Du Gu Luanyue brushed the sleeves of her robe and turned to face him directly. In a solemn voice, she said,
"You just need to tell your mother, that is, the Wei family,
that Danyang City is in chaos. The common people are on the verge of storming the city gates. If the imperial court doesn't send a high - ranking official to win the people's hearts and control the plague, this plague will spread to more areas of the Northern Yan. By then, it will be out of control.
Danyang City is located at the border between the Northern Yan and the Southern Chu. This high - ranking official should be someone who has influence in both the Southern Chu and the Northern Yan."
Mu Rong Jue knew that his mother didn't get along well with the queen. He was afraid that Du Gu Luanyue had some sinister plan to harm his mother. His eyes were full of suspicion and wariness.
"Mother is from the Southern Chu. Why is she so concerned about the Northern Yan? Why does she want to save the Prince of Yuzhang who has nothing to do with her?
Moreover, you could just tell Father these words. Why are you telling me? Will these words save my elder brother?"
He couldn't figure out what the queen was up to at all.
Du Gu Luanyue looked around, took a step closer to Mu Rong Jue, and whispered, "Look at the handwriting on the letter in your hand. Who wrote it?"
Mu Rong Jue unfolded the letter again and then suddenly realized,
"It's Military Advisor Shen. Military Advisor Shen actually came to ask you for help. How do you two know each other?"
Du Gu Luanyue looked at the sun that was about to be hidden by the dark clouds and squinted.
"Military Advisor Shen beside Huo Wei didn't come to you but came to me. Doesn't this show Huo Wei's trust in me?
Third Prince, if you keep delaying, once Huo Wei catches the plague in the city, it will be too late to save him.
There is no way to cure this plague for now. Once someone catches it, they will die in three or four days."
Then she smiled indifferently. "I was just trying my luck with you. If it doesn't work, forget it. If we can't save him, just wait to collect his body."
Mu Rong Jue couldn't bear to hear such words. Being overly concerned, he was in a mess. After returning the letter to Du Gu Luanyue, he ran away. His mind was in a buzz. He didn't think clearly about anything, only knowing that he had to save Huo Wei.
After hearing her son's words, Wei Enxian immediately came up with a plan.
She quickly told the Wei family and asked the emperor to issue an imperial edict to send the Princess of the Southern Chu,
Du Gu Luanyue, the queen of the Northern Yan, to go to Danyang City on behalf of the emperor to show the imperial grace of the court and that they would never abandon any common people in Danyang City.
The Wei family was a noble family in the Northern Yan. They united with their party members in the court and submitted a memorial to the emperor together.
After hesitating for a moment, Mu Rong Min agreed.
He also thought it was a good idea. It could restore his reputation as an emperor. And the person sent out was not very useful. His real purpose could still be achieved.
In the history of the Northern Yan, there were precedents for the queen to go out of the palace on behalf of the emperor to show grace. After all, the emperor couldn't easily leave the palace city.
If Du Gu Luanyue hadn't been well - read in the history of the Northern Yan dynasties, she might not have thought of this method.
Wei Enxian gently stroked Mu Rong Jue's head.
"Good son, you are really mother's good son. Where did you come up with such a good idea?"
Mu Rong Jue blinked his clear and innocent eyes. "Oh, I just thought of it on the spur of the moment..."
Only then did he realize that the Queen Du Gu had gone to great lengths to find him and said that a high - ranking official should be sent to save Huo Wei. He had been so flustered at that time that many words hadn't passed through his mind. Now he finally understood.
The queen was going to save people herself. She was risking her life.
His expression flickered. What was the relationship between the queen and Huo Wei? It couldn't be the kind of relationship he was thinking of, could it?
Wei Enxian sneered with a hint of malice at the corner of her lips and looked at him with satisfaction.
"Going to a place like Danyang City, one can hardly come back alive.
Well, it's just right. She has been occupying the position of the middle palace for a long time. It's not right. After the queen dies in Danyang City, the position of the middle palace will be vacant.
My son has grown up and is sensible. He knows how to plan for the Wei family.
After mother becomes the queen, you will be the crown prince."
Mu Rong Jue felt uneasy. He increasingly felt that there was an unusual relationship between the Queen Du Gu and Huo Wei.
Otherwise, why would the Queen Du Gu take such a great risk to save people and even go there herself?
