Really? Is that true?

The minor official stood dumbfounded. Could a title make such a big difference?

“What if you had gone, sir?” the minor official asked.

Would the Emperor have thrown a tantrum to embarrass him?

“Of course not,” Xie Yanfang smiled. “His Majesty would have discussed some trivial matters with me, and after I left, he would have sent the eunuch to invite ‘Uncle’ again. This time, he would explicitly name Xie Yanlai—”

He paused here and shook his head.

“No, he probably wouldn’t even speak. He’d just run out directly, with the eunuchs following behind in confusion. He’d run straight to Xie Yanlai, throw himself at him, and call out ‘Uncle, I need to speak with you.'”

That would be enough.

Seeing this scene, the eunuchs would be surprised and reflect: So His Majesty wasn’t looking for Xie Yanfang, but for Xie Yanlai? Or rather, even after speaking with Xie Yanfang, His Majesty would still seek out Uncle Yanlai to talk—

Then Yanlai’s status in His Majesty’s heart could be well imagined.

“Young Master,” he couldn’t help saying, “aren’t you overthinking this?”

The Emperor was just a six-year-old child. Why all these twists and turns? Besides, what was the point? They were family.

Xie Yanfang smiled. He wasn’t overthinking. Though the Emperor was a six-year-old child, he was also a member of the Xie family.

The Xie family had just that many schemes.

Although the minor official appeared unrelated to the Xie family, it was the Xie clan that had placed him in his current position. He was a servant of the Xie family and knew very well what the Xie family was like.

Since Xie Yanfang had said so, he pondered seriously for a moment and said: “Is it because Xie Yanlai was meritorious in defending the city that day, and His Majesty wants to elevate him?”

But even if Xie Yanlai had rendered meritorious service by defending the city and protecting His Majesty, his status and position in the eyes of the world couldn’t compare to Xie Yanfang’s.

So, His Majesty was deliberately stepping on Xie Yanfang, using him to let everyone know of Xie Yanlai’s status.

The minor official’s gaze suddenly turned sharp. He didn’t believe this was the Emperor’s idea. No matter how scheming a child might be, it had to be someone else’s instigation!

Did this Xie Yanlai think he could be insatiably greedy just because he had rendered a great service by protecting His Majesty?

Absurd, laughable.

Did he not know that even with the merit of protecting His Majesty, Xie Yanfang could make him disappear from this court, make him disappear from the family, with just one word?

What great merit of Xie Yanlai in protecting His Majesty? It should be the merit of the Xie clan protecting His Majesty.

Seeing the minor official’s expression, Xie Yanfang smiled.

“No, no,” he shook his head. “His Majesty isn’t doing this for Xie Yanlai, isn’t being especially kind to him. He’s doing it to let me know about this.”

That’s why the eunuch had come to him, excitedly saying the Emperor was requesting his presence.

The minor official was stunned. This… he truly didn’t understand. What was all this?

Xie Yanfang pursed his lips, his eyes filled with both amusement and resignation.

That child hated him.

From that dawn when he arrived at the palace, when Xiao Yu called out “Uncle” and rushed past him to Xie Yanlai, he knew.

Overnight, the child had lost his parents. Fear and hatred needed an outlet, and this hatred wasn’t just directed at enemies; it could also be directed at family.

Especially family members who were once admired and adored.

He hadn’t been able to save the child’s parents, nor had he protected him in times of danger.

The more the child had admired him before, the more he hated him now.

And he didn’t conceal it, using such clumsy methods to let him know.

Of course, for a six-year-old child, being able to do this much was already impressive.

Worthy of being a member of the Xie family.

Xie Yanfang looked at the minor official and said: “This matter ends here. Don’t mention it again, and especially don’t make things difficult for Xie Yanlai.”

The minor official’s expression was admiring: “Young Master truly has the magnanimity to tolerate others.”

Xie Yanfang smiled: “This is just a small matter, just a child’s temper.”

Of course, he could also be intolerant, but a child and Xie Yanlai didn’t yet qualify for that.

“How is the Empress?” Xie Yanfang asked the minor official.

The minor official said, “We just asked two days ago. She’s safe and well.”

Xie Yanfang said, “Ask again today.”

