Chapter 0237: The Abruptly Aged Emperor Jian, I Am Not Human Xie Chengze
The Palace Examination was typically presided over by the emperor himself, with no chief examiner appointed, only Scroll Readers.
Emperor Jian, who had been recuperating, finally made an appearance and had Eunuch Zhao deliver the exam questions he had drafted to the Scroll Readers.
Xie Chengze had been busy compiling teaching materials and hadn’t seen Emperor Jian for some time. When he saw him this time, he suddenly realized that Emperor Jian seemed to have aged ten years in an instant. His handsome face now bore many noticeable wrinkles, his originally black hair had turned streaked with white, and it had even begun to thin.
People usually become more energetic after recuperating, so why was he balding instead?
Noticing Xie Chengze’s concerned gaze, Emperor Jian turned to look in his direction, then raised an eyebrow and smiled, patting his Dragon Throne as if to show off.
Xie Chengze couldn’t help but curl his lips and avert his eyes.
The Palace Examination consisted of four questions. The candidates drew lots to determine which question they would answer, then entered the main hall in sequence as arranged by the officials to complete their answers within a limited time.
While the candidates were writing their answers, Emperor Jian occasionally coughed uncontrollably, revealing an extremely fatigued expression that drew frequent sidelong glances from the Scroll Readers. These Scroll Readers were all Hanlin Academicians and ministers from various ministries. Such unusual behavior from Emperor Jian was hard for them to ignore.
They exchanged glances, each seeing the other’s speculation in their eyes.
Was the emperor nearing his end?
Xie Chengze also sensed something amiss. He instinctively looked toward Shen Yuan, only to find Shen Yuan staring intently at Emperor Jian, his brow slightly furrowed as if deep in thought.
Xie Chengze began to grow suspicious.
In the original storyline, although Emperor Jian fell seriously ill in his later years, he struggled on for several more years. Based on the timeline since his transmigration, Emperor Jian should have at least nine years left to live. At this point, his health should still be relatively robust, not deteriorated to such a state.
Various conspiracies and plots flashed rapidly through Xie Chengze’s mind.
Perhaps Emperor Jian was feigning illness to quickly expose those in the court with ulterior motives. Or perhaps someone was poisoning him, causing his health to decline day by day.
If it were the former, Emperor Jian’s aged appearance seemed far too realistic. But if it were the latter…
Who would dare poison the emperor?
In the original storyline, there was no such poisoning incident.
Harboring these doubts, Xie Chengze barely managed to endure until the end of the Palace Examination. Just as he was about to ask Emperor Jian what he was up to, Emperor Jian suddenly collapsed on the Dragon Throne, blood and vomit trickling from the corner of his mouth.
The ministers panicked, calling for the imperial physicians. Watching Emperor Jian’s pained expression, Xie Chengze finally grew frantic. He lifted his sleeve and hastily wiped the filth from Emperor Jian’s mouth and neck, his mind in a daze as he heard the imperial physician declare that Emperor Jian was critically ill and nearing his end.
How could this be?
It must be a lie.
Xie Chengze searched the imperial physician’s face for any signs of acting but found none. He turned his gaze to Emperor Jian’s aged face, wanting to shake him awake, but felt someone tug at his arm.
“Shen Yuan…” Xie Chengze murmured Shen Yuan’s name instinctively, but when he turned, he saw Xie Jinyu’s face instead.
The young man’s expression was uncharacteristically cold, his tone gentle yet icy. “Second Brother, your robes are soiled. Go change and clean up first.”
Xie Chengze wanted to say something, but Xie Jinyu commanded, “Someone, escort the Prince Regent back to Cheng Huan Palace.”
Soon, guards came up and seized Xie Chengze’s arms, preparing to escort him to Cheng Huan Palace. Struggling, Xie Chengze looked toward Xie Jinyu, “Xie Jinyu! What are you doing? I want to stay with Father!”
