Even if you vaguely sensed something during this time, nothing was as impactful as the facts right in front of you.

Actually, everyone can understand that Lady Li is so beautiful, has a gentle and good temperament, and has been by His Majesty's side for many years. If His Majesty suddenly learns that she is a woman, he might mistake his feelings for her and develop other thoughts...

Bullshit!

The ministers looked at each other, all expressing disbelief at this so-called speculation.

This emperor is far more decisive than them; he is not someone who can be swayed by emotions. The fact that he could make such a move in front of them shows that he has a clear understanding of his own heart.

And this is most likely just to inform them.

"So His Majesty refuses to take a concubine because of Lord Li?"

"That's unlikely, isn't Li Shiren still a man back then?"

"But we don't know if His Majesty knew about this beforehand or if he had been laying the groundwork for it all along!"

"Wait a minute, why do we all subconsciously place the blame on His Majesty for the problems that have arisen?"

The person who asked this question was met with unanimous condemnation. Didn't they all see what Lord Li had done all those years ago? No one could doubt Lord Li.

Things had developed to this point, leaving no room for doubt. Several ministers were biased towards Yun Qing's camp. After hesitating for a long time, they finally made up their minds and stepped forward.

...

Yun Qing rarely had moments of distress, but now, holding a pen, she had absolutely no idea what to write.

The couple who had left home were surprised to receive a reply so quickly to the letter that Uncle Jiang had sent to the border. They had clearly not expected things to turn out this way. If the border guard had not been restricted from leaving rashly, they probably would have received more than just a letter.

Seeing that Xie Rang had been unhappy, Li Yunshu realized that she hadn't given the couple any warnings about this, hence their strong reaction.

They care about Yun Qing a lot, which is what makes it complicated. They can't just give a casual reply, but explaining things clearly is also a bit difficult.

Yun Qing held the pen and pondered for a long time, but couldn't figure out how to write it. Somewhat discouraged, she put down the pen and looked up to see several ministers who had already entered the hall.

The ministers all looked a little nervous, probably because Xie Rang was there.

She smiled gently, as if to say, "Please sit down. I called you here to ask you some questions. Don't be nervous."

“Okay, okay!”

The ministers looked at her, then at the young emperor, and became even more nervous. Some of them even moved their hands and feet in a panic, and hastily found a place to sit down.

Yun Qing opened her mouth to say something, but suddenly sensed that something was wrong. Her gaze fell on Xie Rang's hand, and the other party made no attempt to hide it. His small actions were seen by several ministers—no wonder they were flustered.

Yun Qing brushed his hand away and looked at the ministers without changing her expression: "Let's continue discussing the school's affairs. The female tutor from Jiangnan has arrived in the capital. I summoned you all here to inquire about the exam questions. You are all familiar with this matter. To ensure fairness, I will not participate in setting the questions this time. My main purpose is to provide you with a result that everyone can accept..."

Once they got into the conversation, they quickly recovered from their initial anxiety and fear of learning the secret and swiftly finalized the matter with Yun Qing.

The court had already undergone several major reshuffles, with most people being promoted later, and Yun Qing's help was indispensable in this process. This is why not many people voiced their dissent when they learned of her female identity. Ingratitude was out of the question, and in the face of absolute power, nothing else mattered.

They were completely convinced of Yun Qing's abilities, especially with His Majesty's presence.

Oh, right... Your Majesty.

A look of numbness appeared in everyone's eyes. How should we put it?

Can't say.

The two parties involved were not prepared to explain to them, and in the end, everyone could only leave with a belly full of questions. It wasn't until they were far away that they woke up from that dreamlike feeling.

Should we tell others?

"Are you stupid? Why would we be the ones to stick our necks out?"

"Exactly, we were all scared, but others weren't. I feel really uneasy about it."

"Alright, alright, it's settled then, and no one is allowed to tell anyone!"

Those who manage to become colleagues are all cunning and shrewd, and in the blink of an eye, they reach a miraculous deal, only to have others suffer the consequences later.

There's no joy in seeing others suffer more than in suffering yourself!

...

Inside the hall, Yun Qing glanced at Xie Rang with a half-smile: "I didn't expect Your Majesty to have such a plan, did I?"

Xie Rang looked at her innocently and said, "The Grand Tutor allowed it."

That's not wrong.

Therefore, Yunqing will not be angry.

She thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled and said, "Qi An, I have a favor to ask you."

When Yun Qing is joking around, he usually calls you "Your Majesty," but when he calls you "Qi An," it means that what he is about to say is quite important.

Xie Rang sat up straight and said, "What is it, Grand Tutor?"

Yun Qing pulled his hand, calmly put the pen in, and laid out a sheet of white paper for him, saying, "I don't know how to answer, you do it."

That's a serious statement.

Xie Rang stared at the blank paper, as if facing a formidable enemy: "But Grand Tutor, isn't this a bit inappropriate...?"

He didn't know how to face the couple. In terms of kinship, they were Yun Qing's closest relatives, but from another perspective, everyone knew there was always a barrier between them.

Yun Qing sighed silently: "Just treat them as my own parents."

To be fair, if it weren't for the deal they made back then, Yun Qing might not have had another chance after her sudden death, and she wouldn't have had the chance to meet Xie Rang. It was all arranged by fate, and she should just accept it calmly.

Xie Rang frowned and remained silent.

Yun Qing didn't even want to talk to him: "...Weren't you quite arrogant in front of the ministers just now?"

The boy murmured, "That's different."

"What's different? Just take it as normal."

Yun Qing's double standards were crystal clear, and she made no mention of how conflicted she had been just now.

But it seems that directly bothering people like this is not a good idea.

After careful consideration, Yun Qing decided to grant his wish and offered, "Write well, and there will be a reward for completion."

"What's the reward?" The boy's eyes suddenly lit up with eagerness.

In their relationship, he was always the one in control. Clearly, he wanted a clear answer from Yunqing rather than asking for things himself.

Yun Qing's gaze did not waver. She placed her hand on her lips and smiled gently: "A reward that His Majesty will like."

She knew all too well what the little brat wanted.