Xie Rang did not stay in the room for long.
The two bodyguards accompanying Yun Qing were too vigilant. It was already difficult enough to distract them for a short while. If Xie Rang had been delayed any longer and had been discovered, they would have reported him to the Grand Tutor.
He was the man the Grand Tutor wholeheartedly hoped would become a wise and virtuous ruler. It was best to maintain this image before fully revealing himself; otherwise, how could he get close to him?
Xie Rang slowly raised his hand, and in the dim candlelight of the room, he quietly traced Yun Qing's eyebrows and eyes with his gaze. Finally, he touched his lips with his finger.
"Grand Tutor, let's take it slow."
...
After exploring the surrounding area, Yun Qing's arm injury had almost healed. It was a shallow cut, but a scar remained, and it would need to rest properly to fully recover.
After confirming that Yun Qing was indeed alright, Xie Rang finally agreed to leave, and the originally planned itinerary could not be easily changed.
The experience of riding the luxury ship again was much better; Yun Qing no longer felt seasick. The only downside was that the weather was gradually getting hotter, and the cabin was particularly stuffy. She would always sweat profusely while sleeping at night, but because resources on the luxury ship were limited, Yun Qing could only endure it.
After all, even His Majesty the Emperor could tolerate it, so she didn't think there was anything wrong with her to tolerate it as well.
However, Xie Rang quickly noticed this anomaly, and when Yun Qing took a nap at noon, she found a basin of ice in the room, and the temperature had obviously dropped.
Before she could turn around, she heard Xie Rang say behind her, "Grand Tutor Mingming doesn't sleep well at night, but he doesn't tell me."
In the early stages of the construction of the tower ship, in order to reduce the weight of the hull, the materials used were mostly lightweight and durable, which were not soundproof. Yun Qing lived next door to Xie Rang, and she could only whisper to Qing Lan by writing.
She turned around and guessed, "Did I disturb His Majesty tonight?"
"No." Xie Rang had been waiting for the Grand Tutor to speak for two nights, but there was no response. He couldn't hold back any longer and had to take action first.
Xie Rang's voice carried a hint of complaint: "Grand Tutor, you have the country and its people at heart, why should you humiliate yourself over such a trivial matter? Even if you are a little extravagant, it is only right. Besides, it's not ill-gotten gains. Once it's used, it's used. Why is the Grand Tutor trying to save me this little expense?"
Xie Rang didn't establish a harem, saving a large sum of money, which he felt he could use entirely to support the Grand Tutor.
"I didn't." Yun Qing wanted to explain, but then thought that the little tyrant might still do as he pleased and wouldn't listen to her, so she simply gave up. "Alright, thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty."
Xie Rang then smiled slightly: "Grand Tutor, please rest. I'll go next door to take care of some things."
Even though Xie Rang is not in the capital, the matters he needs to handle are still handed over to him from time to time. Yun Qing doesn't help him much anymore, so his workload has increased considerably.
Yun Qing nodded: "Go ahead."
Xie Rang gave her a deep look, then closed the door and left.
The ice made things much cooler, so Yunqing opened the window to let in some fresh air and slept soundly for the entire afternoon.
When she woke up again, the sun was almost setting, and the sky was a dusky yellow. She noticed that the ship was moving much slower, and the sunlight reflected on the water, creating a shimmering, peaceful scene.
Yun Qing sat on the couch for a while to clear her mind before getting up to go find Xie Rang. Unexpectedly, she saw him as soon as she opened the door.
Is the little brat waiting in ambush?
Yun Qing didn't believe for a second that the cabin was soundproof; Xie Rang might have already noticed her when she first woke up.
[What a pity, I'm not cut out for martial arts. If only I could walk silently like the Little Tyrant, that would be amazing.]
Yun Qing had learned some basic self-defense techniques, but she didn't know much about anything more complex. Her mind and body were clearly not on the same wavelength, so she didn't push herself too hard.
If her martial arts skills weren't enough, she made up for it with equipment. Having spent a long time in the imperial court, Yun Qing's heart had also been corrupted. She also carried quite a few deadly gadgets, so not just anyone could do anything to her.
"We're almost in Jiangnan," Xie Rang suddenly said. Because he was out, he was dressed simply, lacking the usual majesty he displayed in the court, and instead appearing gentle, kind, and frugal, which added to his youthful spirit.
The change from a frail child to who he is today is remarkable.
Yun Qing walked to his side, leaned against the railing and looked into the distance: "Jiangnan is prosperous and has developed well in recent years. There are many talented people from Jiangnan among the Jinshi this year, so they should not disappoint His Majesty."
"I hope so."
Xie Rang did not have high expectations for this.
During the late emperor's reign, too many hidden dangers were sown, and the chronic illness was difficult to cure. In the beginning, it was extremely difficult to move forward. The capital was far away, and Xie Rang did not know whether his subordinates had concealed anything.
He thought it best if there wasn't one.
Yun Qing smiled and said, "Don't be so gloomy. Didn't you look forward to going out and having fun? Cheer up, Qi An."
[I've been unhappy ever since I got injured. It's such a small thing, yet I've held onto it for so long. No wonder I'm known in history for being so vengeful.]
[But thinking about it, it's understandable. Before I came, he was constantly being wronged and bullied. It's a miracle he wasn't psychologically twisted. I should be satisfied that he's become like this.]
Xie Rang felt that the Grand Tutor really overestimated him; he was not as good as she thought. Thinking of deceiving one's teacher and committing treason was already a great act of rebellion.
"I'm not unhappy, I was just thinking about something."
Xie Rang quietly took another step closer to Yun Qing, almost touching her, his mood brightening slightly: "We'll be able to disembark in a little while. Lin Chen said it's lively at night, we can go for a stroll."
Xie Rang's identity restricted him from staying in the capital, while Lin Chen, as his confidant, was often sent by him to travel all over Daxi, and had been here before.
"Um."
Yunqing thought the suggestion was good.
After enjoying the breeze for a while, Shunfeng quietly appeared from behind: "Your Majesty, Lord Li, it's time to eat."
According to the rules, court officials and the emperor should not dine together, but when they go out, they should eat the same food. However, Xie Rang insisted that Yun Qing should have what he had, and over time, the distinction in this regard disappeared. Even Shunfeng accepted this principle.
Yun Qing still needs to take medicine later, Xie Rang smiled and said, "Let's go, Grand Tutor."
This should be the last meal on the ship. Considering she still had to take medicine, Yun Qing wasn't very interested. However, just as she turned to leave, her gaze swept across Xie Rang's wrist and she seemed to catch a glimpse of red before gently glancing at it.
It was partially hidden, and beneath the wide hem of the coat, there was nothing unusual upon closer inspection.
Yun Qing frowned, her eyelashes trembling. Had she seen wrong?
"Why hasn't the Grand Tutor left yet?"
After taking two steps forward, Xie Rang quickly realized that there were no footsteps following him. He suddenly turned around, his expression as natural as could be, and chuckled: "Is the Grand Tutor afraid of taking medicine after meals? I asked Mr. Yu, and he said that if you drink it today, you don't need to drink it again."
Is he threatening me? Or is he afraid I'll find out something?
Yun Qing met the Emperor's gaze expressionlessly, but doubts lingered in her heart. She said calmly, "Coming right away."
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