Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

Visiting His Wife in Chapter 220

The news of Chen Xing's decision to return north was like a drop of cold water thrown into boiling oil, causing a brief ripple within the core circle of the Flying Tiger Pass camp, but it was quickly calmed down by strict military orders and efficient execution. Although Jia Wen and Chen Wei were worried about the emperor's personal order, they could only obey and quickly adjust their deployment to ensure that frontline military affairs could operate normally during the emperor's brief absence, and even more cautiously and steadily, leaving no opportunity for the Southern Dynasty allied forces.

At dawn the following day, before the sky was bright and the river wind was biting, five hundred of the most elite Imperial Guard knights stood in formation beside a secluded dock at Feihu Pass. Each knight rode two horses, fully saddled and bridled, standing silently like a black iron forest about to move. These knights were all fierce soldiers selected from the battle-hardened troops of the Northern Frontier and Western Liang, possessing superb horsemanship, exceptional endurance, and unwavering loyalty to the emperor.

Chen Xing had changed into a tight-fitting outfit suitable for riding, with a black cloak over it. He wore no crown, only a simple jade hairpin to hold his hair back. He then addressed his senior officials, including Jia Wen, Chen Wei, Shen Qing, and Dian Xiong, who had seen him off at the dock: "I will return within half a month at the earliest, and twenty days at the latest. I entrust the affairs of the front lines to you all. Hold the existing positions firmly, consolidate the results of the pacification efforts, maintain high pressure on Caishiji but do not rush into a full-scale attack. If there is any urgent military situation, send it directly to Chang'an by express courier, or intercept my carriage at the post stations along the way."

"Your Majesty, we will obey your decree! We will certainly not fail in your trust!" The crowd responded in unison, their expressions solemn.

Chen Xing said no more, nodded to everyone, turned around and nimbly mounted a jet-black steed with snow-white hooves from the Western Regions. This was his beloved mount, "Snow Treader," with excellent stamina and endurance.

"Set off!"

At a command, Chen Xing took the lead, galloping north along the pre-cleared riverbank road. Behind him, five hundred iron cavalry followed closely, their hooves initially sounding like thunderous drums, but quickly coalescing into a rolling torrent of iron, raising a cloud of dust before disappearing into the morning mist and distant mountains.

Instead of taking the relatively gentle but circuitous official road, they chose the shorter but more rugged and difficult imperial highways, and even some mountain trails. Chen Xing was eager to return home and only wanted to travel as fast as possible. The caravan advanced northward at an astonishing speed of nearly three hundred li per day, galloping during the day and only resting briefly for three or four hours at post stations or safe villages at night to change horses and replenish food and water before continuing their journey. Officials in the prefectures and counties along the way received the urgent messengers and had already prepared horses and simple supplies, but they often didn't even see the emperor's face, only witnessing a whirlwind of cavalry rushing past.

Chen Xing, with his system-enhanced physique, could still manage, but days of riding on horseback, enduring wind and rain, had taken their toll. Even a man of iron couldn't help but show signs of weariness and toil. However, whenever he recalled the phrase "caused by overwork and old injuries" in the report, and the image of Murong Mingyue possibly enduring her pain while still sitting upright in the side hall of Xuanzheng Hall reviewing memorials, a fire seemed to burn in his chest, dispelling all his fatigue, leaving only one thought: hurry, hurry, to get back to her side.

Seven days later, the entourage finally passed through Tongguan and entered the Guanzhong Plain. The familiar, majestic outline of Chang'an City was now in sight. Chen Xing did not make a big fuss about informing the capital. Instead, he ordered the entourage to rest briefly in a royal garden ten miles outside the city. He himself, with only a dozen or so personal guards, changed into an ordinary carriage and quietly entered Chang'an City through a side gate, heading straight for the imperial city.

Weiyang Palace, a side hall of Xuanzheng Hall.

Murong Mingyue had just finished a small meeting with several high-ranking officials who remained behind. Her complexion seemed better than a few days ago, but the weariness in her eyes was still hard to completely conceal. Although the lingering pain in her left shoulder had been relieved by the imperial physician, it still caused her to feel stiff after sitting for a long time. She was being helped up by a female official, preparing to get up and return to her palace for a short rest, when suddenly a series of hurried but deliberately light footsteps came from outside the hall, along with a guard's low, suppressed excitement as he announced his arrival.

Immediately afterwards, the heavy door of the side hall was pushed open from the outside, and a figure, covered in dust but still upright as a pine tree, strode in against the slightly glaring afternoon sunlight.

His dark-colored outfit was covered in dust from his long journey, his hair was soaked with sweat and stuck to his forehead, and he had a bluish stubble on his chin and bloodshot eyes... However, the worry and anxiety that filled his deep eyes at this moment were all too familiar to Murong Mingyue.

