Wen Hemian did not rush forward to disturb him. Only after this round of training was over did she generously offer her applause: "Your Majesty is very capable."
Xie Lang had noticed the Grand Tutor's arrival long ago, but he had held back until now to have a chance to step forward. His eyebrows were tinged with morning mist and damp with water droplets, making him look even more obedient: "Really?"
Changzhu was his subordinate, and Xie Lang always kept his distance in front of him, except when he was facing Wen Hemian.
Wen Hemian attributed all of this to the child's whimsical ideas. She smiled and said, "Your Majesty is very talented. Since ancient times, emperors have been indispensable in both civil and military affairs. This shows that Your Majesty is indeed a born emperor."
Putting aside other things, Wen Hemian understands the principle of being influenced by what he sees and hears. He repeats a few words to Xie Lang every day, and gradually, Xie Lang will accept this concept.
Xie Lang raised his chin: "Whether you're born to be an emperor or not, I am an emperor now."
Once this position is in his hands, Xie Lang will absolutely not let anyone else take it away.
Wen Hemian was taken aback, not expecting him to understand it from such a unique perspective: "...That makes sense."
The royal bloodline has dwindled so much that, apart from Xie Lang, no one else would be suitable to take this position.
"In the end, it's because I'm too weak."
Xie Lang seemed lost in thought again, his expression darkening, his fist clenching quietly, his voice lowered: "If I were stronger, we wouldn't be in such a passive position in the court."
"I told you there's no rush." Wen Hemian couldn't help but flick the boy's forehead. Seeing him yelp and cover his head, she snorted, "You're so young, how can you expect to compete with your brothers? Wouldn't it be better to sit back and reap the benefits? Otherwise, you'll have an even harder time."
Wen Hemian wanted to teach him a lesson, so she didn't hold back her strength. As a result, Xie Lang held back his pain and stared at her with his dark, bright eyes, which made people feel a little sorry for him.
"You're just taking advantage of how much I love you."
Unable to express what he wanted to say, Wen Hemian experienced what it felt like to have a heart attack. He gently patted the young boy's shoulder and said, "Don't romanticize the paths you haven't walked. Are you not satisfied with things as they are now, A-Lang?"
Xie Lang nodded: "Satisfied."
Wen Hemian could keep him inside, but he had already experienced the cold outside, so wasn't this moment all the more precious?
Wen Hemian: "That's good then, don't overthink it."
Xie Lang gave a soft, low "hmm."
Having nothing better to do than go to the palace, and with Xie Lang's training not yet finished, Wen Hemian, on a whim, mounted his horse and sparred with him.
Although he had practiced for several months, he was not as good as someone who had practiced for several years. Xie Lang was not discouraged, but he secretly made up his mind that he must surpass the Grand Tutor in the future.
In this way, he could legitimately protect the Grand Tutor.
...
Because of his recent instigation of the censor to speak on behalf of the young emperor, Ye Zhaoxuan has been tripped up quite a bit lately.
Wen Hemian tried her best to save him, but Ning Hechu's men still managed to break Ye Zhaoxuan's leg, forcing him to take leave and stay home to recover.
It takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone or tendon; this time, I'll need to rest for a long time.
When she went to visit Ye Zhaoxuan, Ye Zhaoxuan was drinking medicine under the supervision of his page. After drinking it, he shivered, which showed how bitter it was.
He noticed Wen Hemian coming in and instinctively tried to get up, but luckily the pageboy was quick and pressed him down.
"Please forgive me, Grand Tutor Wen, this humble official... sigh."
Ye Zhaoxuan sighed.
"If you're injured, just rest well."
Wen Hemian felt sympathy and sorrow for his plight. She had come with a reason: "During the leave of absence, the salary of officials in the Great Zhao Dynasty is halved. I will make up the remaining half for you."
Ye Zhaoxuan's eyes widened, and he almost jumped out of bed. He waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "No, no, this was my carelessness. How can I let the Grand Tutor bear the consequences for me!"
Wen Hemian gave him no room to refuse, her gaze firm: "We all know why you were injured. We are all working for His Majesty, so if you're told to take it, then take it. I don't need this little bit of money. Besides, your salary is already low, how will you survive if it's halved? Even if you don't think about yourself, you should think about your elderly mother and sister back home. With this money, they won't be bullied."
"Your humble servant..." Ye Zhaoxuan was two years older than Wen Hemian. Children from poor families mature early. He was usually quite steady, but at this moment, his lips trembled and he even choked up a little. "Your humble servant thanks Grand Tutor Wen."
"Need not."
Wen Hemian simply didn't want to see good officials suffer too much beyond their abilities. After a moment's thought, she said, "How about this, if you really can't bear it, I'll have someone send some notebooks over another day, and you can copy them slowly when you have nothing else to do."
The world has already invented printing, but due to various special reasons, it is mainly used by the government. Most books in the private sector are still hand-copied by scholars. Wen Hemian did not sincerely want him to copy, but just wanted to find something for him to do so that he would not be idle at home all day.
Ye Zhaoxuan was deeply moved: "...Okay."
"Hmm." Wen Hemian nodded. "Although it's thousands of miles away, I can't guarantee that Ning Hechu won't go crazy and try to harm your mother and sister. I've sent people over there, so you don't need to worry too much."
When one enters the court as an official, what one fears most is not one's own death, but the fact that one's death will implicate one's family. This is especially true for someone like Ye Zhaoxuan, who has no powerful connections behind him, making his path even more difficult. What Wen Hemian wants to do is to relieve him of his worries.
“Grand Tutor Wen…” Ye Zhaoxuan truly hadn’t expected her to consider this point. His gaze was complicated. “With you by His Majesty’s side, the day when the court is purged is not far off.”
When Ye Zhaoxuan came to the capital to take the exam, he felt that Wen Hemian was difficult to approach at first glance. Later, they both became the top three, but the two did not have much interaction.
It wasn't until the emperor died more than half a year later, and the situation changed dramatically, that he realized what it meant to know a person's face but not their heart.
The third-ranked scholar who had a good chat with him turned around and joined the Ning Party camp, while Wen Hemian, who came from a noble family, ended up on the same side as him and is still taking good care of him now.
Among the dozens of successful candidates, she was the youngest, yet she considered things most comprehensively. When the dynasty was on the verge of collapse, she chose to support the young emperor. She deserves the title of top scholar.
Meeting his grateful gaze, Wen Hemian was both amused and exasperated: "Lord Ye, please don't underestimate yourself. It's not enough for me to fight alone. His Majesty appoints people based on their merits, and we will have to rely on you more in the future."
Ye Zhaoxuan cupped his hands and said, "Grand Tutor, you flatter me. I have no way to repay your great kindness. I will definitely serve His Majesty well in the future and stand with you through thick and thin."
Having completely subdued a formidable general, Wen Hemian said with delight, "Then I look forward to Lord Ye keeping his word."
Ye Zhaoxuan: "That's right."
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