Chapter 697: Rear Support

After seeing off Princess Fuqing, Gu Jiu Ling ordered the servants to start packing, and a rush of footsteps sounded from outside; then a large crowd knelt at the gate of Fengyi Palace.

Xiao Yin arrived, her bright yellow robe trailing gracefully; after passing through a crystaline cloak, Gu Jiu Ling saw Xiao Yin walking up to her.

"Your Majesty, ten thousand blessings!" Gu Jiu Ling turned and bowed, and Xiao Yin seized her hand and sat her on the couch.

A hint of fatigue showed on his handsome face; the new dynasty had just been founded, and everything required his personal involvement.

Before, Gu Kang had been shouldering responsibilities; now Gu Kang voluntarily stepped back, becoming a Prince Consort with a nominal post, and although the newly appointed Left Prime Minister is a diligent man, his ability still falls short of Gu Kang's by a margin.

Xiao Yin has to start cultivation from scratch, and for a time she feels mentally drained.

The present Southern Qi dynasty has purged the civil officials who previously opposed Xiao Yin, stripped the Eight Great Families of their influence in the court, and although the entire court now barely operates, there are few capable people available.

Especially the office of Prime Minister—just below the ruler and above ten thousand—who reviews decrees and participates in military and state decisions; it is not a post anyone can fill.

This time Xiao Yin is inclined to let Gu Kang re‑enter the world, but she always finds the fellow somewhat dubious, preferring to keep herself busy rather than risk employing him.

Gu Jiu Ling brought a warm, slightly scorched flower tea to Xiao Yin, who lifted it and took a sip, then glanced at Jiu Yue and a few palace maids who were busy packing Gu Jiu Ling's belongings.

Jiu Yue placed the child's jacket into a box; the jacket was made from the finest Shu embroidery fabric, yet the embroidered pattern was somewhat crooked, unmistakably Gu Jiu Ling's handiwork.

It was rare for Gu Jiu Ling to embroider so much, but as a devoted mother, the thread in her hand, these were clothes for the little princes, and as their mother she naturally sewed them herself.

"When are we going to Yunzhou City?"

"We leave tomorrow morning; I've also brought the children's toys," Gu Jiu Ling said with a smile, a hint of maternal love flashing across her features.

Back then she and Xiao Yin were in a precarious situation, the conflict with the Eight Great Families had reached a fever pitch, and the more vulnerabilities Xiao Yin had, the quicker he would meet his end.

At that time, sending the two little ones to be fostered in the eastern island sea area was a purely helpless measure.

Now that many years have passed, we still don't know what the two little ones have become; all longing can only be expressed through letters.

Gu Jiu Ling at this moment wishes she could sprout a pair of wings on her back, so she could instantly fly over and see the two little ones.

She and Xiao Yin were a bit hasty in sending these two little ones away, not even giving them proper names; amid repeated life‑and‑death separations, she almost thought she would never see her children again.

"Actually, I want to leave tonight; I can reach Yunzhou as soon as possible."

Xiao Yin's eyes flashed with a hint of pain; his own troubles had entangled his wife and children. He grasped Gu Jiu Ling's hand: "They won't arrive in Yunzhou for another seven days; even if you leave tomorrow, you'll just have to wait in Yunzhou, no need to rush through the night."

"We'll be able to see people soon; there's no need to hurry like this. I'll go with you tomorrow morning!"

"You can't go," Gu Jiu Ling quickly lifted her gaze to Xiao Yin. She knew full well that Xiao Yin was uneasy about their mother and child, but Xiao Yin had just ascended the throne, and everything was unstable.

If they left Shang Jing now, any mishap could cause further disaster.

"You can't go," Gu Jiu Ling said slowly, "You should stay firmly rooted in Shang Jing, serving as our rear support."

"The court is unstable now, the remnants of the Eight Great Families remain; I can go to Yunzhou alone, just don't disrupt the order."

Xiao Yin furrowed his brows tightly; he knew Gu Jiu Ling was speaking the truth, but each time he had to miss important moments for the mother and child, he always felt that, as an emperor, he was not doing a good job.

Xiao Yin took a deep breath: "Sometimes I really want to throw my hands up and stop being this emperor; I don't want the world, the court, or the common people…"

"What nonsense the emperor is spouting," Gu Jiu Ling laughed, though the smile in her eyes carried a hint of sympathy.

She had accompanied Xiao Yin all the way, understanding his mindset best.

The person in the whole realm who most likely doesn't want to be emperor is Xiao Yin, but sometimes people are not in control of their own bodies; in a twist of fate they are placed in that position, unable to move, and too afraid to act.

Gu Jiu Ling smiled at Xiao Yin: "When we forced you into this role, it wasn't a matter of whether you wanted to do it or not; it was something you had to do."

"Don't be too nervous; I'm just going to Yunzhou for a few days, then bring the children back. We'll raise the kids together, keep the daughter by our side, let the son become emperor, and we can travel the world without this curse, how about that?"

Xiao Yin's expression finally softened; looking at Gu Jiu Ling, he laughed, took a breath and said: "Fine, I'll do as you say. It's only a few days. I'll have Ling Feng accompany you, and all my Iron Guard will follow by your side."

"The Prefect of Yunzhou City is someone I trained; I'll also have Commander Zhou lead the Imperial Guard to reinforce Yunzhou City's defenses, and the Royal Guard has also been transferred there."

Gu Jiu Ling was at a loss for words; those in the know understood it was to welcome the young prince and princess back to the capital, while outsiders thought it was another troop movement to attack the Eight Great Families.

Besides these, Xiao Yin also ordered his former Jianghu forces to follow a bit, then looked at Gu Jiu Ling and said: "Be careful on the road, and watch the children. The hidden weapons are all prepared; if your three‑legged cat technique encounters something, you don't have to meet it head‑on…"

Xiao Yin kept babbling, and Gu Jiu Ling moved her lips, not knowing what to say, and felt embarrassed to interrupt Xiao Yin's rambling.

She looked at his pair of watery peach‑flower eyes, which, from the recent busyness, were filled with red veins.

Gu Jiu Ling suddenly felt a pang of sympathy; after all, he was just a mortal, not an immortal who never tires.

Southern Qi has many things to rebuild; both at home and in the nation, countless people rely on his life, and he cannot afford any mishap.

"Understood, I will take good care of myself," Gu Jiu Ling said with a faint smile. Since she couldn't share the heavy state affairs, protecting herself and the children would also ease his worries.

The next morning, Gu Jiu Ling disguised herself as an ordinary wealthy lady, and slipped away from the palace with her attendants.

After Xiao Yin disguised himself, he escorted her out of Jing Cheng, and then various troops met her in the outskirts, racing toward Yunzhou City.

Gu Jiu Ling's heart was so eager that she didn't even need three days; by the evening of the next day, a swift horse had galloped to Yunzhou City.

The Prefect of Yunzhou City, Lord Liao, was a middle‑aged man with a loyal and kind appearance; he had already received word and was waiting at the city gate.

Gu Jiu Ling's carriage stopped at the gate, and Lord Liao stepped forward, knelt before the carriage, and said: "Your Majesty, may you be safe!"

Now Xiao Yin had fortified the place so tightly that it was impenetrable; with such a grand display, Gu Jiu Ling no longer needed to conceal her identity and lifted the carriage curtain, allowing Lord Liao to stand.

"Lord Liao, do you have any news about the princes?"

Lord Liao quickly bowed and said: "We received news yesterday; the escort team for the young princes will arrive in Yunzhou City in four days."