Chapter 0235: Parental Decree and Matchmaker’s Words, But She Prefers Men!
Xie Chengze now commands two distinct factions.
One consists of the civil officials under Shen Yuan, primarily from the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Works. The Ministry of Rites still harbors remnants of Hou Yuanzhen’s faction, with only half serving under Minister Sheng.
The other comprises the civil officials under Sheng Shihai, mostly from the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Personnel. However, after the previous major purge in the Ministry of Revenue, even though Sheng Shihai reassigned some positions, the Crown Prince’s faction managed to insert many of their own people.
With the Crown Prince beginning to oversee the Imperial Academy, the Hanlin Academy’s stance has become ambiguous. As for the First Prince, he has not explicitly declared his position, making his intentions unclear. Some even speculate about supporting the First Prince for the throne.
The First Prince’s stance is now crucial. If he leans toward supporting the Crown Prince, the latter, who holds all military power, would have a high chance of success. But if the First Prince intends to support the Second Prince, the situation would become delicate.
Cao Qingran knew very well that if forced to choose between Xie Jinyu and Xie Chengze, Xie Shoujun would undoubtedly choose Xie Chengze.
Back then, to secure Xie Jinyu’s position as Crown Prince, she had planned to eliminate all the princes. She originally intended to find a pretext to strip Xie Shoujun of his title and have him secretly disposed of. Unexpectedly, the palace maid was resolute—she went directly to Emperor Jian and declared that if Xie Shoujun were to die, it would surely be the Empress’s doing, even threatening to dash her head against a pillar.
So Cao Qingran changed her approach. She repeatedly sent assassins and attempted poisonings but always halted halfway. Unable to endure the psychological torment, the palace maid eventually broke. Cao Qingran then secretly bribed her maid, telling her that if she died, the First Prince, without maternal protection, might be allowed to live.
The palace maid ultimately took her own life.
Cao Qingran didn’t understand. She had never loved Xie Jinyu, so she couldn’t comprehend why the palace maid would trade her life for Xie Shoujun’s. The maid had better options—she could have abandoned Xie Shoujun, given birth to a princess, and continued to enjoy wealth and luxury in the rear palace.
She didn’t understand, but it didn’t matter anymore.
Numbly, she confirmed that Xie Shoujun would seek revenge for that palace maid. His mother died by her hand, and he was forced to leave the capital for ten years because of Xie Jinyu. If not for Xie Chengze, how could he have returned to the capital unscathed and shaken Xie Jinyu’s position?
Xie Shoujun would retaliate against her, and she, in turn, would ultimately have to eliminate him.
In the Eastern Palace, Cao Qingran gazed down at Xie Jinyu kneeling on the floor, her expression detached. “Go and reclaim the military power from the First Prince.”
Xie Jinyu calmly looked at the hem of his robe, his tone even. “This matter is not within my authority to decide. If Father Emperor wishes to reclaim the military power, he should be the one to speak.”
Cao Qingran let out a light scoff. “He’s almost dead. What difference does it make whether he speaks or not?”
“Regardless, it should not be me who speaks,” Xie Jinyu insisted.
Cao Qingran paused, narrowing her eyes as she studied the child who had emerged from her womb. His eyes and brows resembled Emperor Jian’s, but his features mostly took after her own. He knelt there unperturbed, showing no emotion upon hearing that Emperor Jian was nearing death.
He already knew.
Cao Qingran was certain. After a long while, she suddenly smiled. “Jinyu, you’re not young anymore. It’s time you took a wife.”
Xie Jinyu’s posture stiffened slightly.
Through parental decree and matchmaker’s words, even the Crown Prince could not resist if his imperial father and mother ordered him to take a crown princess.
“You should know that if I hadn’t been suppressing it, the Cao family would never have tolerated you reaching twenty years of age without marrying a Cao daughter as your crown princess,” Cao Qingran said lightly, her eyes sharpening. “Or alternatively, I could propose a match for the Prince Regent.”
This time, Xie Jinyu finally lifted his gaze, his eyes deepening. “Mother, you jest. The military power must indeed be reclaimed.”
The tense situation in the court was reaching a boiling point. Both Sheng Shihai and Xie Jinyu were pressuring the eldest prince simultaneously, while forces of the Cao family and Sheng Shihai began clashing in the Liaozhou region. The Empress personally intervened, reinstating the Crown Prince’s former right-hand men, subtly shifting the court’s dynamics.
Even Shen Yuan grew busy, secretly mentoring Xie Jinyu on how to weather the impending storm.
Meanwhile, Xie Chengze—who claimed to be “completely ignorant of political schemes”—avoided the court turmoil and enjoyed peaceful days. He visited Yu Fu Palace to play with the little white tiger, joined Xie Zimiao in playing cards to win Rou Fei’s private savings, then fled to the Ministry of Works after being chased by Rou Fei. There, he offered constructive suggestions to Old Gu and Su Qinghe, while giving Su Qinghe private tutoring, sharing everything he had seen and heard from the modern world.
Su Qinghe proved exceptionally talented and diligent. With just rough sketches and basic explanations from Xie Chengze, he could figure out how to manufacture components and gradually build what was needed.
“By the way, Your Highness,” Su Qinghe took out Xie Chengze’s earlier draft textbook, pointing at two characters, “the petroleum mentioned here might be something Young Master Jiang could help find.””
Xie Chengze tilted his head in surprise. “Oh?”
“Young Master Jiang has considerable knowledge of geology. His ability to locate gold mines in Yangzhou is widely known, even among capital residents,” Su Qinghe said softly. “If Your Highness seeks petroleum, you might consider visiting Young Master Jiang. Unfortunately, I’ve long resided in the palace and don’t know his current whereabouts—perhaps he has returned to Yangzhou or is elsewhere.”
Xie Chengze couldn’t help but smile. “What a coincidence. I happen to know.”
Finding time, Xie Chengze promptly visited Young Master Jiang, who was temporarily staying with the Shen family, and presented his request.
Young Master Jiang appeared hesitant. “Does Young Master Jiang have any concerns?” Xie Chengze asked.
“Your Highness, I have a favor to ask. Unless it’s resolved, I’m afraid I cannot leave with peace of mind,” Jiang Yuan said with increased seriousness.
Xie Chengze roughly guessed what he wanted—probably to persuade or compel Sheng Yiren to return to Yangzhou with him as his financial steward.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Yuan said, “Your Highness, you tell me—I’m handsome and wealthy, generous and kind-hearted. Why does an obscure young male vendor refuse to follow me to Yangzhou as my steward? Could Your Highness offer some advice?”
Xie Chengze: “…Just advice?”
Young Master Jiang seemed more innocent than he’d imagined. Was this because he and Xie Zimiao came from the same lineage?
Clearing his throat, Xie Chengze said, “Why don’t you try seduction?”
Young Master Jiang immediately looked horrified. “No, no, I don’t have Long Yang’s Preference! If we use seduction, wouldn’t that be irresponsible? Absolutely not!”
Xie Chengze: …
Xie Chengze clenched his fists and roared helplessly, “But she has a preference for men!!!”
Young Master Jiang: !!!
Young Master Jiang suddenly understood: “The men of Yangzhou are quite handsome! Surely with this as bait, he’ll be willing to return to Yangzhou with me!”
“Whatever, as long as you’re happy.” Chengze slumped exhaustedly in his chair, thinking to himself that he needed to work on Sheng Yiren’s perspective, and while he was at it, paint her some grand visions and tell her the philosophy that “the world is so big, you should go out and see it properly.”