Chapter 317 Farewell
Princess Xiling's marriage was finally settled, and all the young officials and children of powerful people in the capital breathed a sigh of relief.
Time passed quickly, and soon it was the day when Prince Chang'an was going to leave Beijing to become a fiefdom.
Huo Zheng brought Chunzhi and Xiaoxing back to the palace early in the morning to bid farewell to his father, the emperor, and his mother, the empress. This farewell was long and arduous, and the prince could not return to the capital without being summoned. It was unknown when the family would be reunited again.
The emperor showed a rare reluctance and said to Huo Zheng, "Xizhou is in ruins and needs to be rebuilt. Now is the time for you to make full use of your strengths. Do a good job and don't let me down."
Huo Zheng showed no resentment at being banished from the capital. His expression remained normal as he bowed calmly and said, "I will definitely live up to your expectations, Father."
The emperor raised his hand and patted Huo Zheng on the shoulder, and he couldn't help but think that if Huo Zheng could really withstand such a test, it would be fine for him to pass the throne to him a hundred years later.
Queen Wang touched Xiao Xinghui's little face and asked the palace maids to prepare a lot of food and daily necessities for Chunzhi to take to Xizhou.
Although Huo Zheng and Chunzhi were princes and princesses when they went to Xizhou, no one dared to neglect them. However, Xizhou was a poor place and many things could not be obtained even with money. The Queen Mother was reluctant to let them suffer, but she was powerless to change anything at this time and could only prepare more things for them to take with them.
The emperor was standing by, and Queen Wang had many things she couldn't say to his face. She could only whisper to Chunzhi to take good care of Huo Zheng and Xiao Xinghui and to take care of themselves.
Huo Yanran told Xiaoxing several times, "Don't forget your aunt."
Xiao Xing was heartless. Being too young to know the pain of separation, he was still smiling at the Imperial Grandmother and the little aunt.
The emperor was very satisfied seeing this. There was no crying at the farewell, which meant that it was not a bad idea for him to let Huo Zheng go to Xizhou to be a vassal.
"Alright, the journey to Xizhou is long, Queen, please don't delay them from leaving the capital." The Emperor said to Huo Zheng and the others, "Go."
Huo Zheng took Xiao Xinghui from Queen Wang and bowed to his father, the emperor, and his mother, the queen, together with Chunzhi.
Queen Wang's eyes were slightly red, and she said with a forced smile, "You can go. Be careful on your journey. When you arrive in Xizhou, remember to write to let me know you're safe."
Huo Zheng nodded and said, "Your Highness will remember your Majesty's instructions."
Chunzhi said to Queen Wang, "As long as you don't mind my nagging, I will write to you often."
Queen Wang didn't think she was being long-winded at all. She smiled and said, "It would be even better if you could attach a portrait."
Children grow up very fast and they change after not seeing them for a while. Queen Wang always felt a little regretful that she could not see her grandson grow up with her own eyes.
"Okay." Chunzhi agreed. "I'll try my best to learn to paint. If I can't do it, I'll hire an artist."
Having said this, the emperor glanced at Queen Wang.
Queen Wang said no more and asked the female official Gao to see Huo Zheng, Chunzhi and the others off on her behalf.
Huo Yanran said at the right moment, "I want to see my seventh brother and sister-in-law off."
Queen Wang couldn't go herself, so she nodded and agreed to let the Thirteenth Princess go, and the Emperor didn't say anything about it.
Huo Yanran and Ms. Gao escorted Chunzhi and his wife out of the palace together.
The palace road is long, with green tiles and red walls.
Today the sky is clear and cloudless, the sun shines across the sky and the weather is starting to get warmer.
Huo Yanran said to Huo Zheng, "Seventh Brother, let me carry Xiaoxing back for a while."
I don’t know when we will see each other again, and I don’t know if she will still be able to hold her little nephew by then.
Huo Zheng understood what his sister had not yet said and handed Xiaoxing back to her.
Huo Yanran carried Xiaoxing back while sending them out of the palace.
Although the palace is long, it will eventually come to an end.
