When breakfast was put on the table, Zhuang Yun came in full of energy.
"Mother."
"Yun'er is here." Yu Lan asked him to sit down, and mother and son ate together.
Perhaps because of those birds, or perhaps because of Late Spring's words, Yu Lan had a better appetite, finished a bowl of porridge, and ate two crystal buns and a lot of side dishes.
Zhuang Yun saw it and ate more.
The wedding is coming, and everyone in the house is very busy.
In late spring, Pandong collected Yu Lan's dowry and presented the list to Yu Lan for review.
Most of these dowries were brought by Yu Lan when she married into General Pingxi's Mansion, and some were newly added by Concubine Yu.
While Yu Lan was watching, Pandong came into the room and reported: "Princess, the old lady is here."
Yu Lan put down her makeup sheet and stood up to greet her: "Mother."
Mrs. Zhuang entered the house, followed by a group of servants, carrying dozens of wooden boxes tied with red silk flowers.
"This is the makeup list, please take a look at it." Mrs. Zhuang handed Yu Lan a few red sheets.
Yu Lan took it in astonishment and looked at the dozens of wooden boxes neatly arranged in the corridor, a little stunned.
"There aren't many things, so don't dislike it," Mrs. Zhuang said.
Only then did Yu Lan come back to her senses and hurriedly said: "Mother, you keep these, I won't..."
Mrs. Zhuang clapped her hand and interrupted: "This is a little bit of my thoughts, keep it. I'm old and can't use it anymore."
Yu Lan still wanted to refuse, but Mrs. Zhuang said: "Just keep it with Yun'er and leave it to him to get a wife in the future."
Yu Lan swallowed back the words that came to his mouth.
She knew that Mrs. Zhuang was deeply concerned about Zhuang Yun. Only if she took it away would Mrs. Zhuang feel at ease.
Looking at Mrs. Zhuang, who had thick hair on her temples, Yu Lan pinched the makeup list in her hand and felt choked in her heart.
Mrs. Zhuang's life was really miserable.
Mrs. Zhuang and General Zhuang were engaged when they were young. When General Zhuang was young, he went to the battlefield with his father to kill the enemy, and he stayed there for more than ten years.
When she returned to Beijing to marry after her military exploits, Mrs. Zhuang was nearly thirty, and she was delayed and became an old girl.
In those years, Mrs. Zhuang was always surrounded by gossip wherever she went.
They finally got married, but less than half a year after their wedding, General Zhuang went to the battlefield again.
When she returned three years later, Mrs. Zhuang was over thirty.
In order to continue the bloodline of the Zhuang family, under the strict orders of Zhuang's mother, General Zhuang lived in Shangjing for two years and welcomed Zhuang Heng's birth.
As soon as Zhuang Heng turned one year old, General Zhuang rushed to the battlefield again.
Mrs. Zhuang carefully educated Zhuang Heng while serving her mother-in-law.
When Zhuang Heng grew up, Mrs. Zhuang and General Zhuang spent less time together and more time apart, and the couple only spent a few years together.
Later, when the southwest became stable, General Zhuang returned to Beijing to report on his duties. He stayed in Shangjing for three years, supporting his parents and accompanying Mrs. Zhuang and her son.
Those were the happiest and most beautiful years in Mrs. Zhuang's life.
Three years later, General Zhuang took Zhuang Heng, who was fifteen years old, to the battlefield for training.
Being a family of military generals, this is a fate that is difficult to escape.
Mrs. Zhuang stayed alone at General Pingxi's Mansion, praying in front of the Buddha every day for the safe return of her husband and son.
When the father and son returned to Beijing again, Zhuang Heng became a brave and capable young general and returned with glory.
Mrs. Zhuang has lived a comfortable life for another year.
The war in the southwest broke out quickly without any warning. General Zhuang rushed to the southwest again and went into battle wearing armor.
Three months later, when Yu Lanfang was diagnosed with pregnancy, Zhuang Heng also went to the battlefield. Once he left, he never came back.
After losing her husband and her son, and being left alone for the rest of her life, Mrs. Zhuang's hair turned gray all her life. Yu Lan has seen her pain all these years.
Three generations passed away alone. Mrs. Zhuang did not want Zhuang Yun to continue the fate of her father, so she devoted herself to training him to study and wanted Zhuang Yun to become an official.
