After a while, she continued, "The governor of Xunyang is incompetent, so you should take over."
? ? ?
Everyone then realized that Chen Xiao was simply panting heavily while speaking.
When she said "no," she wasn't refuting the first part of Zheng Pianran's statement, which was to prevent him from leaving the palace and returning home. Instead, she was refuting the second part of his statement—"He can only be the son of the Prefect of Xunyang."
In other words, in addition to being the son of the Prefect of Xunyang, Zheng Pianran also had to serve as the Governor of Xunyang.
Zheng Pianran stared in shock, never expecting Chen Xiao to make such an arrangement for him.
Zhao Cheyu was also somewhat surprised. He looked at Chen Xiao and thought to himself that Chen Xiao's thoughts were becoming more and more unpredictable, and he always made some unexpected decisions.
Zheng Pianran asked incredulously, "Your Majesty, although the position of governor may seem to be slightly lower than that of prefect, in reality, the governor's status and influence are much higher! Moreover, the governor is in charge of the army, finances, personnel, and other great power of a prefecture. Such an important position is being handed over to me so easily... won't that be...?"
He was filled with worry, after all, the interests involved were too complicated, and the governor of Xunyang was his father. The delicate relationship made him somewhat apprehensive.
Chen Xiao naturally understood what he meant.
The Prefect of Xunyang is his father. If he were to become the Governor, he would not only have to oversee his father's character and conduct, but also surpass his father in actual status and influence.
Chen Xiao had also heard about his father's personality and reputation. There were rumors that although the prefect of Xunyang was always doing things for the people and was incorruptible, he was very stubborn in some matters and would not listen to the advice of others. He even had a bad relationship with his only son, Zheng Pianran.
However, these were not the main concerns for Chen Xiao.
As the emperor, considering the overall benefits to Xunyang and the various things she had learned from Xi Xi, she knew that the position of governor was most suitable for Zheng Pianran.
Regardless of Zheng Pianran's own abilities, his very identity is enough to keep the complex forces within Xunyang in check.
Chen Xiao knew all too well how chaotic the situation was inside Xunyang.
The prefect is now bedridden because he was assassinated.
Fortunately, it was discovered in time, so there was no danger to his life. However, the medical skills of the doctors in Xunyang are limited, and they all say they are powerless to help.
Originally, Chen Xiao planned to bring Wen Taiyi, the most skilled physician from the Imperial Medical Academy, to Xunyang to treat the governor.
Unfortunately, she learned from Xixi that Zhao Cheyu had already found someone to treat the prefect, and that by the time they arrived in Xunyang, the prefect's condition should have improved.
Moreover, the problems in Xunyang were not just internal chaos; they also affected nearby prefectures and counties. Even the governor's own family was in complete disarray.
Therefore, Chen Xiao stared straight into Zheng Pianran's eyes, his gaze firm and profound, and said, "If you don't have this identity, how will you resolve your family's disputes?"
Upon hearing this, Zheng Pianran suddenly realized what was going on.
He understood Chen Xiao's good intentions and realized that Chen Xiao had always known about his family's affairs, but simply didn't want to bring it up and save him face.
He was deeply moved and solemnly thanked Chen Xiao: "Your Majesty, I understand. I will definitely handle the affairs of the clan well and manage Xunyang well. Thank you for your trust and promotion."
Seeing that he was so cooperative, Chen Xiao was very satisfied. He nodded slightly, a faint smile appearing on his lips.
He then waved his hand and said, "You don't need to thank me. I just believe you have the ability, and I hope you won't let me down."
Zheng Pianran cupped his hands again, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will do my utmost."
The atmosphere inside the car eased considerably after this conversation, no longer as oppressive as before.
Yin Yuyao breathed a sigh of relief and joked with a smile, "That's great! Our trip to Xunyang is already settled before we even arrive. There might be even more surprises when we get there."
Zhao Cheyu nodded slightly, "I hope it's a pleasant surprise rather than a shock. The waters of Xunyang are deeper than we imagined."
He looked at Chen Xiao and said, "Your Majesty, security is of utmost importance for this trip. I suggest we strengthen the guards."
Chen Xiao nodded, "You're right. Apart from Ye Yu and Chao Yuan, you can handle the rest of the arrangements."
Zhao Cheyu accepted the order.
Before long, the carriage slowly came to a stop. Ye Yu reported from outside, "Master, we have arrived at the post station ahead. Shall we rest for a while?"
Chen Xiao responded, and everyone got off the carriage one after another.
There were already couriers waiting at the post station. When they saw Chen Xiao and his party arrive, they hurriedly bowed.
Chen Xiao entered the post station, glanced around, and instructed, "Have the kitchen prepare some food, something simple will do."
The courier obeyed and left.
Zheng Pianran walked outside the post station, looked at the sky, and felt both anticipation and unease about the future.
He knew he was about to face numerous challenges for his family and Xunyang, but with His Majesty's support, he had more courage.
Yin Yuyao walked to his side and said softly, "Are you feeling a lot of pressure right now? But I believe you can do it. You're much more composed than when I first met you."
Zheng Pianran turned to look at her, not expecting that such a composed woman as Yin Yuyao would make a special trip to encourage him.
He smiled, somewhat surprised, and said, "People always have to grow, especially in this kind of situation."
Meanwhile, Chen Xiao was discussing the specific plans for Xunyang with Zhao Cheyu at the post station. Their voices were low; every decision concerned the future of Xunyang and the stability of the imperial court...
---
After a short rest at the post station, the group returned to the carriage and continued their journey, but the road was somewhat bumpy.
Chen Xiao looked out the window, lost in thought.
Before setting off again, Zhao Cheyu carefully checked the guard arrangements and dared not slack off in the slightest.
Zheng Pianran then told Yin Yuyao about the local customs and culture of Xunyang in an attempt to ease the tense atmosphere.
Suddenly, a cloud of dust billowed up ahead, indicating something unusual was happening, and everyone immediately became alert.
Zheng Pianran stared warily ahead, while Chen Xiao frowned slightly, his hand unconsciously resting on the dagger hidden in his sleeve.
Zhao Cheyu reacted quickly, swiftly directing the guards to form a circle, protecting the carriage in the center.
Although Zheng Pianran and Yin Yuyao looked nervous, they were prepared to deal with the situation.
As the dust settled and the sound of hooves thundered, it turned out that a herd of frightened wild horses was galloping towards them, and a crisis was imminent.
Zheng Pianran's nervousness dissipated, replaced by familiarity. His eyes sharpened, and he leaped out of the carriage, drawing a long whip from his waist.
He leaped through the air several times, and his long whip lashed out at the wild horses like a nimble snake.
He struck the lead horse's leg with precise force, enough to slow it down in pain without causing serious injury.
At the same time, he made a strange whistle, which miraculously caused some of the wild horses to turn around.
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