Xie Yunqi frowned slightly and looked at the sword in front of him with some displeasure.
"General Pei!" Chu Qingluan placed her fingertips lightly on the hilt of Pei Yuan's sword, like a spring breeze, instantly calming Pei Yuan.
"Prime Minister Xie is just doing his duty as a subject. Why are you so angry?"
Xie Yunqi did not move at all, letting the long sword rest on his shoulder. The corners of his lips slightly raised, but his eyes were always on Chu Qingluan's face: "The princess has trained well, even the guards around her are so loyal."
Chu Qingluan heard this and looked at Xie Yunqi with a half-smile: "Prime Minister Xie, you are wrong. General Pei is a general appointed by the court, not a guard of this princess. Besides..."
She raised her eyelids and cast a scrutinizing gaze on Xie Yunqi: "Prime Minister Xie is the prime minister of the current dynasty, and also my former tutor. It is unworthy of your status to speak like this."
She raised her hand to signal Pei Yuan to put away his sword, and looked at Xie Yunqi calmly: "Before I left the capital three years ago, Prime Minister Xie once taught me that 'a ruler should be prudent and calm'. Meeting again today, I have seen another side of Prime Minister Xie."
The current intention is to accuse Xie Yunqi of violating etiquette and saying that what he said and did was beneath his dignity.
Xie Yunqi's expression changed slightly, and his hands under his wide sleeves moved almost imperceptibly.
"Princess, you are absolutely right." He bowed slightly, "I am guilty of my misconduct."
Just as he finished speaking, there was a commotion in the distance, and a team of imperial guards were seen escorting several dishevelled prisoners towards them. Although the leading man was dressed in rags, he still looked scholarly.
"Qi Che?" Chu Qingluan's eyes narrowed.
When in Jiangnan City, Du Youwei had already sent people to escort Qi Che back to Beijing for trial. How could he appear here this time?
At this time, Qi Che looked up and saw Chu Qingluan, who was wearing a dazzling red dress, in front of the luxurious imperial carriage under the city tower. He suddenly struggled violently.
"Qingniang! Save me! I know I was wrong!"
Xie Yunqi calmly moved aside, blocking Chu Qingluan's sight. "The Ministry of Justice is investigating a cheating case in the imperial examinations. I didn't expect that this 'Jiangnan talent' would be implicated."
His tone was calm, but every word was heart-piercing. "It was only later that I learned that this man was once the princess's husband among the common people."
Chu Qingluan was slightly surprised, but didn't show it at all.
She knew Qi Che's talent and that he should be more than qualified to pass the imperial examination, so why did he cheat?
"Oh? Prime Minister Xie, are you going to put on a show for me?" she asked back.
"I dare not!"
Xie Yunqi raised his hand and signaled the imperial guards to restrain Qi Che: "I just thought that the princess might want to know whether the man who made you give up everything was worth it."
On the other side, Qi Che saw Chu Qingluan and suddenly shouted frantically as if he had grabbed the last straw: "Qingniang, I was forced by the Gu family. They deliberately made me drunk and had sex with Gu Yanran, and then threatened me that if I didn't marry Gu Yanran, I would never be able to make a name for myself."
Chu Qingluan quietly looked at the man she once loved, and suddenly felt very strange. The poor student who cared about his country three years ago had become so embarrassed now.
Perhaps she had really let it go completely, and now Qi Che could no longer cause any ripples in her heart.
After a moment, she suddenly spoke to Xie Yunqi.
"Thank you, Prime Minister! Is this how an official appointed by the imperial court makes a scene in the street?"
Xie Yunqi understood and immediately waved his hand, "Shut his mouth."
After the imperial guards took the struggling Qi Che away, Chu Qingluan looked at Xie Yunqi indifferently, and her tone was also a little cold: "Thank you for your trouble in making this arrangement today, Prime Minister Xie."
Upon hearing this, Xie Yunqi smiled instantly. His skin was as white as jade and there was a light mole at the end of his eye. This smile made his eyes and eyebrows look more lively.
In Chu Qingluan's impression, as the Grand Tutor, Xie Yunqi always had a calm and composed expression, as if he was in control of everything.
Other tutors were all troubled by the princes and princesses' lack of cooperation, and often sighed in anger. But only Xie Yunqi seemed to be able to make people obey with just a look.
In Chu Qingluan's heart, at the beginning, she respected and admired him. Xie Yunqi was only five years older than her, but his talent had long been renowned in the literary world.
"Princess, your words are too kind. I just can't bear to see you being deceived again." Xie Yunqi said lightly.
Chu Qingluan walked straight forward towards the luxurious carriage behind him, but suddenly stopped when passing by Xie Yunqi and said:
"Thank you, Prime Minister, you can rest assured. I can take it, and naturally I can let it go. From now on, there is no need to test this person again."
"Your Majesty, I trust you, Princess! But..."
He paused, then suddenly tilted his head, his dark pupils fixed on Chu Qingluan's face, his tone also carrying a bit of coldness: "Recently, the Japanese Prime Minister heard an interesting story.
Miss Qin from the Duke Dingguo's Mansion is searching the capital for handsome and talented men. She said she wants to hold a piano concert for the princess and select a few suitable men from them. I wonder what the princess thinks about this?"
Upon hearing this, Chu Qingluan narrowed her eyes slightly, with a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.
She turned her head to look at Zhixia behind her, who immediately lowered her head in panic, twisting the corner of her clothes with her fingers restlessly.
"Oh?" Chu Qingluan retracted her gaze, and a playful smile appeared on the corner of her lips: "Prime Minister Xie is well-informed. I have only been back to the capital for half a day, and even such an 'interesting thing' has reached Prime Minister Xie's ears."
Xie Yunqi remained calm and composed: "As the Prime Minister, I naturally have to be concerned about the developments in the capital, especially..." He paused, and the light mole at the end of his eye was particularly eye-catching in the sunlight: "News related to the princess."
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