Chapter 0240: Xie Chengze Furiously Throws the Imperial Edict, Xie Zimiao Sneaks Around
After leaving the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Shen Yuan’s emotions were in turmoil. He clutched an imperial edict tightly in his hand—though it held no warmth, it felt scorching to the touch.
As he emerged, both Xie Chengze and Cao Qingran turned their gazes toward him.
One was anxious and bewildered: “How is Father? Can I go in to see him now?”
The other was sharp and piercing: “What did he say to you?”
“His Majesty didn’t say much. He only instructed the Second Prince not to enter the Hall of Mental Cultivation again.” Shen Yuan shook his head. Noticing their eyes shifting to the imperial edict, he hesitated briefly before reluctantly handing it to Xie Chengze.
Xie Chengze unrolled it and scanned the contents.
Xie Chengze: “…”
Cao Qingran subtly moved closer. Upon reading the words, her expression instantly darkened.
Xie Chengze was so enraged that he threw the imperial edict to the ground.
No wonder he wasn’t allowed into the Hall of Mental Cultivation—they were afraid he would storm in and unleash a torrent of abuse!
The edict clearly stated that if Emperor Jian were to pass away, the Second Prince Xie Chengze would immediately ascend the throne, while Xie Jinyu would remain the Crown Prince.
Xie Chengze took a deep breath, picked up the edict, and said to Cao Qingran with a blank expression, “Did you see that, Mother? If Father passes away, I will be the one to inherit the throne.”
“And your Crown Prince will remain just that—the Crown Prince.”
Cao Qingran curled her lips into a mocking smile. “Well then, I hope the Second Prince can hold on to the throne.”
It seemed he had ultimately chosen to leave the throne to Xie Chengze.
In that case, she would not hold back either.
Upon returning to Cheng Huan Palace, Xie Chengze flung the imperial edict at Shen Yuan. “What does he mean by this? Does he really want me to become emperor? Why didn’t you try to stop him?”
All their plans were thrown into disarray. Originally, he had intended to set a trap during the New Year, using Wuhen to have salt merchants purchase salt from the Salt Bureau to gather evidence of Sheng Shihai’s corruption and abuse of power. Once there was enough evidence to condemn him to death, Xie Jinyu would step in, joining forces with Shen Yuan to eliminate Sheng Shihai.
This plan required Emperor Jian’s cooperation.
But with Emperor Jian suddenly falling gravely ill, it was clear that Sheng Shihai intended to seize the opportunity of the emperor’s death to stage a palace coup and install himself in power.
“And what exactly is wrong with Father’s illness? In our previous life, didn’t he live for several more years?” Xie Chengze pressed urgently. “Shen Yuan, do you know something?”
After much thought, he concluded that Emperor Jian’s sudden deterioration was likely due to poisoning.
Could it be Sheng Shihai?
Or was it Cao Qingran who administered the poison?
Shen Yuan shook his head, picked up the edict, and placed it on a nearby tea table. “I don’t know for now, but what is certain is that His Majesty truly doesn’t have much time left. We need to prepare early.”
“Prepare for what?” Xie Chengze asked, confused. “Right now, all military power is in the Crown Prince’s hands. What does Sheng Shihai have to win with? Can he force his way into the palace with just an imperial edict?”
The Grand Prince’s military tally had already been confiscated by the Crown Prince, and the Imperial Guards were now mostly under the Cao family’s control. If Sheng Shihai dared to oppose the Crown Prince, he would face the weapons of tens of thousands of soldiers. No matter how skilled he was in martial arts, he would eventually succumb to exhaustion.
Unless… Liang Wan Da had secretly switched sides and supplied Sheng Shihai with a large amount of gunpowder?
Shen Yuan leaned in and whispered a few words beside him.
Xie Chengze’s eyes widened in shock.
