Jun Zishu and Yue Mingsheng did not stay until the end of the banquet. Instead, after telling the guests to carry on with their enjoyment, she left the garden with Yue Mingsheng.
“Are you going to give me my birthday gift, Big Sister?”
“Mhm, come with me.”
All of the guests at the banquet had either given their gifts to Yue Mingsheng during the banquet or had them delivered to Yue Mingsheng’s palace. However, not once did Jun Zishu mention anything about giving Yue Mingsheng a gift throughout the banquet. Of course, Yue Mingsheng knew that Jun Zishu could not have forgotten to prepare a gift, so she had been eagerly waiting for it this entire time.
Yue Mingsheng felt that Jun Zishu would prepare a wonderful present for her.
…
Inside Jun Zishu’s bedchamber, a small box sat on the work desk Jun Zishu and Yue Mingsheng normally shared.
“What’s this? Is it my birthday gift?”
“Yes. Open it and see if you like it.”
“Okay.”
When Yue Mingsheng saw the box, she couldn’t help but wonder what Jun Zishu had prepared for her. However, no matter what it was, she would be happy so long as it was from Jun Zishu.
Inside the wooden box lied a red wedding dress with a phoenix embroidered on it, the golden threads used to embroider the phoenix shining beautifully under the candlelight.
Yue Mingsheng froze when she saw the phoenix coronet and robe inside the box. With a dazed look on her face, she gently traced the patterns on the robe with her fingers and felt the heavy coronet.
“I can’t make you my consort yet, but I wanted to make it up to you somehow, so I had someone make this wedding dress for you some time ago. Of course, I’ll have an even more gorgeous robe prepared for your actual coronation.”
Jun Zishu wasn’t very talented at sweet-talking, so she decided to express her feelings through actions. She wanted to show that she wasn’t just making empty promises when she said she wanted to be with Yue Mingsheng and that she was taking measures to accomplish her promise.
Jun Zishu felt that Yue Mingsheng would like the gift she prepared.
Meanwhile, Yue Mingsheng indeed liked the gift very much, and she promptly turned around to embrace Jun Zishu.
“What’s wrong? Overjoyed?” Jun Zishu asked with an amused smile.
Instead of words, Yue Mingsheng responded with a kiss.
As soon as their lips met and pressed against each other, Yue Mingsheng hastily explored Jun Zishu’s mouth with her tongue and invited Jun Zishu’s tongue for a dance.
There was nothing she could say to express her current excitement, so Yue Mingsheng decided to convey her emotions through hugs and kisses.
Jun Zishu embraced Yue Mingsheng’s waist and deepened their kiss.
After practicing kissing in so many worlds, Jun Zishu had long since learned how to wrestle for the initiative. In no time at all, her tongue became the one leading the dance instead.
Their kiss was relatively intense initially. Afterward, though, it became an affectionate kiss filled with charm and gentleness.
After another minute or two, Jun Zishu tried to lead Yue Mingsheng to the bed, only for Yue Mingsheng to push her away the next moment.
Jun Zishu raised an eyebrow in surprise. It should be known that before today, the girl before her would always eagerly try to lure her to the bed, the girl’s methods ranging from pestering her incessantly, to acting coquettish, to pushing her down with force. Yet, today, Yue Mingsheng had actually pushed her away?
“I want to try it on.”
Yue Mingsheng pointed at the dress in the box, her eyes carrying a bright glow and her lips looking deep red because of the kiss just now.
“Okay. I’ll help you.”
Jun Zishu helped Yue Mingsheng put on the cumbersome wedding dress. Then, she helped the girl walk up to the dressing mirror.
After arriving in front of the mirror, Yue Mingsheng removed her hairpins and let her hair fall behind her back.
Meanwhile, Jun Zishu picked up a comb and gently combed Yue Mingsheng’s hair little by little.
When Yue Mingsheng saw Jun Zishu looking down and combing her hair carefully, her lips curled into a smile. At the same time, she swore that she would one day get married to Jun Zishu under everyone’s eyes.
This day would definitely come.
After combing and tying Yue Mingsheng’s hair, Jun Zishu put on the accessories, inserted the gold hairpin, and donned the phoenix coronet on Yue Mingsheng’s head.
Meanwhile, Yue Mingsheng picked up some rouge and smeared a light coating of it on her face.
“How do I look, Big Sister?”
“Beautiful.”
Jun Zishu wrapped her arms around her woman, her eyes overflowing with warmth.
Her heart calming down, Jun Zishu closed her eyes and quietly enjoyed this moment of happiness.
After the two embraced and warmed up each other for a while, Jun Zishu wanted to have Yue Mingsheng take off the wedding dress and coronet. The coronet was made of pure gold, and even Jun Zishu found it heavy when she held it in her hands.
“Let’s go and take a bath. You’ve been greeting people all day, and this thing is quite cumbersome to wear.”
“Okay.”
In reality, Yue Mingsheng wanted to say that she was feeling fine. After all, she had trained to become a shadow guard, so the weight of the coronet and dress was nothing to her. However, she did not speak her mind because she knew that this was Jun Zishu’s way of showing concern for her.
Afterward, the two soaked in the hot bath and washed away their fatigue. Then, after returning to the bedchamber, they shared a light and loving kiss before going to bed.
Yue Mingsheng had also made sure to store the wedding dress and coronet back into the box. She also added a lock to it, treating the box and its contents like priceless treasures.
This was the most meaningful gift she had received in her life, so she wanted to cherish it for a lifetime.
…
Autumn passed by quickly, and taking its place was winter.
When the second snow fell in the capital, war at the border began.
