Chapter Forty-seven Grandfather

  Unfortunately, life is not always as one wishes, and some things cannot be solved immediately no matter how anxious or eager you are. As August is about to pass, Qingjin has attended many gatherings and banquets with Junshi, and also met several madams, but it's either that the other families look down on her or Junshi looks down on them.

  Thus a month passed in attending banquets and visiting various ladies with Qingjin.

  It's almost September, and the news of Third Uncle's rescue is only a month away from being transmitted back to the capital. However, Qingjin's marriage has yet to show any signs of progress. Qingjin's heart is gradually becoming unsettled. Now, following Junshi out to attend banquets, she occasionally hears some secret information that says Emperor Ming, Third Prince, and Sixth Prince were able to escape because someone bypassed the Mongolian army's encirclement and joined forces with the emperor, then under Emperor Ming's command, they escaped from the Mongolian army's encirclement through internal and external coordination.

  Because of the distance, news was not easy to convey, but Qingjin knew that the person must be her third uncle without a doubt. Hearing these vague messages, Qingjin had some self-mockery in her heart, could it be that fate was really irresistible?

  But what if she insists on resisting!

  Just as Qingjin felt that the future was unchangeable and wanted to make a desperate attempt, in the afternoon of this day, Junshi sent someone to summon Qingjin to her courtyard. When Qingjin arrived at Junshi's room, she saw Junshi trying to conceal her joy, her face beaming with delight. Qingjin's expression changed, and she asked: "Mother, is there some good news that you've called me over for? You look so happy!"

  Upon hearing Qingjin's words, Junshi pulled Qingjin over to sit down, beaming with joy, and said: "Qinger, how did you know that Mother had good news to tell you?"

  Qing Jin looked at Jun Shi's obviously delighted expression and fell silent. You're so openly expressive, what more can be said!

  Jun didn't mind Qingjin's silence and pulled her to the bedside, "It's a great joy! Your maternal grandfather sent a letter to my mother!"

  "Maternal grandfather?" Qing Jin opened her mouth in confusion upon hearing Jun Shi's words.

  Her past life didn't have a grandfather coming to visit this matter, how could it suddenly appear that her grandfather came to visit this matter, is this good or... Qingjin pondered.

  Jun was still in excitement and didn't notice Qingjin's expression. Hearing Qingjin's words, she thought Qingjin was puzzled. She continued to speak: "Yes, your maternal grandfather is a great general, and he used to live in the capital city too. It's just that after I married your father, your maternal grandfather took your cousin from your uncle's family back to their hometown in Lingnan. I didn't expect him to write to me now."

  When Qing Jin heard Jun Shi's words, her eyes flashed. This grandfather was also in her memories of the previous life. However, as for her grandfather, she only knew that his name was Jun Bo, a great general during the previous emperor's reign, and that her grandmother had died early, but her grandfather had never remarried, raising her mother Jun Shi alone until she got married, then resigned from office and left the capital to return to their hometown in Lingnan.

  After that, there was no more news, and she had always thought that her maternal grandfather had only one daughter, her mother. Now, after hearing her mother mention it, it seemed that she also had a maternal uncle and a cousin.

  "Do I still have an uncle?" Qing Jin asked seemingly unintentionally.

  She didn't expect that after asking this one sentence, Jun Shi, who was originally in high spirits and smiling with joy, suddenly fell silent.

  Qing Jin first heard that she actually had an uncle. Curious in her heart, she didn't notice Jun Shi's sudden silence and continued to ask: "Mother, Grandfather is old, why doesn't Uncle come to Beijing to see me and my brother?"

  After asking this sentence, he turned his head to look at Jun Shi and only then saw Jun Shi's unusually silent face.

  Seeing Junshi's silent expression, Qingjin put away her curiosity. Wasn't Mother Junshi and that so-called uncle not born of the same mother? Or was there some disagreement between Junshi and this uncle before they got married?

  Just as he was thinking this way, Jun Shi let out a sigh, "Your uncle is no longer around."

  "Is it gone?"

  Seeing Qingjin's stunned eyes, Junshi looked over and said, "Since you want to listen, I'll tell you. However, when you see your maternal grandfather in the future, don't ever mention your uncle. Your uncle's early passing has always been the most painful thing for your maternal grandfather. That's why he resigned from his official position and returned to his hometown because of your uncle."

  Qing Jin nodded seriously at Jun Shi's solemn tone.

  "Your uncle's name is Jun Changliu, he is my mother's older brother by five years, and at the age of eight, he followed your grandfather to the battlefield to fight against the enemy. At sixteen, he became a young general... A youthful genius, astonishingly brilliant... That's the kind of person your uncle is, and he has always been the pride of both your grandfather and my mother..."

  "Wow, Uncle is so amazing!" Hearing Jun's words, Qingjin couldn't help but exclaim. A 16-year-old general was indeed very young and promising.

  "That's natural!" Mr. Jun couldn't help but feel proud when he heard Qingjin's praise.

