"May I ask, esteemed eunuch, was this imperial edict drafted by the Secretariat and then reviewed by His Majesty? Or is it a verbal order from His Majesty transcribed by someone?"
"Reporting to the Marshal, this is His Majesty's own handwriting. The Marshal can take a look and see for herself." The imperial eunuch in charge of announcing the edict respectfully handed the edict to her.
Su Wan'er took a quick glance and found that it was indeed that person's handwriting.
Since it was an imperial edict, naturally no one dared to say much. After deciding which generals would be stationed here, among the remaining generals, there were actually a few who were quite delighted, as they hadn't returned to the capital for a long time.
This is simply absurd. How could so many people be allowed to go back and make a fuss? Su Wan'er couldn't help but complain.
"Miss, you mustn't talk nonsense. You're the Marshal now. How can a marshal complain about the emperor?" Qingcao quickly looked around to see if there was anyone around.
"Why can't I complain about the emperor? You don't know how harshly those censors in the court scold him indirectly. Being an emperor, one must be prepared to be scolded." Su Wan'er was upright and justified.
"Alright, alright, miss is the most amazing. But miss should also change this temper... After all, you're a woman and not getting any younger. In a recent letter from the old residence, the old madam said that since you're out, you should start looking for a good family."
Qingcao was always very excited about such gossips. To be honest, she had long known how great her miss was at fighting battles. She had also grown accustomed to how miraculously her miss deployed troops on the battlefield and killed countless enemies single - handedly.
But she was particularly interested in her miss's love life and marriage.
"With my conditions, does it need to be changed? Grandmother is just being over - worried. I'm in the middle of a war. What kind of family should I look for? Maybe one day when I retire from the army, the threshold of our house will be trampled down." Su Wan'er was in high spirits and joked with her, and also flattered herself a bit.
The praise from those old and young generals at the banquet last night really made her feel happy. To be honest, she was quite proud that she was a female general who could fight and now had become a marshal. It was really good.
"Miss, don't take it lightly. I think the same as the old madam. With your conditions, if you don't hurry up, it will be difficult to get married." Qingcao clearly looked worried. She thought her miss had been married before and behaved like a boy. Although she was beautiful and talented, which family would only look at talent and looks when choosing a daughter - in - law?
The old madam always talked about being gentle, virtuous, and having proper manners, but there was not a single trace of these in her miss.
"What's wrong with my conditions? If my conditions are not good, have you ever seen anyone with better conditions?" Su Wan'er looked at her playfully.
"Speaking of marriage, this servant thinks... General Gu's conditions are one in a million." Qingcao's eyes sparkled when she said this.
"Really? Then tell me what his conditions are?" Su Wan'er didn't expose her little thoughts.
"Miss, listen to me. Look at General Gu. He has been well - read since childhood and passed the imperial examinations. This is one in a million even in the capital. Moreover, instead of being a stuffy civil official, he became a general on the battlefield and is now so outstanding." Qingcao's little mouth kept chattering.
Su Wan'er found it quite amusing and didn't really believe it. Just last night, so many generals were saying that Gu Jingtian should hurry up. But in this little girl's eyes, it was the opposite. It was really true that beauty was in the eye of the beholder.
"Ah, his conditions are really good. You should hurry up, or else one day he might be snatched away, and that would be bad." Su Wan'er smoothly followed her words.
"Yes, I should... Miss, you're teasing me again."
Under the pretext of the imperial edict to return to the capital to report on their duties, everyone was in a hurry to go home and visit their relatives. Only Su Wan'er was in a very complicated mood. Vaguely, she knew that this imperial edict from Si Junlin was just a cover. If only she was called back to the capital, it would inevitably be associated with the matter of the deposed empress.
At this moment, Si Junlin was happily summoning the Minister of Rites to the Imperial Study in the palace to prepare for this celebration banquet.
Fang Xi thought it was simply unbelievable to see the emperor even arranging the seats himself. No wonder people used to say that a beautiful woman could be a curse. Even a wise emperor could become a fatuous one when he fell in love.
If it was before, when His Majesty had just ascended the throne and would sit there for a whole day to review memorials and read historical books and political documents over and over again, who would believe this?
But now he had to believe it. "May I ask Your Majesty, if General Wei's seat is placed next to you, then... the prince?"
"Naturally, arrange him further back. Or simply don't let him come." Si Junlin arranged Su Wan'er's seat on his right - hand side as a matter of course, and had long thrown those vulgar etiquettes of monarch - subject and father - son relationships behind. He also didn't use the dragon throne that was always a few inches higher than others.
"Your Majesty, you used to value the prince the most. Besides, the prince is the only prince in the capital. How can you not let him come?"
It was truly being blinded by love. Fang Xi couldn't help but sigh.
"Why do you have so many words? By the way, will Gu Jingtian also come back this time?" Si Junlin suddenly remembered this and couldn't help but frown.
"Of course. Your Majesty issued an edict that all the main generals should come back. General Gu is the deputy marshal, so he will naturally return to the capital together." Fang Xi subconsciously thought that the marshal and the deputy marshal should sit together, but he didn't dare to say this even if he had the courage of ten men.
What the emperor said was an imperial edict, and who would dare not to obey? "Well, since he is the deputy marshal and of noble status, let him sit opposite me." After making such a serious decision, Si Junlin calmly wrote Gu Jingtian's name on the seat opposite him.
"Your Majesty, this may not conform to the etiquette." There had never been a case where a deputy marshal sat in the main seat. This was simply unprecedented. Moreover, even if an invitation was sent out, General Gu might not even dare to sit there.
"It's just a small celebration banquet. Where are all these rules?" Si Junlin waved his hand and didn't even want to look at the positions of the others. "Let the rest sit on both sides at will." He wished they would all not come and only Su Wan'er would stay. He didn't care where she sat.
"Your Majesty, although this is just an ordinary celebration banquet, all the generals have come, and all the civil and military officials in the court are watching. It's not a small matter. It's okay for the others, but General Gu should sit on one side. In the military camp, this is the most taboo. What's emphasized is absolute obedience to the marshal's orders." The Minister of Rites braved himself to speak.