Yi Zhiye's words left Wang Lin unsure how to retort.
He was, after all, a servant, and accompanying Sima Zhu was perfectly normal. Yet, in Yi Zhiye's words, it sounded strangely peculiar.
He cautiously glanced at Sima Zhu, but could only see his large, bulky body, with no hint of any expression.
After some hesitation, Wang Lin finally spoke, "Grand Tutor, you jest. Everything I do is my duty. How could I dare to partake of Grand Tutor's food? Please, eat quickly. This is, after all, a gesture from His Majesty."
As Wang Lin spoke, he felt a pang of deep distress.
Recently, His Majesty had become moody and unpredictable due to his sudden weight gain.
He had been somewhat in control before, but after the birth of the young prince, the condition had relapsed with a vengeance.
His previously manageable appetite was now completely out of control. He ate incessantly, day and night, until he was utterly stuffed.
Others might merely marvel at His Majesty's state.
But he had personally witnessed His Majesty eat himself into this condition. While watching, he had thought, what if His Majesty ate himself to death?
And his belly, after consuming so much, wouldn't it burst?
As it turned out, his worries were unfounded.
Sima Zhu was still very much alive, despite how his belly looked as though it might burst at the slightest touch.
If Shen Xiaoyan knew Wang Lin's thoughts, she would have kindly offered him some clarification.
Sima Zhu's current condition was akin to a patient in their final moments of lucidity.
They appeared well, even normal, but as soon as their last breath departed, they would no longer be able to sustain themselves, and would depart for the netherworld.
"It seems the Grand Tutor holds some grievance against this humble one, otherwise, why would you hesitate to partake of my food? Still, I wish to know, what have I done wrong that makes the Grand Tutor so wary of me?"
Sima Zhu narrowed his small eyes, as if attempting a smile.
Unfortunately, this expression, in the eyes of all present, was perceived as nothing but impatience and a naked threat.
Yi Zhiye looked down at the wine cups on the table and said calmly, "Your Majesty is overthinking. Wherever I may be, I, this Grand Tutor, will not partake of food. Moreover, these things are truly nothing in my eyes."
Upon hearing this, the expressions of the courtiers turned peculiar as they looked at Yi Zhiye.
They had always known the Grand Tutor to be eccentric, but they had never imagined his eccentricity would reach such a level.
Even if he didn't wish to eat, there was no need to directly insult Sima Zhu, was there?
After all, Sima Zhu was the Emperor.
However, it was Sima Zhu's reaction that truly astonished everyone.
"Since the Grand Tutor is unwilling to eat, then so be it. After all, I do not like to force others."
Yue Zhong, as a regent, was seated very close to Sima Zhu. Although Sima Zhu's voice was not very loud, he heard it clearly.
It was estimated that no one knew Sima Zhu better than these old ministers.
Yet, Sima Zhu, who had always been a man of his word, was surprisingly accommodating after being repeatedly slighted by Yi Zhiye. This left everyone utterly baffled.
"Since this Grand Tutor and A'Han will not eat, perhaps we should take our leave for now. This way, we will not delay everyone else's meal. What do you say..."
"No, you cannot leave!"
Before Yi Zhiye could finish his sentence, Sima Zhu's loud voice interrupted him.
Hearing Sima Zhu's agitated tone, Yi Zhiye felt even more bewildered.
What was going on with this man?
Just as he was trying to make sense of the situation, a sudden gust of wind swept through the imperial gardens, as if something was approaching at high speed, toppling and scattering many chrysanthemums.
Yi Zhiye's heart tightened. Instinctively, he looked up and saw a group of people rapidly approaching him.
They carried no weapons, but their bodies shimmered with colorful light.
Sima Han also noticed this development and, almost without needing Yi Zhiye's prompt, quickly rose to his feet.
Both moved with incredible speed, narrowly avoiding the ensuing assault.
"These people..."
Sima Han looked at the group standing where they had been seated, a frown on his face, but Yi Zhiye interrupted him.
"They are from the Sacred Spirit Continent."
As Yi Zhiye spoke, the leader of the approaching group burst into laughter.
"Ha, Yi Zhiye, I didn't expect you to still be alive after all these years."
"My eyes are not blind and my ears are not deaf, naturally I can see where you are from."
Yi Zhiye replied coldly, though he was deeply perplexed.
He was certain he had never met these people before.
If so, why did they recognize him so clearly?
And looking at the current situation, it was obvious that these people were here for him.
But, how had they contacted Sima Zhu?
The leader seemed to relish seeing Yi Zhiye's confused expression, his smile widening.
"What is it, Yi Zhiye? Are you very curious who we are? Hmph, you don't need to think about it. People like you have countless enemies. It's perfectly normal for someone to come looking for trouble with you."
Hearing this, Yi Zhiye's mind flashed with a sudden insight, and he immediately understood where these people had come from.
Although he didn't know them, judging by their methods and words, he knew they must have been sent by that particular person.
"What do you want this time? Wasn't Wuer Shan's lesson enough last time?"
Upon hearing Yi Zhiye suddenly mention Wuer Shan, the leader's expression stiffened, then he sneered, "Unexpectedly, you are quite clever. With such a hint, you've already guessed where we are from."
Yi Zhiye's focus, however, was not on this. "How did you get here?"
Fujiwara Shifei had made it very clear last time. As long as she was present, anyone who dared to trespass here would face consequences that not everyone could bear.
Had it only been quiet for a short while before someone else arrived?
Seeing Yi Zhiye's grave expression, the leader mistook it for fear and let out another arrogant laugh. "What, Yi Zhiye, are you scared? If you kneel down now and kowtow a few times, perhaps we might grant you a swift end later. What do you say, hahaha."
Yi Zhiye's expression turned cold. With a slight movement of his hand, a beam of light shot towards the leader.
Unexpectedly, although the leader was arrogant, he possessed some skill. He managed to dodge Yi Zhiye's sudden attack.
Unfortunately, while he could dodge, not everyone behind him could.
Seeing two of his subordinates unable to evade and now in great pain, the leader's eyes deepened with malice.