As the banquet progressed into its second half, some elegantly dressed young women came up to perform, humming unique tunes from Jiangnan. Their demeanor was completely different from that of the dancers in Kyoto, and their soft, melodious Wu dialect was so pleasant that it evoked no ill will in anyone.
But no matter how you look at it, these girls don't seem to be from ordinary families. Their eyes kept glancing at Xie Rang, but unfortunately, they were all directed at a blind man.
Xie Rang looked at the scenery, the pastries, and Yun Qing, but his gaze never fell on them.
Yun Qing reflected on herself.
[I was wrong, the little tyrant really isn't interested in having a harem.]
Yun Qing was right; these girls all had some connection to officials and were intentionally chosen to be in front of Xie Rang.
With no one in the harem now, if someone were to be favored, they could easily secure a good position, perhaps even becoming empress. However, it was all just a performance, and nothing came of it.
Seeing that it was almost time, Yun Qing took the initiative to speak: "Your Majesty must be tired too. If there is nothing else, everyone should go back and rest."
[Take a good look; the little tyrant doesn't like the performance you've put on.]
Yun Qing had long realized that Xie Rang didn't actually enjoy crowds that much, especially after seeing so many hypocritical occasions in the past few years. He was particularly annoyed by them now. Fortunately, he understood that as a ruler, one should not show one's emotions and would not make it too obvious.
The shrewd people in the capital had noticed this in private, but the officials here hadn't. Yun Qing decided to step forward and play the villain herself.
But to their surprise, the officials seemed quite happy. After all, the young emperor was completely unyielding, and they dared not say anything out of turn, which made them extremely uncomfortable.
While Xie Rang left, Yun Qing had a private talk with Dai Liangchun: "Lord Dai, regarding the cotton... cough, white dregs matter, handle it well. His Majesty attaches great importance to the development of people's livelihood. If you do well, your status in His Majesty's eyes will also rise."
Looking at the young Imperial Tutor before him, Dai Liangchun still found it quite amazing. He chuckled and stroked his beard, saying, "I've got it. The younger generation surpasses the older; the Imperial Tutor's achievements are something we can only dream of..."
"You flatter me." Yun Qing couldn't see what the old man was thinking, but she said without finding fault, "It's just that His Majesty trusts me. In terms of seniority, I am still no match for you gentlemen."
"Lord Li, that's too modest. Everyone knows you're a close advisor to the Emperor, a renowned young talent in the capital, and a man of great promise at a young age. Countless young ladies admire you..."
The topic of conversation was getting increasingly off-track. Yun Qing had a keen intuition; could it be that Dai Liangchun was planning to introduce her to a girl?
What followed confirmed Yun Qing's suspicions. Although Dai Liangchun didn't say it outright, he secretly inquired about it. Yun Qing had no choice but to make up an excuse and slip away.
These people are really something. Why do they have to interfere in my life? Pressuring me to get married, oh dear...
Before Yun Qing could finish her thought, she turned her head and saw Xie Rang standing in the corridor. His dark clothes blended perfectly with the night, giving him an air of gloom that almost frightened Yun Qing.
[What's going on, little tyrant? Standing silently in the dark is kind of scary.]
Yun Qing walked over quickly and asked, "Why hasn't Your Majesty gone back to rest yet?"
"Feeling down, I'm going out for a walk."
Xie Rang made no attempt to hide his thoughts. In any case, he had nothing to hide from Yun Qing. He stared straight at Yun Qing, speaking vaguely: "Did those people introduce family members to the Grand Tutor again?"
In the afternoon, many people's eyes also fell on Yun Qing. After all, her power was second only to the emperor, and in many people's eyes, she was a very popular figure.
"Yes, I refused."
Speaking of this, Yun Qing was also annoyed, but unfortunately she didn't have a suitable excuse to refuse, otherwise she wouldn't have to worry.
"You seem to have plenty of free time, but it looks like you haven't been doing enough."
Xie Rang offered a nonchalant comment.
Yun Qing chuckled: "Goodbye, Your Majesty, they are already busy enough."
Under Yun Qing's careful guidance, Xie Rang indeed wouldn't kill people indiscriminately, but whenever he encountered someone he didn't like, he would try every means to keep that person busy until he was completely exhausted.
In some situations, it's not a bad thing for everyone to get involved, especially since they caused it themselves. Yun Qing turns a blind eye to this, but in local areas, there's no need to be so strict.
[Winning hearts and minds, you little tyrant.]
Strictly speaking, Xie Rang is no longer like a little tyrant, but after thinking about it for so many years, Yun Qing still doesn't know what to change it to. In modern times, Xie Rang might have just finished his college entrance exams, so in Yun Qing's mind, he's still a bit immature.
Xie Rang fell silent. Only when the night was dim did he dare to fully fix his burning gaze on Yun Qing. A subtle sense of distance lingered between them, making him feel somewhat uncomfortable.
He twitched his lips and said in a low voice, "The Grand Tutor doesn't want me to do that, so I won't."
Yun Qing sensed something was off from his tone. She looked up and stared at the boy standing opposite her, directly touching the surging emotions within her.
A cool breeze swept by, and Yun Qing's breathing suddenly quickened. She suddenly thought of a question—was Xie Rang's starting point for thinking about the problem a little too strange?
He seems to have said more than once that it's because she doesn't like it, so he won't do it.
Is this something a monarch should be thinking about?
"you……"
Was I wrong just now?
Xie Rang, unusually, interrupted her and stepped forward. The boy had grown tall quickly, and even Yun Qing, with her naked eye, felt that he might be taller than those recorded in history.
It's also possible that because he was well cared for and didn't have any hidden injuries, he was exceptionally healthy, which contributed to his height growth.
In summary, when he stood unreservedly beside Yun Qing, he truly exuded the unapproachable aura of an emperor, appearing dignified and aloof, making people completely forget his age.
Emperor Li of the past was only in his early twenties when he died.
"Everything I learned in my youth was taught by the Grand Tutor. He taught me literature and martial arts, diligence in governance and love for the people, and how to maintain the majesty of an emperor... I listened to the Grand Tutor in everything. Now I listen to the Grand Tutor as well, which is just following the usual practice. What's wrong with that?"
Xie Rang was good at grasping the key points, and Yun Qing had always known that. She was already regretting speaking up just now, because wasn't she just giving the little tyrant a reason to interrogate her?
She felt a rare sense of unease, her brow twitched, and she instinctively tried to move to the side, but Xie Rang, who reacted very quickly, grabbed her wrist.
The young emperor chuckled, his voice ambiguous: "Does the Grand Tutor think that it's not that I'm wrong, but rather... that I'm wrong?"
As darkness fell completely, a heavy sense of oppression descended. Yun Qing was momentarily dazed, and had to realize—it was her imagination.
This is a wolf cub that is extremely well disguised.
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