Chapter 178 Mother's Embrace
The night was as dark as ink, covering the palace.
The long palace road stretched forward, with tall and majestic palace walls on both sides. The eldest princess walked in it, her sleeves swaying gently.
The palace maids in front and behind held lanterns in their hands, and the orange light tore a corner in the darkness, the light and shadow swayed, and the wind carried the fragrance of plum blossoms.
The whole journey was silent, except for the eldest princess's steady and calm steps. However, if you look closely, you can see the sadness in her eyes.
Thousands of miles away from home, she missed her home day and night. When it was out of reach, every brick and tile in the palace was constantly pondered and missed by her. Gradually, all that was left was the beautiful things.
But once they returned, they found that the bloody storm of the past had not changed at all, except that the fighters had changed one after another.
The bricks and tiles in the palace have long been mottled and worn, no longer as bright as they were in people's memories, and have lost the last bit of human touch.
A few years ago, Ji'er said this to her in a letter:
"Aunt, it's sunny today. The sunlight is like golden threads, shining through the mottled leaves on the wall, and falling on the palace road like stars, bright and intoxicating."
In the end, “If you have Buddha in your heart, everything you see is Buddha.”
Ji'er, I am so regretful. I regret that I didn't come back a few years earlier and didn't see you with my own eyes, as bright as the moon and fresh breeze.
The eldest princess' eyes were slightly wet, but her steps were still steady as she walked into the Cining Palace.
The meals in the hall had already been removed. Hearing the footsteps, Tuoba Ning hurried over with a bright smile.
"Khatun, grandma was just telling Ning'er about the embarrassing things that happened when Khatun was a child!"
As Tuoba Ning spoke, he squeezed the eldest princess' hand tightly.
The princess smiled sweetly and shook his hand gently, saying, "Khatun has been naughty since he was young. If you want to tell me embarrassing stories, I'm afraid you won't be able to finish them in a day and a night."
When Tuoba Ning saw the eldest princess' smile, he finally felt relieved and breathed a sigh of relief without making a sound.
Now, except for Nanny Xiao who is beside my grandmother, the other people serving in and outside the palace don't dare to trust her at all. They won't do anything shady, but they are worried about being seen and heard.
Concubine Rong sat still at the moment, but her eyes were fixed on the eldest princess. It was not until she saw the hidden interaction between the mother and daughter that she breathed a sigh of relief.
The three of them chatted and laughed in the hall for a while, and as the night deepened, they went to bed.
The princess watched with her own eyes as Concubine Rong got on the couch, and only then did she leave with peace of mind and go to the side hall to sleep with Tuoba Ning.
It was quiet all around, and the movements around me were especially clear.
The princess hadn't heard Tuoba Ning's even breathing for a long time, so she turned over and gently held Tuoba Ning's hand.
Tuoba Ning seemed to have been waiting for a long time. He immediately turned around and squeezed into the arms of the princess.
"Khatun——"
Tuoba Ning shouted in a muffled voice.
The eldest princess showed a tender and loving look on her face. She gently touched the back of Tuoba Ning's head and held her tightly.
After a long while, the princess's low voice rang out: "Ning'er, it is Khatun who has let you down."
Tuoba Ning hurriedly shook his head, then raised his head from the pillow, only to see that the eldest princess' eyes were full of vicissitudes of life and her eyes were slightly red.
"Ning'er, women in the deep palace...are like birds with broken wings. They may look glamorous, but they can no longer fly."
"When the news that your grandmother entered the imperial palace for the family's selection and stayed there spread back to Yangzhou, the whole family celebrated and felt honored."
"And this... is what your grandmother spent her whole life to get. The good girl in her twenties back then has now reached her sixties, and even -"
The princess paused for a moment, as it seemed difficult to say some things in front of Tuoba Ning, so she changed the subject:
"And as royal women, it's not easy for us either."
"The glory of the royal family is like the blazing sun, dazzling but also scorching. We enjoy splendor and wealth, but behind it are endless responsibilities and constraints."
At this point, tears welled up from the eldest princess' eyes. She held Tuoba Ning's hand tightly, with endless apology in her voice.
"Ning'er, you are the princess of Yue State and the princess of Sheng State. This is your pride and your mission."
"Now, the fate of Yue is closely related to us. Your elder brother's position as Khan also requires the support of Sheng State."
