Chapter 0185: Two Princes Bicker and Spar, Xie Shoujun Dotes and Protects
Fearing Xie Chengze might get angry again, Xie Jinyu had no choice but to release his grip and step back, adopting a humble posture as he asked, “Then, Second Brother, when will you return to Cheng Huan Palace? I’ll wait for you.”
“I’m not going back.” Xie Chengze grabbed Xie Shoujun’s arm and dragged him toward the inner chambers of Wu De Hall. “Tonight, I’m sleeping with Eldest Brother!”
Hearing this, Xie Jinyu’s pupils abruptly contracted, and he instinctively grabbed Xie Chengze’s sleeve. “Second Brother… wait!”
Xie Chengze turned his head and looked at him impatiently. “What now?”
In the novel, this kid was clearly supposed to be fraternal and respectful, so why did he now seem utterly disrespectful to his elder brother and unloving toward his younger sibling?
“I…” Xie Jinyu didn’t answer directly. Instead, he looked at Xie Shoujun and offered a gentle, unremarkable smile. “It has been a long time since I last saw Eldest Brother, and I miss him dearly. How about the three of us brothers share a bed tonight? I would also like to hear about Eldest Brother’s experiences at the border. What do you think?”
He truly couldn’t rest easy leaving Second Brother alone with Xie Shoujun. What if Xie Shoujun truly harbored rebellious intentions… He would never allow anyone to harm Second Brother.
Xie Chengze released his grip, crossed his arms, and stared suspiciously at Xie Jinyu, pondering to himself:
Was this kid genuinely curious about the border affairs, or was he wary that I might win over the Imperial Brother and gain his military support?
If it was the former, then he was truly spineless.
Hmm… might as well test him.
Xie Chengze turned to Xie Shoujun. “Imperial Brother, what do you think?”
“I’m fine with anything.” Xie Shoujun patted his head, somewhat indifferent. “The bed is big enough anyway.”
“Since Imperial Brother agrees, you can come back tonight.” Xie Chengze waved his hand dismissively, his young face full of impatience, signaling for him to leave.
“If Eldest Brother doesn’t mind, may I move my memorials to Wu De Hall to process them?” Xie Jinyu asked Xie Shoujun again, though his tone brooked no refusal. “To be frank, and I hope Eldest Brother won’t laugh, the Eastern Palace is actually quite desolate. With both elder brothers here in Wu De Hall, it feels much livelier.”
Xie Shoujun looked at him thoughtfully, then glanced at Xie Chengze. Seeing the young man deliberately avert his gaze and fiddle with his fingers, he immediately understood and nodded in agreement. “Fine.”
Xie Jinyu breathed a sigh of relief inwardly and curved his lips into a smile. “Thank you, Eldest Brother.”
Instructing the attendant behind him to go back and fetch the memorials, Xie Jinyu stepped forward and stopped beside Xie Chengze. Lowering his gaze, he smiled meekly at him. “Second Brother, let’s go in.”
Xie Chengze glanced at him expressionlessly, then raised his hand to link arms with Xie Shoujun, revealing a bright, innocent smile. “Eldest Brother, let’s go in.”
Xie Shoujun: …
Slightly shaking his head, he led these two childish younger brothers into Wu De Hall.
There wasn’t much to entertain themselves with in Wu De Hall, but fortunately, there was a chessboard. Xie Shoujun wasn’t proficient in Go, so Xie Chengze played Gomoku with him instead.
Xie Jinyu sat to the side, reviewing memorials. Occasionally, he would glance at the chess game, smiling faintly whenever he noticed Xie Chengze about to win. However, the sharp-eyed Xie Shoujun would catch this, dismantle the traps Xie Chengze had set, and turn the game into a back-and-forth battle.
Surprisingly, the three of them got along quite harmoniously until a palace maid approached with a tea set and inquired, “Your Highnesses, would you care for some tea?”
Xie Shoujun was immersed in the chess game and didn’t pay much attention, casually responding with a noncommittal “Hmm.”
However, Xie Jinyu and Xie Chengze both looked up at the palace maid, then noticed she was also watching them. The two exchanged a glance.
