Chapter 0015: The Murderous Second Prince, and Xie Chengze the Child-Bestowing Guanyin
Magistrate Zhu broke into a cold sweat, inwardly protesting that the situations were nothing alike!
When the Second Prince went to Yi Province, he was naturally welcomed with banquets by hundreds of officials and wouldn’t suffer the slightest hardship. But his son was merely the child of a minor county magistrate—at best the nephew of a prefect’s wife, and not even by blood! Once they left Jizhou, he’d be nothing. Who would indulge him?
Moreover, while His Highness claimed this was about “serving” him, everyone knew why last year’s Tanhualang had died. This was clearly about tormenting his son on the journey to vent anger, then granting him death!
Yet Magistrate Zhu dared not say this aloud. He glanced helplessly at the Ministry of Revenue official seated beside the magistrate’s desk, but the man kept his eyes downcast, refusing to get involved.
Had this involved any other prince, the matter might have been smoothed over. But encountering the temperamental Second Prince, Magistrate Zhu could only resign himself to misfortune.
His face bitter, Magistrate Zhu didn’t know what to do.
After all, Zhu Xiaobiao was his only son. Though this son’s wives hadn’t produced even an egg, he was still a thread of hope… surely better prospects than his aging father who, despite remarrying for ten years, still had no offspring!
As he pondered, a servant suddenly rushed in, loudly announcing, “Your Honor! Your Honor! The lady is with child! The physician says it’s likely a boy!”
Magistrate Zhu whirled around. The sudden news made him forget to react, forget even to fear whether the Second Prince would rage at this interruption.
His mind held only the servant’s words.
The Zhu family… would have an heir?
From behind the magistrate’s desk, Xie Chengze chuckled softly, his tone meaningful. “My arrival is truly fortuitous. I’ve barely stepped through the door when Magistrate Zhu’s household celebration begins.”
He rose, sleeves sweeping, looking down at the two men. “It seems then, he’s no longer your only son?”
Zhu Xiaobiao, prostrate on the floor, subtly clenched his fists within his sleeves, casting a pleading gaze toward his father.
“This…” Magistrate Zhu timidly averted his eyes, mumbling into the floor, “This official… this official…”
“Very well, I won’t press you further. They say a child’s faults reflect the father’s failures. As the parental official of Zhuolu County, you indulged your son in knowingly breaking the law. I ought to charge you with shielding and abetting. How about you resign to take his punishment, and I’ll release him?”
“Your Highness!” Magistrate Zhu broke into a sweat, “This official is old and frail, how could I serve Your Highness well…”
“This won’t do, that won’t do! Magistrate Zhu is truly difficult to please!”
Xie Chengze suddenly laughed coldly, plucking a green command slip from the tally tube and hurling it violently toward them. “Zhu Xiaobiao! Will you accept this punishment or not?!”
Zhu Xiaobiao looked at Magistrate Zhu, but seeing him dazed and unresponsive, disappointment flashed in his eyes.
After kowtowing sharply toward Magistrate Zhu, he pressed his forehead to the floor and shouted to Xie Chengze, “This humble one is willing to go to Yi Province and serve His Highness the Second Prince!”
Though they’d only interacted for an hour and a half, he felt the Second Prince wasn’t as terrifying as the rumors claimed.
After tying up the Second Prince and bringing him home, he had nearly all the gold, silver, and jewels in the house brought before His Highness. He even summoned all his beautiful concubines, boldly declaring that if the prince were willing to stay, he could have all the concubines serve him, ensuring his hands would never need to touch mundane chores.
At that time, the Second Prince was actually amused by him. While fondling the jewels, he laughed more beautifully than a flower.
That was why Zhu Xiaobiao, bewitched and confused, had spoken of wanting the Second Prince to be his principal husband, even believing him to be genuinely gentle.
And yet…
Zhu Xiaobiao kept kowtowing until his forehead bled, a bitter laugh flashing through his heart: He would rather die outside than perish in the Zhu residence.
Xie Chengze stepped down from the platform one step at a time, his indifferent gaze sweeping over the two men from above. “Since Magistrate Zhu has a happy event at home, why not return to care for your wife? This prince and the Vice Minister have important matters to discuss and will not trouble you further.”
