Chapter 287 Xiao Yan: I want to go to the northwest to take military power
"Lord Xiao."
Xue Ru and Hua Wu inside quickly stood up.
Xiao Yan's face darkened a little, and he glanced at Hua Wu coldly as he walked through the door.
Hua Wu suddenly felt a tingling sensation on his scalp, and he looked around like a frightened little animal: Why is it suddenly a bit cold?
Tang Ning suppressed her laughter: "Brother, you're back. Why are you so late?" Fearing that Hua Wu would be assassinated, she turned her head away and suppressed her laughter: "Hua Wu, quickly go to the kitchen and bring over the food I warmed up for brother."
Hua Wu retreated in a daze, and when she reached the door, she ran into Cang Lang who was laughing uncontrollably.
Canglang gave her a thumbs up. This little girl is really brave.
Hua Wu had no idea what was going on.
Xue Ru in the inner room saw Hua Wu leave and vaguely sensed something was wrong. She couldn't help but glance at Xiao Yan's face, recalling what Hua Wu had just said, and her heart suddenly shuddered.
A handsome man who is also nice to my sister... cough! She almost choked on her own saliva.
"Sister, it's getting late. I'll go back first." Xue Ru quickly stood up.
"Why are you in such a hurry? Eat something..." Tang Ning looked up quickly.
Xue Ru shook her head like a rattle. "No, I'm not hungry yet. Sister and the Governor will eat." She bowed to Xiao Yan and said, "Governor Xiao, you and Sister can chat slowly. I'm going back now."
Seeing that his sister ran away faster than anyone else, Tang Ning couldn't help but look at Xiao Yan with a smile: "Brother, you scared them."
Xiao Yan glared at her: "Aren't you laughing too happily?"
Tang Ning burst out laughing and fell sideways at the table.
Xiao Yan was both angry and amused at the same time. Seeing her staggering, he put his hand on the corner of the table to prevent the little girl from hitting her head. However, he couldn't help but pinch her smiling face lightly: "Why do you want to tell a story?"
Tang Ning rubbed his aching cheek and said, "Wait, brother. I promised to leave you some food. Since you haven't come back yet, I asked A-ru to help me pack up some things for the academy's opening day. It's late, so I'll just chat with them."
She stopped smiling and saw the tiredness in Xiao Yan's eyes. She asked, "Brother, are you busy today? Why did you come back so late?"
Xiao Yan: "I went out of the city and met someone."
Tang Ning originally thought that Xiao Yan had gone to see his great-grandmother, but hearing his tone, she didn't think so, so she didn't ask any further questions. Seeing Xiao Yan reaching out to pour tea, she hurriedly took the initiative to press it.
"It's too late, brother, don't drink tea, or you won't be able to sleep well at night." After she finished speaking, she called out, "Xichun, go pour some hot water, and don't add tea leaves."
Xichun responded and left in a hurry.
Tang Ning said, "Drink some water first to moisten your stomach. The kitchen has made some fish soup. I originally wanted to save some barbecue for you, but it would be uncomfortable to eat something too greasy so late at night. I asked someone to replace it with something lighter. You can see if you like it later."
The little girl's voice was soft, and every word she spoke was filled with concern.
Xiao Yan's brows softened: "I like everything you prepared."
…
Hua Wu brought the food over quickly. Xiao Yan, who had no appetite to begin with, ate quite a bit because he was in a good mood.
After the dishes on the table were cleared away, Tang Ning felt a little full, so he pulled Xiao Yan for a walk in circles in the yard to "appreciate the moon" while talking to help digest the food.
The weather was already very hot, and even after nightfall, there was still a sense of warmth. Xiao Yan took Tang Ning's small fan and fanned her as they walked. "I heard that the Queen brought a gift to the banquet today?"
"Not only did she send me gifts, she even tried to force me to accept her favor in public." Tang Ning's tone was not good when she mentioned Empress Lu: "She hasn't contacted me for such a long time. I thought she had gone quiet, but who would have thought she would come up to me again today."
Xiao Yan said, "King Cheng is dead, and she thought her affairs were over. I guess she wants to win you over to show goodwill to me and build a closer relationship."
Tang Ning paused and turned to look at the person beside him: "To show goodwill to you? What did my brother say to Queen Lu?"
"You're getting smarter."
Xiao Yan touched her forehead lightly with a fan and told her about things in the palace.
"After the Fourth Prince was brought down, Lu Qin bribed the imperial physician who treated him to tamper with the medicine. The Fourth Prince's legs and face were crippled. Furthermore, Empress Lu hated the Lu family immensely because of their feud."
"I had been forcing her to break with the Lu family because of something she had. This time, she gave it to me out of spite. To gain her trust, I pretended to agree to help the Fourth Prince seize the throne. She probably wanted to please you and Madam Rongguo for this reason."
