Chapter 0192: Xie Chengze’s Lament, Xie Chengze at Your Mercy
“Ze’er, has the Crown Prince truly been poisoned?” After dismissing all the imperial physicians, Emperor Jian looked at Xie Jinyu on the bed—lips purplish-black and face contorted in pain—and couldn’t help but ask the drowsy, yawning Xie Chengze.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Xie Chengze patted his mouth and replied languidly, “The poisoning is quite severe. He probably won’t make it. Why doesn’t Your Majesty issue an edict to depose the Crown Prince early and let…”
Xie Chengze’s finger pointed toward Xie Zimiao, who had come to visit the Crown Prince. Xie Zimiao quickly lowered his head, scurried behind Emperor Jian, and pretended he wasn’t there.
So the finger lazily shifted to Xie Shoujun. “Let Big Brother become the Crown Prince! He’s strong and healthy, not afraid of going bald, and can review two thousand memorials a day!”
Xie Shoujun: ?
Emperor Jian speechlessly swatted his hand away. “If anything really happens to the Crown Prince, I’ll make you emperor and have you review all the memorials!”
Xie Chengze was startled, his drowsiness vanishing entirely. “Father? Are you planning to accompany the Crown Prince in death? Don’t do anything rash!”
Emperor Jian: ???
“What nonsense are you thinking!” Emperor Jian angrily swatted his lower back again. “I mean, I’ll become the Retired Emperor! I’ll enjoy life while you suffer! For every day the Crown Prince remains poisoned, you’ll review the memorials for that day!”
“What—?!” Xie Chengze let out a miserable wail. “No—! My vacation—!”
If he had known this would happen, he wouldn’t have acted along with them. Why was he the one ending up suffering?!
The Crown Prince had been poisoned twice, and the palace maid responsible had committed suicide out of guilt, abruptly cutting off the clues. After three days of investigation with no results, the Dali Temple infuriated Emperor Jian, who then remembered Shen Yuan in prison. He ordered Shen Yuan to redeem himself by uncovering the mastermind behind the poisoning.
On the day Shen Yuan was released from prison, Xie Chengze specifically came to pick him up and encountered Cao Que, who had also come for the same purpose.
“Second Prince.” Cao Que bowed to Xie Chengze in a courtly manner and said nothing more.
This man had always been low-key and inconspicuous within the Cao family. Now, clad in the purple official robe symbolizing high rank, he appeared refreshingly different, drawing attention to his remarkable appearance and demeanor—something that had gone unnoticed before.
Xie Chengze secretly observed him. In the original novel, Cao Que only appeared once: when the Crown Prince was assassinated by the Second Prince, he helped the Crown Prince escape under a ruse and flee to Liaozhou for safety.
For him to appear so early now—could it be arranged by Shen Yuan?
He’d ask when Shen Yuan came out.
Xie Chengze withdrew his gaze and looked toward the prison entrance.
The moment he averted his eyes, Cao Que’s gaze subtly fell upon him, lingering briefly before calmly retracting.
…
When Shen Yuan stepped out of the prison, he saw Xie Chengze standing outside, his eyes lighting up at the sight of him.
He couldn’t help but smile slightly and strode toward Xie Chengze. It was only when the man standing beside Xie Chengze bowed to him that Shen Yuan withdrew his smile.
“Lord Shen.” Cao Que gave a slight bow. “Congratulations on regaining the emperor’s favor.”
“And this is?” Shen Yuan feigned surprise, asking Xie Chengze.
“This is the newly appointed Commander of the Four Right Armies of the Divine Guard, Cao Que.” Xie Chengze cleared his throat and explained.
“So it’s the new Commander.” Shen Yuan nodded in sudden understanding toward Cao Que. “Might I ask what business Lord Cao has with me?”
“I presume Lord Shen is already aware of the Crown Prince’s poisoning incident.” Cao Que stated his purpose, “The Crown Prince concerns the safety of the Cao family, the court, and the entire Jian’an. We hope Lord Shen will spare no effort to swiftly identify the true culprit. The Cao family will surely offer generous rewards.”
“It is my duty. I will certainly exert my utmost efforts.” Shen Yuan responded courteously with a bow.
Cao Que nodded before turning to leave.
Only after the man had gone far did Xie Chengze turn back and ask in confusion, “Isn’t Cao Que one of your people?”
