Chapter 613: The Tale of Hand‑in‑Hand Governance of Great Zhou

The moment the words fell, Yuwen Yong felt the blood in his whole body seemed to solidify in an instant.

He deliberately amplified that hint of panic to the extreme, his whole body uncontrollably trembling, his teeth quivering slightly, and he almost blurted out, "Grand Preceptor, this matter is certainly not done by me!"

Before the words finished, he staggered forward a step, both hands gripping Yuwen Hu's sleeve tightly, his knuckles whitening from the force, his tone full of urgent pleading and bewildered panic, "You must believe me!"

Yuwen Yong hunched his back, his neck slightly drawn in, looking exactly like someone who had been terrified to the bone.

Yuwen Hu lowered his eyes, his gaze landing on Yuwen Yong's hand clutching his sleeve, then slowly raised his eyes, taking in the bird‑frightened look, his mouth corner lifting slightly into a half‑smile, and he said calmly, "The old minister certainly knows it was not Your Majesty's doing!"

"That's good…." Yuwen Yong seemed to shed a thousand‑pound burden, exhaling a long sigh, raising his hand to lightly pat his chest, his torso heaving dramatically, his face full of relieved joy as if pardoned, then he stopped short of speaking, muttering, "I thought…"

He deliberately swallowed the latter half, leaving only a face still trembling with lingering fear, perfectly displaying that cowardly terror.

Yuwen Hu raised an eyebrow, looking at him with interest, and laughed aloud, "What did you think?"

"That the old minister came to raise troops and accuse me?"

Having said that, he threw his head back and let out a hearty laugh, the laughter echoing through the spacious inner hall, carrying a hint of authority and scrutiny, "Hahaha!"

Deep in Yuwen Yong's eyes, a flash of apprehension and caution zipped by, the emotion hidden so well that it was impossible to catch any trace.

A more deferential smile piled on his face, his waist bending even lower, his tone full of perfectly timed flattery, "How could that be?"

Then, lifting his eyes slightly, his gaze meeting Yuwen Hu's sharp eyes before hurriedly looking down again, his voice becoming even more reverent, "Grand Preceptor, you see through everything like fire, discern the finest details; how could it be so easy to be used and fooled by petty people? To be incited by treacherous scoundrels?"

His words were perfectly flattering, yet Yuwen Hu's smile gradually faded, his deep eyes staring at him solemnly, his tone suddenly turning severe, he said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, a ruler must face a collapsing Mount Tai before him without changing expression!"

"That panic just now—what decorum is that?"

Yuwen Yong was startled by the words, as if suddenly aware of his lapse, a flash of guilt crossing his face, he quickly bowed, clasping his fists, his waist bending deeper, his tone full of fearful obedience, "I will heed the Grand Preceptor's teaching!"

Yuwen Hu watched his deferential, receptive posture, slowly raised his hand, his broad palm resting on Yuwen Yong's shoulder, the palm bearing a weighty pressure.

He changed his address, his tone losing some of the usual authority and gaining an indefinable warmth, earnestly advising, "A Yong, you are now the Great Zhou Emperor; you should bear the bearing of a ruler!"

"In this way, Brother can later rest assured, handing Uncle's realm and state into your hands!"

"Uncle's realm and state" and "hand them over" felt like needles forged of ice, piercing Yuwen Yong's heart.

He rolled a huge eye roll in his mind, his mouth corner twitching imperceptibly, muttering sarcastically, "What a grandiose excuse!"

"I see you clearly intend to claim this vast realm as your own, treating me as a puppet for you to manipulate, and when the time is right, you'll replace me!"

His words sounded elegant, but in truth it was only a performance for the world…

He, the emperor in name, possessed only a sliver of real power, while the Grand Preceptor before him held the great authority firmly!

Yet he dared not utter any of those words; a genuine emotion surged on his face, his eyes reddening slightly, his voice hoarse with a few choking sobs, he said movingly, "Brother, I understand your earnest intentions!"

"Brother, rest assured, I will study diligently, not betray your trust, nor the splendid lands your father the emperor has established!"

Yuwen Hu looked at his tearful gratitude, his tight mouth finally softening a bit, gently patting Yuwen Yong's shoulder, his tone containing some praise, "It's good you have this resolve."

He paused, his gaze scanning the mountain of petitions on the desk, then shifted tone, bringing the conversation back to state affairs, "Lack of talent is no problem; you are still young, time is ample, you can learn slowly and gradually accumulate governing experience!"

"These petitions, you must examine carefully and learn to discern their urgency and importance; don't just bury your head in study and miss the crux…"

Yuwen Yong quickly nodded, his spine bending even more deferentially, his tone full of humble assent, "Yes! I will read every word meticulously, consider every sentence, and never betray Brother's guidance…"

He lowered his head, his gaze landing on the golden brick at his feet; his long lashes cast a faint shadow under his eyelids, fully concealing the lingering resentment and unwillingness deep in his eyes.

