While Huo Junhao was pleading to resign from his official post and go to the border, the Gu family members, who were on their way to the border, were intercepted.
It was past noon when a fast horse overtook the Gu family's convoy on the official road and blocked their way.
Princess Jinghe was dressed in neat men's clothing, with a small bundle slung across her shoulder and a bundle dragging on either side of her horse.
"Jinghe greets General Peng!" Jinghe bowed to General Peng.
"Princess, what are you doing?" General Peng felt a headache coming on.
Jinghe handed over a letter.
General Peng opened it and sighed, "What sins have I committed? Not only do I have a whole family of princes and grandsons, but now another one has arrived!"
Is it possible that the Kang family will also come next year?
Everyone knows that the Kang family of four always traveled together, never leaving anyone behind.
“Princess, this wasn’t forged by you?” General Peng felt he could still salvage the situation.
“General Peng, do you think I would dare to forge this? I only have one head! I want to live for several more decades,” Princess Jinghe said with a smile.
"Then, aren't you going to get married? Isn't getting married a good thing?" General Peng said speechlessly.
“It’s not marriage, it’s engagement. General Peng, the Emperor hasn’t said when the wedding will take place. I’m still young! Besides, I’m going to live with my great-grandfather and join the army with my eldest cousin. General Peng, you can’t favor one over the other. My cousin and I are of the same status, have the same skills, and are only a year apart in age. You have no reason to refuse me,” Jinghe continued.
"Yes, yes, I can't refuse you. But let me make this clear: my eldest daughter-in-law is not someone to be trifled with. Anyway, if you don't get her approval and you lose face, don't come looking for me!" General Peng waved his hand, not wanting to say anything more.
"Don't worry! I always respect the elderly and care for the young. Then please have someone help me put my luggage on the luggage cart, Grandpa Peng. And please harness my horse to you too! I'm going to find my great-grandparents now!" Princess Jinghe happily went to the second cart.
Her grandfather, the previous Prince Kang, was a brother of the late emperor and Grandpa Gu. They were half-brothers. Grandpa Gu was the eldest son, so Prince Kang had to call Grandpa Gu "elder uncle." Princess Jinghe would have to call Grandpa Gu "uncle" or "great-uncle." However, the children of the Gu family did not call their grandfathers "grandfather," so Jinghe called him "great-grandfather."
Jinghe was the only person in the entire Kangwang Mansion who knew the identity of Grandpa Gu's family. The Empress Dowager had told her, and she had only recently learned about it.
Jinghe's mother, Princess Kang, was a daughter from the Empress Dowager's maternal family. Because of this relationship, the Empress Dowager treated the mother and daughter very well.
Logically speaking, since the Empress Dowager liked this great-granddaughter, there was no reason for her to allow the Emperor to betroth her to Li Muyan.
But the engagement between the two is indeed still in effect.
This stemmed from Princess Jinghe's own plea for help to the Empress Dowager. She had a cousin who was very fond of her, but she didn't reciprocate his feelings. She absolutely did not want to marry someone she didn't like, so she asked the Empress Dowager for advice on what methods to use.
That cousin of mine is extreme in his actions, but he is really a good person. He even saved Princess Kang's life when we were kids.
Jinghe couldn't go overboard like she did with others, for fear of driving her cousin to his death.
At the time, the Empress Dowager was at her villa to escape the summer heat when she learned about the Gu family's affairs. Since these two matters came together, the Empress Dowager directly asked Jinghe about them.
Jinghe agreed. Anyway, it was just a matter of being a fiancée. The emperor wouldn't rush her to get married. She could just break off the engagement later when she found someone.
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