That's what they say, but if only Xie Lang didn't have those ulterior motives.
Wen Hemian felt that she was spending more and more time worrying.
At this point, there was no point in refusing anymore, so she simply ordered someone to move the box downstairs, out of sight, out of mind.
Xie Lang did not express any opinion throughout the entire process.
It would be good if Wen Heming could accept it.
Xie Lang has been very busy lately, and it's not easy for him to come out of the palace to see Wen Hemian, but he doesn't complain much.
Let's wait a little longer.
Once he has purged all the rebels, he can openly discuss their issues with the Grand Tutor.
At that time, not only will the country be his, but the Grand Tutor will also be his.
Despite his many grievances and desires, he understood that now was not the best time, and that scaring Wen Heming at this moment would not do him any good.
After Xie Lang left, Wen Hemian sent someone to fetch Murong Yue.
This playboy was having a great time in the capital, frequenting brothels and red-light districts, when suddenly someone came knocking on his door, dressed in brightly colored clothes.
Wen Heming closed her eyes, unable to bear looking at her.
Murong Yue didn't think there was anything wrong with his attire. He held a fan in his hand and fanned himself, smiling: "Your Highness, did you summon me for something?"
Wen Hemian calmed herself down and said, "I need to do something. Could you please help me spread the word?"
"Oh?" Murong Yue raised an eyebrow, immediately showing interest. "What is it?"
Wen Hemian lowered her voice and repeated it to him, adding at the end, "...You can make preparations first, and I will have someone inform you when the time comes."
Murong Yue gasped after hearing this: "Are they trying to drag me into the power struggle for the throne?"
Wen Hemian asked calmly, "So, are you going to do it or not?"
Wen Hemian appeared to be a good-natured person. Having served as an official for many years, he always possessed an imposing aura that commanded respect without anger. His mere presence was enough to make one's heart tighten.
Murong Yue quickly suppressed his playful expression and apologized, "I obey the Crown Prince's orders without question. I enjoy doing things that are challenging. But this time, will Your Majesty really not be angry?"
I've never seen anyone want to throw dirty water on themselves.
"What does my decision have to do with him?" Wen Hemian did not answer the question directly. "The manor has prepared some new dishes today. You can stay and try them, and ask the caravan to take some with them next time."
Murong Yue knew there was no such thing as a free lunch, but Wen Hemian never let him suffer a loss, so he readily agreed: "Alright, then thank you very much, Your Highness."
He was sent to assist Wen Hemian, and he knew what was going on. Seeing that Wen Hemian didn't intend to say anything more, he wisely followed the servant and left.
With everything arranged, Wen Hemian breathed a sigh of relief, hoping that day would come soon, but also feeling a rare sense of unease.
I hope everything goes well.
-
Two busy months have passed.
The Ning Party's actions became increasingly frequent, and the court was unusually quiet, filled with a tense atmosphere where even the slightest movement would cause everyone to be on edge.
Xie Lang seemed to be very busy as well, and finally stopped trying to meet with Wen Hemian from time to time. He also kept his official and private conversations separate, and did not reveal any inappropriate thoughts.
The topic of establishing a harem is still brought up from time to time, but not as frequently as it was recently. It seems that people are afraid of displeasing the emperor and being punished along with them.
However, some close friends and family members noticed that something was wrong.
Ye Zhaoxuan had been holding back for a long time, and finally couldn't help but ask after one of the court sessions: "Hanshuang, is there some problem between you and His Majesty?"
Wen Hemian frowned and glanced at him: "No, who said that?"
"Everyone's been talking about it privately, but they haven't brought it up in front of you yet." Since becoming an imperial censor, Ye Zhaoxuan's tongue has become even more eloquent, and he couldn't hide his curiosity. "Besides, I feel that you've been going to the palace much less often, and I'm suddenly not used to it."
Wen Hemian: "It's probably just my imagination. Besides, His Majesty intends to establish a harem, so it wouldn't be appropriate for me to do so in the future."
Ye Zhaoxuan still felt something was off, but couldn't come up with a stronger rebuttal: "That's true."
Don't overthink it.
Wen Hemian remained as calm as ever: "The court is unstable; don't believe the rumors."
Thinking it over, this was the only reasonable explanation. Before Ye Zhaoxuan could even react, he was already convinced: "Yes, we believe you."
Ye Zhaoxuan came into contact with Wen Hemian's close subordinates, who fully trusted Wen Hemian.
Wen Hemian nodded: "Thanks."
Wen Hemian never expected that her relationship with Xie Lang would cause so much discussion and controversy. While she found it amusing, she also felt a little empty.
She knew this was for the best, but ultimately, she felt a little uncomfortable...
After thinking it over, he wandered around the government office again.
The diligent Right Vice Minister finally realized that he had an abnormally high workload and looked to Wen Hemian for help.
Unfortunately, Wen Heming told him without batting an eye, "Get used to it sooner rather than later; this is normal workload."
The Right Vice Minister ate the pancake with tears in his eyes.
Wen Hemian was satisfied before returning to the Prince's Mansion.
Unexpectedly, not long after nightfall, Xie Lang, dressed in casual clothes, rushed to the mansion to find her.
The young man smiled and said, "Grand Tutor, I'll take you somewhere."
Wen Heming hesitated: "Where?"
"You'll know when you get there."
Xie Lang didn't give her a chance to refuse, and pulled her towards the carriage.
Seeing that he was happy, Wen Hemian couldn't bear to interrupt him, so she had no choice but to follow.
Soon, the carriage brought them to a stop.
When Wen Hemian got out of the car, she realized that this was not the street she was used to. Beautiful lanterns and gauze curtains were hung everywhere, music was playing, and the lights were shining brightly, making it a lively and bustling place.
Wen Hemian paused for a moment: "Is today a festival?"
Xie Lang smiled but did not respond. Instead, he took advantage of her inattention and pulled her inside. Soon they arrived at a private room by the river and sat down.
He was unusually proactive and attentive today, taking the initiative in every word and conversation, yet his attitude was extremely cautious. Seeing Wen Hemian looking out the window at the city lights coming on, he smiled slightly and poured a glass of wine, pushing it toward her.
"There are fireworks today, and I finally had some free time, so I brought my teacher to see them. It will take a while, so why don't you try this wine first?"
Wen Hemian's doubts grew stronger.
But there's nothing to be afraid of when it comes to drinking.
She picked it up and tasted it carefully: "Sweet? There are flower petals in it?"
"Yes. It's wine that I had traveling merchants collect. It's said to be brewed from a special flower from the northern desert region, and it tastes quite good."
Xie Lang explained in detail, his deep gaze fixed on her.
Wen Hemian pursed her lips and took another sip: "So what exactly did you bring me out here for?"
Upon hearing this, Xie Lang smiled enigmatically: "Teacher really doesn't know..."
"Don't know what?"
At the same time as Wen Heming's voice rang out, there was also the sound of fireworks exploding behind her, crackling and popping, which stunned people for a moment.
The barely audible sound vanished in an instant.
Today... is Qixi Festival.
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