Splendid Twins

The reputation of Guanwei Academy, like the first rays of morning light, engraved Si Yao's name under the sky of Southern Liang, and when people mentioned it, they couldn't help but feel a touch of respect and yearning in their hearts.

Recently, another piece of news spread quickly to every corner of Nanliang like a spring breeze.

The famous state teacher and the powerful regent are about to get married!

……

Si Qing, who was serving as a county magistrate at the border of North Vietnam, always had people paying attention to the movements of Nanliang. When he learned that Si Yao and Lu Yuan were about to get married, he sat there in a daze for the whole night...

At daybreak, he left the room, turned around and gave a few instructions to his subordinates, then rode away, causing a lot of discussion among the crowd.

In Zangfeng Garden, Si Yao tried on gorgeous wedding dresses, one after another. Each one was carefully selected, showing her gentleness and nobility.

"This aqua blue set is so fresh and refined..."

The little emperor sat on the chair in front, holding a teacup in his hand. His eyes followed Si Yao's figure and he expressed sincere admiration from time to time.

"This one embroidered with a golden phoenix looks even more noble..."

He continued to comment, his eyes sparkling with the curiosity and excitement that only a child can have.

At first, Si Yao was immersed in the joy of choosing a wedding dress, but as time went by, the novelty gradually faded, replaced by a subtle fatigue and numbness.

She sighed and said with a smile: "Just pick one..."

"That won't do. The Emperor's uncle has instructed us to choose the best-looking one."

The little emperor sat up straight in a hurry and spoke in a serious tone.

This was the task given to him by his uncle, to accompany the future aunt to try on wedding clothes. It was the first time for him to accompany someone to try on clothes since he was a child, and it felt pretty good...

"Your Majesty, you should now..."

"No, no, no, there is no should. Don't learn from your uncle's tricks..."

The little emperor waved his hands quickly, and he couldn't stand hearing the phrase "you should be" recently...

Just saying this means that he will be copying a lot of articles!!

Si Yao's lips curled up into a faint smile, and Lan Ying carefully adjusted the complicated hem of her skirt, and every step she took seemed so elegant and calm.

She slowly walked forward a few steps and said:

"Your Majesty is still young, you should broaden your horizons and study hard. Only by continuous accumulation can you see through the deceptions of others!"

Upon hearing this, the little emperor had a mischievous smile on his face, and it seemed that he did not take Si Yao's words too seriously:

"Don't worry. When the uncle was here, no one could bully me. Now that you are by my side, who would dare to act rashly? They are all afraid of losing their heads and bringing trouble to their clans!"

As soon as these words came out, Si Yao's eyes narrowed slightly, and she immediately corrected:

"Your Majesty, everything in the world is ever-changing. As the saying goes, 'If you rely on mountains, they will fall; if you rely on people, they will run away.' Only if you are strong, you will not be hindered by others at the critical moment!"

These words made the little emperor's face change slightly, and a trace of confusion flashed in his eyes:

"But I am still so young, how can I take on such a great responsibility and accomplish anything great?"

The Imperial Tutor had said that he would grow up to be a qualified emperor, and the Emperor's uncle also said that he would have to rule the country when he turned eight. These people had high hopes for him, but to be honest, he was unsure...

He was afraid that he would not be able to handle Southern Liang's internal affairs well, nor would he be able to suppress the provocations from the other three countries!

He was even more afraid that... the Xiao royal family's kingdom would be destroyed in his hands!

Seeing this, Si Yao raised her eyelids slightly. With just a slight movement, Lan Ying understood what she meant and led the maids to retreat quietly.

Si Yao's gaze fell on the little emperor again:

"Your Majesty, age is never a limitation. Determination and action are the key."

The little emperor was thoughtful for a moment, and then he said:

"As the Grand Master often said, as a monarch, you don't have to do everything yourself, but you must be able to see through the words and deeds of your subjects and know what's going on."

With this ability of comprehension, he is worthy of being the chosen emperor!

Si Yao continued, "That's right. Everything I and the Regent or other ministers do may seem complicated and incomprehensible to you, but you just need to know that our goal is the prosperity and peace of Southern Liang, and you will always be our center."

As for children, you have to praise them more strongly with your words.

She is just repeating what others have said. If she says too much, it would be inappropriate, but if she doesn't say anything, she would feel bad. She should be in the second or third grade of primary school, but she is already carrying the heavy responsibility of a country on her shoulders!

In order to ease the heavy atmosphere, Si Yao decided to change the topic:

"Your Majesty, the weather is getting hotter and hotter. How about I perform a little magic trick for you to cheer you up?"

When the little emperor heard this, his eyes immediately lit up, his face full of curiosity and excitement:

"Really? Come on and show me!" As he spoke, he couldn't wait to witness this sudden surprise.

Si Yao called Yingyue in, whispered a few words, and then looked at the little emperor:

"Your Majesty, we need to prepare some things. Please wait for a moment."

"it is good."

In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, several maids quietly brought several exquisite tall wooden basins into the hall, each with a few seemingly ordinary pieces of gravel placed in it.

This scene instantly attracted the little emperor's attention, and his eyes sparkled with curiosity and excitement.

"Stone?"

Si Yao walked to Yingyue's side and took a copper ladle filled with water from her.

Then, pour a bucket of clean water evenly on the broken stones.

In an instant, "Sizzle"

With a slight sound, wisps of white mist rose from the wooden basin, and a fresh and cool breath instantly spread.

"This...this stone..."

The little emperor opened his eyes wide, looking at the scene in disbelief, his face full of surprise and shock.

He had never seen such a magical scene before. How could stones and water...

Seeing this, Si Yao explained softly:

"Your Majesty, this is not an ordinary stone. It is saltpeter. It has the property of absorbing a large amount of heat when dissolved in water, thus creating ice in the water. If you like, you may try it yourself."

Upon hearing this, the little emperor did not immediately show joy. Instead, he frowned slightly, and a look of contemplation beyond his age emerged on his young face.

There seemed to be thousands of thoughts surging in his eyes. After a moment, he slowly raised his eyes and said in a serious tone:

"Aunt Huang, if I want to do something, you will support me, right?"

"of course."

A gleam of light flashed in the little emperor's eyes, and he continued:

"Then, Auntie Huang, can you... sell me this wonderful method of making ice? Let it become a secret known only to you and me, and let this secret become a force in my hands."

As he spoke, his eyes inadvertently glanced at Yingyue beside him, and there was both inquiry and warning in his eyes.

Seeing this, Yingyue immediately understood what the little emperor meant. She quickly stepped forward, bowed, and spoke in a firm and loyal tone:

"Your Majesty, please rest assured. As the princess's personal guard, I will protect her secrets as if they were my own lives. I will keep my mouth shut and will never leak a single word!"

After hearing this, the little emperor nodded with satisfaction. The coldness in his eyes gradually dissipated, replaced by an indescribable determination and expectation.