The great victory at the border must be reported to the court to delight the Emperor.

The triumphant news was urgently sent back to the Capital over a distance of six hundred li.

The courier delivering the letter was slow, the triumphant news arrived, but the letter had not.

With the great victory at the border, the Emperor was in high spirits and asked the courier, "Did the Princess send a letter to me?"

The courier shook his head, "No."

"A few days ago, the Princess wrote a letter, and so did the Generals in the army, a whole bag full, it should arrive soon."

The Emperor rewarded the courier and quietly waited for his daughter’s letter.

He waited and waited, until he lost all patience.

Several days later, the Emperor furrowed his brow, "Why hasn’t the letter arrived yet?"

Eunuch Fu averted his eyes.

The Emperor noticed and asked, "What’s going on?"

Caught in the act, Eunuch Fu could only tell the truth, "The courier delivered the letters to the Capital two days ago."

"Then where’s my letter?" the Emperor asked.

"..."

"Bring it here."

"..."

"There is no letter for you, Your Majesty," Eunuch Fu’s voice wavered slightly.

The Emperor’s face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot, "No letter for me?"

Eunuch Fu’s back broke out in a cold sweat.

The Emperor was displeased.

The Princess was really thoughtless; why didn’t she even write a letter to the Emperor?

Even a few words of reassurance would do.

Eunuch Fu hurriedly tried to soothe the Emperor, "The Princess is kind-hearted, and since all the Generals wrote letters, she must have felt embarrassed to write too many..."

But instead of soothing him, it made the Emperor’s face darken even more.

Embarrassed to write too many, yet Mrs. Tang and the Princess Consort had letters, but not him, the Emperor?

A Princess of such prestige, adding a person just to send a letter wasn’t an unreasonable request, yet his was the extra one she couldn’t deliver?

Eunuch Fu had no choice but to shift the blame onto Marquis Dongxiang, "It must be that Marquis Dongxiang was jealous of how much Your Majesty dotes on the Princess, sending an Imperial Chef to her, fearing that she would lean more towards Your Majesty in the future, and withheld the Princess’s letter to you."

This explanation made the Emperor feel more at ease.

No need to say more, this was indeed something Marquis Dongxiang would do.

"Make a note of this for me, and once the war is over, I’ll settle accounts with him," the Emperor fumed, waving his fan.

"..."

Eunuch Fu was anxious.

If an accounting were really done, wouldn’t Marquis Dongxiang annihilate him?

But the Emperor’s words could not be disobeyed.

Eunuch Fu finished his notes and quickly sent someone to the border to remind Su Jin to certainly, definitely remember to write a letter to the Emperor.

If it were any other Princess or Prince, knowing the Emperor was looking forward to receiving a letter from home, they would certainly send letter after letter in response, but with this Princess, they had to prompt her.

Eunuch Fu was exhausted.

However, this time, Su Jin truly forgot. There were major issues at the border, with Marquis Dongxiang and the Prince often reporting to the Emperor, and there were inspectors in the army responsible for writing war reports, so the Emperor, even if not knowing all, generally understood the situation at the border.

Thus, Su Jin didn’t think to write another letter.

She also didn’t remember because her mind was fully absorbed in thinking about whether the Hidden Guard had delivered the letter, and whether Princess Beimo could help her with this matter.

As for the Hidden Guard, he spurred his horse to reach Beimo as quickly as possible, but it wasn’t easy to deliver the letter into the palace.

If anyone could just deliver a letter to the Princess as they pleased, where would the Emperor’s majesty be?

But the Hidden Guard didn’t have anything else to prove his identity, and it was difficult to find someone to pass on a message.

After waiting outside the palace for a day, he caught an eunuch running an errand and used threats and cajoling to get him to pass a message to Princess Beimo.

The eunuch feared for his life, thinking the Hidden Guard had really poisoned him, and managed to run to the Princess while she was strolling in the garden, saying, "Princess, the Hidden Guard of Daqi Prince Zhenbei’s Heir Consort said there’s something to discuss with you, and the Palace Attendants won’t let him in, forcing this servant to bring the message to you."

Princess Beimo was momentarily stunned, "The Hidden Guard of Prince Zhenbei’s Heir Consort is looking for me?"

The eunuch nodded repeatedly.

The palace maid looked at Princess Beimo and asked, "Could this be a trap?"

Princess Beimo looked at the palace maid, "A trap? This is the Beimo Palace."

