Denghuangtai

Upon seeing Yun Zheng, the Master's expression changed drastically. He abruptly stopped what he was about to say and lowered his head guiltily, saying, "Greetings, Grand Minister of Works."

The young emperor, standing to the side, first exclaimed joyfully, "Cousin!"

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly remembered the various evil deeds of the Lü family members recorded in the Records of the Grand Historian. He made up his mind and couldn't help but overthink when he looked at Yun Zheng.

Yun Zheng... was also a relative of the emperor's family, and his aunt happened to be the empress dowager who was in power.

Could the Yun family be the next "Lü family"?

The young emperor muttered to himself, his affection for Yun Zheng turning to suspicion, and he became more wary of him. Being young, he couldn't hide his emotions, so his thoughts were always written on his face.

Yun Zheng took in the unusual expressions on the faces of the emperor and his minister, but he didn't delve into it. His expression remained calm as he walked straight to the young emperor's side. A rare smile appeared on his usually gloomy face.

"Your Majesty." Yun Zheng cupped his hands and bowed slightly to the young emperor.

The young emperor raised his hand, adopting the airs of a monarch, "My dear minister, you may rise."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Yun Zheng straightened up, looked into the young emperor's watery eyes, and said in a gentle tone, "Has Your Majesty finished your studies for today? If so, why not come with me for a short trip? I have found a few performers skilled in ice opera, and I thought I would bring them to Your Majesty to enjoy the spectacle."

Upon hearing that there was something exciting to see, the young emperor's stern face immediately disappeared. He no longer maintained his royal demeanor and cheered as he rose from his desk, rushed to Yun Zheng's side, grabbed Yun Zheng's hand, and said, "Cousin, quickly show me!"

Yun Zheng held the young emperor's hand and slowly walked out of the hall. Before leaving, he glanced back at the teacher. His light gaze was like a cold glint, which made the teacher feel a chill run down his spine.

Cangchi.

The young emperor stood in the pavilion in the middle of the lake, his fair face tucked into the fur collar of his fox fur coat, revealing only his dark eyes.

Watching the performers dancing gracefully on the ice, he momentarily forgot his royal dignity and cheered like an ordinary child.

On the shore, Yun Zheng gazed in the direction of the young emperor, his expression icy. "Why is His Majesty alone today?"

The eunuch beside him, trembling with fear, bowed respectfully and replied, "Your Majesty, the Grand Minister of Works, today His Majesty is in a good mood and insists on reciting the ancient texts of the dialogue between ruler and subject. He also felt that we servants were in his way, so..."

"Next time."

Before the eunuch could finish speaking, Yun Zheng interrupted, "If His Majesty still has such thoughts, you may obey His Majesty, but you must personally find a place where you can hear the sounds inside the palace. What His Majesty said to someone alone must be reported to me in detail. His Majesty is young, and if there is no one to guide him, he may be deceived and used by treacherous people."

"Yes." The eunuch bowed deeply to Yun Zheng, his body hunched over like a shrimp.

Yun Zheng stopped watching the eunuchs and walked towards the lakeside pavilion. His cold expression gradually melted away, replaced by a warm smile.

"Your Majesty, the winter wind is strong. Please be careful not to catch a cold if you stay outside for too long," Yun Zheng said gently.

"I haven't seen enough yet," the young emperor said, his eyes glued to the entertainer, reluctant to leave.

Upon hearing this, Yun Zheng chuckled softly, "Your Majesty, these people will all remain in the Yeting Palace from now on. You can summon them at any time if you are interested. Why risk the cold and freezing outside?"

"This..." The young emperor hesitated for a moment, but felt that Yun Zheng's words made sense. "Alright then, let's go back."

After saying that, he took Yun Zheng's hand. Although he was reluctant to part, he turned around and never looked back. No matter how the performers on the lake sang, he was not moved in the slightest.

Yun Zheng looked down at him and sighed inwardly, "Such a resilient character is rare."

Upon returning to Xuan Shi Hall, it was time for lunch. The kitchen staff must have already received Empress Dowager Yun's decree, as they had already delivered the two's meals before the young emperor could even ask Yun Zheng to stay for lunch.

After having lunch with the young emperor, Yun Zheng played a few games of chess with him before taking his leave.

As soon as he stepped out of the palace gate, Yun Zheng's face turned cold. He instructed the chief clerk who came forward, "Investigate the tutors around His Majesty and see who they associate with too closely."

Although the chief clerk was unaware of the details, he immediately agreed.

Yun Zheng boarded the carriage, but the gloom on his face had not yet dissipated. He clenched his fists, and his eyes were filled with murderous intent.

Although he didn't hear everything in the Xuan Shi Hall today, he vaguely caught words like "relatives of the empress" and "the Lü clan." In the historical records, isn't the only person associated with these two words just that one person?

Empress Lü Zhi.

Moreover, the book placed in front of the young emperor at that time clearly had the words "Records of the Grand Historian" written on it.

Yun Zheng's fists clenched so tightly they cracked, and the anger in his eyes was almost bursting forth. Someone was deliberately explaining the "Annals of Empress Lü" in front of the young emperor, their intention to sow discord between the emperor and the Yun family was blatantly obvious. If he didn't thoroughly investigate and expose the person behind it, he wouldn't be Yun Zheng!

Inside the carriage, murderous intent surged; outside, the wheels rolled, speeding across the bluestone bricks of Chang'an.