The next day, Shen Huaixu was summoned into the palace by an imperial decree. While waiting outside the door of the Empress's bedroom, she heard a familiar voice.
"Grandmother, Chaohua is your granddaughter. You don't want to see her suffer in the future, right?" Chaohua said with a pleading look on her face.
The Queen held her forehead with one hand, her brows slightly furrowed, feeling both headache and heartache.
Logically speaking, the parents' orders and the matchmaker's words are the responsibility, and the daughter-in-law is anxious to find a husband for her granddaughter, so as a mother-in-law, she should not interfere too much. However, the daughter-in-law is good in other aspects except that her vision is a little poor.
The mother and daughter have always been very good friends. Because of the marriage, Chaohua often came to her to complain.
She caught a glimpse of a figure at the entrance to the main hall, and her brows relaxed. The aunt beside the Empress spoke at the right moment, "Your Majesty, the Princess Mingyi is waiting outside the hall. Should we call her in first?"
Chaohua's voice suddenly stopped, and his wrinkled face relaxed. "Mingyi is coming to the palace?"
The Queen hurriedly said, "Let someone in quickly."
Chen Huaixu walked into the hall gracefully. Just after he finished paying his respects, Chaohua grabbed his hand and said, "Mingyi, you're finally back! I was so bored when you weren't in the capital."
The Queen looked helpless, "This little devil is just about to turn Tanyuanjing upside down."
Chaohua was embarrassed by his past and said angrily, "Grandmother..."
Chen Huaixu smiled and said, "The princess has a very genuine and kind nature, and is very rare."
Upon hearing this, both the grandfather and grandson nodded in satisfaction.
The Queen continued, "I heard that you went to Shouning Mansion and presented a very rare medicine brought back from Nanxia. Nanxia is in turmoil, and it must be very difficult for you to stay in Nanxia as the Princess of Dajin County. It is really difficult for you."
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am doing well."
Chen Huaixu knew that the Queen was worried about Prince Shouning's hidden illness, so he said, "It is my duty to share your Majesty's worries. Prince Shouning's health is being well cared for by the experienced doctors at the Imperial Hospital. With the help of the medicine I brought back, I believe it won't be long before Prince Shouning recovers."
The Queen was obviously relieved. "That's good, that's good."
Chen Huaixu and Chaohua talked with the queen for a while and left after the queen had rested.
As the two walked out of the palace, Chaohua was very interested in what had happened in Nanxia recently and almost never stopped talking.
Chen Huaixu picked out things to talk about and also started to gossip about Chaohua's marriage.
She whispered, "I heard that the Crown Princess has selected many good men in the capital for you, but you didn't like any of them?"
Speaking of this Chaohua, she couldn't help but curl her lips, "Good boys in the capital? How come this princess hasn't seen any of them? Humph, the ones my mother found are all ugly. Every girl in that family's yard has been deflowered by the young man. This family's young man is old-fashioned, cold, and unsympathetic. He also indulges in drinking, whoring, gambling, and even secretly likes homosexuality..."
Next, Shen Huaixu heard a lot of secret stories about the noblemen in Tanyuan City. In short, each one was wonderful in its own way, which made her amazed.
The eunuchs and palace maids walking beside them just lowered their heads and walked forward silently, wishing they could not hear a word.
The only thing to be thankful for is that the two masters also knew that this was in the palace. At least they walked gracefully, neither hurried nor slow, and their eyes did not look to the side. As long as we ignore what they said.
After hearing a lot of gossip, Shen Huaixu asked casually, "Where did you get this information? How could you know it so clearly?"
Chaohua choked when asked and his steps slowed down a bit.
She stammered, "Of course I have my own way. After all, I am a princess. It's not difficult for me to find out what I want."
Chen Huaixu tilted his head and glanced at her, feeling that there was something fishy going on.
A young soldier in military uniform was walking towards me. He was tall, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He had a handsome face, and a thin scar at the end of his eyebrow added a bit of wildness to his face.
Shen Huaixu glanced at the face, but did not find the corresponding identity in his memory.
It was someone she didn't know.
Thinking of this, she followed the eunuch to the palace gate without stopping. After taking a few steps, she found that the person next to her slowed down and seemed a little hesitant.
She looked over in confusion, and heard a man's voice beside her ear, "General Cheng Ze greets Princess Chaohua and Princess Mingyi."
Chaohua raised his chin slightly, hummed softly, and took a step to leave.
Cheng Ze seemed very familiar with Chao Hua's behavior. Before she passed him, he raised the corner of his mouth slightly and smiled wickedly, "Princess, don't forget what you promised me."
Chao Hua slowed down her pace, her face tense, "This princess has a very good memory, so there's no need for you to remind me as soon as we meet."
"Really?" Cheng Ze said, "It seems the princess has done a lot of trickery and nagging."
Chen Huaixu looked at this and that, his eyes full of interest. He thought he had eaten enough melons today, but the biggest one turned out to be here.
"You!" Chaohua's face flushed with anger, but she suddenly curved her lips into a smile and whispered, "Cheng Jinbao, you are so stingy. Back then, I was young and ignorant, but now you and I have grown up. I will never go back on my word."
After saying that, she walked away with her head held high.
When the name 'Cheng Jinbao' came out, Cheng Ze's expression stiffened for a moment, his jaw tightened for a moment and then quickly relaxed.
He did not look back at the person who left, but just nodded slightly to Shen Huaixu and continued walking forward.
Chen Huaixu took a few quick steps and walked side by side with Chaohua again.
Chaohua looked at her several times, and when he saw that she had no intention of speaking, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
After the two stepped out of the palace gate, Chen Huaixu followed Chao Hua desperately and got into her carriage. The two sat in the carriage staring at each other.
"Why do you keep looking at me?" Chaohua felt his hair stand on end when Chen Huaixu looked at him. He endured it again and again before speaking.
In line with his principle of eating the melon to the end, Shen Huaixu asked directly, "You seem to be very familiar with this 'Cheng Jinbao', Master Cheng?"
Chaohua coughed uncomfortably and stammered, "Not bad."
Shen Huaixu was dissatisfied, "Are we still good sisters?"
Chaohua said nothing.
Shen Huaixu continued, "Since you don't want to tell me, let me guess?"
Chaohua remained silent.
"I've never seen this young General Cheng before, nor have I heard of any general named Cheng in the capital. So, he only arrived recently?"
"I heard you say you two had some interactions when you were young. You even called him Cheng Jinbao. You were so familiar with each other. Could he also be from Ganzhou? Are you two childhood sweethearts?"
As she asked one question after another, Chaohua's eyes gradually widened, unable to conceal his surprise, and finally blurted out, "How did you know?"
Shen Huaixu: "...isn't it obvious?"
Chao Hua could only lower his head and said, "Cheng Ze is from the Wuling Earl's Mansion and is the eldest son in the family. We have indeed known each other since childhood, but we can't be considered childhood sweethearts."
She was a little depressed. "Before I knew he was coming to Beijing, we hadn't seen each other for six years."
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