The officials in the hall discussed spiritedly, suggesting that the Empress’s letter be thrown away.

Deng Yi smiled and stopped everyone’s discussion: “Let’s first see what the Empress has to say.”

She could say what she wanted; how they acted was their affair.

The officials stopped discussing. Deng Yi didn’t avoid everyone because of the Empress’s private letter to him, reading and reciting the contents aloud as he went.

From the letter’s description, one could see that this girl had indeed gone to persuade Prince Zhongshan to surrender, or rather, to threaten him.

She had captured the heir Xiao Xun, threatening mutual destruction with Prince Zhongshan and his son, making Prince Zhongshan’s plans come to nothing—in the end, Prince Zhongshan decided to surrender and cease hostilities. But the prerequisite was that his plans couldn’t come to nothing, so—

“The crimes of Prince Zhongshan and his son must be pardoned. Besides the heir entering the capital as hostage, Prince Zhongshan will not be subject to any restrictions.”

Reading this, Deng Yi laughed despite himself: “Isn’t Empress Chu being too polite? She should have also written for the court to reward Prince Zhongshan.”

The officials also clamored in astonishment.

“Truly laughable,” an official holding a teacup scoffed. “Empress Chu must be confused.”

With Prince Zhongshan submitting, they should naturally determine his crime, demote him to commoner status, and eliminate the threat forever—this prince with broken legs actually kept so many troops. Although it was still covered by a thin veil, whose heart wasn’t clear about what he intended?

Another official reached out to pick up a piece of pastry and said: “The court doesn’t fear Prince Zhongshan. Fighting would completely uproot Prince Zhongshan—mm.”

He took a bite of the pastry and immediately praised it, calling everyone’s attention.

“Try this apricot blossom cake—it’s very fresh.”

The official beside him brushed his sleeve and took a piece, saying: “In this battle the court has great odds of victory. How can we not fight, much less talk of letting Prince Zhongshan go?” He ate the apricot blossom cake, nodded in praise, then said to Deng Yi: “Grand Tutor, the old madam loves sweets. Send this to the old madam to try.”

Nowadays, even that blind old woman’s taste preferences were remembered by everyone.

Deng Yi smiled faintly: “Another day you should all try my household cook’s skills—she was sent by Editor Zhang.”

The officials seated throughout the hall all looked in one direction, where a middle-aged official from the Hanlin Academy with a dark red complexion smiled and raised his teacup: “My family shop’s traditional craft—a modest gift, a modest gift.”

This Editor Zhang’s clan operated restaurants and pastry shops that were extremely famous in the capital and even throughout Da Xia. Some unique pastries and dishes weren’t even available in the palace’s imperial kitchens.

When giving gifts, sometimes it wasn’t about spending more or less money, but about matching someone’s taste. Among the officials, some were disdainful, some jealous, some joked—the hall was lively and bustling.

Deng Yi drank some tea, coughed lightly, lowered his eyes to the letter, and read what that girl had written: “Fight, and the world descends into chaos, the border commanderies face danger, military morale scatters, people suffer everywhere, the people’s livelihood collapses.”

War had always been like this—everyone knew this.

An official with graying whiskers clasped his hands, closed his eyes, and said flatly: “Empress Chu has a compassionate heart.”

“A woman’s benevolence,” another official added.

Deng Yi continued reading: “Even though the court’s momentum is strong like a rainbow and troops are plentiful, Prince Zhongshan has accumulated strength for a long time, and additionally the Xi Liang King refuses to let go. Once war starts, the world will descend into chaos—it might not even be pacified within ten years after.”

Where did this girl get such certainty to conclude that Da Xia would enter chaotic times?

Although things were already quite chaotic now, but—

“We have the Grand Tutor, we have the Xie clan, we have His Majesty,” an official said gravely. “Even if Da Xia has chaos, in one year, two years, three years, the world will surely be pacified. But if we leave Prince Zhongshan be, that will never be pacified. Cut the tangled threads with a sharp blade, prolonged pain is worse than short pain—surely Her Majesty the Empress understands this principle.”

