Owe a meal.
Deng Yi looked at the girl below the city gate tower and smiled.
“Indeed, there’s no such thing as a free meal in this world,” he said. “I thought Miss Chu was very generous.”
Chu Zhao looked at him: “I am very generous. When I have a request, I don’t skimp on compensation. Lord Deng, you saw along the way—I haven’t shortchanged those who helped me.”
This girl had deceived and acted all along the way, and indeed her spending had been generous.
But—
“Miss Chu,” Deng Yi looked at her, “rather than compensation, it’s more accurate to call it bribery. Without that compensation, you couldn’t have driven them to act.”
At this, he smiled.
“Miss Chu is very generous, but one meal isn’t enough to bribe me, Deng Yi.”
He reached out and waved his hand lightly.
“Miss Chu, you were able to come here, and I won’t stop you from leaving either. So, go.”
Eunuch Qi was already very anxious and urged Chu Zhao: “Let’s go quickly.”
Deng Yi had made it very clear—he knew Chu Zhao had been able to come here relying on Chu Ling’s hidden capabilities, and because he was wary of Chu Ling, he wouldn’t make things difficult for them and would let them leave.
Go. As long as they lived, there would always be opportunities.
His Majesty still lived. General Chu had the Longwei Army. Although the Yang clan had fallen, the Xie clan still had foundations. The Young Highness still had chances.
Chu Zhao gripped the reins, watching Deng Yi on the gate tower about to turn and leave again. The horse, as if knowing her mood, snorted and turned in place.
She could indeed leave the imperial city smoothly, leave the capital, even return smoothly to the border commandery, return to her father’s side. But what then?
After Xiao Xun ascended the throne as Emperor?
Not to mention the Young Highness’s awkward status—how could Prince Zhongshan and his son possibly spare him?
If Xiao Xun was destined by fate to ascend the throne, then the Young Highness, and she herself—weren’t they also destined by fate to die?
She absolutely couldn’t leave!
“Lord Deng,” she called again. “My treating you to a meal wasn’t to bribe you—it was a gift. I knew you were born extraordinary, and I hoped that one day in the future, you might with a small effort help me find a way to survive.”
Eunuch Qi beside her was bewildered. This was flattery for Deng Yi? Wasn’t it a bit late now to say pleasant things?
On the city wall, Deng Yi, who had turned around, couldn’t help but laugh. He looked back again at the girl below the gate tower. So it wasn’t just a meal—it was a discerning eye recognizing a hero.
Seeing him turn back and even smile, Chu Zhao hurriedly looked at him eagerly: “Lord Deng, that one meal was just a few pieces of broken silver, hardly worth mentioning, but that was the greatest sincerity I, Chu Zhao, could offer at that time. Lord Deng, I, Chu Zhao, am never stingy. Even though on the road I bribed others, I still gave everything I could.”
Deng Yi looked at the girl below the gate tower, at the pleading in her eyes, and also, the determination.
The sincerity she could offer at that time was one meal.
But the sincerity she could offer in the future would be more than just one meal.
Deng Yi’s gaze finally glanced at the child leaning against her.
“You really want to come in?” he asked.
Eunuch Qi was startled, looking at Deng Yi in disbelief, various thoughts flying through his mind—
Chu Zhao had already nodded without hesitation: “Yes!”
Deng Yi said, “Only you and the Young Highness may enter. If you wish to come, approach.”
Having said this, without another word he turned and walked away.
This time, no shout came from the girl below the gate tower.
But after Deng Yi walked a few steps, a eunuch came forward and blocked his path.
“Grand Tutor,” he said in a low voice. “You’ve already promised Prince Zhongshan’s heir. At this time, to let others in…”
He raised his head, looking at Deng Yi.
“Surely the Grand Tutor doesn’t intend to break his word?”
……
……
Deng Yi looked at this eunuch and naturally recognized him as the one who asked questions on behalf of Prince Zhongshan.
He smiled slightly: “My letting someone else in doesn’t mean I’m not letting the heir in.”
But that “someone else” was no ordinary person—it was the Imperial Eldest Grandson!
A flash of annoyance crossed the eunuch’s eyes, then helplessness: “Lord Deng, now that the Young Highness has come, is there still any need for the heir to come?”
Deng Yi put away his smile: “What? The heir doesn’t fear the Crown Prince and Third Prince’s swords and spears in battle, yet would fear a small child? With such timidity, how can he speak of protecting His Majesty?”
He glanced at the eunuch.
“In that case, there’s no need for the heir to come either.”
About to leave, he thought of something and stopped.
“Also, if we’re talking about keeping one’s word, in this matter, Miss Chu gave me a gift one step earlier than Prince Zhongshan.”