When Deng Yi arrived at the Emperor’s study, Chu Zhao was discussing court matters with Xiao Yu.

Who had spoken today, and what matters they had discussed.

Whether their proposed methods were right or wrong—

“I don’t know about this either,” Chu Zhao said, reaching this point with a smile.

The child sitting properly behind the desk was somewhat at a loss. This bewilderment wasn’t because he didn’t understand, but because he didn’t know how to comfort Chu Zhao.

Chu Zhao paid no mind to what the child was thinking, looking at Deng Yi as he entered.

“It’s fine. The Grand Tutor is here,” Chu Zhao smiled. “We can have the Grand Tutor explain it to us, and then we’ll know.”

Deng Yi stopped and bowed. “Greetings to Your Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress.”

Xiao Yu nodded, bidding him to rise. After Xiao Yu finished speaking, Chu Zhao then instructed that a seat be brought.

Eunuch Qi personally moved over a round stool.

Deng Yi sat down without ceremony, looking at the documents on the desk. The court proceedings were all recorded. He said, “I also cannot say definitively whether this matter is right or wrong, because they’re all just proposals. We’ll only know once it’s done. In about half a month, we’ll be able to give His Majesty feedback.”

Xiao Yu hesitated, looking at Chu Zhao.

Chu Zhao said to him, “A Yu, whatever you want to say, just say it. Before the Grand Tutor, you can say anything.”

Xiao Yu then looked at Deng Yi and asked curiously, “What if it’s wrong?”

Deng Yi said, “Then we punish the officials and compensate the people.”

Xiao Yu made a sound of understanding and murmured, “But there would still be losses.”

Deng Yi said, “Your Majesty should not fear making mistakes. Nothing in this world is completely foolproof.”

True. Xiao Yu did understand this point. Just like how the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, despite having so many guards and being heaven’s favored children, still died unexpectedly. He said nothing more.

“However, the court will make preparations to handle contingencies and will try its best to avoid bad outcomes,” Deng Yi added, rising to bow. “Please rest assured, Your Majesty. This subject and others will do our utmost to protect Your Majesty’s people.”

Xiao Yu glanced at Chu Zhao, who indicated he should stand.

Xiao Yu then stood from behind the desk, walked before Deng Yi, and supported him with his small hands, his childish voice saying, “With the Grand Tutor here, We have nothing to worry about.”

Deng Yi gave thanks again and straightened.

Chu Zhao smiled. “Alright, we’ve finished discussing court matters. A Yu, it’s time for your lessons.”

As Emperor, he needed to become familiar with the court, but as a six-year-old child, studying was more important.

Xiao Yu couldn’t neglect either.

Deng Yi bowed and took his leave. Eunuch Qi went to summon the waiting tutors. Chu Zhao instructed Xiao Yu a few times to study well, then followed Deng Yi out.

“How did you explain it to Third Young Master Xie?” Deng Yi stopped, letting Chu Zhao walk ahead one step before catching up to ask.

Chu Zhao smiled. “Naturally, for His Majesty’s sake.”

Deng Yi looked at her. After court, the girl had already changed out of her Empress ceremonial robes, wearing simple dress and skirt, looking somewhat childish still.

However, from the first day he’d known this girl, he knew childishness had nothing to do with her.

Before the Emperor attended court for the first time, she had summoned him, saying she had something to discuss.

……

……

When Deng Yi came over, Chu Zhao was eating. Seeing him, she smiled with bright, sparkling eyes.

“A Le, A Le,” she said. “Quickly bring bowls and chopsticks for the Grand Tutor.”

That familiar maidservant also happily fetched bowls and chopsticks.

“Lord Deng,” she even said. “Try it quickly. The imperial kitchen’s food is much better than the Elegant Interest Pavilion’s.”

Deng Yi couldn’t help smiling slightly. These words were so unsophisticated, comparing outside food to imperial cuisine. However, he glanced around—the palace maids standing in attendance all had calm expressions, not the slightest trace of mockery, as if they’d heard nothing.

Chu Zhao, her maidservant, and that other girl with a stern, fierce expression carried an atmosphere completely unlike the palace, yet strangely they weren’t out of place. Instead, they were completely unrestrained and at ease.

She was the master of the palace.

Deng Yi didn’t decline. He sat down, took the bowls and chopsticks, ate a few bites, and said, “The inner palace’s imperial cuisine tastes better than the outer halls’.”

As supervisor of state, Deng Yi had also consecutively presided over the funerals of the late emperor, crown prince, crown princess, and so on. He practically lived in the outer halls, eating and drinking in the palace.

Hearing him say this, Chu Zhao smiled. “How dare these people neglect Lord Grand Tutor!”

Deng Yi said, “It’s not just me they neglect. All the court officials are treated this way.”

Naturally, the imperial kitchen’s food for officials couldn’t compare to the inner palace.

Chu Zhao smiled but didn’t say she would hold the imperial kitchen accountable. She only turned to A Le and said, “From now on, the Grand Tutor’s meals will all be sent from our place.”

A Le acknowledged the order.

There was a distinction between inner and outer. Officials couldn’t use the Emperor’s imperial cuisine, but trusted ministers could be granted the Emperor’s imperial cuisine.

Distinction wasn’t a bad thing—it was propriety, and also favor and prestige.

