When Xie Yanfang stepped into the hall, someone was already seated inside—

He wasn’t the only one. This thought flashed through Xie Yanfang’s mind, and he found himself amused by his own observation.

“Grand Tutor, sir,” he said, performing the proper salute.

Deng Yi turned his head and nodded slightly. “The Empress will arrive shortly.”

Xie Yanfang nodded. Without needing further words, he took a seat across from him.

Deng Yi looked at the smile on his face and asked, “What makes Lord Xie so happy?”

Xie Yanfang broke into a radiant smile. “Today I saw His Majesty and Her Majesty sitting side by side. My heart was filled with great joy. Just thinking about it makes me laugh from the bottom of my heart.”

Deng Yi twitched the corner of his mouth, withdrew his gaze, and paid no more attention to Xie Yanfang’s heartfelt laughter.

When Chu Zhao entered, Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang were discussing a game of chess. Earlier at the banquet, since they couldn’t drink wine or enjoy singing and dancing, everyone had sought other entertainment. Old Master Zhou, who hadn’t appeared in public for a long time, had brought out a chess board and invited Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang to compete.

Chu Zhao didn’t know about this. By the time she arrived with the female guests, the chess game had already been put away.

“Who won?” she asked curiously.

Xie Yanfang smiled. “Neither of us won. Old Master Zhou cut through everyone like a scythe through wheat, winning thoroughly and gleefully.”

Chu Zhao sat down. “Old Master Zhou’s granddaughter, Zhou Jiang, is already quite formidable and extremely competitive. It’s clearly a family trait. After she gave me some pointers, my chess skills improved by leaps and bounds. Next time I consult Old Master Zhou, I might be able to compete with Zhou Jiang.”

Xie Yanfang smiled. “Old Master Zhou mentioned that as well. He said Your Majesty the Empress has great intuition for chess, and if you focused on it, you would surely achieve mastery.”

As a young master from an aristocratic family, he understood every noble house and was well known to them all. Meanwhile, Chu Zhao, as a young woman, had come to understand each aristocratic family through the perspectives of young women. That literary gathering of young ladies had also made her known to the aristocratic families.

“I’m certain I can achieve mastery,” Chu Zhao said with a slightly playful smile. Then she looked at Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang, asking with deliberate intent, “So between the Grand Tutor and the Third Young Master, whose chess skills are superior?”

Deng Yi, who had remained silent until now, answered first. “My chess skills are mediocre, nowhere near as good as the Third Young Master’s.”

Xie Yanfang smiled. “Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. The Grand Tutor also has skills I cannot match.”

Deng Yi turned to look at him, asking with a half-smile, “Such as?”

Xie Yanfang replied, “For instance, the speed of your decisions in court deliberations, sir. You’re faster than me. I often can’t keep up.”

Deng Yi said coolly, “Lord Xie is too modest. No matter how quickly I make decisions, if Lord Xie doesn’t voice his opinion, nothing progresses.”

As the dynasty restored normalcy, in this entirely new court, Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang stood shoulder to shoulder, neither superior to the other, with undercurrents surging between them.

Chu Zhao could feel this tension just from sitting in court and listening to state affairs, let alone now when the two men faced each other, their few words filled with subtle confrontation.

“Both gentlemen serve the state. Disputes are inevitable, but don’t let them create distance between you,” she said with a smile.

Deng Yi corrected her. “Affairs of state are not personal grudges. How could there be distance?”

Xie Yanfang smiled and simply said, “Your Majesty the Empress need not worry.”

Chu Zhao also smiled. “I don’t worry about your dedication to the dynasty. Precisely because I see that you both put the state before personal interests, I worry that you won’t agree to my request.”

Since Chu Zhao had summoned them, she naturally had something to discuss. But ever since this girl had begun attending court, her thoughts had become increasingly difficult to read.

What unconventional request would she make this time? Surely she wouldn’t ask to review memorials?

Deng Yi remained silent.

Xie Yanfang smiled and said, “Just speak freely. We’ve already overcome countless difficulties—what more is there to worry about?”

Chu Zhao said, “I want to leave the capital to visit my father at the border commandery.”

Both Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang were somewhat surprised. She had ascended the throne alongside the Emperor, attended court with the Emperor, just held a grand banquet, and stood before the aristocratic elite. Not only that, she had also pushed her cousin into the public eye—Empress Chu’s momentum was surging.

Yet in the next moment, she wanted to leave the Imperial Palace, the capital…

“This is inappropriate,” Deng Yi said, looking at Chu Zhao with disapproval in his eyes.

Xie Yanfang said nothing, looking thoughtful.

