"Why did the Princess Chengping come to pick you up?"
Seeing her two elder sisters safe and sound, Li Wanming finally let out a sigh of relief. Only then did she remember the strange thing that happened today.
"I don't know either."
Li Wanmo was also very puzzled. "I was practicing with my spear in the yard when suddenly the door opened. That scumbag came over and asked me if I knew anyone from the Prince Ning's Mansion."
"I thought he was crazy and didn't bother to talk to him. I turned around and wanted to go back into the house, but who would have thought that he actually grabbed me and wouldn't let me go."
"I hit him on the shoulder with my spear. That scumbag bared his teeth in pain. Only then did he cry and tell me that the Princess Chengping had sent someone to pick me up and asked me to come with her to wish our grandmother a happy birthday."
Li Wanxin also frowned slightly. "My mother-in-law also asked me a lot of questions. She told me to serve the princess well and not to be impolite."
Li Wanming thought for a while but couldn't figure it out.
On the surface, the Princess Chengping said that she had come specifically to see her because of her bold act of choosing a husband right after the imperial examination results were announced, which had caused quite a stir in the capital.
But any discerning person knew that this was just an excuse.
Choosing a husband right after the imperial examination was a long - standing tradition in the Sheng Dynasty. Since the founding of the dynasty, countless scholars had suffered embarrassing situations under that imperial list.
Even though it was a bit unorthodox for her, a young unmarried girl, to do it herself, it wasn't worth the princess making a special trip.
"The Princess Chengping is the widow of General Huo. The Min region is close to the southern border. Could it be that Father and Mother had some interactions with General Huo when they were in the army?" Li Wanxin pondered.
The three of them whispered to each other for a while and all thought that this was the only reasonable explanation.
But if Father knew General Huo, why didn't he say so earlier?
If they had such a powerful backer, how would the Chen and He families have dared to bully them like this?
Li Wanmo seemed to remember something. She laughed and said, "When I left home, that scumbag, my in - laws, and the whole family were standing at the door to see me off, as if I was going to the palace to receive an imperial edict... It was really hilarious."
Li Wanming also laughed. "After you go back, you mustn't tell them the truth. No matter what they ask, you should be ambiguous. Don't say yes or no."
"Got it. I'll just say that the princess seems to really appreciate Father and came specifically to wish our grandmother a happy birthday."
"Right! Big sister, you should do the same. With the support of the Princess Chengping, that old hag definitely won't dare to make things difficult for you anymore!"
"Isn't it... a bit wrong to lie?" Li Wanxin looked a bit embarrassed.
"This isn't lying. It's just stating part of the truth!" Li Wanming said.
Li Wanmo nodded vigorously. "Little sister is right!"
After hesitating for a while, the gentle and docile Li Wanxin finally agreed. "Okay... I'll listen to you two."
Suddenly, Chun Tao knocked on the door outside and said anxiously, "Miss, it seems that another high - ranking official has come... a really high - ranking one. Master and Mistress are calling you over!"
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Han He, the Minister of War, rode his horse slowly to the gate of the Li family.
The entrance was in a bit of a mess. It seemed that everyone was in a hurry, and no one came to greet him.
Han He was displeased.
As the Minister of War, a second - rank official, it was already beneath his dignity to come to the home of a subordinate's subordinate to wish his mother a happy birthday. He had really given them a lot of face.
But he didn't expect that this subordinate would be so arrogant and not even come to the door to greet him.
"Is this the talented general you recommended to me?"
Han He cast a cold glance at Zheng Tingyu, the vice - minister of the Ministry of War standing beside him.
Zheng Tingyu immediately broke out in a cold sweat. He bowed and said, "Li Rusong is a gentle and straightforward man. He has the demeanor of a scholarly general. His wife, Yuan Jinqiu, is a heroic woman. She is brave and good at fighting. It was their great contribution that they subdued the seventy - two stockades in the Min region back then... Maybe they are really too busy today..."
Han He snorted and dismounted from his horse.
Zheng Tingyu quickly took the reins and handed them to a young servant beside him. At the same time, he was secretly complaining in his heart: Li Rusong, are you crazy?
It had taken him so much effort to invite the Minister of War here, but you actually dared to treat him so casually! Do you still want to have a future in the officialdom?
Pei Yanqi, who was following behind, was a bit puzzled.
Although Li Wanming was bold and reckless, from his limited observations, the actions and cooperation between the Li family's master and servants were well - organized, which showed that they had good family upbringing.
It was unlikely that they would not come to the door to greet the minister...
Han Lize, his friend beside him, also felt something was wrong. "What's going on in the Li family?"
Pei Yanqi looked at the expressions of the people around. They were flustered but not sad, nervous but not miserable. He said, "It should be nothing serious. We'll know once we go in."
After Han He entered, he stood arrogantly at the main entrance and roared, "Where is Li Rusong?"
He had a loud voice to begin with, and with the anger in his voice, it was like thunder, making everyone's ears buzz.
A moment later, Li Rusong rushed out. "I didn't know that the minister was coming. I failed to greet you from afar. I'm really at fault..."
Zheng Tingyu hurriedly pulled him aside and whispered angrily, "What's wrong with you? Didn't I tell you that Minister Han was coming? How could you just sit in the room and not move at all?"
"It's not that I didn't want to move. I really couldn't leave the room..."
Han He's face became even uglier. "General Li has quite an imposing official air. It seems that in the future, I'll have to pay my respects to General Li."
Li Rusong was so anxious that he was sweating all over his head. "It's not that I don't understand etiquette. There's a noble guest in the room who asked me to accompany her and chat. She wouldn't let me leave..."
"Noble guest?"
Han He snorted. "Which noble guest has such great influence that you can't even come to the door to greet me?"
"It was I who asked General Li to accompany me and chat. So what?"
A low and cold female voice sounded. A beautiful woman in gorgeous palace clothes walked out of the room.
"Your... Your Highness Princess Chengping!"
Han He rubbed his eyes, thinking he was seeing things.
Why was the princess here...
The Princess Chengping said coldly, "Minister Han, you are really imposing now! So, does this princess need your permission to find someone to chat with?"
Han He broke out in a cold sweat. He immediately knelt down and saluted with his fists clasped. "I didn't know that the Princess Chengping was here. It was my rudeness! Please forgive me, Your Highness!"
The Princess Chengping was not only the adopted daughter of the late emperor and a first - rank imperial - conferred lady, but also the widow of General Huo Xiaoyan, the cavalry general.
Huo Xiaoyan was once known as the pillar of the nation and the god of war of the Sheng Dynasty.
Half of the current military generals in the Sheng Dynasty were promoted during his lifetime. Therefore, the Huo family had extremely high prestige in the military.
Later, the entire Huo family died in that battle, leaving only this widow.
So, no matter who it was in the military, they had to give the Princess Chengping some face.
Offending her meant offending the military generals of the Sheng Dynasty. His position as the Minister of War might come to an end.
Han He's face turned pale with fright.
"Get up and come in to talk." The Princess Chengping turned around and walked into the room.
Han He wiped the sweat off his forehead. Just as he was about to bend over and follow in, he suddenly saw two familiar figures at the guest seats in the yard.
His... His Highness the Prince Ning!
And the Princess Consort of Ning!!
Han He opened his mouth in surprise.
...
Why were they wearing coarse cloth clothes and looking like peasants?
For a moment, Han He thought he must be dreaming.
He must have drunk too much the night before last and the alcohol still hadn't worn off. That was why he was seeing the Princess Chengping, the prince, and the princess consort in the Li family...