As he spoke, he reached out and grasped Chu Nian's hands, asking, "Is this important to you?"
Chu Nian stared at the hands gripping her and said, "I am the Empress Dowager, after all. Is it appropriate for you to lay your hands on me like this?"
Jiang Bai smiled and said, "It's suitable as long as you don't object."
"I object," Chu Nian said, and with a burst of strength, she broke free from Jiang Bai's grasp.
Jiang Bai seemed very disappointed, his eyes even reddening slightly. He stared at Chu Nian and murmured, "Nian Nian..."
Although she felt sorry for the young man with such a bittersweet feeling, Chu Nian still said, "I told you, don't be obsessed with me. I'm just a legend."
She wasn't the type to lose her temper easily: she was perfectly aware that she couldn't possibly develop emotional entanglements with the characters in these books. So, it was better to make it clear.
Jiang Bai said "Oh," and then asked, "It's getting late. Does Your Majesty wish to stay overnight at the residence, or would you like me to escort you back to the palace?"
Both suggestions felt odd. Chu Nian said, "I need to go back to the palace. Is it appropriate for me to stay here overnight?!"
"Very well," Jiang Bai said. "I will change my clothes and escort you back."
Chu Nian: "I don't need you to take me home, I'll go back by myself."
Jiang Bai: "No, it's getting late, and there are people in the capital who want to kill you. I'm worried about you going back alone."
Seeing that he was actually unbuttoning his clothes, Chu Nian said helplessly, "Then just put on some clothes and come with me. Do you want to take them off and change in front of me?"
Jiang Bai, who had already unbuttoned his shirt to reveal his chest, buttoned it up again and said, "Uh, it was my carelessness, Your Majesty, please forgive me."
Chu Nian glanced at his alluring chest and abdominal muscles and thought to herself, "This guy really has a great body!" But seduction wouldn't work on her. She wasn't someone who hadn't been through a lot, and this level of seduction wouldn't be able to touch her.
Jiang Bai obediently put on a coat, then took Chu Nian's hand and walked outside.
Why are you holding me again? You're so oblivious. Chu Nian easily shook him off with a quick movement.
Jiang Bai said, "Stop fooling around, I'll use my Xuan Qi to send you, it'll be faster."
Are you sure you're not trying to take advantage? Chu Nian glared at Jiang Bai and said, "I think it would be better to have Bai Ze take me."
"Are you sure?" Jiang Bai asked, releasing Bai Ze with a flick of his wrist.
Unexpectedly, Bai Ze transformed into a handsome young man in an instant, looking at Chu Nian with starry eyes, and said, "Jiang Bai, don't worry, I will definitely..."
"Forget it, Jiang Bai, you take me!" Chu Nian interrupted Bai Ze with a hint of helplessness, feeling that this little beast was far less reliable than Jiang Bai.
Jiang Bai waved his hand with satisfaction, and Bai Ze disappeared again. He took Chu Nian's hand and left the bedroom, using his Xuan Qi to speed away, and they soon returned to the palace.
Jiang Bai put away the paper puppets on the bed.
The young emperor, perhaps sensing something in Jiang Bai's mind, immediately woke up as soon as Jiang Bai arrived. He had been sleeping by the bedside and asked sleepily, "Grand Tutor, why have you come to the palace so late? Is there something important to report?"
Jiang Bai whispered in his ear, "The Empress Dowager has returned."
The young emperor was surprised, and only then did he notice Chu Nian behind Jiang Bai.
Chu Nian said, "You all go back quickly, I want to sleep."
The young emperor, however, asked with great sensitivity, "Mother, did you return to the palace with the Grand Tutor?"
Chu Nian was taken aback, and immediately replied, "Go ask the Grand Tutor about this." She almost forgot that this guy used to target her whenever something like this happened, but he always obeyed Jiang Bai's every word without ever saying "no."
The young emperor turned to look at Jiang Bai, only to see Jiang Bai gazing tenderly at Chu Nian's retreating figure. He immediately felt incredibly jealous and said, "Mother, you really are something! Spreading rumors about Zhang Lie was one thing, but now you're even spreading them about the Grand Tutor..."
"What does Your Majesty wish to say?" Jiang Bai coldly interrupted him before he could finish speaking.
The little emperor's lips twitched, but he just stood there sulking, not saying a word.
Jiang Bai continued with a stern face: "I only sent the Empress Dowager back to the palace because it was getting late and there were people in the capital who had been plotting against her."
The young emperor rolled his eyes and muttered, "Then why were your eyes so bright when you looked at her just now?"
Jiang Bai coughed lightly and said, "Your eyes have always been so sharp." After saying that, he turned and left quietly.
Chu Nian said helplessly to the young emperor, "You spend all day and night watching whether your widowed mother has any scandals. Why don't you put that energy into important state affairs?"
Wen Wan asked in bewilderment, "Your Majesty, what does 'scandal' mean? I don't think I've ever heard of this term before."
"I don't know," Chu Nian replied helplessly. "If Your Majesty doesn't understand, please ask the Grand Tutor tomorrow!"
Unexpectedly, the young emperor said jealously, "What, did the Grand Tutor teach you this word?" After saying that, he pouted again.
Chu Nian: "Your Majesty, please go back to your palace to rest. I am exhausted and want to sleep."
The young emperor snorted, flicked his sleeve, and stormed off.
These past few days, the emperor has been worried that Zhang Lie and his men would discover that he was having an affair with a fake empress dowager in bed, so he would rush into Cining Palace as soon as court was over and not dare to leave for a moment! Now that the real empress dowager has returned, he can no longer stay in the palace. The next day, he insisted on arguing with the Grand Tutor to visit the Marquis of Weiwu's residence.
In fact, the Emperor's personal visit to the Marquis of Weiwu was something Jiang Bai and he had planned long ago—to demonstrate the Emperor's deep fatherly affection for the Marquis of Weiwu. It was simply that this hadn't happened because Chu Nian had left the palace.
Now that the Empress Dowager has returned safely, Jiang Bai has gladly agreed to continue the plan.
After the morning court session that day, Chu Nianyi gently suggested that, in order to thank the emperor for attending to his sickbed day and night for the past few days, she should go to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to deliver some snacks to the emperor. However, her spiritual power detected that the two of them were plotting something.
However, her arrival surprised both Jiang Bai and the young emperor, so they could only stay in the Hall of Mental Cultivation for the time being. Chu Nian dismissed everyone and said, "Will my arrival delay your important business?"
Jiang Bai said, "Your Majesty, what are you saying? Your Majesty's affairs are the most important matters."
The young emperor glanced at Jiang Bai with a knowing look: When did Grand Tutor become so good at flattery? I never noticed before!
Chu Nian asked, "Do you want to go to the Marquis of Weiwu's residence?" Before the two could answer, she added, "I also want to go and have a look."
"no."
"OK!"
The young emperor and Jiang Bai spoke at the same time. As soon as they said it, they looked at each other.
At this moment, Chu Nian felt that the two of them, master and disciple, disliked each other.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
