Chapter 0264: What a “No Different Indeed” – The Meek Surely Get Bullied

Everyone said he ought to be emperor; everyone declared he would become a wise ruler.

Yet though Xie Jinyu had thoroughly studied the classics, he failed to grasp why the people of the realm deserved protection or what purpose governing the court served.

All he knew was that these expectations from others plunged him into torment.

The whip lashes were too painful, the snow on the ground too frigid, and the gazes of those around him like predatory tigers—all seemed to assess his worth as a commodity, roasting him over the flames at the highest peak.

Dull. Everything was utterly dull.

He cared not for the lives of common folk; they had never loved him, so why should he love them in return?

He only wished to stay with his elder brother who cherished him.

That was enough.

Thus, he had no need for a legacy spanning millennia. All talk of the Jian’an Golden Age was empty rhetoric.

Xie Jinyu reached out and wrapped an arm around Xie Chengze’s waist, trapping him in the cramped space. With his right hand, he seized Chengze’s wrist, his slender, icy fingers forcibly prying open the tightly clenched fist, finger by finger, to snatch the hidden slip of paper inside.

“Second Brother, do you know? Your acting is truly terrible.”

Anyone with a slightly sharper mind could easily see through your disguise.

He could, and so could Sheng Shihai.

That’s why you’ve been fooled so completely.

Xie Jinyu withdrew his hand, unfolded the letter, and recognized Shen Yuan’s familiar handwriting.

“The second imperial decree: His Majesty has arranged a marriage between you and me, so the Crown Prince may ascend the throne.

Cheng Huan Palace caught fire; the Crown Prince fabricated your death in the flames to annul the marriage.

Remember, the Crown Prince and I are no different. Do not be overly gentle with him, lest you come to harm.”

Xie Jinyu let out a cold, derisive laugh.

What a “no different indeed.”

Anyone unaware might think his feelings for Second Brother were as bland and commonplace as Shen Yuan’s.

“Does Second Brother wish to marry Shen Yuan?” Xie Jinyu crumpled the letter and tossed it casually onto the wooden table, then fixed a deep gaze on Xie Chengze. “A pity. I will never allow it.”

Xie Chengze: “…”

I think you and Emperor Jian are truly cut from the same cloth—both utterly unreasonable.

One resorts to forced confinement, the other to forced marriage.

Not a single person asked if I was willing.

The meek surely get bullied.

What was the next line again?

Forgotten.

“Whatever.” Xie Chengze averted his eyes and muttered under his breath, “Who in modern times still cares about this stuff anyway?”

It’s an arranged marriage, not forced consummation. Just a fake certificate—not even legally binding—merely cloaked in the prestige of a late emperor’s decree.

But…

“You must not spread word of the marriage arrangement.” Xie Chengze said with utmost seriousness, “It could corrupt public morals. Medical care in Jian’an is underdeveloped, and condoms aren’t widely used. If ignorant commoners blindly follow the trend and everyone stops having children, there’ll be no one to farm, trade, or build roads. Jian’an would be vulnerable to Xiongnu invasion, and the heartland could be trampled.”

Having read a few sociology texts, Xie Chengze understood clearly that social development relies on labor.

So, if you’re going to pursue pure romance, do it secretly!

No grand announcements allowed!

Observing Xie Chengze’s earnest, admonishing expression, Xie Jinyu fell into a rare, subtle silence.

He very much wanted to ask what “condoms” were.

But he feared exposing his ignorance in front of his elder brother.

What frustrated him more, however… was how deeply Second Brother truly cared for the people.

Like Shen Yuan, his second brother also had the world in his eyes—a fact Xie Jinyu found hardest to accept. Because he couldn’t understand it, he couldn’t integrate into their world, feeling increasingly excluded and isolated.

“Second Brother should rest well after your meal. I’ll have Cao Que deliver some storybooks to help pass the time.”

After saying this, Xie Jinyu stood up to leave.

“Wait!”

Xie Chengze grabbed his sleeve. “There’s something I need you to handle.”

Xie Jinyu turned back. “What is it?”

“In this year’s Directorate of Celestial Observation examination, there’s a candidate named Zhang Yuheng—the son of the Shu Province governor. Keep an eye out for him. If he’s present, you must ensure he’s admitted to the Directorate!”

Xie Chengze gripped his hand tightly. “I’m begging you as your brother—this is crucial!”

Xie Jinyu parted his lips, then smiled faintly. “Very well.”

He was determined to see what made this Zhang Yuheng so special that his second brother would actually use the word “beg.”

Even Shen Yuan never received such treatment.

——

Xie Jinyu soon encountered this candidate named Zhang Yuheng.

A burly young man of imposing stature with utterly ordinary features, he remained kneeling silently on the ground without being told to rise, enduring a full two hours without uttering a sound.

Quite resilient.

But also audaciously arrogant—he hadn’t even bothered to offer greetings upon entry.

Xie Jinyu placed his teacup on the table with measured force, its lid settling with a crisp sound. “Rise,” he commanded Zhang Yuheng.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yuheng opened his drowsy eyes, discreetly stifled a yawn, then sprang upright with renewed vigor.

“Why didn’t you offer proper greetings?” Xie Jinyu’s gaze darkened as he scrutinized Zhang Yuheng. Seemingly hypersensitive about his standing in Xie Chengze’s eyes, he cared intensely about maintaining authority in the presence of those his brother valued.

“Do you deem me unworthy of the Crown Prince’s position?” he icily demanded, his frost-laden stare piercing Zhang Yuheng as if a single misspoken word would warrant immediate execution.

Zhang Yuheng looked puzzled by the question.

He raised his hands to gesture, then seemed to recall the Crown Prince might not understand sign language. Instead, he silently pointed at his own throat.

Xie Jinyu: “…”

Xie Jinyu closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

How could he have guessed Zhang Yuheng was mute?

And he’d just wasted half an hour in this childish standoff!

Drawing a controlled breath, Xie Jinyu restored his glacial composure. He tapped the writing instruments on the table. “Come here. Write down every interaction you’ve ever had with the Prince Regent.”

Zhang Yuheng grew even more bewildered.

He’d heard the Crown Prince and Second Prince were constantly at odds. Was this an attempt to dig up dirt on the Second Prince?

That wouldn’t do.

A gentleman knows what to pursue and what to avoid.

Zhang Yuheng shook his head.

His father had taught him to be clever and maintain neutrality—when the situation was unclear, offend neither side.

Xie Jinyu clearly had little patience left. “Refuse?” he sneered. “Then receive fifty cane strikes.”

The brutal impatience on his face seemed genuine. Zhang Yuheng, who’d heard the Crown Prince was gentle and amiable, hadn’t expected such volatility. He scrambled up faster than a wild monkey, seized a brush, ground ink himself, and began scribbling furiously on the paper.

His father had also said that when it comes to matters of life and death, benevolence, righteousness, and morality can all be cast aside.

Being a fence-sitter isn’t shameful.

After all, the Crown Prince wouldn’t know whether what he wrote was true or false. With a little embellishment and appropriate omissions…

The nonsense he had spouted with the Second Prince while stirring manure must never be written down!

After spending three hours, Zhang Yuheng finally finished writing, and Xie Jinyu read it page by page.

This person didn’t seem particularly remarkable, except for his considerable expertise in astronomy and geomancy.

Was he considered promising talent, and that’s why Second Brother took a liking to him?