That girl spoke eloquently before the Emperor.
“Your Majesty, this is a good idea,” she said with sparkling eyes, stepping forward. “Think about it—if I become the Empress, my father becomes the Imperial Father-in-law. He’s not just a subject then; he’s also the Young Prince’s relative. Your Majesty, you trust that my father can protect my life and the Young Prince’s. Why not simply trust that my father can secure the Young Prince’s position on the throne?”
The Emperor seemed about to say something, but the girl didn’t give him a chance to speak, stepping even closer.
“Your Majesty, even if you don’t believe it, the world will.”
The girl’s eyes shone with light, seeming excited, yet also indignant.
“If I become Empress, my father will spare no effort, will exert his heart and soul to secure my position.”
“Whatever he does, even evil deeds, will not seem strange in the eyes of the world.”
“Your Majesty, don’t you want to see just how far my father would go for me and the Young Prince?”
The Emperor, who had been listless until now, suddenly burst into laughter.
“Indeed!” he laughed, clapping his hands. “I truly want to see how General Chu will perform the role of Imperial Father-in-law.”
And so the Emperor, driven to madness by the loss of both his sons, agreed to Chu Zhao’s equally mad proposal.
Deng Yi pulled himself from his recollection and looked at the girl standing before him now.
“Miss Chu, have you considered,” he said, “that after His Majesty dies, the ensuing flood will not concern him, but what about you? That flood will crash over you entirely.”
After he spoke, he saw the girl smile slightly.
“Even when I did nothing, I was already hit by the flood,” she murmured.
What did she mean? Before Deng Yi could say more, a guard came to announce that Xie Yanfang had arrived.
Deng Yi also smiled.
“Crown Princess,” he said, “the Young Prince’s safety doesn’t rest with me. After all, without the Young Prince, I could still be Grand Tutor, but without the Young Prince, Third Young Master Xie couldn’t be the Imperial Uncle. You should save your sweet words for him.”
Chu Zhao nodded, but then shook her head.
“The Grand Tutor cares for the Young Prince with impartiality,” she said softly. “Third Young Master Xie has family bias. I’d rather share sweet words with the Grand Tutor.”
Then she smiled again.
“The Grand Tutor keeps his word. You said you owed me a meal, so you’re repaying that favor.”
Deng Yi laughed: “Miss Chu, if you let Third Young Master Xie owe you a meal, he would repay you with much more.”
Chu Zhao nodded: “Third Young Master Xie indeed repays favors, but I’m afraid he wouldn’t allow me to owe him a meal.”
Deng Yi made a sound of acknowledgment: “Because I’m poor, while Third Young Master Xie doesn’t lack money.”
“Lord Deng,” Chu Zhao called out, both irritated and amused.
She didn’t believe Deng Yi could understand her meaning. She was complimenting him, or rather, even if they were talking about wealth and poverty, she was saying that he, like her, was poor, constrained by circumstances, which was why they could form a bond over a meal, and why a favor of a meal must be repaid.
Deng Yi raised his hand to stop her, no longer bantering with the young lady, and said to the guard: “Please invite the Third Young Master in.”
The guard responded affirmatively but didn’t turn to leave, instead asking: “Xie Yanlai has accompanied him. Should he enter as well or wait outside?”
Deng Yi glanced at Chu Zhao.
Chu Zhao didn’t mind his look and directly said: “Let him come in too, so he can listen.” Then she murmured, “Though he might not want to come in.”
The guard turned and left, and silence returned to the hall.
Deng Yi looked at the girl who was no longer pacing but gazing outward.
“Also,” he said, “thank you for taking care of my mother.”
Chu Zhao looked at him and smiled: “Has Lord Deng been in contact with home?”
When she had decided to come to the Imperial City, she didn’t know Deng Yi was there. Thinking that he was destined to become Grand Tutor, she had asked the Dragon Guard scouts if they knew where Deng Yi’s family lived. Surprisingly, the scouts knew of him, so she sent a few men there to prevent any mishap for Deng Yi.
Later, when she met Deng Yi in the palace, she hadn’t mentioned it.
Although Deng Yi was in the palace, the Dragon Guard had also looked after his family.
Deng Yi nodded: “My father and brothers died early. I only have a blind old mother. I had thought I couldn’t care for her properly and felt regret.” He looked at Chu Zhao, “Miss Chu, this debt is much greater than owing you a meal.”
That was wonderful! Chu Zhao laughed heartily: “The Grand Tutor is too kind. It’s nothing, I didn’t help much. Lord Deng, you have an extraordinary fate and profound blessings.”
But her expression didn’t suggest it was nothing. Deng Yi, seeing the girl’s beaming face, found it somewhat amusing. He shook his head without saying more, and footsteps were heard from outside.