"Your second brother is weak and cannot stand the fatigue of the journey, so Khatun can only send you to the capital of the prosperous dynasty."
"Ning'er, it's Khatun who has let you down. He has made you walk the same path as Khatun. Whenever you think about the fact that Khatun and Ning'er will be thousands of miles apart from now on, Khatun's heart is broken."
As tough and strong as the princess was, she couldn't help but burst into tears at this moment.
When Tuoba Ning heard this, his eyes turned red and his tears soaked into the pillowcase, making it wet.
"Khatun——"
Tuoba Ning shook his head, reached out to wipe the tears from the eldest princess's face, and smiled.
"You just said that this is Ning'er's mission. Ning'er has grown up to be seventeen years old without any worries. She has fine clothes and delicious food, and she has been raised by a wealthy family. What else can she not be satisfied with?"
"If the two countries have good relations and the people's well-being, Ning'er will be there for them without hesitation."
"Khatun, Ning'er's lifelong wish is to become a great woman like Khatun."
When Tuoba Ning said this, he leaned into the eldest princess's arms like a spoiled child and changed his tone to a playful one.
"Unfortunately, it seems impossible in this lifetime."
"When Khatun came to our Yue Kingdom, the situation was extremely dangerous. He fought his way out step by step over a long period of time."
"Ning'er never told Khatun that in fact, Khatun is the most powerful female warrior in Ning'er's heart. She is not good at martial arts or strength, but is wise and tenacious."
"But Ning'er has food and drink in Shengjing. She is here to enjoy a good life."
As Tuoba Ning spoke, her expression became more relaxed, not wanting the princess to see any hesitation in her heart.
"Besides, the young man Khatun chose for Ning'er is handsome and elegant. He looks like someone who is easy to get along with. Ning'er's life will be easier in the future!"
How could the princess not see Tuoba Ning's intention? He was pretending to be relaxed because he was afraid that she would worry.
The princess did not want to disappoint Tuoba Ning's kindness, so she pretended to be attracted by these words, burst into laughter, and whispered:
"Ning'er, Khatun thinks the time is almost right. Are you really satisfied with the young master of the Ji family? If it is decided, Khatun will choose a day to tell your uncle the emperor."
Upon hearing this, Tuoba Ning recalled the few times they had met, his brows curved, and he nodded generously.
The young master of the Ji family kept saying "Princess, you can't do that" but when he was pushed, he said "Princess, please respect yourself" and pulled his sleeves off. His face turned as red as if he had put on rouge, which was very funny to watch.
The most important thing is that he has a good temper and is very considerate, but he is too thin-skinned. I'm afraid he will force her to have sex with him on their wedding night, right?
The princess lowered her eyes and saw a genuine smile on Tuoba Ning's face, and she couldn't help but smile.
The young master of the Ji family was also chosen by her after careful selection.
Firstly, the mansion of the Earl of Loyalty and Bravery is not very prominent, so it can stay away from conflicts. Secondly, people from general families act decisively and their families are simple.
Thirdly, the young master of the Ji family is a man of letters, he has a gentle personality and is handsome. Most importantly, he is the youngest in the family, he has no burden on his shoulders and lives a more comfortable life.
The only concern is that Ji Wan, the daughter of Earl Zhongyong, is General Shen's wife.
This was not a problem originally, but Jiang Xun had become entangled with Miss Shen, so she did not dare to mention this marriage to her brother easily.
But tonight in the imperial study, something unexpected happened. Since her brother already knew that she favored Ji'er and Ye'er, she no longer had any worries.
For Ning'er, she, as a mother, must fight for it no matter what!
Thinking of this, the princess felt relieved. She stroked Tuoba Ning's back and said in a gentle voice with emotion:
"As long as Ning'er is satisfied, life is so long. It is a great blessing to be able to spend the day and night with the one you love until dawn."
I only hope that from now on, the frosty blades of time and the storms of the world will all stay away from my Ning'er, so that she can always keep her childlike heart and be happy year after year.
The eldest princess raised her lips slightly, just like when Tuoba Ning was young, she patted her back with great care and love, and said softly:
"Ning'er, go to sleep."
Tuoba Ning responded softly and nestled in the eldest princess's arms. After a moment, the sound of even breathing could be heard.
Mother’s arms are always the most reassuring place in the world.
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