Chapter 22 Burning with Rage
"Your Majesty?" Fu Mingyi keenly noticed the intense longing that suddenly burst forth in her eyes.
Xiao Qing cursed herself inwardly for being so spineless, and quickly lowered her eyes warily.
"Grand Tutor, your journey is long and the situation is unclear. I am truly worried. Please allow me to accompany you for a longer distance."
Fu Mingyi paused for a moment.
"good."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Youchen couldn't help but frown, and walked over with his hand on the sword at his waist.
He whispered, "Your Majesty, Lord Fu..."
Fu Mingyi raised a hand to stop him, looking only at Xiao Qing and saying, "Your Majesty, even after a thousand miles of escorting you, we must eventually part. Your Majesty's kindness is deeply appreciated, but we dare not disregard Your Majesty's safety. There is a Yujun Pavilion three miles outside the city, where many people in Nanhua City choose to send off their relatives and friends. What does Your Majesty think?"
Xiao Qing quickly nodded, "Then we will do as the Grand Tutor says."
She fidgeted with her hands inside her sleeves, her mind racing.
Fu Mingyi turned to Zhao Youchen and gave him a few instructions. Seeing the other man's somewhat disapproving look, he didn't explain anything.
The troops left the city and quickly headed straight for Yujun Pavilion. They thoroughly searched the area, and when Xiao Qing and Fu Mingyi arrived, apart from the soldiers standing guard, there wasn't a single bird to be seen.
Xiao Qing's expression changed. At this moment, she realized the reality—she had no chance to escape.
At this moment, Fu Mingyi said, "Your Majesty, I have something I wish to say to you alone."
Xiao Qing was in a bad mood, so she nodded casually, her expression still tense.
Fu Mingyi said to Zhao Youchen, "Your Majesty and I need to be alone for a while. Please, General Zhao, take your men and retreat two hundred meters." Then he whispered some instructions.
Zhao Youchen glanced at Xiao Qing with a sour face, and seeing that she didn't object, he had no choice but to leave with his men.
Fu Mingyi gestured to the few people standing by the carriage who were preparing to go to Ping'an City with him to retreat with Zhao Youchen, leaving only Fu Mingyi, Xiao Qing, and the carriages and such at the scene.
"Does the Grand Tutor have anything to say?" Xiao Qing realized that it was too difficult to realize his wish, so he spoke without any emotion.
Fu Mingyi sounded somewhat tired.
"Your Majesty, it's really nothing. I just stayed up all night preparing for today's trip, and I'm a little tired now. Your Majesty values me so much and has accompanied me all the way here; I am deeply grateful. I have some sweet tea in my carriage, a specialty of my hometown. It's sweet but not cloying, and light and refreshing. I'm sure Your Majesty will like it after trying it."
Xiao Qing was a little confused as to why he suddenly brought up "sweet tea".
"Therefore, I dare to ask Your Majesty to grace us with your presence and allow us to sample my culinary skills."
Xiao Qing rolled her eyes inwardly, thinking, "It's just drinking tea, isn't it? How can you talk about it for so long? Don't you get tired?"
But she still nodded in a perfunctory manner, "Thank you for your trouble, Grand Tutor."
So the two boarded the Grand Tutor's carriage for his long journey.
The car is spacious and simply and elegantly decorated, much like the style of the Grand Tutor.
However, when Xiao Qing sat down, he seemed to be transported back to the days when he was being led by the Grand Tutor on his southward escape.
As Fu Mingyi took out tea and tea set, he said casually, "This carriage was originally made by Li Qinghe, a famous craftsman from Ping'an City. Wealthy families in Ping'an City like to commission Master Li to make their carriages."
He had already prepared the tea, rinsed the teacups, and started brewing the tea.
"Master Li joined the army in his early years, and I heard he participated in the war against the Northern Barbarians. Later, he lost a leg and returned to Ping'an City, where he made a living as a blacksmith. Because of his excellent craftsmanship, he gradually started a business making custom-made carriages and horses..."
Xiao listened intently, his eyes constantly darting outside.
At this moment, Zhao Youchen and the others were not outside, which made Xiao Qing, who had been somewhat resigned, think a little more clearly.
Fu Mingyi's voice grew softer and softer.
When Xiao Qing noticed, the Grand Tutor was lying on the small table in front of him, tea was brewing in a teapot, and there was a faint sweet fragrance in the carriage.
Xiao Qing was stunned for a while, and then her heart started pounding again.
She called softly, "Grand Tutor?"
But the Grand Tutor seemed to be really too tired, and didn't even hear him, still lying there.
Zhao Youchen was 200 meters away.
Fu Mingyi was already asleep.
They're right outside the city!
Xiao Qing stood up involuntarily, feeling that there was no better opportunity than this.
She quietly lifted the carriage curtain and quickly stepped out.
Zhao Youchen and the others were standing ramrod straight with their backs to them.
Xiao Qing stood beside the carriage, the impulse in her heart growing like wild grass.
Time was of the essence. In fact, she knew she should think more and not act impulsively, but she still crouched down, using the carriages as cover, and quickly walked in the opposite direction from Zhao Youchen and the others.
The wind rustled the leaves.
Xiao Qing's heart felt as if it were being pulled by a thin thread, and the sound of her heartbeat was incessant.
But before she had taken ten steps, she saw someone wearing black boots blocking her way on the ground.
Xiao Qing's heart skipped a beat, and her head seemed to lower even further.
An invisible tension permeated the air.
"Where is Your Majesty going?" Fu Mingyi's voice was calm and gentle.
Xiao Qing straightened up, and only after his heartbeat calmed down did he say in a serious tone, "I need to pee."
Fu Mingyi watched her lie through her teeth, and for a long time he couldn't believe that their emperor actually harbored such a ridiculous and absurd thoughts.
His face was somber, but his mood was even heavier.
He was about to go to Ping'an City in the north. He was going to that homeland that had been occupied by the northern barbarians to bring back some of the people of the Great Xiao Dynasty.
But what is their emperor thinking? Is he planning to abandon the entire Great Xiao while he's away?
"You just can't wait any longer?" Fu Mingyi's voice was filled with deep disappointment and suppressed anger.
Xiao Qing immediately knew that Fu Mingyi understood.
She kept her head down in silence, unsure of what to say.
She should have known better. How could Fu Mingyi be so unguarded as to fall asleep right in front of her?
However, she deliberately ignored these things and chose to follow her truest desires.
As it turns out, it's always better to be rational.
There was nothing to argue about, so she could only remain silent.
Her silence only fueled Fu Mingyi's anger.
A dark fire burned within him, and his eyes grew ever more profound and unfathomable.
"I guess you planned for Mingxiu not to be here a long time ago."
Xiao Qing frowned, "Grand Tutor, I simply needed to relieve myself, and I need to speak with Ming..."
"You still won't admit it?" Fu Mingyi sneered.
"Zhao Youchen!" he suddenly shouted.
He felt he couldn't continue talking to her.
He bowed slightly. "Very well, since Your Majesty does not cherish my trust..."
Zhao Youchen, puzzled, strode back.
"Before I return, imprison Mingxiu and Imperial Physician He in the palace prison, and no one is allowed to see them. You must protect His Majesty without ever leaving the ground, and send urgent messages every day. If anything unusual happens in the palace, first execute Imperial Physician He and Mingxiu, then close the palace gates and the gates of Nanhua City. Only entry is allowed, no exit."
Xiao Qing stared at him in shock, "Grand Tutor!"
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