"Uncle Xiao? Has something serious happened for you to be rushing out of the city like this?" Xiao Yan asked the old general at the head of the group, a man of around sixty dressed in full military uniform.
"Oh, Third Miss. What are you doing here?" The man Xiao Yan called Uncle Xiao did not answer her question, but asked one of his own.
"I just came back from outside the city with a friend. We're heading home," Xiao Yan said with a faint smile.
Uncle Xiao glanced at Huang Xiao without asking any further questions, then said, "His Majesty has ordered me to take command of the garrison camp outside the city."
"The garrison camp? I heard the army was assembling earlier, but haven't quite a few of them returned to their own stations now?" Xiao Yan said. "We passed several groups moving out on our way here."
"I'm temporarily in charge of the troops permanently stationed at the camp outside the city," Uncle Xiao said with a smile. "Well, I won't keep talking. Things outside the city aren't very peaceful these days, Miss. You'd best return home early."
Xiao Yan nodded and said nothing more. After glancing at Huang Xiao, she headed toward the city gate.
"Is he a member of the Xiao Clan too?" Huang Xiao asked on the way back to the residence.
"His name is Xiao Dalin. In terms of seniority, he's Her Majesty the Empress Dowager Xiao's younger paternal cousin. He'd already retired to an idle life at home some years ago. I didn't expect him to emerge again now," Xiao Yan said, still looking somewhat puzzled.
"Why? Is that so strange?" Huang Xiao asked.
Hearing Xiao Yan's explanation, he understood somewhat. This Xiao Dalin belonged to a collateral branch of the Xiao