Xie Rang didn't use much force last night, but he still left a mark on her lips. If you look closely, you can still see the mark. The eunuchs weren't that bold, and they didn't dare to glance at Yun Qing. But Xie Rang's gaze was blatant and never concealed.

Therefore, I noticed it immediately.

He has tasted it.

Xie Rang's gaze darkened further.

How could Yun Qing not have noticed?

Her expression changed slightly. She slapped Xie Rang's hand away, narrowed her eyes, and said with a hostile look, "Xie Rang, don't push your luck!"

Xie Rang calmly lowered his hand. He didn't detect any anger in Xie Rang's expression, only a little excitement. He had a general idea of ​​what was going on and smiled, "Grand Tutor rarely calls me by my name."

Only Yun Qing calls Xie Rang by his nickname. As for his formal name, it has a rather unlucky connotation, so Yun Qing rarely calls him that, except when he's angry... There might be some special circumstances now.

Is this really such a good thing?

Yun Qing was puzzled by Xie Rang's expression. She suddenly remembered her evaluation of the little tyrant many years ago, which was something like "unpredictable mood"... It was just as fitting now.

"But Grand Tutor, am I the only one pushing my luck?" Xie Rang suddenly asked, a glimmer of light in his dark eyes. "Yun Qing, it is you who indulges me."

When Xie Rang said the second half of his sentence, he was very serious. This was the first time he had called out Yun Qing's name when both of them were sober, as if he wanted to break down the last barrier between them.

He suddenly curled his lips into a smile: "Grand Tutor, you say so?"

Yun Qing didn't answer this question last night, but now Xie Rang has blatantly brought it up, clearly stating that he wants an answer.

Or rather, he wanted to see clearly what Yun Qing's true thoughts were and where her bottom line was.

Yun Qing glanced at him, her heart filled with complex emotions, but in the end, she didn't lie: "Yes."

Xie Rang had discovered long ago that his tutor was incorruptible and habitually straightforward. This was precisely his greatest strength at this moment, as Yun Qing would answer any questions he could, or at most avoid the topic altogether.

Xie Rang, as if he had seized some evidence, immediately smiled and said, "Grand Tutor, your heart has already given you the answer."

The essence of indulgence is non-resistance. Perhaps Yun Qing herself has not yet seen this clearly, but her actions have already given her the answer. At least in her heart, she agrees with Xie Rang.

"is that so?"

Yun Qing asked a question, which was directed at Xie Rang, but also at herself.

"Of course."

Xie Rang was certain.

Taking advantage of his height and build, he brazenly approached Yun Qing, almost encircling her in his arms, his hand on Yun Qing's shoulder openly conveying the boy's burning body heat.

He smiled slowly and said, "Grand Tutor, since you don't resist, then try to accept me."

From the very beginning, Xie Rang has been pursuing a gradual approach, and now it's simply a matter of time before he reaps the rewards.

If successful, Yunqing will be his.

Yun Qing suddenly pursed her lips. At that moment, uncertainty overwhelmed all her shyness. She didn't even know if her choice at this moment was right or wrong, or what path the future would lead her down. She just thought this way at the moment.

"...We'll see how you perform."

Xie Rang's smile deepened: "Okay."

"Alright, let's go for a walk."

Although she said it herself, Yun Qing still felt uncomfortable being alone with the two of them. The little wolf cub's gaze was intense, and she felt she needed to prepare herself in advance.

If he's already taken advantage of others in their vulnerable moments, how can you expect Xie Rang to be any more restrained? Impossible. He'd be better off finding a more crowded place.

Xie Rang readily stood up: "Okay."

The fact that the Grand Tutor didn't bring up the palace matter immediately was a sign that he was backing down. With victory imminent, Xie Rang was even less likely to be impatient.

It was still snowing lightly outside. Shunfeng had brought two umbrellas, but Xie Rang shamelessly insisted on sharing one with Yunqing. He then took the umbrella himself, claiming he was worried she would catch a cold, and wouldn't let Yunqing lift a finger.

Yun Qing glanced at the bewildered eunuch and said helplessly, "Go down, I'll go for a stroll with His Majesty."

Yun Qing didn't think that holding an umbrella would tire Xie Rang out. She saw that this little rascal was full of energy and only knew how to torment the people around him all day long. After all, an emperor cannot be compared with ordinary people. It is a good thing that he can make the people around him fear him.

Xie Rang, beaming, moved closer to Yun Qing and accompanied her for a walk. At this time, only plum blossoms were in bloom in the garden, both red and winter plums, their delicate fragrance floating in the air, making the winter day less cold.

Yun Qing was completely covered by a cloak, and her hood was pulled up, so she didn't feel cold outside.

She asked casually, "Have all the envoys been arranged?"

"They're all staying at the Huitong Hotel. I had Lin Chen keep an eye on them."

Xie Rang remained indifferent; his distrust of the people from the Court of State Ceremonial was blatant, mainly because these people rarely did anything, which made them untrustworthy.

"The Rouran sent two falcons, supposedly a pair, and they are quite fierce. Grand Tutor, you can go and take a look at them later."

Yun Qing murmured, "A falcon?"

Is it a gyrfalcon?

"The falcon is known as the god of all eagles and is one of the symbols of the grassland. If trained well, it can also be used to deliver messages in the future. Their sincerity is truly overwhelming."

At this point, Xie Rang chuckled. It seemed that the Fifth Prince had gone to great lengths to gather information.

“Perhaps they’re just worried about being looked down upon.” Yun Qing saw another possibility. She raised an eyebrow. “The Great Xi is growing stronger every day, and all the surrounding small countries know this. If they show weakness, they will never have another chance.”

[It's just a matter of tailoring their offer to the situation; historically, the Rouran didn't offer such generous gifts. Falcons were extremely valuable in ancient times, so it seems they were quite wary of the young tyrant.]

History may change, but some things are destined and cannot be changed. For example, she and Xie Rang both understood that war was not far away.

"Let's fight when it's time to fight," Xie Rang said. "If we don't teach them a lesson, they'll really think they're easy prey."

I must say, Xie Rang can be quite sarcastic when he gets really sharp-tongued.

Yun Qing chuckled with satisfaction: "It's good that Your Majesty thinks this way."

At least I know I didn't ruin the emperor's career.

He learned to be reserved and composed, but deep down he never lacked the ruthlessness and decisiveness of someone in a position of power.

Perhaps knowing that victory was assured, Yun Qing's brows and eyes relaxed, a calm smile in them, their brilliance even more dazzling than the plum blossoms in the snow.

Xie Rang was initially happy, but when he saw that smile, his mind went blank for a moment.

He realized that he truly loved Yun Qing's appearance.

Its sharpness is concealed, yet its brilliance cannot be hidden.

—This is the source of her confidence in maintaining her position in the court.