Time seemed to stand still at that moment. The female officials and eunuchs standing in the hall stared in disbelief, almost unable to believe their eyes. Several officials who had not yet completely left also stopped in astonishment, then realized what was happening, quickly bowed their heads, and quietly retreated to the side.

Murong Mingyue stared blankly at the person who had suddenly appeared before her, the memorial in her hand slipping to the ground with a "thud." She thought she was hallucinating, or having a dream from overwork. Until the person strode up to her, carrying the scent of travel dust and outdoor sunshine, and reached out, carefully, as if afraid of breaking something, took her slightly cold hand.

Those hands were warm and rough, with calluses typical of long horseback riding, undeniably real.

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty?" Murong Mingyue's voice trembled slightly, almost incoherent. "You... Why are you back? The front lines... the battle at the front lines..." After the initial shock, the first thing that surged into her heart was worry, worry about the affairs of the country and the situation at the front lines.

Chen Xing didn't answer immediately, but looked at her intently, his gaze lingering on her slightly pale cheeks, the dark circles under her eyes, and her slightly furrowed brows, as if to confirm whether she was truly alright. He tightened his grip on her hand slightly, feeling the familiar yet seemingly thinner bone structure than he remembered, and the tension that had been building up in his heart for days finally eased a little.

"I received a report that your old injury has relapsed." Chen Xing's voice was a little hoarse, but unusually gentle, carrying the weariness of a long journey and undisguised heartache. "I was worried and came back to see you."

Such a simple and direct reason brought tears to Murong Mingyue's eyes instantly. All her strength, all her "it's nothing serious" attitude, crumbled in the face of her husband's act of traveling a thousand miles just to confirm her safety with his own eyes. Her throat tightened, and she couldn't speak for a moment. She simply gripped his hand tightly in return, nodded vigorously, then shook her head, as if she had a thousand words to say but didn't know where to begin.

The palace servants and officials around them had already tactfully retreated outside the hall and gently closed the door, leaving the emperor and empress alone.

Chen Xing helped her slowly sit back on the soft couch, then knelt in front of her, still holding her hand, and looked up at her: "What did the imperial physician say? Is the injury still very painful? Have you been working day and night on memorials these past few days without getting any rest?" His tone was reproachful, but full of concern.

Murong Mingyue gently wiped away a drop of moisture from the corner of her eye, trying to calm herself down. She shook her head and said, "It's really nothing serious. Physician Liu prescribed a medicine, and after a few days of treatment, I'm much better. It's just some old ailment that flared up due to the autumn chill and fatigue. Your Majesty... you really shouldn't have returned at this time. The southern expedition is at a critical juncture, and you are responsible for the morale of the entire army. How could you leave the front lines so easily because of my minor illness? If the news gets out, it might shake the morale of the army and make us a laughingstock in the Southern Dynasty." She became more and more anxious as she spoke, her delicate brows furrowed, showing her genuine worry.

Chen Xing smiled, a smile carrying an undeniable certainty: "With Chen Wei and Jia Wen keeping the army's morale stable, the Southern Dynasty can't laugh at me. My Empress is ill, so it's only natural for me to return and visit her. What use is it for me to conquer this empire if I can't even take care of my own wife?" He paused, his tone becoming solemn, "Mingyue, you are not only my Empress, but also the pillar who fought alongside me to build this empire. Your well-being is of paramount importance to me and to the empire. The battles at the front are certainly crucial, but how can I fight with peace of mind if the rear is unstable?"

He reached out and gently stroked a stray strand of hair from Murong Mingyue's forehead, his touch tender: "I've returned this time, firstly to see you, and secondly to sort out the affairs at home and lighten your burden. I've already ordered Su Xiaoxiao to return to Chang'an from the military camp as soon as possible. She's skilled in administrative affairs and can assist you in managing the inner court and some of the financial allocations, giving you more time to rest. The vice ministers and heads of the six ministries can take on more of the daily administrative duties; they don't need to report everything to you unless it's a major decision. You must promise me that you'll take good care of your health and not overexert yourself again."

Hearing her husband's unequivocal arrangements and his caring words, Murong Mingyue's last trace of anxiety—the anxiety that his sudden return might jeopardize the overall situation—was replaced by a deep sense of warmth. She knew that anything she said would be futile. She knew her husband's character best; once he made a decision, he would never change it. And she was deeply grateful for his intentions.

"Your Majesty... I obey." She finally stopped arguing and responded softly, letting Chen Xing gently pull her into his arms. Leaning against his strong, warm chest, listening to his steady, powerful heartbeat, the fatigue, hidden pain, and pressure of single-handedly managing the court over the past few days seemed to find an outlet at this moment, gradually dissipating. In its place was a reassuring warmth of being cherished.