"Go and see."

The palace maid went to the palace gate, with the eunuch in tow.

The palace maid did not recognize the Hidden Guard, and the Hidden Guard, believing the eunuch dared not deceive him, handed the letter to the palace maid.

The palace maid took the letter back to the palace and handed it to Princess Beimo.

Princess Beimo opened the letter to see.

In fact, the letter contained no particular matters, only a request for her to meet the Hidden Guard in person, as what needed to be said was all written in the letter.

Princess Beimo found the prescription Su Jin wrote for her, and upon comparison, it truly was Su Jin’s handwriting.

Princess Beimo had the palace maid bring the Hidden Guard into the palace, but did not dare to take him directly into the inner palace, choosing instead a relatively proper and public place to meet him.

The palace maid didn’t recognize the Hidden Guard, but Princess Beimo remembered him; the day they left, the Hidden Guard had come to ask about the Unity Gu, leaving a deep impression.

Receiving the letter from the Hidden Guard, Princess Beimo looked at it and her eyes widened.

The Hidden Guard didn’t know what was written in the letter, and Princess Beimo, having put the letter away and tucked it close to her, said, "You leave the palace first, I will send Yinyin out to find you later."

The Hidden Guard then took his leave.

As soon as the Hidden Guard turned around, Princess Beimo broke into a beaming smile, and Yinyin, the palace maid, asked, "Why is the Princess so happy?"

"Let’s go, first to see Father," Princess Beimo said gleefully.

She was so eager to see King Beimo that she almost ran, lifting her skirts.

King Beimo was discussing matters with the ministers when Princess Jing Shan dashed in saying, "Father..."

King Beimo looked at her, speaking with reproach, but his face held no anger, "I am discussing matters with the ministers, why did you come in?"

"I too have big matters to discuss with Father," Princess Jing Shan said with her head held high.

King Beimo was unconvinced.

What big matters could his daughter have?

Princess Jing Shan stood to the side, saying, "Then Father continue discussing with the ministers, I will speak later."

Though she said so, she did not leave.

Coincidentally, the topic being discussed was the matter of Nanliang urging for grain and grass.

Princess Jing Shan was in an exceptionally good mood, which did not escape King Beimo’s notice, and after the ministers had taken their leave, he said, "Why are you so happy?"

Princess Jing Shan clung to King Beimo’s arm and said, "Father, as long as you agree to let me decide my own marriage, I can help you settle the matter of Nanliang’s grain and grass."

"You settle it?" King Beimo laughed.

Princess Jing Shan nodded, "Does Father not believe I have the ability?"

King Beimo said nothing, which was a tacit acknowledgment.

How could he not know the capabilities of his own daughter?

She could not even handle a sack of grain, let alone settle the matter of Nanliang’s grain and grass.

Princess Jing Shan felt somewhat annoyed, thinking he underestimated her too much.

She turned her head away, while King Beimo shook his head and smiled, picking up his tea cup and saying, "If you really can settle it, what harm is there in granting your wish?"

"Does Father mean what he says?" Princess Jing Shan blurted out.

King Beimo’s face darkened a bit, "When has Father not kept his word?"

Princess Jing Shan looked at him, her smile glowing, "I just knew Father hadn’t forgotten his promise to let me go out and play."

King Beimo, "..." 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

King Beimo put down his tea cup, diverted the topic and said, "Let’s hear how you plan to settle this matter."

Princess Beimo took out a letter from her bosom and handed it to King Beimo.

King Beimo glanced at the letter and his eyes lit up.

After reading it once, he read it again, then looked towards Princess Beimo, "Could this be considered your idea?"

Princess Beimo stood up, lifting her chin, "Why wouldn’t it be?"

"In all of Beimo, I am the one the Heir of Prince Zhenbei’s wife trusts most."

King Beimo could do nothing about her.

Princess Beimo continued to clutch King Beimo’s arm, "Father, what do you think of this plan?"

"It kills two birds with one stone."

"No, it’s a brilliant strategy that kills three birds with one stone."

King Beimo looked at the letter and sighed.

Although Princess Beimo said this letter was written by Su Jin,

King Beimo did not believe a woman could have such a strategy; he believed it was Marquis Dongxiang’s plan.

It’s just a pity that Marquis Dongxiang is a loyal general of Daqi, devoted to the Daqi Court, otherwise, he would certainly entice him with a princely title to ally with Beimo.