He briefly recounted the entire story, not hiding the blood letter and the He family's letter.
After hearing this, Tang Ning was shocked and incredulous. He really couldn't believe that there were such vicious people in this world. Those were human lives!
For a moment, she felt extremely disgusted with Emperor An and the Lu family, and even felt a little nauseous about the meal she had just eaten.
Tang Ning suppressed the discomfort in his stomach and asked with his head tilted to the side, "So Queen Lu can't be moved for the time being?"
Xiao Yan hummed, "What she gave me is very useful. If I can verify what I want to do, I will be halfway to success. However, the Lu family is suspicious of me, and Lu Chongyuan is extremely wary of me. For the time being, we have to deal with Queen Lu and her son for a while and use them to attract the Lu family's attention."
He fanned the little girl with a fan and said, "But you don't have to worry too much about her. Queen Lu is vicious and her methods are despicable. If she asks you to do something excessive or makes any demands of you, just refuse."
Xiao Yan needed to appease Queen Lu. Keeping her around was still useful, but that didn't mean he had to let his little Haitang suffer for her.
"Prince Cheng left some things before he died. I'll have Canglang give them to you tomorrow. If Queen Lu is difficult to control, there's no need to keep her."
Tang Ning probably understood what Xiao Yan meant, nodded and said, "I understand."
The moonlight was bright, and the night wind was filled with whispers. The two of them talked as they walked. Although the atmosphere was not ambiguous, it was comfortable and warm.
Only when they felt their stomachs were no longer full did Tang Ning and Xiao Yan return to their room. Cang Lang waited outside and dismissed everyone.
Xiao Yan said, "Tang Ning, after the academy opens, I may have to leave Beijing for a while."
Tang Ning was stunned for a moment: "Leaving Beijing?" She turned her head to look at the people around her and subconsciously asked: "Where to?"
"northwest."
When Xiao Yan lowered his eyes, there was a depth in them that she couldn't see clearly. "There's something very important that I must do. I must go to the northwest in person. If everything goes well, it will take about twenty days. But I can't let anyone know about this, especially the palace. No one can know that I left the capital, let alone that I went to the northwest."
Tang Ning frowned slightly. Xiao Yan had a special identity and was serving before the emperor. The eyes of many people in the capital were on him. If he left the capital, he would not be able to hide it from anyone. Once he left the city, his whereabouts would be even more impossible to keep secret.
Unless there is some way to let everyone know that he is staying in the capital without showing up to see anyone, he can escape and leave the capital secretly.
"I have to go?"
"I have to go."
Xiao Yan did not hide it from Tang Ning: "This involves military power, and I can't let others do it."
Tang Ning's heart skipped a beat. She had actually suspected Xiao Yan's identity for a long time, but she had never thought that it would involve military power. She didn't dare to ask further, but just looked up at Xiao Yan: "What can I do for you, brother?"
Xiao Yan placed a small seal in Tang Ning's hand and said, "I have a plan for how to escape from the capital. I only need your cooperation when the time comes. However, after I leave the capital, I need your help in handling some matters in the Privy Council and the capital."
Tang Ning looked at the seal and his hands trembled: "Brother, I can't do it..."
She could help Xiao Yan, cover up for him, and even act with the people he arranged to mislead outsiders. However, she felt uneasy when she had to deal with matters that originally belonged to Xiao Yan. What if she made a mistake or made a mistake?
However, Xiao Yan did not let her retreat. He just held her hand and wrapped the private seal that belonged to him in his palm.
"You can do it, Tang Ning."
He lowered his eyes with a firm look, "You are very smart and resourceful. I have witnessed your growth over the past few days. You are not as weak as you think."
"I'll have Canglang to help you with matters concerning the Privy Council. You won't have to show up for anything else. I'll also make arrangements with the court, and Qian Baokun will cover for you. This private seal represents my identity and can also mobilize the Black Armor Guards in the capital. If anything happens in the capital while I'm away, I only trust you."
Tang Ning looked up hesitantly: "But, I have never done these things..."
"Then let's do it once." Xiao Yan held her hand: "I trust our girl, and I know that Xiao Haitang can defend the capital for me."
He cannot give his whole heart to other people.
The private seal felt extremely hot in his hand, and the voice in his ears penetrated into his heart word by word.
Tang Ning looked up at his dark eyes, which contained the indulgence and trust she was familiar with. The panic and fear in her heart were gradually soothed by his determination.
"Brother, do you trust me so much?"
"yes."
"Aren't you afraid that I might make a mistake?"
"No."
Tang Ning's palms grew hotter. She was silent for a long time before she slowly clenched the private seal: "Okay, then I will guard the capital for my brother."
Xiao Yan reached out and hugged the person into his arms: "I will be back as soon as possible."
If his guess is true, he will be able to focus on matters in the capital once he returns from the northwest.
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