As the days grow longer, the weather gradually warms up without us even realizing it.
The palace was now completely under Huo Ping's control, and Xie Lang was never short of food or clothing. In addition, Emperor Shun had sent away the remaining concubines before his death, making the palace even quieter, and all the servants focused on serving Xie Lang alone.
With proper care, Xie Lang's height increased rapidly, and he had just ordered new clothes to be made a few days ago.
Wen Hemian continued to come to the palace every day to teach him, as usual, and still attended court as required. However, it was obvious to the naked eye that Ning Hechu had relaxed his vigilance towards them.
Xie Lang was wearing a royal blue round-necked robe today. He had just finished practicing riding and archery with Chang Zhu. Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, but he looked radiant and full of energy.
Unlike when Wen Hemian first met him, he was thin and pitiful. Now he has been raised to be much more noble and has the natural appearance of an emperor at a young age.
When he saw Wen Heming standing under the corridor, his eyes lit up, and he ran up to her: "Grand Tutor!"
Wen Hemian was very pleased and suddenly felt a sense of accomplishment in raising a child. While wiping his sweat with a handkerchief, she said, "Emperors are supposed to keep their emotions hidden. You just learned that yesterday, and you've already forgotten it?"
Xie Lang said in a low voice, "I only act like this in front of the Grand Tutor."
After her birthday, the relationship between the two became even closer. Xie Lang was not always guarded in front of Wen Hemian. Occasionally, he would let his guard down and say some complaints.
Due to his upbringing, he finds it difficult to trust outsiders. Wen Hemian realized that he was opening his heart to himself.
All of this proves that she made the right choice.
She raised her hand and tapped the little guy on the head: "Stop acting like a spoiled child."
Xie Lang tilted his head: "Grand Tutor, what is meant by 'acting cute'?"
Wen Hemian subtly changed the subject: "Your Majesty seems to have grown taller again?"
Xie Lang is too proud to admit it; if he finds out, he'll be in big trouble.
Height is something Xie Lang cares about.
He held his head high, a hint of pride in his eyes: "Of course, I eat well every day."
Xie Lang was never satisfied with his height, but due to his age, he couldn't rush it. However, this did not diminish his eagerness to grow taller, so that he could protect himself and others.
"That's great." Wen Hemian rubbed his head. "Try to grow taller than me."
Upon closer reflection, Xie Lang, as described in the original book, was at least 1.8 meters tall. With proper care now, he will only grow taller.
Xie Lang glanced at Wen Hemian secretly, then quickly nodded, "Mm!"
After resting, they went to the study together.
Seeing the items on the table, Xie Lang looked puzzled, but Wen Hemian quickly explained, "These are newly delivered memorials. I picked up a few, and will return them after I've read them."
Wen Hemian was the heir apparent and also the Grand Tutor, so he had the power to participate in government affairs within the cabinet. After much maneuvering and working with Ye Zhaoxuan, and with the reasoned arguments of a group of censors, they barely managed to break through and get a few decent memorials to read.
She learned that there were other channels for the information, and more importantly, she wanted to show it to Xie Lang.
He's no longer an ignorant child; he needs to learn how to take control of everything. This will be his first step towards the imperial court.
"You've gone to so much trouble, Grand Tutor." Xie Lang looked at the memorial, understanding the difficulties involved. "I will definitely read it carefully."
Wen Hemian: "It doesn't matter if you don't understand. His Majesty still has a lot to learn. Let's proceed steadily. Ning Hechu won't be able to spare any attention for us for the time being."
There are many aristocratic families in the capital, and the imperial court is not a one-man show for Ning Hechu. He has to deal with various forces and has been extremely busy lately. Wen Hemian has also added fuel to the fire, making it impossible for him to get away for the time being.
Xie Lang, however, was not so relaxed. After taking a sip of water, he picked up the memorials and carefully read them. Fortunately, there weren't many things he couldn't understand. After reading several, he gained a general understanding of the situation inside and outside the court.
He frowned: "Why send people from the Ministry of Works to suppress bandits in Yongzhou?"
Because it was not valued by Emperor Shun, the Ministry of Works had the lowest profile among the Six Ministries. Many people asked others to send their grandchildren to the Ministry of Works so that they could have a job. Within Wen Hemian's knowledge, less than one in ten people there were still useful.
She glanced at him and made up her mind: "This man is a nephew of Ning Hechu's family. He is usually mediocre and unambitious. He is probably going there to gain merit for nothing. Fortunately, the deputy general who went with him is quite capable and can keep the situation in check. However, he probably won't get any benefits when he comes back."
To put it bluntly, they take all the good things for themselves and suppress those who have made contributions.
Upon hearing this, Xie Lang felt a sense of powerlessness.
Wen Hemian saw through his thoughts and said, "It's alright. His Majesty is short of people, so we can win him over."
Knowing the future is convenient. Wen Hemian knew the names of those useful ministers and had long been thinking of secretly winning them over. Now that he was talking to Xie Lang about it, he had also brought this matter into the open.
“The Grand Tutor is right.”
A faint hint of malice flashed in Xie Lang's eyes, but he suppressed his emotions and said, "This matter need not be handled by the Grand Tutor. I will personally send someone to take care of it."
Wen Hemian was happy to see him handle things on his own, as it made her feel more at ease: "Mm."
After reading through the stack of memorials, I was filled with anger. Fortunately, Xie Lang had listed many people who could be won over, and arranged them in order of importance and urgency on paper, preparing to deal with them one by one.
After reading them, Wen Hemian sent all the memorials back to the Wenyuan Pavilion for the ministers to review. Whether there would be any new arguments was not her concern.
As the two were talking, Lai Xi brought in two bowls of iced custard, sprinkled with osmanthus honey. A cool breeze wafted up when you touched the rim of the bowls, just right for this day.
Xie Lang had a sweet tooth, and after Wen Hemian discovered it, he made no attempt to hide it anymore. If it weren't for the concern that he would get cavities and the restraint, he would have eaten countless sweets. When he saw the ice cream, his eyes visibly brightened.
Wen Hemian stopped talking, both amused and exasperated: "Let's eat first, stop staring at each other."
At first glance, the young boy looked like a puppy drenched in the rain. Now that he's been raised, he still looks like one, but there are obvious signs of someone favoring him, making him much bolder and more unrestrained.
"Yes, the Grand Tutor eats too."
Seeing the smiles on the faces of the teacher and student, Lai Xi was also very happy: "If Your Majesty and Lord Wen like it, I will have the small kitchen make some other things later, which are also very suitable for summer."
Wen Heming: "You can try more, but don't give His Majesty special treatment."
Xie Lang is mature beyond his years, but he still has some childishness in him. He is particularly rebellious in certain details, as can be seen from his sneaking up on people to pour medicine when they are not paying attention. Wen Hemian has to be on guard.
Lai Xi: "This servant understands."
Xie Lang's gaze immediately turned resentful, and he looked at Wen Hemian with a wronged expression: "Does the Grand Tutor really not trust me?"
Wen Heming said righteously, "Your Majesty, I am only concerned about you."
Xie Lang: "...Okay."
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