The steadiness when entering the capital, the unruliness when living in the Eastern Palace, the generosity and calmness when interacting with others, the reluctance when leaving the city, and the last glance of ice-cold decisiveness at Dibei City.
No one knew, but ten years ago, he had been to Dibei City during the armed rebellion of the Di family. He traveled thousands of li just to let the Marquis of Jing'an know ahead of time to avoid the area beyond the Great Wall. But when he arrived, he only saw the bricks of the Di family's ancestral hall washed dark with blood, and… a thin and pale figure kneeling beneath the ancestral hall.
In the end, he was one step too late. Of the one hundred and thirty-two members of the Di family, except for Di Ziyuan, there was no one else left.
How could he not remember? The royal family had ruined everything of hers. Even if Han Yue died, he could not fail Di Ziyuan again.
( to burden, betray, fail in one's duty… a very strong sentiment to say about someone)
The Shangshu Pavilion of the royal palace.
Emperor Jianing threw the memorials all over the floor, looked at his eldest daughter who was standing still with her head lowered, and paced back and forth with a face full of anger.
"Entering a gambling house, visiting a brothel, causing an uproar, and bringing along Zhen's Da Lisi minister, An Ning, do you still want your reputation!"
( royal pronoun commonly used by emperors)
An Ning didn't answer, and didn't even raise her eyelids a single bit.
The more Emperor Jianing looked at it, the more angry he became. Look at this, what kind of virtue was this? If he hadn't trained his temperament on the throne these years, he would have long brandished a whip to teach this unfilial girl a lesson.
"You even need your royal brother to mobilize the soldiers to kidnap you back. Good, great general, you've grown up now and don't take me as your Fu-huang seriously in your eyes anymore, is that it!"
Emperor Jianing's roar almost penetrated Shangshu Pavilion. Next to them, Zhao Fu was secretly worried, but this father and daughter's temperaments were very stubborn. Both of them were masters who refused to give in.
"Fu-huang, the eldest royal brother's gambling house is making a lot of money. I have been in the frontier fortress all year round, and it is hard to save any money for myself. Both things are equally important and difficult to give up. You have to be a little well-proportioned, right?
Besides, my reputation is just like this. I am the dignified princess of a nation, still afraid that I will not be able to recruit a Fuma? As long as you issue a decree, who would dare not marry?"
(an idiom, the palm and the back of the hand are both flesh)
Emperor Jianing's breathing did not smooth out, stifled in his throat and surging. He looked at his eldest daughter for a while, snorted coldly, turned around and sat back on the imperial chair, and said calmly: "Alright, you and Zhen have shown our abilities. After this time's reports, you won't go back to the northwest."
An Ning raised her head, and her expression finally fluctuated: "Fu-huang, I am the northwest guard's general, how can I have a long-term absence?"
"With old Shi-jiangjun on guard, Beiqin will not be able to rebel." Emperor Jia Ning said in a deep voice, "Your ninth younger brother is clamoring every day to join the army; Zhen is preparing to send him to the northwest to practice."
The ninth prince was Jiang-fei's only son and the left minister's only grandson. The father and daughter must have taken a fancy to the military power in the northwest. Speaking so pompously, An Ning snorted darkly, her brows and eyes full of objections and disapproval.
"Fu-huang, then when can I go back to the northwest?"
"Don't panic." Emperor Jianing took a sip of his tea, opened the memorial again, and said unhurriedly, "After you choose a Fuma to marry and give birth to a few grandchildren for Zhen, it's up to you however far you scram to."
This time it was An Ning's turn to stifle a breath that wouldn't come out. She glared at Emperor Jianing in indignation for a while, bowed carelessly, and took large strides out of Shangshu Pavilion without a look back.