Zheng Yuanyuan nodded and said, "Grandma, that's what I was thinking too. Since my brother wrote to invite me to Dengzhou for a family reunion, I want to go and see him. I haven't seen him for over a year, and I really miss him."
Hearing Zheng Yuanyuan's words, Old Madam Zheng felt very uncomfortable. These two siblings had relied on each other since childhood. When Zheng Boyuan went to Yanmen Pass, he insisted on taking his sister with him. Now that he was in Dengzhou, he wanted his sister to come and reunite with him. There was nothing to stop him from doing so.
However, thinking of those rumors, Old Madam Zheng said, "Yuan'er, everyone outside says that the Sixth Prince is truly in love with you. Don't you want to reconsider?"
Annoyance and shame flashed across Zheng Yuanyuan's face. She gritted her teeth and said, "Grandma, his sincerity is his own. He can give it to whomever he wants. I don't want it, so why should I have to give it to him just because he wants it? Grandma, let's not even talk about how my brother is now a general stationed in Dengzhou Prefecture. Who knows, he might become a pillar of our Great Liang Dynasty in the future because of his military achievements. Just the marriage with the prince, Grandma, no one can say what the future holds. I can't gamble with the future of our whole family."
After hearing this, Old Madam Zheng frowned and thought for a long time before saying, "In that case, you should quickly pack your bags and go to Dengzhou. Be careful along the way. I will talk to your uncle."
Zheng Yuanyuan thought for a moment and said, "Grandma, could you wait until tomorrow to give the letter to my uncle? By then I will have gone far away, and it will be difficult to catch up with him even if I wanted to."
Upon hearing this, Old Madam Zheng rarely showed a smile. She got off the kang (a heated brick bed), took out a small rosewood carved box from the dressing table, and said, "When you're traveling, you can't be without money. Take this money with you and use it for your expenses on the road."
Zheng Yuanyuan quickly declined, saying, "Grandma, I have money."
The old lady of the Zheng family put the box in Zheng Yuanyuan's hands and said, "Take it. I'm old and don't have many expenses. You take it, my good child. You deserve all of this."
Zheng Yuanyuan accepted the gift. The old lady of the Zheng family waited until Zheng Yuanyuan left before sitting at the kang table, her eyes slowly reddening.
The old nanny who was serving her saw this and quickly stepped forward, saying, "Madam, what's wrong?"
The old lady of the Zheng family sighed and said, "These two children have really had a hard time. Go and find out which gatherings the two princes have been attending recently, and where this lady in our household has taken Yun'er."
The old nanny agreed and then went out to make the arrangements.
Looking out the window at the withered branches shivering in the cold wind, Old Madam Zheng felt a sudden wave of despair. She had truly had enough of this world. Yet, there were still people she cared about, people she wanted to spend more time with and protect. Old Madam Zheng knew very well that these two children now only had her as their elder. If she were gone, they would truly have to rely on her alone in the future.
Wiping away her tears, Old Madam Zheng sighed softly, turned her head, and continued looking at a booklet she had placed on the kang table.
After Zheng Yuanyuan returned, she went to find Shen Mingwan.
Shen Mingwan had been staying at the Zheng residence. Even when Madam Feng the Second returned from Wuzhou, Shen Mingwan did not go to see her. Shen Mingwan planned to go to Dafosi Temple in a few days, find a courtyard there to stay in, and spend the New Year with her father. Lin Mama had already made arrangements with Madam Feng the Second, so that Madam Feng the Second would also go to Dafosi Temple and the mother and daughter could meet there.
Zheng Yuanyuan arranged for someone to pack her luggage. She planned to leave quietly without telling anyone, and she didn't intend to take a servant with her. She would just go to Penglai with the returning imperial guard.
After listening to Zheng Yuanyuan's plan, Shen Mingwan thought for a moment and said, "In that case, I'll stay at home for a few days until the end of the year, then I'll go to Dafosi Temple to celebrate the New Year with my father. But when will you be able to come back after the New Year?"
Holding Shen Mingwan's hand, Zheng Yuanyuan said somewhat apologetically, "Sister Mingwan, I'm really sorry. I should have spent the New Year with you in the capital, but the situation is so bad now. I'm afraid that if I stay any longer, I'll become someone else's prey. I don't plan to go back to the capital anytime soon. I'll stay in Penglai a little longer, since I don't have anything to do right now anyway."
Shen Mingwan nodded and said with a smile, "Since there's a place for you to stay, you might as well hide there for a while. Things in the capital can change in an instant; who knows what might happen next?"
Zheng Yuanyuan left in a hurry. In the morning, she dressed as a guard and rode out of the capital quietly with the imperial guard, heading towards Penglai by land. After lunch, Shen Mingwan led her people and took a carriage to Tongzhou.
Wang Mama had already packed Zheng Yuanyuan's things for the journey. Since she was riding a horse the whole way, she couldn't bring much, just a change of clothes, some easy-to-carry dry food, and a water bag.
Looking at Zheng Yuanyuan, who had begun to grow tall and stood gracefully before her, Granny Wang said with heartache, "Miss, you should go over there first. After the New Year, I will settle everything here and then I will go to find you."
Zheng Yuanyuan put her arm around Wang Mama's arm and said, "Wang Mama, you're all alone in the house now, and you have to take care of all the big and small things. You must take good care of yourself. After the New Year, when the weather gets warmer, I'll send someone to pick you up."
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