She naturally understood. Deng Yi lowered his eyes to the letter: “However, Prince Zhongshan has a rebellious heart but no rebellious backbone. Break his momentum, and from then on he’ll hesitate at every step, allowing the court to win at every step—subduing the enemy without battle.”

Another official laughed and shook his head: “Speaking of all this is useless. His Majesty has already personally led the expedition. Xie Yanfang’s momentum is strong like a rainbow, magnificently eliminating evil—everyone can see His Majesty’s authority.”

Subduing the enemy without battle was like wearing brocade at night—Xie Yanfang would never agree.

And although they didn’t really want to see the Xie clan in glory, they couldn’t prevent it either, since it concerned the nation’s imperial authority and the Son of Heaven’s prestige.

“His Majesty personally leads the expedition, yet we in the rear make peace with Prince Zhongshan—the infamy is easy to imagine.”

Moreover—

He looked at Deng Yi.

“Grand Tutor, Xie Yanfang is watching your past dealings with Prince Zhongshan.”

Earlier he had wanted to force Deng Yi to reveal past incidents of being bribed by Prince Zhongshan. Empress Chu’s family members fled first, revealing their guilty conscience without need for proof, so Deng Yi no longer needed to provide supporting evidence.

But now if they did as Empress Chu suggested, accepting Prince Zhongshan’s confession without punishment or inquiry, making big matters small and small matters disappear—Deng Yi would truly bear the infamy of being Prince Zhongshan’s lackey.

“Let Empress Chu be absurd on her own if she wants—you cannot.”

Deng Yi leaned against his armrest, holding the letter in one hand while accepting hot tea from an attending clerk with the other. In the night, steam rose and danced, making his features somewhat blurred.

Right now he should indeed throw this girl’s nonsensical letter into the brazier and burn it, not read any further.

But—

That girl stopped talking about these grand principles and wrote something else.

“Pacifying the world in chaotic times brings great merit, but preventing chaos and keeping the world peaceful is also great merit. Grand Tutor, do you want to be the Grand Tutor of chaotic times, or the Grand Tutor of peaceful and well-governed times?”

His birth, Deng Yi’s, was humble—no family background, no deep-rooted old friends or marriage connections.

He raised his eyes slightly, looking at the officials seated throughout the hall. Now many supporters surrounded him, obeying his commands, assisting him with people and money, allowing him, Deng Yi, to occupy the court and stand equally against the Xie clan with their aristocratic heritage and imperial connections—this was because he was the late Emperor’s chosen regent, holding the imperial seal and the authority to supervise the government during the regency.

What they attached themselves to wasn’t him, Deng Yi—it was the power in his hands.

Chaotic times were fought for. Even as the chief civil official holding the imperial seal, when campaigns began, generals in the field didn’t always heed the ruler’s commands—it wouldn’t be his turn as Grand Tutor to direct affairs.

When authority became difficult to wield, it would become increasingly difficult to wield.

Deng Yi looked at the letter. Miss Chu came from an ordinary background with a thin family foundation. Although she had troops, she knew that in chaotic times she couldn’t compete with Xie Yanfang, so she came to be kindred spirits in misfortune with him.

This kindred spirit wrote another line.

“If the Grand Tutor cannot help me, I will perish together with Prince Zhongshan and his son, doing my part to help the Grand Tutor more quickly usher in peace.”

“Although I wish to strive to live, I have never feared death.”

“From the moment I stepped into Prince Zhongshan’s estate, I went there ready to die.”

“This death of mine holds no regrets for the nation, for the people, for myself, and for Lord Deng, it also holds no regrets.”

“Chu Zhao bids farewell here.”

She was right—if he didn’t help her, she was certainly dead.

No regrets? Then why write so many words? At such a young age, candid yet practiced, self-serving yet righteous—wasn’t this using death to threaten him?

Was he, Deng Yi, someone who cared about others’ life and death?

Deng Yi put down the letter and looked at the tea in his hand. This girl seemed to have been gone for a long time—he couldn’t even remember what she looked like.

“Deng Yi, why are you here too!”

He vaguely recalled their first meeting, the girl calling out his name in shock—clearly their first meeting, yet he could clearly sense that girl’s familiarity with him.

She feared him, was wary of him, but also tried to please him, praised him, and even in certain moments, trusted him immensely.

“Lord Deng is the most formidable.”

“Lord Deng is the most formidable.”

Deng Yi seemed to hear that girl’s voice in his ears. Formidable—he was indeed formidable. His becoming the person the late Emperor entrusted everything to was indeed a heaven-sent opportunity, but why did this opportunity fall to him, Deng Yi? It was because he had planned and cultivated it step by step.

He, Deng Yi, had obtained the opportunity and hadn’t failed it, gripping it tightly, stabilizing his position in the court in a short time.

He was so formidable—what in this world did he not dare do, what could he not accomplish?

Deng Yi put down his tea and said: “I will draft an imperial edict.”

The hall, which had been lively with joking, drinking tea, and eating pastries, instantly fell silent. The officials looked shocked, thinking they had heard wrong.

“Grand Tutor,” several officials stood up. “Be cautious!”

Deng Yi surveyed the hall: “Are you all no longer daring to assist me?”

Seeing his gaze, some officials dodged, some looked helpless.

Deng Yi looked at them and smiled again, swirling the tea in his hand.

“Everyone, think about it—what benefit is there for us in eliminating Prince Zhongshan?”

“His Majesty is young. Who can say what accidents might occur in the future?”

These words were so bold! The officials in the hall were startled—

“Prince Zhongshan is after all of legitimate Xiao clan lineage,” Deng Yi said. His gaze swept across them without saying more, then changed the subject: “The Prince was quite friendly to you all before, wasn’t he?”

Even he, a minor official, had received generous gifts from Prince Zhongshan. Had these court officials not received gifts from Prince Zhongshan?

Sure enough, these words made the seated officials’ expressions shift even more dramatically.

After a moment of silence, an elderly official smiled bitterly.

“Grand Tutor, if we do this, infamy will attach itself to us,” he said. “How will we maintain face?”

Deng Yi said: “This Grand Tutor has a past connection with Prince Zhongshan—you all know this in your hearts. Haven’t you still associated with this Grand Tutor, living quite respectably?”

The officials in the hall felt somewhat embarrassed.

“We can’t reason like this,” an official said helplessly. “Before was before. Now you are the Grand Tutor chosen by the late Emperor.”

Deng Yi said: “Then as long as Prince Zhongshan confesses his crimes, he remains a prince of Da Xia. If Prince Zhongshan wants to rebel, the court dares to fight. If Prince Zhongshan wants to confess his crimes, why would the court not dare to accept?”

He looked at everyone again.

“You needn’t worry—the infamy will be borne by this official. You need only be helplessly unable to prevent it.”

Helplessly unable to prevent it, unable to stop it—that would make them pitiful, and the infamy would be lessened. The officials looked at each other. Now that they were united with Deng Yi, not only could they not let him fall, they had to gather strength with him. The Emperor was young—this was a good opportunity for aristocratic families to govern. Everyone bowed and saluted: “We respectfully follow the Grand Tutor’s decision.”

Deng Yi put down his teacup and nodded: “I thank you all.”

With this matter settled, the atmosphere in the hall eased.

“Grand Tutor, you’re also doing this for the Empress, aren’t you?” a young official couldn’t help saying.

Since her enthronement, the Empress had also engaged in many behaviors that violated regulations, yet Deng Yi had indulged her, turning a blind eye and deaf ear.

Now, regarding Prince Zhongshan’s matter, he had originally let it go, allowing the Xie clan to control it. After reading one letter from the Empress, without consulting the Xie clan, he wanted to reconcile with Prince Zhongshan—

The Grand Tutor naturally had his own considerations, but surely the Empress must be part of those considerations?

It was said the Empress and Deng Yi had a past connection. Private messages circulated that on the night of the palace chaos, the Empress had shouted at Deng Yi about what he owed—

The officials in the hall had complex, flickering expressions.

Deng Yi’s expression was calm as he glanced at that official: “The Empress acts for the world, and this official also acts for the world.”

He looked again at the Grand Tutor’s seal on the desk, and the imperial seal.

“This world is currently under this official’s authority. If I don’t speak now, perhaps later I won’t have the chance to speak.”