Shen Yuan shook his head, “He belongs to the Empress.”
Xie Chengze’s jaw dropped.
Then closed again.
“That makes sense,” he muttered to himself, fingers unconsciously pinching his thigh muscle. “The Empress, of course she’d have some personnel under her command. Not surprising, not surprising at all.”
Even Xie Zimiao had his own trusted aides, let alone the Empress who ruled the inner palace. Xie Chengze quickly dismissed the matter and said enthusiastically to Shen Yuan, “Let’s go! You must have eaten poorly in the celestial prison. I’ll treat you to a feast when we return~”
“Return where?” Shen Yuan raised an eyebrow. “Cheng Huan Palace? Or Wu De Hall?”
“Um…” Xie Chengze immediately guiltily rubbed his small hands. “The Imperial Study…”
“Oh, so you’ve been detained at the Imperial Study to review memorials,” Shen Yuan crossed his arms, teasing, “Second Prince, could it be that you deliberately poisoned the Crown Prince to seize the Eastern Palace position?”
“Yes, yes, it was exactly me, Your Highness.” Xie Chengze gave up completely, proactively offering his hands. “Then quickly arrest me! I’m at your mercy!”
He really didn’t want to review memorials anymore – it was such a headache!
“Then this official won’t stand on ceremony.” Shen Yuan leaned down into the circle formed by Xie Chengze’s arms, wrapped an arm around his waist, then leaped onto the wall eaves and swiftly flew along the walltops toward Cheng Huan Palace.
The sudden movement made Xie Chengze cling tightly to his neck, groaning lowly, “Shen! Don’t take advantage that everyone here is Cao Que’s people to fly recklessly around the palace!”
“And if I do take advantage, what of it?” Shen Yuan chuckled lightly. “Haven’t I also relied on the Second Prince’s favor and trust to rise so prominently within the palace?”
“Tch.” Xie Chengze rolled his eyes. “How did you become so affected after just some time in prison?”
“Perhaps being alone in prison made me too lonely.” Shen Yuan tightened his arm around the waist. “You haven’t sent any messages these past few days. I thought…”
I thought the Second Prince had returned.
Ahem. Xie Chengze quickly cleared his throat lightly. “These past few days I’ve been busy reviewing memorials and writing teaching materials, plus training. You have no idea how perverted Xie Shoujun is – he doesn’t allow me any slack at all. Although he does massage my legs afterward, still…”
He paused mid-sentence, suddenly looking up at Shen Yuan. “You noticed my legs were hurting, so that’s why you’re carrying me while flying?”
Shen Yuan gave him a faint glance. “Slow-witted.”
Xie Chengze pouted. “Slow-wittedness is a blessing.”
“First time I’ve heard that.” Shen Yuan laughed. “But being a bit slow-witted is fine too.”
At least he probably hasn’t discovered the Crown Prince’s obsessive feelings toward him yet.
Otherwise, who knows how frightened he would be.
——
“They went to Cheng Huan Palace?”
Upon receiving the news, Sheng Shihai paused his hand feeding the fish. “Hmm, it seems the two of them are going to discuss matters privately.”
The Crown Prince’s second poisoning was unexpected. He had originally thought Xie Chengze took advantage of the chaos to administer the poison, but now it seemed the matter might not be so easily determined.
However, the poisoner was quite cunning, daring to use the first poisoning as an opportunity to frame someone. I wonder who this person could be?
Could it be the Eldest Prince?
Sheng Shihai pondered this possibility as he pinched fish food between his fingers and scattered it into the pond.
Or perhaps the Crown Prince staged it himself?
Whoever it was, the Crown Prince being poisoned in Wu De Hall would inevitably plunge both the Crown Prince and the Eldest Prince into turmoil. With just a little push, the two would part ways and become political enemies.
“Send someone to create confusion,” Sheng Shihai instructed. “Lead the clues toward the Eldest Prince, and seize the moment to add fuel to the fire by spreading rumors about the cause of his mother’s death.”
He wanted to ensure there was absolutely no possibility of cooperation between the Crown Prince and the Eldest Prince.
“Yes.”
After the subordinate left, Sheng Shihai tossed all the remaining fish food from the bowl into the pond and then headed out of his residence.
Now that Shen Yuan was out of prison, he couldn’t let him monopolize Xie Chengze’s trust. It was time to make an appearance.