“My father’s health is poor,” Chu Zhao said, looking at Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang with sincerity. “You both know better than anyone how much I want to return to the border commandery.”

They had met her precisely because this girl had secretly fled home to go to the border commandery. Deng Yi’s furrowed brow relaxed slightly. He did indeed know her genuine desire to return to the border.

“I understand your feelings. The court sent news to the border commandery immediately,” he said, his voice softening. “Zhong Changrong also personally returned, taking imperial physicians with him. Lord Xie also found renowned physicians to send along. Messages from the border commandery and from your father arrived not long ago.”

He looked at Chu Zhao.

Whether it was the imperial physicians or the Xie family’s renowned doctors, or Chu Ling’s personal letter, all indicated that though his health was indeed poor, for now at least he was stable. Moreover, Chu Ling had stated that he would come to the capital soon.

Chu Zhao herself had also received a personal letter from her father.

Why, after receiving this news, was she not reassured but instead even more determined to go to the border commandery?

“Is there some information we don’t know about?” Deng Yi asked.

He certainly didn’t treat this girl as a child, and he suspected she had her own sources of information independent of the court, beyond his control.

Chu Zhao shook her head. “No, the message my father sent me is the same as what you know, sir.”

She just—

“If you want to go, then go.”

Xie Yanfang, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke.

Both Deng Yi and Chu Zhao looked at him.

Xie Yanfang looked at Chu Zhao, his eyes gentle. “That’s your father. If you want to see him, then see him. You need no reason.”

The girl’s eyes brightened.

“She needs no reason! But!” Deng Yi stood up, saying coldly, “The people and court officials need one!”

“Chu Zhao, you are now the Empress, not that willful young lady of the Chu family who could just steal money from home and climb over the wall whenever she wanted to see her father!”

“Your home now is the Great Xia Dynasty.”

“What time is this? The chaos has barely settled, the Late Emperor newly deceased, a young Emperor on the throne, remnants of the Third Prince still at large, Prince Zhongshan saying not a word—neither offering condolences for the Late Emperor nor paying respects to the new Emperor.”

“At this very moment, you want to go see your father?”

“Yes, your father is gravely ill, but have you considered? Your father has been seriously ill for years yet never requested to return to the capital—do you know why? Because he understands that when one accepts a ruler’s stipend, one serves the ruler’s cause. He understands what it means to bear the responsibility of a Guardian General.”

“If your father were at the front lines and learned of your grandmother’s death, would he abandon his post to return?”

“Loyalty and filial piety cannot both be fulfilled. Your father understands this principle. I don’t believe you don’t understand it too.”

The Grand Tutor’s clear, cold voice struck word by word, echoing through the hall.

Chu Zhao looked at the man standing before her, feeling somewhat dazed. In that other life, had he also berated Xiao Xun like this?

Would he raise his hand and slap her across the face?

The only maid standing attendance in the hall was Xiao Man. She had been standing casually to one side, but now her body tensed as she looked over with vigilant eyes.

But Deng Yi didn’t strike anyone. He said nothing more. With a sweep of his sleeves, he turned and strode away.

The hall fell quiet. Xiao Man curled her lip and turned her head away.

“The Grand Tutor truly has quite a temper,” Xie Yanfang said with a smile.

Chu Zhao smiled bitterly. “It’s I who angered the Grand Tutor. This is the first time I’ve seen him lose his temper so badly.”

She sighed.

“For me to bring this up at this moment truly is inappropriate.”

Xie Yanfang shook his head. “No, you’re not wrong. No matter when, no matter what one’s status, wanting to see one’s own father is never wrong.”

Chu Zhao lowered her head, her shoulders drooping. “It’s not wrong, but it’s still not quite appropriate, is it?”

“It’s perfectly appropriate,” Xie Yanfang said, his voice firm. “You should go immediately.”

Chu Zhao raised her head to look at him.

“Miss Zhao, don’t let yourself have regrets,” Xie Yanfang said softly. “Fulfilling your heart’s desire is something truly worthwhile.”

Chu Zhao bowed to him solemnly, then looked at the elegant young gentleman seated before her.

“That I was able to meet the Third Young Master in this life is heaven’s mercy upon me,” she said with heartfelt sincerity.

……

……

She was happy to know him, grateful, and felt reassured.

Though it sounded strange—in this life, in that other life when she didn’t know him, how would heaven have treated her?

Xie Yanfang didn’t press her about the unspoken words, only saying, “Zhao, you’re mistaken.”

He looked at the girl before him.

“You need not thank others. This isn’t heaven’s mercy. This is simply you making yourself worthy.”

Worthy of his acquaintance, his friendship, his protection, and his affection.

He could also make this girl even happier, more grateful, more at ease, and—make her care for him too.