"Yue'er, can you hear me?" Guan Hongsheng called out softly as he dug through the snow.
The roads on both sides were dug up simultaneously, and after the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, they were all dug through. Guan Zhiyue, Li Qiji, and the buried soldiers were all dug out.
Guan Hongsheng looked at the disheveled Li Qiji and then at the well-protected Guan Zhiyue, and breathed a sigh of relief.
We finally found them, and we finally rescued them.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, it's good that you're alright, it's good that you're alright!" Guan Hongsheng asked with concern.
Li Qiji looked around and, seeing that no one had been seriously injured, felt somewhat relieved.
"This place is not safe to stay any longer; it would be best to leave quickly," Li Qiji said.
Guan Hongsheng wanted to see his eldest son at the very back, but after hearing what the Emperor said, he didn't say anything and simply clasped his hands and nodded in agreement.
After experiencing the avalanche, the group quickly left the area.
Fortunately, they encountered a small avalanche. If it had been a snow wall as thick as a city wall that buried them all, they would have been doomed.
Guan Zhiyue and her group left the mountain valley in a thrilling and terrifying way, leaving everyone with lingering fears!
However, in the capital city...
Li Qishang was completely overwhelmed, his eyes were swollen, and he felt terrible.
During this year's Spring Festival, neither the Emperor nor the Empress were in the palace. The Spring Festival was just a routine event. All the ministers were gathered together, had a meal, watched a song and dance performance, and then everyone was sent home to their parents.
He and Empress Dowager Xin would either stare at each other or he would invite his cousin Xin Chenchen and his family to the palace for a gathering.
Most importantly, Guan Zhiyue isn't in the capital, so there's nothing fun to do. Although there are games like mahjong, Li Qishang always feels that nothing in the capital is fun without Xiaoyue'er around.
"Hua Quan, when do you think my brother and sister-in-law will be able to return?"
I miss them so much!
Hua Quan, holding his whisk, stood to the side with his head bowed and eyes lowered, not saying a word, but inwardly rolling his eyes in exasperation.
How could he know how long the Emperor and Empress wanted to stay?
He doesn't know martial arts, and the Emperor is going to rescue his own Empress. If he goes, wouldn't he just be a hindrance? So, assisting Prince Xiaoyao in the capital is his job.
"Hua Quan, I'm asking you a question!" Seeing that Hua Quan didn't answer, Li Qishang turned his head curiously to look at Hua Quan, who was standing to the side.
Hua Quan then bowed respectfully and said, "Your Highness, this servant does not know either."
Li Qishang looked dejected, leaned back in his chair, and said with his head tilted back, "Sigh, I wonder when my brother and the others will return."
"This is so boring, it's just so incredibly boring."
Upon hearing his master's words, Shang Yao's lips twitched slightly, and he then said, "Master, would you like to go and stroll through the lantern festival?"
Li Qishang brushed a stray hair from his forehead and said, "Go where? What am I, a grown man, doing at the lantern festival? No, no."
Shang Yao: I was just worried that Your Highness would be bored in the palace; I was just offering a suggestion.
"Yes, Your Highness?"
It was a time of rest for the imperial court, and the ministers were not attending court. At this moment, Li Qishang even missed them a little.
Although it's as noisy as a vegetable market every day, I've actually started to miss it after not seeing it for a while. I wonder if these ministers are having a good time at home during the Lunar New Year.
Time passed day by day. The cold winter and the rustling snowflakes were gone. Now the sun shines brightly, its rays dazzling and radiant every day.
"Phew, we're finally almost at the capital. We've been through so much hardship on this journey." Guan Zhiyue slowly lowered the carriage curtain she had lifted, and couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.
"Yes, we've finally arrived in the capital."
"Time flies! It's already the end of January, and in a few days it will be the exam that only comes around once every three years!" Li Qiji said.
Guan Zhiyue immediately understood what was being said and couldn't help but nod in agreement.
——
The capital city.
"Brother, you're finally back!" Li Qishang saw the carriage parked at the gate of the capital and ran over quickly, hugging Li Qiji as he got off the carriage.
Li Qiji rolled his eyes at the sky speechlessly. What kind of crazy move was his brother making? This was blocking the view of all the civil and military officials!
"Let go~" Li Qiji said.
Li Qishang hugged his older brother tightly and said, "My good brother, you're finally back!"
"By the way, where is my sister-in-law?"
Li Qishang released his brother and looked at the carriage behind him. The ministers standing to the side bowed and bent over when they saw the emperor walking towards them.
"Welcome back Your Majesty and Empress."
Guan Zhiyue also stepped down from the carriage and walked quickly to Li Qiji's side. The two stood together, looking at the ministers waiting for them at the door in a very high-profile manner.
"Your Majesty, Your ... you have worked hard."
"Congratulations, Your Majesty, on your triumphant return!"
"Your Majesty the Empress truly lives up to her reputation as the Mother of the Nation. She managed to persuade the Turkic people without firing a single shot. She is truly a role model for our country!" Su Xu said softly as he looked at the woman before him.
The woman he longed for day and night seemed to have become somewhat frail.
Back in the capital, she was fair and radiant, but now she's become rather thin. It seems that the border region is indeed a very tiring place.
"As the mother of the nation, I should share the Emperor's burdens and seek happiness for the people. I am unworthy of such praise from the Grand Secretary!" Guan Zhiyue's face lit up with a bright smile.
The ministers present, observing their Empress up close, now saw Guan Zhiyue as a goddess descended from heaven, exuding an aura of compassion and benevolence.
Li Qiji nodded in agreement after hearing Su Xu's words.
"Return to the palace."
Hua Quan stood beside Li Qiji, flicked his whisk, and loudly proclaimed, "Let's return to the palace!"
So the large group of people headed towards the palace.
Guan Zhiyue stood at the gate of the Cold Palace, looking at the ponds on both sides of the Cold Palace. The lotus flowers in the ponds had withered stems and some dried lotus pods. She couldn't help but sigh!
"I, Rosamund Kwan, am back!!"
After Guan Zhiyue finished speaking, she lifted her skirt and walked towards the courtyard inside the Cold Palace.
Hearing the commotion, Liu Debao, who was inside the Cold Palace, quickly ran out and saw Guan Zhiyue already walking into the courtyard.
"Your servants kowtow to Your Majesty the Empress! May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace!" The servants of the Cold Palace suddenly knelt on the ground, extremely excited!
Guan Zhiyue waved her hand and said, "Get up!"
A large group of people surrounded Guan Zhiyue and headed towards the backyard.
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