“Yes, yes! This humble official takes his leave.” Magistrate Zhu scrambled to his feet. He glanced at Zhu Xiaobiao and ultimately couldn’t bear to leave without saying, “Xiaobiao, you must serve the Second Prince well!”
With that, he hurried away.
Zhu Xiaobiao remained kneeling on the ground without moving. Xie Chengze paid him no mind, instead turning with a cheerful smile to the Vice Minister who had been shrinking to the side without a word. “I’ve made a spectacle for the Vice Minister to see.”
The Vice Minister quickly stood up and bowed. “Your Highness, you jest. In this humble official’s opinion, the Second Prince is truly merciful to have spared Zhu Xiaobiao’s life.”
“This prince dislikes the sight of blood and has no fondness for fighting and killing.” Xie Chengze smiled with utter innocence.
The Vice Minister thought of the overwhelming bloodshed and executions after the Qionglin Banquet, then recalled the red court robes the Second Prince wore daily: …
The two fell into a subtle silence for a moment before the Vice Minister proactively brought up the purpose of their private meeting. “Second Prince, regarding the ten thousand taels of silver you instructed the steward to arrange—it will go exactly where it needs to go. This humble official has made all the preparations.”
“Then lead the way.” Xie Chengze lifted his foot to depart.
The Vice Minister hastily guided him. As they passed the kneeling Zhu Xiaobiao, Xie Chengze paused, his tone rising. “Aren’t you coming? Waiting for an invitation from this prince?”
Zhu Xiaobiao was startled, then quickly scrambled up and followed Xie Chengze.
The silver bureau in the government office was the room where official silver was stored. When the Vice Minister pushed open the large door, they saw nearly twenty chests neatly arranged inside, each wide open to reveal gleaming white silver.
The Vice Minister pointed to several other chests, flattering with a smile, “These are from the minister as a tribute to you.”
He didn’t specify which minister, clearly testing the waters.
Xie Chengze laughed heartily with satisfaction, waving his gold-thread fan. “Well done! This prince knew your Ministry of Revenue would never misinterpret my intentions!”
Seeing this, the Vice Minister immediately breathed a sigh of relief and smiled eagerly. “Naturally, Your Highness’s orders are strictly followed by our Ministry of Revenue.”
Zhu Xiaobiao, standing to the side, stole a glance and felt a shock run through him.
Was he witnessing a prince accepting bribes?
Why would he be allowed to attend to such private matters without any caution? Could it be that the Second Prince had no intention of letting him return alive?
Zhu Xiaobiao tightly shut his eyes, his plump body trembling slightly.
By the heavens, maybe he should try to escape halfway. Could he manage to get away?
After seeing the ministry official off, Xie Chengze glanced at the trembling Zhu Xiaobiao and abruptly smacked his shoulder with the gold-threaded fan.
“Ah!” Zhu Xiaobiao’s legs instantly gave way, kneeling on the ground as he trembled and said, “I saw nothing at all!”
Xie Chengze:…
So noisy, and so cowardly.
Yet, his character is kind, and he knows how to endure humiliation and conceal his abilities—he could be of use.
Xie Chengze bent down, tapping Zhu Xiaobiao’s round head with the gold-threaded fan—tapping here, tapping there—and muttered softly, “Xiaobiao, I saved you from the Zhu residence. Don’t disappoint me. When you leave later, remember to check and lock the doors and windows.”
Zhu Xiaobiao opened his eyes, his gaze widening slightly.
The Second Prince?
“Alright, get up,” Xie Chengze said, putting away the fan and speaking indifferently. “The carriage to Yi Province should be arriving soon. How to get this silver properly loaded onto the carriage—I shouldn’t need to teach you, right?”
Zhu Xiaobiao froze.
Xie Chengze cast him a sidelong glance, but his words grew increasingly baffling. “Magistrate Zhu’s second wife hasn’t conceived in ten years, yet now, as soon as I arrive, she’s with child. Tsk tsk, it seems I truly am the reincarnation of the Child-Sending Guanyin! Hahahaha—”
Xie Chengze laughed heartily, tilting his head back as he strode out the door, leaving Zhu Xiaobiao standing there dumbfounded. When Zhu Xiaobiao finally regained his senses, his usually arrogant face gradually turned cold and somber.
Indeed.
This “joy” had come at far too “convenient” a time.