Yan Huisheng went to see the Emperor.
The Emperor was sitting alone in front of the window in the West Hall. Seeing him come, he turned around and looked at him. "Why did you come to see me so quickly? Have you seen the private treasury of your Aunt Zhenmin yet?"
"I’ve seen it." Yan Huisheng looked at the Emperor. He rarely saw the Emperor looking so desolate, as if the weight of everything had been shed from his being, like something he had always persisted in was dissipating.
The Emperor gestured for him to sit, and then said, "I owe a lot to my cousin. Originally, she gave herself to Chu Rong, and Chu Rong was also willing to join forces with Daliang in the battle against Dawei. Yet, I feared, so I begged my cousin to break her promise to Chu Rong, agreeing to marry and form an alliance with Dawei instead."
Yan Huisheng was unaware of these events, as no one had ever told him.
The Emperor watched his expression. "Only I and she knew about this, not even the former Emperor and the Empress Dowager were aware. However, Chu Rong should have known. After all, they were already engaged. She had to secure Chu Rong’s consent before she could marry into Dawei."
Yan Huisheng pursed his lips.
"I admit I was selfish, but I partly did it for Daliang. I didn’t dare to gamble then if we could defeat Dawei, even with the support of Nanchu." The Emperor said, "These years, I often think back to that time, wondering if I regret it? If I had the chance to do it over again, would I still beg my cousin to marry and prevent war, or would I vow to fight Dawei to the end?"
He paused. "There’s no answer."
Yan Huisheng remained silent, not knowing what to say.
The Emperor gazed at Yan Huisheng. "As a Crown Prince or as an Emperor, once a decision is made, there’s no turning back. The incidents of those years have always been a haunting shadow in my heart."
Yan Huisheng remained silent.
The Emperor sighed deeply. "Therefore, it’s only right for Chu Rong to resent me. The relationship between Daliang and Nanchu that was once tributary is now all but a name. I thought there was no chance of reconciliation, but surprisingly, your bond with Su Rong has managed to tie Nanchu and Daliang tightly together again."
"She saved my life," said Yan Huisheng, "and as my cousin, she has helped me a lot."
"Daliang and Nanchu joining forces and defeating Dawei was indeed gratifying to everyone. I’ve been foolish these years, drowning in the pursuit of imperial power, focusing solely on being a good Emperor, and thus made grave mistakes that impacted the country. Otherwise, if we had sufficient food and provisions during the war against Dawei, we wouldn’t have had to stop here, and maybe, we could have even made it to the capital of Dawei." With a sigh, the Emperor added, "Now it’s too late for regrets. I can only hope for the day when you and Su Rong, Daliang and Nanchu, will march on to Dawei again, trampling their capital underfoot. I don’t know if I will live to see that day."
"Ten years." Yan Huisheng finally spoke. "You will see it, Father, if you take good care of your Dragon Body."
The Emperor nodded. "Let’s hope so!"
He looked at Yan Huisheng. "Most of Princess Zhenmin’s properties are in Capital City. I don’t plan to give them to Su Rong, as she is now the Nanchu Princess, and she doesn’t need them. After all, these properties belong to the Imperial Court of Daliang. Sooner or later, Nanchu will remove the tributary status of Daliang, and Su Rong won’t be a vassal to Daliang. Considering the future generations of the Imperial Court in the next hundred years, these properties should not be given to her. However, she can have all the profits that I’ve made from her properties over the years, as well as everything in her private treasury in the Palace."
Yan Huisheng nodded. He didn’t believe that Su Rong would care about any of that. "I have no objections," he said.
The Emperor gestured at him. "If you have come for this matter, I have told you everything now. You can get back to your work!"
As Yan Huisheng’s primary purpose for his visit had indeed been this matter, and since his father, the Emperor, had spoken his thoughts about all he needed to and didn’t need to, he had nothing more to say. Standing up, he said, "Father, take care of your Dragon Body and rest early."
The Emperor nodded.
When Yan Huisheng left the West Hall and was about to step over the threshold, he looked back one last time. Seeing the Emperor had returned his gaze once again to the window, he looked so lonely and desolate, like an old man who had nothing left despite being the Supreme ruler.
When he returned to the Eastern Palace, he wrote a letter. After sealing it in wax, he didn’t immediately send it, but planned to send it along with the other items, escorted by troops and horses, to Nanchu.
The next day, the Emperor sent seven or eight items to the Princess Residence.
Princess Qingping was thrilled to receive them. After the Eunuch from the Palace had left, she opened them and was astounded. "When did my imperial brother become so generous?"
All the items were excellent, with two of them surpassing anything else in her residence.
Duanhua happily chipped in, "Uncle Emperor really is generous. Mother, I will thank Uncle Emperor for Su Rong."
"The best way you can repay your Uncle Emperor is to treat the Crown Prince well and be a good Crown Princess." Princess Qingping leaned forward and tapped her forehead.
Duanhua happily agreed, "Okay."
A day later, the Eastern Palace sent hundreds of items. Shipped by the Crown Prince and the Empress, they all arrived at the Princess Residence.
Princess Qingping took a deep breath. "Did they empty out the Eastern Palace?"
The Housekeeper laughed, "No, there’s still the majority of our inventory in the warehouse, some of the items were gifts to the Crown Prince from the Empress Dowager."
Princess Qingping remembered this and breathed a sigh of relief. "Right, I remember now. Mother loved the Crown prince the most. On her deathbed, she gave all her possessions to him."
She chuckled, "I remember being jealous for a long time."
As her biological daughter, she didn’t receive many items herself. Half of the Empress Dowager’s belongings were given to Sister Zhenmin, and the rest was given to the Crown Prince. The others received only a few gifts, which could practically be ignored.
Princess Qingping cheerfully accepted everything, then dismissed others to invite the leader of the merchant group. Afterward, she asked Duanhua, "Have you finished the letter to Su Rong?"
"Not yet. I can’t write it until we finish preparing the gifts." Duanhua shook her head. She had to specify which gifts were from her parents at the Princess Residence, which were from her, which came from the Emperor, and which were from the Crown Prince and the Empress.
"Well, all the gifts are assembled now, go write it." Princess Qingping handed Duanhua the gift list and urged her on.
Agreeing, Duanhua took the list and immediately went to write the letter.
She wrote a very long letter, filling over ten pages. Even after that, she felt she hadn’t said enough, but the envelope could hold no more, so she stopped. After she sealed the letter with wax, she brought it to her Mother.
The person in charge of Su Rong’s merchant team had arrived with his people. Seeing the gifts being handed over by Princess Qingping and the Housekeeper for him to take, he was flabbergasted. "Your Highness, this is too much."
Considering the gifted carriage they’d received, the return gifts were like two full carriages. A really profitable transaction! He estimated that his lady boss hadn’t anticipated that either.
"Just take them. These are not just gifts from the Princess Residence, but also from the Emperor and the Crown Prince." Princess Qingping said, "Be careful."
The leader of the merchant group could only nod and carefully instruct his men to accept the gifts.
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