Chapter 0238: The Unyielding Cao Que, Xie Chengze’s Only Merit

After a long silence, Cao Que finally spoke, “Your Highness jests. Please return.”

Seeing that Cao Que remained unmoved by soft persuasion, Xie Chengze decided to try a tougher approach, appealing to both reason and emotion. “Commandant Cao, the one lying ill inside is my father. As his son, it is only right that I enter to care for him. If your own father were gravely ill and a stranger barred you from attending to him, would you truly stay away?”

“His Majesty is being cared for by the Crown Prince,” Cao Que shook his head. “Moreover, Your Highness, your information is somewhat outdated. My father was personally sent by me to the imperial prison long ago.”

Xie Chengze: …

Witnessing Cao Que’s stubborn refusal to yield to any tactic, Xie Chengze finally lost his composure. He let out a heavy, cold snort. “Commandant Cao! I have been reasoning with you gently, yet you repeatedly defy and contradict me. Do you truly believe I have no one at my disposal to storm into this Hall of Mental Cultivation?”

Cao Que paused. He was well aware that Xie Chengze had two top-tier martial artists by his side. If Xie Chengze intended to force his way into the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the guards under his command would be no match for Wuhen and Wuji.

But, orders were orders. Even if he couldn’t stop them, he had to try.

Seeing that Cao Que remained obstinate, Xie Chengze finally grew angry and rebuked him sharply, “Commandant Cao! You leave me no choice! Wuhen! Wuji!”

As soon as the words left his mouth, two slender figures dropped down swiftly behind Xie Chengze. Even without swords at their waists, their mere presence was enough to put all the imperial guards on high alert.

Cao Que stiffened, drawing his blade halfway and eyeing Wuhen and Wuji warily. “Your Highness, I advise you not to act rashly, or you will be charged with treason!”

“You and your Cao family are the ones confining His Majesty in the Hall of Mental Cultivation! It is you who seek rebellion!” Xie Chengze retorted sternly. “Wuhen, Wuji, take action!”

In the next moment, Wuhen and Wuji stepped forward, causing the guards at the entrance to draw their swords in unison. But instead of attacking, Wuhen and Wuji raised their hands, cupping them near their mouths, and shouted loudly, “Come and see! The Crown Prince’s men are preventing another son from fulfilling his filial duties!”

“What wrong has His Highness committed? He only wishes to see his own father one last time!”

“How sinister the Cao family’s army is! They want to prevent His Highness from seeing the Emperor before he passes! They want to burden His Highness with the stigma of unfiliality! They want him to regret it for life!”

Xie Chengze himself plopped down directly on the steps, slapping his thighs and wiping away tears with undignified dramatics, wailing, “Father! Your son is unfilial! I cannot see you one last time! If your spirit watches from heaven, do not blame your son! Blame Cao Que, who guards this door!”

Then, raising an eyebrow, he whispered to Cao Que, “Commandant Cao, you wouldn’t want me to keep making a scene and disturb His Majesty’s rest, would you?”

He had no particular merits, but he was adept at shifting the skin from the left side of his face to the right—being shameless on one side and thick-skinned on the other.

If he couldn’t see Emperor Jian, he would shout from morning till night, then summon all the ministers to witness the spectacle. Anyone who dared stop him, he would have Wuhen and Wuji knock unconscious. He wanted to see who could silence him today.

As it turned out, causing a scene was effective.

Cao Que would rather Xie Chengze had Wuhen Wuji kill someone outright than watch these three stand at the gate throwing a madman’s tantrum. He never expected Xie Chengze to be so shameless, completely disregarding the dignity of a prince and the Prince Regent, carrying on with such undignified madness.

Rubbing his temples, Cao Que sent someone to inform the Empress.

When Cao Qingran arrived at the entrance of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, she saw Xie Chengze sitting on the steps, occasionally shifting his hips as if finding the ground too cold, while sweet-talking Cao Que into taking off his armor to use as a cushion.

Cao Que looked utterly defeated.

“Prince Regent, stop this nonsense,” Cao Qingran said as she approached slowly, her hawk-like sharp eyes narrowing as they fell upon Xie Chengze on the ground. “This is utterly improper.”

Xie Chengze stood up and met her gaze directly. “Mother, are you going to tell me to go back too?”

“His Majesty needs rest. Your noise is worse than if you just stayed in your palace.” Cao Qingran waved for Cao Que to open the door. “Since you wish to see His Majesty, I shall accompany you inside.”