The minor official smiled: “The Empress’s journey has truly caused concern. Young Master shouldn’t have agreed to it. It’s so worrying, and you have to face the Imperial Tutor’s cold face. If anything happens, the Imperial Tutor will certainly make things difficult for you.”

Xie Yanfang smiled and said: “The Imperial Tutor’s cold face toward me, his making things difficult for me, is not because I agreed to the Empress’s journey.”

The minor official didn’t say more. The young master had the magnanimity to tolerate others; he shouldn’t be indiscreet in his banter: “I’ll go ask personally. Please wait, sir.”

Xie Yanfang nodded, watching the minor official leave. He didn’t immediately lower his head to attend to state affairs but instead mused to himself: “If I went to His Majesty now, I would immediately know her news.”

As he said this, he also smiled and shook his head.

The child was rarely happy these days; it was better not to disturb him.

……

……

Outside the Emperor’s bedchamber, eunuchs and guards stood rigidly, silent.

Inside the hall, the child’s cry of “Ah!” was particularly clear and piercing.

But neither Qi Gonggong nor the guards moved, as if they hadn’t heard.

“Uncle,” Xiao Yu grabbed Xie Yanlai’s arm, his little face full of terror, “what happened to Sister?”

Xie Yanlai felt the child’s whole body trembling and said: “She was injured a bit, flesh wounds, nothing life-threatening. She has continued on her journey.”

The child’s eyes were somewhat bewildered, not yet recovered from shock: “Just… just continued?”

Xie Yanlai sat, holding a teacup in one hand, with a half-smile: “Of course. What else? Would she cry and run back? Is your sister that kind of person?”

Xiao Yu gripped his arm and was silent for a moment. Of course, Sister Chu Zhao wasn’t like that. When she had protected him before, when enemies caught up, she just went and killed them, then carried him on horseback, always moving forward—even when this uncle’s arrows were aimed at them, even when the gates where the Imperial Tutor was located were tightly closed and driving them away, sister had shown no fear—

“Sister isn’t afraid,” he said. “Sister is the most formidable.”

Xie Yanlai snorted: “Not afraid, yes. Formidable, well, that’s an exaggeration. She’s just average. She’s just lucky.”

Xiao Yu retorted: “Being lucky is also being formidable. Not everyone has that.”

Xie Yanlai snorted again and withdrew his arm.

“Has Sister written any letters back?” Xiao Yu asked again, his eyes fixed on him. “Let me see.”

Xie Yanlai immediately shook his head: “No. It’s an urgent dispatch from the relay station. Where would she find time to write letters?”

Xiao Yu looked disappointed but asked again: “Then can I write letters to Sister?”

Xie Yanlai said: “The courier riders have no time to receive and read letters on their journey.” However, seeing the child looking up at him eagerly, he didn’t completely refuse. “The letters you write can only be seen by her after she reaches Yunzhong Commandery.”

The child’s eyes lit up with joy: “That’s fine too, that’s fine too. Sister can read many at once.”

Xie Yanlai stood up: “If there’s nothing else, I shall take my leave.”

The child held his hand and called out: “Uncle, if it were someone else, they definitely wouldn’t tell me that Sister had been attacked. They would just say everything was fine.” He looked up at Xie Yanlai, his face full of dependence. “Uncle is the person I trust the most.”

Xie Yanlai looked down at the child who wasn’t even as tall as his leg, the corner of his mouth curling slightly: “This journey is inherently risky. Sweet words can’t reassure people. Knowing the real situation is what brings peace of mind.”

He reached out and stroked the child’s cheek.

This was probably the first time Xie Yanlai had been so intimate with him. Xiao Yu seemed surprised and stiffened slightly. He had thrown himself at Xie Yanlai before, hugging his waist and arms, but Xie Yanlai had always disdainfully avoided and shaken him off.

This uncle looked even better than that uncle, but his aura wasn’t as appealing as that uncle’s. His hand was very fair, but when it touched his face, it felt like rough stone.

“Since you know I can reassure you, don’t play these little tricks anymore,” Xie Yanlai said in a low voice. “Little one, if you don’t like Xie Yanfang, just tell him directly. Don’t use me as a raft. Once or twice is enough. Don’t keep doing it endlessly.”