The wind outside the hall slipped through the window lattice, bringing a slight chill; the candle flame flickered, stretching their shadows long and short, casting onto the cold Qiangbi, one proud and upright, the other deferential and humble.

Yuwen Hu walked slowly to the desk, his gaze scanning the mountain of documents, his fingertips lightly brushing the covers of each petition, producing a faint rustle.

Finally, he lifted his hand, casually picking up a volume whose cover bore the three characters "Local Official Office," weighing it lightly, then turned to the standing Yuwen Yong, asking with a half‑smile, "A Yong, do you know why you should start by reading the Local Official Office petitions?"

Yuwen Yong heard this, his face showing earnest contemplation yet indecision, his brows slightly furrowed, his lips moving a few times before he hesitantly said, "This…."

He feigned bewilderment, shaking his head, his waist bending even lower, his tone full of humble inquiry, "I am dull!"

"I truly cannot grasp the deeper meaning; I ask Brother to enlighten me!"

Yuwen Hu's mouth corner lifted slightly, forming a knowing curve, he slowly opened the petition in his hand, his fingertips landing on the dense accounts and livelihood reports, and said aloud, "That is because the people's livelihood is the foundation of Great Zhou!"

Before the words finished, his wrist snapped, a crisp "snap" sound heard as the petition was slammed shut, his expression suddenly becoming solemn, each word resonant, "To govern a nation, one must first learn administration, especially internal affairs…"

"And one must be able to read the ledgers, discern truth from falsehood, lest the crafty officials beneath you cheat and hide, slipping the treasury's silver into their own pockets!"

Yuwen Yong covertly lifted his eyes, quickly glancing at Yuwen Hu's expression, seeing earnest guidance in his eyes, while his own heart was filled with sneering contempt…

This old fox isn't truly teaching governance; he clearly intends to use the mundane matters of the Local Official Office to dull his edge, trapping him in daily trivialities of food and salt, leaving no time for court power struggles.

Yet outwardly he dared not show any of it, quickly bowing and clasping his fists, his tone respectful yet tinged with sudden enlightenment, "I have been taught!"

"So Brother's well‑intended effort was actually here!"

Yuwen Hu returned the petition to its place, his gaze falling on the stacked Local Official Office documents on the desk, his eyes full of expectation, and said slowly, "Once you master the Local Official Office affairs and grasp the intricacies of taxation, I will gradually assign you additional duties from the Spring Official Office and Qiu Official Office!"

He paused, deliberately deepening his tone, emphasizing, "Rituals and laws concern court order, criminal codes affect the realm's statutes; both matters must not be neglected!"

"Brother, rest assured!" Yuwen Yong nodded heavily, his tone decisive and articulate, "I will be even more diligent!"

"Rise at the rooster hour each day, rest only at the pig hour; you must gnaw through the Local Official Office petitions, leaving none unmastered, and never disappoint Brother's expectations!"

These words were spoken with sincere feeling, as if he truly were a junior eager to learn and succeed, showing no trace of imperial bearing or scheming.

Yuwen Hu, extremely satisfied, stroked his beard, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes, praising, "Very good! With this resolve, what worry is there of not achieving great deeds?"

Then, raising his hand again, his broad palm pressed heavily on Yuwen Yong's shoulder, the force carrying undeniable authority and a senior's expectation for the junior, he sighed lightly, his tone so earnest it seemed to reach the heart, "Brother believes that, given time, A Yong will become a model wise ruler for posterity!"

A cold sneer flashed swiftly in Yuwen Yong's eyes; this old fool does love to paint pictures—does he truly think I'm a puppet to be manipulated?

Yet his face remained exceedingly solemn, even deliberately raising his head, his gaze burning as he met Yuwen Hu's, his tone tinged with excited yearning, earnestly saying, "Brother, you are absolutely right!"

"In the annals of history for ages to come, it will record the tale of our brotherly unity, hand‑in‑hand governing Great Zhou!"

"It will, it will!" Yuwen Hu's eyebrows lifted, eyes brightening, he nodded repeatedly, his scrutinizing expression fading, replaced by full confidence, patting Yuwen Yong's shoulder, solemnly saying, "Brother will spare no effort to assist you, A Yong, to straighten court policy, soothe the people's livelihood, and support Great Zhou's state!"

Yuwen Yong lowered his eyes, covering the sarcasm beneath, his face full of tearful gratitude, about to add more, he suddenly changed his mind, cautiously raising his head, his gaze bearing a perfectly timed curiosity, tentatively asking, "Brother, you entered the palace at this hour; you must have other matters, right?"

He deliberately softened his tone, fearing to strike Yuwen Hu's sore spot.

Yuwen Hu heard this, his smile fading slightly, withdrawing his hand from Yuwen Yong's shoulder, placing it behind his back, walking slowly to the window, his gaze fixed on the heavy dusk outside the hall, his eyes turning deep and inscrutable.

He pondered for a moment, then slowly turned, saying meaningfully, "Brother wishes to invite A Yong to watch a play!"