Xuanye laughed and pinched her cheeks lovingly. "Taking the palanquin would have cost me a few precious minutes. Don't you want to see me as soon as possible?" Here, he turned around and scowled at Head Eunuch Li. "Why is there so much dust in this place, and why isn't anyone cleaning it up? Even First-Class Female Attendant Wu is blaming me now."
Head Eunuch Li said jokingly to Lanqi, "First-Class Female Attendant Wu, look how hard we servants have it! My mouth is full of sand from escorting His Majesty here, but all I've gotten is a scolding in return!"
Lanqi flushed, feeling a little ashamed. She pulled Xuanye into the main hall, showing him her calligraphy from this morning and asking him to reward her for a job well done. Xuanye gazed at it imperiously before saying, "You call this a job well done?" He took her hand and rewrote a few characters, making them look much better than before.
"You're learning to recognize more and more words. Tomorrow, I'll bring some books for you, and you can read them yourself first. If there's anything you don't understand, ask me and I'll explain everything to you." Xuanye seemed to be enjoying his role as a teacher immensely. However, he continued, "No reading in the middle of the night, alright? I'm always busy with state affairs, so I get a free pass, but what makes you think you can do the same?"
Lanqi promised him agreeably. She asked Xuanye what books he was going to bring her, but Xuanye asked her if there was anything she wanted to read. Lanqi replied blithely, "I've only just learnt how to read, Your Majesty. I don't know any titles of renowned books."
Xuanye liked this innocent side of her. Grinning, he said, "I'll pick something nice for you so you can pick up rhetoric and philosophy. You shall become a virtuous and able person."
Lanqi laughed. "Virtuous and able people like yourself are born that way. I can only wish to serve you, Your Majesty."
Xuanye glanced at her, feeling a little annoyed by how she was dodging the subject. With a smile that didn't look quite like a smile, he said, "I shall have you become virtuous and able. That way, I can finally make you my Empress."
Lanqi was stunned by this statement. The scene at the hunting grounds floated into her mind again, accompanied by the grave reminders of the Grand Empress Dowager. She quickly knelt down on the ground and pleaded, "If you really care for me, Your Majesty, never say something like that again. Otherwise, I'll never pick up another pen or another book. I know you have me in your heart, but you cannot forget the rules of your ancestors. I am low born, and that prohibits me from doing many things."
Xuanye felt a wave of anger wash over him. He ordered her to get up, but Lanqi continued to kneel on the floor, refusing to get up till he promised her. Xuanye was young and hot-blooded, and he felt furious at her rejection. Lanqi's mention of his ancestors' rules made him even madder. He called Head Eunuch Li into the room and announced angrily that he was leaving.
Head Eunuch Li looked rather shocked, but he hadn't managed to hear what had happened because of the howling winds. "Your...Your Majesty," he stammered, "the wind is getting even worse outside. Do you want to wait a bit before returning?"
"We're leaving at once! Stop it with that rubbish! Right now, I..." Here, Xuanye turned to castigate Lanqi again. However, when he saw her kneeling there without a hint of fear or unhappiness on her face, he felt another wave of anger engulf him. Glaring at her stubborn, leave-if-you-wish expression, he ordered Head Eunuch Li to get out of the room. Stomping over to Lanqi, he picked her up and flung her onto the seat. Lanqi finally felt a little frightened. Scowling, Xuanye snapped, "Were you trying to drive me away just now, by any chance?"
Lanqi felt that he was throwing a very childish tantrum. Forgetting her station, she wanted to make a nasty retort, but Xuanye's adorable pout made her burst into foolish laughter instead. "If I say I don't want you to leave, are you going to stay here with me?"
Xuanye was feeling rather confused by his own anger. However, Lanqi's smile made his anger dissipate immediately. Calming down slightly, he sat down next to Lanqi, realizing that he had just unfairly taken out all of his fury on Lanqi. Sighing deeply, he hugged her to his chest and said, "I won't say that anymore, alright? Don't take it to heart."
Outside, Panxia was wandering around the corridor, trying to find a feather duster for the dust. At that moment, she spotted Aunt Wang standing suspiciously at the window. If she hadn't walked by here, neither she nor Head Eunuch Li (who was standing at the door) would have spotted her.
Feeling rather odd, but not wanting Aunt Wang to see her, Panxia backtracked and returned back to First-Class Female Attendant Bu. When First-Class Female Attendant Bu saw the peculiar expression on Panxia's face, she asked if she was alright. However, Panxia merely shook her head and muttered, "Got choked by the wind."