The busy, noisy Grand Tutor’s hall became quiet.

Deng Yi sat before his desk, reviewing something. He put down his brush and looked at Chu Zhao.

“Is there something about court affairs that has displeased Your Majesty the Empress again?” he asked.

Ever since working together to investigate the Huzhou summer flood case, the relationship between the Empress and the Grand Tutor in court had also eased considerably. When the Empress spoke in court, the Grand Tutor no longer remained silent and dismissive. Before the Empress deployed the Dragon-Robed Guards, she would give the Grand Tutor advance notice.

So regardless of their private attitude toward the Gongwei Bureau, at least on the surface, they stayed out of each other’s way.

Chu Zhao looked at Deng Yi: “Why is the Grand Tutor interfering with the border army?”

Deng Yi put down the brush in his hand: “Interfering?” He looked at Chu Zhao. “Does the border army no longer belong to Da Xia?”

Chu Zhao took a deep breath, but this time she had no mood to say pleasant words to coax and persuade Deng Yi.

“Grand Tutor, you know what I mean,” she said directly. “You didn’t trust them, so you sent a military supervisor—I can accept that. You claimed war fatigue and used provincial and commandery officers to replace part of the border army—I can also accept that. Everything is for Da Xia, for victory in the war. But how can you interfere with the commander’s central army!”

After speaking, she threw a memorial onto the desk.

Deng Yi glanced at it but didn’t pick it up to open it. Instead, he pulled out several reports from the desk.

“The border army is riddled with parasites—how much impact does this have on the war effort? Is the Empress only concerned with military authority and disregarding everything else?” he said. “The commander’s central army is the most crucial of all for the war effort. How is taking an interest in it not for Da Xia’s sake, not for victory?”

“Spare me these words. We’re not in the court hall now, and there are no others present. Minister Deng need not speak so righteously,” Chu Zhao said coldly with a laugh. “Isn’t promoting Liang Qiang enough? You still want to support Liang Ji—isn’t it just that you want to control the border army?”

Deng Yi also laughed coldly: “Righteous words? Then the Empress repeatedly guards against the Liang father and son, completely disregarding the overall military situation, only fixating on military authority. Are you truly doing this for Da Xia, for victory in the war?”

He also threw several reports onto the table.

“Do you know how many people the Xie clan has planted in the border commandery? Aren’t they dividing military authority?”

“You only watch the Liang clan, only watch me. Are you watching for Da Xia’s sake, or for the Xie clan’s sake?”

He stood up, looking at Chu Zhao.

“I won’t divide your authority, and the Liang clan can’t steal your power!”

“Chu Zhao, why don’t you trust me?”

The lingering rays of the setting sun shone into the room, making the vision of the two people facing each other somewhat hazy, yet also like burning flames.

Chu Zhao thought: Why don’t I trust him?

Because she knew the Liang clan could steal her power, and she also knew that Grand Tutor Deng Yi could divide away the Emperor’s authority. He could even slap the Emperor.

What did the Emperor amount to in Deng Yi’s eyes? What did she herself amount to in Deng Yi’s eyes!

She could now clearly see fate approaching step by step, all connected to Deng Yi.

She now thought that perhaps the fate of her previous life wasn’t solely because of Xiao Xun. Deng Yi could slap Emperor Xiao Xun over a disagreement—so regarding matters like the transfer of border army commanders, Uncle Zhong being stripped of authority, being surrounded with no rescue coming, the Emperor poisoning the Empress, elevating Consort Liang to Empress, all these major events, how could Deng Yi not be involved?

Perhaps he had even orchestrated them.

Why should she trust him?

Reflecting on everything since they’d met, the reason she trusted him was because she believed he was Xiao Xun’s nemesis, but she had never considered how much this Deng Yi was connected to her own fate in that previous life—

She had trusted him too easily, and had also trusted herself too easily.

“Because what the Grand Tutor does truly isn’t trustworthy,” Chu Zhao said. “You keep saying I don’t trust you, but when have you ever trusted me?”

Deng Yi looked at the girl before him. At this moment, her expression was both strange and familiar to him.

Strange because she had never looked at him this way before.

Familiar because he had seen it once.

Back then in Zhongshan Commandery, on the road, this was how Miss Chu had looked at Prince Zhongshan’s heir, Xiao Xun.

