The emperor fell into deep thought upon hearing this. He was an emperor who loved his people as his own children. The reason he had always maintained good relations with other countries was that he didn't want his people to suffer. If his hasty decision were to plunge the people into war, wouldn't all his years of perseverance crumble?
Thinking of this, the emperor was also very conflicted. Mu Fengqie felt a bit sad seeing the emperor lowering his head in such a troubled state. So this was the care between close relatives.
She gave a gentle smile, stepped forward and took the hands of the emperor and the empress. "I've grown up and can take on responsibilities on my own. So, Uncle and Aunt, I must return to Pingzhou. But I'll keep writing to you to let you know I'm safe."
The empress tightly held Mu Fengqie's hand. While looking at her tenderly, she murmured, "Qie'er looks exactly like Yu'er when she was young."
A Ru had been quietly calculating in her mind. This sister who was so much to her liking turned out to be her cousin. Did this mean she had a legitimate chance to leave the palace?
After having this bold thought, A Ru purposefully came to the emperor and the empress, and said coquettishly, "Father and Mother, I have a request. I've grown up and I want to go outside with my cousin to gain some experience."
Staying within the palace walls all day, A Ru felt she was going to be suffocated. She also wanted to see the outside world. The last time she left the palace, she realized how wonderful the outside world was. It was so much more interesting than the palace.
She guessed that the emperor and the empress wouldn't agree, but she still wanted to give it a try. Sure enough, the empress was the first to refuse.
"No. You've never left the palace since you were a child. Do you know how dangerous the outside world is? Your cousin will have to take care of you. Don't be naughty and cause trouble for your cousin."
This was the first time the empress had lost her temper. In A Ru's memory, her mother had always been gentle and virtuous. This was the first time she had seen such a big emotional change in her mother.
Having Mu Fengqie out there already made the empress worried enough. If A Ru also went, it would be like taking her life!
A Ru looked at the emperor unwillingly. Seeing that the emperor seemed to be considering, she pinned all her hopes on him.
"Father, I've grown up now. And I promise I won't cause trouble for my cousin. There are so many experts around my cousin. They will surely keep me safe!" A Ru shook the emperor's arm.
The emperor looked at Mu Fengqie, then at A Ru, and finally nodded. "It's indeed time for you to gain some experience. I'm at ease with you following your cousin. Learn from your cousin well and don't be so willful in the future."
Mu Fengqie and the empress looked at the emperor in disbelief. Neither of them had expected the emperor to agree to such an unreasonable request.
"Uncle, it's not that I don't want to take A Ru with me. It's just too dangerous now. A Ru is still young and has never suffered. I can't take her with me." Mu Fengqie firmly refused.
It was already unsafe for a girl, let alone A Ru, who had been raised as a little princess in the palace. She was like a flower in a greenhouse, never having experienced the hardships of the outside world. She was simply not suitable to be taken out of the greenhouse.
The empress also chimed in after hearing this. "Yes, I think the same as Qie'er. Qie'er is not in a convenient situation now. Taking care of A Ru will surely distract her."
A Ru happily hugged the emperor and immediately thanked him. "I thank Father for your grace. I promise I will obediently listen to my cousin. If my cousin tells me to go west, I will never go east!"
A Ru couldn't stop smiling. The emperor's attitude was very firm, and the empress and Mu Fengqie had no choice. The empress could only repeatedly urge them to pay attention to safety.
Just like this, A Ru joined them on the way back. The group rode their horses at full speed with the honeysuckle on their way to Pingzhou City. After a day and a night, they finally arrived at Pingzhou City.
There were no signs of the grassland people or any traces of fighting outside Pingzhou City. Mu Fengqie found it very strange and began to be on guard.
The city gate slowly opened, and the carriage quickly arrived at the prefect's mansion. The prefect's mansion was exactly the same as when she left, except that there were not as many servants in the mansion.
Jing Xunce and Ouyang Heng had blocked off the prefect's mansion as Mu Fengqie had instructed, which was why the smallpox hadn't spread. Only the people in the prefect's mansion in the whole of Pingzhou City had contracted smallpox.
As soon as Mu Fengqie returned to the prefect's mansion, she hurriedly took the honeysuckle to the mansion doctor. More than half of the people in the mansion had contracted smallpox. Fortunately, she had brought a whole big bag of honeysuckle. There was enough honeysuckle for the people in the mansion.
"Cousin, is this the Pingzhou City you mentioned? Can I go out and have a look?" A Ru said while scanning the environment of the prefect's mansion with her eyes.
After this journey, she realized there were so many beautiful places. Now this Pingzhou City also looked very beautiful. It would probably be even more bustling if there were no wars.
Mu Fengqie turned around and glared at her fiercely. "If you're not afraid of dying, then go. There might be spies from the grassland people in the city. Be careful you'll get your head chopped off as soon as you go out!"
Mu Fengqie vividly scared A Ru. After all, A Ru was just a young girl who had just come of age. She had always been protected in the palace, so naturally she was a lot more timid. Then she tightly closed her mouth and obediently followed behind Mu Fengqie.
After Mu Fengqie returned, she had been searching for Jing Xunce's figure, but she hadn't seen him. She didn't know where he had gone, so she thought of going back to the room to look for him.
When she returned to the room and pushed open the door, Mu Fengqie immediately saw the man lying on the bed and the person guarding him beside the bed.
"Prince Wu? What's wrong with him..." Mu Fengqie asked puzzledly.
Seeing Jing Xunce lying weakly on the bed, Mu Fengqie's heart softened. She felt as weak as a deflated ball.
Had he also fallen ill during the time she was away? She had told him to take good care of his own body. Why was he so stupid as to get sick?
Yuan Yuhan let out a sigh of relief when he saw Mu Fengqie. The big stone that had been hanging in his heart for the past two days had finally fallen to the ground. "You're finally back. He's only got one breath left. If you hadn't come back, he probably wouldn't have made it through today..."
After Yuan Yuhan finished speaking, he heaved a heavy sigh. He knew that Jing Xunce had been holding on just to see Mu Fengqie one last time.
Mu Fengqie couldn't believe what was happening in front of her eyes. "Why is he in such a serious condition? What on earth happened?"