Most of the officials had long anticipated this day, but none of them expected it to happen on the Dragon Boat Festival. Upon receiving the news that His Majesty and the Imperial Tutor were going to the border, they rushed from their homes to the city gate to see them off.

Everyone knew this all along, and Xie Rang made the decision, so they couldn't refute it. Everyone knows the situation, and it's not unreasonable for His Majesty to personally lead the expedition.

Once the Rouran are brought under control, there will be no more external threats.

The officials who came to see him off all knew that this matter was of great importance, and almost all of them who could come did. The leader was the Minister of the Six Ministries, as well as officials who were somewhat familiar to Yun Qing, such as Gu Yun, Wei Zixian, Liang Bang, and Song Qiuping.

Some civilians sensed a different atmosphere and, forgetting their own celebrations at home, came out to stand outside the Imperial Guard's perimeter, gazing towards the city gate.

Yun Qing and Xie Rang both changed into narrow-sleeved casual clothes, but the difference was that the young man was also wearing soft armor. On this trip, he was not only the emperor, but also the commander-in-chief of the army, which made the trip different.

Although it came a bit hastily, everyone had already discussed this matter privately. No matter how many arguments they had in court, they were now of one mind and had only one wish.

"May Your Majesty and Lord Li return safely!"

Xie Rang nodded slightly, gesturing for them to stand up.

Yun Qing's gaze swept over these people. They were all pillars of the court, and the guarantee that she and Xie Rang could leave with peace of mind. She solemnly raised her hand: "I entrust the affairs of the court to you all."

Everyone knows the current relationship between the Imperial Tutor and the Emperor. They have all received Yun Qing's help to some extent. Moreover, Yun Qing's abilities are outstanding in every aspect, and everyone is already convinced of his worth.

They hurriedly replied, "Lord Li, please rest assured, Your Majesty, we will definitely handle the affairs of the capital well."

After the farewells were over, the Imperial Guards outside the city gates were already fully prepared to depart. With no internal strife in the Great Xi Dynasty, their only task was to reach the border as quickly as possible.

Xie Rang took Yun Qing's hand and whispered to her, "Let's go."

The court officials had already left one after another, but there were still people watching from behind. Xie Rang seemed unconcerned whether their actions would be seen by the people, and he acted intimately and naturally.

The court officials needed to know this. They wouldn't deliberately make it public to the people, but there was no need to hide it either. What the world said didn't matter; in history books, they were destined to be linked together.

"good."

When the time truly came, Yun Qing felt an indescribable surge of emotion. She looked into the distance and whispered, "We will win."

Without her arrival, the war would have been won badly, but regardless, it was still a victory.

This time, they're going to win big.

Xie Rang responded, "Mm."

...

The scorching sunlight shone on the earth, and the horses' hooves kicked up dust.

It wasn't until the army had gone far away that the civilians came to their senses.

"Just now...did His Majesty hold Lord Li's hand?"

"Men and women should not touch each other. Is this really something that teachers and students should do?"

"It seems there have been rumors for a while that these two have a complicated relationship..."

Ordinary people are most easily attracted to gossip, whether they know each other or not, and they soon start discussing this matter.

An official tried to stop it, but his colleague pulled him away, saying, "Are you stupid? It's clearly His Majesty's doing this on purpose. It's none of your business."

...

...

The discussions among the people of the capital did not reach Yun Qing and Xie Rang's ears for the time being.

The necessary supplies had already been transported to the border in advance, allowing them to travel light and replenish their food supplies along the way, which would make their journey much faster.

Although Yun Qing had been exercising, her physique was ultimately not as good as those who had practiced martial arts for many years. So after riding a horse for a while, she switched to a carriage. Fortunately, there was no rush, and she didn't delay everyone's progress.

Heading north, just like Yun Qing and Xie Rang had done years before, the scenery along the way was quite different. The people were all well-fed and clothed, and the scene was harmonious.

The border was under martial law, meaning the imperial guards were clearly marked, which is why they weren't stopped immediately.

Currently, both sides are in a state of silence. Xie Rang is going to find out about military affairs. Yun Qing is not very involved in this matter, so she simply goes to the mansion to make some repairs first. Li Yun Shu is also coming with her.

She treated Yun Qing warmly and without any reservations, as if her farewell last time was just a casual remark. This natural interaction relieved Yun Qing, since they really didn't have much of a chance to talk anymore.

“I didn’t expect that things would change so quickly after I came back. Sister, you have no idea how worried I was about you.”

There was a time lag between the two sides' news. When Li Yunshu heard that Yun Qing had gone to Jiangnan to treat the epidemic, she guessed that there might be a conflict between her and the young emperor. Unfortunately, she could not leave her post without permission. It wasn't until later that Yun Qing's identity as a woman was exposed, and there were also issues of a women's school, the relationship between the imperial tutor and the emperor. All sorts of things were mixed together, making it difficult for people to accept so much information in a short period of time.

When Li Yunshu received the news at the border, she and her husband worried for a long time, their hearts pounding in their chests.

"I'm sorry, the situation was urgent, and I didn't have time to discuss it with you."

Yun Qing knew how shocking this news would be when it suddenly came out. It took officials in the capital a long time to slowly accept it, and people far away on the border must be even more worried about themselves.

Li Yunshu tilted her head and comforted her, "It's okay, sister, we won't blame you, it's just..."

She hesitated before continuing, "Sister, you and His Majesty..."

"We're out in the open now, we're together." Yun Qing gave a definite answer to avoid her making wild guesses. "From now on, I will stay in the court and do what I want to do. He won't have a harem, nor will he restrict me because of it, so don't worry."

"I can tell."

Li Yunshu's voice softened, and this time there was no room for obstruction. In fact, she seemed to have already seen the ending back then.

"Sister, I wish you and His Majesty happiness. No matter what, Li will always be your strongest support. If he ever betrays you, we will definitely take you back!"

Women who leave home are very protective of their children, and they have high standards for choosing a husband. Especially in this generation, with few descendants, Yunqing and Li Yunshu are the key people to protect.

Yun Qing felt a warmth in her heart, but at the same time, she was also a little amused and exasperated: "Okay, I believe you."

Li Yunshu was a general, and it was enough for her to use her position to send Yun Qing over. She couldn't chat with her for too long, so after a brief exchange of pleasantries, she hurriedly left.

A servant brought Yunqing a new set of clothes. Yunqing unfolded them and saw that there was also a set of soft armor inside, which was obviously made to her size.

She roughly knew who had prepared it.

She wasn't going to the front lines, but her husband and wife were clearly still worried about her and specially sent her some.

Yun Qing pursed her lips, picked up the clothes, and put them on.