Because the emperor granted him leave, Xuan Yan was temporarily exempt from attending court. As dawn approached, he took a short nap, preparing to go find "Wei Zixiao" at 9:00 AM, but upon waking up, he encountered an uninvited guest.
He looked surprised and immediately stepped forward to bow: "Your Highness has arrived. I am sorry for not being able to greet you properly. Please forgive me."
Mu Ruoling still had a bright smile on her face, and her eyes were always lively and clear. Just for this attitude, she had to be praised.
She went to help him up herself, but Xuan Yan stepped back half a step and said again, "Men and women should not touch each other."
Upon seeing this, Mu Ruoling couldn't help but laugh out loud, her voice as clear and melodious as a silver bell, making everyone who heard it want to laugh along. Xuan Yan pursed his lips and frowned slightly.
"Alright, alright, don't be so reserved. You're just like the old scholar who taught me to read before, making me feel quite uncomfortable. I heard you were still asleep, and I thought you must have worked hard on this disaster relief effort and traveled a long way, so I told your family not to go and wake you."
"Your humble servant is filled with trepidation."
"Don't be so nervous, I'm not some wolf or tiger in disguise. Hey, why are you keeping your head down? Are there flowers growing on the ground?"
Xuan Yan couldn't stand the teasing that was tinged with a hint of flirtation. Her earlobes turned slightly pink, her mind filled with her smiling face and laughter, but her brows furrowed even deeper.
He stiffened his neck, avoiding looking at her, trying to banish the smile that floated into his mind, and changed the subject, saying, "Your Highness, is there something you need?"
Mu Ruoling then remembered the important matter: "No, it was Father who asked me to come find you. Today, around 9:00 AM, my aunt will be holding a poetry gathering at the mansion. There will be many people attending, and Father asked me to take you there to get to know them."
Xuan Yan pursed his lips, his first reaction was resistance. In addition, he did have something to do, so he declined, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty and Princess, but I have arrangements for today and I am afraid I cannot go."
Mu Ruoling thought about it again and realized that it was her words that displeased him, making him feel that she was trying to climb the social ladder. She took his refusal as an excuse.
"Didn't Father Emperor grant you five days of rest? There's no rush if there's something wrong."
"Your Majesty, I have an appointment with someone. Please forgive me."
"General Yue? Didn't he return to the military camp today?"
Xuan Yan looked up at her, her expression serious: "It's Prefect Wei."
“Wei…” Mu Ruoling’s brows furrowed immediately upon hearing this surname, her smile vanished, and her expression turned one of disgust and displeasure. “Did he make things difficult for you? Is he trying to pick a fight because you’re more successful than him? Don’t be afraid, with this princess here, he won’t dare to do anything to you.”
"Princess, this is a visiting card from your humble servant..."
Mu Ruoling stamped her foot in frustration: "I told you that guy has ulterior motives and is not a good person, how come you were still deceived by him?"
Xuan Yan closed her eyes briefly and said sternly, "Prefect Wei cares deeply for the people. He contributed the cement formula, which benefits the nation and all its people. He also invented the bicycle. Once the new official road is completed, it will make it easier for the poor to travel. This is also a beneficial act for the people. You are Princess Tiansheng, the ruler. Your words and actions should set an example for the world. Do not let your personal feelings blind you."
Mu Ruoling's face turned ugly after what he said, but in her mind, Wei Zixiao was just a pretty face with no substance, completely useless, and she didn't believe that those were his research. But the emperor didn't listen to her opinion on this matter.
"Who knows if he took credit for someone else's work? With his abilities, it's impossible..."
"Your Highness, Prefect Wei was the top scholar in the fifteenth year of the Jiande era, appointed by His Majesty. Is Your Highness questioning His Majesty's decision?"
"That's because I begged my father, otherwise, how could he be worthy?"
If Wei Zixiao were still the same Wei Zixiao in the original timeline who accomplished nothing and made numerous blunders, this statement would at least be 70-80% believable, and would also pose a threat to the emperor's prestige—which is probably why this matter wasn't deliberately mentioned in the original timeline.
But she was referring to the current "Wei Zixiao," which would only lead to the opposite result.
Xuan Yan's face drained of color, and her eyes were filled with disappointment as she looked at her. She said in a trembling voice, "Your Highness, you are insulting a bright and studious student, and you are mocking all the students in the world who have studied hard for years."
“Your Majesty and I have nothing to say to each other. Please.” He turned his head away from her and gestured for her to proceed.
Mu Ruoling's face turned pale and then red: "I value you highly and have recommended you to my father many times. Is this how you see me?"
Xuan Yan secretly mocked himself, thinking to himself that he had once been so moved by such a woman and could not forget her.
He bowed his head and said, "Your Highness, please."
Mu Ruoling turned and left. The palace servant who followed her glared at Xuan Yan, then jogged after her, offering words of comfort.
The steward humbly saw the young lady off at the door, watched her get into the carriage, and then returned to carefully glance at Xuan Yan's expression before asking in a low voice, "Master, it's almost time. Should we prepare the carriage?"
Xuan Yan rubbed his forehead, responded, and his face remained extremely pale.
After court, Emperor Xiu went to the Imperial Household Department. He had arranged to meet Xuan Yan at a nearby teahouse. The two of them timed their meeting and bumped into each other on the way.
"Wei Shaofu".
"Speak to Master Xuan."
After returning to the capital from the banquet, Xuan Yan joined the Ministry of Revenue and was appointed as an Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Finance.
The two went in together and sat facing each other.
When you come to a teahouse, you should order a pot of tea. Xuan Yan didn't have any particular preference, so Di Xiu ordered the restaurant's signature Biluochun tea.
After exchanging pleasantries, the two got down to business. Xuan Yan took out the well-preserved booklet, but did not open it. He simply placed it on the table and said sincerely, "I am very grateful for your guidance, Young Master. It saved me from many detours and allowed more people to survive."
“Master Xuan is concerned about what the people are concerned about and is anxious about what the people are anxious about. I could not have done better.”
Seeing his reaction, Xuan Yan stopped being coy. They were both serving the country and its people, so why bother comparing their status? He didn't know how to bring up the matter of the title he had originally planned to discuss.
It was Emperor Xiu who brought it up first: "I suppose the gentleman has come about the Emperor's reward."
"yes."
"Thunder and rain, all are the Emperor's grace." Emperor Xiu exuded righteousness.
Xuan Yan bowed with shame, saying, "I had judged you by the standards of a petty person."
“The gentleman is an upright and honest man, but we have not known each other much and do not understand each other.”
“My courtesy name is Yizhi. If you do not mind, you may call me by my courtesy name.”
“The crane cries out.”
At this point, Xuan Yan also opened up. After a moment's thought, he said, "Before we set off, the eldest princess came to see me and told me some things."
"Please feel free to speak."
Xuan Yan then shared Mu Ruoling's bizarre remarks, not to mock anyone, of course.
"I have long heard that His Majesty dotes on the princess to the extreme, so please be careful, Brother Heming."
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