Compared to Xie Yanlai pacing restlessly in the duty room, Xie Yanfang had been sitting steadily for quite some time, with only officials and clerks coming and going around him.

The documents on his desk seemed endless, yet Xie Yanfang’s appearance and demeanor showed not a trace of fatigue.

Did Deng Yi think this would exhaust him?

Though he was a young master from an aristocratic family who had never served as a minor official or petty clerk like Deng Yi, the affairs of a great family were no less than those of a county or commandery—in fact, they were even more complex.

As for Deng Yi, having leapt from minor official to high position, how was he scheming and striving now? Was he still sending gifts as before?

If he were still sending gifts now—Xie Yanfang couldn’t help but chuckle softly as he held his brush—that would truly be a laughingstock.

A eunuch hurried in and bowed respectfully: “Lord Xie.”

Xie Yanfang looked at him, recognizing him as a eunuch from the Emperor’s side, and asked with a smile: “Does His Majesty have any instructions?”

The eunuch smiled helplessly: “His Majesty—” He glanced around, and the officials and clerks who had been straining their ears immediately withdrew.

Xie Yanfang said to the eunuch: “No harm, speak freely. Whatever His Majesty says is fine.”

His Majesty was supreme above all, and even though he was only six years old now, he was still above ten thousand people—whatever he said was a golden edict. Even if His Majesty said something inappropriate, with him, Xie Yanfang, present, there was no need to worry. He could turn the inappropriate into the proper.

The eunuch understood Xie Yanfang’s meaning and smiled even more respectfully, saying: “His Majesty wants to see Lord Xie. He’s making a fuss and refusing to eat. We servants have no choice—”

His Majesty was a child, but when he threw a tantrum, they dared not intervene—His Majesty rarely threw tantrums, but once he did, no one could persuade him to stop.

They hadn’t felt this way before, but since the Empress was no longer in the palace, they had come to realize it.

Since the Empress left, His Majesty wouldn’t allow the lamps to be extinguished at night—the palace hall blazed with lights. He couldn’t sleep well or eat well, and he began throwing tantrums.

Yet during morning court and studies, His Majesty was still diligent and earnest, not complaining at all. They couldn’t ask officials to come and persuade him. This kind of private emotional tantrum could only be soothed, disciplined, and restrained by relatives. Now His Majesty had no relatives in the palace.

So this one and only maternal uncle was so important.

This tantrum was also about wanting to see his uncle.

After hearing this, Xie Yanfang didn’t immediately stand up, but instead asked: “Does His Majesty want to see his uncle, or Lord Xie?”

The eunuch was stunned. What was the difference? Wasn’t Lord Xie the uncle, and the uncle Lord Xie?

“Think about what His Majesty said exactly,” Xie Yanfang reminded him.

The eunuch thought for a moment and said with certainty: “He wants to see his uncle.”

Xie Yanfang smiled and pointed outside: “Go find Xie Yanlai then. He’s on duty here today.”

The eunuch was stunned. Xie Yanlai?

Of course he knew who Xie Yanlai was—also His Majesty’s uncle, and his position wasn’t low either. All the Imperial Guards in the palace were now under his command. But with Xie Yanfang present, why would His Majesty need to see another uncle?

So was Xie Yanfang too busy and sending his brother to coax the child?

“Go on,” Xie Yanfang said, seeing the eunuch’s wild speculations. “Once His Majesty sees him, he won’t throw a tantrum anymore.”

Really? The eunuch thought. His Majesty’s temper was quite fierce. But this seemingly gentle young master from an aristocratic family before him wouldn’t have a small temper either. Between the Emperor and the Third Young Master Xie, he dared not offend either, so he could only follow their instructions.

He would just let that Xie Yanlai go see His Majesty. If His Majesty had a temper, let him vent it on Xie Yanlai.

……

……

Xie Yanlai entered the Emperor’s bedchamber with a stern face. Before he could offer his respects, he saw a child running toward him with pattering steps.