Now, it was his turn.

“I tell you what you’re doing is wrong, yet you insist I’ve been misled by others, completely refusing to believe it’s my own judgment,” Chu Zhao said coldly. “Since that’s the case, there’s no need to talk further.”

With that, she turned to leave.

Deng Yi thought that actually, from the very first moment they met, Chu Zhao had been ill-tempered and obstinate. Anyone who went against her will was resented and disliked by her. Just because her attitude toward him had been respectful and ingratiating, frequently praising him as a hero, he had thought she was a lovely girl?

He had truly been bewitched.

Looking at the girl’s retreating back, he didn’t want to call her back. She was truly stubborn and narrow-minded. He didn’t want to speak with her anymore either.

He watched as Chu Zhao walked out of the hall and disappeared from view.

“Someone come!” he called out loudly. “Why hasn’t the supplementary roster from the Ministry of Revenue I requested been delivered yet!”

Outside, footsteps became somewhat chaotic. Minor officials ran in to report, others called out to urge them on. The officials who had withdrawn to a distance also surged forward again. The Grand Tutor’s duty room returned to its previous busy, noisy state.

But the news that the Empress and Grand Tutor had quarreled again also spread like wildfire.

However, it didn’t matter much. This wasn’t the first time the Empress and Grand Tutor had quarreled. Let them quarrel. After all, one was the Empress and one was the Grand Tutor—their quarrels didn’t matter. What mattered was how to profit while the immortals fought.

For instance, that Zhu Yong could be said to have risen in a single leap by taking advantage of the Empress and Grand Tutor’s quarrel, transforming from a minor compiler to a Vice Director of the Gongwei Bureau wearing python-patterned robes—though many officials disdained the Gongwei Bureau, they still feared it in their hearts.

After all, the people of the Gongwei Bureau were like wolves and tigers. Whatever they wanted to do, no one could stop them.

If you truly provoked them, the Grand Tutor or other officials might scold them on your behalf, reprimanding the Dragon-Robed Guards for their lawless conduct, but the unlucky one would be you yourself. Having your home raided, being thrown in prison and tortured—no one could take your place.

Who knew how many visitors came in the dark of night to Zhu Yong’s small courtyard?

There was also the Vice Minister of Revenue who had exposed the corruption in the Huzhou summer flood. Though he dragged down so many people with him, and though he still lived in a prison cell, his family was safe and sound. Reportedly, when he was released in the future, he would also receive preferential treatment. Perhaps the Empress would grant him a provincial appointment—

Reportedly, the Gongwei Bureau was also going to establish offices in various regions.

Being a submissive Vice Minister under the Grand Tutor versus serving under the Empress with authority second only to one person but above all court officials—for many people, the latter was clearly better.

So seeing the Empress and Grand Tutor quarrel, court officials no longer watched coldly from the sidelines as before, but became involved themselves, stirring up waves.

Even Xie Yanfang was keeping an eye on this matter. When he heard Seventh Master Xie excitedly say, “The Empress has withheld several of the Grand Tutor’s memorials,” Xie Yanfang also smiled.

“What did the Empress say?” he asked with interest. Without waiting for Seventh Master Xie to answer, he continued himself: “Did the Empress say that the Grand Tutor is supervising the state, but what he supervises is Da Xia’s state, and as Empress of the nation, when I see the Grand Tutor supervising the state improperly, naturally I must take an interest?”

Seventh Master Xie said “Oh” and nodded: “That’s basically what she meant.” He asked curiously, “Did you teach her that?”

Xie Yanfang said, “Miss A’Zhao becoming Empress hardly requires my teaching. She’s quite clever.”

This Empress was indeed clever, and her actions were frightening. Seventh Master Xie still didn’t like her. He asked, “What do we do next? Continue observing?”

Xie Yanfang said, “Next, we can let our Grand Tutor return dust to dust and earth to earth.”

Finally going to deal with this Deng Yi! Seventh Master Xie was delighted and quickly sat up straight. But Xie Yanfang didn’t continue speaking with him. Instead, he raised his voice to call for Steward Cai.

Steward Cai walked in from the outer room holding a stack of letters, still squinting at them as he asked, “What does the young master need?”

Xie Yanfang asked, “What has Yu Shang been busy with lately?”