Since Duan Cui's incident, Li Ke realized that the Southeast Army was in chaos and the local government was not governed. There were only two reasons: the Southeast Army was in a stable manner for a long time, and the army was exhausted and the soldiers were lazy. The two were far away and the sky was high, and the government orders were not implemented. The local army commanders have been in their position for a long time, and they gradually became local forces, and most of them did not follow the control of the Yangzhou Grand Governor's Office.

The Grand Governor of Yangzhou is highly entrusted. Although he is a local official, it is impossible for ordinary military officials to encounter this situation. It is because of the local power and the behavior is even more inconvenient. However, Li Ke is different. As a prince, Li Ke is loyal to the emperor and patrol the emperor. The military officials do not have to go to the court first, nor do he have to report to the Ministry of War. The Grand Governor of the Grand Governor of the People's Republic of China to act cheaply, so it also provides the possibility to solve this situation.

After Duan Cui's incident, Li Ke was advised by Ma Zhou and Xiao Yuexian, and used the king's steward to patrol the southeastern half of the territory to defend the silence of the night.

Li Ke started from Chuzhou, passed through Shouzhou and Shuzhou, first from east to west, then from south to north, and finally passed Yuezhou, Huzhou, Changzhou, and returned to Yangzhou in the north. It took Li Ke two months before and after, when Li Ke returned to Yangzhou again, it was almost the Duanyang Festival.

"I will pay homage to your Highness to the end." Li Ke was exhausted all the way. As soon as he arrived outside Linjiang Palace, Qin Huaidao, who was ordered to stay in Linjiang Palace, stepped forward to worship.

"Why do you have to report to Huai Dao?" Li Ke and Qin Huai Dao have the same ties as brothers and sisters, and are no more than ordinary monarchs and ministers. Qin Huai Dao performs official etiquette and waits here specifically, and there must be important things to report to him.

Qin Huaidao stood up and replied, "Your Highness, Xiao Jing, Duke of Lanling County, is waiting in the mansion."

Because of Xiao Meiniang, Li Ke was very familiar with Xiao Yu and was quite close to the entire Lanling Xiao family. Xiao Jing was Xiao Yu's legitimate brother. Li Ke's mentor Cen Wenben also served as an official under Xiao Jing, so Xiao Jing was also very close to the Chu Prince's Mansion.

However, Li Ke and Xiao Jing have a personal relationship. After all, it is a bit strange and can also cause criticism for the fact that officials in the court like Xiao Jing come to see Li Ke rashly.

Li Ke asked, "Why is Xiao Jing here?"

Qin Huaidao replied: "Xiao Jing is here to pass the order of Your Majesty."

When Li Ke heard this, his face became even more surprised. Li Ke asked in confusion: "Why did Xiao Jing be so old? Why did his father order him to come and pass the imperial edict? Are you not afraid of anything on the road?"

Xiao Jing was the fourth son of Emperor Ming of Liang, Xiao Kui. He was born in the sixth year of Tianbao in Xiliang. He was nearly 70 years old. Although his legs and feet were quite convenient, it was really inappropriate to travel south at this age, and it was somewhat inconsistent with Li Shimin's usual actions to take care of his old ministers.

Qin Huaidao replied, "I don't know about this last general, but Xiao Jing sent an order here, so your highness should go and see him first."

Li Ke nodded and said, "Take Xiao Jing to the hall first, and I will change my clothes and arrive."

"No." Qin Huaidao responded and went to make arrangements.

After a while, Li Ke changed into casual clothes and headed straight to the main hall. When Li Ke arrived outside the main hall, he saw Xiao Jing, holding tea in his hand, waiting in the hall.

Xiao Jing was ordered by the emperor to pass the imperial edict and was an angel minister. Even if Li Ke was the prince, he should pay his respects first. When Li Ke saw Xiao Jing in the hall, he wanted to come forward to pay homage.

When Xiao Jing saw Li Kejin listening, he acted to bow. He quickly stood up, put down the tea bowl in his hand, helped Li Ke who was about to bow down, and explained: "Your Majesty has a destiny, this is a letter from the family, and your Highness does not need to be polite."

Li Ke and Li Shimin are both monarchs and ministers, fathers and sons. If it is an imperial edict, Li Ke should welcome him, but if it is a letter from home, there will naturally be no such many rules.

Li Ke heard this and stood up and said, "Since that's the case, I'm not very polite."

