"Your Majesty."
It wasn't until she heard that voice beside her that Yun Qing realized Xie Rang had arrived.
The emperor cannot relax at all. The formal attire worn on such occasions is even more elaborate than the court dress, but it exudes nobility and complements the young man's cold and serious expression without any sense of incongruity.
Xiahou Jiang was startled and, before he could retreat, hurriedly bowed to him.
Yun Qing was about to get up when Xie Rang arrived in front of her first, his face instantly displaying a gentle smile: "Grand Tutor, there's no need for such formalities."
Over the years, the emperor's special treatment of the imperial tutor has happened more than once or twice, and the court officials have basically gotten used to it. Only Yun Qing, who is directly involved, feels that something is not quite right.
Wait, why is he looking at Xiahou Jiang like that? Did he do something wrong?
Yun Qing felt that she must have seen correctly; the little tyrant seemed to harbor some hidden hostility towards Xiahou Jiang.
How can that be possible!
She needs to know exactly where the mistake went wrong!
Before she could speak, Xie Rang asked, "The Grand Tutor doesn't usually have people serving him, so why did you decide to bring someone this time?"
His gaze swept coolly over Xiahou Jiang, who had retreated to the back, and when he turned to Yun Qing, he had already returned to his nonchalant state.
Could it be because he's jealous?
Yun Qing had already thought it through. She had to explain this matter clearly: "He is not a servant, Your Majesty. Do you remember the person we bought when you turned twelfth? That's him. His name is Xiahou Jiang now. I think he is a good military talent. I brought him here to show Your Majesty."
Wake up, you little tyrant! This is your future pillar of support, how can you treat him like this the moment you meet him?
Yun Qing didn't know what the historical Little Tyrant's attitude towards Xiahou Jiang was, and all her guesses could only be based on what she knew now, so she didn't know if they would be limited.
Xie Rang's coldness dissipated somewhat. As long as the Grand Tutor didn't keep this person by his side because he liked him, that was fine.
He smiled and said, "I'm very happy that the Grand Tutor always thinks of me like this."
Seeing the little tyrant's brows relax again, Yun Qing felt amazed and wondered what was going on. But now was not the time to speak, so she nodded slightly and said, "The banquet is about to begin, Your Majesty, please take a seat."
Their conversation startled the other ministers, and the once lively place fell silent. Yun Qing felt a little uncomfortable, and guessed that the ministers were now feeling quite apprehensive.
It's a harvest festival, so everyone should relax and have some fun.
Although Xie Rang's thoughts were already churning, he absolutely could not let the Grand Tutor notice them at the moment. Therefore, he behaved as obediently as ever in these matters: "Okay, I'll go sit down now."
His gaze swept over Xiahou Jiang for a moment, then quickly returned to his own. Since the Grand Tutor hadn't shown much interest in him, there was no need for him to continue on this matter.
In summary, there's nothing to fear.
...
The emperor took his seat and soon announced the start of the banquet.
This was a simple banquet, without any fancy dishes. The main focus was on the new crops that have been promoted in the last two years—corn and sweet potatoes—as well as some dishes made with new seasonings, such as spicy chicken and braised offal, which were novel and interesting.
Many prominent families in the capital looked down on these new crops, but they couldn't refuse to try them at the emperor's banquet. Once they tried them, they became quite addicted. If they could create a trend, it would be a way of promoting the new crops.
Everyone knows who deserves credit for successfully resolving the famine of the previous two years.
Only at this moment, whether they dislike Yun Qing or are hostile towards him, will they fall silent and stand on the same side.
They all had to admit that Yun Qing was capable of holding onto this position.
Gu Yunchong, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, raised his cup to Yun Qing: "Grand Tutor Li has devoted himself to the people's welfare and work over the years. I would like to offer you a toast."
With Mr. Yu's help, Gu Yun's son managed to survive, albeit with some setbacks. Although he is still weaker than most people, he is slowly recovering.
Because of this relationship, he often defended Yun Qing when the court officials attacked her.
Yun Qing raised an eyebrow and smiled, taking a sip of wine: "It is my duty, and I must thank Your Majesty for your support."
Many of the things I did, if taken individually, could be capital offenses, making me a little tyrant. The fact that he trusts me so much is a testament to the value of my guidance.
Yun Qing silently praised Xie Rang in her heart.
The young emperor above smiled slightly: "Grand Tutor deserves such praise. Even I owe my current position to you."
As he spoke, Xie Rang glanced down at the crowd, silently warning them not to even think about attacking Yun Qing again.
If he doesn't dare, where do they get the guts?
Yun Qing smiled faintly: "Your Majesty is too kind."
However, some court officials echoed this sentiment.
"I also think that the Grand Tutor is capable of taking on this responsibility."
"Unlike some people, who dare to say but not to do!"
Most surprisingly, Yun Qing discovered that Yan Yangke, who had been quite dissatisfied with her a few years ago, actually joined in and said a few words in defense of her.
Has the sun risen in the west?
Xie Rang chuckled silently.
That's simply because his tutor was worthy in himself. They saw the tutor's goodness and naturally changed, which is not surprising.
At the banquet, a folk opera troupe performed a harvest dance. The leader was a god with a painted face, said to be the god of agriculture. The dance was large in movement, festive and lively.
Xie Rang watched with little interest, but when he looked down, he found the Grand Tutor sitting blankly in his seat, staring at his wine cup. He seemed normal, but his eyes were somewhat unfocused.
Drinking was unavoidable at the banquet. Yun Qing had a pretty good alcohol tolerance, but after drinking glass after glass, even though the alcohol content wasn't high, it was enough to make her slightly tipsy. She wasn't completely drunk, but she wasn't very sober either.
She decided to go and clear her head.
After confirming that she wouldn't feel unsteady while walking, she slowly stood up, greeted the eunuch behind her, and headed towards the garden.
She didn't notice that shortly after she left her seat, the emperor also left with her.
...
The autumn garden was desolate; the lotus flowers in the pond had all withered, leaving only broken stems slowly rotting, a scene of utter loneliness.
Fortunately, she didn't come out to enjoy the scenery; the cold wind was enough to clear her head.
Before she could return to her seat, she heard a series of soft footsteps behind her. In a moment of surprise, Xie Rang's hand was on her shoulder, carrying the burning heat of a young man.
He was already taller than Yun Qing. Yun Qing looked up at him, seemingly puzzled as to why he had come along.
Xie Rang frowned as he looked at her, his voice inexplicably hoarse: "Is the Grand Tutor drunk?"
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