The Empress of the Qing Dynasty is from the Northeast

Seeing Changning's slightly shocked and relieved look, Meng Guqing curled the corners of her mouth: "You are thinner than last time. Is life in the Forbidden City difficult?"

Changning didn't expect that her first sentence would express concern for her situation. She was touched. Since she became the queen, she rarely heard such sincere greetings.

Even Wanhe, Yunchun, and Shufen, who had had a very good relationship with me before, couldn't help but be a little respectful when they saw me now, and didn't dare to overstep the line, as if the old days were gone forever.

But only Mengguqing remains the same as before.

Chang Ning took her hand and sat down: "No, who can bear the injustice for me? It's just that I was too busy with palace affairs recently."

She stroked Mengguqing's palms, which were covered with a thick layer of calluses and many small scars. The most eye-catching was a scar in the center of her right hand that ran through the entire palm. Changning seemed to be able to imagine the scene when she was injured.

Someone must have been trying to chop her down with a knife or sword. In the critical moment, she caught it with her bare hands, snatched the weapon away, and fought back fatally. However, the scar on her hand remained, recording the past.

Chang Ning suddenly felt a little sad: "You are already a prince, why do you still go to war by yourself?"

Mengguqing smiled bitterly: "This is what I left behind. To be honest, during that period, I was always the first one to go out to fight. I kept running around, afraid that if I took a break, I would think of Abu Eji in this familiar land. Sometimes I would rather die on the battlefield, so that I could leave with a clear conscience, find them, and tell them that Mengguqing has grown up now and lived up to their training."

Changning's nose felt even more sour. As a mother, she naturally knew how much love the old prince and his wife had for her. They were afraid that she would suffer any grievances, so they raised her like a pearl on the grassland. Who would have thought that this pearl would go through the trials again and shine on the grassland again on their behalf?

But others can only see her glory and her achievements, but cannot see the injuries and tears she suffered behind the scenes. Only her parents and close relatives can feel her pain.

Mengguqing was very happy that Changning cared about her so much, as she finally had a confidant.

But it was rare for them to meet, and she didn't want Changning to be sad all the time, so she patted her on the back and changed the subject: "I heard that you've been practicing horse riding recently?"

"Yeah, I can ride it just fine."

"That's right. Run more horses and you'll be healthier. You're so skinny now, I can beat five of you with one punch."

Chang Ning rolled his eyes at her, turned around and called Chuixue over: "Go and get the things we brought."

Meng Guqing was a little curious: "What is it?"

"A gift for you!"

As he was speaking, Chuixue ordered four young eunuchs to bring in a camphorwood box that was half a person's height.

"So many?" Mengguqing was shocked.

"That's not a lot, open it and take a look."

Seeing that she was somewhat excited, Mengguqing secretly guessed in his heart, wondering what it was.

She walked over slowly and took a look. She felt that the box was very heavy. The four eunuchs just now were all doing rough work and were very strong. But it still took four people to lift it.

She grasped the edge of the box with both hands and lifted it up suddenly. Inside, she saw the flashing of swords and sabers, a set of silver-shining armor, two knives, a whip, and... a musket...

Meng Guqing's eyes lit up: "What is this?"

At this time, there were only two of them left in the room.

Chang Ning whispered, "The Emperor and I have discussed all this. We need you to help us gather forces in Mongolia, and we also need to resist the sneak attacks from the Junggars. This won't work without good equipment."

Meng Guqing was an expert in armor and weapons. She knew it must have been made by a skilled craftsman. But the musket was beyond her expectations: "This... this is too precious..."

Chang Ning shook his head: "Of course, the emperor and I both trust you. Besides, Meng Guqing, you are much more important than this musket."

Mengguqing carefully checked the weapons and breathed a sigh of relief: "Thanks to the emperor's care, Mengguqing will swear allegiance to you until death."

Changning felt something was strange. She had good intentions and wanted to give her weapons for self-defense, but how did it seem like she was trying to use her and win her over?

Thinking of this, she quickly explained: "Meng Guqing, I don't mean to use you. I just thought that you often lead by example, so I want to help you with safety."

Mengguqing smiled, showing her white teeth: "I know you have always been good to me."

Mengguqing carefully collected these weapons and planned to keep them safely.

Yinzhen had summoned Mengguqing in the morning. Changning was not very clear about how the Qing Dynasty and Mongolia would conduct themselves, but she didn't need to worry about it anyway.

She just vaguely heard that Yinzhen seemed to have sent a message to Princess Wen Ke and Princess Dun Ke, the two sisters of the Thirteenth Prince, who were fostered by the late emperor, and invited them to meet him at Mulan Paddock.

She had a vague feeling that Yinzhen was playing a big game, but she couldn't figure it out.

Since I can’t guess it, I’ll just stop thinking about it.

Chang Ning thought of the chats between the concubines again and couldn't help laughing: "Do you know that you have become a role model for the daughters of the grasslands? Just now, those Mongolian concubines all shouted to me that they wanted to make friends with you. They think you are the Baturu of the daughters of the grasslands. They all admire you very much."

Meng Guqing shook his head and smiled bitterly: "I am just growing up now, but the price is a bit too high."

"When God is about to give a man a great responsibility, he must first make his mind suffer, his muscles and bones tired, his body hungry and empty, and his actions frustrated. This is to stimulate his heart and harden his nature, and to increase his ability to do what he was not able to do before." Changning comforted her, "This is the book Hongzhao recited yesterday."

Meng Guqing glanced at her and asked: "Sinology?"

Chang Ning nodded: "Of course, this is a classic."

"Then I will go back and read the classics as well."

With a "puff", the two looked at each other and laughed.

"I heard that Prince Amur is still pursuing you?" Changning tilted his head and looked at her and smiled.

Mengguqing pursed her lips and nodded: "He is just that stubborn. What a pity, I am also so stubborn. Abu once said that if I make up my mind, even a hundred sheep can't pull me back."

Changning felt a little sorry for her, but he also felt that now that things had come to this, and she was all alone, she might as well be more relaxed and carefree.

"Actually, I'm just worried that you're too tired alone." Chang Ning's eyes were full of worry. If you work hard alone for a long time, you'll get tired sometimes, right? You'll want to find someone to rely on and take a break, right?

Meng Guqing's eyes suddenly lit up: "I heard that you gave birth to triplets again! Why don't you give me one of the babies?"