kvmb Chapter 393 How is Young Master Yan?
Chapter 393 How is Young Master Yan?
The Imperial Tutor stood at the entrance of Chengtian Hall, calmly watching the Empress, with no intention of approaching.
Upon seeing this, the commander of the Imperial Guards realized that the Imperial Tutor was avoiding suspicion, and quickly explained the reason: "Her Majesty the Empress heard that a statue had appeared out of nowhere in the palace, which frightened His Majesty so much that he fainted. She came here specifically to investigate the situation."
The Imperial Tutor slightly raised an eyebrow, and the Emperor of Northern Qi fainted from fright. Instead of visiting the Emperor, the Empress came to examine the statue first.
Was she trying to avoid serving the ailing emperor of Northern Qi, or had she sensed something?
When the Empress heard the voice of the Imperial Guard Commander, she looked over and was slightly taken aback when she saw the Imperial Tutor. She was surprised that the Imperial Tutor would be here.
In a moment of reflection, the Empress realized that the Northern Qi Emperor relied heavily on his tutor, and it no longer seemed strange to her.
She gazed at the Imperial Tutor, whose features were refined and elegant, and whose bearing was divine. So many years had passed, yet neither his appearance nor his demeanor had changed much. Upon closer inspection, however, one could discern that the sharpness in his eyes seemed to have been softened by the passage of time, becoming increasingly profound and reserved.
No wonder such a radiant man could become the ideal husband in the hearts of noble ladies in the capital.
Unfortunately, no one was able to marry him as they wished.
Thinking of this, the Empress couldn't help but recall the year Yi Zhen entered the palace, when she, following custom, invited the daughters of various families to the palace to admire the lotus blossoms. The Imperial Tutor, surrounded by several scholars, walked through the winding corridors towards his study.
The noble ladies covered their faces with round fans, looking at the Imperial Tutor with shyness and timidity. Even the married noble ladies couldn't help but cast curious glances. Only Yizhen was brewing tea and didn't spare a single look.
She overheard the whispers of the crowd, discussing which noble lady the Imperial Tutor would marry. As Yizhen handed her a cup of warm tea, she couldn't help but ask, "Princess, what do you think of Young Master Yan?"
Upon hearing this, Yi Zhen turned her gaze, just as the Imperial Tutor inadvertently glanced in their direction. She unexpectedly met the Imperial Tutor's stern gaze. After only one glance, she looked away and said softly, "Young Master Yan is a top scholar; he will surely be ennobled and appointed prime minister one day."
She paused slightly, wanting to ask something more, but then heard Yi Zhen continue, "If my brother had such a talented person by his side, he would surely be able to help him bring benefits to the people of the Great Zhou."
At that moment, she realized that Yizhen was different from these noble ladies. She only saw her country and her family, and love was too insignificant to her as a hostage princess.
Following the noble ladies' words, she asked Yizhen, "Even if it was just casual conversation, it was still offensive."
As Yi Zhen said, the Imperial Tutor now holds a supreme position and assists the Emperor of Northern Qi in bringing benefits to the people of Northern Qi.
I have no heart for romantic love.
The Empress thought to herself that the Imperial Tutor and Yi Zhen were probably the same kind of people, holding fast to their beliefs and unable to tolerate anyone else.
The Imperial Tutor bowed and said, "Your humble servant greets Your Majesty the Empress."
"No need for formalities." The Empress's voice was cold: "Imperial Tutor, are you here on the Emperor's orders to thoroughly investigate the matter of the statue?"
The Imperial Tutor nodded slightly.
The Empress asked, "Does the Imperial Tutor know the purpose of this statue's sudden appearance in the palace?"
The Imperial Tutor did not answer but instead asked, "Has Your Majesty discovered some clues?"
The Empress stared intently at the Imperial Tutor, unable to discern the slightest hint of anything on his face.
Except for a few days at the National Temple each year, or when he was ordered by the emperor to leave the capital to do official business, the Imperial Tutor basically stayed in the capital and was at the beck and call of the Northern Qi Emperor.
This year, however, an exception was made.
Although the Imperial Tutor's reasons were quite compelling, her intuition told her that this was not the case.
After all, those involved are often confused, while bystanders see things clearly.
She did not trust the imperial tutor as much as the emperor of Northern Qi did.
Unfortunately, the Imperial Tutor was too well hidden; even if there was something strange about him, she couldn't detect it with just a few words.
The Queen abandoned her probing thoughts and looked at the tall statue beside her, its entire body covered with patterns of armor plates, as if the statue had been pieced together piece by piece with some kind of material.
She stood at the foot of the statue and could clearly see that it was covered with a layer of ash, emanating a cold, damp smell, probably because it had been stored in a dark, sunless place before.
"Do you think this statue will remain in Chengtian Hall forever?" The Empress extended an index finger and gently rubbed it against the statue, scraping off a speck of dust with her fingernail. "Besides this, there is no other way to move the statue into the palace without alerting the guards."
She looked at the empty, flat ground and suspected that the statue was hidden underground. However, the commander of the Imperial Guard searched inside and out several times but found no mechanism.
The Queen pondered, "Perhaps we can find the answer by moving this statue?"
She suspected that the mechanism was hidden beneath the base of the statue.
The Imperial Tutor did not respond to the Empress's words, but instead looked up at the majestic and powerful statue, seemingly lost in thought.
The Empress did not receive a response from the Imperial Tutor. Following his gaze, she was surprised to find that the statue was looking towards the Golden Palace, as if it existed to protect the Zongzheng family's empire.
“Your Majesty has a point.” The Imperial Tutor slowly walked towards the statue, his fingers tracing the patterns on it. “Why don’t we have someone try it?”
The Empress frowned slightly, her gaze probing as she looked at the Imperial Tutor's soiled fingers. Before she could think further, the Imperial Tutor ordered the statue to be moved.
Fearing that the imperial guards might bump into the empress, Green Branch quickly escorted the empress away from the statue.
The Imperial Guard prepared tools, fitted them onto the statue, and prepared to work together to move it.
With a "crack" sound, as if some mechanism had been triggered, the tall and majestic statue began to collapse, sinking inch by inch.