“Xie Yanfang, paying respects to the Grand Tutor.”
…
…
When Xie Yanfang heard he was to see Deng Yi, although the guard had said Xie Yanlai could also enter, Xie Yanlai did not go in.
“Tell her the Young Prince is looking for her,” he said to the guard.
Though seemingly random, the guard nodded and said, “Very well.”
Xie Yanlai bowed to Xie Yanfang: “I must attend to my duties now,” and turned to leave.
“Yanlai,” Xie Yanfang called out.
Xie Yanlai stopped and looked back at him.
“If you need anything, just say so,” Xie Yanfang said.
Xie Yanlai smiled: “All right, I will.” With that, he strode away.
Du Qi remarked: “He was never this obedient before.”
Xie Yanfang glanced at him: “You never had so many words for him before either. Are you more concerned or more afraid?”
Du Qi’s face stiffened, and he lowered his head: “This servant acknowledges his error.”
Xie Yanfang didn’t speak further. He nodded to the guard and walked toward the great hall. At the entrance, he didn’t enter directly but requested permission again.
Footsteps could be heard from within the hall, accompanied by a crisp female voice.
“Third Young Master.”
Xie Yanfang looked up and saw the girl rushing over.
He felt this wasn’t particularly surprising; many things now made sense.
Since the Young Prince had returned to the palace, it meant he had been safe in the Chu family. It was natural that Miss Chu, who had ensured the Young Prince’s safety, would come to the palace with him.
Those unfamiliar troops.
Xie Yanlai’s ability to defend the city, subtly becoming a leader.
The Young Prince’s closeness to Xie Yanlai.
The “sister” the Young Prince was looking for.
Xie Yanfang stepped over the threshold: “Miss A-Zhao.”
Chu Zhao stood before him: “You’ve come. That’s wonderful! Are you all right?” She looked him up and down.
Hearing her three sentences, Xie Yanfang’s expression became complex.
“I was useless, despite your repeated warnings,” he said, looking at Chu Zhao. “Thankfully, you were there, and the Young Prince was kept safe.”
Chu Zhao also felt complex emotions, not expecting that despite warning Third Young Master Xie, she still couldn’t prevent what happened.
“It’s not your fault,” she said. “It’s fate.”
She also nodded.
“At least the Young Prince is safe.”
Xie Yanfang sighed lightly and looked inside. Chu Zhao quickly led the way: “Third Young Master, please come quickly. Grand Tutor Deng is waiting for you. We were inside the city and didn’t know what happened outside.”
Xie Yanfang followed her a few steps in and saw the man sitting behind the desk.
He was in his early thirties, with refined features, long eyebrows, and thin lips, his emotions not easily discernible. The official robes he wore added a gravitas that his age could not bring.
This was Deng Yi.
Xie Yanfang bowed deeply: “Greetings to Grand Tutor Deng.”
Deng Yi put down his documents and stood up: “Young Master Xie, no need for such formality. What happened with the Crown Prince? How did the Third Prince assassinate His Highness?”
Xie Yanfang straightened up and said: “To be precise, the Crown Prince died first, and the Third Prince’s attack came afterward.”
What?
Both Deng Yi and Chu Zhao were surprised. The Crown Prince didn’t die at the Third Prince’s hands?
Xie Yanfang said: “His Highness the Crown Prince died while lifting a cauldron.”
Deng Yi and Chu Zhao exchanged a glance. This—
“But I’ve inquired, and the Crown Prince had practiced lifting the cauldron many times before. No accident should have occurred. He must have been sabotaged,” Xie Yanfang said. “By the time I arrived, the scene had been destroyed, and I couldn’t see anything.”
So he had no evidence.
“Nevertheless, the Third Prince did intend to assassinate the Crown Prince, and when he heard of the Crown Prince’s death, he didn’t stop, but tried to kill everyone else.” Xie Yanfang continued, looking at Deng Yi, “Therefore, I request the Grand Tutor to announce to the world that the Crown Prince died at the hands of the Third Prince.”
After saying this, he bowed again.
“Please, Grand Tutor, preserve the Crown Prince’s reputation and the Young Prince’s dignity.”
A Crown Prince who died lifting a cauldron was indeed inglorious and would become a mockery in the history books. It would also lessen the Third Prince’s crimes. Xie Yanfang couldn’t allow the Third Prince any chance of redemption.
This was for the Crown Prince, and even more so for the Young Prince.
Deng Yi glanced at Chu Zhao.
See? This is a true concern for the Young Prince’s safety and honor.
Chu Zhao pressed her lips together. The Grand Tutor was teaching her how to judge people. She smiled inwardly—she didn’t need his teaching; of course, she knew.