After learning that something was wrong, they quickened their pace, with the guards taking turns driving the carriages. However, this made it much less comfortable, as they were constantly on the move, making the journey quite difficult.
Since experiencing seasickness on a luxury ship, Yun Qing has found herself much more adaptable to carriages, and surprisingly, she felt quite comfortable with this one.
Indeed, everything comes down to comparison.
The carriage that His Majesty the Emperor and the Imperial Tutor rode in was very comfortable. Even though it looked ordinary on the outside, it was full of surprises inside. It was padded with soft cushions all around, making it comfortable to sit or lie down. The air was filled with a faint fragrance. After staying there for a while, Yun Qing felt that he had been marinated in the fragrance.
However, with the little tyrant by her side, Yun Qing could never feel completely at ease.
Xie Rang is already an adult, an age where men and women are considered different even in modern times. She can no longer be as close to him without any reservations as before; this is a matter of principle.
Xie Rang's gaze shifted slightly, and when he noticed that Yun Qing was not feeling well, he found a soft pillow and tucked it behind her back.
He might not have understood why the Grand Tutor had distanced himself from him before, but now he could understand it completely. However, this distance made Xie Rang feel somewhat uncomfortable.
He knew perfectly well that these were not the Grand Tutor's fault, so he could only try to remain calm and say, "With me by your side, the Grand Tutor can rest assured."
Yun Qing glanced at him indifferently and remained silent.
It's precisely because you're here that I'm worried.
If it weren't for the need to avoid making a big fuss, Yun Qing probably wouldn't have chosen to ride in the same car as Xie Rang. Qing Lan's worried eyes were practically overflowing; it was hard for her to ignore them.
Xie Rang: ...
However, that's what they say, it's impossible not to rest at all. Before long, Yun Qing yawned and leaned back. Having a soft pillow was indeed much more comfortable.
"I'll take a nap. Your Majesty, please make yourself at home."
Despite her concerns, Yunqing still trusted the boy she had raised. Not long after she finished speaking, she indeed fell asleep against the car wall, peaceful and serene.
Xie Rang watched for a while, and only after confirming that Yun Qing was really asleep did he dare to slowly inch closer to her. Amidst the swaying, he let Yun Qing slowly slide down onto him and lean against him.
He revealed a subtle smile.
...
Yun Qing originally only wanted to take a nap, but she was so sleepy that she fell asleep without realizing it. When she woke up, she felt disoriented and didn't know what day it was.
She instinctively tried to move to wake herself up, but found that her arms seemed to be restrained by something, and the feeling behind her was very warm, anyway... it didn't feel like the car wall.
Yun Qing was startled awake by his own thoughts. When he looked up, he realized that it was the little tyrant hugging him. The two were close together. He didn't think much about the source of the heat just now.
How did it turn out like this?
Yun Qing lowered her eyes in thought, but Xie Rang had already been awakened by her movements. The young man's clear voice was tinged with a deep huskiness: "The Grand Tutor is awake?..."
"Hmm." Yun Qing breathed a sigh of relief and gently removed the Emperor's hand. "Let go of me now that you're awake. What time is it?"
Yun Qing's attempt to divert attention was hardly skillful. Xie Rang blinked and said sincerely, "I don't know."
Yun Qing moved a little to the side, raised her hand to lift the carriage curtain, and as the morning light cleared, a cool breeze from outside rushed in, dispelling the stuffy atmosphere in the carriage.
Xie Rang slowly explained from behind her, "The carriage was bumpy, and I was afraid the Grand Tutor would get hurt, so I did this. If the Grand Tutor doesn't like being touched, I won't do it again..."
"Never mind..." Yun Qing rubbed her temples, not wanting to dwell on the matter. "I didn't mean to blame Your Majesty, and Your Majesty doesn't need to say that."
[In the little tyrant's mind, I am a man, and this behavior certainly doesn't qualify as affection. Am I taking it too seriously?]
Yun Qing thought about it carefully and realized that she and the little tyrant had different perspectives, so it was normal for such a difference to occur.
Seeing that the Grand Tutor had convinced himself, Xie Rang remained silent for a long while before finally speaking, "Alright."
"We should be able to reach Huai'an Prefecture in about half a day."
Huai'an Prefecture was where the governor was located. Back then, Yun Qing and Xie Rang carefully selected people to serve there. In addition to local business, their main responsibility was the repair of river embankments. Thinking of the news they heard on the way, both of them looked rather grim.
"Go directly to see how the river channel has been repaired; don't give them a chance to fool us."
This is how Yunqing made her decision.
Xie Rang agreed: "What the Grand Tutor said is absolutely right."
If they went to Huai'an Prefecture first, and were met with a evasive response, some unscrupulous people would find ways to cover their tracks, which would actually hinder them from learning the truth.
Unfortunately, the weather turned bad; it started raining on the way, making the road muddy and causing them to arrive later than expected.
However, it was precisely because of this that we saw piles of materials scattered around the messy and desolate riverbank. Not only were they not covered up in any way, but some of them were even rotten and blackened, clearly unusable.
This is outrageous!
Yun Qingqing now understands what it feels like to have her hard work ruined. Although she didn't say anything, her icy expression completely revealed her feelings at that moment.
Xie Rang stood beside her, holding an umbrella, a storm seemingly brewing in his eyes: "Grand Tutor, don't be angry. Their good days are over."
In officialdom, corruption is not a big deal. If the water is too clear, there will be no fish. Besides, the emperor can't control far-off places because he will allocate more funds when allocating money. As long as the people below complete their tasks, the intricacies in between can be turned a blind eye.
But this one doesn't count.
Yun Qing closed her eyes briefly: "Let's go to Huai'an Prefecture."
Just then, soldiers patrolling the riverbank circled around and, upon seeing them, shouted, "Who are you! What are you doing here!"
Before the two could say anything more, his bodyguards had already stepped forward and, in a few rounds, had the men arrested and tied up. Xie Rang didn't even glance at them, and said coldly, "Take them to Huai'an Prefecture."
...
Outside, a cold wind and rain blew, but inside the Huai'an government office, wine cups were clinking and dancers were dancing gracefully in the middle. The Huai'an governor at the head of the table was half drunk and half sober, his eyes filled with a hazy look.
Sitting below him was Zhan Ming, a water official who had been sent here a few years ago. He sipped his wine slowly and said, "I heard that the young emperor and the imperial tutor are going to Jiangnan. Should we do something to save face? Otherwise, what if they find out? Although they won't be going this way, just in case..."
The governor of Huai'an tapped the table unhurriedly: "Indeed, then you shall be in charge. Make sure..."
Before the words were finished, the gate of the Huai'an government office was kicked open, and several bound soldiers were thrown into the rain, groaning and crying in pain.
Then, the person who stepped in brought with him wind and rain, and his moonlit clothes stood out brightly among the crowd.
But what's even more dazzling is her temperament—a cool and gentle demeanor tinged with indifference that makes people afraid to look directly at her.
Yun Qing sneered, her gaze sharp as she looked directly at the governor of Huai'an: "What do you mean, 'must'? You have quite the nerve, do you still want to keep hiding this?!"
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