Chapter 290: Xiao Yang Wasn't Having It

Xiao Yang had Qu Yang sent away, forbade any further mention of his name, and forcefully put the matter to rest.

Although she was no longer angry with them, Xiao Yang was clearly in a foul mood. She uncharacteristically channeled most of her energy into governing, doubling the workload for the entire imperial court.

When the Emperor decided to work diligently, she became a heartless machine—utterly terrifying.

Just as Xiao Yang was preparing to torment the beleaguered officials once more, Grand Tutor Xu arrived at the Imperial Study Room, books in hand, requesting an audience.

Grand Tutor Xu had been unwell before the new year and had taken leave to rest at home. His sudden appearance at the palace surprised Xiao Yang.

“Are you feeling better, Grand Tutor?”

Puzzled, Xiao Yang had someone invite Grand Tutor Xu in.

Come to think of it, Xiao Yang hadn’t seen Grand Tutor Xu in four or five months.

Grand Tutor Xu was eighty years old this year, with white hair and a very slender frame. But having not seen him for nearly half a year, he now seemed even more gaunt.

“This servant greets Your Majesty.”

Grand Tutor Xu cupped his hands and bowed.

Xiao Yang raised a hand. “You may rise. Have a seat.”

Once he was seated, Xiao Yang asked, “Grand Tutor, how is your health?”

Grand Tutor Xu nodded. “Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am much better now.”

Xiao Yang asked, “Then what brings you to the palace today?”

Grand Tutor Xu tapped the books in front of him. “It occurred to me today that it has been quite some time since I last tested Your Majesty on your lessons.”

Xiao Yang: “…”

‘This old man is as exasperating as ever. He must have been bored stiff at home, so he decided to come here and make my life difficult, didn’t he?’

Xiao Yang said, “Surely I don’t need this anymore?”

‘Please don’t make me recite from memory. I memorized it back then, but promptly forgot all of it. I haven’t even glanced at these books in years. Who could possibly remember any of it?’

Xiao Yang was vehemently opposed, but Grand Tutor Xu produced a ruler.

The sight made Xiao Yang laugh in exasperation.

‘I’m the Emperor! I’ve been the Emperor for so many years, and I still have to be disciplined!’

‘This is outrageous!’

Despite her reluctance, Xiao Yang picked up a book under Grand Tutor Xu’s watchful eye.

One had to admit, she was remarkably consistent. No matter how many years passed, the sight of the densely packed text still made her head spin, and she couldn’t absorb a single word.

She frowned as she read, as if she were battling her lifelong nemesis.

Seeing that she had finished flipping through it, Grand Tutor Xu walked over and took the book away.

“Now, let’s begin the quiz.”

Xiao Yang: “…” ‘I only flipped through the pages, I didn’t actually read much!’

No matter how good her memory, Xiao Yang hadn’t been able to read it all, so it was no surprise she couldn’t recite it from memory.

She managed to stumble her way through reciting half the book before she could go no further.

Watching Grand Tutor Xu’s frown deepen, Xiao Yang sighed. “Grand Tutor, let me look at it one more time. I promise I’ll memorize it properly.”

‘For his sake, given his advanced age, I’ll do my best to memorize it just this once, so I don’t make him pass out from anger.’

Grand Tutor Xu did not give her the book, but instead picked up the ruler.

Xiao Yang had had enough.

“I’m a grown adult now. Isn’t it inappropriate to still be slapping my palm with a ruler?”

‘I’m the Emperor! The Emperor!’

Grand Tutor Xu’s face was stern. “This servant was commanded by the late Emperor to instruct Your Majesty. This ruler was a gift from the late Emperor.”

Angered, Xiao Yang slammed her hand on the table, glaring at him without yielding an inch. “The late Emperor has been dead for years! Don’t you use his name to pressure me.”

Everyone has a rebellious streak.

“COUGH COUGH COUGH…”

Grand Tutor Xu suddenly started coughing, the sound like that of rotting wood about to snap in the wind.

Xiao Yang’s heart leaped into her throat. “Summon the Imperial Physician!”

Grand Tutor Xu waved a hand dismissively. “COUGH… No need… This servant is… COUGH COUGH… fine…”

Xiao Yang didn’t think he was really sick. He was perfectly fine a moment ago, and now he was suddenly coughing his lungs out. ‘This looks a lot like he’s faking it to get his way.’ she thought.

