Chapter 6 No Way Out
Impulsiveness is the devil.
Upon hearing the sound of the teacup shattering into pieces, Xiao knew that his conversation was likely going to end badly.
Fu Mingyi is definitely not a docile and obedient rabbit.
He was decisive and ruthless, with a deep mind. Even though he wore a veneer of humility, caution, politeness, and virtue, he was by no means someone who could tolerate being manipulated or bullied.
She lost her temper first; she had been holding back her anger for so long, and her anxiety made it impossible for her to control it.
Even though she had followed Fu Mingyi all the way south and settled down in the city, she wasn't a fool who couldn't see, hear, or think.
What kind of country, after being invaded by a foreign enemy, would require its ruler and subjects to flee together? That country is probably not far from its demise. Moreover, on her way to Nanding, she did not see any reinforcements along the way, and even after arriving in Nanding, Fu Mingyi seemed to only introduce her to scholars.
This illustrates a very dangerous problem—these people don't have an army at their disposal.
As a certain great grandfather once said, political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.
There is an old saying that a scholar's rebellion will not succeed in ten years.
Even if she hadn't seriously read many history books, she could easily figure out how miserable her fate would be if she were placed in the position of "emperor".
She'd already died once, so if she were to be poisoned to death by Fu Mingyi on a bumpy carriage ride, she wouldn't be afraid of anything anymore.
But now, having survived those hardships and settled down in Nanding City, she feels she can't just die without knowing why, whenever she thinks about the future.
More importantly, dying without knowing anything and dying after being cruelly manipulated by fate are completely different feelings, okay?
She glared at Fu Mingyi, still angry and feeling she had reason to be angry. But when she saw Fu Mingyi kneeling there unmoved, his silent posture without even blinking, she began to feel inexplicably guilty and timid.
To conceal the slight, uncontrollable change in her heart, she walked back to her seat with a cold face and an agitated expression, looking to one side to reduce the pressure from Fu Mingyi.
It seemed they were stuck in a dead end; no matter what she said, Fu Mingyi would only give a high-sounding excuse to avoid the issue.
What's the point of even talking then?
You can't exactly ask her to tell Fu Mingyi: "I actually came from another time, I'm not your little emperor, am I?"
Wouldn't that leave us with even less of a chance to survive?
She didn't know that Fu Mingyi, as the tutor of Crown Prince Xiao Qing, although he didn't know much about Xiao Yan, was definitely not blind to the difference between her and Xiao Yan.
Fu Mingyi had been observing and waiting, and now that she had lost her temper, Fu Mingyi was seventy percent certain that she was no longer the little princess Xiao Yan.
So here's the question.
She is clearly Xiao Yan, yet she is not Xiao Yan. So who is she?
Was she genuinely unwilling to become emperor, or was she merely putting on an act?
If that's true, is it really because she doesn't want to accept a "mess," out of fear, or for some other reason?
A ten-year-old girl who was timid and never dared to speak loudly to people, only hiding behind them, actually managed to get him to think so much. But from this point of view, Fu Mingyi would not underestimate Xiao Qing.
In reality, Fu Mingyi never underestimates his opponents.
Even when he knew he was being soft-hearted towards Xiao Qing.
The very fact that could soften his heart is precisely what makes him even more wary in this turbulent reality.
Fu Mingyi's mind raced, but he remained silent, as if Xiao Qing's previous words hadn't been directed at him.
He also wouldn't directly answer any of her questions about "not wanting to be emperor."
Forgive Fu Mingyi for never having met a time traveler, nor for having heard any interesting stories about it, so he could never have imagined it from this perspective.
Otherwise, he would definitely think that he had really overthought things.
After calming down for a while, Xiao Qing finally decided not to resort to any tricks like reasoning or appealing to emotions.
"Grand Tutor, I'm not going to beat around the bush with you anymore. In ancient times, there were virtuous men who abdicated their thrones as a sign of their virtue. I believe my virtue is inferior to yours, Grand Tutor, but I wish to follow suit. As long as you have a reliable method, I am willing to cooperate. What do you say?"
After saying that, Xiao Qing sadly realized that she had gone in circles.
But Fu Mingyi looked at her in surprise, then kowtowed. Although it wasn't as loud as the previous two times, the words he uttered were not very pleasant.
"Your Majesty, while studying history can enlighten one, it is also necessary to be discerning and to think things through carefully. For example..."
This is going to kill me.
For a shrewd person like Fu Mingyi, being straightforward or indirect seems to be of little use. If he doesn't want to do something, he probably won't do it, so if he doesn't want to say something, he definitely won't say it.
Xiao Qing didn't want to listen to his endless rambling anymore, so she waved her hand impatiently, "Alright, alright, stop talking."
Fu Mingyi obediently shut up.
Xiao Qing felt utterly powerless.
She sat there lazily, trying to cultivate her composure for a moment, then looked at him with a half-smile, "May I ask, Grand Tutor, have you considered your own escape route in putting a woman on the throne as a prince?"
Fu Mingyi finally raised his head and looked at her without any hesitation, staring at her for a long time.
Xiao Qing felt that his gaze seemed too deep and heavy, and in fact, it was difficult for her to maintain eye contact with him.
But it was precisely because she realized this that she felt even more strongly that she could not look away, could not show any sign of backing down, not even in the slightest.
So she looked at him, almost clenching her fists, staring at him with all her might, determined not to give in.
After looking at it for a long time, Fu Mingyi actually smiled softly.
"With blades of ice ten thousand feet long and flames burning each other, I have no way out."
Xiao Qing couldn't remember when Fu Mingyi left.
All she remembered was that before he left, he pulled a memorial from his sleeve and placed it beside her, then turned away, his silhouette somewhat blurred in the dim light.
And she, after he said those words in such an indifferent tone, was actually, actually stunned?!
She rubbed her temples and looked out the window; before she knew it, night was falling.
She talked with the Grand Tutor for almost half a day, but not only did they achieve nothing, the Grand Tutor also gave her a memorial as homework?
Holy crap!
Xiao Qing angrily grabbed the memorial and threw it down, letting it join the teacup that was smashed to pieces. Then, she turned around and walked angrily into the inner hall.
The Grand Tutor is all talk and no action, and he only provokes people's wrath.
Since you so heartlessly rejected the olive branch I extended with a frank and sincere heart, don't blame me for causing trouble for you!
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