The prince and princess have already been alerted; if they don't speak up now, this kick will have been for nothing.
Haitang blushed and ran away the moment Chen Yu spoke.
Seeing her run out, Shen Wan, still enjoying the spectacle, said, "Where are you going? You haven't said whether you're willing to marry me or not yet!"
It would have been better if you hadn't mentioned it, because once you did, Haitang ran even faster.
Yinshuang and Chen Feng, Haitang and Chen Yu, Shen Wan all saw it all.
Now that Xie Jingyan has proposed marriage for them, how could Shen Wan refuse? She has already planned to pick an auspicious day to hold a wedding banquet for all four of them at once, so that the entire Wangfu (Prince's Mansion) can have a good time.
After Yinshuang finished applying medicine to her foot injury, she learned that Shenwan had betrothed her to Chen Feng. Embarrassed, she ignored the pain in her leg and went to protest to Shenwan. She wanted to serve the princess for the rest of her life and did not want to get married. However, she was carried back by Chen Feng halfway before she could reach Shenwan.
No one knows how Chen Feng persuaded Yin Shuang, but after Yin Shuang's leg healed, the four of them formally thanked Shen Wan and Xie Jingyan for making their decision.
Before we knew it, it was time for Doctor Tao to marry off his daughter.
Miss Tao rarely went into the inner courtyard, but she was on good terms with many maids in the outer courtyard. In addition, Doctor Tao was the family physician, and whenever the servants in the mansion had headaches or fevers, they could go to Doctor Tao for treatment.
When Miss Tao got married, many maids from the mansion went to present her with dowry and to see her off at the Tao family's courtyard.
Not only did the stewards of the mansion send congratulatory gifts, but the well-informed ministers also sent their stewards to deliver congratulatory gifts. Doctor Tao was the savior of Prince Ling, who was the crown prince and the future emperor. How could Prince Ling's savior not give him face?
Furthermore, Doctor Tao's medical skills are superb, even surpassing those of the Imperial Medical Academy. Everyone gets sick sometimes, so it's good to pray for help when things happen. Sending a congratulatory gift is a big deal, and if someone comes to him with a headache or fever in the future, Doctor Tao can't very well refuse.
One shouldn't be so short-sighted. The day Prince Ling sits in that position, Doctor Tao, whom he's used to, will definitely be transferred to the Imperial Hospital. Even if he doesn't surpass Chief Physician Zhao, he'll still be a deputy chief physician no matter what.
When it comes to social interactions, following the example of Director Zhao is always the right choice.
The Tao family's courtyard was right behind the Prince's mansion. Doctor Tao had saved Xie Jingyan's life, and since the Tao family was holding a wedding banquet, Shen Wan and Xie Jingyan would definitely have to show their respect and attend. However, plans don't always go as expected. The two left Moyuxuan and were heading to the Tao family's mansion when a servant came running up to them, saying urgently, "Your Highness, an urgent message has arrived from the border! Western Liang is attacking our Great Chu!"
"The Emperor urgently summons you to the palace for a meeting."
Ever since the incident involving the Crown Prince of Western Liang in Great Chu, Shen Wan and Xie Jingyan had a premonition that this day would come.
Now that I actually heard it, I wasn't so surprised.
Shen Wan was relieved that the earthquake in Meizhou, the dam in Xizhou, and the smallpox and blizzard that broke out in the capital did not increase the burden on the national treasury too much. In addition, with the iron cavalry her father had built, the Great Chu would never be defeated by the Western Liang.
The border war was a major event, and Xie Jingyan couldn't attend the wedding banquet at Tao's residence. He went to the palace to discuss matters, while Shen Wan took Yinshuang and Haitang to Tao's residence.
Shen Wan went to the Tao family for a wedding banquet. Old Madam Tao, Doctor Tao, and Madam Tao were overjoyed. Xie Jingyan couldn't go, which the Tao family regretted. However, the border war was the most important matter for the court. Compared with such a major event, the Tao family's daughter's marriage was nothing. The fact that Princess Ling could come to the Tao family was already a great honor for them.
