The princess was ordained by Heaven.

Chapter 329 I Care About You

"Second brother, I'm a money-devouring beast."

She has the entire Dayong Dynasty to support her.

"As long as you want, as long as I have."

Zheng Xun closed his eyes.

She was surprised by how lucky she was.

In her original world, she had an older brother who took care of her and loved her.

Having come into this world, I unexpectedly gained so many family members.

Heaven was indeed kind to her.

"Alright, your things have been delivered. Is there anything else? I had an appointment today, but you called me over halfway through the banquet. Now it's time for me to go back."

Zheng Xun blinked: "I want Eighth Brother's jade."

The second prince stroked his chin: "This is a bit difficult. I'll go ask around for you now."

As for banquets and such, nothing is as important as Yuanjia's affairs.

"Then... thank you, Second Brother?"

"Wait."

After watching the Second Prince leave, Zheng Xun, with a smile that hadn't faded in a long time, picked up his pen and wrote a letter to Zheng Jiao.

The letter inquired whether she possessed Qingyu.

After resolving this issue, only Jianyang remains.

Jianyang now lives year-round in the Red Eagle Army camp on the outskirts of Beijing.

Zheng Xun would definitely send someone to inform her beforehand if he was going.

The messenger who went to deliver the letter to Jianyang returned with a message from Jianyang, asking her to bring a male concubine...

Zheng Xun's expression became subtle after hearing the message.

Zhichun suppressed a smile and asked, "Princess Jianyang is so lovesick that she must be overjoyed to learn that the princess has gone to the past."

Zheng Xun turned his head to look at her: "Don't you think she's gone too far?"

"Princess Jianyang is of noble birth, has made outstanding contributions to Dayong, and is also beautiful. She is a first-rate heroine. She is just a bit flirtatious. What's so outrageous about that?"

"Those male concubines..."

“Those men are fortunate to be able to follow Princess Jianyang.”

Zheng Xun chuckled.

Zhichun said matter-of-factly, "Don't you think that makes sense?"

"You admire Aunt Jianyang very much?"

"Aunt Jianyang is a role model for us all; which woman wouldn't admire her?"

Of course, Zhichun didn't say that the person she admired most was her princess.

“Our Spring is not a pedantic person.”

Zhichun felt that her thoughts were perfectly normal: "Isn't this what normal people think?"

Zheng Xun laughed heartily: "Not bad!"

Jianyang's prestige stems from her status and abilities.

Therefore, in this era where polyandry was permissible, it would be criticized for a prince consort to have affairs with other women, but few people openly criticized Jianyang for keeping male concubines.

Faced with a princess who held the power of life and death, they dared not utter a word.

“Zhichun, you must remember that whether you are a man or a woman, power and strength are the foundation of your life. Besides that, appearance and talent are just icing on the cake. A bird without a voice has no self-respect, and its joys and sorrows are all tied to others. Only by climbing up can you gain more freedom.”

Zhichun's pupils twitched slightly, and she curtsied: "Thank you for your instruction, Princess."

Zheng Xun smiled with satisfaction: "Prepare the horses, let's leave the palace."

She always kept a low profile when leaving the palace, and this time she only brought Lü Mengying and Wei Yanxing with her.

The group did not go directly to the outskirts of the capital, but instead went to the princess's residence in Jianyang to pick up a young master.

Wei Yanxing couldn't help but chirp, "No wonder the princess prepared a carriage today; it turns out she wanted to avoid suspicion."

Lu Mengying said earnestly, "The princess does not need to avoid suspicion."

"It's what that young master needs."

Lü Mengying: ...

Okay, that makes sense.

Zheng Xun glanced back at them and said, "Say less. After all, she's Aunt Jianyang's person. Show her some respect for her sake."

Upon realizing that she was staring at him as she said this, Wei Yanxing pointed at himself incredulously: "Me?"

Lu Mengying gave him a cold look, as if to say: Otherwise, it would be me.

Wei Yanxing shook his fan: "How could someone as cultured as me be the type to offend people so easily?"

However, no one paid him any attention. Lü Mengying kicked the horse's belly, followed closely behind Zheng Xun, and kept a distance from him.

Wei Yanxing waved his fan again, but after a while he felt cold again, so he put the fan away.

The Red Eagle Army's camp was said to be in the suburbs of Beijing, but in reality, it was quite a distance from the capital.

Crossing a mountain ridge, the valley behind us is the Red Eagle Army's camp.

To get up the mountain, they had to abandon the carriage.

Lu Mengying glanced at the young man's refined appearance, then turned her head to look at Wei Yanxing.

Wei Yanxing turned to Zheng Xun: "Princess, look at her!"

Zheng Xun ignored him and spurred his horse closer to the carriage: "Young Master Ye, can you ride a horse?"

"Will do."

Wei Yanxing: What were you doing on the carriage just now, since you can ride a horse?

