He didn’t decline, thanked her, and without further pleasantries, asked directly, “What instructions does Your Highness have for summoning me?”
Chu Zhao said, “It’s about His Majesty attending court.”
After saying this, she signaled to A Le, who led the palace maids out. Xiao Man still stood unmoving. Even when A Le gave her meaningful looks, she ignored them. A Le didn’t force it.
Deng Yi didn’t care whether there was one more or one fewer person in the hall. He guessed that Chu Zhao had summoned him because she was worried about the little emperor’s first time attending court and wanted to ask him to look after him.
“This subject—” he began.
But Chu Zhao spoke first: “Grand Tutor, I want to accompany His Majesty to court.”
Deng Yi was glad he’d only tasted a few bites of food and had swallowed it all cleanly. Otherwise, he really might have spat it out.
She was indeed worried about the little emperor, but she wasn’t asking him to look after him—
This was truly a bold request.
“How many times does Your Majesty wish to accompany him?” he asked mildly.
For the enthronement ceremony, one could say His Majesty was young and you could accompany him. For the first day of court, one could say His Majesty was timid and you could accompany him. But surely he couldn’t be afraid every day? No matter how frightening something was, once familiar and accustomed, it wouldn’t be frightening anymore.
Chu Zhao smiled. “I want to accompany him until His Majesty assumes personal rule.”
Deng Yi smiled, set down his chopsticks, and said, “Miss Ah Zhao grows bolder and bolder.”
So what if she’d become Empress? He, Deng Yi, still dared to call her Miss Ah Zhao.
This identity of Empress wasn’t innate—it was bestowed by the Emperor. Since it was given by someone else, it could be taken away, could be abolished.
Chu Zhao showed no fear at Deng Yi’s attitude. What did it matter if he spoke disrespectfully to her? She had seen Deng Yi slap the Emperor’s face.
“Grand Tutor,” she called, not picking up that topic, reaching out to serve him food. “Try this.”
What was this? Flattery? Deng Yi’s expression was half-smiling.
“Lord Deng,” Chu Zhao said, looking at Deng Yi with a frank expression. “I want to accompany His Majesty as he grows up. His Majesty’s closest relatives cannot only be the Xie clan.”
Deng Yi understood the meaning of this latter sentence.
Making a fuss about attending court—it was because of the Xie clan.
She wanted to compete with the Xie clan for the little emperor.
That’s right. She had risked life and death protecting the young prince and fighting into the palace, then demanded the position of Empress from the Emperor. Of course it wasn’t to preserve a relative, an emperor, for the Xie clan.
From the beginning, she did it for herself. Since she did it for herself, she needed to make the Emperor rely more on her. But she was a woman, and the Emperor ultimately belonged to the court. To be a good emperor, he needed to rely on those who could support him in the court hall—like a maternal uncle who was both relative and court official.
Deng Yi again reached out to take the food Chu Zhao had served him.
Seeing his action, Chu Zhao hurriedly bowed. “Please, Grand Tutor, help me.”
She bowed, then raised her eyes to look at him, large eyes blinking.
Deng Yi looked at the food on his chopsticks. “Should I not have eaten this meal?”
Chu Zhao laughed heartily, instantly sitting up straight and calling loudly for A Le: “Have the imperial kitchen bring more dishes.”
Deng Yi didn’t continue eating, though he could call her Miss Ah Zhao, the Miss Ah Zhao of today wasn’t only Miss Ah Zhao anymore.
“In this matter, the person Your Highness most needs to persuade isn’t me,” he said. “His Majesty and I will forever be ruler and subject. He is my sovereign, I am his subject. Simple and clear. Whether the Empress sits in court or not makes no difference to me.”
His eyes only recognized the Emperor.
Even if you, this Empress, sat in the court hall, you still wouldn’t be his sovereign.
These words were extremely blunt.
Chu Zhao showed not the slightest shame or anger, listening earnestly.
“But for the Xie clan, the Empress sitting beside the Emperor is very important,” Deng Yi said. “So the person you need to persuade is the Xie clan.”
Chu Zhao gave him a solemn bow. “Thank you for teaching me, Grand Tutor.”
Deng Yi said mildly, “I can help you attend court, but I won’t help you persuade the Xie clan.”
The girl raised her head with a smile. “Lord Deng only ate one meal from me. Naturally you can’t help me with two matters. This matter, I’ll handle myself.”
……
……
Deng Yi withdrew his gaze. She had indeed accomplished it.
For His Majesty’s sake.
Of course, for His Majesty’s sake, Xie Yanfang would be capable of anything.
Deng Yi asked no more questions, bowed in farewell, and strode past her.
Actually, he didn’t care how she persuaded Xie Yanfang.
Earlier, when she asked for his help, it wasn’t because she truly needed his help. She was just telling him that she didn’t trust Xie Yanfang.
Her not trusting Xie Yanfang—who did that benefit? Him, of course.
How could he, Deng Yi, disagree with something beneficial?
Only—
Deng Yi stopped and looked back. That girl’s figure still stood before the great hall, seemingly seeing him off, yet also seemingly overlooking the imperial city.
Did she trust him?