The next morning court session.
After all the officials had finished reporting on the day's events, Shen Hechuan simply stretched out his hand, signaling to his little shadow to read the imperial edict.
When Little Shadow finished reading, everyone present looked up in shock.
His Majesty is going to personally lead the expedition!
"Your Majesty, this is absolutely unacceptable!"
"Your Majesty, you have only recently ascended the throne, and your foundation is not yet secure. If you were to leave the capital now, what would become of the affairs of the court?"
"Your Majesty, there are two generals at the border; they will surely be able to handle it. Your Majesty, you should prioritize your health!"
"Your Majesty, please reconsider!"
This time, the officials in the court were unprecedentedly united, all of which made Shen Hechuan think twice.
However, Shen Hechuan's mind was made up.
"I have been considering this matter for a long time. This time, the Great Qi is eyeing us covetously and is determined to take us over."
However, the morale of our troops was unstable.
Our army's new weapons have not yet been fully deployed, so I personally led the expedition to ensure the army's morale.
As for state affairs, those decisions are naturally made by the Empress and the Crown Prince.
"Give the order to keep everything simple. I will depart tomorrow."
The news that Shen Hechuan was going to personally lead the expedition spread quickly throughout the entire palace and the capital.
The people cheered loudly, "Long live the Emperor!" and placed high hopes on Shen Hechuan.
Upon hearing the news, Luo Ziqian immediately rushed to Wanhe Hall and said directly to Shen Hechuan, "Do you know how dangerous it is for you to go to the battlefield?"
"Unless you take me with you, I won't let you go."
Shen Hechuan sighed helplessly as he looked at his shameless appearance.
"You're the only son in your family, are you really going to come with me?"
Luo Ziqian nodded firmly.
"Of course, how could I feel at ease letting you go to such a dangerous place by yourself?"
Shen Hechuan didn't want to take him along, and said, "What about my sister? You're about to get engaged to her, are you just going to abandon her?"
Luo Ziqian choked for a moment before continuing.
"I'm just going to fight, not to die. We can get married when I get back."
As he spoke, he stepped forward, disregarding the distance between the emperor and his subject, and placed his hands directly on the imperial desk. His eyes were full of threat, but his tone carried a hint of pleading.
"Your Majesty, I'm worried about you going alone. Let me accompany you."
Looking into Luo Ziqian's eyes, Shen Hechuan finally nodded.
"good."
He smiled. In crucial moments, he still needed his good brothers by his side.
Luo Ziqian smiled and discussed a few more details with Shen Hechuan before leaving Wanhe Hall.
Unexpectedly, as soon as they came out, they saw Princess Rongyang standing at the bottom of the steps.
She pursed her lips, staring directly at Luo Ziqian, her eyes seemingly filled with murderous intent.
Luo Ziqian subconsciously swallowed, then slowly took a few steps forward.
He slowly walked up to Princess Rongyang.
Only then did he speak.
"Princess, what brings you here?"
Princess Rongyang then spoke her first words.
"What did you just say to my brother?"
Luo Ziqian stammered as he spoke.
“I…I said I would go with His Majesty…to fight a war.”
Princess Rongyang: "Did the Emperor agree?"
Luo Ziqian nodded.
"What about our wedding?"
Luo Ziqian paused for a moment before taking a deep breath.
“Princess, I know our marriage is more important, but our Dacheng is more important. If we neglect our Dacheng because of this marriage…”
When the great achievement is gone, our little family will also be gone.
My actions are not because I don't care about our marriage; on the contrary, it's because I care about our marriage so much that I want to go to war.
Do you understand?
Princess Rongyang looked at him, her eyes reddening, tears welling up in her eyes.
She sniffed, then suddenly laughed.
She stepped forward and hugged Luo Ziqian, letting her tears soak his clothes, before finally speaking through sobs.
"You truly deserve to be the man I chose. You did the right thing, and I'm proud of your choice."
Luo Ziqian breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.
"Don't worry, I'll take good care of myself and come back as soon as possible."
"I'll come and marry you as soon as I get back."
"Um."
Princess Rongyang nodded.
"I'm waiting for you."
night.
Shen Hechuan and Gu Jingchun fell asleep in each other's arms.
At this moment, there was no lust between them, only each other.
At this moment, no words are needed to express the feelings between the two.
Only by each other's heartbeats can they feel each other's love.
The two of them held each other like that, neither of them sleeping nor speaking, until dawn.
Only at the very last moment did the two slowly get up.
Gu Jingchun personally dressed Shen Hechuan, piece by piece, until finally he put on a sturdy suit of armor.
In the end, Gu Jingchun saw him as a great general.
Gu Jingchun looked at him, then stood on tiptoe and gently placed a kiss on his lips.
The kiss ended.
Shen Hechuan suddenly lowered his head and kissed her again.
This kiss was more domineering, more reluctant, and more tender.
A moment later, Shen Hechuan slowly pulled away from her lips, his fingers gently stroking her cheek.
"Wait for me, I'll be back as soon as possible."
"good."
******
As dawn breaks, before the palace gates.
Sunlight quietly spilled onto the many palaces.
Emperor Shen Hechuan, clad in black armor and with a long sword at his waist, stood atop the steps, exuding an aura of heroic grandeur, like a god descending to earth.
Gu Jingchun was dressed in a phoenix-patterned court robe and wore a pearl crown. He had a smile on his lips and seemed calm, but a hint of trembling could be seen in his expression.
She held a cup of warm wine in her hands, her fingertips slightly white.
"His Majesty."
Her voice was soft, like a spring breeze brushing against willow branches, yet it carried a barely perceptible sob.
"This journey to the border is long and fraught with danger. I hope Your Majesty will take good care of your health. I will burn incense day and night in the palace to pray for Your Majesty's triumphant return."
The emperor accepted the wine cup, his gaze deep and unfathomable, his fingertips gently brushing against the back of Gu Jingchun's hand, and said softly:
"Okay, don't worry, I will definitely protect myself."
"But you, with the court unstable and potential for unrest, I entrust all matters of the palace to you."
Gu Jingchun looked up, her eyes shimmering with tears, but she forced back them and only managed a slight smile:
"Your Majesty will certainly not fail in your trust. I only wish that Your Majesty will always remember the moonlit night in Chang'an, and that a lamp will forever shine for you."
As she spoke, she took out a gold-embroidered amulet from her sleeve and gently tucked it into the inner layer of his armor.
"This talisman will accompany me in reciting scriptures for a hundred days, and I pray that it will protect Your Majesty and ensure your safe return."
Shen Hechuan held her hand tightly, remaining silent for a long time.
The two of them just stared at each other, neither willing to look away first.
At that moment, the sound of banners fluttering in the wind could be heard.
Shen Hechuan finally turned around, his black cloak billowing in a resolute arc.
"Mu Qian—"
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