Chapter 292 Growing Old Together
Then, Fu'er picked up the little slingshot again, frowned, and looked like she was thinking seriously.
She pointed with her little finger to the leather pouch on the slingshot used to hold the stones.
“Mother, look, Fu’er originally wanted to put the black pill here and then throw it out.”
"But then I thought about it again and realized it wouldn't work."
"If you shoot it with too much force, what if you accidentally break the outer white wax and the black powder leaks out?"
"What if we run into a spark? Wouldn't we blow ourselves up before we even hit the bad guys?"
The little girl spoke eloquently and logically.
She even sighed dramatically and said in a pretentious manner.
"Sigh, it seems this slingshot won't work."
"If there were something, some kind of device, that could just launch that pill out in one go, that would be great."
"That way, you won't break the wax and hurt yourself."
Meng Shilan listened quietly.
The turmoil in my heart came wave after wave, and it took a long time to calm down.
Looking at her daughter's innocent and carefree face, which also revealed a wisdom and composure beyond her years, she felt a mix of emotions.
Meng Shilan reached out and gently took the small slingshot from her daughter's hand.
Her voice carried a hint of weariness, but also an undeniable resolve.
"Fu'er, these are not things you should be thinking about."
"That's the Divine Machine Battalion; it's something the officials in the Ministry of War should be concerned with."
"You just need to stay at home peacefully, read, write, and be happy, that's enough."
Fu'er shook her head.
She raised her head and met Meng Shilan's gaze. In those clear black and white eyes, the childishness from before was gone, replaced by a bright and determined look.
“Mother, it’s different.”
"We are safe in the capital."
“But Father and Grandfather are both at the border, fighting on the frontier at Yumen.”
Fu'er's voice was soft, yet each word was clear and resonant.
"His Highness said that if our Great Sheng soldiers could have a handy weapon that could shoot very, very far."
"Then the soldiers won't have to risk their lives anymore."
"We will no longer be afraid of foreign invasion!"
The charcoal fire inside was burning brightly, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere.
But Meng Shilan's heart sank.
She didn't understand anything about national righteousness or military strategy.
All she knew was that her family and loved ones were on that snowy plain.
We just hope they can return safely.
Two months later.
Great victory at Yumen!
They decisively defeated the 100,000-strong army of the Wule at the gates of Yumen.
The Kingdom of Ule was severely weakened and hastily retreated three hundred li to the north, where it submitted its surrender document.
The day the good news reached the capital, the entire city was in an uproar.
The rumors that were rampant just a few days ago have been shattered in this moment.
It came to an abrupt end.
It was like an invisible yet resounding slap, landing hard on the faces of all those who had spread rumors and smeared others.
The emperor on the dragon throne was overjoyed.
"reward!"
"Reward me handsomely!"
At a single command, a torrent of rewards poured forth from the palace.
Gold and silver jewelry, fine silks and satins, antiques and calligraphy...
The scene was a hundred times more lively than during the Lunar New Year.
Taking advantage of this overwhelming joy, the betrothal gifts from the Duke of England's mansion were finally carried into the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion with great fanfare.
The long queue stretched from one end of the street to the other.
One hundred and twenty loads of betrothal gifts, each covered with red silk, were so festive they were dazzling.
The people of Beijing turned out to be out of town, crowding around to watch.
Everyone wore envious and ingratiating smiles, uttering flattering and auspicious words.
It seems they have long forgotten how they cursed the two families as "traitors" just days before.
Today, Madam Zhao wore a dark red brocade jacket with a lotus flower pattern and a red gold headband inlaid with rubies. She sat in the main hall of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion with a beaming smile.
She personally visited her son's home to deliver this belated betrothal gift.
Only now did her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settle down.
She is now piecing together the truth of her son's experiences over the past few months from various rumors.
The talk of "escorting grain and supervising troops" is just a pretext.
Her daughter, Xian'er, actually went to the battlefield with General Meng.
Swords have no eyes, and cannons are merciless.
The thought that her son had fought his way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood made Zhao's heart clench.
But then I thought about how my son is now a world-renowned hero, about to return in triumph.
She couldn't suppress the glory and pride on her face.
"...Eight pairs of top-quality Hetian jade ruyi scepters, one hundred pearls, twelve sets of red gold headdresses, and a coral tree from the South China Sea..."
The matchmaker read out the long list of gifts at the top of her lungs, her voice full of joy.
In the courtyard, the betrothal gifts were piled up like a small mountain.
Meng Shilan sat quietly to the side, a polite smile on her face, listening and watching.
Shuang'er and He Ran stood on either side of her, their eyes shining with joy for her.
Just then, another announcement came from outside the door.
"Her Majesty the Empress's decree has arrived—"
Everyone was startled and immediately stood up and knelt down in worship.
Then, the most favored lady-in-waiting beside the Empress walked in slowly, carrying a sandalwood tray.
The tray was covered with bright yellow brocade.
The lady-in-waiting read aloud the Empress's decree with a beaming smile; it was nothing but praise.
Then, she personally lifted the bright yellow brocade.
A magnificent phoenix crown suddenly appeared before everyone's eyes.
It is framed with gold thread, adorned with kingfisher feathers, decorated with pearls, and has gemstones for eyes.
The phoenix seemed to be about to spread its wings and fly away, as if it had come to life, radiating light and captivating the soul.
"Her Majesty the Empress said that Miss Meng and Prince Zhou are a match made in heaven, a perfect couple."
"This six-tailed phoenix crown is a special gift from Her Majesty, wishing Miss Meng and Prince Zhou to be forever united in heart and grow old together."
The female official spoke auspicious words and personally handed the phoenix crown to Meng Shilan.
Meng Shilan accepted it respectfully and kowtowed to express her gratitude.
Zhao's face beamed with joy.
This is an immense honor!
However, the lady-in-waiting's next words instantly froze the joyous atmosphere in the room.
She turned to Zhao Shi and took a slightly smaller brocade box from the palace maid behind her.
"Madam Zhao, Her Majesty the Empress has another gift for Miss Song."
Miss Song.
Song Jiyun.
These three words were like a bucket of ice water poured over my head.
The smile on Zhao's face froze instantly.
That moment of stiffness, though only a fleeting instant, so fast it was almost impossible to catch, was still fully captured by Meng Shilan's eyes.
A faint, ambiguous smile curved at the corners of Meng Shilan's lips.
She picked up her teacup, gently skimmed off the foam, and lowered her eyelids to conceal the fleeting sarcasm in her eyes.
Back then, if Zhao hadn't been so easily swayed by others and colluded with Song Jiyun to try and harm Xiao Pangxi with those underhanded methods...
Why would she risk defying His Majesty by capturing Song Jiyun?
They are now in a predicament they have no way to back down from; it is entirely their own fault.
Now, her wedding with Zhou Congxian is approaching.
As for Song Jiyun, as a secondary wife, her marriage was naturally imminent.
This marriage was personally bestowed by His Majesty.
The marriage was arranged by the Empress.
Both marriages were set in stone and could not be changed.
If we can't hand over Song Jiyun by then...
How should the Zhou family explain this to His Majesty and the Empress?
The crime of deceiving the emperor is no laughing matter.
The female official was clearly unaware of the intricacies involved.
Seeing that Zhao was in a daze, she assumed that she was just too happy, so she smiled and stuffed the brocade box into Zhao's hands.
"Madam, please accept this. I still need to return to the palace to report back."
Having said that, he led his men away to take their leave.
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