  Seeing this side of Junshi, it seems that Mother Junshi and Uncle's feelings are very good. Then continue to speak: "What happened later?"

  "Later, when your uncle was eighteen years old, he brought back a commoner woman from outside and told your maternal grandfather and me that he wanted to marry her as his wife. Our family, the Jun, although not of noble birth for generations, had always been deeply trusted by the previous emperor at that time, and your uncle was such a person..."

  "Was it because Grandfather disagreed with Uncle marrying Auntie?"

  "Your great-uncle was naturally opposed, but your uncle had made up his mind to marry that commoner woman and take her as his only wife for life, and would never take a concubine. Your uncle's stubbornness provoked your grandfather's obstinacy, and neither of them would back down. At this time, the previous emperor issued an edict saying he intended to marry his most beloved princess to your uncle, which was accepted by your grandfather."

  "Uncle will definitely not agree." Qingjin said firmly upon hearing this.

  "You're right, your uncle went to the palace that night and told the previous emperor that he already had a woman in his heart and couldn't marry the princess. The previous emperor joked that your uncle and your maternal grandfather were both 'fools' and took a step back, saying he was still willing to give the princess to him and allow your uncle to take the other woman as a concubine. But your uncle firmly refused, saying he had already promised that woman and would only marry one wife in this life, wishing to spend his whole life with just one person."

  "Will Emperor Xian punish his uncle's crime?" She began to admire this uncle a bit.

  "Your uncle thus swept the face of the previous emperor, everyone thought the previous emperor would be furious, but unexpectedly the previous emperor listened to your uncle's words and fell silent for a long time, and actually withdrew the imperial decree of marriage, and gave your uncle and that commoner woman an imperial wedding, the Emperor himself bestowed the marriage, so your maternal grandfather could not object."

  "It seems like Uncle and Auntie have finally become a couple, what about Grandfather?"

  Actually, when your uncle stormed into the palace to break off the engagement in a fit of rage, your grandfather regretted it, but he couldn't swallow his pride.

  Your uncle married that commoner woman, now your aunt, and she has a gentle disposition, soft as water, with a beautiful heart. After they got married, the two of them were deeply in love, very filial to your paternal grandfather, and genuinely cared for me, your mother.

  After a long time, both my grandfather and I sincerely accepted your aunt. In the third year after their marriage, your aunt became pregnant. Your uncle and aunt were even more loving, and at that time our whole family was extremely happy, with smiles on everyone's faces all day long, including my grandfather's.

  However, when your aunt was six months pregnant, the border sent news of war, and your uncle was ordered to go out. Originally, it wasn't a very difficult battle, but who knew that after your uncle went to war for two months, the grain and grass that should have been delivered long ago didn't arrive. Your uncle wrote several letters urging them to send supplies, but they all fell on deaf ears. At that time, the enemy's attack became fierce, and under the circumstances of no food or supplies, your uncle led the army in a bitter fight for two months, until he was exhausted and died at the hands of the enemy soldiers.

  The news arrived that your aunt was in labor at the time, and upon hearing the news of her husband's death in battle, she gave birth to your cousin with all her might and then bled to death...

  "What does this have to do with your grandfather?"

  "After the incident, your great-uncle investigated and found out that it was actually the beloved princess of the previous emperor who was involved. It turned out that this princess had been rejected by your uncle in marriage and harbored a grudge against him. Under the instigation of someone with ulterior motives, she ordered her people to intercept your uncle's memorial to the throne. This princess didn't intend to harm your uncle, but only wanted to teach him a lesson and planned to submit his memorial to the previous emperor after a few days' delay. However, this princess was careless and forgot to instruct her people to present your uncle's memorial to the emperor, which ultimately led to your uncle dying in battle at the border due to lack of food for two months."

  After the matter was clarified, the former emperor was furious and demoted the princess to a commoner. He posthumously promoted your uncle to general and granted your maternal grandfather the title of "Defender General". However, your maternal grandfather couldn't shake off his guilt, believing that he had caused your uncle's death. If he hadn't accepted the former emperor's edict on behalf of your uncle, your uncle wouldn't have refused the marriage proposal and been hated by the princess, and thus wouldn't have died in battle. Moreover, your aunt also wouldn't have bled to death during childbirth.

  Your great-uncle was heartbroken over the death of your uncle and aunt, and refused the generous rewards that the previous emperor wanted to bestow upon your family. Despite the previous emperor's repeated attempts to persuade him otherwise, he insisted on resigning from his official position. After I married your father, your great-uncle took the ashes of your uncle and aunt, as well as your young cousin, and left the capital city to return to their hometown in Lingnan.

  "It's not actually grandfather's fault..." Qing Jin said after hearing Jun Shi's words.

  "Mr. Jun heard Qingjin's words, touched Qingjin's head and said: "I used to advise your grandfather like this too, but you don't know how stubborn he was. No matter how hard I tried to persuade him, he refused to come out of that dead end. When I first married your father, I often wrote letters to advise him, but he actually refused to read my letters because of this and sent them back unopened, not even bothering to reply..."