Chapter 112 Receiving Guests
Xiao Qing would never tell anyone, nor would she admit that she was actually frightened by Zhao Youchen's actions, such as drawing his sword.
There's really no point in arguing with a drunk person. So when Zhao Youchen nonchalantly wrapped the white jade in his blood-stained hand and leisurely strode away, Xiao Qing could only swallow hard, wondering if Zhao Youchen would remember doing something so... unusual after he sobered up tomorrow.
Seeing that it was about time, Xiao Qing touched her chest, trying to get the scene from her mind. But memories are strange things; the more you try to forget something, the heavier and more profound it becomes with the passage of time.
The cloak was too big, and she had forgotten to return it to Zhao Youchen, so she folded the hem up and wrapped it around her shoulders. This way, she could keep warm without getting in the way of walking.
Xiao Qing slowly walked back, casually gazing at the cool moonlight, yet feeling as if something was missing.
Ma Hong had obviously finished catching up with Liu Yi and was now hurrying up.
Upon seeing him, Xiao Qing temporarily put aside her thoughts and led him to find Fu Mingyi.
The palace banquet had not yet ended, and the Grand Tutor was still in the hall drinking with Wang Xiang and others, discussing topics suitable for conversation in this setting.
A servant whispered something in his ear, and he smiled inwardly.
His Majesty's temperament is indeed not difficult to guess.
Fu Mingyi apologized to everyone before slowly walking out.
Wang Xiang swirled the wine in his glass twice, then squinted slightly at Fu Mingyi's unhurried departure. He heard Sun Jinyi beside him ask, "Prime Minister, what is he going to do?"
Wang Xiang smiled faintly and remained silent.
On his way back from the Martial Soul Tomb, the image of Xiao Qing's gaze and the scene of him stepping off the carriage on Ma Hong kept replaying in his mind.
As a result, even fine wines and delicacies have lost their flavor.
He thought he should double-check whether he had chosen the wrong person.
After Fu Mingyi went out, he was led by a servant through many twists and turns, and sure enough, he saw His Majesty standing in the pavilion with his hands behind his back, Ma Hong next to him, and Imperial Guards standing guard outside the pavilion.
Fu Mingyi walked up step by step and bowed slightly to greet Xiao Qing.
Xiao Qing waved his hand, turned around and said, "I'll be frank. I've come to ask the Grand Tutor for the antidote."
Fu Mingyi wasn't surprised, but he still asked, "Does Your Majesty only want the antidote?"
Xiao Qing nodded, almost wanting to roll her eyes.
Nonsense, if we don't want the antidote, are we just going to watch Ma Hong die?
Moreover, besides the antidote, is there anything more important right now?
Fu Mingyi nodded and kindly reminded him, "Don't you need an answer?"
He thought Xiao Qing would at least hesitate for a moment, but to his surprise, she remained uninterested and added, "I only want the antidote."
Fu Mingyi looked at her intently.
In fact, on the way back from the Martial Soul Tomb, he didn't have the time or opportunity to properly look at the young emperor in front of him.
Although he spent almost every day and night guarding Xiao Qing in Tianyin Temple, the lifeless Xiao Qing was not what he wanted to see. The one in the Martial Soul Tomb was even less so.
Fu Mingyi felt that he still preferred to see Xiao Qing in front of him; she was more vivid.
He took out a small porcelain bottle from his sleeve and handed it over, asking, "This medicine cannot stop the pain, and you need to use one bottle every month."
Before Xiao Qing could say anything, he took out another folded piece of paper and handed it to Xiao Qing, saying, "The prescription is here. Your Majesty can give it to Mingxiu."
Xiao Qing took the small bottle and handed it to Ma Hong, but only held the note without unfolding it.
Is Liu Yi like that too?
Fu Mingyi nodded.
Xiao Qing actually wanted to ask why he knew these things.
But then she thought about it again. As a native who had long been close to the center of imperial power, it wasn't surprising that he knew these things, while she, being an alien, was completely ignorant of them. That was also normal.
So she didn't want to ask anymore.
She suddenly remembered the "something" that she felt was missing earlier.
Where is Ying Ying?
Fu Mingyi was quite composed. "I will report this matter to Your Majesty in detail tomorrow. However, Your Majesty, please rest assured that Attendant Ying is doing very well."
Fu Mingyi was a man of his word, so Xiao Qing didn't ask any more questions.
However, besides Ma Hong's matter, she came to him for another matter that she needed him to arrange.
"I wish to visit Tianyin Temple."
"Is Your Majesty fulfilling a vow or receiving guests?"
"Receiving guests." There's nothing to hide about that.
Fu Mingyi nodded, "Your Majesty, I will make the arrangements immediately. However, it is already late. If Your Majesty goes to Tianyin Temple at this time, firstly, you will need military guards, and secondly, you will probably have to stay overnight at Tianyin Temple. What does Your Majesty think?"
He glanced at Xiao Qing's mismatched cloak, lost in thought.
Xiao Qing nodded. She always only expressed her own thoughts on these matters, leaving the arrangements to others.
However, to her surprise, the military officer that Fu Mingyi arranged for her was not Zhao Youchen, but Yu Zaiting.
As Xiao Qing boarded the carriage, she was still thinking that if she remembered correctly, Yu Zaiting should not be a military general, but a civil official, right?
The Great Xiao Dynasty was extremely biased in its appointment of civil and military officials. This was not only reflected in the fact that military officials' official positions, ranks, number of posts, and treatment were inferior to those of civil officials, but also in the fact that many military positions in the Great Xiao Dynasty were actually held by civil officials.
Yu Zaiting knelt down in the carriage and performed a grand salute.
"Your Majesty, I am here late at night and have disturbed your carriage. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."
Xiao Qing felt uneasy thinking about Yu Zaiting's upcoming trip to Jiangzhou.
Yu Zaiting offended Wang Xiang because of her, and was subsequently exiled to such a remote place to take a sinecure. Yet she had no power to keep him here.
A sense of guilt unconsciously crept into her gaze as she looked at Yu Zaiting.
Fortunately, Yu Zaiting had his head down and didn't see anything.
Xiao Qing told him to get up and helped him sit down. She thought that Yu Zaiting probably had something to tell her, otherwise he wouldn't have appeared at this time and place by such a coincidence.
Just as she was about to ask, Yu Zaiting spoke first.
"Your Majesty, I have been presumptuous in taking this opportunity to wait here. I have come to bid you farewell."
With the matter of Anji's martial spirit settled, his departure date was now set.
It will probably be tomorrow.
Xiao Qing remained silent for a while, perhaps feeling unsure of what to say, before finally whispering, "It's my fault for dragging you into this. I'm sorry."
Yu Zaiting looked at her in surprise, “Your Majesty is the supreme ruler, and what I do for Your Majesty is what I do willingly. Your Majesty need not be troubled by this. You are too kind to me.”
Xiao Qing did not insist.
She thought about what Jueyin had said, and then about the time she had spent with Yu Zaiting, and finally said, "Jiangzhou is a long way away, and it is near Xiaoshui. The Grand Tutor has also said that it is not peaceful there. Lord Yu, you must take care of your health on this trip. If... if... if you are unwilling, if I have the opportunity, I will discuss with the Grand Tutor and find a way to bring you back."
Xiao Qing knew that making such a promise might be too hasty for an emperor. However, deep down, if given the chance, she would really do it.
Let's just consider it a way to lessen our guilt.
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