Hu Xiaotian said, "When I was at Bright Moon Palace, I personally witnessed Lady Wen present Princess Anping with a painting of a bee gathering nectar from flowers. Her Highness politely declined it. That painting was done by Wen Boyuan himself." He revealed this incident to dissuade the emperor from sending Wen Boyuan. Traveling with Wen Boyuan was certain to bring trouble.
Long Yelin gazed quietly at Hu Xiaotian. "You mean..."
Hu Xiaotian said, "Wen Boyuan has always harbored feelings for Her Highness. Escorting the princess to the Yong Capital for her marriage is a matter of great importance. I fear General Wen might let his emotions rule him. Sending him may not be appropriate."
Long Yelin frowned. "Is this really true?"
Hu Xiaotian said, "If Your Majesty does not believe me, you may summon him and ask."
Long Yelin said, "My imperial sister is a peerless beauty. Plenty of princes, nobles, generals, and ministers admire her. Even if Wen Boyuan is captivated by her grace, that is hardly a crime."
Hu Xiaotian said, "But he knew perfectly well that Your Majesty had already betrothed the princess to Great Yong's Seventh Prince, yet he still encouraged Lady Wen to present her with that painting. His intentions deserve scrutiny."
Yin Zheng stood respectfully to one side, hardly daring to breathe. The less noticeable he was right now, the better. His admiration for Hu Xiaotian knew no bounds. His boss truly had enormous nerve-he even dared to disparage the Grand Tutor's son. If Grand Tutor Wen and his son learned of this, how could they possibly let him off lightly? Little did he know that Hu Xiaotian was laying the groundwork to shift the blame later.
Long Yelin said, "I have already promised Grand Tutor Wen. How can I go back on