allonlinenovel Chapter 317 The Emperor's Tutor's Mandate
Chapter 317 The Emperor's Tutor's Mandate
Zhao Yi observed everyone's reactions and turned to look at the composed Imperial Tutor: "What is the Imperial Tutor's opinion?"
The Imperial Tutor looked at Zhao Yi with a calm gaze and said slowly, "Your Highness is right. When our allies are in trouble, Northern Qi will certainly not stand idly by."
This statement indicated that Zhao Yi agreed with Zhao Yi.
The Northern Qi envoy was shocked, seemingly never expecting that the imperial tutor, who was so skilled in strategizing and winning battles from afar, would suffer such a loss in silence.
They were anxious and angry, but dared not contradict the imperial tutor, so they could only turn to the Prince of Qi for help.
King Qi clenched his fists tightly, restraining the urge to overturn the table.
Zhao Yi's intentions were obvious; he was clearly on the side of the Great Zhou.
The Imperial Tutor couldn't possibly be unaware of this, yet he still echoed Zhao Yi's words, agreeing to do something that would harm others without benefiting himself.
This means that the Imperial Tutor's heart is with Zhao Yi.
The more this was the case, the less King Qi could afford to slap the Imperial Tutor in public, for fear of angering him and losing his chance to become Crown Prince.
King Qi swallowed his anger.
Zhao Yi lowered her eyes, concealing the thoughts in them.
The fact that the Northern Qi emperor used his birth mother and the promise of a prince as bait to lure him back to Northern Qi shows that he had value in the emperor's eyes, hence his urgent desire for his return.
The Imperial Tutor promised him that his mother could choose any position she wanted, except for the Empress.
They even promised him that after his mother became a concubine of the Northern Qi emperor, the Northern Qi would give the Great Zhou a separate betrothal gift.
He then came to a guess that the Northern Qi would spare no expense to get him back.
Given this, he stepped forward as a prince of Northern Qi to seek benefits for Great Zhou and resolve Emperor Jing'an's predicament.
He also wanted to test the limits of Northern Qi's stance on him.
If the Northern Qi envoy contradicts him and refuses to provide the Great Zhou with money, grain, and imperial physicians to treat the plague, that would be fine.
He could provide funds and provisions to assist Emperor Jing'an in controlling the plague in Yingcheng.
Unexpectedly, the Imperial Tutor agreed without hesitation, willing to help the Great Zhou Dynasty control the plague.
Zhao Yi gently traced the python pattern on his robe with his fingertip, confirming his suspicions. Northern Qi had indeed spared no expense to get him back.
This also means that he has quite a lot on his mind.
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After the two countries signed the alliance and reached an agreement on the Northern Qi's rescue of Yingcheng, the Imperial Tutor left with the Northern Qi envoys, while Emperor Jing'an left Zhao Yi behind. The two, uncle and nephew, went to the Hall of Mental Cultivation together.
Emperor Jing'an dismissed the servants around him. "Yi'er, after you put on this outfit and stand in the procession of the Northern Qi envoys, it means that after you return to Northern Qi this time, you will not be able to welcome your mother back, but will stay in Northern Qi as a prince."
“Once my true identity is revealed, I cannot escape unscathed.” Zhao Yi was unusually calm: “The fact that the Imperial Tutor still followed my wishes even though he knew it would harm the interests of Northern Qi is enough to show their determination to send me back to Northern Qi. Whether I wear these clothes or not makes no difference.”
Emperor Jing'an understood the meaning behind Zhao Yi's words: Northern Qi would stop at nothing to force Zhao Yi to return.
“My mother’s last wish was to return to her homeland. As her son, I must fulfill her wish and bring her back to the Great Zhou.”
Zhao Yi had already made up her mind: "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Emperor Jing'an sighed, patted his shoulder, and said nothing more.
-
When Zhao Yi left the palace and returned to Lanxue Garden, he saw Shen Qingtan embroidering a sachet, her lips slightly upturned, looking like she was in a very good mood.
"Second Master, you're back." Shen Qingtan turned her head and saw Zhao Yi. She put down her needlework, stood up to greet him, and took off the cloak from his shoulders: "Did the talks go well today?"
Zhao Yi nodded slightly: "A plague has broken out in Yingcheng. His Majesty has sent Imperial Physician Chen and others to Yingcheng to quell the disaster."
Shen Qingtan's fingertips trembled: "What did you say?" She asked urgently, "Where is my father? He's in Licheng, how is he?"
“My father-in-law discovered it in time and put all the people from Yingcheng to Licheng in tents and ordered people to keep a close watch on them. There should be no problem.” Zhao Yi comforted him, “Academician Chen is a highly skilled doctor. Once he goes to Yingcheng, he will resolve the plague.”
Shen Qingtan knew how terrible the plague was; it was highly contagious, and once infected, one would die within a few days.
She hurriedly went back to her inner room and took off her cloak: "I have to go back to the palace to tell my brothers about this."
Zhao Yi was worried about Shen Qingtan's condition, so he went out of the mansion with her and saw a carriage parked in front of the Duke's mansion.
A person emerged from the carriage; it was Yan Yi, who served the Imperial Tutor: "Your Highness, the Imperial Tutor has arranged for you to represent Northern Qi and transport funds and provisions to Yingcheng to treat the plague."