Chapter 326: Scheming

That night, Chen Yan said that Du Ruhui was reminding him, and also guiding him.

Gao Yang asked Chen Yan what Du Ruhui was reminding him about, what he was guiding, but Chen Yan remained silent.

That made Gao Yang very angry.

He had the nerve to say others were confused, yet wasn't he the same?

The angry Gao Yang was furious; the next day he said he would return to the palace to stay a few days, and then left with Xiang Lan.

Chen Yan didn't stop her, only reminding her to watch her diet and rest.

He could tell that Gao Yang wasn't leaving because of anger, but because he was about to marry Li Lizhi, and also probably missed home and wanted to stay a few days.

Early that day, Xiang Lan was busy tidying Gao Yang's quarters, while Gao Yang found Empress Changsun in Lizheng Hall.

At that moment, Li Shimin was handling state affairs; in Lizheng Hall there was no one besides Cheng Yang, Sizi, and a few palace maids.

Learning that Gao Yang wanted to return for a few days, Empress Changsun was startled for a moment, then smiled and agreed.

"It's fine that you come back for a few days; it'll be a good chance to chat with Mother Empress."

Gao Yang sat beside Empress Changsun, staring unblinkingly at her belly.

Because she was near childbirth, the child in her womb was fully developed; unlike Gao Yang, the baby in Empress Changsun's belly moved constantly, could be seen from time to time, and the motions were so large that they were visible through the clothing.

"Mother Empress, does this... not hurt you?"

Empress Changsun understood what Gao Yang was saying and gently replied, "It's not really uncomfortable; babies are always active, that's normal."

"Besides, you're already far along, you should understand."

Gao Yang nodded, "I can indeed feel it, it's just not that vigorous."

She paused, then smiled, "Chen Yan has lately been more fond of patting my belly, and talks to the child like a childish fool."

"Is that so?" Empress Changsun was a bit surprised, then said with satisfaction, "Isn't that just perfect?"

"It shows that Zi An keeps you and the child in his heart; caring for you makes him act like this."

"Tang'er, men are childish, but not childish to everyone; do you understand?"

"I understand, Mother Empress." Gao Yang recalled that snowy day, Chen Yan's words still vivid in her ears.

No matter when she thought of it, a feeling of reassurance would inevitably rise.

"Mother!"

Xiao Sizi at this moment climbed up, lifted her little chin and said, "Brother is also childish duck to me; he plays hide-and-seek with me, rides a big horse, Qing'er little miss says it's a game for kids, brother is just like a child."

Empress Changsun and Gao Yang exchanged a glance, finding it somewhat funny.

How could they not understand Sizi's little thoughts?

It's simply that she wants to prove Chen Yan also cares about her.

Gao Yang, now interested, used a regretful tone to scare her: "Sizi, you only just slandered your brother a few days ago; you usually don't do your homework properly, and your brother said he won't be nice to you anymore, the tasty things and fun things will all be left for Xiao Qingyue."

Upon hearing, Sizi panicked, "No duck, no duck!"

She hurriedly climbed down from the soft couch, fetched a stack of papers from a nearby desk, densely filled with writing.

"Sister, look, I have done my homework properly."

Sizi pitifully clutched Gao Yang, "When you go back, tell brother not to be unkind to me, okay?"

"I'll be good!"

"Oh?" Gao Yang raised an eyebrow, "Will you obediently pick up trash to eat?"

Sizi sulked, lowering her little head, the two little tufts on her head wobbling, extremely cute.

However, Sizi suddenly pursed her lips, and her eyes gradually reddened.

Thinking that brother would no longer be kind and give all the tasty and fun things to Qingyue, a sense of grievance rose instantly.

Tears dripped, pattering down, the little one sobbed softly, reaching out a tiny hand to wipe them.

It looked utterly pitiful.

"Alright!"

Empress Changsun gently patted Gao Yang, "You're about to become a mother yourself, yet you're still teasing your sister?"

"Sizi, don't cry; your brother won't be unkind to you, don't cry."

"Your sister is teasing you."

Empress Changsun cradled her daughter in her arms, soothing her softly.

Sizi hummed, nodded heavily, turned tears into laughter, then made a funny face at Gao Yang.

Gao Yang gave her a withering look, then seeing Empress Changsun still unaware, patiently coaxed Sizi, patting her back, suddenly both laughing and crying.

Mother Empress!

You still don't know that Sizi is no longer the same Sizi as before, right?

This little creature has now learned bad ways from Chen Yan, scheming to death.

After soothing her daughter, Empress Changsun remembered the matter and handed the papers Sizi brought to Gao Yang.

"Tang'er, do you know these... um, assignments?"

"The knowledge above... was it Zi An who taught Sizi?"

Empress Changsun's expression was somewhat puzzled; she couldn't grasp the things Sizi knew at that moment.

Not only the simple numbers above, but also the so‑called multiplication table, things she had never heard of.

What surprised her even more was that Sizi could now easily perform addition and subtraction within a hundred.

Sometimes she could even give the answer in an instant.

Is this a three‑year‑old child?

Gao Yang glanced at Sizi's assignments and replied, "Not bad; these were taught by Chen Yan to Sizi, but Sizi's age is indeed a bit young, so progress is somewhat slow."

"The six‑year‑old child at home can already answer, with ease, the problems that scholars at the Imperial Academy need days to calculate."

Sizi, dissatisfied, said: "I'll also work hard; big brother says I'm smart."

However, Empress Changsun was not in the mood to coax her daughter any longer.

If it were someone else, she would never believe that a six‑year‑old child could easily solve a problem that the scholars of the Imperial Academy need several days to answer.

The one who said that was Gao Yang, but it was Chen Yan who taught the child, and she subconsciously believed it.

"Truly… unbelievable."

Empress Changsun thought for a long while before managing to utter those words.

She actually wanted to ask Gao Yang whether Chen Yan could take on a few more students, but she never said it out loud.

In her mind, such precious knowledge—who among ordinary people doesn't hoard it, giving it only to their own children?

That Chen Yan can teach Sizi is already a tremendous blessing.

One must not ask for too much.

Moreover, Empress Changsun felt increasingly indebted to Chen Yan; now asking someone else to pass their own knowledge on to him was something she had no face to request.

Gao Yang didn't know what Empress Changsun was thinking; after a brief idle chat, she inadvertently brought up the silver mine Chen Yan mentioned, as well as the Champa Rice matter.

Later she also turned the conversation to those eight hundred people.

"Mother Empress, those eight hundred in the Negotiation Office are causing quite a stir; it's fine while it's brief, but if it drags on, they may be discovered."

"Chen Yan mentioned to me twice that he wants Father Emperor to take those eight hundred away."

"What do you think?"

"......"