The Tao family held a wedding banquet with twenty or thirty tables, which was festive and lively. What was even more enviable was that their daughter married into the family next door. If they called out from their own courtyard, the neighbors could hear them. The old lady and the madam of the Tao family were extremely satisfied with this marriage.
After Shen Wan finished the wedding banquet at the Tao family's house and returned home, Xie Jingyan had not yet returned. By the time he came back, it was already evening, and the sunset was magnificent.
Seeing Xie Jingyan enter the house, Shen Wan went up to him and said, "You haven't had dinner yet, have you?"
Xie Jingyan shook his head, "Not yet."
Shen Wan glanced at Haitang, who then quickly went downstairs to have the small kitchen bring in the food.
Shen Wan asked Xie Jingyan, "How is the war at the border?"
Xie Jingyan's expression was grave. "The situation is not optimistic. There should be someone from the Cheng King's faction among the border generals. In the past half month, three generals have died suddenly and without cause at the border, two of whom were my father-in-law's capable generals. The Western Liang army has launched a swift attack and has already captured two cities of our Great Chu..."
King Cheng!
He's truly a black sheep!
He not only harmed Consort Chen, the Emperor, and Xie Jingyan, but he also wanted to harm the entire Great Chu!
Despite such a scourge, the Empress Dowager still showed favoritism in every way. The Empress Dowager was blind; it was Heaven that opened its eyes.
Shen Wan had hated war since she was a child because whenever war broke out on the border, her father, Shen Jing, would have to go to the border. On the battlefield, swords and spears had no eyes, and many people who went to the battlefield never came back. She, her mother, Yun Shi, and her eldest brother stayed in the capital, living in constant anxiety, and also had to deal with the troubles caused by the old lady and the second and third wives.
Before his conspiracy was exposed, Prince Cheng was the emperor's most trusted younger brother, making it too easy for him to plant people on the border.
Three generals died in just half a month, all of whom were loyal to the court. War requires soldiers, but it needs generals even more.
A cowardly soldier is a cowardly individual; a cowardly general leads to a cowardly army; an incompetent general will exhaust the entire army to death.
Shen Wan was even more afraid that those dirty tricks would be used against her father. She asked worriedly, "Has Father already reached the border?"
“We should be here by now,” Xie Jingyan said.
The urgent message from the border has already been sent to the capital. Shen Jing and his cavalry are stationed only two days away from the border, so they should have arrived there two days ago.
Shen Wan was a little scared, "Will Father be alright?"
She wasn't afraid that her father would get hurt on the battlefield; he was highly skilled in martial arts, and it wouldn't be easy for the enemy to harm him.
But she feared that the King's men might sabotage her behind her back, which would be impossible to guard against.
Xie Jingyan served food to Shen Wan, saying, "You have to trust your father-in-law."
Shen Wan nodded slightly.
However, she, who usually has a great appetite, had absolutely no appetite.
Thinking of how Xie Jingyan had been spending two hours every day studying military texts these past few days, Shen Wan looked at Xie Jingyan and asked, "Are you also going to the border?"
Xie Jingyan said, "Don't overthink it. If I'm not needed, I won't go."
But what if it's necessary?
These words were already on the tip of Shen Wan's tongue, but she still couldn't bring herself to say them.
If necessary, how could Xie Jingyan not go? He has studied military books and tactics for so many years, hoping that one day he could personally go to the battlefield to protect his country.
How could she stop her? She couldn't stop her anyway.
However, since their marriage, they have never been apart except for the few days they spent keeping vigil for Consort Chen.
The thought of Xie Jingyan going to the border made Shen Wan feel reluctant. It was not even confirmed yet. Perhaps her father could take back the cities that Xiliang had taken from him and make Xiliang retreat and surrender. There was no need for Xie Jingyan to go to the border at all.
Even as I tried to comfort myself, my eyes still welled up with tears.
Xie Jingyan gently stroked her face with his fingertips. "Why are you crying?"
Shen Wan knew it was impossible, but she still asked, "If you go to the border, can you take me with you?"
Xie Jingyan chuckled, "If I take you to the border, your father-in-law and your elder brother will have to beat me back to the capital."
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