If they were on horseback, they would have arrived long ago.

They handed the carriage over to the Red Eagle Army soldiers on duty at the foot of the mountain, and the soldiers rode their horses up the winding mountain road.

Looking at Young Master Ye's skillful riding, Wei Yanxing exclaimed in amazement, "Young Master Ye's riding skills are quite good."

Young Master Ye smiled gently: "It's nothing to mention."

"I originally thought Young Master Ye was a frail scholar."

Young Master Ye said meaningfully, "To win the princess's favor, being weak and timid won't do."

Zheng Xun: ...

It looked like a car wheel just ran over her face.

Wei Yanxing was really curious about their lives, so he pressed on, "What does the young master usually do at the princess's residence?"

"Enjoy tea, read books, go fishing, and occasionally cook something..."

"Quite leisurely."

"Lord Wei is too kind. I am no match for you. You are a favorite of Princess Yuanjia, enjoying great prestige and a promising future."

Wei Yanxing was genuinely surprised this time.

I thought this young master Ye was just a delicate ornament, but I didn't expect him to be so frail yet not thin, and he even speaks so pleasantly.

That's why they say Princess Jianyang is so amazing; her judgment is top-notch.

He apologized, saying, "It was my narrow-mindedness. Young Master Ye is a man of integrity and humility, yet I viewed you with prejudice when we first met."

Young Master Ye smiled faintly: "It's nothing. Young Master Wei is an upright person. It's my honor to associate with you."

After chatting for a while, the two developed a bond, and by the time they arrived at the camp, they were already calling each other brothers.

Knowing that Zheng Xun was coming, Jianyang had been waiting outside the camp for a long time.

"Yuan Jia!"

"Aunt Jianyang!"

Jianyang strode up to Zheng Xun and said, "Yuanjia has grown so fast. It feels like only a few days have passed, how come he's gotten taller again?"

"If only I could grow taller. Auntie doesn't know, I'm already bent over from official duties. How can I compare to Auntie's energetic spirit?" Zheng Xun approached Jianyang with a smile. "I've brought the person Auntie cherishes most today. Will Auntie reward me?"

Following her words, Jianyang naturally looked at Young Master Ye: "Aye."

"Princess."

Young Master Ye's gaze was tender, and it seemed that only Jianyang was in his eyes.

"Come."

Young Master Ye obediently walked to Jianyang's side.

Jianyang was in a good mood and led them into the camp: "What reward does Yuanjia want?"

"Aunt's sword is so sharp that it would be a great pity if no blood were drawn."

Hearing them discussing serious matters, Young Master Ye gradually slowed his pace, falling far behind Wei Yanxing and the others.

Jianyang's expression shifted slightly: "Yuanjia means..."

"Would Auntie be willing to lead the Red Eagle Army to garrison in Xizhou?"

Xizhou is located in the eastern part of Liaozhou, and a mountain range lies between it and the He Kingdom. However, there is a section that borders the He Kingdom, and it is necessary to station people to guard it.

However, the environment there was harsh and the conditions were difficult, so all the armies avoided it.

To everyone's surprise, Jianyang responded decisively: "Why not?"

"Don't you think I'm making things difficult for you, Auntie?"

Because Xizhou was unsuitable for military garrisons, there were few opportunities to earn merit, and the conditions were too harsh. Therefore, Zheng Xun's suggestion sounded like it had ulterior motives.

Jianyang laughed and said, "This is the best choice. Liaozhou has He Wuyu, and Xizhou is by the sea. The Red Eagle Army is not good at naval warfare. If I want to make a name for myself, this is the only option."

She was not afraid of difficulties, and neither was her Red Eagle Army.

The more difficult the task, the more convincing the results.

A smile crept onto Zheng Xun's face: "Thank you for your hard work, Auntie."

“They are all subjects of Dayong, what’s so hard about it? Some things just have to be done,” Jianyang didn’t elaborate on the matter, but instead said, “By the way, there’s something else I’m curious about, what about Dongzhou…”

"Does Aunt know Pang Yunyi?"

“We haven’t had much contact…” Jianyang’s expression was subtle. “But that person of his seems to be unreliable. He has no respect for hierarchy and is also difficult to discipline.”

In war, the most feared people are those who like to come up with quick ideas.

War doesn't happen in one place; it's a multi-front war. Knowing when to advance, when to retreat, when to intercept, when to provide support, and when to coordinate... there's a lot to learn at every turn.

If troops that should be stationed in one position suddenly run around without obeying the overall command, it can easily disrupt the overall formation.

Where there should be people, there are none; when support is needed, it's too late...

Just thinking about it is a disaster.

The cost of losing a war is human lives; who would dare gamble on such an unstable factor?

Therefore, even though Pang Yunyi was a talented person, no one dared to employ him.

