Wen Heming's two questions left Xie Lang speechless.
After they finished speaking, there was a long silence between them. Wen Hemian was the first to laugh. What could she and Xie Lang possibly care about? The little brat was used to being alone and helpless, and it was normal for him to be unaccustomed to the departure of his loved ones.
Thinking of this, her tense nerves relaxed slightly.
"It's too early to talk about these things now. We can discuss them after things have calmed down in the court."
Wen Hemian remained calm and composed, quickly adjusting her emotions almost instantly, her face showing no trace of anything amiss.
Xie Lang's gaze lingered on her for a moment before he slowly and restrained himself, saying, "I'm sorry, I went too far just now."
It's good that you can admit your mistakes and correct them.
The matters to be discussed today have been finished. Wen Hemian was about to get up when the boy suddenly pressed down on her shoulder. He leaned closer, making the already cramped space on the small couch seem even more confined. When he got close enough, Wen Hemian could even smell the faint scent of ambergris on his body.
She frowned, about to speak, when he asked, "Wen Hemian, have you really never considered becoming an official in the court as a woman?"
Wen Heming pursed her lips: "...It's not appropriate."
"What's inappropriate about it?"
Xie Lang seemed determined to persuade her, increasing the pressure on his hand to prevent her from leaving without making her feel uncomfortable.
"I was personally trained by you, isn't that enough to convince everyone?"
Xie Lang lowered his eyes slightly, his gaze falling on her face, as if trying to discern some emotion within it. Unfortunately, Wen Hemian concealed it well, and he couldn't see it.
He could only continue, saying, "The situation was unstable a few years ago, making it unsuitable for change. Now, with the court being purged, it is the right time for reform. Many of the new officials are your advisors. If I bring it up, they will definitely stand by my side."
"You don't want to? I can see... you do."
Wen Hemian pursed her lips again. She had to admit that the young emperor was really too perceptive.
She had never mentioned it in front of the little brat, yet in just a few words, he could guess almost everything. It was quite terrifying.
Now that they've guessed it, there's no point in hiding it anymore. Wen Hemian sighed, "We'll talk about it later."
Even if she wanted to, it's not the right time yet.
Regardless, Wen Hemian still revealed her attitude; at least she wasn't unwilling. Xie Lang secretly breathed a sigh of relief and stopped pressuring her.
"What I say will always stand."
Xie Lang smiled slowly, loosened his grip on her, and continued to revert to his innocent and harmless demeanor: "Wen Hemian, don't feel pressured."
Wen Hemian is filled with sorrow.
These words, once spoken, suddenly created a sense of pressure even for those who had previously felt no pressure.
Fortunately, with Xie Lang stepping aside, she was finally able to stand up, realizing that she had been somewhat out of line, and hurriedly said, "I'm leaving now."
He turned and left in a hurry.
Xie Lang instinctively wanted to stop her, but his fingertips only brushed against the corner of her sleeve; he couldn't hold on to her.
Wen Hemian walked out of the palace and back to the Prince's residence.
As soon as I entered the courtyard, I heard a clear female voice: "I thought you weren't coming back today."
"mother?"
Wen Hemian was startled and turned her head to look, where she saw Qin Yi leaning comfortably against a pillar in the corridor.
After she became capable of handling things on her own, Qin Yi felt relieved and led a group of people to the border to help Wen Chengyuan manage affairs. She would only come back from time to time to see her daughter.
They only saw each other a few times a year, but even so, she knew that Wen Hemian and the young emperor were quite close, but she just turned a blind eye and didn't say anything.
Despite being caught red-handed, Wen Hemian remained calm and unhurried: "What are you saying, Mother? She would never do such a thing."
She has done enough outrageous things, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t know the rules. Unless absolutely necessary, she never stays overnight in the palace, in order to avoid suspicion.
Qin Yi smiled, seemingly unsure whether she agreed with her statement, and said ambiguously, "It's enough that you understand this principle."
"Mother, why did you come back so suddenly? Is there something important?"
Since it wasn't a holiday or festival, Wen Hemian could only think in this direction.
Qin Yi smiled faintly and shook her head, her gaze towards her filled with unspeakable emotions: "Mother just wanted to come back and tell you in person that your father and I have almost finished cleaning up the border, and the young emperor should be able to handle things independently in the court. Have you thought about when you will leave with us?"
Although they had already determined that the young emperor was a wise ruler, the couple's thoughts remained the same as before. They were unwilling to let their only daughter stay in the capital. No matter how harsh the border was, they would be there to take care of her, and things would get better day by day.
But... looking at her daughter, Qin Yi suddenly realized that their plans might be in vain.
She lowered her eyes, concealing the complex thoughts swirling within them.
Wen Hemian hesitated for a moment, then said, "...Wait a little longer."
Qin Yi had a general idea of how much longer to wait, but she couldn't give a specific answer, so she considerately refrained from asking further.
Wen Hemian had just breathed a sigh of relief when she heard her mother ask, "Oh, then let's not talk about this for now. How about we talk about something else? For example, Hanshuang, is there a man you like in the capital? Your father and I are thinking of finding you a husband. Or if one isn't enough, we can raise a few more."
Qin Yi spoke gently, gazing at her with a smile.
Wen Hemian nearly choked: "This...this isn't necessary, is it?"
What does it mean to raise several children? Knowing that his parents are not particular about details, isn't this going too far?
"Look at you, still shy in front of your mother?" Qin Yi reached out and put her arm around her shoulder, lowering her voice with amusement. "What's wrong with our only princess keeping a few more male favorites? Besides..."
Wen Hemian couldn't quite remember what was said after that; she only knew that she was in a flurry of activity, but managed to get through the situation.
She originally thought that Qin Yi had just mentioned it casually and that it was over once he said it in front of her.
Unexpectedly, the next day, Qin Yi seemed to have really taken a liking to her, and would occasionally take out a portrait of a man from her sleeve and ask her if she was interested, as if she really wanted to play matchmaker for her.
Wen Hemian began to feel a bit overwhelmed.
She wanted to refuse, but the princess was truly domineering and had no say in the family, so she could only grit her teeth and fool her a few times.
In front of loved ones, it's easy to be blinded by certain things, which is why she didn't immediately understand that Qin Yi's actions clearly had ulterior motives.
Those who truly cared had already accidentally smashed their teacups the moment they heard the news.
Wen Hemian...
This was the first person Xie Lang had encountered besides his mother who was completely kind to him. If it weren't for her helping him time and time again to establish a foothold in the treacherous court, he probably wouldn't have been able to make it so smoothly even if he had the opportunity.
Without a doubt, she was extremely important to him.
They were both teachers and friends.
But from some point onward, that feeling subtly changed, transforming into a deep, obscure desire for possession.
The more this happened, the less he could tolerate other people around her.
So he hurriedly grabbed her and told her to wait, just a little longer.
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