The bustling and noisy Grand Tutor Hall grew quiet.
Deng Yi sat at the desk, reviewing some documents. He set down his brush and looked at Chu Zhao.
"Has some court matter displeased Her Majesty the Empress again?" he asked.
Since their collaboration in investigating the Huazhou summer flood case, the relationship between the Empress and the Grand Tutor had eased considerably in court affairs. When the Empress spoke in court, the Grand Tutor no longer remained silent and dismissive. Before deploying the Dragon Cloak Guard, the Empress would now inform the Grand Tutor first.
So regardless of their private attitudes toward the Garrison Guard, at least on the surface they maintained a clear boundary.
Chu Zhao looked at Deng Yi: "Why is the Grand Tutor interfering with the Border Army?"
Deng Yi put down his brush: "Interfering?" He looked at Chu Zhao, "Does the Border Army no longer belong to Great Xia?"
Chu Zhao took a deep breath, but this time she wasn't in the mood to placate Deng Yi with pleasant words.
"Grand Tutor, you know exactly what I mean," she said directly. "If you're uneasy and send military supervisors, I can accept that. If you replace part of the Border Army with commandery troops citing battle fatigue, I can also accept that. Everything is for Great Xia, for victory in the war. But how could you interfere with the commander's central army!"
After speaking, she threw a military report onto the desk.
Deng Yi glanced at it but didn't pick it up to read. Instead, he pulled several letters from his desk.
"The Border Army is riddled with corruption. How much impact does this have on the war effort? Is Her Majesty only concerned with military authority while ignoring everything else?" he said. "The commander's central army is crucial to military operations. Is questioning it not for Great Xia and for victory?"
"Spare me these platitudes. We're not in court now, and there are no others present. Lord Deng needn't speak so sanctimoniously," Chu Zhao sneered. "Wasn't promoting Liang Qiang enough? Now you want to elevate Liang Ji too - isn't this just your attempt to control the Border Army?"
Deng Yi also sneered: "Sanctimonious? Then why does Her Majesty persistently distrust the Liang father and son, completely disregarding the overall military situation while focusing solely on military authority? Are you truly doing this for Great Xia, for victory in the war?"
He too threw several letters onto the table.
"Do you know how many people the Xie family has placed in the Border Commandery? Aren't they also dividing military authority?"
"You only watch the Liang family, only watch me - are you watching for Great Xia, or for the Xie family?"
He stood up, looking at Chu Zhao.
"I won't divide your authority, and the Liang family can't seize your authority!"
"Chu Zhao, why don't you trust me?"
The fading sunset glow filled the room, making the gazes of the two standing opposite each other appear hazy, yet burning like flames.
Chu Zhao thought, why didn't she trust him?
Because she knew the Liang family could seize her authority, and she knew Grand Tutor Deng Yi could divide the Emperor's authority - he could even slap the Emperor's face.
What did the Emperor mean in Deng Yi's eyes? What did she herself mean in Deng Yi's eyes!
Now she clearly saw fate approaching step by step, all connected to Deng Yi.
Now she thought, perhaps her fate in her previous life wasn't solely because of Xiao Xun. If Deng Yi could slap Emperor Xiao Xun's face over a disagreement, then regarding matters like Border Army general transfers, Uncle Zhong's divided authority, being besieged without rescue, the Emperor poisoning the Empress, and elevating Liang Fei to Empress - how could Deng Yi not be involved in such major events?
Perhaps he was the one who orchestrated them.
Why should she trust him?
Recalling everything since they met, the reason she had trusted him was because she believed he was Xiao Xun's nemesis. But she had never considered how much her fate in that previous life might have been connected to this Deng Yi—She had trusted him too easily, and trusted herself too much as well.
"Because the Grand Tutor's actions truly give me no reason to trust you," said Chu Zhao. "You keep saying I don't trust you, but have you ever trusted me?"
Deng Yi looked at the girl before him. At this moment, her gaze felt both unfamiliar and familiar to him.
Unfamiliar because she had never looked at him this way before.
Familiar because he had seen this look before.
Back in Zhongshan Commandery, during their journey, it was the same gaze Miss Chu had directed at Crown Prince of Zhongshan, Xiao Xun.
