Xiao Chengjing snatched the package, his hands trembling slightly. He quickly opened it; inside was only a thin letter with four elegant yet dignified characters on the envelope: "To Parents."

Unfolding the letter, one sees An'an's familiar handwriting, slightly messy yet powerfully written:

> Respectfully submitted to Father and Mother:

> Your daughter, unfilial and willful, left without saying goodbye to go to the northern frontier. I am filled with remorse and cannot sleep at night. However, a doctor's heart is compassionate, and my will is to serve on the battlefield; this thought has been long-held, not a spur-of-the-moment impulse. I am now in a military medical camp, doing well, healthy, with sufficient food and clothing, and my medical skills are proving somewhat useful in treating wounded soldiers, offering some solace. The camp is strictly disciplined, and my comrades are very caring; please do not worry too much, Father and Mother. Only in the quiet of the night do I miss my parents and siblings, my heart aches with longing. I know my actions have caused you both worry, and this is truly unfilial. When I return home, I will kneel and beg for forgiveness, accepting any punishment. It is inconvenient to elaborate here, nor can I reveal my exact location, lest it cause complications. I earnestly hope that you, Father and Mother, will take care of yourselves and not worry about your daughter. My siblings are young; please take good care of them, Mother. My daughter is here, so I must be extremely careful to protect myself, so that I can return home to be with her parents as soon as possible.

> Unfilial daughter An'an

Xiao Chengjing held the letter, reading it over and over again, especially the phrases "all is well," "in good health," and "the camp has strict rules, and my comrades have been very kind to me." It was as if he wanted to draw strength from his daughter's safety. His nerves, which had been tense for many days, finally relaxed after seeing his daughter's handwriting reporting that she was safe. He let out a long, heavy sigh, and his tall body swayed, but Shen Yuewei caught him in time.

“This girl…this girl…” Xiao Chengjing’s voice was thick with nasal congestion and lingering fear, but even more so with immense relief at having found her again. “Finally…finally she knew to let us know she was safe!” He carefully folded the letter, as if holding a priceless treasure.

Shen Yuewei was already in tears. She held her husband's arm tightly, looking at the familiar handwriting, and sobbed, "It's good that she's safe... It's good that she's safe... Knowing where she is and what she's doing puts our minds at ease... Chengjing, she's grown up. She's doing what she wants to do. We should... be proud of her."

"Proud? Wait until she gets back, and I'll teach her a lesson!" Xiao Chengjing said fiercely, but his eyes had softened completely, filled with the exhaustion of surviving a disaster and deep fatherly love. "Never mind... Knowing that she's safe and sound is better than anything else. Yuewei, this letter..." He paused, "Keep it safe, don't let those kids know the details, lest they follow suit."

Shen Yuewei nodded with tears in her eyes: "I understand."

The gloom that had hung over Prince Jing's residence was largely dispelled by this letter of reassurance. Just then, another wedding invitation from the capital brought genuine joy.

It is news of the marriage between Shen Rui, the son of Shen Wenqing, the elder brother of Shen Yuewei, and Pei Qingyun, the legitimate daughter of Pei Zheng, the current consort of the eldest princess!

"Rui'er and Qingyun's marriage is finally settled!" Shen Yuewei held the gold-embossed wedding invitation, a long-lost, heartfelt smile appearing on her face. "These two children have known they were meant for each other since they were little, growing up together as childhood sweethearts. Now that they've finally become a couple, it couldn't be better!"

Xiao Chengjing's mood brightened because of his daughter's safety and this happy event. He put his arm around his wife's shoulder and said, "Yes, I remember that when Qingyun was little, she loved to follow Rui'er around calling him 'Brother Rui.' Although Rui'er always had a stern face, he always gave her the best things first. This marriage is a natural progression. I'm sure your parents are overjoyed."

Shen Yuewei nodded: "My father and mother also said in their letter that they were overjoyed. Rui'er is steady and reliable, and Qingyun is gentle and intelligent; they are a perfect match. The wedding date is set for the eighth day of next month, so we must hurry back to the capital! Firstly, to congratulate them; secondly, to visit our parents; and thirdly..." She paused, looking at her husband, "Perhaps... we can also find out some more accurate news from the northern frontier?" Although she knew the hope was slim, as parents, they always wanted to be as close as possible to where they might know about their daughter.

Xiao Chengjing pondered for a moment and nodded, "Alright. We've been out long enough, it's time to go back. It's a good opportunity to take Kang Kang, Ning Ning, and Yan Ge'er back to see their maternal grandparents, and let them relax and not think about their sister all the time." He thought of the younger ones, "By the way, what about Huai Yu and Huai Jin? Second brother and sister-in-law are still traveling and haven't returned yet."

“Bring them along!” Shen Yuewei said without hesitation. “They’re all our own children, so it’s a good opportunity for them to go back to the capital for a visit. Huaiyu is quiet and gentle, while Huaijin is lively and energetic. They can also keep Ningning and Yan’er company on the journey.”

With the decision made, the Jing Prince's Mansion immediately busied itself with preparations for the return to the capital. The children were overjoyed to learn that they would be returning to the capital and attending their cousin Rui's wedding, which temporarily eased their longing for their sister.

"We're back in the capital! We can see our maternal grandparents!" Ningning clapped her hands and jumped up.

"And there's Cousin Qingyun! Cousin Qingyun is the prettiest!" Yan Ge'er exclaimed.

Kang Kang, however, was more concerned: "Mother, will we be able to see more official reports about the war in the northern frontier in the capital?"

Shen Huaiyu and Shen Huaijin were also looking forward to it: "Aunt, Uncle, is the capital more lively than Jiangnan?"

Looking at the children's joyful faces, Shen Yuewei and Xiao Chengjing smiled at each other.