When Mu Rong Min's imperial edict was delivered to the Fengluan Palace, Du Gu Luanyue received it with a melancholy and resentful look, her eyes reddened at the corners. "Your servant receives the edict."
Eunuch Yingxi helped her up.
"Your Majesty, please don't take it to heart. His Majesty is still worried about you. He doesn't want you to go either.
But your identity is special. Danyang City is located at the border between the north and the south. You are the Princess of the Southern Chu. You are indeed the most suitable candidate to stabilize the situation between the two countries."
Du Gu Luanyue picked up a silk handkerchief with her jade - like hand and dabbed at the corners of her eyes.
"I understand. I'm just feeling sad because I'm going to be away from His Majesty for such a long time."
Eunuch Yingxi said, "To compensate Your Majesty, His Majesty has personally dispatched 5,000 imperial guards to escort you. All the supplies on the way will be complete. Your Majesty doesn't need to worry too much."
Du Gu Luanyue nodded. "In that case, there's no need to set off in five days. I'll leave the imperial capital early tomorrow morning to fulfill the mission His Majesty has entrusted to me."
Aunt Meijiang looked at the imperial edict in her hand with a worried look on her face.
"Your Majesty, this plan is too dangerous. You didn't even tell this old servant. Oh, what kind of place is Danyang City? How can you go there!"
Du Gu Luanyue turned around and went into the inner hall. She began to order people to pack up her luggage.
"Aunt, Huo Wei is from the Northern Yan. What he can do is only for the Northern Yan.
Moreover, the few people Mu Rong Min gave to Huo Wei look like a joke. He really doesn't treat Huo Wei as one of his own.
And only I will spare no effort to prevent the spread of the epidemic in the Northern Yan to the south and the pollution of the Southern Chu border.
The reason why Mu Rong Min agreed so easily is that he still values his reputation in the hearts of the subjects of the Northern Yan.
In this world, there are only two identities that can most represent the emperor's travel. One is the crown prince, and the other is the queen."
Yu Zan nervously came closer and asked, "Your Majesty, will this servant go with you?"
Du Gu Luanyue glanced at her. "Aunt will go with me. You just stay in the palace."
Aunt Meijiang shook her head. "Oh, Your Majesty is taking risks again. This journey will be difficult.
His Majesty is at least your husband. Why doesn't he have any affection for you?
Danyang City is a place where even the Prince of Yuzhang has lost contact. You really... Oh."
She couldn't help but sigh again and again. She didn't know if she could come back intact this time.
Early the next morning, Du Gu Luanyue set off in the phoenix carriage. Mu Rong Min said he would come to see her off, but he said that he was busy with state affairs before leaving and would come later.
Du Gu Luanyue didn't wait any longer. She turned around and set off. After leaving the imperial capital, Du Gu Luanyue gave an order and told the deputy general of the imperial guards to go to the horse ranch to buy horses.
Du Gu Luanyue took off her phoenix robe, removed her hairpins and jade ornaments, changed into a tight - fitting red robe with narrow sleeves, put on a black cloak, mounted the horse, and galloped southward.
"All the soldiers, the plague won't wait. I'll lead some cavalry and go ahead first. You drive the phoenix carriage and the supplies and speed up southward."
Du Gu Luanyue sat on the tall horse, looking down on everyone with an imposing manner. She arranged everything.
At that moment, these soldiers almost thought that the person on the horse was not the queen but a heroic emperor.
Du Gu Luanyue was speeding southward, while the situation in Danyang City was getting worse day by day.
Huo Wei wore a black mask and investigated the plague and the situation of the common people in Danyang City. Somehow, his identity was leaked, and the common people attacked him together.
They hated the imperial court for sealing off the city and ignoring their lives. Huo Wei was submerged in the crowd and lost all contact with the outside world.
Meng Tan galloped over, drew out his long knife, looked around, and said,
"Your Highness, this subordinate finally found you.
Her Majesty the Queen has arrived in Danyang City. She has ordered people to open a secret passage to secretly take you away. Her Majesty said that you should leave the city quickly!"
Huo Wei stood under the city wall in black clothes. A look of surprise flashed across his cold and handsome face. The black cloth near his abdomen was already soaked with blood, and drops of blood fell to the ground.