With a million soldiers, the empress begged me not to rebel

Lu Yan then pretended to be timid and said tentatively.

"Miss Chen, I have heard a little about what you said."

"It's just that...rebellion is a grave crime punishable by the death of nine generations of one's clan. This humble official..."

"I simply cannot afford this risk."

Chen Qingwan seemed to have expected Lu Yan to say this.

Humph! This bastard official really has the intention of rebellion!

I must eliminate you!

She smiled and said:

"Master Lu, I think based on the current strength of Shannan Prefecture, you are not afraid of this risk!"

"Don't you really have any intention of rebellion in your heart?"

Lu Yan's heart was filled with alarm.

This woman must have lost her mind!

He didn't want to say such head-loose words to her again.

What if the wall has ears? It's not worth it.

"Miss Chen, you're joking. I'm deeply loyal to His Majesty, as the sun and the moon can attest!"

"Your Majesty is a wise and powerful woman, as worthy as any man. I admire you so much, how could I harbor the intention of rebellion?"

He secretly observed Chen Qingwan's reaction.

Chen Qingwan sneered in her heart:

Humph, smooth talk! His expression remained calm:

"Oh? Really? It seems I have misunderstood Lord Lu."

There was a hint of temptation in her tone, and she stared at Lu Yan sharply, as if she wanted to see through him.

Lu Yan felt a little uncomfortable when she looked at him, but he still kept smiling:

"It's a misunderstanding, absolutely a misunderstanding!"

"This humble official has a deep affection for the court and your majesty..."

He racked his brains to come up with a bunch of flattering words.

The empress was praised to the skies, as if Chen Qingwan was the empress herself.

As Chen Qingwan listened to Lu Yan's flattery, her guard against him decreased a little.

This dog official is quite good at talking.

The corners of her mouth rose slightly, revealing a barely perceptible smile:

"I didn't expect Lord Lu to be such a patriot."

"That's natural!"

Lu Yan patted his chest and swore confidently.

"To serve the country until death is the motto of this humble official! Defending our country is the duty of every citizen!"

"Moreover, as an official appointed by the imperial court, I should set an example, work for the welfare of the people, and share the worries of Your Majesty..."

He spoke incessantly, like a true patriot.

Chen Qingwan secretly laughed in her heart. This cunning guy could lie without blushing or feeling nervous.

She decided to test him again:

"Lord Lu is so loyal, I am very pleased."

"It's just... there's something I don't understand, and I hope you can clarify it."

"Miss Chen, please speak."

Lu Yan thought to himself: Is the fox tail finally going to be exposed?

"Lord Lu, you are aware that the news of your pacification of the barbarians and your defeat of General Zhao Xuan of the Northern Xiang Kingdom has already spread throughout the court and the country."

"Your Majesty is greatly pleased and has specially sent me here, firstly to commend you, and secondly to..."

She paused, her tone becoming serious.

"Investigate whether the Master has any intention of rebellion!"

Lu Yan was shocked: This woman was indeed sent by the empress!

But he pretended to be calm on the surface:

"Oh? Is this true?

I am serving my country, how can I be accused of treason?

Miss Chen, I'm afraid you've misunderstood?"

Chen Qingwan looked at him with a half-smile:

"Misunderstanding? Lord Lu, your army is strong and well-equipped, with sophisticated firearms and numerous military achievements. It's hard to guarantee that there won't be doubts."

"Your Majesty sent me here to investigate just in case."

Lu Yan cursed in his heart: This empress is really suspicious!

He suppressed his dissatisfaction and forced a smile:

"Miss Chen, I am wronged! I am devoted to my country and have no second thoughts!"

"These firearms are used to defend our country and resist foreign enemies."

"As for the troops, they are also to maintain local security and protect the peace of the people."

Chen Qingwan looked at him, a hint of suspicion flashing in her eyes.

She always felt that there was something wrong with Lu Yan, but she couldn't tell what was wrong.

She decided to try it in a different way:

"Master Lu, please forgive me for being so presumptuous, but I dare to ask you... who exactly is this person?"

Lu Yan's heart skipped a beat:

This woman finally hit the nail on the head! How should he answer?

His eyes rolled and a plan came to mind:

"I am nothing but a small-time person with no ambitions, who only wants to protect my own little piece of land."

He deliberately pretended to be lonely, hoping to dispel Chen Qingwan's doubts.

Chen Qingwan looked at him like this and became even more confused.

Is Lu Yan really stupid or just pretending to be stupid?

She decided to observe for a while to see what his purpose was.

"Lord Lu, you are too modest. With your talent, how could you be willing to be an unknown little person?"

Lu Yan smiled bitterly:

"Miss Chen, you may not know that I was once young and frivolous, and I also longed to achieve great things and bring honor to my family. But..."

He paused, his tone becoming lower.

"The cruelty of reality has taught me that some things cannot be achieved simply by hard work."

“Instead of aiming too high, it is better to keep your feet on the ground and do the things at hand well.”

Chen Qingwan listened quietly, but felt even more confused.

What on earth did Lu Yan go through to become so depressed?

Does he really have no ambition?

She decided to test him one last time:

"Lord Lu, if... I can help you realize your ambitions, would you be willing..."

Before she could finish her words, there was a sudden commotion outside the door.

Then, a hurried voice sounded:

"Sir! Our hot air balloon's maiden flight was a success!"

This sudden shout was like a stone, creating ripples on the originally calm surface of Chen Qingwan's heart.

She was originally staring at Lu Yan, trying to catch a trace of panic on his face.

But I was upset by his pretended dejected attitude.

This sudden news diverted her attention temporarily.

Lu Yan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but pretended to be surprised:

"Oh? Seriously? Take me to see it!"

He turned and smiled at Chen Qingwan.

"Miss Chen, why don't we go together and take a look at this new thing?"

Chen Qingwan wanted to refuse, but the five words "new stuff" aroused her curiosity.

She nodded slightly: "Okay."

A group of people came to an open space outside the city.

I saw a huge colorful sphere slowly rising into the sky.

Like a rising colorful sun.

The people around exclaimed and cheered.

Chen Qingwan looked at the behemoth with surprise in her eyes:

"This... is a hot air balloon?"

"That's right." Lu Yan walked to her side and explained.

"This hot air balloon is made of a special thin fabric. Once it's filled with hot air, it can rise into the air."

"It's so amazing!"

Chen Qingwan's eyes followed the hot air balloon closely, and she felt even more admiration for Lu Yan's talent.

Shannan County was once just a poor and remote place under the governance of Lu Yan.

Now that we have such a rare thing, it can be seen that Lu Yan is not just famous for nothing.