"She didn't specifically write for me to go."
"Nor did she mention anything going wrong—"
Xie Yanlai couldn't immediately rush to the capital, as Mu Mianhong had driven him back home and demanded to see what the letter contained.
But the letter didn't say much at all.
Hearing the inquiry, Xie Yanlai answered impatiently.
"Then why do you want to go to the capital?" Mu Mianhong asked, carefully reading the letter again.
Could there possibly be some secret code between her daughter and A Jiu?
Chu Zhao's letter was very simple, merely mentioning a past incident and asking Xie Yanlai if he remembered the time he was publicly whipped by the Xie family. She wanted him to explain what exactly had happened back then, adding that since Xie Yanlai was already dead, all his deeds—whether good or evil—were now erased, so he could speak the truth.
"Is it because you're angry that she exposed your shameful past?" she asked.
She didn't know the specifics of the incident, but a public whipping inflicts far greater humiliation on the soul than physical pain.
Someone took the letter from Mu Mianhong's hand.
Mu Mianhong glanced over and saw it was Deng Yi, so she remained silent.
When she had driven Xie Yanlai back to the courtyard, Deng Yi had approached and stood nearby. Mu Mianhong didn't shoo him away, allowing him to listen in.
Deng Yi skimmed the letter and said, "That incident was indeed shameful." He then looked at Xie Yanlai and asked, "Does it involve Xie Yanfang?"
Xie Yanlai, his face dark, ignored him and asked Mu Mianhong, "What has she been doing lately?"
In addition to private letters, Zhong Changrong regularly sent official gazettes from the capital.
Mu Mianhong shook her head. "She hasn't been doing much lately. Just being the Empress, attending court sessions, discussing state affairs, and hosting banquets. Xiao Man says she's been leisurely and happy. Oh, and her cousin Chu Tang is about to get married, so she's been busy with that recently."
Xie Yanlai snorted. "She would never truly be idle."
"Exactly," Deng Yi said. "Since she plans to come here with you, she must clean up the court thoroughly before leaving—"
His words were cut off by Mu Mianhong, her voice both joyful and anxious. "Is she really coming here? Is she giving up being Empress?"
Deng Yi didn't answer, instead looking at Xie Yanlai. Mu Mianhong's gaze followed his.
Suddenly under the scrutiny of both, Xie Yanlai felt as if burned by fire. "Why are you looking at me? This has nothing to do with me."
Deng Yi sneered. "Nothing to do with you? If it weren't for you, would she abandon her position as Empress and leave the court? Aren't you usually clever? Why are you being foolish now? What will she do before leaving the court? Of course, she'll eliminate all threats—in the current court, without me, there's still Xie Yanfang. You can't possibly not know who she distrusts and guards against the most, can you?"
Xie Yanlai's face flushed, then turned gloomy, but he didn't refute Deng Yi's sharp remarks. Allowing Deng Yi to finish his tirade, his earlier restlessness subsided into calm.
"That old incident of mine is related to a private deal between Xie Yanfang and the Wei family of Han County," he said, still addressing only Mu Mianhong. "If Chu Zhao is asking about this now, she must be investigating the Wei family."
He then shook his head.
"No, she's investigating Xie Yanfang."
Mu Mianhong knew of Xie Yanfang but wasn't very familiar with him. Seeing the expressions on Deng Yi and Xie Yanlai's faces, she asked, "Is this person very formidable?"
Xie Yanlai glanced at Deng Yi and said coldly, "To put it this way: Grand Tutor Deng's current predicament is simply because Xie Yanfang glanced his way one too many times."
Originally, Xie Yanfang might have paid Deng Yi no mind, but if Young Master Xie the Third were to turn his gaze upon him and spare him an extra glance, it would be enough to make the name Deng Yi disappear.Deng Yi's face was wooden, ignoring his sarcasm.
Mu Mianhong looked at him and nodded in understanding: "Indeed impressive. A Jiu, you also owe your current situation to him today."
Xie Yanlai exclaimed: "I don't count! I'm not like Deng Yi."
Deng Yi said coldly: "What's the difference? You also had to fake your death to escape their grasp."
Mu Mianhong raised her hand to stop them: "Enough, no need to say more. I understand." She took a deep breath and looked at Xie Yanlai. "How many troops should we bring?"
Xie Yanlai gazed toward the capital.
"If we're in time, just the two of us will be enough," he said. "If we're too late, even fifty thousand troops would be useless."
......
......
Dark clouds gathered over the grassland, threatening imminent rain. The village grew noisy as people busied themselves seeking shelter from the storm. Adults rushed about, not toward their homes but toward the village outskirts.
Deng Yi stood under the eaves, listening to the varying bird calls and watching the southeastern horizon.
May she have good fortune this time.
......
......
This year, it seemed the capital had exhausted its rainfall in early summer. As deep summer arrived, not a single drop fell, with the scorching sun blazing overhead.
People in the palace sought cool places to escape the heat.