"That's what it should be." Xiao Jing waited for Li Ke to get up, took out a letter from his collar, and handed it to Li Ke.

Xiao Jing said to Li Ke: "This is the letter from Your Majesty to His Highness, and His Highness will accept it."

Li Ke took the letter from Xiao Jing and was not in a hurry to open it. Instead, he said first: "Old Xiao is old and I am too old to ask Mr. Xiao for a trip. It's really a laborious thing. I feel ashamed."

Xiao Jing is naturally far inferior to his younger brother Xiao Yu in terms of official positions and reputation, but in Li Ke's eyes, Xiao Jing's weight is not inferior to Xiao Yu, and he even has to be more important.

Li Ke respected Xiao Jing so much, not only because of his official position as the Minister of the Honglu Temple, but also because of Xiao Jing's identity. Xiao Jing came from the Qiliangfang of the Xiao clan, the old man of the Xiao clan, the head of the Xiao clan, and the person in charge of the Lanling Xiao clan, the eternal savior.

Regarding Xiao Jing, not to mention that he has an official position, even if Xiao Jing is in vain, he is standing in front of Li Ke, and the weight in Li Ke's heart is not inferior to the prime minister at all.

"The faction is vast and branches are like wood." The leader of the Southern Family, Lanling Xiao family, was the cornerstone for Li Ke to rely on to deal with Guanzhong, Shandong, and to compete with the crown prince and the king of Wei. How could Li Ke dare to neglect it?

However, Xiao Jing didn't care, waved his hand and smiled, "Your Highness, you are so kind. The old minister just came here on the way and could not bear the words of your Highness."

"Come here on the way?" Li Ke couldn't help but murmur in his heart when he heard this.

Xiao Jing was originally an official in Beijing and was in Chang'an. Since he had not come to see Li Ke for a special trip, he would be here because of his official position transfer. However, Xiao Jing was the Minister of the Honglu Temple and was ranked as the Ninth Minister. Whenever he left Beijing, unless he was a maid of Henan in Luoyang, the rest would be considered exiled. With Xiao Jing's age and identity, how could Li Shimin be like this?

Just when Li Ke was quite puzzled, Li Ke looked at Xiao Jing, looked at Xiao Jing's gray-white hair and beard, and suddenly thought of a possibility, so he asked, "Has Mr. Xiao retired?"

"Ha ha."

Xiao Jing laughed and said to Li Ke: "Your Highness is indeed smart and you can guess it. This time, the old minister resigned to Your Majesty. Your Majesty asked the old minister to return home as a special entry to live his life. The old minister returned to Lanling and passed by Yangzhou, so Your Majesty ordered the old minister to bring a letter to Your Majesty. Your Majesty meant that Your Majesty would return to the capital as soon as possible and prepare for the June wedding."

As a prince, Li Ke was released from the capital. If it were not for a saint, he would never return to the capital without permission. Otherwise, it would be a crime of rebellion. The letter Li Shimin entrusted Xiao Jing to bring to Li Ke was not so much a letter from his family, but rather an urge to Li Ke to return to the capital as soon as possible. With this letter from his family, Li Ke could return to the capital on a date.

Li Ke said regretfully: "Since Mr. Xiao has returned to Lanling, he will probably not return to Chang'an within a few months. It's a pity that Mr. Xiao cannot come in person when I got married."

Xiao Jing smiled and said, "Although the old minister cannot come in person with his wedding, the old minister has already entrusted his son Xiao Jian. On the day of his wedding, the young son will come from the contemporary husband. Moreover, once the Your Highness gets married, the things in the south will become more important. Now that the old minister has retired, he can have more time to help the Jiangnan region for His Highness. Wouldn't that be a good idea?"

Li Ke has a good relationship with the Xiao family and Xiao Jing. If Xiao Jing can ask Xiao Jing to take charge of the situation himself, it is naturally the matter of the Chu Prince's Mansion to win over the family of the Southern clans. This is indeed an extremely important matter for Li Ke at the moment.

If Xiao Jing, the head of the Xiao family, who is famous for Guannan clan, takes action, it will be very sure to win.

Li Ke bowed and said, "This matter is of great importance, and Mr. Xiao must do it. This matter is a matter of hard work."

Xiao Jing said: "Your Highness is serious. Your Highness has been kind to my Xiao brothers and sisters, but the old minister is just doing his best."
Chapter completed!