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"This is a gift Zhang Su prepared in advance."

On the sixth day of the first lunar month, the first court meeting of the fourteenth year of Xingwu was held. Military officers such as Meng Ji, who were about to leave the capital, also came to the court and formally bid farewell to Emperor Xingwu.

Emperor Xingwu encouraged them and let them set off, so they didn't have to wait for an hour for the court meeting to end.

Deng Chong took the lead and walked in front, followed closely by Guo Yanqing, Li Yu and other six generals, two by two, and the younger ones such as Zhang Jian and Deng Kun stood there for a while, then turned around and followed.

It was only a quarter past five in the morning and it was still dark. Deng Chong was the first to step out of the hall. He walked a few steps forward and was about to go down the long white marble steps in front of the hall when he suddenly noticed two figures standing at the foot of the steps. One of them was holding a palace lantern, and the dim light illuminated the figure of a woman in a cloak.

Although the woman had her back to them, Deng Chong still recognized her. She was the little Princess Qingyang, the only one in the palace who dared to run around in this area.

However, in the past, the ministers called her the little princess because the princess was only a few years old and was a child in the true sense of the word. Now, when they call her the little princess, "little" only refers to Princess Qingyang's ranking. Look at her seven feet tall, she is about to catch up with Yan Xizheng. Even though she is only thirteen years old this year, who would dare to treat her as a child?

After a brief pause, Deng Chong continued to lead the way down. When he was almost down the stairs, the little princess, who was more than ten steps away, turned around.

Facing the increasingly stunning face of the little princess again, Deng Chong couldn't help but recall the first time the emperor brought out the beauty from the county magistrate's family to introduce her to them. Deng Chong, who had not been well educated, didn't know how to praise Concubine Li's beauty. He just remembered that they were all stunned at the time. It was precisely because of Concubine Li's presence that Deng Chong didn't despise Fu Daonian for being so useless when he learned that Fu Daonian had been bewitched by a mere beauty from the Pyu Kingdom.

However, Concubine Li was so weak, as if any powerful man could take her for himself. However, the little princess before him had imitated the emperor's majesty to the fullest. Look at her. She was obviously shorter than him, and even facing a group of military generals, the little princess still looked down on them with a look of disdain. She didn't move at all. I wonder what she was thinking...

"Your Highness, I greet you."

Behind Deng Chong, generals Meng Ji, Peng Ying and others were the first to bow and salute, followed by young generals such as Zhang Jian.

Qingyang's gaze swept across them and fell back on Deng Chong and Deng Kun, father and son, who had not yet saluted.

Deng Chong finally understood what the little princess was thinking. He lowered his head slightly and said, "Your Highness, I greet you. I wonder why you are here?"

Qingyang first excused the generals from their formalities and said with a smile, "You are all renowned generals of the Great Qi. You will be away at the border for another three years before returning to the capital. Your father will miss you, and I am also very reluctant to leave you, so I have come to see you off."

As she spoke, the little princess's eyes swept over the faces of the military officers one by one, even Deng Kun, with whom she had a grudge.

The generals expressed their gratitude one after another.

Qingyang moved to the side of the palace road and said, "You all still have a long way to go, so I won't delay you. I wish you all a safe journey."

The generals also advised the princess to take care of herself and walked forward one after another.

Qingyang then looked at Zhang Su who was standing behind her. Although she had said goodbye to Zhang Su alone on the night of her second brother's wedding, Qingyang still wanted to take one more look at him this morning.

The generals had long legs and big strides, and they were able to pass the little princess in the blink of an eye, leaving her behind.

Zhang Jian, who was walking in front of Zhang Su, was like this. Zhang Su...

When they were about to pass by each other, Zhang Su, who never peeked at the little princess for no reason, finally turned his head, and his eyes quickly swept over the little princess's eyebrows and face. Then, when the little princess smiled, he nodded slightly. His tall and straight figure flashed by, and his steps were calm and decisive.

Qingyang watched the figure calmly until the group was swallowed up by the darkness in the distance.

.

On the second day of April, the little princess was celebrating her thirteenth birthday. Yongkang, Princess Jing Meng Yao, Qin Liang's Crown Prince's Consort Zhu Lianqing, Yan Zhenzhen, and the third prince Qin Ren, who had not yet started work and could skip a day of school, all entered the palace. After paying their respects to the two concubines, they came to Jiuhua Palace to give gifts to the little princess. Crown Princess Lu Wenrong and the little grandson Zheng'er were already there.

Yongkang loved his nephew very much. He held Zheng'er in his arms and teased his sister: "You used to be the youngest child in the palace. Everyone loved you and gave in to you. Every year they tried to make you happy. Now that you have Zheng'er, you can finally have a taste of what it's like to coax a child."

Qingyang didn't remember asking her elder sister and three brothers to give in to her, but her elder brother and third brother did often take care of her, her second brother often played with her, and her elder sister, who spent the least time with her, would feed her pastries and wipe her hands and mouth, so Qingyang just smiled and didn't refute her elder sister.

Yongkang spoke to his sister quite nicely, but after chatting for a while he started to exclude Zhu Lianqing because she disliked Princess Yong and Qin Liang, and she hated Zhu Lianqing because of him.

Zhu Lianqing didn't dare to talk back to the eldest princess. He just lowered his head and listened, looking pitiful and submissive.

Lu Wenrong felt sorry for her and asked Meng Yao, Yan Zhenzhen and Qin Ren to spend more time with the little princess. She took Yongkang and Zhu Lianqing away first.

Yongkang wanted to go to Chongyuan Palace to sit for a while, so Zhu Lianqing left the palace first.