Perhaps because she was reluctant to leave, Huo Yanran felt that the journey out of the palace today was particularly short.
Several people soon stood in front of the palace gate, and the carriage of Chang'an Palace was waiting not far away.
Huo Yanran reluctantly returned Xiaoxing to Huo Zheng, then opened her arms towards Chunzhi.
Chunzhi hugged Huo Yanran and whispered to her, "If you really must be Liu Tanhua, you might as well give it a try."
Liu Yan refused to marry Huo Qinghan, perhaps not only because she was the twelfth princess, but the bigger reason was that he didn't like Huo Qinghan?
Chunzhi could see that Huo Yanran liked Liu Yan so much that she couldn't even stand anyone else except him.
In a voice only the two of them could hear, she said to Huo Yanran, "Youth is short and fleeting. You must be brave once and don't leave yourself with regrets."
Regardless of whether this can be accomplished or not, let’s give it a try first.
Besides, the fact that the Thirteenth Princess likes Liu Tanhua doesn't need to be known to everyone. She can find an opportunity to express her feelings in private. It would be best if Liu Yan could respond. If he really has no intention, given his style of doing things, he would not make a big deal out of it and spread it everywhere.
Huo Yanran was born into the royal family. She lost her mother at a young age and had been raised by the queen. Her relationship with the queen was not very close before. She lived in fear and was extremely nervous. Naturally, she did not dare to dream of marrying the person she loved.
Now her mother-daughter relationship with the Queen is much stronger than before, and she has reached the age to get married. She will get married anyway, so she should be brave and give it a try. If she can marry the person she likes, that would be the best. If not, she won't lose anything.
Huo Yanran couldn't help but feel a lump in her throat when she heard her sister-in-law say this. She nodded and said, "I will."
Seeing the red eyes of the Thirteenth Princess, Lady Gao couldn't help but warn her, "It's windy outside, Princess, be careful not to get blinded by the wind and sand."
Huo Yanran let go of Chunzhi, raised her sleeve to wipe the corners of her eyes, and said softly, "Then I will send Seventh Brother and Sister-in-law here. I wish you all the best on your journey to Xizhou and great success."
Huo Zheng and Chunzhi responded "Okay" in unison, then looked at each other and smiled.
After saying that, Huo Zheng held Xiaoxing in one hand and helped Chunzhi get on the carriage with the other hand, "Go back home."
"Yes." The driver whipped the horse-drawn carriage and drove back to the Chang'an Palace.
Huo Yanran stood in front of the palace gate, watching the carriage go away. The wind lifted the curtains. Chunzhi held Xiaoxinghui's hand and waved at her.
Huo Yanran also waved at them, tears gradually gathering in her eyes.
Parting always makes people sad, but Huo Yanran turned around and thought that it was not entirely a bad thing for her seventh brother and sister-in-law to go to Xizhou. It was a kind of luck to stay away from the capital, a place of right and wrong, with the sea wide for fish to leap and the sky high for birds to fly.
She stood outside the palace gate, watching them rush towards a new life, while she could only return to the huge golden cage of the palace and continue to be a bird in a cage.
Huo Yanran couldn't help but think: If only I could leave the palace too.
…
Chang'an Palace.
When Huo Zheng and Chunzhi brought Xiaoxing back to the palace, everything had been prepared. Butler Cheng and a group of maids and attendants were loading the things they were going to take to Xizhou onto the carriage.
Chunzhi handed Xiaoxing back to Qingye and went to Mr. Gu with Huo Zheng.
They were about to leave Beijing, but Gu Yuanjia's injuries had not healed yet and he could not travel for the time being, so Huo Zheng asked him to stay in Beijing to recuperate and go to Xizhou after his injuries were fully recovered.
This matter was decided a few days ago, and Huo Zheng wanted to visit Gu Yuanjia again before leaving.
As soon as he entered the room, Yuzhu took the initiative to retreat outside the door.
Chunzhi was also a little worried about Yuzhu, so she gave her a few words of advice.
Everyone was talking inside and outside the door.
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