“Father has always doted on you. If he sees how heartbroken and distressed you are because of him, he would surely be pained.” Xie Jinyu walked up to Xie Chengze, gently stroked his cheek, his eyes deep and unfathomable. “Second Brother, go back and rest properly before coming to see Father again.”
After speaking, he raised his hand to signal the guards to take Xie Chengze away.
Unable to break free, Xie Chengze could only look at Shen Yuan. Shen Yuan gave him an imperceptible nod and silently mouthed, “Go back first. I’ll handle things here.”
Only then did Xie Chengze stop struggling, shaking off the guards’ hands. “Don’t touch me. I can walk on my own.”
Upon hearing the news, Sheng Shihai hurried to Cheng Huan Palace. Seeing that Xie Chengze was unharmed, he breathed a slight sigh of relief and stepped forward to ask, “Is His Majesty’s condition very serious?”
“Yes.” Xie Chengze was in a foul mood. Thinking of the blood Emperor Jian had coughed up, he couldn’t even muster a pleasant expression for Sheng Shihai. “Father’s health was clearly quite good. It was just a severe cold—how could he suddenly become critically ill?”
Xie Chengze couldn’t shake a sense of foreboding. In the original story, Emperor Jian coughed up blood during his later illness, but Xie Chengze had assumed it was just the author’s habitual plot device, as many writers liked to depict emperors coughing blood when gravely ill.
But now, seeing a living person cough up blood right before his eyes, Xie Chengze couldn’t help but draw connections with modern knowledge.
What illnesses could cause someone to cough up blood?
Xie Chengze could only think of one possibility.
“Your Highness, we must accelerate our preparations,” Sheng Shihai reminded, lightly tapping the table. “His Majesty is critically ill, and a decree of succession will inevitably be issued. You must stay by his side and not let the Crown Prince gain the upper hand.”
He spoke calmly, but a trace of barely suppressed excitement tinged his voice. “You must find the Imperial Jade Seal. If His Majesty names the Crown Prince as his successor, we must prepare a forged decree in advance.”
Xie Chengze frowned. “Even if we forge the decree, the Crown Prince still has the Cao family behind him. The Grand Prince’s military tally has been reclaimed by the Crown Prince. If the Cao Army besieges us, how will we respond?”
“Your Highness, don’t worry.” Sheng Shihai curved his lips slightly. “I have made all the arrangements. You need not do anything—just stay by the Emperor’s side.”
As long as he behaved obediently, a place on the Dragon Throne would naturally be reserved for him.
Xie Chengze lowered his gaze, unable to comprehend why Sheng Shihai was so confident. After a long silence, he finally said, “Very well, I trust you.”
…
Under the imperial physicians’ care, Emperor Jian regained consciousness, but his mind remained hazy. It was clear he could no longer decide the rankings for the Palace Examination or assign official positions to the newly selected scholars.
Xie Jinyu intended to take charge of the matter, but Sheng Shihai had no intention of letting him have his way. His faction and the Hanlin Academy both opposed allowing the Crown Prince to determine the Palace Examination rankings, leading to a temporary stalemate between the two sides.
Seizing the opportunity, Xie Chengze attempted to sneak into the Hall of Mental Cultivation to see Emperor Jian. However, the hall was surrounded by members of the Cao family, and as soon as he showed his face, he was spotted by the Cao Army.
“Prince Regent, you may not enter.”
Cao Que, stationed outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, reached out to stop Xie Chengze, who had been trying to sneak in through a window.
“Why can’t I enter? I am Father Emperor’s most favored prince,” Xie Chengze frowned, deeply concerned about Emperor Jian’s health. Though he often secretly cursed the emperor in his heart, the truth was the emperor had always treated him well, making it impossible for him not to worry.
Cao Que paused briefly. “His Majesty needs quiet rest and should not receive visitors.”
Xie Chengze let out a light hum, crossing his arms disdainfully. “Fine, then I am not a person. May I enter now?”
Cao Que: ?