When there were no outsiders in the room, Yongkang lifted up Zheng Ge'er and kissed him, then asked with a smile, "Zheng Ge'er, do you like the elder aunt or the younger aunt better?"

Lu Wenrong: “…”

Two-year-old Zheng Ge'er didn't understand the adults' thoughts and no one asked him about it, so the little guy told the truth: "Little Aunt."

Yongkang glanced at the nervous and embarrassed Lü Wenrong, tapped his nephew's cheek and said, "Little Aunt only lives in the palace and can play with you every day, but Big Aunt and your father are born to the same mother, the Queen Mother. Big Aunt is closest to you and will treat you the best in the future. Little Aunt will only like your third uncle's children. Zheng Ge'er should like Big Aunt more."

Zheng Ge'er didn't understand.

Lu Wenrong did not dare to correct the eldest princess, who was gradually becoming fearful of even the crown prince. She thought that after the eldest princess left, she would tell her son that both aunts were equally close.

Jiuhua Palace.

Qin Ren couldn't get along with the girls and was not in the mood to join in the fun today, so he just sat aside.

Meng Yao teased him, "Why are you so unhappy, third brother, when your sister is celebrating her birthday?"

Qin Ren sighed, "As soon as I entered the palace, I couldn't help but think of Zhang Su."

When coming to his sister's place, he would pass by Chengming Palace where he once lived. That was the palace where he and Zhang Su lived together for many years. The entrance was filled with memories of the two of them going in and out together. How could Qin Ren not be saddened by the scene?

Meng Yao subconsciously glanced at Qingyang. Seeing that the little princess simply looked disdainful of her third brother, she couldn't help but wonder if she was mistaken. Could it be that, despite being childhood sweethearts with Zhang Su, the little princess hadn't developed any romantic feelings for him? Indeed, the little princess was only a young woman, barely entering her prime, ready to blossom, and yet Zhang Su was gone. Who knew he'd find a love for some young man when he returned?

Realizing that Qin Ren seemed to have something to say to the little princess, Meng Yao and Yan Zhenzhen also said goodbye.

Qin Ren then took Zhang Su's gift from Fu'an and gave it to his sister, explaining, "Zhang Su came to say goodbye to me the night before he left Beijing. He said he always gives me a small wooden figurine every year, but he was afraid I'd be upset if he didn't this year. So, he'd already carved it in advance, so he asked me to give it to you on the day."

Qingyang laughed and said, "I'm not a child anymore. It's amazing that he's so thoughtful."

Opening the box, Qingyang took out the little wooden man inside and looked at it carefully.

As she grew taller, the little wooden figure Zhang Su gave her also grew taller, with its facial features and clothes becoming more and more exquisitely carved.

This time the little wooden princess is standing, with a palm-long base under her feet. At the other end of the base, in front of the little wooden figure, there is a potted peony.

Qin Ren recalled, "It was the time when you came to my place to enjoy the flowers during the first month of last year."

Qingyang looked at the little wooden princess's eyebrows and eyes. They were so similar, it was obvious that Zhang Su must have peeked at her many times without her knowing.

"Did he write to Third Brother?"

"No, I told you before I left Beijing that the journey was long and I wouldn't write any more letters."

Qingyang: "Did Third Brother write to him? Once you're done, you can give it to the wife of the Duke of Wei and send it along with her family's letters."

This year, Deng Chong should rectify the military discipline of the Yunzhou Army and spend a year making preparations for the war. He will send troops to attack the Pyu Kingdom next year.

Qin Ren was reminded by his sister and said excitedly: "Yes, if he doesn't write to me, I can write to him. Then sister, you pack up the gifts, I'm going back first!"

Qingyang smiled and asked Jie Yu to see her third brother off. She took the newly acquired wooden figurine to the study.

Because there were more and more little wooden figures, Qingyang asked the palace craftsman to build her a cabinet specifically for placing the little wooden figures, and the cabinet door was made of glass.

Including this year's, there are a total of ten little wooden figures, just enough to fill a cabinet board, lined up in a row from short to tall.

.

It was a full four thousand miles from the capital to Guchang, the capital of Yunzhou Prefecture. Qin Ren had finished writing the letter to Lady Xu, the wife of Duke Weiguo, in early April. However, the letter was delayed for more than a month as the postman, who only traveled a hundred miles a day, was bumpy on the road. It was not until the end of May that it was delivered to Zhang Su.

The envelope was very thick. Zhang Su took out the letter paper and counted it first. There were twenty-three pages in total, probably because each sheet of letter paper could only hold a limited number of words.

Zhang Su started reading from the beginning.

In the letter, Qin Ren expressed his longing for his study companion and brother, and how uncomfortable he was living alone in the prince's mansion after his brother left. He complained about how miserable he was that he had nothing to do and went to play with his second brother but was rejected by him. He also expressed his envy of his sister who continued to study, practice martial arts, and visit government offices as if nothing had happened.

Zhang Su paused for a moment, read it again, and then continued reading. He read until the last page before seeing the word "sister" again. It was the Third Prince who said that his gift had been sent out. The little princess liked it very much and praised him for being thoughtful. But the Third Prince guessed that even if he didn't send it, the little princess would not be angry, because the little princess has always been very reasonable.

Zhang Su slowly put down the letter paper.

Won’t you be angry?

So, should he continue to send gifts to the little princess on her birthday next year?

Returning to his barracks at dusk, Zhang Su put away the letter from the third prince and took out a new wooden sculpture from the drawer that he had only carved 30% of.

After looking at it for a moment, Zhang Su picked up the carving knife and continued under the light.

【Author’s words】

After thinking about it, I decided to mention the little princess’ 13th and 14th years old. It should be enough for one chapter~

100 little red envelopes, see you tomorrow~