Only then did Emperor Xiao know that those were the words in his heart just now, and they were probably what many courtiers wanted to say but didn't dare to say.

That's it.

Emperor Xiao suddenly felt a little tired, he had been delaying the arrival of this day, but he vaguely knew in his heart that this day would always come.

"I know, you can go down."

This is what he asked Zhang Jaw to say, naturally he will not repent and punish him for his sin, Zhang Jaw shook it in front of him, looked at the impermanence on the surface, and retreated respectfully, only to finally breathe a sigh of relief in his heart, it was this vacancy that almost made him stumble when he stepped down the stairs.

The guards on the side saw him as if he was about to fall, and subconsciously stepped forward to help him, but he interrupted him first:

"No, you don't."

When the guard heard him say this, he could only stop and not dare to step forward again.

Fang Cai was in danger for him above the main hall, Emperor Xiao asked what he said, as a courtier, he could answer however he wanted, but no matter how he answered, he didn't want to stand on which side, what Fang Cai said was just what he wanted in his heart for the good of Luoyang, he flicked his sleeves, and then he found that the cold sweat soaked on his body had overflowed his clothes.

But fortunately, looking at Emperor Xiao's expression just now, he should have an answer to that question in his heart, but before he made a decision, he just wanted to ask others again.

But Jaw couldn't guess his answer, and maybe that answer surprised everyone.

But fortunately, Xiao Ce is about to return to Luoyang, and these things will be settled when he returns, I hope it is what the entire Luoyang minister is looking forward to.

*

At present, Xiao Ce and Li Hanning are only half a day's trip from Luoyang, and they have just arrived in Luyang Prefecture, which is not far from Luoyang.

In fact, Li Hanning has been to this place before, as early as when the Liang court besieged Luoyang, she accompanied Li Zhao to relieve the siege of Luoyang, speaking of which, when they left Chang'an, they were really in a hurry, and Li Hanning didn't even have time to say goodbye to Li Zhao.

Xiao Ce watched her standing by the window and watching the pedestrians coming and going on the street below, so he walked to her side:

"What are you looking at?"

Xiao Ce followed her gaze, everything here seemed to be no different from other places.

Li Hanning retracted his gaze: "There seems to be no difference here from two or three years ago. ”

Xiao Ce then remembered that she had been to Luyang Prefecture, about the time when Luoyang was besieged, more than two years had passed, and many things had happened, both expected and unexpected.

Xiao Ce said: "Luoyang has always been lucky in this troubled era, and with many cities in the vicinity, it has rarely experienced war. ”

Li Hanning thought of the storytelling joke he overheard when passing by the teahouse today, and suddenly smiled, and told Xiao Ce what he had in the morning to Xiao Ce in front of him:

"When I passed by the teahouse in the morning, I also heard that Luoyang is blessed by Ziweixing, so this area is the most peaceful place."

Li Hanning paused and said, "But I haven't heard of this saying before, so I wonder who spread it." ”

The messages circulating among the people are not all rumors, it is very likely that people with intentions are using the identity of the people to spread them, for example, such a statement is to make it more reasonable for them to establish Luoyang as the capital of the country, Li Hanning can see this, and the people around her can naturally do it.

But Xiao Ce didn't make it clear.

Calculating the days, the reason why they haven't entered Luoyang now is because they have to wait for Ning Yu and Lu Changfeng, who have just returned from southern Xinjiang, they should still have a few days to arrive, and the 100,000 troops who stayed in southern Xinjiang will also come back with them, so the road will naturally be delayed for a while.

Li Hanning originally thought that they would live here during this time, but now it seems that Xiao Ce has other plans.

Li Hanning asked clearly: "Your Highness has not entered Luoyang for a long time, and you will not go forward, do you have any other plans here?" ”

"I can't hide anything from you." Xiao Ce put his hand on her waist, and soon gently took the person in his arms: "Then guess what, what am I going to do here next?" ”

Li Hanning thought about it carefully, she knew that Xiao Ce had let the secret guard in her hand go out earlier, and checked on the dock, the dock in Luyang Prefecture belonged to Luoyang, and it could only pass the official ship this season, but there were many things that the official ship could transport, such as salt, iron, tea and other valuable things.

Although these things are closely related to a country's treasury, but these are not within Xiao Ce's scope, he used to just fight, if he needed military salaries and grain and grass, he would stretch out his hand and ask Luoyang for it, and he didn't need to think about these at all.

In charge of these, it is more of Xiao Sheng, the prince of the East Palace, Li Hanning has heard the military advisor mention the salt envoy before, and it seems that he is the person of the crown prince Xiao Sheng.