Speechless, she held out her hand. “Fine, hit me. Just stop coughing.”

‘Anyone who walked in now would think I was bullying an old man.’

As expected, Grand Tutor Xu had been faking it. The moment Xiao Yang extended her hand, he immediately stopped coughing.

He raised the ruler high, as if he were about to strike her hard.

Xiao Yang braced herself for the sting in her palm, but the ruler fell without much force.

The ruler came to rest gently on her palm.

Grand Tutor Xu took a wooden box from his sleeve, opened it, and took out a paper-wrapped packet, placing it in front of Xiao Yang.

For once, his usual sternness as a teacher was gone, replaced by a kind smile and an expression filled with nostalgic emotion. “More than twenty years ago, it was I who began Your Majesty’s education. In the blink of an eye, you’ve grown so much. How quickly time flies.”

“You may be a woman, Your Majesty, but you are a rare and enlightened monarch, second to no Emperor. The past emperors of the Xiao Family would surely be gratified to see the prosperous age you have created.”

“To have had a student like you, Your Majesty, makes this old servant’s life worthwhile.”

Grand Tutor Xu left, taking the books with him, but leaving behind the ruler and the oil-paper packet.

Xiao Yang opened the oil-paper packet. Inside was a single piece of candy.

A distant memory surfaced. A six-year-old Crown Prince sat dazedly at his desk. Having just been scolded by his mother, the Empress, he felt so wronged he was on the verge of tears.

But she remembered her mother’s words, telling her to be ‘manly’ and forbidding her to cry. So, despite the grievance in her heart, she fought to keep the tears from falling, allowing them only to well in her eyes.

When the Grand Tutor saw this, he put down his book. Without asking any questions, he took a candy wrapped in oil-paper from his sleeve and handed it to her.

The strict Grand Tutor did not know how to comfort a small child, but he gave the aggrieved little Crown Prince a piece of candy.

The moment Xiao Yang saw the candy, she understood. She immediately dispatched Imperial Physicians to the Xu Family, but Grand Tutor Xu turned them all away.

That very day, Xu Xingchen came to her with a request to return to the Xu Family and attend to his grandfather.

In less than two days, a message came from the Xu Mansion announcing a death: Grand Tutor Xu had passed away.

When the news arrived, Xiao Yang was in the Imperial Study Room.

She sat motionless for a long while before finally rising.

She had almost reached the door when she turned back, took up a brush, and personally wrote a eulogy.

The news had come in the morning, but it wasn’t until the afternoon that Xiao Yang changed her clothes and went out.

By the time Xiao Yang arrived, the Xu Family had already dressed the Grand Tutor and placed him in his coffin. A mourning hall had also been set up.

“The Emperor has arrived!”

Everyone dropped to their knees in greeting.

Xu Shikai and his two sons knelt at the very front.

Xu Xingchen was kneeling inside, burning paper money by a brazier. He turned his head at the sound, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

Grand Tutor Xu had doted on him the most. Now that the Grand Tutor was gone, he was the most heartbroken.

Xiao Yang gestured for them to rise, then walked past them and into the hall.

She first went to look at Grand Tutor Xu in his coffin. He looked much the same as he had the other day, merely as if he had closed his eyes and fallen asleep.

“You old man… you really left without any fuss.”

Xu Shikai said, “Father seemed to have a premonition. He saw everyone he wanted to see, finished arranging his affairs, and then passed away peacefully in his sleep.”

While death is sorrowful, for someone like the Grand Tutor to reach a ripe old age and pass on with such grace and dignity, watched over by his children and grandchildren, could be considered a blessing in its own right.

Xiao Yang stepped back and stood before the altar.

She took the three incense sticks Xu Xingchen handed her and bowed three times.

As the Emperor, Xiao Yang could not stay long. After offering the incense, she returned to the palace and issued an edict to posthumously confer an honorary title upon the Grand Tutor.

On the day of Grand Tutor Xu’s funeral, Xiao Lv represented the Emperor by escorting the coffin at the Xu Mansion. The entire imperial court received a decree to see the Grand Tutor off on his final journey.

Xiao Yang stood atop the city walls, watching the funeral procession grow smaller and smaller in the distance until it disappeared from sight completely.

“Farewell, Grand Tutor.”