The Promotion Record of a Crown Princess

99-107: Peng Peng, I Fancy You

On the ninth day of the sixth lunar month, Qi Sheng finally started his north tour with his troops.

I fastened his helmet and, in the meantime, told him how to avoid being struck by lightning, "When you encounter thunderstorms in the wild, do not ride on high horses. You are already tall enough, and the tassel on your helmet is half an inch longer than that of others. Lightening like to strike someone like you..."

He suddenly grabbed my hand and held it tightly. After a while, he asked, "Can't you wish me something good?"

Something good? Sure, I have a lot of them. I replied without a moment of thought, "Then I wish Your Majesty a safe trip wherever you go, succeed upon immediate arrival, win your victory at your first battle, everything will be fine and you will be richer and richer..."

"Enough!" Qi Sheng grumpily interrupted me and looked at me furiously.

I was speechless so I stayed in silence.

The furiousness in his face slowly faded and his eyes calmed down, without showing any emotion. Finally, he said nothing, just looked at me in a profound way. Then he turned around and left.

I watched him disappearing, and as if all my strengths were drained, I felt weak in my legs and almost fell to the ground. No matter what, he had finally left!

I didn't know whether I was delighted or sad. I just felt there was an empty hole inside my heart.

Lv Li visited me in the palace after she bid farewell to Zhao wang. I described to her how I felt but after a series of descriptions and gesturing, she still couldn't comprehend. After a long while, she slapped her own lap and yelled, "Your Majesty, I understand now. I understand what you meant."

I was relieved, thinking what a soulmate she was to me as she understood how I felt when I didn't even know it myself. I asked her surprisedly and delightedly, "Do you?"

Lv Li nodded with certainty, "I do. To put it in a straight way, it's like you have been suffering like a daughter-in-law for thirty years, and now you can have a good time as a mother-in-law. Since His Majesty isn't here, you will be in charge of the palace and do whatever you want!"

What was she talking about? I hadn't seen any daughter-in-law, but I indeed had two mothers-in-law.

I didn't respond so Lv Li tried to have another guess. I hastily stopped her and asked, "Did Zhao wang say anything before he left?"

She replied, "He asked me to tell Your Majesty one thing, that no matter what happens, His Majesty is the only one Your Majesty can rely on."

I contemplated on his words and felt there was some hidden meanings.

Lv Li went quiet for a while, then she asked in a low voice, "Your Majesty, is waiting all we can do now?"

I asked in return, "Then what else can we do? They have just left the city, and who knows which side will win in the end. We have to reserve ourselves a way out."

Girl, it was definitely not a good time for us to take a leap in the dark.

If Bathroom Lord failed, and I showed my ambition for a promotion, Qi Sheng would definitely settle the scores with me after he returned. So we had to wait now. I had been struggling through for so many years. I could do with another year or so.

In the end of the sixth lunar month, a Nanxia trade caravan of more than hundred men was robbed and killed outside Jingyang. The news travelled into the city, Qi Sheng, who just arrived at Jingyang, was furious. He immediately commanded two thousand soldiers in Jingyang to enter the realm of the Northern Dessert, searching for the banner of the missing caravan, and conduct robbery in the Norther Desert as revenge.