“Impossible!” Xie Chengze instinctively refuted. “But in our previous life, he was clearly on the Crown Prince’s side…”
“Clearly?” Shen Yuan glanced at him calmly, “I’m truly curious where these perceptions of yours come from. You’re clearly not the Second Prince, yet you know many palace affairs. But when it comes to details, you often grasp them vaguely with half-understanding.”
Xie Chengze: …
Of course because I’m a reader.
“He can’t win.” Xie Chengze tapped his knee with his index finger, “After all, we’re actually on the Crown Prince’s side. Once the Crown Prince ascends the throne, he’ll inevitably settle accounts with him.”
Moreover, how many casualties would there be in armed conflict between two forces?
If even one soldier dies, he’d be heartbroken, okay?
His eyes shifting, he suddenly remembered something and immediately waved his hand, signaling Shen Yuan to lean his ear closer.
After he chattered for a long while, Shen Yuan raised an eyebrow slightly, “You… truly surprise me.”
“You go ahead.” Xie Chengze thought Shen Yuan was eloquent and would surely persuade the other party.
“Alright, don’t wander around.” Shen Yuan ruffled his hair, “His Majesty might pass away at any moment. Don’t send Wuhen Wuji out on missions – keep them closely by your side at all times, understand?”
“Understood, understood.” Xie Chengze felt Shen Yuan was acting like an old mother. Being someone who feared death so much, how could he possibly send Wuhen Wuji away at such a critical juncture?
Shen Yuan smiled with gentle eyes before turning to leave.
After Shen Yuan departed, Xie Chengze paced back and forth in the hall. Thinking that Emperor Jian might die, he couldn’t help feeling somewhat sorrowful.
Even though Emperor Jian could be quite annoying at times, after all their time together and his tolerance of Xie Chengze’s “misbehavior,” how could Xie Chengze not feel sad?
“But who exactly poisoned him…”
Xie Chengze pondered for who knows how long when suddenly three taps sounded overhead – Wuhen’s signal indicating someone was approaching.
Soon after, the door knocked.
“Come in.” Xie Chengze called out, then watched as the door pushed open and Xie Zimiao sneaked in stealthily, carrying a small bag.
Xie Chengze: …
“How did you get in?” The Cao family troops were guarding outside Cheng Huan Palace, preventing outsiders from entering. So how did Xie Zimiao get in?
Xie Zimiao scratched his head sheepishly, “Fourth Sister said there’s a small secret passage in the west wing of Chenghua Palace, just big enough for one person to crawl through, connecting to the vacant restroom in the east courtyard of Cheng Huan Palace.”
Xie Chengze: …So you came out from the restroom?!
And Xie Ping An – how does she even know about such a hidden passage?! Just how many places has she normally crawled through?
“So why did you come?” Xie Chengze waved helplessly, signaling him to come sit down, “The palace isn’t safe lately. Don’t wander around, what if you get accidentally hurt?”
“I was worried about Second Brother.” Xie Zimiao scampered over, pulled a chair to sit beside Xie Chengze, and asked seriously, “I heard Father is dying, and he decreed that if he passes away, Second Brother should ascend the throne. Second Brother, do you want Father to live?”
Xie Chengze’s eyes flickered imperceptibly as he glanced subtly at Xie Zimiao.
That decree had only been seen by him, Shen Yuan, and Cao Qingran at the time – how did Xie Zimiao know its contents?
And what did he mean by “want Father to live”?
If he said no, would Xie Zimiao kill Emperor Jian?
Wait?
Could Xie Zimiao be the poisoner?
Since Shen Yuan’s earlier words had already shattered his understanding of the original text, Xie Zimiao’s remarks now inevitably led him down a path of conspiracy theories.
Could it be that Xie Zimiao wasn’t as indifferent to the imperial throne as portrayed in the book and on the surface?
Just as Xie Chengze was lost in wild speculation, Xie Zimiao untied the small pouch he had brought with him. Inside lay a neatly squared box, sealed tightly.