Chapter 212 Not Allowed

"Does the Grand Tutor mean that the lion-head jade is the seal of the Lion Army from back then?"

Fu Mingyi nodded slightly.

Xiao Qing blinked, digesting the information for a moment before saying, "Even so, the history of the Great Xiao Dynasty is over a hundred years old. The military seals from the founding of the dynasty are now more of a commemorative item than a practical one, aren't they?"

Otherwise, it wouldn't have been casually left in the private treasury of the Nan Ding Palace. If she hadn't suddenly decided to choose a gift to compensate Zhao Youchen, this jade would never have been seen in broad daylight.

"Does Your Majesty think so?"

Xiao Qing laughed. "Grand Tutor, you wouldn't be thinking that the jade from back then could still gather a group of talented people, who might be descendants of the private army of the founding emperor..."

She stood up and paced back and forth, lost in thought as she walked.

"Or, if you collect all three animal-head jade pieces, you can summon a dragon... no, summon a map to a mysterious treasure, or a large sum of money, or a large quantity of fine weapons, or..."

The more Xiao Qing thought about it, the more interesting it seemed, even more so than the stories she had read, and she couldn't help but laugh to herself.

"Could the Grand Tutor be so naive?"

These should be things shown on television.

But Fu Mingyi's expression didn't look like a joke at all; at least it looked more serious than hers.

Xiao Qing felt a little embarrassed, so she obediently sat back down and quickly put on the same serious expression.

"So, what are the Grand Tutor's plans?"

"I think that if we let General Zhao go, would the outcome be different?"

Xiao Qing blinked, her heart filled with reluctance.

For the past three years, the Imperial Guards under Zhao Youchen's command have been her strongest protection force. She entrusts her safety to Zhao Youchen with complete peace of mind and believes that he is indispensable to her.

“Your Majesty, as I just mentioned, I am fortunate to know of two ancient jade pieces from the founding of the dynasty. One of them is the lion-head jade that Your Majesty gave to Zhao Youchen. The other one, I have never seen, but I know that it still exists in the world and is very likely still in use today.”

What head shape is it?

"Wolf Head Jade".

"Where?"

Fu Mingyi shook his head, "Perhaps, when the Lion Head Jade appears in the world, it will also surface."

In this way, Zhao Youchen became an enticing bait.

Xiao Qing was even more unwilling.

"His Majesty is worried about General Zhao's safety."

Xiao Qing remained silent for a while.

“Grand Tutor, three years ago in Yongxiao Palace, I woke up with knives stuck in my body. If you hadn’t arrived in time, I would have died. After that, there were several assassination attempts, including last month in Feng County, where we were in danger again because of Li Qinghe. We still haven’t found the person behind these attacks.”

She still remembered the faint voice she heard when she first woke up three years ago. She felt she would never forget it.

"Furthermore, if you don't want others to know about something, then don't do it in the first place. It seems that few people know about my affairs, but there are at least two people who, if they were still alive, would definitely know. So why have they remained silent for the past three years?"

Xiao Qing stood up. "Now that the emperor has chosen a concubine and will assume power after the wedding, the whole world knows. They couldn't possibly be unaware. Yet, to this day, Nanhua Palace remains calm. What does the Grand Tutor think is the reason?"

Fu Mingyi smiled. "I believe Your Majesty has not considered these issues."

"I just never said it, firstly because I trust you, and secondly because thinking about it is useless. The Grand Tutor spent three years searching for the answer, so why should I trouble myself?"

Fu Mingyi had no answer for her.

Xiao Qing's confusion was actually his confusion as well. Although he knew more than Xiao Qing, he felt that there were some things that didn't need to be told to Xiao Qing.

Not at least not now.

"So, it's not just because His Majesty is worried about General Zhao's safety, but also because His Majesty feels it's unsafe, which is why he doesn't want General Zhao to go to Feng County?"

"Yes, we have both."

Fu Mingyi remained silent for a while.

Initially, he put Xiao Qing on the throne as a temporary measure because he had no other choice.

But after they settled down in Nanhua, although there were several assassination attempts around him and Xiao Qing, the person he was waiting for never came to him.

This made him feel that the rightful young emperor he was waiting for was actually no longer alive.

So he went along with it, observing slowly, and gradually developed the idea of ​​turning the charade into reality.

This was his choice, and he had to take responsibility for it. He had even thought through all the details and was gradually preparing how he should respond if the truth came to light someday.

Things had come to this point, and there was no turning back. Therefore, he knew how nervous he was about Xiao Qing, and how high his expectations of her were.

“Your Majesty, we can actually discuss this matter with General Zhao and see what he thinks. As for Your Majesty’s safety, General Zhao and I will make arrangements to ensure that Your Majesty is not in any danger in Nanhua Palace.”

"So, the Grand Tutor still intends for Zhao Youchen to go to Feng County."

"I know General Zhao's character to some extent. If given the opportunity to become stronger, General Zhao might be more willing to try than Your Majesty imagines."

Even if it's all for naught, what if it's all for nothing?

"This is an uncertain matter; whether the outcome will be good or bad remains to be seen."

Xiao Qing thought for a moment, "His uncle just arrived in Nanhua City. I'd like to think about this matter some more."

Fu Mingyi looked at her and smiled slightly.

Xiao Qing snapped out of her daze and looked at him strangely: "What are you laughing at?"

Fu Mingyi slowly withdrew his gaze. "His Majesty has indeed changed since returning from Feng County."

Xiao Qing raised an eyebrow. "What's different?"

Fu Mingyi smiled and said, "Your Majesty is very perceptive; there is no need for me to explain it clearly."

Xiao Qing pursed her lips, then suddenly perked up.

She rested her chin on her hand, tilted her head slightly, and looked intently at Fu Mingyi. "Grand Tutor, I am only thirteen years old. How would I know about choosing a concubine? There is no elder in the palace to help me select one, which is truly a pity. Grand Tutor, you are my teacher, just like an elder. Why don't you help me choose a concubine?"

She blinked, giving me an expression that said, "I trust you completely; I have to entrust this important matter to you."

Fu Mingyi frowned.

"Your Majesty, this matter is not to be taken lightly."

"How can this be a child's play? I am making this formal request to the Grand Tutor!"

“If Your Majesty requires the presence of elders, they can be chosen from among the imperial relatives. Although I am Your Majesty’s teacher, I am still an outsider and cannot presume to choose a consort for Your Majesty.”

Xiao Qing was not about to let him off easily. "Then surely it would be alright if I asked the Grand Tutor to be present?"

"That's not appropriate either."

Xiao Qing pursed his lips. "There are plenty of inappropriate things to do. Grand Tutor, I don't know why, but my memory has been so bad lately. If I do something improper, I'm afraid the Grand Tutor, as my teacher, will also be held responsible."

The more Fu Mingyi refused, the more enthusiastic she became.