At the beginning, I became a county magistrate with greed of 500 million. The empress asked me to be

However, just when Xu Miao blurted out his guess, a gloomy look suddenly appeared on Xu Jinsong's face.

"Xu Miao, don't forget that you and I are father and son. We are all subjects of His Majesty. Since His Majesty has caught a cold, he will not tolerate your nonsense!"

"Get out of here, old man!"

Xu Jinsong scolded sternly.

Xu Miao came back to his senses and realized that he had said the wrong thing. A look of panic appeared on his face.

"Father, I was wrong."

Xu Miao apologized and left the study.

Just as he was about to close the door, he heard Xu Jinsong's voice again.

"Xu Miao, take care of those unruly guys under your command and don't let them cause any more trouble for me."

"Yes, father."

Xu Miao responded respectfully.

With a creaking sound, the study door was closed.

In the study, Xu Jinsong sighed and lay down on the armchair.

How could he not guess what the empress wanted to do?

He served both the late emperor and the empress, and he could basically guess the meaning of every word of the empress's will.

Now that the empress wants to go on a secret visit, the burden of the court falls on his shoulders.

This is both an honor and a huge pressure.

What he was most worried about was undoubtedly his son Xu Miao and his gang of cronies.

"Hey……"

For a long time, Xu Jinsong looked at the moonlight coming from the window, and another deep sigh came out of his mouth.

……

"Is your majesty in the car?"

Outside the palace gate, Xiao Yan, who was about to enter the palace to meet the empress, happened to encounter seven or eight carriages coming out of the palace.

Xiao Yan stopped the entire convoy without saying a word.

The coachman in the carriage and the followers on both sides avoided his gaze and dared not speak when they saw Xiao Yan's majestic expression.

Seeing this situation, Xiao Yan had already guessed what was going on.

"Your Highness, I, Xiao Yan, request an audience with you."

Xiao Yan took the initiative to step back three steps, clasped his fists, bowed, and began to speak.

His voice was so loud that it could be clearly heard by everyone present.

After a few breaths, there was finally movement from a carriage in the middle of the convoy.

"What does the emperor want to report?"

The empress's voice came from inside the carriage, and the curtain of the carriage was immediately lifted by the guards.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan quickly stepped forward.

As expected, he saw the empress in the carriage.

"I am here to see you, Your Majesty!"

Xiao Yan was just about to kneel down to pay homage when he was interrupted by the empress's words.

"Uncle, please don't be polite. It's late at night. I have something to say."

There was a hint of urging in the empress's voice.

Although the palace gate was an extremely safe place, she was worried at the moment.

There are more ministers coming to this place.

If those guys saw her intact, this trip to Jiangnan would undoubtedly be ruined.

"Your Majesty, are you planning to go to Jiangnan?"

Xiao Yan's words directly pointed out the key to the matter.

The empress was stunned when she heard this.

Obviously he did not expect that Xiao Yan guessed his intention so quickly.

"The disaster in Jiangnan has been brought under control. I want to go and see the results of the governance and comfort the people."

In a panic, the empress made up an excuse and said.

"Your Majesty, do you know where Jiangnan is now? The Ministry of War just sent an urgent report yesterday that a new round of reinforcements from the Japanese pirates have arrived on the coast of Zhejiang, and a hundred thousand Japanese pirates have moved to the coast of Fujian, ready to launch a large-scale attack on Fujian and Nanzhili at any time."

"Your Majesty, if you go to Jiangnan at this time, you will not only disregard your own safety, but also disregard the country and the people..."

Xiao Yan immediately began to speak at length. The reason he entered the palace this time was to stop the empress from making a secret visit to the south of the Yangtze River.

But before he could finish his words, the empress interrupted him.

"It is precisely because of the importance of our country that I have to go to Jiangnan in person. Otherwise, how can I understand the suffering of the common people?"

"The court has the cabinet and the six ministries and nine officials. It doesn't matter if I'm away for a while. What do you think, uncle?"

The empress's words were powerful and she seemed to be very satisfied with what she said.

Xiao Yan felt a sense of surprise in his heart.

He realized that he had underestimated the empress's determination for this trip to Jiangnan.

Obviously, no matter how he tried to dissuade her, the empress would probably not change her mind.

At this moment, Xiao Yan felt like he had a headache that was as big as two of them.

He could neither persuade the empress to give up her plan to go incognito to the south of the Yangtze River, nor did he dare to leave easily.

If he left the palace gate at this moment and went to discuss with Xu Jinsong, the empress would definitely leave the capital.

For a moment, Xiao Yan was in deep confusion and struggle, and the situation was at a stalemate.

In the carriage, the empress looked at the hesitant Xiao Yan and felt helpless.

However, at this moment, the empress's eyes suddenly lit up and she thought of a brilliant idea.

"Has the emperor's uncle ever been to Jiangnan?"

The empress's sudden question brought Xiao Yan's thoughts back to reality.

"Jiangnan?"

Xiao Yan shook his head. Although he had led troops in battles for many years, he had never been to the south of the Yangtze River.

"How about Uncle Emperor go with me?"

The empress immediately extended an invitation. Since Xiao Yan refused to let him go, she simply took Xiao Yan to go to Jiangnan with her.

In this way, the other party may also be able to rest assured.

"Go to Jiangnan?!"

Xiao Yan was shocked. He didn't expect the empress would propose such a solution.

However, Xiao Yan changed his mind and felt that this seemed to be the only way to ease the current embarrassing situation.

Since he couldn't stop the empress from going to Jiangnan, he might as well accompany her!

"I am willing!"

Within a few breaths, Xiao Yan nodded seriously.

"In that case, uncle, please return to your residence immediately, pack your luggage, and leave with me."

In the carriage, a smile appeared on the empress's face.

With Xiao Yan accompanying her on this trip to Jiangnan, her safety was undoubtedly greatly guaranteed.

However, Xiao Yan was worried.

The empress wanted to get rid of him, so she shook her head immediately.

"I will just send one person back to the palace to report the news. After they are ready, they will naturally be able to catch up with the convoy."

Xiao Yan originally came on horseback, and as he spoke, he spurred his horse and joined the convoy.

The empress smiled upon seeing this, but said nothing more.

"Keep going!"

Following the empress's order, a convoy of seven or eight carriages slowly drove out of the palace gate.

About half an hour later, the convoy passed through the city and finally walked out of the city gate.

Soon, hundreds of cavalrymen caught up with the empress's convoy.

There is no doubt that these hundreds of cavalrymen wearing black armor are the Imperial Guards under Xiao Yan!

"Uncle, isn't this a bit too ostentatious?"

The empress looked at the imperial guards surrounding the convoy in three layers, and a wry smile appeared on her face.

Hearing this, Xiao Yan's face showed a hint of embarrassment.

Indeed, hundreds of royal guards surrounded seven or eight carriages, which did not look like an incognito visit at all.