“Uncle.” Xiao Yu threw himself into his arms, hugging his waist.

The eunuch following behind was startled. Huh? Why wasn’t there a tantrum? Had His Majesty not seen clearly which uncle had come?

Eunuch Qi followed behind with a smile: “Your Majesty, slow down.” He bowed respectfully to Xie Yanlai: “Captain.”

Xie Yanlai kept his stern expression and used two fingers to lift Xiao Yu away: “This subject hasn’t yet paid respects.”

Xiao Yu swayed to steady himself, looked up at him, and first said: “Uncle, you are excused from the courtesy.”

Eunuch Qi smiled and said: “While His Majesty and the Captain speak, we servants will wait outside.” With that, he voluntarily walked out. Seeing the other eunuch still standing there with his mouth agape, he reached out and pushed him.

The eunuch came to his senses. The child Emperor had a bad temper, Xie Yanfang had a bad temper, Lord Deng Yi had a bad temper, and Eunuch Qi, the head steward of the inner palace, had an even worse temper—

Don’t let his smiling face fool you—in this recent period, how many eunuchs and palace maids in the inner palace had died at his hands!

The eunuch shivered and hurriedly withdrew.

“What do you want from me?” Xie Yanlai pushed the child away and asked in a deep voice. He glanced at the food table nearby: “I won’t feed you.”

Xiao Yu shook his head: “Uncle, I’m looking for you to ask about something else.” He then took his hand and led him inward: “Come sit over here.”

Xie Yanlai withdrew his hand but said nothing more, following Xiao Yu inside.

The eunuch who had retreated to the doorway looked back at this scene and couldn’t help muttering to himself: “So he really was looking for this uncle.”

Eunuch Qi, walking ahead, heard this and said with a half-smile: “You figured it out, did you?”

The eunuch quickly caught up with Eunuch Qi. The two stood outside the hall together. Seeing Eunuch Qi’s expression, how could he not understand? He smiled bitterly and ingratiatingly said: “Why didn’t you give this humble one a hint? This humble one ran around in circles, making His Majesty wait.”

Eunuch Qi looked at him, a smile at the corner of his mouth, and said: “Because His Majesty didn’t say.”

His Majesty had only said he wanted to see his uncle. His Majesty hadn’t elaborated or explained further—he had let those listening misunderstand. How could he have given this eunuch a hint?

The smile at Eunuch Qi’s lips turned melancholy. Perhaps everyone who became an emperor changed, even a six-year-old child.

……

……

A minor official placed tea on the desk.

“Lord Xie, please have some tea,” he said respectfully. “Captain Xie has already gone to see His Majesty. We don’t know what they’re discussing. Shall this humble one send someone to find out?”

Xie Yanfang took the tea and said: “No need. It should be about the Empress.”

The matter of the Empress no longer being in the palace hadn’t been announced to the court officials. They only said that she was injured while rescuing Xiao Yu and needed to recuperate, so she wouldn’t attend court or receive guests. The court officials didn’t care—they would be happy if she continued recuperating like this and never appeared.

Of course, those around Xie Yanfang all knew where the Empress had gone.

The minor official made a sound of understanding and smiled: “So His Majesty really was looking for Captain Xie.” He shook his head and complained: “That eunuch was truly foolish, coming here to disturb you, my lord.”

Xie Yanfang smiled: “It’s not his fault. His Majesty made him do it.”

The minor official was stunned. What did that mean?

“His Majesty deliberately let me know that he wanted to see his uncle,” Xie Yanfang said. “But the uncle he wanted to see wasn’t me.”

The Xie family was the young Emperor’s maternal family.

The eunuchs all knew that those surnamed Xie in the court were the Emperor’s uncles.

But what the eunuchs didn’t know was that the Emperor had different ways of addressing his uncles from the Xie family.

Previously, the young Emperor would call him Third Uncle. Since entering the court, the young Emperor simply addressed him as Lord Xie, as a sign of respect.

The two words “uncle”—there had always been only one person who held that title.

Xie Yanlai.