Chapter 15 Who has seen Sister Duanduan?
Two days later, He Zhaojun was barely able to sit. If she had to wait until she was fully recovered, it would take a hundred days for her injuries to heal. His Majesty was anxious to see her, but he could not wait that long.
He Zhaojun also wanted to hear "Sister Duanduan" continue telling stories, so she brought her a notebook that she had copied down in her spare time in exchange.
She lay in the carriage, and before she could get out of it, the eunuch in front of her led people all the way to Changqiu Palace: "Young lady, His Majesty sympathizes with your injuries and allows you to ride in the carriage to the palace gate. This is a great gift."
He Zhaojun could only hoarsely say, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace... cough cough cough..."
She had accidentally gotten her throat choked by smoke in the military camp before, and now she couldn't speak loudly. Her voice made the palace maids laugh, and her father and brother also laughed endlessly.
When she was supported and brought into Changqiu Palace, her father and brother knelt down to pay their respects. He Zhaojun lay down and could not get up, so she had to make up for it by paying her respects repeatedly.
"He Zhaojun, the daughter of General He Yong, respectfully wishes His Majesty good health, the Empress, and Concubine Yue good health..."
Concubine Yue noticed her strange expression and broke out in a cold sweat. She quickly ordered someone to bring a cushion and helped her sit down. "Just relax and be yourself. Your Majesty, how could you be so harsh on someone who has made great contributions?"
Emperor Wen also waved his hand, signaling the six iron towers to stop standing there in a daze and to sit down as soon as possible.
"He Zhaojun, I'm here to ask you, is it really you who forged your father's handwriting and secretly mobilized your troops to Fengyi County?"
He Zhaojun bowed her head and said, "Yes, it was all my own decision."
"But even for a master calligrapher, it's not easy to imitate someone else's handwriting. How did you do it?"
He Zhaojun looked at her father, feeling extremely aggrieved. "Your Majesty, Rong Bing, is there any need to imitate my father's scrawled handwriting? It's enough if the power is there. It's just that the messenger I sent was my father's usual one, so they didn't suspect anything."
He Yongqi's beard was crooked. "Why do you say that about my father? I learned these few strokes from a famous master, so how can they be considered scribbling? How can you say that about my father?"
As she spoke, she described in vivid detail how she learned from Prince Xiao about Prince Yong's rebellious intentions, how she made plans in advance, how she led her troops in the battle in Fengyi County, and how she was finally rescued by General Ling and entered the military camp to help.
The others had all experienced war, but today, hearing about the battles of war from a young girl, their hearts surged with excitement and aroused immense interest. He Zhaojun's description was both brilliant and entertaining, and they didn't sense any arrogance or vanity in her.
The three people on the throne laughed for a while, and then Concubine Yue spoke: "I think this little girl is very interesting. I haven't been so happy in a long time. Well, in addition to the reward from Your Majesty, I will grant you another favor. Tell me."
He Zhaojun quickly thanked him and kowtowed, "Empress Yue, during the chaotic battle, I rescued a tall and beautiful sister named Duanduan. She must have been a court lady. When we parted, I promised to tell her about Journey to the West. I know I won't be able to see her often, so could you please pass this manuscript on to her and allow us to exchange letters?"
Concubine Yue readily agreed, but where in the palace was there a tall and beautiful Duanduan sister?
Emperor Wen looked at He Zhaojun again and found her to be an outstanding girl. Although her mother had passed away many years ago and she was raised by six men, and lacked some formalities in etiquette, she was intelligent and open-minded, far surpassing ordinary girls.
"Everyone is talking about your loyalty and bravery. I had no choice but to break off the engagement with the young master of the Lou family. Grand Tutor Lou has mentioned this to me many times, hoping to reconcile. I will issue an edict right now to grant you two a marriage. Do you agree?"
He Yong also looked at He Zhaojun. She and Lou Yao had grown up together as childhood sweethearts, so they weren't completely without affection. Furthermore, their personalities complemented each other. He didn't see anything wrong with this marriage. "I have no objection. Let's see what Zhaojun thinks..."
Suddenly, someone outside the palace announced, "The Third Prince has arrived!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
