That young lady had spoken eloquently before the Emperor.

“Your Majesty, this is a good idea,” she said, her eyes shining brightly as she stepped forward. “Think about it—if I become Empress, my father becomes the National Uncle. He wouldn’t just be a subject, he would also be the Young Highness’s relative. Your Majesty, if you trust my father to preserve the lives of the Young Highness and myself, then why not simply trust my father to ensure the Young Highness sits firmly on the throne?”

The Emperor at that time seemed about to say something, but the young lady didn’t give him a chance to speak and stepped forward again.

“Your Majesty, even if you don’t believe it, the world will believe it.”

The young lady’s eyes gleamed with light, seeming both excited and indignant.

“If I become Empress, my father will rack his brains and spare no effort 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 can go for the Young Highness and myself?”

On the dragon bed, the Emperor, whose spirits had been listless, suddenly burst into loud laughter upon hearing this.

“Yes,” he said, laughing and clapping his hands. “I truly do want to see how General Chu performs as National Uncle.”

The Emperor, who had fallen into madness because both imperial princes were ruined, was persuaded by Chu Zhao’s mad proposal and agreed.

Deng Yi withdrew from his recollection and looked at the young lady standing before him at this very moment.

“Miss Chu, have you thought about this?” he said. “After His Majesty dies, the deluge that follows has nothing to do with him, but what about you? That flood will crash down upon you overwhelmingly.”

After he finished speaking, he saw the young lady smile.

“When I had done nothing, I was also struck by floods,” she muttered.

What did she mean? As Deng Yi was about to say more, a guard came to report that Xie Yanfang had arrived.

Deng Yi then also smiled.

“Your Highness the Crown Princess,” he said. “The Young Highness’s safety actually doesn’t rest on me. After all, without the Young Highness, I can still be Grand Tutor, but if there’s no Young Highness, Third Young Master Xie cannot be National Uncle. Save your sweet words for him.”

Chu Zhao nodded, but then shook her head.

“The Grand Tutor’s heart toward His Highness is one of great impartiality,” she said in a low voice. “Third Young Master Xie has the private affection of a relative. I would rather speak more sweet words to the Grand Tutor.”

At this point, she smiled again.

“The Grand Tutor keeps his word. You said you owed me a meal, so you’ll repay the favor.”

Deng Yi laughed despite himself. “Miss Chu, if you make Third Young Master Xie owe you a meal, he’ll repay you with far more favors.”

Chu Zhao nodded. “Third Young Master Xie will indeed repay favors, but I’m afraid Third Young Master Xie won’t give me the opportunity to have him owe me a meal.”

Deng Yi made a sound of understanding. “Because I’m poor, while Third Young Master Xie doesn’t lack money, right?”

“Minister Deng,” Chu Zhao said, both annoyed and amused, calling out.

She didn’t believe Deng Yi couldn’t understand what she meant. She was praising him, or rather, even if she was talking about poverty and wealth, she was saying that he and she were both poor people, constrained by difficult circumstances, which was why they could form a connection over a meal, and why a meal’s kindness must be repaid.

Deng Yi raised his hand to stop her. He wouldn’t engage in a verbal sparring match with a young lady. He said to the guard, “Please invite Third Young Master in.”

The guard acknowledged with a “yes,” but didn’t turn to leave. He asked again, “Xie Yanlai accompanied him. Should I invite him in as well, or should he stay away?”

Deng Yi glanced at Chu Zhao.

Chu Zhao didn’t mind him looking at her and said directly, “Let him come in too. Let him listen as well.” After speaking, she muttered, “Though he may not be willing to come in.”

The guard turned and left, and the hall returned to quiet.

Deng Yi looked at the young lady who was no longer pacing but gazing outward.

“Also,” he said, “thank you for looking after my mother.”

Chu Zhao looked at him and smiled. “Minister Deng has contacted home?”

When she decided to come to the imperial capital, she hadn’t known Deng Yi was there. Thinking that he was, after all, the person destined to become Grand Tutor, she asked the Dragon Might Army scouts if they knew of Deng Yi’s home. The scouts actually did know this person, so she sent several people there to prevent anything from happening to Deng Yi.

Later, when she encountered Deng Yi in the palace, she didn’t mention it.

Though Deng Yi was in the palace, the Dragon Might Army had still looked after Deng Yi’s family members.

Deng Yi nodded. “My father and brothers died early. I only have a blind elderly mother. I had thought I was powerless to look after her and felt regretful.” He glanced at Chu Zhao. “Miss Chu, this is worth far more than the meal I owe you.”

That was truly wonderful! Chu Zhao laughed heartily. “Grand Tutor, you’re too polite. This is nothing. I didn’t really help much. Minister Deng, your destiny is extraordinary, your blessings deep and abundant.”

But her manner didn’t suggest it was nothing at all. Deng Yi looked at the young lady’s delighted expression, somewhat amused. He shook his head and said nothing more as footsteps sounded from outside the door.