Was this girl born to be royalty? At such a young age, she understood everything. Deng Yi was somewhat curious—how did Chu Ling raise his daughter? Surely he didn’t raise her as an empress.

He didn’t decline, thanked her, and without further pleasantries, asked directly, “What instructions does Your Highness have for summoning me?”

Chu Zhao said, “It’s about His Majesty attending court.”

After saying this, she signaled to A Le, who led the palace maids out. Xiao Man still stood unmoving. Even when A Le gave her meaningful looks, she ignored them. A Le didn’t force it.

Deng Yi didn’t care whether there was one more or one fewer person in the hall. He guessed that Chu Zhao had summoned him because she was worried about the little emperor’s first time attending court and wanted to ask him to look after him.

“This subject—” he began.

But Chu Zhao spoke first: “Grand Tutor, I want to accompany His Majesty to court.”

Deng Yi was glad he’d only tasted a few bites of food and had swallowed it all cleanly. Otherwise, he really might have spat it out.

She was indeed worried about the little emperor, but she wasn’t asking him to look after him—

This was truly a bold request.

“How many times does Your Majesty wish to accompany him?” he asked mildly.

For the enthronement ceremony, one could say His Majesty was young and you could accompany him. For the first day of court, one could say His Majesty was timid and you could accompany him. But surely he couldn’t be afraid every day? No matter how frightening something was, once familiar and accustomed, it wouldn’t be frightening anymore.

Chu Zhao smiled. “I want to accompany him until His Majesty assumes personal rule.”

Deng Yi smiled, set down his chopsticks, and said, “Miss Ah Zhao grows bolder and bolder.”

So what if she’d become Empress? He, Deng Yi, still dared to call her Miss Ah Zhao.

This identity of Empress wasn’t innate—it was bestowed by the Emperor. Since it was given by someone else, it could be taken away, could be abolished.

Chu Zhao showed no fear at Deng Yi’s attitude. What did it matter if he spoke disrespectfully to her? She had seen Deng Yi slap the Emperor’s face.

“Grand Tutor,” she called, not picking up that topic, reaching out to serve him food. “Try this.”

What was this? Flattery? Deng Yi’s expression was half-smiling.

“Lord Deng,” Chu Zhao said, looking at Deng Yi with a frank expression. “I want to accompany His Majesty as he grows up. His Majesty’s closest relatives cannot only be the Xie clan.”

Deng Yi understood the meaning of this latter sentence.

Making a fuss about attending court—it was because of the Xie clan.

She wanted to compete with the Xie clan for the little emperor.

That’s right. She had risked life and death protecting the young prince and fighting into the palace, then demanded the position of Empress from the Emperor. Of course it wasn’t to preserve a relative, an emperor, for the Xie clan.

From the beginning, she did it for herself. Since she did it for herself, she needed to make the Emperor rely more on her. But she was a woman, and the Emperor ultimately belonged to the court. To be a good emperor, he needed to rely on those who could support him in the court hall—like a maternal uncle who was both relative and court official.

Deng Yi again reached out to take the food Chu Zhao had served him.

Seeing his action, Chu Zhao hurriedly bowed. “Please, Grand Tutor, help me.”

She bowed, then raised her eyes to look at him, large eyes blinking.

Deng Yi looked at the food on his chopsticks. “Should I not have eaten this meal?”

Chu Zhao laughed heartily, instantly sitting up straight and calling loudly for A Le: “Have the imperial kitchen bring more dishes.”

Deng Yi didn’t continue eating, though he could call her Miss Ah Zhao, the Miss Ah Zhao of today wasn’t only Miss Ah Zhao anymore.

“In this matter, the person Your Highness most needs to persuade isn’t me,” he said. “His Majesty and I will forever be ruler and subject. He is my sovereign, I am his subject. Simple and clear. Whether the Empress sits in court or not makes no difference to me.”

His eyes only recognized the Emperor.

Even if you, this Empress, sat in the court hall, you still wouldn’t be his sovereign.

These words were extremely blunt.

Chu Zhao showed not the slightest shame or anger, listening earnestly.

“But for the Xie clan, the Empress sitting beside the Emperor is very important,” Deng Yi said. “So the person you need to persuade is the Xie clan.”

Chu Zhao gave him a solemn bow. “Thank you for teaching me, Grand Tutor.”

Deng Yi said mildly, “I can help you attend court, but I won’t help you persuade the Xie clan.”

The girl raised her head with a smile. “Lord Deng only ate one meal from me. Naturally you can’t help me with two matters. This matter, I’ll handle myself.”

……

……

Deng Yi withdrew his gaze. She had indeed accomplished it.

For His Majesty’s sake.

Of course, for His Majesty’s sake, Xie Yanfang would be capable of anything.

Deng Yi asked no more questions, bowed in farewell, and strode past her.

Actually, he didn’t care how she persuaded Xie Yanfang.

Earlier, when she asked for his help, it wasn’t because she truly needed his help. She was just telling him that she didn’t trust Xie Yanfang.

Her not trusting Xie Yanfang—who did that benefit? Him, of course.

How could he, Deng Yi, disagree with something beneficial?

Only—

Deng Yi stopped and looked back. That girl’s figure still stood before the great hall, seemingly seeing him off, yet also seemingly overlooking the imperial city.

Did she trust him?