Xiao Yu sat down, looking at Chu Zhao with excitement and envy.
“Elder Sister still has a mother.”
Chu Zhao sighed softly: “She comes from a poor background and was separated from my father due to circumstances. Moreover, I cannot call her mother, nor can I tell the world that I still have a mother.”
Adult matters were somewhat difficult for a child to understand, but one point was simple. Xiao Yu said: “But you still have a mother. That’s enough.”
His expression darkened.
“Actually, I really wish my father and mother were still alive.”
“As long as they were alive, it would be fine—even if Father still didn’t play with me, even if Mother kept lecturing me.”
Chu Zhao reached out to embrace him, patting his shoulder and back, saying softly: “A’Yu, Elder Sister still has a mother, and my mother is your mother too.”
Xiao Yu leaned on Chu Zhao’s shoulder and made a strong sound of agreement.
He knew that when people died, they could never come back.
He didn’t think about it much anymore now.
He still had Elder Sister Chu.
As long as Elder Sister Chu was always there, it would be fine.
……
……
Deep in the night, Deng Yi, who had been busy all day, continued to be busy until interrupted by a request from outside the door.
“Grand Tutor, sir, the imperial kitchen has sent the late-night meal.”
Deng Yi made a sound of acknowledgment. This was also habit—whenever he was in the palace, the imperial kitchen always sent a special late-night meal at night.
The door was pushed open to chaotic footsteps.
“Grand Tutor, government affairs are complicated, but you must also pay attention to rest,” a clear female voice said.
Deng Yi glanced at the young woman who walked in—she didn’t perform a grand bow—and lowered his head to continue reading the scroll in his hand, saying: “This official merely sits and moves his brush, which doesn’t compare to Your Majesty’s campaigning and traveling. You should go rest quickly. Now that Your Majesty is in the palace, delaying morning court will invite criticism.”
Chu Zhao sat down across from him and let out a long breath, as if her entire body had relaxed, saying: “I’m not afraid. Since I was able to return here alive, I fear no criticism.”
She smiled again.
“No criticism can do anything to me.”
Deng Yi raised his head and looked at the young woman, smiling slightly: “This trip back and forth has made the Empress even more formidable.”
Previously she had been placed in the empress position by the late Emperor. Now she had also achieved merit and established her career. This empress position was even more firmly seated.
Chu Zhao reached out to pour tea and raised the teacup: “That I could return today, I must thank the Grand Tutor for his assistance. I use tea in place of wine to thank Lord Deng.”
Deng Yi looked at her and reached out to pick up the tea before him.
“Along my journey, I drank tea three times.” Chu Zhao held up two fingers to Deng Yi.
Deng Yi made a sound of acknowledgment and accepted a small bowl of whitebait noodles prepared by his clerk.
The clerk respectfully asked: “Your Majesty, would you like to try these whitebait noodles?”
The palace servants delivering the late-night meal had already withdrawn—not just anyone could attend closely. The Empress had brought a palace maid, but that maid just stood to the side. Forget about coming over to serve—if you even looked at her too much, she would glare fiercely back.
The clerk also knew of Chu Zhao’s background. Chu Lan’s family was undistinguished, and what Chu Ling had given her certainly wouldn’t be the kind of refined maid raised in a capital noble household.
It wasn’t surprising that the Empress’s most capable maid could kill people, but she might truly be unable to serve properly.
He could only do it himself.
Of course, this was also his honor.
Chu Zhao watched Deng Yi hold the bowl and eat noodles, and asked curiously: “Is this good?”
The clerk smiled: “The Grand Tutor likes this most. The imperial kitchen always keeps it ready.”
Chu Zhao smiled: “Then I’ll try some too. The Grand Tutor understands the imperial cuisine better than I do.”
Though she was the Empress, she truly hadn’t spent as much time in the palace city as the Grand Tutor.
Deng Yi finished the noodles in a few bites, set down his bowl and chopsticks, and said: “The tea Lord Xie served probably wasn’t very pleasant to drink, was it? You disrupted Lord Xie’s grand plans.”
Chu Zhao smiled: “Lord Xie won’t be angry with me because Prince Zhongshan’s heir confessed. Lord Xie just thinks I took too great a risk doing this on my own.”
The word “on my own” in that sentence was enough. It seemed this young woman had already placated Xie Yanfang. Deng Yi accepted the plum soup the clerk handed him and nodded, saying: “This subject thinks the same. Next time Your Majesty does something, please inform this official beforehand. Always being so silent not only catches people off guard, but also creates distance between us.”
Chu Zhao held her bowl eating noodles and smiled at these words: “So, would the Grand Tutor listen to whatever I say?”
Deng Yi frowned at her.
“No.” Chu Zhao straightened her expression and answered for him. “You might even stop me. I feel that would also create distance between us.”
Deng Yi made a sound: “Your Majesty is right. When ruler and subject are at odds, it is certainly the subject’s fault and has nothing to do with the sovereign.”
Chu Zhao wasn’t afraid of his sarcasm and smiled again: “Lord Deng, why speak so distantly?” She said to the clerk bowing beside them, “I want to try this plum soup too.”
The clerk acknowledged.
“I don’t distrust you,” Chu Zhao continued to Deng Yi. “I don’t distrust Lord Xie either. It’s just that with some matters, when one person faces another there will inevitably be disputes. We come from different backgrounds, have different experiences, so naturally our views and desires are also different.”