Chapter 31 Your Highness, You Are My True Backer
After leaving the hall, Li Yuanzhao went straight to the Wenhua Hall.
Su Qingci was already waiting inside the hall. She was dressed in a light blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), looking gentle and elegant.
But at this moment, her eyes were full of joy, and she could not hide her excitement.
Unexpectedly, His Highness made her a tutor, allowing her to study under the Grand Tutor.
That was a highly talented and learned Grand Tutor who had achieved the highest honors in the imperial examinations. Which scholar in the world wouldn't want to be his student?
She still feels like it's a dream, not quite real.
The moment she saw Li Yuanzhao appear at the palace gate, she immediately lifted her skirt and went to greet him.
That eagerness was just like a girl who couldn't wait to welcome her sweetheart.
Chen Yanqing followed behind Li Yuanzhao and rolled her eyes inwardly when she saw her like this.
Why is she everywhere? Not content with just monopolizing Li Yuanzhao's meetings, she even follows him to school.
As soon as Su Qingci finished bowing to His Highness and stood up, she met Chen Yanqing's unfriendly gaze.
She gave a soft snort, her chin slightly raised, revealing an undisguised look of disdain.
Why is he always following me everywhere?
Does someone as frail as him deserve to be His Highness's personal bodyguard?
She will find His Highness a stronger, more masculine, and more handsome bodyguard sooner or later, so that His Highness will never need him again.
Li Yuanzhao, oblivious to the subtle exchange of glances between the two, walked straight to the desk and sat down. "Has the Grand Tutor not arrived yet?"
"Your Highness, a palace servant just reported that the Grand Tutor will be a quarter of an hour late today, so that you can review yesterday's policy essay first."
Su Qingci quickly composed herself and replied respectfully, handing over the prepared scrolls.
"This is the 'Discourses on Salt and Iron' that you annotated yesterday. I have already organized it according to your instructions."
Li Yuanzhao took the scroll and praised it lightly, "Well done."
These four simple words instantly brought a blush to Su Qingci's cheeks. "It is my honor to be able to share Your Highness's burdens."
Suddenly remembering something, she asked, "Your Highness, there is something I don't understand. Since you already have evidence of Pei Guyan's embezzlement of salt taxes and sale of smuggled salt, why don't you present it directly to His Majesty for a decision?"
Li Yuanzhao continued looking at the book in his hand, his tone calm: "No rush. I went to great lengths to find out all this, and it wasn't just for the Pei family."
Upon hearing this, Su Qingci wisely refrained from asking further questions, saying, "Your subject understands."
Li Yuanzhao looked at her with interest. "Aren't you going to ask who I want to deal with? What if... it's your father?"
Su Qingci's expression changed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure and said, "Your Highness, no matter who you want to deal with, I will stand by your side."
Li Yuanzhao raised an eyebrow: "So determined? But if the Su family falls, you'll have no backing."
Su Qingci looked at Li Yuanzhao with a firm gaze: "Your Highness, the Su family has never been my support; only you are."
From the moment she chose to follow Li Yuanzhao, her fate was inextricably linked with that of the eldest princess.
She couldn't control her father's stance, but the scales in her heart had already tipped in favor of the person before her.
If her father tries to block the path of His Highness and herself, then she shouldn't blame him for putting righteousness before family.
After all, she also shares the surname Su. Her father's defeat does not mean that the Su family will be defeated as well.
A faint smile flickered in Li Yuanzhao's eyes. He didn't reply, but simply turned his gaze back to the book.
This Su Qingci was more decisive and better at assessing situations than she had imagined.
Footsteps sounded outside the hall, and the Grand Tutor, dressed in a plain brocade robe and holding a scroll, slowly walked in.
Liu Jinzhang glanced at the two of them and said calmly, "Let's begin."
Two hours of lessons passed in a flash. When get out of class ended, Liu Jinzhang kept Li Yuanzhao behind.
Su Qingci was slightly taken aback, then curtsied and took her leave.
Inside the Wenhua Hall, only the master and his disciple remained.
As the sandalwood incense in the incense burner burned down to its last flame, wisps of smoke drifted slowly away in the beam of light.
Li Yuanzhao remained seated, his fingertips lightly tapping the table, waiting for the Grand Tutor to speak.
Looking at her unwavering composure in the face of imminent danger, Liu Jinzhang sighed softly.
He recalled how, when he taught her to read "The Imperial Model," he repeatedly admonished her that "a ruler must have a benevolent heart and leave room for maneuver when governing his subordinates."
But the students before me are all surpassing their teachers in every way.
But he was ruthless and decisive by nature, and would stop at nothing to achieve his goals, never taking his words to heart.
Whether this temperament is a blessing or a curse, he still can't see through it.
“Zhang Cheng is just a minor official of the sixth rank,” he said, his voice tinged with weariness, “and he has always served you diligently. Why do you have to go so far as to exterminate him just to deal with the Pei family?”
Li Yuanzhao raised his eyes, showing no surprise whatsoever, as if he had already anticipated that the Grand Tutor would ask this question.
"He claims to be working for me, but how many benefits has he secretly taken from powerful families? He's the kind of person who's eating from my bowl while eyeing what's in the pot. Grand Tutor, do you dare to use him?"
"Besides, only by his death can the Pei and Cui families be truly dragged into this. It would be well worth it for him to die."
After a long silence, Liu Jinzhang finally asked, "Was the matter handled properly?"
Li Yuanzhao's lips curled into a confident smile. "Don't you trust me to do things?"
Liu Jinzhang breathed a sigh of relief, then asked, "Then why did you treat Pei Huaijin like that? You wanted him to be your son-in-law, but he refused. You could have His Majesty issue an imperial decree to grant the marriage, at which point the Pei family would have no right to refuse."
He ultimately held some respect for Pei Huaijin's talent.
That young man possessed outstanding character and was proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. His literary talent was also outstanding among his peers. He was destined to be a pillar of society, but now he is imprisoned, which is truly a pity.
Moreover, such a person is straightforward and honest; if pushed too far, things might go wrong and could be detrimental to her.
Li Yuanzhao replied with a half-smile, "But what I want is not just a consort."
A hint of mockery flashed in her eyes. "What I want is for the Pei family to be willing to stand on the same boat as me. I want Pei Huaijin to understand clearly that if I rise to power, the Pei family will rise with me; if I stumble, the Pei family will not be able to escape unscathed."
"Only in this way can he be wholeheartedly used by me."
Looking at the calculation in her eyes, Liu Jinzhang ultimately remained silent.
That's enough. She has already laid out her plans more thoroughly than anyone else. Why would she need him to give her any pointers?
He picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip of the already cold tea, and felt the bitter taste spread across his tongue. "Since you have made your decision, I don't need to persuade you anymore. However, I still have to say something. The current case of cheating in the imperial examinations involves many officials in the court and has caused quite a stir."
He paused, "But in the final decision-making, you still need to remember to 'focus on the big and let the small.' At this point, there's no need to offend the entire court for the sake of a hollow reputation for 'clean governance.' Those who should be executed must be dealt with decisively, while those who should be spared must be spared."
Li Yuanzhao replied, "I understand."
She naturally understood this principle.
By keeping those weaknesses, she could both make her ministers grateful for her "leniency" and use them as leverage to keep them in check at any time.
In this way, she can advance or retreat at will, so why not?
Seeing her resolute expression, Liu Jinzhang knew there was no need to say anything more, and simply waved his hand: "Go."
Li Yuanzhao then stood up and said, "Then this student will take his leave."
Liu Jinzhang watched her figure disappear at the end of the corridor and sighed softly.
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