Chapter 302: Marriage of duty or choice.
After the departure of the Empress Dowager, Mei Mei turned to the Empress Mother. She was sure that the betrothal seed had been planted by her.
"Long Wu, take Mingzhu to the gardens and show her around." The Empress Mother commanded. "Everyone else should disperse, show your faces around the empire doing something useful. Interact with the foreign dignitaries and talk politics."
The royals dispersed except for Prince Long Wu’s family and the Jun’s. The emperor and Jingzhe also remained back.
"Just yesterday, our Long Wu was rejecting marriage to a Cyprian princess and today he has a fiance." The Empress Mother laughed. "Isn’t it funny how fate works?"
Long Wu’s mother pursed her lips. The Cyprian princess was in her twenties, there was never going to be a chance between that princess and her son.
"I still insist that my daughter is too young to be betrothed." Mei Mei spoke up bravely.
"And yet she commands attention when she is with a group of other children." The empress said. "Our General Mingzhu will be a formidable woman when she grows up and only a prince is worthy of a woman like that. I heard that she once said she would be the next Imperial Commander."
Mingzhu knew she was being discussed and she puffed her chest out. "Mingzhu is already learning from her uncle to be the Imperial commander."
The Empress Mother smiled. "See, she is a potential Imperial commander. History will be made if she truly does become one and our families will continue to dwell in unity. We have your back and you have ours."
Prince Long Fen stepped forward and cleared his throat. "Long Wu is ready to escort Miss Mingzhu on that walk now."