Before Wen Heming discovered him, Xie Lang quickly suppressed his unusual behavior.

He finally understood what it meant to be speechless.

There are some things that you can't even tell your closest friends, and even if he had the courage, he would never say them.

In front of someone as serene and composed as the Grand Tutor, speaking of such sordid matters would only offend her ears; Xie Lang had no shame in doing so.

Xie Lang said sullenly, "I know."

The Grand Tutor had said "be a wise ruler" countless times, and Xie Lang was getting tired of hearing it, but he had never offered any opinions.

Having survived in the deep palace, he was perceptive from a young age and understood why Wen Hemian had come. Therefore, he would not go against her wishes. At first, he mostly pretended, but now, he had completely transformed into a sincere person.

He was willing to become a wise ruler for the sake of those who hoped to cherish him.

Even if it's not suitable for him, he will still learn it.

Wen Hemian always kept a line in her heart. She kept in mind her responsibility to guide him. At least for now, Xie Lang has been taught very well by her. His occasional disagreements are not serious.

She glanced at the boy's gloomy face and, wanting to cheer him up, said, "The weather is just right, may I check how Your Majesty's riding and archery are progressing?"

Wen Hemian hasn't practiced martial arts as long as Xie Lang, and only has the advantage of talent, which is why he hasn't regressed. In fact, he should be able to barely hold his own against Xie Lang now.

This is an excellent way to distract yourself.

Xie Lang replied without hesitation, "Okay."

-

Sunlight streams down, and the wind rustles the grass.

As soon as the carriage came to a stop, the people inside lifted the curtain and tried to get out.

Just then, an arrow came from nowhere, heading straight for Lu Zishen's face, but it was blocked by a knife coming from the side, intercepting it halfway with a whoosh.

The person who landed silently in front of him was dressed in a black outfit. He looked cold and unsmiling, but the patterns on his arms silently revealed his identity—he was a member of the Imperial Guard.

The man clasped his hands in a fist salute to him: "We were sent by His Majesty to protect Lord Lu. Lord Lu can rest assured."

It would be a lie to say he wasn't frightened. After regaining his composure, Lu Zishen said, "Thank you all."

The man nodded and, without the slightest hesitation, disappeared back into the shadows.

Liu Qiongyue heard the carriage stop outside, but when no one came in, her heart skipped a beat. She went out to see what was going on and saw Lu Zishen standing dumbfounded in the carriage. As if sensing something, she asked, "What happened just now?"

Lu Zishen's expression was unreadable: "An assassination attempt, but he was saved by His Majesty's men."

He wasn't stupid. These people around him served both as protection and surveillance, expressing His Majesty's high regard for him while also acting as a warning to him.

Liu Qiongyue's expression also changed slightly. She suppressed her emotions and said, "It's good that you're alright. Don't just stand there, come in first."

Lu Zishen nodded and followed her inside.

After achieving the highest rank in the imperial examination, Lu Zishen requested a special favor from the emperor. In the same year, he officially married Liu Qiongyue, and the two purchased a house in the capital, where they lived most of the time.

It was only after entering the imperial court that Lu Zishen fully understood the identity of the "Young Master Wen" they had discussed with—the Grand Tutor of the court, the Emperor's teacher.

Perhaps it was from that time that they were destined to stand on the same side, including the increasingly close cooperation between Liu Qiongyue and the Prince's Mansion over the years.

Upon entering the residence, Lu Zishen sighed softly, his expression grave: "Did Lord Wen truly entrust you with the method of making the telescope?"

"Hmm." Liu Qiongyue smiled gently, much calmer now. "It's not just the telescope, there are other things too. Tell me, how is Lord Wen so amazing? He always manages to think of things we can't?"

“The Wen family is all very capable. I guess they’re all birds of a feather,” Lu Zishen said. “Since it’s been entrusted to us, we must keep it a secret. If this falls into the enemy’s hands, it could cause a major disaster.”

“I can tell.” Liu Qiongyue stared at Lu Zishen for a while. “Husband, you spoke up for Lord Wen a few days ago, and he must have taken note of it.”

The martial arts world and the imperial court are so similar. Liu Qiongyue has been traveling around with her caravan for many years and is no longer a naive young girl. She naturally knows how dangerous Lu Zishen is doing.

"It's alright. If we can meet a wise ruler and restore peace to the world, then even death would be worthwhile."

When Lu Zishen spoke of this, a mixture of amusement and worry appeared in his eyes: "Lord Wen has taught His Majesty very well. With her around, that day won't be too far off. There are His Majesty's people watching over the mansion. I'm only worried about you. If you go out, remember to take good care of your companions."

He held Liu Qiongyue's hand, and it was clear that he was still uneasy.

When Liu Qiongyue heard him recount what had just happened, her heart skipped a beat. She said softly, "Don't worry, I'll take good care of myself."

She smiled gently, her eyebrows like crescent moons. Seeing Lu Zishen's worried expression, she reached out and pinched his arm: "Alright, husband, now that you've made up your mind, don't hesitate. Are you still afraid?"

Lu Zishen chuckled: "That's not it."

-

The palace's training grounds are large enough that they can do whatever they want.

Having not practiced riding and archery properly for a long time, Wen Hemian took a while to regain her feel for it. She rode around on horseback for a few laps, feeling extremely refreshed.

Xie Lang stopped to rest midway, and Huo Ping, seeing this, told him about Lu Zishen's assassination attempt: "...In Your Majesty's opinion, should more manpower be sent to Lord Lu's side?"

"No need for now, keep an eye on them." Xie Lang's brows furrowed, his expression filled with menace. He scoffed, "Ning Hechu's men are all like this, always plotting assassinations. Do they think killing them will shut everyone up?"

Huo Ping also wanted to say, who are they looking down on by always playing these tricks?

"Lord Lu was assassinated?" Wen Hemian happened to be riding by and overheard the conversation. Seeing Huo Ping there, he simply reined in his horse and asked, "Have you found out who did it?"

The clues went cold during the peach blossom viewing, which served as a lesson for those around Xie Lang. All of Huo Ping's imperial guards were given a thorough warning, but not this time.

Huo Ping said, "It should not be someone personally sent by Ning Hechu. The assassination method was clumsy. It has been found that it was someone who had a grudge against Lord Lu and held a grudge in his heart.

“Even if he didn’t give the order himself, he must have tacitly approved it,” Wen Hemian said. “Back then, he was careless and let His Majesty and I grow up. He certainly wouldn’t want to make the same mistake again.”

The person who made the move was just a minor official from the Hanlin Academy. It was a life for a life, and taking away Lu Zishen, who had a bright future, was definitely not a loss.

He probably didn't expect that Lu Zishen also had someone protecting him.

As the male lead, according to the male-female lead rule, he is bound to have villains causing trouble around him. Wen Hemian took precautions, and they really came in handy.

She narrowed her eyes: "Go and find out what the situation is like in that family."

Huo Ping understood, glanced at the emperor's expression which showed no objection, and nodded: "Yes."