SFS Chapter 162 Birthday Gift
Chapter 162 Birthday Gift
Upon hearing this, the maid dared not delay and hurriedly took the letter into the courtyard. She knocked on the door and, after receiving permission, pushed it open and stepped into the main room.
Princess Zhenbei was nowhere to be seen in the outer room of the main house. The maid looked around and her gaze fell on the screen used to separate the inner room.
A slender figure was reflected on the silk screen with a marble base.
The maid composed herself and said respectfully, "Your Highness, Master Gu has sent a letter."
The figure on the screen moved, and a hand holding a round fan reached out from the inner room, gently lifting the beaded curtain.
The round fan with its emerald green jade handle made her slender wrists appear even whiter and more lustrous.
Immediately afterwards, a wisp of clothing fluttered out, revealing the figure of a beautiful woman, bathed in the hazy light and shadow.
She wore a light green sleeveless vest, which accentuated her graceful and gentle demeanor.
However, a hint of melancholy lingered between his brows and eyes, making him appear somewhat dejected.
Princess Zhenbei glanced at the letter in the maid's hand: "My brother has written again?"
This is the third letter in two months.
More frequently than usual.
The maid handed over the letter with both hands: "Perhaps Master Gu has something important to discuss with you."
Princess Zhenbei could generally guess the contents of her brother's letters. Almost every letter inquired about her health and included a list of items he had collected from various places.
Before Manman got lost, her older brother loved her very much.
After Manman went missing, her brother felt guilty and became even more attentive to her.
Knowing that she couldn't let go of Manman, she would always bring Manman along when buying anything. It seemed that as long as Manman's things were placed everywhere in the house, she would eventually be able to come home.
Princess Zhenbei felt a pang of sadness well up in her heart as she thought of her daughter. She had given her daughter the nickname "Manman," hoping it would signify a life full of happiness and good fortune.
The Prince of Zhenbei said that pride comes before a fall, so it would be better to call her Manman, which sounds like his daughter and is not easy to bully.
We don't know where Manman is now, or if he's being bullied.
The thought of her being bullied caused Princess Zhenbei immense pain, as if her heart had been ripped out.
She opened the letter, pulled out the paper, and after reading only one line, her pupils constricted, her fingers unconsciously clenched the paper, and she looked down in disbelief, her mind blank, as if all her senses had been shut down.
She had dreamt of the contents of this letter countless times.
But every time I wake up, the space around me is empty, there's nothing there.
It was all just a dream.
Princess Zhenbei's gaze slowly moved from beginning to end, then back to the beginning, reading the words on the letter over and over again.
The maid who delivered the letter waited to the side for the Princess of Zhenbei's instructions. She saw the Princess of Zhenbei sitting gracefully on the couch, her head lower and lower as she repeatedly read the contents of the letter.
The light and shadows from the window reflected on her face; her eyes were vacant, her expression dazed, as if she couldn't distinguish between dream and reality.
Princess Zhenbei was always calm and composed, and rarely lost her composure.
The only thing that could make her lose her composure was news about the young princess.
However, after each disappointment, I would be depressed for a long time.
Could it be that the letter contains news of the young princess?
Suddenly, the maid saw the princess's hand touch the letter.
Princess Zhenbei feared this was another dream, so she carefully traced each word. The rough texture of the letter, transmitted through her fingertips, told her it was real.
Her fingertips trembled, and her nails scraped lightly again. The real touch made her clearly realize that she was not dreaming.
It's not a dream, this isn't her dream.
"Your Highness..." The maidservant, worried about her, stepped forward and called out softly.
The Princess of Zhenbei looked up at her: "Can you read?"
The maid stared blankly at the reddened corners of Princess Zhenbei's eyes and nodded haphazardly, "Sister Qingdai taught me."
The Princess of Zhenbei handed her the letter: "Read it to me."
