The day Lu Ziyuan departed from the Capital, the three armies set out together, creating a magnificent spectacle.

The nobility of the Capital, as well as common folks, all came to send him off, even the Holy Emperor personally escorted the three armies to the Ten-Li Pavilion, offering a heroic toast to his beloved legitimate son.

It’s said that this grand event greatly boosted the morale of the soldiers.

The reason it’s said is because Xie Wanqing did not go.

Almost all the noble ladies of the Capital went to send off the young general, but she, being a married woman, chose not to join the excitement.

As these favored sons of heaven one by one left the Capital, the city suddenly seemed to quiet down.

Ji Chengfeng was ordered on a southern inspection, Pei Yuqing went to Yangzhou for some unknown reason, and Lu Ziyuan was more direct, leading the troops to secure the borders.

Initially, it seemed that would be all, but unexpectedly, half a month after Lu Ziyuan’s departure, a report came from Qilin Prefecture in the northeast, stating that last year the area suffered from a drought for more than half a year, barely making it through on the court’s disaster relief food supplies; this year was hoped to be better.

Who knew this year would be even worse, with not a drop of rain since the beginning of the year, tens of thousands of acres of dry land yielding no harvest, with drought imminent and unavoidable.

News of this reached the Capital, causing mourning among the entire court officials.

Such is a natural disaster; how can human effort defy heaven?

But the Great Han treasury being empty has long not been a secret. Over the years, with disaster relief, wars, and quelling rebellions, the already not wealthy foundation cannot withstand such expenditure.

After worrying for several days, the issues that needed handling still had to be addressed, and the current Holy Emperor is not a muddle-headed ruler, not indifferent to the suffering of the people under his governance.

He intends to send people to survey local rivers to see if it’s possible to bring in water sources to manage the drought situation.

But everyone knows that water flows downwards, and the geographical position of the north is naturally much higher, making it difficult to redirect the flow back.

In recent years, flooding in the south, drought in the north, has become almost commonplace.

Managing flooding and drought cannot be achieved in a day; the most important task at hand is still disaster relief.

The heavens are high and the Emperor is far, so trusted ministers must be sent to observe the affected areas.

Xie YanYu was the third place in the last imperial examination, well-versed in literature, and recognized by the Holy Emperor for his statecraft essays, hailing from an aristocratic family, proficient in archery, horse riding, and shooting.

With serious internal strife in the Great Khan regions, the Holy Emperor lacks talent at hand, and delicate scholars are not suitable for long journeys to each region, unsure when they might perish; only such outstanding noble sons well-versed in both civil and military strategies are most valued.

This task fell upon him.

When Xie Wanqing received the news, her heart was in utter disarray.

Even Pei Yuqing’s trip to Yangzhou did not make her so anxious.

He is her legitimate elder brother, as important to her as her parents.

He was to go thousands of miles away to Qilin Prefecture, a journey across high mountains and distant waters, with countless banditry uprisings, and the area is amidst a drought.

One careless mistake, and he might never return.

Yet a man’s aspirations lie in all directions. Her brother did not pursue fame only to enjoy peace in the Capital; he has ambitions and a wealth of statecraft to implement, and given the opportunity, he certainly would not pass it up.

Not only Xie Wanqing, but how could Mrs. Zheng not be worried?

Her only son was not yet wed!

This time, seeing her mother almost in tears, Xie YanYu could no longer refuse.

He relented, and the marriage arrangements were put on the agenda at breakneck speed.

The Princely Heir of Marquis Xuanping Mansion intended to propose marriage, making many noble maidens in the Capital thrilled.

At the same time, the marriage between Princess Pingning of Duke Pei Mansion and the Zhao family’s eldest son was also settled.

The second month after the marriage was set, Zhao Rui volunteered to enter the military camp and soon left the Capital with the army.

After Zhao Rui’s departure, Xie YanYu’s marriage was also decided by Mrs. Zheng.

The daughter of the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Li Rong, who was seventeen, the same age as Xie Wanqing; she had met her a few times and vaguely remembered her as a dignified and composed young woman.

This daughter-in-law was personally chosen by Mrs. Zheng, and bringing her home to be the matriarch of the Xie family would naturally be appropriate.

Xie Wanqing had a lot of trust in her mother’s judgement, yet despite the hurriedness of her brother’s marriage, her feelings were still somewhat mixed.

After all, compared to Pei Yuxuan, her brother had not even met Miss Li before.

But he was unwilling to accept Pei Yuxuan’s feelings and was willing to set a marriage with Li Rong.

Simply because he could not bear the intensity of Pei Yuxuan’s affections.

To this, Xie YanYu merely smiled at his sister and said: "Romantic love is truly not that important; Miss Li has a very good character."