"Yes, Grand Tutor is right!"

Li Ying and Hu Guang nodded in agreement.

The three then discussed the upcoming assessment and some specific details regarding the autumn harvest.

About an hour later, Chen Fan looked at Li Ying and Hu Guang and said with a smile:

"Things have been discussed to a sufficient extent, so let's all go about our business! We just need to observe the situation and wait and see! We must not cause any trouble for His Majesty!"

"The Grand Tutor is right! Then we'll be going now!"

Li Ying and Hu Guang also bowed to Chen Fan with relaxed expressions.

"Oh, by the way, Grand Commandant, has there been any news from Bingzhou?"

Just as the two were about to leave, Chen Fan stopped Li Ying and then asked him about the situation in Bingzhou.

Li Ying said, "I did receive a report from Zhang Ranming, saying that preparations have been made over there. The details should have already reached His Majesty!"

Chen Fan nodded. "Well, let's go and discuss this with His Majesty together! After all, if things move in Bingzhou, the Xiongnu will likely make their own moves too..."

"The Grand Tutor is right, let's go then!"

Then Chen Fan and Li Ying left the government office and walked together toward the palace.

On the other side, after traveling for more than an hour, Dou Miao led a group of relatives and members of the maternal relatives' families to the foot of the mountain where the Taiping Taoist Temple was located.

Zhang Jiao, along with his brothers Zhang Liang and Zhang Bao, and a group of Taoist disciples, had been waiting there for some time.

Seeing the Empress Dowager's carriage slowly come to a stop, Zhang Jiao and the others hurriedly stepped forward to greet it.

"Zhang Jiao, leading a group of disciples of the Taiping Sect, respectfully welcomes the Empress Dowager and the Holy Mother!"

Led by Zhang Jiao, the disciples of the Taiping Sect paid their respects to the emperor's two mothers with the highest etiquette within the sect.

"No need for formalities!!"

"Thank you, Empress Dowager, Holy Mother!!"

Then, supported by palace maids and eunuchs, Dou Miao and Lady Dong disembarked from the imperial carriage and arrived at the mountain gate.