It's better to nip it in the bud, to prevent this threat from ever existing.
Historically, tyrants were ruthless and showed no respect for the previous emperor. They tore up the imperial edict on the spot and had the emperor executed. Although they appear to be benevolent now, they are still decisive and ruthless at heart.
"Your Majesty's decision is fine."
After finishing the last mouthful of porridge, Yunqing wanted to put the bowl down, but because her shoulder was still hurting, her movements were slow.
Xie Rang saw her action, chuckled, reached out and took the bowl from her, helping her put it down, his voice friendly: "If the Grand Tutor is inconvenient, why didn't you ask me for help?"
Yun Qing felt uneasy from his shoulder-massaging gesture, and now she felt something was off. She suddenly looked up and met Xie Rang's gaze, her tone filled with doubt: "Qi An, are you really not angry?"
"No, I'm just a little sad."
Xie Rang lowered his eyelids, finally revealing some of his true emotions: "From childhood to adulthood, the Grand Tutor has treated me extremely well and taken care of me in every way. But last night, not only did my poor governance cause harm to the Grand Tutor, but I also couldn't get close to him to take care of him and be considerate of him at all times. I feel somewhat frustrated."
Calming down is a long process.
Back in his room, Xie Rang thought about many things.
After his initial anger at being deceived subsided, he thought about Yunqing's hardships.
As a woman, she mingled in the imperial court and held a high position. Not only did she have to be constantly on guard against exposing her identity, but even the emperor she had raised could only gradually distance himself from her. Every step she took was fraught with difficulty, and a single misstep would lead to her doom.
Faced with numerous external doubts, she was unable to even clarify the situation.
Every single thing made Xie Rang waver.
What could the Grand Tutor have done wrong? Perhaps from the very beginning, she had no choice at all.
Xie Rang thought that his tutor was so good, so talented and brilliant, that he should stand above all others and be respected by all people.
Just because she is a woman, should we deny all her achievements? Impossible.
Yun Qing had no idea how many thoughts flashed through Xie Rang's mind in that instant. She smiled helplessly and said, "Since I'm in this position, I'm bound to be attacked. No one can predict unexpected events. I have people around me to take care of me. Your Majesty's status is noble, so please don't dwell on these trivial matters."
[I guess I was overthinking it. The little tyrant is grateful, but unfortunately, I can't back down on this matter.]
Xie Rang's heart skipped a beat. How could he not know all this? It's just... he felt sorry for the Grand Tutor.
As they were talking, Shunfeng knocked on the door from outside: "Your Majesty, it's time for Lord Li to take his medicine."
Although the poison did not harm Yun Qing, just in case, Mr. Yu still prescribed medicine to detoxify her, which Yun Qing needed to drink for a few days.
Upon hearing this, Yun Qing's face immediately fell, and her composure almost crumbled: "Bring it in."
Although he didn't hear His Majesty's voice, Shunfeng still opened the door and came in. As soon as he looked up, he saw His Majesty with his hand on Yun Qing's shoulder, looking at him with a half-smile. His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly put the medicine in front of Yun Qing and lowered his head, not daring to look anymore.
Judging from His Majesty's expression, there was a hint of possessiveness about him, so Shunfeng dared not think too deeply about it.
I hate taking medicine.
Yun Qing felt a deep sorrow in her heart, but she knew that the medicine would only taste worse when it got cold. She closed her eyes, pinched her nose, and swallowed it in one gulp. Before the bitterness could spread to her tongue, something sweet and fragrant pressed against her lips.
Xie Rang had somehow produced a piece of candy and naturally offered it to Yun Qing's lips, his eyes filled with a gentle smile as he gazed at her.
The medicine was truly bitter. Without hesitation, Yun Qing bit into the maltose candy and put it in her mouth. The bitterness was instantly masked. She squinted her eyes with a hint of pleasure and spoke slightly indistinctly, "Thank you, Qi An."
"You're welcome."
Xie Rang withdrew his hand; perhaps the Grand Tutor hadn't even noticed... but an unconscious touch often leads to more speculation.
The things he only fantasized about in his dreams, he still couldn't control in reality. The Grand Tutor's lips were so beautiful, and he was completely unguarded when facing him. Xie Rang wanted to one day openly and honestly kiss him and ravage him.
The emperor's gaze was so arrogant that when Shunfeng came up to take the bowl, he almost couldn't contain the turmoil in his heart. He felt that he had glimpsed a secret that could not be told. He thought to himself, "I'm going to die!"
"Let's grab something to eat and then go for a walk."
After drinking the medicine, Yun Qing was now calm and composed. Seeing that Xie Rang hadn't eaten yet, she quickly urged him a couple of times. Although they had been assassinated, the scenery here was quite beautiful, and since they were already here, it would be a pity not to take a look.
Xie Rang regretfully retracted his thoughts: "Okay."
With no one watching and Yun Qing not saying anything, Xie Rang ate quite quickly, but his every move was perfectly tame, and he filled his stomach in no time.
Xie Rang said, "Let's go."
They got up late and were delayed a bit. By the time they went out, the sun had already risen. Xie Rang declined the offer of help and instead took a slightly larger umbrella and held it up to shield Yun Qing from the scorching sunlight.
Because of what he had said before, Yun Qing felt that refusing again would only hurt him, so she turned a blind eye to this little thing and took it as tacit consent.
[To have the emperor hold an umbrella for me—that should be recorded in history.]
After Xie Rang took power, everything began to get back on track. His travels were always accompanied by historians who recorded his words and deeds, and this time they were with him as well.
However, Xie Rang was very private and never allowed historians to appear at his residence.
Xie Rang subtly moved closer to Yun Qing, thinking to himself, "What's this? My tutor deserves the best."
Because this place is close to the dock, merchant ships often come to resupply, making it a lively place during the day. Yun Qing even saw many foreigners speaking with foreign accents, bringing in novel items from Da Xi in recent years, their eyes shining.
Merchants travel far and wide; though it is arduous, it seems to offer them the greatest freedom.
Yun Qing pondered to herself.
[I wonder if it would be possible to have them piece together a map?]
In ancient times, conditions were limited, and maps were very rudimentary. Moreover, after many years of changes, no one knows whether the original map has changed. However, merchants traveled around year after year, trading with many countries, so they must have had a better understanding of this.
Today, the Great Xi is thriving, and the only threat is the Rouran. However, this ethnic group has historically been particularly xenophobic, so whether Yun Qing's idea can be implemented is still unknown.
While out for a stroll, she hadn't thought too much about it, only glancing at it briefly before letting it pass. When she came to her senses, Xie Rang had somehow bought a red bracelet and looked at her with clear, gentle eyes: "I just saw it and thought it would be perfect for you, Teacher. Would you like to try it on?"
Yun Qing couldn't see anything special about the bracelet, taking it as a child's thoughtful gift and putting it on, praising, "It's nice, thank you Qi'an."
Xie Rang stared at the exposed part of the Grand Tutor's wrist. The red color on it was very eye-catching and could easily evoke some unspeakable thoughts. His eyes darkened slightly: "As long as it suits you."
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