The princess regretted it.

Chapter 252 Good news arrives in Beijing

As they left, Madam Zhao hurried in, clutching a stack of lists. The lists looked thick, likely containing various details related to the princess's wedding. She glanced down at them as she walked, seemingly reviewing the details with a focused and serious expression. Upon entering the room, she saw only a solitary embroidery basket on the couch, next to a half-finished piece of embroidery, the needle still casually inserted into the fabric. But there was no sign of the princess.

Zhao Ma was startled at first, then looked around and found that the cloak that the princess usually wore was no longer on the shelf. She also looked outside and saw that Han Shuang was no longer guarding outside. Zhao Ma immediately understood what was going on. She knew that the princess must have sneaked out while she was away. She shook her head helplessly, but a doting and amused expression appeared on her face. She laughed softly, and her laughter was full of tolerance for Jin An, as if she had long been accustomed to the princess's occasional mischief.

"She still can't sit still. She ran out without noticing, not afraid of freezing herself." Nanny Zhao muttered softly while putting the list in her hand on the table. She thought that the princess was grown up, and it would be okay to go out for some fresh air occasionally, so she didn't plan to go look for her immediately.

Jin An and Han Shuang left Feiyu Palace. Han Shuang looked at the excited Jin An and asked with a smile, "Princess, where are we going?"

Jin An thought for a moment and said, "Go get the carriage ready now and accompany me to my grandfather's house. I'll go to the Health Preservation Palace first to tell my father. You can wait for me at the palace gate later."

Han Shuang: "Okay." After saying that, he walked away first.

Jin'an turned and went to the Yangsheng Palace, but she didn't go in. When she heard the eunuch at the door say that the emperor was not in the Yangsheng Palace, she thought that her father might have gone to Chun Guiren, so she went out of the palace directly.

When they arrived at the palace gate, Han Shuang was already waiting there. She helped Jin An onto the carriage and then got in herself. The coachman shook the reins and the carriage slowly headed towards the Prime Minister's Mansion.

When the carriage reached Zhengyang Street, there was a sudden sound of rapid horse hooves, accompanied by a loud shout: "Urgent news from the North, the Zhenbei Army has won a great victory."

Upon hearing this, Jin'an quickly lifted the curtain and shouted to the driver, "Pull over." Then, she eagerly looked toward the sound of horse hooves. A moment later, a dusty messenger in a dark tunic rode atop a steed at lightning speed. His face beamed with the joy and pride of victory, clutching an urgent military report. He shouted the good news along the way, and wherever he passed, the people stopped to watch, cheering.

Seeing the messenger galloping past the carriage and heading towards the palace, Han Shuang turned to look at Jin An, "Princess, are we still going to the Prime Minister's Mansion?"

Jin An hesitated for a moment, then ordered, "Return to the palace and go back another day." She thought that once this urgent news arrived, her grandfather would undoubtedly learn of it, and her father would most likely summon her, the Prime Minister, to the palace. She might as well return to the palace and gather the details of the battle report. Furthermore, this time, the report arrived much earlier than in her previous life, and she was anxious to know about her uncle's safety.

The coachman, upon hearing Jin'an's order, skillfully turned the carriage around, whipped the horses, and galloped towards the palace. The sound of horse hooves drummed out a rapid rhythm on the stone pavement.

When she returned to the palace, the emperor was already meeting the dusty messenger in the imperial study. The atmosphere inside was solemn yet also filled with excitement. He had known about the war situation in the north, but he hadn't expected Mu En to bring back the Yu Kingdom's letter of surrender. Meanwhile, the emperor quickly dispatched several important officials to convene for a meeting.

Jin An took Han Shuang directly back to Feiyu Palace. Unable to sit still, she asked Han Shuang and Hong Yu to go and get some information. Outside the palace, the Zhang family was just as nervous as she was.

When Zhang Chengde heard the servant's report of a great victory in the northern border, he instantly realized that something was amiss. He was extremely anxious and hurried straight to the old master's courtyard.

The old master was practicing Tai Chi in the courtyard with great contentment when he heard footsteps. He didn't stop his movements, but asked calmly, "Why are you so frightened?"

Zhang Chengde stepped forward quickly, his expression solemn, and said, "Father, I just received news that victory reports from the northern border have reached the capital. I believe they must have entered the palace by now."

The old Grand Tutor paused, then turned to look at Zhang Chengde, "Victory news from the North?"

"Yes, father." Zhang Chengde replied respectfully.

"We won a great victory so quickly! The Zhenbei Army won without any food or supplies?" The old Grand Tutor turned his head to look at Zhang Chengde in disbelief.

"This? My son doesn't know yet." Zhang Chengde answered truthfully, "But this is a big deal. I believe the emperor will summon my son to the palace soon. The specific situation will be clear then."

The old master took the cane beside him and slowly walked towards the study. Zhang Chengde hurried over and supported the old master's arm. "Father, I'm a little uneasy. I always feel that this good news came out of nowhere."

The old Grand Tutor remained silent, walking at a leisurely pace. In reality, he was secretly and rapidly pondering the matter. Suddenly, as if remembering a crucial point, he stopped, turned to look at Zhang Chengde beside him, and asked anxiously, "Has there been any news from Zhenyuan recently?"

Zhang Chengde shook his head instinctively, "No." As soon as he finished speaking, he seemed to be struck by a flash of inspiration, and suddenly thought of something. He suddenly looked up at his father, his eyes full of surprise.

When the old master saw him shake his head, his expression instantly darkened. He looked around warily at his son, who was staring blankly at him. Then, his eyes dropped, and his pace quickened, striding towards the house. The calm and composed expression on his face had vanished without a trace, replaced by a deep worry and uneasiness.

The father and son hurried into the room, and Zhang Chengde carefully helped the old master sit down on the chair. He then quickly walked back to the door, carefully surveyed the surroundings, and gently closed the door. Turning around, he quickly walked up to the master and asked with a worried look on his face, "Father, are you saying something might have happened to Zhenyuan?"

"Tell me, how long has it been since we heard from Zhenyuan?" The old master did not answer his question directly, but asked in a serious tone.

"His last letter said he'd arranged to intercept the grain shipment. Since then, there's been no news." Zhang Chengde was already convinced that his precious grandson had met with misfortune. His eyes were filled with anxiety and fear, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead.