The doors and windows were opened, the curtains drawn up, and morning light filled the room. Maids set out a dazzling array of food on the table, each of them excitedly glancing at Xiao Xun.
“Your Highness, you’ve lost weight.”
“Your Highness still looks handsome even having lost weight.”
Hearing the maids’ jests, Xiao Xun laughed heartily, touching his face: “Naturally, I look good no matter what.”
The Prince of Zhongshan, sitting opposite him, made a sound of agreement: “Except in Miss Chu’s eyes.” He shook his head with feigned regret, “If that miss had taken a liking to you, our Heir wouldn’t have been consumed by worry and grown thin.”
Xiao Xun smiled: “Father, Miss Chu’s lack of interest in me isn’t because of my appearance.”
That’s true. The Prince of Zhongshan was only teasing; he certainly knew that while one might be attracted to someone because of appearance, the reasons for not liking someone were far more numerous.
He waved his hand, and the maids all withdrew.
“Eat something,” he said.
Xiao Xun picked up his bowl and chopsticks and ate heartily: “I’m truly famished.”
The Prince of Zhongshan smiled: “This journey has let you taste all sorts of hardships. In life, one should experience everything.”
Xiao Xun emptied a bowl of soup into his mouth in one go, then said: “I’ve experienced enough, but you, Father, need not taste such things.”
The Prince of Zhongshan smiled: “These coming days will be interesting—a young Emperor, a young Empress, a minor Imperial Tutor, a minor Imperial Uncle—”
This so-called “minor” didn’t just refer to age, but more to their reputation, origin, and background.
The Chu woman was not only young, but had little reputation, as the Chu family had been dormant in the capital for over a decade.
The Imperial Tutor wasn’t young, but his origin was minor, a nameless petty official.
As for the Imperial Uncle from the Xie family, though he had some reputation, Xie Yanfang had always kept a low profile, hurriedly becoming the Imperial Uncle.
The Great Xia Dynasty had fallen into the hands of these minor figures overnight.
“It was my oversight,” the Prince of Zhongshan sighed.
Xiao Xun said softly, “Father, you didn’t overlook anything. You predicted everything and even showed goodwill to Deng Yi and Chu Wei in advance. We also tried our best to associate with Miss Chu, but no matter how attentive we were, we couldn’t counter their true intentions. If there was an oversight, it’s that we underestimated these minor figures’ ambitions, as well as His Majesty’s madness.”
The Imperial Tutor—the Emperor dared to offer it, and that minor official Deng Yi dared to accept it.
The Empress—the Emperor dared to grant it, and that girl dared to take it.
The Prince of Zhongshan smiled: “It was still our oversight. We underestimated them. If we had known earlier, never mind their ambitions, I wouldn’t have allowed them to exist at all.”
As he spoke, he crushed a pastry in his hand.
“But it doesn’t matter,” he brushed away the crumbs lightly, looking at the table. “The Emperor has gone mad, and we can go mad too. Let’s see who can remain mad to the end. A-Xun—”
He looked up and saw that the young man who had been eating heartily was now slumped motionless on the table.
The Prince of Zhongshan stood up immediately.
“A-Xun!” he called, somewhat anxiously extending his hand to touch the young man’s face.
His face was warm, his long eyelashes fluttered, and there was a light snoring sound.
He had fallen asleep.
He was truly exhausted; finally home, his energy had given out.
The Prince of Zhongshan let out a sigh of relief, gently laying Xiao Xun down on the couch, feeling both heartache and anger. His carefully raised son had been mistreated by these nobodies!
The Prince of Zhongshan’s usually gentle face turned fierce. Since they didn’t want a dignified death, he wouldn’t be courteous either.
Ning Kun also entered at this time, looking even worse than Xiao Xun, and said: “Your Highness, it was all that villain Deng Yi’s cruelty, not keeping his word—”
The Prince of Zhongshan already knew what Deng Yi had done, and smiled: “I indeed didn’t misjudge that petty man, his heart is vicious.” Then he asked, “Where is that imperial edict? Let me see it.”
Ning Kun said: “The Heir has already burned it.”
A smile appeared in the Prince of Zhongshan’s eyes as he glanced at Xiao Xun sleeping soundly on the mat, reproaching: “Why burn it? It might have been useful someday.”
Ning Kun said: “The Heir is too filial to look at such a thing. I originally said we should keep it for you to see, but he wouldn’t allow it.”
The Prince of Zhongshan smiled: “Well, you should rest too. Whatever needs to be said can wait until you’ve both rested. Now that you’re home, there’s nothing to worry about.”
He nodded.
“Even if the imperial army were to come, our Zhongshan Commandery has nothing to fear.”
Ning Kun smiled: “The imperial army didn’t dare come before, and won’t dare to come now.” He added, “And they can’t.”
The Prince of Zhongshan smiled slightly without saying anything and waved his hand.
Ning Kun said no more, bowed, and withdrew.
The Prince of Zhongshan brought a thin blanket to cover Xiao Xun, sat down beside him, and continued to slowly eat the food on the table.
……
……
While the Prince of Zhongshan was relieved by his son’s return, in the capital, the new Emperor, having completed his coronation ceremony and removed his mourning garments, began his first court session.
After kowtowing and rising to greet His Majesty, the court officials, who hadn’t seen an emperor on the dragon throne for a long time, didn’t even have a chance to feel excited before they were stunned again.
The Emperor sat on the dragon throne, but someone else was also seated behind it.
Behind a hanging screen, the silhouette of a girl was faintly visible.
“This!” The court erupted. Why had this girl come again?
It was one thing for her to attend the coronation ceremony with the Emperor, but how could she even come to court? What was this, a regent ruling from behind a curtain?
This couldn’t be allowed!
The court instantly fell into an uproar.
The Censors shouted reproaches, finally quieting everyone down.
Deng Yi said: “This was my arrangement.”
An angry court official said: “Imperial Tutor, this is absurd! The late Emperor appointed you as regent, but do you even understand what being a regent means?”
Many officials in the ranks exchanged glances, showing a hint of schadenfreude. Deng Yi, this minor official, was also standing in the court for the first time.
Deng Yi showed no fear at all: “This Imperial Tutor is merely a regent. His Majesty will eventually rule personally, so he must attend court—”
Utter nonsense. Another official stepped forward: “His Majesty attending court is appropriate, but where is the precedent for the Empress attending court?”
Deng Yi looked at him: “Because His Majesty is still young, the Empress stays with him day and night to guide him. This Imperial Tutor is not only the Imperial Tutor but also the regent. My primary duty is to handle court affairs on behalf of His Majesty, not to guide him at all times. For the stability of the dynasty, and for His Majesty to quickly familiarize himself with court affairs, is there anyone more suitable than the Empress?”
This was still a farfetched excuse. To guide His Majesty, couldn’t any court official do it? The officials were about to speak again, but Deng Yi’s patience had run out.
“Since you all know I am the regent, my presence in the court is sufficient,” he said coldly. “If you think the Empress’s presence is against protocol, then let’s have His Majesty not attend court for now, and he can return to court after he has been properly educated.”
That was even worse! Wouldn’t the court then become Deng Yi’s domain?
The officials immediately erupted into noise again.
“If you have matters to report, report them,” Deng Yi shouted. “If not, the court dismissed!”
With his voice, the palace guards standing solemnly in the hall stamped their halberds and shouted in unison, looking fiercely at the noisy officials, just waiting for the order to swing their weapons.
The hall instantly fell silent.
Deng Yi repeated solemnly: “If you have matters to report, report them. If not, the court dismissed.”
After a moment of silence, an official stepped forward.
“I have a matter to report.”
Everyone looked over and saw that this person was none other than Xie Yanfang.
Deng Yi nodded: “Speak.”
Xie Yanfang proceeded to speak eloquently, not mentioning a word about whether the Emperor and Empress should attend court, nor questioning the regent Imperial Tutor, but instead addressing pressing court matters.
Seeing this, the officials understood what was happening. The Xie family wasn’t opposing it either, so why should they seek trouble? The other officials set aside their objections and stood with lowered eyes.
As the court’s disturbance subsided, Xiao Yu, sitting on the dragon throne, let out a sigh of relief. That was so frightening just now.
From behind, a hand reached out and poked his arm.
As if to say, don’t be afraid.
Xiao Yu grinned, but Eunuch Qi beside him cleared his throat lightly, indicating this was improper. The child put away his smile and sat upright with a solemn face.