Chu Zhao had moved to Qiongfang Palace, sitting in the high tower reviewing summer flood reports from various regions. A breeze swept through, cooling the entire tower.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, it's so cool here!" A Le stood in the outer corridor, then exclaimed, "Oh! His Majesty is in the imperial garden."
As Xiao Yu grew older, the emperor and empress no longer lived together. With less than a year and a half until his coronation, Xiao Yu had many matters to familiarize himself with. Apart from meal times, the emperor and empress rarely spent time together.
Even for meals, they could share at most one per day.
Chu Zhao set down the documents and stood up, walking out to the corridor to look down. From here, she could see the imperial garden clearly. In the pavilion at the center of Bibo Lake, Xiao Yu sat upright at the desk writing something. A row of eunuchs stood quietly attending him, occasionally taking away what he had written and laying out new paper.
"His Majesty is truly busy," A Le said with a laugh.
Chu Zhao also smiled. Yes, everyone was busy - Xiao Yu busy growing up, she busy preparing—
Her vision shifted, noticing another person in her line of sight.
"Young Master Xie the Third is here too," A Le observed, then chuckled. "What is he doing? Holding a fishing rod - is he fishing?"
Chu Zhao watched as Xie Yanfang, wearing official robes, approached Xiao Yu. The fishing rod in his hand stood out conspicuously. Without setting it down, he stood before the desk, reviewing the papers the eunuchs presented of Xiao Yu's writing, nodding or shaking his head as he commented.
Xiao Yu had stopped writing, listening attentively.
Though the distance prevented hearing their words, one could sense the dynamic of teaching and learning. At one point, Xiao Yu seemed annoyed, slamming his brush down heavily. But after Xie Yanfang said something more, the irritated expression on Xiao Yu's face gave way to a smile as he picked up his brush and began writing properly again.
Chu Zhao smiled along with them.
Just then, Xie Yanfang turned with his fishing rod, looked up, and flashed a bright smile toward the people in the high tower.
......
......
Seeing Chu Zhao approach, Xiao Yu immediately stood up to greet her, but the next moment he gripped his brush and stopped.
"Sister," he called out loudly, "wait until I finish writing."
Chu Zhao smiled and nodded at him: "Understood. I'll wait here for you."
Xiao Yu sat back down and continued writing earnestly, no longer looking up distractedly.
Chu Zhao sat down beside Xie Yanfang and remarked: "His Majesty is becoming increasingly steady."Xie Yanfang declared proudly, "His Majesty will undoubtedly become an illustrious ruler in history."
After he spoke, the person beside him remained silent but continued watching him intently.
Xie Yanfang turned his head and smiled at the girl. "What is the Empress looking at?"
Chu Zhao didn't avert her gaze, studying him carefully as she said, "I'm quite perplexed."
Perplexed? Xie Yanfang saw in the girl's eyes a mixture of delight and confusion - she was genuinely puzzled.
"Tell me about it," he said with a gentle smile. "Let's see if I can help clarify things for you."
Chu Zhao withdrew her gaze and looked toward the lake. "You must have heard about the situation in Han County by now."
Yesterday, the Garrison Guard had submitted a report about the Wei Shi case in Han County. During Xiao Xun's occupation of Han County, the Wei family had acted as accomplices to tyranny, seizing the opportunity to amass wealth and massacre civilians. The entire Wei clan had been placed under supervision, with the head of the Wei family and his household already imprisoned.
"Tomorrow in court, there will surely be another round of debates," Chu Zhao said.
Xie Yanfang asked, "Is it the letter that Old Master Wei sent along with the Garrison Guard's report that's troubling you, Empress?" He lifted his fishing rod, a small fish wriggling and splashing water as it emerged. "Empress, listen to me - just throw that letter directly into the brazier and burn it."
He looked at Chu Zhao, his gaze clear and cool.
"Since you've already decided on your course of action, you are right. There's no need for confusion."
Chu Zhao looked at him, her eyes still filled with doubt. "Do you truly believe that? That I'm right?"
Xie Yanfang nodded. "In my heart, whatever the Empress does is always right."
Chu Zhao burst into laughter, the mirth rippling in her eyes and dispelling her confusion. She leaned slightly closer to him and whispered, "Have you said the same thing to the Emperor?"
Xie Yanfang kept his eyes on the lake as he removed the small fish from the hook and tossed it back into the water, shaking his head. "Of course not." He also leaned slightly toward Chu Zhao and whispered, "There can only be one person who is right."
Chu Zhao laughed heartily, then quickly suppressed her laughter for fear of disturbing Xiao Yu, glancing toward the pavilion.
Inside the pavilion, Xiao Yu was focused on his writing, not looking up though the corners of his mouth were curved in a smile.
Chu Zhao fanned herself with her hand. "The weather is too hot, and what's to come will be quite bothersome. Why don't we go somewhere to escape the heat?"
She turned to look at Xie Yanfang.
"What about the hunting grounds outside the city?"
Xie Yanfang smiled at her. "That sounds perfect."
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