The maid was taken aback, her hands awkwardly clutching the letter. She read it carefully, "Little sister, I hope you find me here. I've found Manman, and I'm writing to share the good news..."
She was stunned when she read this, and subconsciously looked at the Princess of Zhenbei. She saw that the Princess's eyes were slowly reddening and tears were rolling down her cheeks.
Only then did the maid understand why the Princess of Zhenbei had reacted that way.
Over the years, I've been disappointed too many times. When I suddenly received the news, it felt unreal, and I was afraid it was fake.
“Your Highness…” The maid didn’t read any further. She knew the Princess of Zhenbei’s intention; she just wanted to confirm what was written in the letter: “You will finally be reunited with your family.”
When Princess Zhenbei heard the words "family reunion," she burst into tears.
She wished she could sprout wings and fly to the capital to see her child immediately.
"Prepare the carriage." Princess Zhenbei wiped away her tears and urged, "Hurry and prepare the carriage."
“Your Highness, you cannot leave Liangzhou.” The maid didn’t need to think too much to know what the Princess of Zhenbei was planning. Her eyes reddened as she said, “His Highness sent troops to support the northern border in order to gain merit and find the little princess in a legitimate way. Please wait a little longer. Once His Highness wins the war, he will be able to recognize the little princess.”
The maid's words were like a bucket of cold water poured over her head. Princess Zhenbei's feet, which were about to walk out, froze on the spot, and she could no longer take a step.
She looked up towards the direction of the capital city outside the door, and a sense of desolation welled up in her heart.
If Liangzhou is said to have a vast territory, it was merely a city under the jurisdiction of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
If Liangzhou is a small place, it is precisely here that she was trapped for fourteen years.
We waited year after year.
Now that he knows his daughter's whereabouts, he cannot go to see her.
The maid called out worriedly, "Your Highness..."
Princess Zhenbei withdrew her gaze and hurriedly went to her desk to grind ink and write two letters.
One letter was given to the Prince of Zhenbei, and another to Gu Zongci.
As she handed out the letter she had written to Gu Zongci, she suddenly took it back, went to the inner room to retrieve a long box, and handed it to her personal maid, Qingdai, ordering her to arrange for the box to be sent to the Gu residence in the capital.
Qingdai held the long box in her arms and recognized it at a glance as a birthday gift prepared by the princess for the young princess.
In just over a month, it will be the little princess's birthday.
Before stepping out of the main house and into the courtyard, she inexplicably turned back to look at the latticed window. There stood the Princess of Zhenbei, leaning against the window, gazing into a distant direction—a direction that held her hopes and dreams.
Qingdai felt a lump in her throat, hoping that the Princess Consort of Zhenbei could personally celebrate the little princess's birthday this year.
-
In a camp far to the north, the soldiers were gathered around a sand table, discussing tactics for the next battle.
Everyone looked at the middle-aged man in the center. The man was eight feet tall and held a long sword that was half a person's height. He was majestic and imposing.
He kept his eyelids drooping, refusing to budge no matter how much they pleaded with him.
"Don't you generals understand the principle of 'don't pursue a desperate enemy'?" The Prince of Zhenbei opened his eyes and looked at everyone with a sharp gaze: "Those are my soldiers. They can die on the battlefield, but they absolutely cannot die because of a wrong decision."
His gaze was extremely intimidating, making everyone's hair stand on end, but they dared not refute him.
Seeing that the Prince of Zhenbei was unmoved, General Qi continued to persuade him: "Your Highness, let's send scouts to investigate whether there is a trap, and then decide whether to launch a surprise attack tonight and encircle the enemy."
The Prince of Zhenbei suspected an enemy ambush: "Whose scouts should we send?"
General Qi chuckled, naturally wanting to send spies from the Prince of Zhenbei, because the spies he trained were exceptionally good at gathering military intelligence, far surpassing the spies under his command.
He wanted to try to persuade him again, but just then, someone outside the tent announced: "Your Highness, there is a letter from home."