Chapter 319 Farewell

Mingming Wan'er looked like she was about to cry when she mentioned that she was leaving the capital a few days ago.

Mother might not come because father is an official in the court and needs to avoid suspicion with Prince Chang'an, but with Wan'er's personality, she would definitely come to see her off if she knew she was going on a long journey.

The carriage had just left the Chang'an Palace and was stopped by a maid from the Song family as soon as it walked out of the street. "The maid has been ordered by the young lady to bring something to the princess."

The driver reined in his horse and stopped, turning back to report to the prince and princess, "Your Highness, the Song family is here."

Chunzhi lifted the carriage curtain and looked inside. She saw that it was Jinshu Luoshang who was standing beside Song Wan'er. She immediately asked, "Why are you here? Where is Wan'er?"

The two maids each carried a large bundle that looked quite heavy. They presented the bundles to Chunzhi and bowed to her, saying, "My lady originally wanted to come to see the princess off, but she was afraid she would cry if she couldn't bear to leave, so after much hesitation, she decided not to come."

"These are the things that the young lady prepared for the princess. Please accept them."

Chunzhi couldn't help feeling a little disappointed when she heard this, but she didn't want to see Song Wan'er cry, so she raised her hand to signal the palace attendants following the carriage to take the bundle and said softly, "That's fine. You guys take good care of Wan'er and go back early."

"Yes." Jinshu and Luo Shang responded in unison. The latter wanted to say something to the princess, but was stopped by Jinshu and retreated a few steps away.

The palace attendants carried the two large bundles presented by the Song family maid into the carriage, and the carriage soon set off again, passing through the bustling crowd and leaving the flower-filled streets.

Chunzhi handed Xiaoxing back to Huo Zheng to hold, and reached out to open the two large bundles brought by the Song family's maid. One bundle contained various rare medicinal herbs and hundreds of years old ginseng and Ganoderma lucidum, and the other bundle contained various gold and jade jewelry.

Song Wan'er heard that Xizhou was poor and short of money and medicine, so she almost emptied her own small treasury and exchanged it all for these things.

Chunzhi was touched and amused when she saw this. "Wan'er is like this, what can I say to her?"

Chunzhi couldn't bear to part with her sister. The emperor issued an edict to grant Song Wan'er a marriage. The wedding date was approaching, but she and Huo Zheng had to go far away to Xizhou. It was a pity that she couldn't personally see her off to marry.

If Song Wan'er didn't come to see her off today, she wouldn't know when they would meet again in the future.

Huo Zheng knew how much Chunzhi loved her sister Song Wan'er, and naturally knew that she would inevitably feel disappointed if she couldn't see Song Wan'er before leaving Beijing.

He comforted Chunzhi in a gentle voice, "If two hearts know each other, even if they are miles apart, they will always be close. There is always a time to meet again. Mountains are high and rivers are long, so there is no need to say goodbye."

Chunzhi tied up the bundle, looked up at Huo Zheng, and said softly, "It's better not to come, otherwise I will definitely cry."

Huo Zheng held Xiaoxinghui in one hand and Chunzhi in the other.

He secretly swore in his heart that he must proceed steadily and step by step to a higher position, so that Chunzhi would no longer have to endure the pain of separation, and let her have only joy and no sorrow in the future.

Chunzhi leaned on Huo Zheng's shoulder and told herself that seeing each other at the time of separation would only increase the sadness, so it would be better not to see each other. She should slowly accept the fact that the road ahead was long and that only she, Huo Zheng and Xiaoxinghui could be together as a family of three for a long time.

After the carriage left the city gate, there were fewer and fewer pedestrians around, and it gradually reached the outskirts of the city where there were few people.

When they arrived at the Ten-Li Pavilion, Cui'er, who was sitting in the front of the carriage, suddenly shouted, "Princess! I saw Master Song! And General Shao and the others, there are so many people!"

