Chapter 965 - 959: Family Letters
But this smile lasted for only an afternoon. The next morning, he couldn’t smile at all.
Chu Shun and a few others got along well with the soldiers in the military camp, without the arrogance typical of those from noble families.
In the morning, when he went to inspect the city gates, at least ten people were concerned about whether his health was failing and recommended the Great Nourishing Pill to him...
A little separation makes the reunion sweeter.
Especially since he was newlywed.
Like kindling and a blaze.
Yet there wasn’t a slight movement from them, wasting their efforts guarding outside the tent for most of the night.
Chu Shun was already upset, and when eating with Prince NanAn and others, he kept giving him leeks.
Chu Shun felt like dying.
Qin Hanhan was bored in the military camp; she wanted to visit Su Jin and Xie Jingchen, but Marquis Dongxiang didn’t agree.
The border is a crucial place, and no one can ensure that there’s no Nanliang presence within Daqi territory; if caught, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Qin Hanhan could use the butterfly lure to seek people, and she could entirely have someone else to do it.
Having nothing to do, Qin Hanhan asked Marquis Dongxiang for a task that she could handle, as she couldn’t just stay idle in the camp.
Indeed, Marquis Dongxiang found her a task she could manage.
Writing letters to the soldiers’ families and reading them aloud.
Very few soldiers were literate, and usually every five or six days, a few soldiers would be arranged to read the family letters to others. There had been cases where soldiers received family letters but died on the battlefield before telling anyone what was written.
Qin Hanhan gladly accepted the task. She set up a table in a quiet spot, and many soldiers brought their family letters for her to read during lunch.
Each listened with tearful eyes.
The maid accompanying Qin Hanhan was also literate.
The master and servant took turns, one helping write the letters and the other reading them aloud.
Tired of writing, they would switch roles.
On this day, while Qin Hanhan was writing a family letter, the maid sat not far away, reading a letter aloud.
After finishing one letter, she handed it back to the officer, who walked off with red eyes.
His father was seriously ill, and he missed home.
After he left, another officer sat down and handed his letter to the maid, "Read it for me, my mother wrote something to me."
The maid took the letter, paused slightly when seeing the handwriting on the envelope.
It seemed somewhat familiar?
She opened the letter and glanced, then said, "Wait a moment."
The officer was a bit puzzled.
He watched as the maid took the letter to Qin Hanhan, "Heir’s wife, take a look at the handwriting on this letter... "
Qin Hanhan looked at it, and her eyes widened.
Doesn’t this look a bit like Princess Consort Zhenbei’s handwriting?
Qin Hanhan was very familiar with Su Jin’s handwriting.
Being from the Southern Border, although she understood Daqi’s script, her writing wasn’t very neat.
Since marrying into the Marquis Jingguo Mansion, she had been practicing.
Her goal was to write as beautifully as Su Jin.
To this end, she had often compared Su Jin’s writing to her maid’s as a challenge for herself.
Though she’d seen it many times, she wasn’t completely sure. I’ll take it to the Great General for a look.
Qin Hanhan asked the officer to wait, and she took the letter to the military tent, where the officer was still clueless about what was happening.
Why did his mother’s letter need to alarm the Great General?
What major thing had his mother written in the letter?
Why did he feel a bit anxious?
The officer followed the letter to the front of the tent.
Qin Hanhan waited outside the military tent. He waited from afar, not daring to approach.
Marquis Dongxiang and the Old Prince were discussing matters. Only after they finished was Qin Hanhan allowed in.
Qin Hanhan presented the letter to Marquis Dongxiang, "This seems like the handwriting of the Princess Consort Zhenbei..."
Marquis Dongxiang looked at it, then compared it with the family letters written by Su Jin that he received.
Verification confirmed it was indeed Su Jin’s handwriting.
Marquis Dongxiang commenting on the letter, "Why is Jinjim writing family letters for others?"
No one could answer his confusion.
Marquis Dongxiang summoned the officer to inquire.
Poor officer was terrified, but upon learning that the letter was written by the Princess Consort Zhenbei, the princess herself, to his mother, he was overjoyed.
Of course, more than anything, he was elated that his wife had given him a son, and the princess had named the child.
This letter had been sent from Yu State, which meant that when it was written, Su Jin was in Yu State.
Considering the day Su Jin departed the Capital City, Marquis Dongxiang was unsure what to say.
Now that Su Jin had chosen to leave the Capital, Marquis Dongxiang naturally hoped she would arrive at the border soon, to be under his watchful eye.
However, Su Jin helped people write letters along the way, and Marquis Dongxiang felt like it would be a while before he saw his daughter.
Looking at the letter, Marquis Dongxiang felt increasingly distressed.
She had time to write letters for others but didn’t know to send one altogether.
The letter, then the officer daringly asked to take it back; after all, the princess had helped with his family letter, and it could be revered at home.
The letter was kept close by the officer, only sharing it with good friends.
Then—
Before Su Jin even reached the military camp, news spread about the princess’s handwriting not being particularly pretty.
Su Jin, "...."
With much gossip, Su Jin sneezed frequently.
After sneezing several times, Xingxing was concerned about Su Jin catching a cold.
Housekeeper Zhou looked at her and asked, "Do you want to take a break?"
Su Jin shook her head, "I’m fine, no need."
Young Master Li sat in Xingxing’s arms, munching on candy, smearing it all over his face.
Su Jin poured some hot water on a cloth and handed it to Xingxing, "Wipe his face."
Xingxing wiped Young Master Li’s mouth.
Su Jin lifted the carriage curtain to look outside.
Seeing Steward Zhou’s serious face, Su Jin’s heart sank.
She sent a servant back to Linzhou to inform the Li Family, expecting someone to fetch Young Master Li, yet they were nowhere to be seen?
A child was lost; knowing he was in their hands, parents would travel day and night to reach him.
Instinct told Su Jin that either the servant failed to deliver the letter in time or something happened.
Just delivering a letter wasn’t a difficult task, so an incident seemed more likely.
Su Jin didn’t want to risk anything.
Though the Zhou family brought several servants, their martial arts skills were really average.
Su Jin looked at Steward Zhou, cautiously saying, "If the letter didn’t reach the Li Family but fell into the hands of assassins, we’ll all be in danger."
"Better cautious than reckless."
Steward Zhou nodded repeatedly, sharing her concern, as his eyelid kept twitching—never a good sign.
"Better safe than sorry."
Su Jin instructed the servant to return via the same route, to leave Linzhou as quickly as possible, to not claim to be from the Zhou family, and to destroy anything indicating Zhou family identity.
Together with Xingxing and Steward Zhou, she headed to a nearby village, buying the simplest clothing and a cart pulled by oxen.
Su Jin and Xingxing dressed as a couple with a child, Steward Zhou disguised as the old father driving the cart, a family conspicuous yet inconspicuous.
Within an hour after the disguise, Su Jin felt immensely glad about her intuition.
Because seven or eight men in black galloped by.
Their charging hooves emitted a murderous aura, chilling one to the bone.