears listening. She was really curious about this saintess from the Miao tribe. How could she have captured Zhui Yun, that stubborn and unyielding man?
Upon hearing this, Zhui Yun's usually expressionless face showed a hint of crack, "She went back to the Miao tribe."
Ji Junye didn't really want to ask further, but under Shen Qing's extremely suggestive gaze, he continued, "Your three - year agreement is almost up. It's reasonable for her to go back... Didn't you try to stop her?"
Zhui Yun didn't want to answer this question. If it had been someone else asking, he would have turned around and left long ago. But it was the emperor asking.
"She had wanted to go back for a long time."
Actually, before the New Year, she had asked him if he wanted to go back to her tribe with her since she hadn't been back for a long time. Without even thinking, he had replied, "Anyway, the three - year agreement is almost up. If you want to go back, just go."
The next day, he couldn't find her anywhere.
Having gotten used to her willfulness, when she suddenly left, he found his living quarters extremely deserted.
So he simply took on this task of delivering the betrothal gifts and left.
Zhui Yun was such a silent person. Ji Junye never really expected to get much useful information from him, and Shen Qing naturally thought the same. So this matter was quickly forgotten, as if Ji Junye had just asked out of the blue on a whim.
At this moment, far away in the Miao tribe thousands of miles away.
Sheng Mei was bent over the bed, vomiting violently.
The maid A Ya was extremely worried, "The saintess has been vomiting for days and can't eat anything. What should we do? I'll go and call the witch doctor!"
"No need. I'm just experiencing morning sickness, and I'm a doctor myself." Sheng Mei's face was pale, and her voice had never been so weak.
She had started vomiting everything she ate since she found out she was pregnant. Now, she was just vomiting acid water.
She had found out she was pregnant before the New Year. She hadn't been feeling well those days and hadn't thought in this direction at first. But when she felt her pulse, she found out she was two months pregnant.
The fact that she could conceive meant that her physical constitution had been successfully improved.
Although she had approached him with a purpose, after so long together, she wasn't completely heartless. So she had tentatively asked for his opinion. Who would have thought that he would say that since the three - year agreement was almost up, she could go if she wanted?
Humph!
She had packed her things and returned to the Miao tribe that very night.
Anyway, her physical constitution had been successfully improved, and she even had an heir. She wasn't at a loss.
"Go and cook me a bowl of noodles. Put some sesame oil in it."
"Yes."
...
Back in the Jiang Kingdom, the wedding date was set. Next, it was the Ministry of Rites' turn to prepare all the wedding - related matters and the dowry.
The queen was also extremely busy. Her daughter's wedding represented peace between the two countries. How could the dowry be simple?
The lights in Qiwu Palace didn't go out until the Hour of the Boar every day.
As everything seemed to be finally settled, there was still one thing weighing on Shen Qing's mind.
"Your poison... There's still no news."
Ji Junye knew what she was worried about. He walked over and put his arm around her, "Qin Ye sent a message a few days ago saying that he was making some progress. It's okay. We still have time."
Although he said so, Shen Qing couldn't feel at ease until this matter was resolved.
Days passed by. After much rushing, the day of Shen Qing's wedding finally arrived.