Seeing the slightly shocked and relieved look in Changning's eyes, Meng Guqing tugged at the corner of his mouth: "You've lost weight since last time. Were things not easy in the Forbidden City?"
Changning was touched that the first thing the empress said was about her situation. She had rarely heard such a sincere greeting since she became empress.
Even Wanhe, Yunchun, and Shufen, who used to be very close to her, now act respectfully towards her, not daring to overstep boundaries, as if those days are gone forever.
But only Meng Guqing remained the same as always.
Changning pulled her hand and sat her down: "No, who would make me suffer? It's just that I've been too busy with palace affairs lately."
She stroked Meng Guqing's palm, which was covered with a thick layer of calluses and many small scars. The most striking feature was a scar running through the center of her right hand. Changning could almost picture the scene when she was injured.
Someone must have been trying to cut her down with a knife or sword. In that critical moment, she caught it with her bare hands, snatched the weapon, and killed the attacker with deadly force. However, the scars on her hands remain, a testament to that past event.
Changning suddenly felt a lump in his throat: "You've become a prince, why do you still personally lead the troops in battle?"
Meng Guqing smiled bitterly: "This was left behind before. To be honest, during that time I was always out fighting and running around, constantly on the move. I was afraid that if I stopped to rest, I would think of Abu Eji in this familiar land. Sometimes I would rather die on the battlefield, so that I could leave openly, go to them, and tell them that Meng Guqing has grown up and has not let them down."
Changning's nose stung with tears. As a mother herself, she knew all too well the love the old prince and his wife had for her. They were so afraid she would suffer any hardship, raising her like a pearl on the grassland. Who could have imagined that this pearl would be tempered again and shine on the grassland once more in their place?
But others can only see her glory and her achievements, but they can't see the injuries she suffered and the tears she shed behind the scenes. Only her parents and close relatives can truly feel her pain.
Meng Guqing was very happy that Changning cared about her so much; she finally had a confidante.
But since they rarely met, she didn't want Changning to stay in a sad mood, so she patted her on the back and changed the subject: "I heard you've been practicing horseback riding lately?"
"Yes, it's barely manageable to ride."
"That's right, running more horses will make you healthier. You're so skinny right now, I could punch five of you."
Changning rolled her eyes at her, then turned and called Chuixue over: "Go and get the things we brought."
Meng Guqing asked curiously, "What is it?"
"A gift for you!"
As they were talking, Fubuki instructed four eunuchs to bring in a camphor wood chest that was about half a person's height.
"So many?" Meng Guqing was shocked.
"This is hardly a lot, open it and take a look."
Seeing her somewhat excited and agitated appearance, Meng Guqing secretly wondered what it was.
She walked over slowly, examined the box, and noticed how heavy it was. The four eunuchs who had carried it were all heavy laborers and very strong, yet it took four of them to lift it.
She gripped the sides of the box with both hands, lifted it sharply, and saw inside gleaming swords and a set of shimmering silver armor, two swords, a whip, and... a musket...
Meng Guqing's eyes lit up: "What's this?"
At this point, only the two of them remained in the room.
Changning said in a low voice, "The Emperor and I have already discussed these things. We need you to help us build up our forces in Mongolia and also resist the sneak attacks from the Dzungars. We can't do that without good equipment."
Meng Guqing was an expert in armor and weapons; she could tell at a glance that they must have been made by highly skilled craftsmen. But the musket truly surprised her: "This...this is far too precious..."
Changning shook his head: "Of course, both the Emperor and I trust you. Besides, Meng Guqing, you are far more important than this musket."
Meng Guqing carefully examined the weapons and breathed a sigh of relief: "Thanks to His Majesty's care, Meng Guqing will swear to serve you to the death."
Changning felt something was off. She meant well by giving her a weapon for self-defense, but it seemed like she was the one trying to use her and win her over.
Thinking of this, she quickly explained, "Meng Guqing, I didn't mean to take advantage of you. I just thought that you always take the lead and wanted to help you with your safety."
Meng Guqing smiled, revealing her white teeth: "I know you've always been good to me."
Meng Guqing carefully put away these weapons, intending to treasure them with utmost care.
Yinzhen had already summoned Meng Guqing that morning. Changning wasn't entirely clear on how things were going between the Qing Dynasty and the Mongols, but she didn't need to worry about it.
She only vaguely heard that Yinzhen seemed to have sent a message to Princess Wenke and Princess Dunke, who were the two younger sisters of the Thirteenth Prince, inviting them to meet at the Mulan Hunting Grounds.
She had a vague feeling that Yinzhen was playing a grand game, but she couldn't quite figure it out.
Since I can't figure it out, I might as well stop thinking about it.
Changning recalled the conversation of the wives and couldn't help but laugh, "Do you know that you have become a role model for the daughters of the grasslands? Just now, those Mongolian wives were all clamoring to me that they wanted to befriend you, that they felt you were the Baturu of the grassland daughters, and that they all admired you very much."
Meng Guqing shook his head and smiled bitterly: "I've just grown up, but the price has been too high."
"When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a person, it will first test their will, strain their muscles and bones, starve their body, leave them destitute, and thwart their endeavors, so as to strengthen their resolve and increase their abilities." Changning comforted her, "This is the book that Hongzhao memorized yesterday."
Meng Guqing glanced at her: "Sinology?"
Changning nodded: "Of course, this is a classic."
"Then I'll go back and read the classics too."
With a "pfft," the two looked at each other and burst out laughing.
"I heard that Prince Amur is still relentlessly pursuing you?" Changning tilted her head and smiled at her.
Meng Guqing pursed her lips and nodded: "That's just how stubborn he is. It's a pity, I'm just as stubborn. Abu once said that once he's made up his mind, not a hundred sheep could pull him back."
Changning felt a little sorry for her, but then thought that now that she was all alone, she might be able to live a more carefree and easy life.
"Actually, I'm just worried that you're working too hard all by yourself." Changning's eyes were full of concern. If you've been standing on your own for so long, you must get tired sometimes, right? And wouldn't you want to find someone to lean on and rest a bit?
Meng Guqing's eyes suddenly lit up: "I heard you had triplets again! How about you give me one of the babies?"
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