“Your Highness.” Cao Que frowned slightly, clearly disapproving of her decision.

Cao Qingran said nothing, merely giving Cao Que a faint glance.

Cao Que immediately fell silent and gestured for the guards at the door to open it.

Cao Qingran entered first, and Xie Chengze quickly followed.

The Hall of Mental Cultivation was silent, with no palace attendants inside. Xie Chengze couldn’t help but frown. “Why is there no one here to care for him? If Father calls for help, how would the guards outside hear?”

Cao Qingran remained silent. She walked behind the screen, looked at Emperor Jian lying unconscious on the bed, and slowly sat down at the bedside.

Xie Chengze hurried forward as well. Gazing at Emperor Jian’s suddenly aged face, he reached out to touch his forehead and lifted his eyelids.

Cao Qingran watched quietly. “Since when have you known medicine?”

“…” Xie Chengze silently withdrew his hand—he’d only seen such actions in dramas. “What exactly is wrong with Father?”

“Pulmonary accumulation and head wind.”

Xie Chengze didn’t understand the terms but grasped that it involved the lungs and brain.

Since ancient times, these were the most difficult ailments to treat.

Xie Chengze slumped dejectedly, clutching Emperor Jian’s hand. “Why did his condition suddenly worsen?”

Cao Qingran glanced up at him but said nothing.

She was investigating too, but the results had taken her by surprise.

She never imagined that person would do such a thing.

When did it begin?

He was always the most composed—why had he suddenly become so ruthless?

Shaking off her thoughts, Cao Qingran rose and said calmly, “Now that you’ve seen him, let’s go.”

Xie Chengze shook his head, gripping Emperor Jian’s hand tightly. “I want to wait for Father to wake up.”

Cao Qingran frowned, about to have Cao Que come in and take him away. But when her eyes met Xie Chengze’s grief-stricken, pained gaze, she faltered, unexpectedly reminded of Hua Ning.

Once, just because Emperor Jian had publicly praised Xie Chengze, saying he surpassed the Crown Prince, she had been slapped and punished by her father. The man’s blow nearly deafened her, and at that moment, Hua Ning, who happened to come looking for her, had looked at her just like this.

Back then, Hua Ning seemed to have said something, her expression so earnest, as if making some important promise to her.

But she hadn’t heard it clearly.

Her mind was filled only with the unwillingness to let Hua Ning see her in such a pitiful, wretched state.

Her worthless pride made her want only to drive Hua Ning away, yet she also wished Hua Ning would always feel heartache and pity for her. Because since birth, only Hua Ning had ever cared whether she was in pain, only Hua Ning would tell her she should slap back—that one shouldn’t endure grievances forever, or it would make one ill.

She was indeed ill—on one hand, she wanted to destroy Hua Ning’s open-mindedness and freedom; on the other, she hid in the shadows, longing to watch her forever.

Love me, love my dog; hate me, hate my dog. She cherished Xie Chengze, that pure and gentle child, and couldn’t bear to see him bloodied and harmed. Yet she also wished he had never appeared—that he wouldn’t steal all of Hua Ning’s and Emperor Jian’s attention, and that her lifelong efforts wouldn’t be wasted because of him.

Cao Qingran gently raised her hand, intending to stroke Xie Chengze’s head, but he tilted his head slightly to avoid her touch.

Her hand hung in the air before she finally lowered her gaze and silently withdrew it.

“Even if His Majesty dotes on you, the one to inherit the Jian’an legacy can only be the Crown Prince.” After a long pause, Cao Qingran reminded him with the last shred of softness in her heart, “My child, leaving Jingcheng now is the best opportunity.”

She would only be soft-hearted this once.

This was the first time Cao Qingran had called him “my child.” In his memory, she had never used any affectionate nickname for him—not even “Second Prince” was often spoken. Xie Chengze couldn’t help but curl his lips mockingly. “There’s no need for the Empress to address me so intimately. The Crown Prince is your child.”

Remembering something, he spoke up in defense of Xie Jinyu. “Children’s education shouldn’t rely solely on corporal punishment. The Crown Prince is already an adult. For the Empress to still treat him so harshly is rather improper.”

Cao Qingran was taken aback.

Realizing what he meant, she looked deeply at Xie Chengze. “You’ve misunderstood me.”

After Hua Ning’s death, she had a sudden awakening and had long ceased using physical punishment on Xie Jinyu.