Xie Chengze narrowed his eyes and quickly averted his gaze.
Xie Jinyu also lowered his head thoughtfully, his peripheral vision catching the palace maid arranging the tea set on the table before kneeling down to begin meticulously selecting tea leaves and heating snow water—clearly intending to brew tea from scratch.
This meant she would be staying here for quite some time.
Xie Chengze placed a white piece on the board and suddenly asked, “Has His Highness the Crown Prince ever heard about the succession struggle during Emperor Yunlong’s reign in the Qingping Dynasty?”
Xie Shoujun’s hovering black piece paused mid-air. He glanced up at him and said, “Hmm, it’s recorded in the Qingping Chronicles. During Emperor Yunlong’s reign, there were two princes particularly suited to inherit the throne. One was the slightly mediocre but legitimate eldest prince, while the other was the highly talented third prince, born of a favored consort, who was deeply beloved by the common people.”
“Do you remember who ultimately won that succession battle?” Xie Chengze asked with a smile.
Xie Shoujun thought for a moment. “Although the third prince wasn’t the legitimate heir and lacked maternal clan support, he had a formidable general under his command. Moreover, his full brother, the second prince, held military power. In the end, they prevailed over their opponent.”
Just as Xie Chengze was about to continue, Xie Jinyu set down the memorial in his hand and interjected, “Then does Elder Brother remember the succession struggle between the Crown Prince and the sixth prince during Emperor Rongsheng’s reign in the Wanxiang Dynasty?”
“Hmm…” Xie Shoujun nodded, recalling. “There are similarities between the two cases. However, during Emperor Rongsheng’s reign, the legitimate eldest prince successfully ascended the throne. His maternal clan’s influence was formidable, and they orchestrated to have the sixth prince’s elder brother deployed to the border, preventing his return to the capital for support. Most crucially, Emperor Rongsheng insisted on the legitimate eldest son inheriting the throne. Thus, despite his talents, the sixth prince lost the throne and was ultimately executed for rebellion after being purged by the Crown Prince.”
After speaking, he couldn’t help but glance at the two of them.
Why did he feel they were alluding to something?
Xie Chengze placed a piece heavily on the board and scoffed lightly, “But the Wanxiang Dynasty, stubbornly adhering to the outdated rule of legitimate sons inheriting the throne, fell within three generations!”
Xie Jinyu smiled faintly. “The descendants of the third prince in the Qingping Dynasty also emulated their father’s brothers in fighting for power. Years of warfare and power struggles among the princes depleted national strength and invited foreign invasion, ultimately leading to their replacement by the Guyuan Dynasty.”
“You!” Xie Chengze couldn’t help turning to glare at him. “The Crown Prince is truly well-versed in history and sharp-tongued!”
“Second Brother is no less impressive.Xie Jinyu curved his lips into a slight smile, then turned his gaze to Xie Shoujun, his eyes flickering with probing. “What does Elder Brother think? Should the throne be occupied by the most capable, or by the legitimate eldest son? Or perhaps… by whoever holds military power?”
Xie Shoujun was holding a black piece, hesitating over the board. Just as he was about to speak, he felt a slight kick against his calf.
Looking up, he saw Xie Chengze sitting across from him, gazing at him with wide, pitiful eyes like a drenched puppy, softly pleading, “Elder Brother…”
Xie Shoujun’s heart instantly softened. “Hmm, naturally, it should go to the most capable.”
The little one immediately brightened up, picking up the white piece he had just placed and moving it to another spot. Clearly, his improved mood led him to go easy on his opponent.
Xie Jinyu watched their intimate interaction, his expression gradually darkening. His covert gaze shifted back and forth between the two before finally settling heavily on the memorials piled on the writing desk.
The characters he brushed with ink grew heavier and sharper, carrying a distinct edge.
How irritating…
Even after keeping them away from Second Brother for ten years, whether it was Shen Yuan or Xie Shoujun, or even the Fourth Prince and princesses, their reunions with Second Brother seemed to lack any distance. Only he…
Though he had been the one by Second Brother’s side all these ten years, he remained the most distant from him, forever unable to truly grow close.
The Second Brother of today was even more unpredictable and harder to read than before.