Chapter 28: Chapter 28: General’s Mansion Eldest Lady VS Transmigrated Younger Sister (Part 27)
Thus, the Grand General’s Mansion welcomed a new frequent visitor, His Royal Highness the Prince Yu, newly minted.
The Great General had some troubles lately.
This Prince Yu was indeed a prodigy, whether in deploying troops or conceiving deceptive strategies, he could grasp anything in an instant, which pleased the Great General, who always valued talent.
However, no matter how much he appreciated the man himself, the Great General found it impossible to hold too fond an opinion of him.
Ji Yu, the young man, didn’t even bother to disguise the way he looked at Ah Zhen!
No father would have much fondness for a man who seeks to steal away his treasured daughter!
To make matters worse, the Great General’s wife, who should have been on the same side as him, seemed rather pleased with Prince Yu too.
“Let’s call it a day. Would Your Highness care to stay for lunch?” the Great General asked stiffly.
“I would be remiss to decline such generous hospitality,” Ji Yu accepted with a smile.
The Great General was left speechless by Ji Yu’s briskness.
To be honest, although Ji Yu frequently visited the Grand General’s Mansion, there were almost no chances for them to be alone.
Although the Tianqi Dynasty was quite liberal, unmarried men and women were still expected to maintain a certain distance.
After Ji Yu left, the Eldest Princess Wen Cheng took Gu Shengyin aside into a room.
“What do you think of Prince Yu?”
Gu Shengyin said nothing, but her face quietly flushed.
Seeing her daughter , the Eldest Princess Wen Cheng knew the answer in her heart.
She sighed quietly, “Prince Yu seems to be a good fit, certainly much better than the Crown Prince. But seeing how the Emperor behaves these days, I’m afraid he may replace the heir to the throne. Prince Yu’s future is boundless, and that is a place I’m reluctant for you to enter. You need to think this through carefully.”
Gu Shengyin was moved by the earnest expression of the Eldest Princess Wen Cheng, realizing this woman cherished Jiang Lingzhen in the palm of her hand.
She couldn’t help but reach out, hug the Eldest Princess Wen Cheng, and rest her head on her mother’s lap like when she was a child.
Since Jiang Lingzhen had grown up, such displays of affection had become scarce, and the Eldest Princess’s nose tingled with emotion. She couldn’t remember any concerns about the Crown Prince or Prince Yu while looking at her daughter, her heart melting into a puddle.
Another month passed, and tribes from the Northwestern Frontier launched an invasion. The Emperor ordered the Great General to lead the troops as the commander with Prince Yu as his deputy, leading two hundred thousand soldiers on a western campaign.
The political climate in the court had become clear. The Crown Prince and the Empress were still under confinement, and the Emperor’s decision to send Prince Yu on the expedition was clearly paving the way for him. When the army returned triumphant and Prince Yu’s prestige was at its peak, it would be the moment for the Emperor to depose the Crown Prince.
On the day before the expedition, Gu Shengyin and Ji Yu met.
“Ah Zhen,” Ji Yu said, his eyes burning with intensity as he looked at Gu Shengyin, “wait for me. When the army returns to the capital, I will come to the Grand General’s Mansion with all my honors to ask for your hand in marriage.”
Gu Shengyin just looked at him with a smile.
Ji Yu suddenly sighed, stepped forward, and took Gu Shengyin into his embrace.
“Ah Zhen, I can tell that you have feelings for me. My heart is delighted by you. One day, I hope to hear the same words from you,” he whispered low into Gu Shengyin’s ear.
He hugged Gu Shengyin tightly one last time and then turned and left.
He didn’t look back, so he didn’t see Gu Shengyin gazing at his retreating figure, watching until she couldn’t see anything anymore.
“System, in truth, he doesn’t know that I’ve already said those words countless times in my heart,” Gu Shengyin murmured.
“I, Gu Shengyin, am delighted by Ji Yu.”