Returning to the Northern Border was something Rong Ning had been looking forward to, so she didn't stop along the way and traveled north for seven or eight days before finally arriving at Kangye City.
It was already evening when we arrived, and the fiery red sunset bathed the entire Kangye City in warm light.
Because they had been instructed beforehand not to make too much of a show of force, and especially that Chu Pingfeng should not bring any officials to greet him, only You Jiang and one or two other people were waiting at the city gate.
Upon seeing them, Youjiang waved to them.
After a few months apart, You Jiang had gotten a bit darker and stronger. Rong Ning had everyone dismount and prepared to walk into the city.
You Jiang walked over, her voice filled with barely suppressed joy, "Your Highness... I've been waiting day and night for you to come back!"
Rong Ning was overjoyed to finally be back here and sincerely said, "Sister Youjiang, you've worked so hard these past few months, taking care of so many things in the Northern Territory for me."
"Your Highness, you are too kind. I only did what I could, nothing more!"
"Oh... Sister Youjiang, please don't be so polite!" Aying hooked her arm around Youjiang's. "His Highness said you've had a hard time, so you must have. Our His Highness is the most honest of all!"
Honesty!?
Xie Chong, who had been walking behind without saying a word, raised an eyelid and felt that the word "honest" was strangely used to describe Rong Ning.
Youjiang noticed him. Although she was surprised that Rong Ning had gotten married after only one trip back, she couldn't skip the proper etiquette, so she took the initiative to greet him, "Youjiang greets the Prince Consort!"
Xie Chong smiled and returned the greeting without saying anything more.
The group walked into the city.
Although it was already evening, the streets were still very lively. Rong Ning asked You Jiang to take them back to settle in, while she and Xie Chong strolled slowly through the streets.
The people of Kangye City all knew Rong Ning, and they were pleasantly surprised to see her reappear. Looking at Xie Chong beside her, they couldn't help but tease her about which handsome young man she had brought along this time.
Rong Ning didn't hide anything and introduced Xie Chong as her husband in a very open and honest way.
Upon hearing that it was her husband, the people excitedly gathered around, asking him if he knew this or that.
After Xie Chong shook his head repeatedly, they looked at him with a strange sense of disdain.
That look seemed to say: What kind of person is he, how could he be worthy of being their prince's husband?
That look in his eyes was even more disdainful than the way the noble sons of Nanyang City looked at him, which left Xie Chong speechless.
Rong Ning rescued him, smiling as she pulled him forward, leading him on a stroll and a meal.
Xie Chong watched her wander the streets, chatting with the people from time to time. The smile on her face was sincere and relaxed, as if she were just an ordinary citizen living here.
This was a look Xie Chong had never seen before!
He had only ever met Rong Ning in Nanyang City; she was domineering and ruthless!
Xie Chong followed behind Rong Ning and said slowly, "Your Highness... the people of Kangye City seem to like you very much!"
"Whether they like it or not, I don't know. I only know that after the battle of Kangye City, I led them to rebuild Kangye City. This place is home to them, and it is home to me too."
Rong Ning, like them all, loved this place and hoped it would remain so.
The two strolled slowly back to their residence.
The residence was the same one she had bought during her last visit; she rejected the proposal to rebuild a princess's residence in Kangye City.
It's just a place to live; there's no need to make it so troublesome and wasteful of money.
“This place is not as luxurious as the princess’s mansion in Nanyang City, and it’s not very big either, but it has everything you need. Your courtyard will be arranged next to mine, as per the rules.”
Xie Chong was in a good mood and replied with a faint smile, "I will follow Your Highness's arrangements!"
"This isn't Nanyang City, there aren't so many rules here, and I don't need to put on airs like a royal princess all day to intimidate those old scoundrels, so don't stand on ceremony, just call me A'Ning..."
Xie Chong was stunned for a moment, opened his mouth to call out, but couldn't say it. He wasn't used to it!
Oh well... I'll get used to it eventually!
After traveling day and night for so many days, everyone was exhausted, so they all went to bed early at night.
When Xie Chong woke up the next day, he heard from his servants that Rong Ning had gone out to see the Prefect of Chu early in the morning.
The Prefect of Chu was the son of the newly appointed Prime Minister of Nanyang City, and his sister was the Crown Princess appointed by the emperor. They were definitely on the emperor's side. Thinking about it this way, they had actually made their moves on this grand reform strategy a long time ago, but the people in Nanyang City were slow to realize it.
The northern border has three states: Ming State, You State, and Wu State. When the Great Jing attacked, these three states were in chaos. Kangye City was besieged, and the other two states had scattered and ineffective troops, making it impossible for them to provide reinforcements.
Later, when Rong Ning reorganized the army, he integrated the forces of the three prefectures and redeployed them. Rong Ning did not completely separate the three prefectures, but placed the troops in positions that were capable of both offense and defense, and that could provide the fastest possible assistance to any prefecture in distress.
This is why Rong Ning insisted on separating military power from the governors of each prefecture. If military power were in the hands of the governors, everyone would have their own agenda, making it difficult to coordinate and affecting troop training.
She worked tirelessly day and night for two months to achieve this result.
After spending several days in Nanyang City discussing matters with officials from the other three prefectures led by Chu Pingfeng, Rong Ning plunged headlong into the military camp.
The northern border forces were deployed in eight large camps. Apart from the Dragon Valley Camp and the Tiger Gate Camp, the other six camps were all far from Kangye City. Therefore, it was two months later when Rong Ning finished inspecting the camps.
When she returned to Kangye City, it was almost the end of the year. The streets were decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, full of festive atmosphere. The smiles on people's faces were genuine and content, as if the iron hooves and flames of war from the Great Jing Dynasty had never trampled on this place.
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