Now, it was his turn.
"I told you this approach is wrong, yet you insist I've been bewitched by others, completely refusing to believe this is my own judgment," Chu Zhao said coldly. "Since that's the case, there's no need for further discussion."
With that, she turned and left.
Deng Yi thought to himself that from their very first meeting, Chu Zhao had shown her terrible temperament and stubbornness. Anyone who went against her will would earn her resentment and disgust. Just because she had been respectful and ingratiating toward him, often praising him as a heroic figure, he had thought she was a lovely girl?
He must have been possessed.
Watching the girl's retreating figure, he felt no desire to stop her. She was truly obstinate and blinded by prejudice. He didn't want to speak with her anymore either.
He watched as Chu Zhao walked out of the hall and disappeared from view.
"Attendants!" he shouted loudly. "Why hasn't the Ministry of Revenue's supplementary roster I requested been delivered yet!"
Outside, footsteps scrambled in disarray. Minor officials came running to respond, others hurried to press for the documents, and officials who had withdrawn to a distance swarmed back in. The Grand Tutor's office returned to its previous state of busy clamor.
But news of the Empress and Grand Tutor arguing again spread like wildfire.
Not that it mattered much anyway. This wasn't the first time the Empress and Grand Tutor had quarreled. Let them quarrel - one was the Empress, the other was Grand Tutor, their arguments were inconsequential. What really mattered was how to profit while the deities fought.
Take Zhu Yong, for example. It could be said he rose to prominence precisely by leveraging the conflicts between the Empress and Grand Tutor, transforming from a minor compiler to the Associate Administrator of the Garrison Guard wearing a python-patterned robe. Although many officials looked down on the Garrison Guard, in their hearts they still feared them.
After all, these Garrison Guard members were as fierce as wolves and tigers. When they decided to act, no one could stop them.
If you truly provoked them, the Grand Tutor or other officials might curse a few words on your behalf, condemning the Dragon Cloak Guard for their lawless conduct, but you would be the one suffering the consequences. Having your home confiscated, being imprisoned and tortured - no one could endure that in your place.
Who knew how many visitors had come knocking on Zhu Yong's humble door under cover of night.
Then there was the Ministry of Revenue Vice Minister who exposed corruption during Hu Zhou's summer floods, dragging so many people down with him. Though he still resided in prison, his family remained safe and sound. It was said he would receive preferential treatment after release - perhaps the Empress would even grant him an external appointment.
Rumors said the Garrison Guard planned to establish offices throughout various regions.
For many, being a subservient vice minister under the Grand Tutor paled in comparison to serving directly under the Empress, standing above court officials while answering only to her. The latter was clearly preferable.
Therefore, when court officials witnessed the Empress and Grand Tutor arguing now, instead of sneering from the sidelines as before, they involved themselves and stirred up waves of their own.
Even Xie Yanfang kept close watch on the matter. When he heard Seventh Master Xie excitedly report that "the Empress has suppressed several of the Grand Tutor's memorials," Xie Yanfang also smiled."What did the Empress say?" he asked with keen interest, not waiting for Seventh Master Xie to reply before continuing, "Did the Empress say that although the Grand Tutor is the Regent, he governs the Great Xia state, and as the Empress, when I see the Grand Tutor's regency being unreasonable, it is only natural for me to intervene?"
Seventh Master Xie gave an "oh" and nodded, "That's exactly what she meant." Then he asked curiously, "Did you teach her that?"
Xie Yanfang said, "Why would Miss Azhao need me to teach her how to be an Empress? She's clever enough on her own."
This Empress was indeed clever, but her actions were also alarming. Seventh Master Xie still didn't like her and asked, "So what do we do next? Just wait and see?"
Xie Yanfang said, "Next, we can let our Grand Tutor return to dust as dust."
Finally, they were going to deal with this Deng Yi! Seventh Master Xie was delighted and quickly straightened up, but Xie Yanfang didn't continue speaking to him. Instead, he called out to Cai Bo from outside.
Cai Bo walked in from the outer room, holding a stack of letters and squinting as he read them. "What do you need, Young Master?" he asked.
Xie Yanfang inquired, "What has Yu Shang been busy with lately?"
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