Meeting the Empress

Zheng Tao finished speaking, and then walked towards the door. However, he saw Han Yan hesitating and standing still, not moving from her spot. 

Unable to help himself, he scowled and said, "Still not leaving? As a princess, are you planning to assist him in dressing up?" 

On one side was his apprentice, and on the other side was the princess he had watched grow up. Zheng Tao would be pleased if the two could be together, but he also felt a bit possessive, as if his own precious cabbage was about to be taken away. 

Deep down, there was always a slight dissatisfaction with Mo Qingkuang, the unpredictable lad. It wasn't because he wasn't talented enough, but his recent behaviour made Zheng Tao feel like he lacked responsibility. 

Han Yan's face turned even redder. She didn't dare to offend her elders, so she could only glare fiercely at Mo Qingkuang and then scamper out. 

"Hurry up!" Zheng Tao huffed before leaving the room. 

*** 

After being led by Zheng Tao for a considerable distance, they arrived at the deepest part of the palace, where a relatively simple hall stood compared to the lavish decorations of the others. There were no intricate carvings or gilded tiles here. 

Zheng Tao led the two into the main hall, where two people were already waiting: the dean of the literary department of Imperial Academy, Dean Hua, who had contested with Zheng Tao for apprenticeship last night, and another man who looked simple-minded and overweight, with his eyes squinting due to the fat squeezing them together. 

With a big belly and sparse moustache, he looked quite comical. His hair seemed unwashed for days, giving him a greasy appearance, and his clothes were not neatly worn, giving him a sloppy look overall. 

Behind a veil on the throne in the hall sat a graceful figure, with no attendants by her side. This was the second time Mo Qingkuang had seen her, but she still remained veiled. 

She was the Empress, hailed as the strongest in Tianxuan! 

Zheng Tao led the way, and the three of them knelt down: "Dean Zheng Tao, pay respects to Your Majesty the Empress." 

"Mo Qingkuang pays respects to Your Majesty the Empress." 

"The granddaughter pays respects to the Empress Grandmother." 

"Rise," a cold voice floated down from above, and a gentle force helped the three to their feet. 

"Greetings to Principal Fu and Dean Hua," Han Yan stood up first and bowed to Hua Ge and the chubby middle-aged man. 

Principal Fu? Could this messy-looking man be Fu Qing, the most outstanding genius in the history of Tianxuan, and the current principal of the Imperial Academy? 

It was quite interesting. Among the three of the Golden Generation, Fu Qing didn't care about his appearance, Hua Ge was eccentric and quirky, while Mo Qingkuang's benefactor, Zheng Tao, seemed to be the only normal one. 

Mo Qingkuang followed suit in saluting, "Greetings, Principal Fu, Dean Hua." 

Principal Fu and Hua Ge returned Han Yan's greeting. 

Principal Fu then looked at Mo Qingkuang with a displeased expression and said, "So it's you, the one Zheng Tao brought to slap me in the face?" 

Zheng Tao immediately snorted, "Old Fu, are you nervous?" 

"Me? Nervous? I'm just afraid that you, old man, will mislead the younger generation!" Fu Qing shot Zheng Tao a glance, his two sparse moustache hairs trembling, looking quite comical. 

"How did I mislead the younger generation? I haven't even taught any direct disciple yet. How can you be sure that I will mislead them?" Zheng Tao retorted, not hiding his irritation. 

"It's precisely because you haven't taught any yet. I'm afraid you lack experience! Why don't you let Mo Qingkuang be my disciple? You can learn from me too. In the future, when you encounter talented individuals, you'll know how to guide them!" Fu Qing squinted his already small eyes, examining Mo Qingkuang up and down. 

Zheng Tao quickly stepped in front of Mo Qingkuang, blocking Fu Qing's line of sight. "Forget it. Don't even think about it! You snatched Chen Kong from me last time, and now you want to snatch him too? Do you think I'm running a charity?" 

Fu Qing was about to argue further when the voice of the Empress on the platform stopped him. "Principal Fu, it's time for Dean Zheng to take on an apprentice." 

Fu Qing's expression turned serious, and he bowed towards the platform. "Yes, Your Majesty." 

Zheng Tao also gratefully bowed towards the platform. "Thank you, Your Majesty." 

Seeing Principal Fu competing with Dean Zheng for Mo Qingkuang as soon as they met, Han Yan felt extremely pleased. It seemed like Mo Qingkuang was even more outstanding than her, with the three giants of the Imperial Academy fighting over him to be his mentor! 

When the two calmed down, the Empress spoke again, her voice cold and emotionless. "Mo Qingkuang, I heard that you want the Thousand Year Cold Jade from the Han family?" 

The Empress's voice sent shivers down Mo Qingkuang's spine, and he dared not say a word, fearing that he might anger her and end up dead! 

This was all orchestrated by his ancestor, it has nothing to do with me! 

Seeing Mo Qingkuang's reaction, Han Yan quickly knelt down and bowed. "Grandmother, it was your granddaughter who promised! If you want to punish someone, punish your granddaughter!" 

The Empress replied indifferently, "I was asking Mo Qingkuang. I didn't ask you to speak." 

"Th—This granddaughter admits her fault..." The Empress's indifferent tone made Han Yan silent like a cicada in winter, trembling as she prostrated herself on the ground to confess. 

The Empress had never married nor had any offspring. Descendants like Han Yan, who were to inherit the legacy for hundreds of years, didn't dare to frolic in front of her. 

As the Martial Empress, she was wholly devoted to martial arts, coupled with her constitution that made her unable to get married and her naturally cold demeanour. It would be absurd to rely on familial affection to maintain a relationship with the Empress. 

So even Han Yan, the most prominent princess in the Tianxuan Empire, was scared stiff in front of the Empress, behaving like a quail, afraid to make a sound. 

Mo Qingkuang felt deeply troubled. Could it be that she wouldn't acknowledge it? As someone of such high stature, having been the empress for so many years, couldn't she at least keep her word a little? 

Mo Qingkuang dared not argue but couldn't bear to give up the immense benefits of the Thousand Year Cold Jade. He carefully replied, "Y-Your Majesty, it's just a loan, just for one year." 

"A loan? How could the treasure of the imperial family be borrowed just like that?" 

"That's the flavour I like," Mo Fan, hiding within Mo Qingkuang's ring, sighed softly. This character, the first beauty in his book, with such an icy demeanour, intoxicated him even when he was writing about her. 

As if not needing a response from Mo Qingkuang, the Empress continued, "The Thousand Year Cold Jade is a treasure passed down by my family. Since it was promised by Han Yan, my family will not go back on its word." 

"Mo Qingkuang, you have contributed to the Tianxuan Empire, and you are also a gifted talent. You are indeed worthy of using this Thousand-Year Cold Jade. I shall grant you the right to use the Thousand Year Cold Jade for one year." 

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

***

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