Li Hanning said: "Your Highness wants to investigate the sale of illicit salt?" ”

In the past two years, due to the war in Luoyang, the gentry from all over the country have given military salaries, as well as a lot of taxes and silver to the court, so for some things, the court has always turned a blind eye, after all, there are more than 100,000 people in the entire officialdom, and as long as the corruption is not done too much, it can be big or small, and there is no fish if the water is clear.

Xiao Ce said: "Yes." ”

His Hanning is really smart, those people outside only know that his female general is decisive on the battlefield and has very high martial arts, but from the moment he met Li Hanning, he knew that she was very smart, and some things were thorough.

"Originally, it was just to do Dali Siqing a favor, a ship was involved in a murder, but the forces behind it were related to the prince, he wanted to investigate but didn't dare to investigate, but according to the clues I found, if this matter is investigated along the vine, I'm afraid I will catch a big fish, but it's a pity that those secret guards are not very smart and can't get on the boat."

Li Hanning almost didn't expect to respond when he heard this:

"Your Highness, if you don't worry, I'll go."

Anyway, they still have a few days to return to Luoyang, if they get on the boat to collect some clues, even if they are discovered, she can escape with her martial arts, Xiao Ce's secret guards have all grown up with him since childhood, Li Hanning also knew each other when he returned to Luoyang last time, and Li Hanning didn't want them to work hard in these things.

Xiao Ce seemed to be a little reluctant, for him, the life of the secret guard was fate, and hers was even more:

"Are you really going?"

"If Your Highness is relieved, I will definitely find a way to recover evidence for Your Highness."

"Okay."

Xiao Ce finally agreed: "If you encounter danger, don't be reluctant, protect yourself." ”

If he can't, he naturally hopes that Li Hanning, don't be reluctant, he has other ways.

"Your Highness, rest assured, I-"

"Squeak-"

Before Li Hanning finished speaking, he heard the door not far away, and it was opened with a squeak, and Zhao Yi, who came in, looked at the scene of the two snuggling together, and his expression was naturally a little embarrassed.

He really saw a ghost, he just pushed it gently, but he didn't expect that this door was unlocked.

"Your Highness, it's—well—I really didn't come at the right time."

Zhao Yi is almost not advancing or retreating now, he thought about it seriously, and still struggled to say:

"Why don't I come back later and not bother the two of you?"

Li Hanning had already taken a step back, and then walked out of the room from Zhao Yi's side, Xiao Ce shook his head a little helplessly, his general Zhao came at a good time.

But now, Li Hanning is gone. Although he was inevitably a little angry in his heart, he still said calmly on his face:

"It's okay, General Zhao said."

*

The sun is slanting to the west, and the sunset is reflected on the river outside Luyang City in the morning, spreading out on the water like a candle flame, and the breeze blows, like scattering into a red flowing cloud pouring down.

The hundred-foot-tall sea falcon ship was moored on the shore, and the wharf outside the city of Luyangzhou was still crowded with people.

The person recruiting workers on the shore in front of the ship looked up at the sky, saw the names of the people recorded in the account book in his hand, got up and prepared to board the ship, but the next step was blocked by an ink suit.

The recruiter looked up, and the person in front of him was in his early twenties, and his facial features hidden under the hat could not be seen clearly, but the lines of the jaw were soft.

The recruiter heard him speak first: "I'm sorry, there are some things delayed on the road today, I want to go to Luoyang to visit a friend, I heard that your ship is going south all the way to Luoyang, and you are recruiting boatmen——"

When he said this, the people in front of him understood his purpose, and today he has recruited many such people.

But he quickly shook his head, shook the booklet full of names in his hand, and interrupted him, "You're late, we've already recruited enough people." ”

Li Hanning frowned when he heard this, seeing that the recruiter was leaving, he was about to step forward to stop him again, but he heard someone on the boat in the distance changing the person's name:

"It's going to be a boat tonight, don't ink underneath, you go on the boat first and count the number of people."

The man replied impatiently: "Urge, I'll clean up, this is coming." ”

Li Hanning stood in place, followed and looked up, the hundred-foot-tall sea falcon ship had already raised six white sails, and the afterglow of the setting sun fell on the white sails and reflected them red.

Li Hanning actually heard it, they were going to sail tonight, and now it was less than an hour before it got dark, and there was really not much time left for her.

She had already checked before she came, and the boat was heading south along the canal, and in order to catch the pilgrimage festival in Luoyang, it would not stop at all during the trip, which meant that she had to find a way to board the boat today.

Li Hanning glanced around, and his eyes happened to fall on the boatman carrying the goods on the side.

At night, the riverside is humid, with occasional breezes blowing, and occasional candles illuminated not far from the riverbank.

The boatman handed the waist card on his body to Li Hanning in the dark.