Chapter 127 She really needs him
As they traveled north, the emperor's entourage was naturally surrounded by a large entourage, displaying great power and prestige. The procession of tens of thousands of people stretched for miles, and officials knelt to welcome them in every city they passed. The people along the way also made way for them. Although the journey was only a few hundred miles, it took them more than a month to complete.
By the time they arrived in Yanmen County, it was already early October.
In the northern part of the country, there is no autumn.
As soon as you leave the Great Wall, the surrounding mountains and cities disappear, and what you see is a vast grassland stretching to the horizon.
The sky is vast and blue, the wilderness boundless and expansive.
Perhaps only those who have seen such a scene with their own eyes can truly understand the meaning of this word. The north wind blew some withered yellow grass clippings straight up into the sky, immediately causing the banners in the procession to flutter and the people to sway from side to side.
After leaving Yanmen County, there were no more paved roads on the grassland. Even the emperor's golden carriage needed a large group of people to move the stones blocking the road and trample the grass flat before it could pass. However, smaller carriages could not travel on such roads at all, as they could be knocked over by small stones at any time. Therefore, when passing through Yanmen County, Shang Ruyi left the carriage in the city and rode a horse instead.
A veiled hat shielded him from the oncoming sandstorm.
Hearing many people in the group complaining, Shang Ruyi glanced around and saw Mu Xian riding his horse, following carefully behind her, as if he were ready to support her at any moment.
She laughed and said, "Don't worry, my riding skills aren't that bad."
Mu Xian was also a little embarrassed. He had witnessed Shang Ruyi's horsemanship and archery skills in the Taiyuan military camp and knew that this little setback would not be a problem for her. However, he still cautiously said, "Young Master instructed me before he left that I should protect the young mistress well along the way."
"..."
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi's smile froze.
Protect yourself...?
He is indeed very thoughtful.
For more than a month, Shang Ruyi would look back almost every few miles she walked, hoping to see that familiar figure rush out of the crowd, return to their group, and return to her side.
Even if it's just a transaction, even if there's no affection involved—they are still husband and wife. Along the way, she has to face everyone and everything alone, including the emperor who is already eyeing the Yuwen family.
She really needs him.
However, for more than a month, she still couldn't wait for him to come.
Judging by the time, the second group of people had already left Luoyang and set off, but it was unknown where he and Princess Xinyue were now.
Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi smiled faintly: "With His Majesty the Emperor present, there will be no danger."
As they were talking, another familiar figure rode up to her side.
It is Lei Yu.
Unlike Shang Ruyi, she rode on horseback openly and without any attempt to conceal herself. A cool breeze blew across her face, making her already pale cheeks flushed and her eyes appear even brighter.
With one hand holding the reins and the other lifting a veil beside her hat, Shang Ruyi smiled and said to her, "Miss Lei."
Lei Yu looked her over, especially at how she could hold the reins with one hand and still sit steadily on the horse, and said, "Your riding skills are quite good. They told me before that you were proficient in riding and archery, but I didn't believe them."
They didn't talk much along the way, but the atmosphere was much more harmonious than when they first met.
Shang Ruyi smiled and said, "It's alright."
"Did Feng Chen teach you that?"
"No, I've known it since I was little."
"Oh, right, I forgot your father is—"
At this point, Lei Yu paused, glanced around somewhat awkwardly, and then said, "Along the way, many people have been talking about General Shang's great achievements back then."
Shang Ruyi said, "I dare not accept these four words."
In fact, Shang Ruohong had already faded out of officialdom a few years before his death, and the reason was precisely these four words.
There is another way to describe great achievements—their merits overshadow those of their master.
Now that they had passed Yanmen Pass and were approaching the territory inhabited by the Turks, she had to be even more careful. After all, their lives were in the emperor's hands. Although the emperor hadn't done anything to make things difficult for her along the way, she could feel a pair of eyes watching her from the golden carriage. Serving the emperor was like serving a tiger; if she did anything to displease him, her life would become even more difficult.
Moreover, she didn't have a single person around to protect her.
But then I thought again—why would I need his protection? I survived the first ten years or so without his protection, didn't I?
Thinking about it, I couldn't help but shake my head and chuckle.
Lei Yu asked, "What are you laughing at?"
Shang Ruyi quickly replied, "It's nothing."
Lei Yu glanced at her again before looking up ahead. The emperor's golden carriage was already far ahead of the procession, but after traveling for most of the day, it showed no sign of stopping. She couldn't help but ask, "Where are we going?"
Shang Ruyi looked ahead and said, "We're still three or four hundred li from here to the Turkic camp. We probably won't go any further."
"..."
"If we get any closer, we might run into the people on the other side."
Lei Yu looked at her with some surprise: "How did you know where the Turkic camp was—oh, did your father tell you that too?"
Shang Ruyi smiled and said, "When my father was sent as an envoy to the Turks, he took me with him. Although I was young at the time, I traveled on the grasslands for several months and became very familiar with this place."
Moreover, that was one of the few times she had spent with her father.
Lei Yu then asked, "So where are we going?"
Shang Ruyi glanced at the front of the group again and said, "If I remember correctly, if we go northwest, there seems to be a sweet water well ahead. When His Majesty the Emperor toured the northern frontier, his camp was stationed in that direction. This time, he should be revisiting that place."
Lei Yu raised an eyebrow slightly.
His Majesty the Emperor enjoys traveling around. He has been to Jiangdu four or five times. At the beginning of his reign, he once made a grand tour of the northern frontier.
On that occasion, he led an army of 200,000 to garrison on the grasslands, facing the Turkic camps from afar. At that time, both the Eastern and Western Turkic Khaganates were at their weakest, especially the Western Turkic Khaganate, which had already submitted to the Daye Dynasty. Therefore, the two Turkic Khaganates, along with the various kingdoms of the Western Regions, sent envoys to offer their congratulations and set up a camp that stretched for dozens of miles on the grasslands. Even in historical records, this was a glorious and brilliant event.
This time, the emperor toured the northern frontier again, clearly wanting to recreate the glory of the past.
Lei Yu sneered and said, "If you ask me, it's really unnecessary. Not only is it a waste of manpower and resources, but the Turks aren't as hostile to us as they used to be. What if—"
Before she could finish speaking, she saw Shang Ruyi suddenly point to the north.
What is that?
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