The Emperor sat upon his throne, his expression grave. After Xiao Shen finished his salute, he slowly began to speak. "Xiao Aiqing, this rebellion by Prince Qi in the Northern Land is far more troublesome than I had anticipated."
"For years, that Prince Qi has been secretly raising an army right under my nose. His forces are not to be underestimated; they are well-equipped and well-trained."
"Now that he has openly revolted, I am well aware that quelling this rebellion will be fraught with difficulties and dangers. However, I have faith in your abilities, Aiqing. Among all the military generals in my court, only you possess the courage, strategy, and prestige to undertake this great responsibility."
"I will also provide my full support from the rear. Provisions and military equipment will be allocated to you with priority. But this battle is not just about the peace of the Northern Land; it concerns the very foundation of my empire. Aiqing, do you have the confidence to succeed?"
With that, the Emperor's gaze became as sharp as a torch, fixed intently on Xiao Shen, as if trying to discern the firmness and resolve in his eyes.
Xiao Shen paused, inwardly understanding the deeper meaning behind the Emperor's words.
He pondered for a moment, then dropped to one knee, clasped his fist, and declared in a clear voice, "By Your Majesty's grace, I will do everything in my power and not fail the trust you have placed in me."
The Emperor nodded slightly, a flicker of profound, almost imperceptible meaning in his eyes. He then continued, "Xiao Aiqing, there is one more thing I must entrust to you. My Crown Prince, while ambitious, is still shallow in his military experience."
"I wish for the Crown Prince to accompany you to the Northern Land to quell the rebellion. This will not only be an opportunity to put down Prince Qi's revolt, but also a chance for the Crown Prince to establish his authority."
"You are also aware that the Second Prince's mother, Consort Song, has the strong support of a powerful family. The Empress's family, on the other hand, has grown weak. Within this court, if you are not willing to lend him a hand, who else is there to protect and support him?"
"Aiqing, you are a veteran of many battles and rich in experience. I hope you will guide the Crown Prince along the way and help him achieve something of merit in this campaign. This will allow all the court officials and the common people to see the Crown Prince's sense of responsibility and capability. What are your thoughts, Aiqing?"
Having said his piece, the Emperor folded his hands and quietly awaited Xiao Shen's response.
Xiao Shen considered this briefly before clasping his fist in another salute. "Since Your Majesty has commanded it, I shall naturally obey," he said in a low, steady voice. "I will do my utmost to assist the Crown Prince and spare no effort in quelling the rebellion to repay Your Majesty's great favor."
A look of satisfaction appeared on the Emperor's face. He spoke slowly, "Xiao Aiqing, you truly understand the greater good, and I am deeply gratified. I promise you this: while you are on the front lines, I will ensure your family is well cared for. As for your wife, Mrs. Ji, I will assign special guards to protect her and ensure she remains undisturbed."
After finalizing the arrangements with the Emperor, Xiao Shen was to depart that very day.
Ji Xiaosong had prepared his travel pack early in the morning. Rongrong had also informed her of the outcome right after the Emperor issued his orders.
「Outside the Capital City gates」
"Husband, you must be extremely careful on this mission to quell the rebellion. The battlefield is treacherous. You must not only focus on the war but also look after your own safety."
As she spoke, Ji Xiaosong handed the pack she had prepared to Xiao Shen. "Inside are some common wound salves and a change of clothes that I prepared for you. Don't forget them."
Xiao Shen took the pack and gently pulled Ji Xiaosong into his arms, placing a soft kiss on her forehead.
"My wife, don't you worry. I will definitely return safely. With His Majesty's decree, you will be safe and sound in the city. Just wait for me obediently."
After a moment, Xiao Shen released her and turned toward his horse.
He swung himself into the saddle, gave Ji Xiaosong one last look, and said with determination, "My wife, wait for me."
With that, he spurred his horse and, alongside the Crown Prince, led the army slowly out of the city.
Ji Xiaosong stood rooted to the spot, watching the departing army until they disappeared from view.
"Rongrong, when do you think would be a good time for me to set out?"
[The means of transportation in this ancient era are quite slow. Are you planning to take a horse-drawn carriage or use some other method?]
"My Mana is too low, so I can't fly. My only option is a carriage."
[You can ride on me, this cloud! In these small worlds, probably my only real use is as a mode of transportation.]
"What? You can actually carry me and fly? That's amazing! Rongrong, how fast are you?"
[I can't compare to Sun Wukong's Somersault Cloud, but I'm several times faster than a galloping steed. At full speed, crossing several provinces in a single day isn't difficult. I can definitely help you catch up with General Xiao and the others quickly.]
"Since you're so fast, I don't need to leave too early and tire myself out. I'll wait until Xiao Shen and the others are almost at the Northern Land. I'll go ahead of them to make some arrangements and give him a surprise."
With that matter settled in her mind, Ji Xiaosong returned to the General Mansion and quickly took care of the household affairs.
The servants in the mansion were all well-trained, each attending to their duties with impeccable discipline.
As the steward, Uncle Chen managed the General Mansion in a neat and orderly fashion.
Therefore, Ji Xiaosong wasn't worried that anything would go wrong with the Xiao family after she left.
She calculated the days. It would take Xiao Shen about half a month to travel from the Capital City to the Northern Land.
This meant Ji Xiaosong had about ten days to prepare some supplies she might need in the Northern Land.
Inside her personal dimension, there was a vast, boundless expanse of nothing but endless soil.
This space had been with her since her consciousness first awakened. However, because she was a plant, her range of activity had been extremely limited, almost nonexistent.
For the next ten days, Ji Xiaosong was busy around the clock.
She first had people secretly purchase large quantities of hemostatic herbs, wound salves, antidote pills, and other various medicines. She also carefully selected thick, warm clothing and bedding, thinking they would surely come in handy in the cold climate of the Northern Land.
At the same time, she prepared some easy-to-carry and non-perishable rations and dried meat for emergencies.
To avoid drawing attention, Ji Xiaosong had Uncle Chen use the excuse of mansion repairs to transport the supplies in batches to a remote warehouse on the property, from where she would secretly move them into her personal dimension.
The official story was that the General Mansion was stocking up on supplies for the winter, so as not to arouse suspicion.
She also went to the warehouse to find some exquisite hidden weapons, which she concealed in her sleeves and at her waist for self-defense.
In addition, Ji Xiaosong didn't forget to select some precious restorative tonics, thinking that if Xiao Shen became overly exhausted on the battlefield, these could help him recover his strength.
Finally, Ji Xiaosong suddenly remembered that she needed to purchase a large quantity of seeds.
The harvest cycle for growing grain in her personal dimension was still unknown, and the consumption of provisions during a war was like a bottomless pit.
In ancient times, grain yields were already low. Supplying an army's needs meant there was a constant risk of shortages.
Thus, she hurriedly dispatched Uncle Chen to various places to collect as many types of grain and vegetable seeds as possible, especially cold-resistant varieties with relatively short growing cycles. She was striving to find a potential solution for the food supply problems they might face.
Uncle Chen accepted the order and left without asking any unnecessary questions.
Meanwhile, back at the mansion, Ji Xiaosong conducted a final organization and inventory of the supplies she had gathered. She carefully arranged the medicines, clothes, and rations, and also selected several loyal guards, instructing them to be on standby.
When Uncle Chen returned, the seeds were properly stored away in her personal dimension.
With all preparations complete, she quietly waited in the mansion for the right time to depart.