“Xie Yanfang pays respects to the Grand Tutor.”

…

…

Hearing that Deng Yi would see them, although the guard had said Xie Yanlai could also enter, Xie Yanlai did not go in.

“Tell her the Young Highness is looking for her,” he said to the guard.

It sounded disconnected, but the guard nodded and said “Good.”

Xie Yanlai bowed to Xie Yanfang. “I’m going on duty.” He turned and left.

“Yanlai,” Xie Yanfang called out.

Xie Yanlai stopped and turned back to look at him.

“If you need anything, just say so,” Xie Yanfang said.

Xie Yanlai smiled. “Alright, I will.” After speaking, he strode away.

Du Qi said, “He wasn’t this obedient before.”

Xie Yanfang glanced at him. “You didn’t used to have this much to say about him either. Are you very concerned or very afraid?”

Du Qi’s face stiffened, and he lowered his head. “This subordinate knows his error.”

Xie Yanfang said nothing more. He nodded to the guard and walked toward the great hall. Upon reaching the entrance, he didn’t go directly in but asked for permission once more.

Footsteps came from within the hall first, accompanied by a crisp female voice.

“Third Young Master.”

Xie Yanfang raised his head and saw the young lady rushing over.

He didn’t feel too surprised. Rather, many things made sense now.

Since the Young Highness had returned to the palace, it meant he had been safe at the Chu household. For Miss Chu, who could ensure the Young Highness’s safety, to follow him into the palace was quite normal.

Those unfamiliar troops.

Xie Yanlai being able to defend the city and faintly becoming a leader.

The Young Highness’s closeness to Xie Yanlai.

The sister the Young Highness was looking for.

Xie Yanfang stepped over the threshold. “Miss Zhao.”

Chu Zhao stopped before him. “You’ve come—that’s wonderful! Are you alright?” She looked Xie Yanfang up and down, left and right.

Hearing her three sentences, Xie Yanfang’s expression was complex.

“It’s my fault for being useless, wasting the repeated warnings you gave me, Miss,” he said. Then looking at Chu Zhao, “Fortunately you were here, and the Young Highness was preserved.”

Chu Zhao’s feelings were also complex. She hadn’t expected that even after warning Third Young Master Xie, she still couldn’t prevent events from occurring.

“This isn’t your fault,” she said. “It’s fate.”

As she spoke, she also nodded.

“Fortunately, the Young Highness was preserved.”

Xie Yanfang sighed softly and looked toward the interior. Chu Zhao quickly led the way. “Third Young Master, come quickly. Grand Tutor Deng is also waiting for you. We’ve been inside the city and don’t know what happened outside.”

Xie Yanfang followed her inside a few steps and saw the man sitting behind the desk.

He was in his early thirties, with refined features—long brows and thin lips. His emotions didn’t show on his face, and with the court robes he wore, he possessed a dignity that age alone couldn’t provide.

This was Deng Yi.

Xie Yanfang bowed. “I have met Grand Tutor Deng.”

Deng Yi set down his documents and stood up. “Young Master Xie, no need for excessive courtesy. What happened with the Crown Prince? How did the Third Prince ambush and kill His Highness the Crown Prince?”

Xie Yanfang straightened and said, “To be precise, the Crown Prince died first, and the Third Prince’s attack came after.”

What?

Both Deng Yi and Chu Zhao were somewhat surprised. The Crown Prince hadn’t actually died at the Third Prince’s hands?

Xie Yanfang said, “His Highness the Crown Prince died from lifting the cauldron.”

Deng Yi and Chu Zhao exchanged glances. This—

“But I asked around, and the Crown Prince had practiced lifting the cauldron many times. There shouldn’t have been an accident. He must have been schemed against,” Xie Yanfang said. “By the time I arrived, the scene had already been destroyed. I couldn’t see anything.”

So he had no evidence.

“Even so, the Third Prince indeed intended to ambush and kill the Crown Prince, and upon hearing news of the Crown Prince’s death, he didn’t stop but wanted to annihilate everyone completely,” Xie Yanfang said. He looked at Deng Yi again. “Therefore, I ask the Grand Tutor to announce to the world that the Crown Prince died from the Third Prince’s ambush and killing.”

After speaking, he bowed.

“I ask the Grand Tutor to preserve the Crown Prince’s reputation and the Young Highness’s dignity.”

A Crown Prince who died from lifting a cauldron would indeed be quite disgraceful. In the history books, it would become a laughingstock, and it would also lessen the Third Prince’s culpability. Xie Yanfang couldn’t give the Third Prince any chance to turn things around.

This was for the Crown Prince, and even more so for the Young Highness.

Deng Yi glanced at Chu Zhao.

See? This is someone whose heart is entirely focused on the Young Highness’s safety and honor.

Chu Zhao pressed her lips together. The Grand Tutor was teaching her how to handle matters and judge people. She smiled inwardly. She didn’t need him to teach her—of course she knew.