"I am a young attendant from the Grand Tutor's mansion, hello."
He tentatively extended his hand, then, sensing something amiss, tried to withdraw it. A small, fair hand grasped his.
"Hello! So we're both servants."
This was Su Ye's first appearance as a male. He had expected the girl to distance herself from him upon discovering he was a boy.
However, she did not look down on him.
"Do you know why this Grand Tutor wanted to keep you by my side the first time we met?"
At this point, Su Ye suddenly shifted the topic to Gu Qianying.
"This humble subject naturally does not know the Grand Tutor's intentions."
Gu Qianying had indeed harbored questions, but given their current circumstances, she was unwilling to recall that experience.
Seeing her deliberate avoidance, Su Ye actually let out a laugh.
"Hahaha, this Grand Tutor was too rash. Actually, you are very much like her. From the day we met, she never looked down on me because I was male. At the same time, I learned that you opposed the Empress for the sake of Su Cheng. Because I felt a sense of familiarity, I wanted to keep you by my side."
The doubts from that day were unexpectedly resolved today.
Gu Qianying stood and bowed.
"Grand Tutor, since you have experienced gender equality, why do you still fail to understand and comprehend?"
She certainly did not understand.
Su Ye gestured for her to sit and, with a wry smile, recounted his experiences after meeting the Empress.
"We continued to conceal our identities as attendants, living together until we genuinely developed feelings for each other. It was then that I realized my identity could no longer be hidden."
Not all lovers in the world can stay together.
When she learned that Su Ye was actually the Grand Tutor's daughter, Su Qingqing, and had been cross-dressing all along, the young Empress was unable to accept it at first.
They had a fight, a very serious one.
As a result, they refused to see each other.
It wasn't until three years later, when the Saintess ascended the throne as Empress, that Su Ye realized he had fallen in love with the Saintess, the future Empress.
After so many years, they had developed a childhood affection, but in the end, it turned out to be a joke destined to have no conclusion.
At that time, Su Ye was young and impetuous, and heartbroken by the Empress's deception.
Therefore, he disguised himself as a woman and achieved the top scholar position. Two years later, he smoothly inherited his mother's position and became the Grand Tutor to the new Empress.
They often met in their capacities as sovereign and minister. Their past affections had seeped into their very bones, and eventually, they confessed their feelings and got together.
However, due to their identities, their relationship could only exist in the shadows, unseen by the public.
If not for the Empress's unexpected pregnancy this time, he would not have thought of recruiting physicians from outside the palace.
Upon hearing this, Gu Qianying understood everything.
They were also a pair of unfortunate souls. However, one being an Empress and the other a Grand Tutor, their extraordinary statuses allowed them to maintain this facade for so long. It seemed they were truly exceptional individuals.
Gu Qianying could understand that their interactions must have been incredibly arduous.
She had always been a busybody. Having already meddled so much in the Southern Yi Kingdom, another matter wouldn't make much difference.
With this thought, she stood up.
"I never imagined the Grand Tutor and your beloved would have such a tortuous past. I will certainly do my utmost to help you both."
Hearing her words, Su Ye smiled.
"You help us? In this Southern Yi Kingdom, if you get involved with us, you will surely perish without a burial place. Even I cannot guarantee our safety for a lifetime right now. How can you believe you can help us?"
Although his words were somewhat harsh, Gu Qianying understood.
After all, they were victims of an absurd system that continued to exist and affect them. Therefore, it was indeed difficult to trust others with such an important matter.
However, Gu Qianying still expressed her viewpoint.
"It is natural for Grand Tutor Su to be wary of me, but you should understand my beliefs. Since you two are in love, what is wrong with being together openly? Your statuses are significant; what prevents you from overturning the unjust system of this country?"
Her words were bold, but perhaps she had heard too much during this time, and Su Ye himself possessed a rebellious spirit.
Thus, despite his shock and hesitation, his heart began to waver.
"You truly surprise this Grand Tutor at every turn, to be able to utter such words."
Though he spoke sarcastically, a sense of admiration arose within him.
As they were conversing, urgent footsteps were suddenly heard from outside.
"Grand Tutor, something is wrong! The honored lady is experiencing severe abdominal pain. Please go quickly and see her."
It was the voice of Aunt Wang.
Upon hearing that something had happened to the Empress, Su Ye immediately stood up and walked towards the door, with Gu Qianying following him.
During her examination earlier today, Gu Qianying had already sensed signs of premature labor in the Empress.
After hearing so much from Grand Tutor Su in the evening, she felt even more certain that the Empress would experience premature labor due to excessive worry.
If this were indeed the case, their mother and child would be in mortal danger.
In this critical situation, Aunt Wang had no time to blindfold Gu Qianying. Seeing that the Grand Tutor did not intend to keep her away, she allowed her to accompany them to the honored lady's chambers.
"Ah, it hurts so much, my stomach, it hurts so much."
Even before reaching the inner chambers, the Empress's voice could be heard. Su Ye strode directly inside.
"You, come in with me."
As they reached the doorway, he did not forget to bring Gu Qianying along.
When the Grand Tutor and Gu Qianying entered, Aunt Wang stopped at the doorway. Although she was filled with worry, she possessed no medical skills and her status was not comparable to the Grand Tutor's. Entering now would be of no help, so it was better to guard the entrance.
Upon entering the room, Gu Qianying immediately saw spots of blood seeping from the Empress's bed.
At this moment, Su Ye no longer cared about the presence of others in the room. He sat on the bed and clasped the hand of the person lying there.
"Yan'er, don't be afraid. I am here. I am here, and you will be alright."
She was still dressed as a woman, but her voice had regained its masculine resonance.
The person on the bed, amidst her pain, glimpsed Gu Qianying beside her and quickly covered Su Ye's mouth with her hand, but he held it firmly in his palm.
"It's alright. She knows everything. Rest assured, I am here. You can relax."
He held her in his arms to comfort her, while Gu Qianying placed her hand on her pulse.
After examining the pulse, Gu Qianying quickly looked up and reminded them.
"The honored lady shows signs of premature labor. Grand Tutor Su, the baby is in a breech position. We need to perform a cesarean section to deliver the child, only then can the mother and child be saved."