Chunzhi heard the sound and immediately lifted the curtain to look. She saw Song Wan'er running out of the pavilion and waving at her vigorously, "Sister!"

The sun was shining brightly, and the pavilion was filled with people inside and outside. Mu Qingshan, Madam Mu, Shao Feiyang, Song Anlan, and others all came forward as the carriage approached. There were staff members who had previously left the palace, and ministers who never took sides in the court but often supported the proposals of the Prince of Chang'an...

The carriage stopped outside the pavilion. Cui'er quickly stood up and lifted the curtain. Chunzhi was the first to get out of the carriage. She hugged Song Wan'er who ran towards her, and said in surprise and joy, "Didn't you say you were afraid you wouldn't cry when we parted? Why are you here again?"

Song Wan'er whispered to her, "I've already cried secretly. When I think about not being able to see my sister for a long, long time, I feel that I have to come."

Chunzhi let go of her hand and saw that Song Wan'er's eyes were red. She had really cried. She was so heartbroken that she didn't know what to say.

At this time, Huo Zheng got off the carriage holding Xiaoxing, and the people in the pavilion also walked up to them, and the two sides greeted each other.

Huo Zheng returned holding Xiao Xing in his arms, smiling, and said, "I've left the capital several times, but this is the first time I've seen so many people come to see me off. Come on, bring some wine. I'd like to share a drink with you all to express my gratitude for your hospitality."

The attendant beside him was about to step forward to respond, but Shao Feiyang said first: "We have already prepared the wine, and we are just waiting for the prince and princess to come."

General Shao said this, raising his hand to signal the followers behind him to bring up the wine.

Giving wine as a parting gift shows deep affection and sincerity.

When Shao Feiyang came, he didn't expect that there would be so many people coming to see King Chang'an off, so he only brought two jars of wine and a few bowls. Fortunately, no one came empty-handed, and everyone brought their own wine and bowls. The more people there were, the more wine there was. Their followers presented wine and wine utensils at the same time and stood in several rows in front of the pavilion.

The wine was opened, the aroma filled the air, and it was poured into full cups and bowls.

Shao Feiyang took a bowl and presented it to King Chang'an with both hands.

Chunzhi took Xiaoxinghui from Huo Zheng so that he could concentrate on saying goodbye to everyone.

Huo Zheng smiled at Chunzhi and reached out to take the wine bowl handed to him by Shao Feiyang.

Several officials who were optimistic about Prince Chang'an stepped forward at the same time and said one after another: "With your talent, if you go to Xizhou, you will definitely achieve great things. You will definitely return to the capital one day!"

"I'm looking forward to the day when the prince returns!"

“Don’t worry about having no close friends on the road ahead. Who in the world doesn’t know you?”

“…”

Mu Qingshan also stepped forward and offered a glass of wine, saying to Huo Zheng, "I hope Your Highness will go to Xizhou and show his strengths to benefit the people there."

While they were talking, Madam Mu walked towards Chunzhi, took her hand, looked at her daughter lovingly, and whispered, "The journey to Xizhou is long, please take care."

Chunzhi said softly, "I know, mother, don't worry."

Madam Mu had actually said this yesterday.

Chunzhi thought that she was leaving Beijing today, and her father was very cautious towards Huo Zheng, so he probably didn't want her mother to see her off. So she took Xiaoxing and Huo Zheng back to the Mu Mansion the day before leaving Beijing to say goodbye to them.

I never thought that Daddy would come to the pavilion with Mom to see me off today, and so many people would come.

Song Wan'er pulled Chunzhi and whispered, "Don't worry, sister. I will visit mother often."

"Wan'er is so good." Chunzhi looked at Song Wan'er with tender eyes and said softly, "It's a pity that I can't see you get married with my own eyes."

Song Wan'er said, "Don't feel sorry. My marriage to Jiang San won't last anyway. Wait until I divorce him and find my true love. When it's time for me to marry again, you can just send me off."