People like him should be kept in check. Only when the situation is deadlocked or the government is at a disadvantage should a surprising and risky move be made.

but……

Jianyang glanced at Zheng Xun: "Since Yuanjia mentioned him, he should know what kind of person he is. Could it be that he wants him to guard Dongzhou?"

Zheng Xun nodded.

Jianyang's face twisted in pain: "What...you're thinking about?"

Has Yuan Jia gone mad?

“Yuanjia, this is no laughing matter. You are always so composed, why would you take such a risk? You should know that even your elder brother couldn't control him…”

"He can't, but I can."

Jianyang was stunned.

She was used to her elder brother's power, so she never thought that someone else could handle Pang Yunyi, whom her elder brother couldn't manage.

She was initially skeptical, but upon closer examination, it wasn't impossible if it were Yuan Jia.

"Yuanjia..."

“Aunt, you’ve forgotten, most of what I’m doing now is something that no one else has ever done,” Zheng Xun looked up at her, her tone as casual as if she were talking about the weather, “and I’ve accomplished it all.”

Jianyang felt a sudden jolt in his chest, and then his heart began to beat faster and faster.

She couldn't put into words the shock she felt at that moment.

She admired Yuan Jia because she possessed abilities that ordinary people did not have.

But at this moment she realized that what was most remarkable about her was her courage and determination to be a pioneer.

Only by having the courage to overcome everything can one become a leader who surpasses everyone else.

If people don't even dare to think about it, their morale will already be low.

If a person sets limits for themselves and believes that they are not capable, then they are very likely to actually be not capable.

She has lived for so long, but now she feels that the world before her is suddenly clear and bright.

She used to be concerned about the mountains in front of her, but now she thinks that if she focused her gaze on the mountaintop, all the other mountains would appear small beneath her feet.

Once you've established your belief, you can simply climb up step by step.

"Yuanjia, thank you."

Everyone's perception is different. Zheng Xun didn't know why Jianyang's tone suddenly carried admiration, nor did she know why she suddenly thanked her, but she could feel that her spirit was different.

She was happy for her.

"You should thank me, but give me something practical."

"Oh~ I was wondering why you suddenly wanted to see me today. What you're about to tell me is the real purpose of today's meeting, isn't it?"

"Hmm," Zheng Xun called out, "Mengying! Box."

Lü Mengying handed a box to Zheng Xun.

Zheng Xun opened the box, revealing the jade inside: "Has Aunt seen this before?"

Jianyang raised an eyebrow: "No..."

Zheng Xun sighed silently in disappointment.

“No! There is,” she looked at Young Master Ye behind her, “A-Ye.”

Young Master Ye quickly approached: "Princess?"

"Yuanjia will find the jade I gave you last time very useful. How about I give you another piece instead?"

Young Master Ye's lips curled into a smile, but he did not refuse: "Okay."

He took the jade from his personal pocket and handed it to Jianyang.

Jianyang then casually handed it to Zheng Xun.

Zheng Xun: ...

"Could this be a token of your love?"

Jianyang awkwardly turned his face away.

Zheng Xun: ...

Even so, she could not give up Qingyu.

She reached out and took the jade.

The jade felt slightly warm to the touch, still carrying Young Master Ye's body temperature.

【Ugh! Damn it! I was originally planning to allocate some money to the Red Eagle Army, but now it seems my aunt can actually afford to support an entire Red Eagle Army. Why did I bother?】

Collapses don't disappear, they just shift; now it's Jianyang that's collapsing.

She vowed that she would never be easily seduced by beauty again!

What should we do? Is there any way to get her money back?

Zheng Xun was just trying to scare her.

How could she possibly delay supplying the army over such a trivial matter?

However, seeing Jianyang looking like the sky has fallen, she was satisfied.

Her brows relaxed, and she handed the jade pendant to Wei Yanxing.

Wei Yanxing took the jade and glanced at it casually, only to find two characters engraved on it.

Ye Ye...

"Wait! Your name is Ye Ye?" Wei Yanxing pointed at Young Master Ye and asked incredulously.

Young Master Ye nodded: "That's right."

"Your name..."

Such a name may seem like a great advantage, but strangers would likely keep their distance, and naturally fewer people would associate with him.

Whether it's the imperial examinations or climbing the social ladder, Shangguan would frown upon seeing this name, after all, who would like to call a stranger "grandpa"?

If he were to take the imperial examination and the emperor called his name, he couldn't very well call him "grandpa" in public!

Isn't this ruining my future?

Young Master Ye noticed his indignation, patted him on the shoulder reassuringly, and said in a gentle tone, "It's alright."

Jianyang took his hand: "It was my oversight. How about I change your name later?"

Young Master Ye readily agreed, "Alright."

He looked intently at Jianyang, as if he wouldn't refuse anything she said.

"You always seem to care about nothing..."

"No, it's not that. I care about you."

The other three: ...