"Want to go out for a walk...?"

As Liu Hong finished speaking, the Chongzheng Hall fell completely silent.

Everyone stared blankly at the emperor on his throne, who looked serious, wondering if they had misheard.

So the Emperor summoned everyone in such a hurry just to talk about this?

"What's wrong, my dear ministers? Why are you all silent?"

Seeing that neither the civil nor military officials in the hall spoke, Liu Hong couldn't help but ask.

"Your Majesty, I have something to say!"

Chen Fan, with his white hair and beard, slowly stood up and bowed to Liu Hong.

Liu Hong gestured downwards with his hand: "Your Excellency, there's no need for that. Please sit down and let's talk!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Chen Fan didn't insist and sat back down.

"May I ask Your Majesty, where are you planning to go on this trip, and what regulations will be in place?"

Liu Hong had previously expressed his desire to tour the entire country, but Chen Fan refused, citing the lack of a prince.

Now that the prince is almost a year old, the emperor has proposed another inspection tour, and Chen Fan can no longer refuse.

After all, with the country in good order, it was only natural for the emperor to go on tours. What Chen Fan was concerned about was the emperor's true purpose.

After all, the Han Dynasty has already launched a decisive battle against the grasslands, and a major battle is imminent. It would be bad if the emperor went directly to the front line.

"I plan to travel west to see Liangzhou. As for its regulations..."

Liu Hong paused for a moment, then said, "I will only take five thousand Imperial Guards and palace attendants with me. All of you will remain in the court to assist in governing!"

"To Liangzhou?"

All the officials were taken aback; it was exactly what they had feared.

With a major battle imminent, although the Privy Council has designated the grasslands as the battlefield, Liangzhou is not peaceful either. The Emperor's purpose in going there is probably not so simple.

Chen Fan immediately added, "Your Majesty, Liangzhou is preparing for the upcoming decisive battle. If you go there now, I'm afraid..."

"Ah, Your Excellency, you are overthinking it. It is precisely because the decisive battle is imminent that I am going there to boost morale. In this way, the soldiers of my Great Han will surely fight bravely and completely eliminate the threat from the grasslands during the decisive battle, thus securing a permanent and peaceful environment for my descendants!"

Seeing that Chen Fan intended to obstruct him, Liu Hong immediately interrupted him and invoked the greater good of future generations.

"Your Majesty is right. If Your Majesty could personally visit Liangzhou, the soldiers would surely be overjoyed and fight bravely!"

Zhang Huan also stepped forward to express his support for the emperor's western tour.

"General Zhang is absolutely right, I second that!" Huangfu Gui, who was behind him, also chimed in.

"We second that proposal!"

With Zhang Huan and Huangfu Gui, both former vice chiefs of the Privy Council, a group of military officers in the rear also chimed in with their opinions.

The civil officials in the court were also taken aback when they saw this, and all of them turned their gazes toward Chen Fan, who was at the head of the table.

The military general thought that the emperor's appearance in Liangzhou would be advantageous for the upcoming decisive battle.

The civil officials, on the other hand, were thinking that if something happened to the emperor, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Your Majesty, this journey is feasible, but you must return to the court before the great battle begins!"

Chen Fan could no longer stop the emperor, so he had to set conditions.

Liu Hong immediately nodded and said, "Very well, I will definitely return to Luoyang before the end of July!"

Seeing that the emperor agreed so readily, Chen Fan was taken aback, feeling as if he had been tricked by the emperor.

But since the words had already been spoken, it was not easy to take them back, so they could only nod in agreement to the emperor's western tour.

Seeing Chen Fan nod, the other civil officials behind him had no choice but to express their agreement as well.

Seeing that everyone agreed, Liu Hong smiled.

Then Liu Hong stood up and said loudly, "During my western tour, apart from military and political affairs, all other matters will be discussed and handled by the cabinet. Matters that cannot be decided will be sent to me by express messenger for a decision!"

"Your Majesty, we obey!"

Upon hearing this, all the officials rose to their feet and responded.

Zhang Rang, who was standing nearby, immediately shouted, "Dismiss the court!!"

"Your Majesty, we respectfully bid you farewell!"

Amidst the respectful farewells of the officials, Liu Hong turned and walked towards the rear hall.

After returning to the inner palace, Liu Hong first went to Weiyang Palace.

After playing with his son for a while, Liu Hong looked at Song Yue and said in a deep voice, "Empress, I am preparing to go to Liangzhou, which may take two months!"

Upon hearing this, Song Yue was slightly taken aback, then took Liu Cheng from Liu Hong's arms and handed him to a palace maid standing nearby.

After the palace maid carried the prince away, Song Yue looked at Liu Hong with tenderness, "Your Majesty, you may go if you wish. Don't worry, I will take good care of Cheng'er!"

Although she knew why her husband was going there, she still didn't say anything.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, I will be fine on my journey!"

Liu Hong smiled and stepped forward to embrace Song Yue.

"Yes, Cheng'er and I will wait for your return!"

Song Yue gave a soft "hmm" and buried her head in Liu Hong's chest.

Looking at his wife, so considerate and gentle in his arms, Liu Hong smiled slightly, then bent down and picked Song Yue up, heading towards the bed...

The next morning, Liu Hong also got up early and went to Chang Le Palace to pay his respects to Empress Dowager Dou and the Holy Mother. Then he began to busy himself with the western tour.

The emperor's tours have always been major events.

Although Liu Hong had previously said that the regulations wouldn't be too strict, his subordinates dared not slack off in the slightest.

"Bring all these books with you; His Majesty wants to read them all!"

"And that chair, His Majesty's preferred chair!"

"A chamber pot? The kind His Majesty usually uses!"

"Hey, hey, hey~, you better be smart!"

As a close attendant of the emperor, Zhang Rang was extremely busy, directing the palace maids and eunuchs to move the emperor's frequently used items.

"Zhang Rang, just take a few things with you. I'm going on an inspection tour, not to enjoy myself. Are you really planning to move my Deyang Palace along with me?"

Seeing Zhang Rang actually directing several eunuchs to move his bed, Liu Hong couldn't help but shake his head and smile bitterly.

Zhang Rang hurriedly explained, "Your Majesty, you are of supreme status. How can you possibly get used to those things outside?"

Besides, these things have been with you for so long. I'm worried that if you want to use them but can't, that wouldn't be good!

"Alright, you figure it out yourself!!"

Hearing this, Liu Hong didn't bother to say anything more and instead began to think about his upcoming western tour.

After two days of preparation, everything inside and outside the palace was arranged.

On May 4th, amidst the respectful farewells of officials and common people, Liu Hong, riding in the imperial carriage and escorted by 5,000 Imperial Guards, left Luoyang and headed west.

Apart from Zhang Rang, Liu Hong only brought twenty eunuchs and ten palace maids to serve him.

Its scale was extremely small.

On the second day of Liu Hong's western tour, a large Xianbei army appeared two hundred miles north of the Great Wall in Yunzhong.