The Rong tribe invaded the empire’s borders and began a massacre. Due to the border troops’ negligence, the empire had already lost a city by the time anyone noticed the Rong tribe’s invasion.
Due to the harsh winter grassland environment, the Rong tribe would face the risk of running out of food whenever winter arrived. So, when a food crisis occurred, they would initiate war against the empire.
However, the Rong tribe had always retreated to their lands after plundering some food. Never have they captured a city like they did this time, so this situation was incredibly strange.
…
“The Rong tribe’s invasion this time seems to be different, Big Sister,” Yue Mingsheng said after reading several reports on the Rong tribe’s movements. “They have signed an alliance treaty with us ever since our Great Liang Army invaded their lands and suppressed them seven years ago. Although they would still launch small-scale wars against us every one or two years, they have never caused much damage, so we never bothered pursuing the matter.
“Moreover, if we observe past records, they have always launched their invasions between August and October because of the worsening weather. But now, it is already November.”
“It is indeed unusual,” Jun Zishu said as she tapped her knuckles against her desk, a pondering look on her face. Then, she said, “If my guess is correct, Chu Meng will come to me to volunteer himself soon.”
“Is this matter related to him?”
“Yes.”
The Rong tribe wasn’t supposed to have any movements at this time of the year. Moreover, they had even managed to take down a city so quickly.
Jun Zishu estimated that battle reports would come in continuously in the next few days.
Of course, Jun Zishu wasn’t blindly guessing when she said Chu Meng would appear before her soon. According to Little Fairy’s observation, Chu Meng had already begun setting his plans in motion. This meant that it was also time for her to draw in the net and give Chu Meng a fatal blow. She would make him regret his decision to go against her.
“No need to hurry. Just move according to my orders.”
“Do you have a countermeasure, Big Sister?” Yue Mingsheng asked.
Jun Zishu raised her eyebrows noncommittally, her smile expressing many things.
…
As Jun Zishu expected, news of the border troops losing ground came one after another in the next two days. Moreover, these were all messages delivered using the fastest horses. Nobody had any idea what was happening exactly at the border right now.
“Please let me go to war, Your Majesty.”
Chu Meng stepped forward during court and volunteered to head to the border.
“I second the motion,” another minister said.
Chu Meng had been responsible for leading the invasion into the Rong tribe’s lands seven years ago, forcing them to sign an alliance treaty and offer the empire many precious horses, weapons, and laborers. Because of this great merit, Chu Meng could continue holding military power after the late emperor had passed away, and his name still resonated among those living at the border even until now.
In the distant border, it was common for people to know only the general and not the empress. If Chu Meng were allowed to the northwestern border now, should he have any untoward thoughts, he might very well remain there and not come back. Moreover, the northwestern border’s terrain made it an easily defensible location.
“General Chu is most familiar with the northwestern border’s terrain, and he has traded blows with the Rong tribe many times. He is the most suitable candidate to lead the army this time,” a different minister said.
“All of you have a point. In that case, I will appoint General Chu as the commander-in-chief and Chu Ying as his vice commander. What do you think of having both father and son entering the battlefield, General Chu?”
“Your Majesty, my son has never been in battle before. Isn’t it inappropriate to designate him as vice commander?”
Chu Meng was startled by Jun Zishu’s decision. He didn’t think Jun Zishu would have his son follow him to the border.
“I believe that a tiger father will not beget a dog son. It is also about time to have Prince Chu gain some experience. The general’s manor cannot go without an heir, after all.”
“What Your Majesty says is right.”
Chu Meng was a little confused by this situation. Logically, Jun Zishu should be seeking to prevent the Chu family from growing any further. Yet, why was Jun Zishu having Chu Ying go to the battlefield with him? Moreover, she was even giving Chu Ying the position of vice commander. Was she trying to rely on the Chu family?
This situation was strange. Too strange.
However, no matter how strange this arrangement felt, Chu Meng would still accept it. He must carry out his plans no matter what.
“Court dismissed, then.”
Jun Zishu intended on using Chu Ying, so she naturally needed to give him an opportunity to gain experience.
Now that she had already made a mess of the original plotline, she had to rely on herself to continue surviving in this world.
Meanwhile, Yue Mingsheng didn’t object to Jun Zishu’s arrangement. She fully trusted in Jun Zishu’s judgment.
In reality, there would be times when Yue Mingsheng felt that her Imperial Sister wasn’t the same Imperial Sister she knew in the past. However, Yue Mingsheng didn’t care who’s soul was currently occupying the empress’s body. All she knew was that this person was her smart, sensible, gentle, and decisive beloved.
…
Meanwhile, inside the Chu manor, Chu Ying also learned of what happened in court after receiving the empress’s holy decree.
He found this situation both surprising yet unsurprising at the same time.
Unlike in the past, Chu Ying had rarely stepped out of the manor after returning from the imperial palace. Instead, he spent most of his time training his martial arts, only going out for walks from time to time.
He wanted to know if the empress’s intent on using him was true or not.
No man didn’t wish to build a successful career. In Chu Ying’s case, his goal was to become a great general like his father and stand in front of Jun Zishu with great vigor one day. After all, he always seemed to be in a sorry state whenever he was before her in the past.
“Ying’er, although I don’t know what the empress is trying to do, since she is willing to let you go, this is our chance. It’s also about time that I take you out to see the world.”
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Chu Meng had more than one child. However, Chu Ying was his favorite son because the boy resembled him the most.
“Yes, father.”
Chu Ying nodded and returned to his room.
However, as soon as he opened the door to his room, he immediately sensed something was amiss.
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