After coming out of Fushou Palace, Hua Zhi saw Lai Fu waiting outside, "Master Taifu, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince wants to see you."
Hua Zhi was not surprised. If she had entered the palace and Xiaoliu didn't know about it, she would have been worried that he had poor control over the palace.
"Is your father-in-law feeling better?"
"Yes, Doctor Yu has sent us the antidote. We will recover after resting slowly." Lai Fu bent his waist even lower. Although he still looked haggard, his words revealed that he was at ease. The one who took the throne was the Sixth Prince, so most of what he had planned had been accomplished. Besides, the Crown Prince only had Xiaoshuang by his side, and Xiaoshuang had never been castrated, so it would be inconvenient for her to stay in the palace. Unless he volunteered to be castrated, he would probably have to run around for the Crown Prince in the future.
Now he is serving the prince, and it is estimated that he will be used for a period of time. No matter how long he is used, as long as the relationship between the prince and the emperor is maintained, his future will be stable.
Both of them were cautious people. They didn't say much in the deep palace and walked in silence all the way to the Jingxin Palace where the prince lived.
"Master... Grand Tutor." Xiao Liu stood up and greeted him when he saw him.
Hua Zhi didn't want either of them to feel uncomfortable, so she didn't perform any formal greetings. She simply bowed to show her courtesy.
Sure enough, Xiaoliu looked happier.
Lai Fu was very tactful and personally served tea, then led everyone to retreat to the appropriate position. He did not leave, nor did he let anyone in the room leave. Having spent half his life in the palace, he knew very well what to pay attention to.
Hua Zhi felt a little thirsty without even touching a drop of water from the Empress Dowager. She drank half a cup before she felt her thirst was relieved.
"No more East Palace?"
"Several old ministers came to discuss this with me before. They meant that we should not have an Eastern Palace anymore and just live in Jingxin Palace for a few days." Xiao Liu looked at his master expectantly, "When will the Grand Master give me lessons?"
"The Queen Mother summoned me just now to discuss this matter. The Queen Mother meant to hold classes for two hours every day in Fushou Palace." After a pause, Hua Zhi added, "I proposed it."
"Why in Fushou Palace?"
"The prince and I..." Hua Zhi paused, pursed her temples and asked, "Should I call you humble minister? I'm not used to it."
Xiao Liu smiled, "Taifu, you don't have to change. It's good to be at ease like this. If you really call me humble minister all the time, I'm afraid I will be even more uncomfortable with it."
Yes, Xiaoliu did not speak for this palace all the time. In his heart, he hoped that there would not be too many changes. Hua Zhi thought for a while and said as usual: "Everyone in the court knows that the prince and I are close, but I can't take advantage of this to act recklessly, so as not to cause unnecessary gossip. If I were in Fushou Palace, there would be no such troubles, which would be good for both you and me."
Xiaoliu was smart, even smarter than most people. After Hua Zhi went around in circles, he immediately understood what she meant. The palace was a place that forced people to grow up, and it was normal for a ten-year-old to understand everything. Even if he didn't attach importance to it, he understood what he was supposed to understand.
To say that he had never had any thoughts... How could he not have had them? That person looked good in every way. He felt worry-free and at ease as long as he was with her. But he could see more clearly that the biggest obstacle between them did not come from brother Yan Xi, but from the fact that the Grand Tutor had no thoughts about him. He didn't care about him before because he was a prince, and he wouldn't care about him now because he became the crown prince.
The Grand Tutor seems to be gentle but is extremely stubborn. Once he dares to resort to any tricks, things will only develop in the worst direction. Some things cannot be solved even by the power of a king, not to mention that human hearts are the most precious thing in the world and cannot be forced.
He already has very little now, and if he loses it again, he will have nothing. He doesn't want to be like his father, who was pitiful when he was alive and sad when he died. He wants to hold on to this little bit of warmth, hold it in his hands for a long time, and exchange that little bit of thought in his heart for one, no, several family members who care about him wholeheartedly. He won't lose out.
"Okay, according to what the Master said, how about starting at 15:00 every day?"
Hua Zhi calculated the time and nodded. This time was appropriate. "There is no rush for this matter. The most important thing right now is the late emperor's death. As for the harem, please do not interfere. The Empress Dowager will handle it."
"I know."
Hua Zhi was stunned. She said that she had changed her mindset, but when she really saw the child, she still forgot that the child in front of her was no longer the previous Xiao Liu'er. A prince who was about to ascend the throne did not need her to tell him how to act.
Then... how should one be the Grand Tutor
"The Spring Examination is coming soon, and all the candidates have gathered in the capital, but now... Master, what do you think we should do about this?"
Hua Zhi collected her thoughts, and even though she had some thoughts in her mind, she did not hide them. "After studying hard for more than ten years, she finally waited for the day when she could sell her life's learning to the imperial family. Most of them came from a long distance. Those with less financial resources would have to pay a huge amount of money for each extra day they stayed in the capital. If they miss this opportunity, they might not be able to come to the capital again. And people's hearts also need to be comforted. These things seem unimportant, but they are actually closely related to Daqing. They are candidates, and the future pillars of Daqing are all here. I think it would be best if the Spring Examination could be held as scheduled. Although it is when the late emperor passed away, this move is not disrespectful at all."
Xiao Liu was not surprised by the Grand Tutor's answer. Born in the Hua family, she instinctively protected scholars. What she said was reasonable. She nodded and said, "Lord Zhu mentioned this matter today. His meaning was that he hoped that the Spring Examination would not be delayed. However, some people felt that it was not appropriate to do so at this time. Now it seems that it is better not to postpone it."
"When the late emperor granted me the position of Grand Tutor, he also set a condition that I could not participate in government affairs. You don't need to ask me about these matters in the future, lest I break the rules and be blamed."
"You are my tutor, isn't it your duty to answer my questions? You are not in the court right now, so naturally you cannot be considered as participating in politics."
She has grown up indeed. Looking at Xiao Liu Huazhi who is implementing the policy of "there are countermeasures for every policy" with confidence, she smiled. It is good this way. Living people cannot be confined by rigid rules.
After finishing the remaining half cup of tea, Hua Zhi looked up and asked, "Have you read Jin Yang's memorial?"
Xiaoliu nodded, "Yes, the money has been put into the warehouse and archived."
"This is only part of it." Hua Zhi stood up and bowed solemnly. "Yan Xi and I are worried that too much silver will make the late emperor think about messing with the canal again, so we discussed and secretly withheld part of it. The amount is equivalent to what was sent back. Now the silver is on the way back. When the time comes, please send someone you trust to compare the accounts."
Xiaoliu knew the Grand Tutor well, so she motioned for her to sit down and asked, "Grand Tutor, have you made any plans for the money?"
“Stock up on food.”
Xiaoliu pursed his lips. A battle with the Chaoli tribe was inevitable. It was time to prepare.
ps: I feel sleepy during the day and it’s… late at night.