Wen Hemian swallowed hard.
For a moment, she really wanted to throw Xie Lang in front of Ning Hechu and let the two of them fight it out. They were just joking around all day long, how boring!
She knew Xie Lang's character; although he wasn't very respectful of his teachers, he wouldn't do something so immoral.
However, the more they discussed this topic, the more dangerous it became, and it could easily go astray, so Wen Hemian had no intention of continuing the conversation.
Xie Lang clearly thought so too.
His brows furrowed, his concern focused on something else: "Grand Tutor, the matter of girls' enrollment in school..."
"I've thought it over carefully." Wen Hemian gave him a firm answer, her face showing no sign of anything amiss, and said gently, "Risk and reward go hand in hand. Bringing it up now while things are in chaos will make it easier for everyone to accept later when everything has calmed down."
Bottom lines are discovered step by step through testing.
Just like those who are currently on her side, they all think that she is just deliberately using this trick to fool the Ning Party, without thinking about the deeper meaning. By the time they realize it later, it will be too late.
In any case, it's always good to lay the groundwork first.
However, this step was extremely risky and did not quite fit Wen Hemian's usual peaceful and stable style. Xie Lang was puzzled as to why she suddenly chose to do this.
"Besides..."
Wen Hemian paused for a moment, then suddenly changed the subject, raising her eyebrows and smiling: "Won't His Majesty stand on my side?"
These days, Wen Hemian has been intentionally or unintentionally avoiding meeting him. Let alone sitting together, they rarely have long conversations, let alone such a relaxed and carefree smile. Xie Lang was slightly stunned.
After a moment, he blinked and smiled as well: "Yes."
He would support whatever the Grand Tutor said.
We'll find a way.
Wen Hemian sighed softly, "If nothing unexpected happens, in the next few days, the court will probably be filled with impeachments against me."
The censors have been impeaching Ning Hechu for so many years, they're probably tired of it, and with some people instigating it, things won't be peaceful in the future.
"It's alright, if the Grand Tutor finds it troublesome, he doesn't have to go."
As an emperor, Xie Lang has this much power to spare; skipping the morning court session is no problem for him now.
Wen Hemian really wanted to go, but reluctantly refused: "I can't lose face. If I don't go, they'll think I'm a coward and they'll bully me even more. I just want to see them helpless against me to my face."
After all, she's not the main focus. Right now, the priority is dealing with the dissidents in the court. This whole thing will just blow over soon.
We chatted for a while, and the atmosphere was harmonious, just like it was back then.
With a smile in his eyes, Xie Lang suggested, "It's been quite a few days since I've had a get-together with the Grand Tutor. Why don't we stay for dinner?"
The little brat is always one to take advantage of any opportunity.
Wen Hemian was not fooled by appearances. When it came to staying, his vigilance immediately went up, and he quickly found an excuse: "I have to go to the government office to discuss matters with my subordinates during the Beijing officials' assessment."
It's a perfectly reasonable and legitimate matter.
Xie Lang gritted his teeth, slightly annoyed, but struggling to find a reason to refuse: "Fine, Grand Tutor, go ahead. We can have dinner together another day."
Promises should not be made lightly.
Wen Hemian had already been fooled once and would never fall for it a second time. She didn't agree, gave a perfunctory reply, and turned to leave.
Xie Lang was amused by her defensive actions. He watched her retreating figure until it disappeared before slowly looking away.
Anyway, this person is his, and as long as they are in the capital, they will have countless opportunities to meet.
Why rush things?
-
As predicted, I was right.
After the Ning faction returned, they incited censors they knew or whose stance was not firm to impeach Wen Hemian, making the court as lively as a bustling marketplace.
Wen Heming's friends and subordinates were not to be outdone, each one more sharp-tongued than the last, and immediately retorted with a barrage of arguments, displaying all sorts of high-sounding principles, to see who could out-argue whom.
Perhaps they themselves are unaware of the subtle shifts in their thinking.
After several days of arguing, Xie Lang finally dragged out the most vocal Ning faction members and gave them dozens of lashes before things finally calmed down.
Regardless, the young emperor's extreme protectiveness towards his teacher was enough to terrify many in the court.
The court officials fell silent, fearing for their lives, and finally dared not speak any further.
Everyone refocused on the matter of ancestor worship.
When a person dies, they are reduced to ashes. The so-called ancestor worship, besides being a power struggle, is also about stabilizing the people's hearts, ensuring the stability of the country, and praying for favorable weather and lasting peace and prosperity in the coming year.
In previous years, the ancestral worship ceremony was just a perfunctory affair, but this year the conflict between the two parties has become even more intense. Everyone understands that the young emperor is determined to eliminate the rebellious faction, and this trip will certainly not be peaceful.
On the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, people climb mountains to worship their ancestors. It's too late to make it back and forth, and they have to stay overnight on the mountain. As one of the officials, Wen Hemian naturally had to go too.
She selected a few of her best bodyguards to accompany her, while the rest remained in the palace to protect the safety of the people inside.
Although it's speculated that Ning Hechu won't focus on this area, it's always better to be prepared.
She had basically taken care of things on her end, but after thinking about it, she was still worried. So, disregarding everything else, she took the initiative to go to the palace.
Upon entering the palace, she noticed a number of unfamiliar faces, who didn't seem like members of the Imperial Guards. However, they all recognized Wen Hemian, which gave her some clues.
Xie Lang was clearly pleased with her arrival. He didn't even bother to finish reading the memorial before getting up to greet her.
Wen Hemian was still somewhat traumatized by his previous threat, and subconsciously paused: "Is everything ready?"
"Um."
Xie Lang switched between two faces with ease. As he spoke, he couldn't help but smile, and the longing in his eyes was no longer concealed. His voice was low and hoarse: "Is the Grand Tutor concerned about me?"
Wen Heming choked: "...I don't want to train another qualified emperor."
She's not very good at raising children, otherwise how could she have raised a student like Xie Lang who doesn't know how to respect his teachers?
Those few words ignited a fire in Xie Lang's heart, and his eyes immediately darkened: "Besides me, who else does the Grand Tutor want to cultivate?"
I gently touched my lower jaw with the tip of my tongue and inexplicably felt a bit dry and parched, which was a little annoying.
“Nobody.” Wen Hemian emphasized, “Don’t overthink it.”
Xie Lang lowered his voice: "Then Grand Tutor, please don't say things that might mislead me."
He gets sad too.
Wen Hemian avoided those dark, aggressive eyes and sighed helplessly: "Let's get down to business."
Xie Lang: "The palace has been rearranged. Once we leave the capital, the Imperial Guards will come to search for evidence. Wu Yuneng can't mobilize as many people as we can. We only need to guard against Ning Hechu's side."
Hearing his well-organized arrangements, Wen Hemian felt much lighter: "To catch the thief, first catch the king. Once Ning Hechu is captured, the rest are just a disorganized mess. We can defeat them one by one and they are nothing to fear."
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