Because of Yu Lan's relationship, the emperor did not want Zhuang Yun to take the path of a military general.
Zhuang Yun himself is also up to par, he has learned all the lessons well, is highly appreciated by his teacher, and will definitely achieve great things in the future.
It's just that Zhuang Yun is still young and needs Yu Lan to educate him.
Mrs. Zhuang knew that she was old and powerless, so she could only rely on Yu Lan.
"I'll leave Yun'er to you." Mrs. Zhuang said seriously.
Yu Lan nodded: "Don't worry, mother, Yun'er is my child, and my love for him will never diminish even half."
Mrs. Zhuang smiled relievedly.
On the third day of June, Yu Lan received a personal letter from Zhou Boxu.
After reading the letter, Yu Lan smiled happily and shed tears while smiling.
Zhou Boxu finally came back.
As the sun set in the west, Zhou Boxu met the emperor in the imperial study room to report on Duanzhou affairs.
After reading the memorial written by Yu Cheng and listening to Zhou Bo's detailed summary, the emperor breathed a sigh of relief.
"It seems like Duanzhou is fine."
Zhou Bo prefaced: "With His Highness in charge, Duanzhou will definitely return to normal."
The emperor nodded and said in a deep voice: "You have worked hard on this trip. Go back and have a good rest. You will get married the day after tomorrow."
"Yes, I will leave." Zhou Boxu turned and left.
After walking a few steps, he remembered Yu Cheng's letter and turned back.
"What else is there?" The emperor was puzzled.
Zhou Poxu pursed his lips and said, "His Highness asked me to bring a letter to Concubine Xie."
"Gao He, please take a trip." The emperor ordered the attendant.
"Yes." Eunuch Gao responded, took the letter from Zhou Boxu's hand with both hands, and sent it to the East Palace.
"You are very attentive." The emperor smiled and praised.
Zhou Bo prefaced: "Being entrusted by others is a matter of loyalty to others."
He could have left the imperial study and found a palace official to deliver the message. But after thinking about it, something is wrong.
Cao Muxue has always been at odds with Xie Wanruo. If an ordinary palace official sends a letter, if it is known to Cao Muxue, it will be difficult for him to intercept it. The letter may not reach Xie Wanruo's hands.
But the emperor's people were different. Even if Cao Muxue was bold enough, she would not dare to stop him.
It is a good thing for a gentleman to keep his promise, especially when this person is about to marry his beloved daughter.
The emperor looked at Zhou Boxu with admiration.
After returning to the Zhou Mansion from the palace, Zhou Boxu went to see his parents again, and had dinner with them before he had time to return to the house.
After washing, Zhou Poxu leaned tiredly on the soft couch, looking at the red silk words "happy" all over the room, and raised the corners of his lips.
His eyes swept around the room one by one, and finally landed on the bed where the wedding curtain had been put on.
Although the emperor gave Zhou Boxu and Yu Lan a marriage residence in the Princess Mansion, the wedding banquet still had to be held in the Zhou Mansion.
The day after tomorrow, the day after tomorrow...
Zhou Poxu thought about it and fell asleep leaning on the soft couch.
The next morning, when the princelings learned of Yu Cheng's achievements in Duanzhou, they praised him greatly. Especially Cao Qian's faction was on the verge of having the emperor abdicate in favor of someone more worthy.
It is a good thing that the prince is a virtuous man, but the faces of Cao Qian and others are really irritating.
The emperor's face became darker and darker as he listened.
In Cao Qian's eyes, this meant that the emperor felt ashamed and was speechless because of Yu Cheng's virtuousness.
After the dynasty dispersed, Cao Qian went to Yongning Palace in great spirits to share this great joy with the queen.
The queen beamed when she heard this: "Although Cheng'er's trip is dangerous, it has also yielded a lot."
Cao Qian said: "Your Highness's move has greatly won the hearts of the people and ministers, and is extremely beneficial to our success."
After hearing this, the smile on the queen's face faded and she hesitated a little: "Are you going to take action?"
Cao Qian nodded, stared at the queen with a solemn expression and said, "Father's death cannot be hidden for too long, and we cannot delay it any longer. Sister, you cannot be soft-hearted."
The queen was silent for a moment and made up her mind: "Everything will go according to your plan."
