Chapter 21: The Two Princesses

Mu Ling was still pondering how to approach her two uncles about marriage when the eunuch Ming entered. He walked up to Emperor Jun and leaned close to whisper in his ear, “Your Majesty, there’s news from the palace again. The Grand Princess is still kneeling at the gates of Yangxin Hall, claiming that she feels as though her body can’t hold out any longer. That’s why she sent someone to report this…”

Although Eunuch Ming had lowered his voice, his words were still heard by everyone in the room.

The Lord of Zhen Nanwangwang was the first to interrupt Eunuch Ming, saying irritably, “Kneeling at the gates of Yangxin Hall? Who is she trying to scare? When did our Dayan make a mistake that kneeling at Yangxin Hall would solve anything?!”

Eunuch Ming knew this old lord very well; the emperor’s elder brother had a notoriously fiery temper!

Perhaps because he was much older than the emperor, he would take matters into his own hands regarding anything related to Emperor Jun without waiting for anyone else to speak. He would decisively handle everything for the emperor.

“Old Lord, you misunderstood. It’s not that the Grand Princess has done something wrong; she is pleading for the wronged Concubine Qin and the Crown Prince.”

As soon as Eunuch Ming finished speaking, Mu Ling almost burst out laughing. She felt an unspoken admiration! No wonder he was the emperor’s favored eunuch; he had a remarkable understanding of people’s hearts! His few words sounded like an explanation for the Grand Princess, but in reality… he was just adding fuel to the fire!

Sure enough, the old lord exploded! He shouted with confidence, “Pleading?! Does she even know what mistakes Concubine Qin and the Crown Prince have made? And she’s still pleading?!”

The corners of Emperor Jun’s mouth lifted slightly. This old lord was like a brother or father to him; sometimes, he was even better than his biological son. The late Emperor had once said that with the Lord of Zhen Nanwangwang around, Dayan’s realm would not fall into chaos.

“Old Lord, your health is delicate. If you get angry over these matters and something happens to you, wouldn’t that be making things worse for the girl? Don’t worry; I know how to handle the situation with the Grand Princess. If she wants to kneel… then let her kneel.”

It was evident that Emperor Jun’s reminder reached the old lord. Yes, his life was bought back by that child’s heartfelt sacrifice, so he should cherish it properly.

However, he still coldly snorted at Eunuch Ming, saying, “I tell you, Eunuch Ming, inform those people below not to bother the emperor with trivial matters. He’s already busy enough with important business, and there’s no time to watch their performances!”

Hehe, Eunuch Ming was just waiting for this sentence, “The old servant will remember. If anyone is foolish enough to bother the emperor again, I will definitely send them back.”

Emperor Jun observed the two of them bantering and knew exactly what they were thinking. If he ignored the Grand Princess’s plea, it would inevitably lead to rumors of his heartlessness. But now that the Lord of Zhen Nanwangwang had spoken, no matter what Eunuch Ming did in the future, it would be in accordance with the old lord’s wishes, which… would indeed spare him a lot of trouble.

“Alright, let Han’er keep the girl company. I can see she looks a bit unwell; let’s all go out and let her rest for a while longer. I also need to return to the palace; the Empress is still waiting.”

“Your Majesty,” Mu Ling quickly spoke up when she saw Emperor Jun preparing to leave, “I used my heartfelt sacrifice today. Please don’t let my grandfather know. He’s older, and I’m afraid he’ll worry too much.”

“Oh, what a sensible child! The more sensible the child, the more heart-wrenching it is,” Emperor Jun said sincerely. He truly felt heartbroken for this understanding girl.

Mu Ling glanced back at the two fairy sisters and mischievously reminded the Lord of Zhen Nanwangwang, “Lord, you promised me about my uncles’ marriage… please don’t forget!”

“Hahaha, this little girl, are you afraid that this lord won’t keep his word? Don’t worry; this lord always follows through on his promises,” the old lord said, glancing thoughtfully at his two precious granddaughters. He had figured it out; this little girl… was setting her sights on his granddaughters. However, since this was about their lifelong happiness, he still needed to find time to ask his granddaughters for their opinions before making a decision.

Once everyone left, only Xiao He and Jun Mohan remained in the room.

Mu Ling felt very pleased. Since the old lord had agreed, her uncles’ marriages should be just around the corner. “By the way, Your Highness, are those two fairy sisters the old lord’s granddaughters? What are their personalities like…?”

Jun Mohan sighed lightly and nodded in response, “Yes, they are indeed the old lord’s biological granddaughters, the two princesses of the Zhen Nanwangwang Mansion. They are twin sisters and the old lord’s treasures. As for their personalities… they are quite gentle, and their talents in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting are unsurpassed. They are from a prestigious family, the kind of girls that young masters dream of marrying, so it’s no wonder they are already seventeen and still unmarried. It must be because the old lord is reluctant to part with them. You could say… all the suitors who have come to the Wangfu over the years have not been to the old lord’s liking. That’s why they still remain single until now.”

I see, Mu Ling thought, feeling a bit of a headache. Although her two uncles were handsome and strong,… they had grown up in the military, and that ruggedness and boldness unique to soldiers… would those delicate princesses like them?

Jun Mohan noticed the little girl’s slight disappointment and comforted, “These matters depend on fate, so worrying is pointless. Just give them some time; perhaps there will be pleasant surprises.”

For some reason, Jun Mohan always felt that perhaps the two young generals could indeed win the hearts of beautiful women. However, if they really married Mu Ling’s uncles, the relationship… well, they would just call each other as they liked.

“By the way, Ling’er, I’ve sent someone to deliver the clothes for the palace banquet to the Grand General’s residence. You should try them on when you get back. If they don’t fit or you don’t like them, I’ll send someone to buy more tomorrow.”

What to wear? Mu Ling wasn’t paying attention; she suddenly remembered something very important.

“Your Highness, do you know? The old lord is also poisoned by the royal family of Xiliang. I think… our Dayan must have Xiliang spies! Otherwise… how could you and the old lord have been poisoned at the same time?”

When Mu Ling said this, she suddenly realized something. If she hadn’t detoxified Jun Mohan, he likely wouldn’t have survived the next couple of days! And the old lord, although the poison he suffered was different from that of the Crown Prince, would also not survive these few days! Wouldn’t that mean both of them would be leaving this world one after the other?

It was essential to know that for Dayan, one was a war god and the heir; the other was a respected lord, a stabilizing force for Dayan. If they both had accidents, it would undoubtedly shake the very foundations of Dayan!

Who was it? Who calculated this so accurately? Was it Concubine Qin and the Crown Prince? And who helped them poison the old lord?

Mu Ling thought of Su San. What role did she play in this matter? And did Lord Mu know? How involved was he?

“Your Highness, take me back to the Grand General’s residence. Please ask Lang Yi to invite the little princess and King Jing over as well; I need your help with something.”

Mu Ling thought of the stolen items in her space; perhaps… she could discover some useful clues from those things.

But there were too many items in the Duke of Loyalty and Courage’s residence. To thoroughly check them all, she needed help, and the little princess, King Jing, and Lang Yi were the most suitable candidates.