Chapter 0300: New Position in the Jian’an Dynasty, Uncanny Memories

Seeing Shen Yuan’s moved expression, Xie Chengze paused, seemingly somewhat puzzled. “Why are you crying? Are you that touched?”

Hearing this, Shen Yuan snapped back to reality and instinctively reached up to touch his face.

His hand met dry skin, without a trace of moisture.

“Hehe, so easy to fool.” Xie Chengze mimed clutching his stomach in silent laughter.

Shen Yuan: …

Why is he so annoying…!

Taking a deep breath, Shen Yuan suppressed the urge to spank him. “In that case, I’ve already thought of an identity for you to return to the capital.”

The identity of Second Prince was clearly no longer viable, so Shen Yuan had conceived a perfectly suitable role for him—one that would allow him to return to the capital and enter the palace while remaining free from Xie Jinyu’s control, enabling Xie Chengze to appear openly in society.

He slowly declared, “The Imperial Advisor of the Jian’an Dynasty.”

Throughout history, many dynasties had established the position of Imperial Advisor. This role held esteemed status within the court, typically granting free access to the imperial palace. Its purpose was to interpret celestial omens of auspiciousness or calamity for the emperor and advise on measures to avert crises.

The former aspect resembled Guo Ti Ling’s duties, though Xie Chengze couldn’t interpret celestial phenomena himself. He would merely convey Guo Ti Ling’s interpretations, saving him the trouble of traveling long distances.

The latter aspect involved soothing Xie Jinyu’s temperament whenever his tyrannical persona emerged, preventing the onset of cruel governance.

Currently, the reputation of Virtuous Fish Immortal Master was at its peak. When Xie Jinyu had persuaded the ministers to prepare for disasters earlier, he had used “predictions of natural calamities obtained from an enlightened master” as justification. This provided the perfect opportunity to bestow the title of “enlightened master” upon Xie Chengze, smoothly establishing him as the Imperial Advisor of the Jian’an Dynasty.

This way, when they needed to predict disasters based on memories from their previous lives, they wouldn’t require verification from the Directorate of Celestial Observation. They could simply use the Imperial Advisor’s prophecies to convince ministers to take preventive measures in advance.

Xie Chengze thought this was excellent.

Imperial Advisor.

It sounded so impressive and prestigious—utterly magnificent!

Xie Chengze couldn’t help but stand up, shaking the water from his hands before clasping them behind his back. He raised his head proudly toward the sky. “Minister Shen, address me as Imperial Advisor!”

Shen Yuan similarly shook his hands and adopted a posture of mock reverence, bowing deeply with a ceremonial salute. “I pay respects to the Imperial Advisor!”

The two exchanged glances and burst into laughter.

The warm midday sunlight poured down, generously bathing them in its glow. Zhu Xiaobiao watched from a distance with a smile, while Wuhen and Wuji sat on the sunlit eaves, their long legs dangling. Their gentle gazes drifted downward, radiating warmth.

Xie Shoujun and Xie Zimiao approached from afar, having changed out of their travel-worn clothes. They gradually stepped into the light, walking slowly toward the pair—one composed and serene, the other clever and obedient.

——

In the Golden Luan Hall, dark clouds gathered ominously.

When Shen Yuan proposed recommending Virtuous Fish Immortal Master for the position of Imperial Advisor of Jian’an, the Crown Prince flew into a rage upon hearing this. He ordered guards to drag Shen Yuan out for execution. The trembling ministers urged Shen Yuan to reconsider, emphasizing the gravity of the matter and advising extreme caution.

Shen Yuan remained perfectly calm, like a dead pig unfazed by boiling water. “Your Highness the Crown Prince may take your time to consider this carefully.”

After the court session concluded, Shen Yuan was summoned to the Eastern Palace.

“Shen Yuan! Don’t think I don’t know what you’re scheming!” Xie Jinyu glared venomously at Shen Yuan, violently throwing the memorial he had written onto his body. “Do you think just because he’s taken the position of Imperial Advisor, I can’t have him all to myself?!”

Shen Yuan bent down to pick up the memorial from the floor. “What’s improper about this proposal? The Second Prince can return to the palace to accompany the Crown Prince, and Your Highness can hold the Second Prince while sleeping at night.”

On the way back, although Xie Chengze hadn’t explained why the Crown Prince depended on him, he did mention that the Crown Prince simply wanted to sleep with him more often at night.

Therefore, Shen Yuan found this proposal completely unproblematic.

If the ministers discovered the two sleeping in the same room and deemed it improper, they could always argue that the Crown Prince was discussing important matters with the Imperial Advisor late into the night.

Xie Jinyu: “…”

Shen Yuan, sometimes your pure-mindedness astonishes even me.

“When Your Highness sleeps with the Second Prince, please remember not to lie on top of him.” Shen Yuan said with concern. “The Second Prince’s current physical condition cannot withstand such strain.”

Xie Jinyu: “…”

Xie Jinyu had never felt so powerless before.

In the face of Shen Yuan’s pure and upright concern, his own selfish thoughts seemed utterly filthy, like rats in dark sewers that could never be exposed to sunlight.

Was this why Second Brother’s gaze always lingered on Shen Yuan?

They were both such pure individuals.

Drawing close to each other, supporting one another.

In the court, regarding their positions as ruler and subject, he undoubtedly held the higher ground, wielding power over life and death. But as individuals, he was the one looking up.

“Leave me.” Xie Jinyu weakly pressed his fingers to his brow, unwilling to look at Shen Yuan any longer.

Shen Yuan bowed slightly and withdrew.

In the study, Xie Jinyu sat in silence with closed eyes. After a long while, he slowly opened them, a faint, bitter smile gradually coloring his moon-like eyes.

He rose and left the study, pacing slowly through the Eastern Palace.

As the residence second only to the Emperor in power, this place remained desolate and sparsely populated. For as long as Xie Jinyu could remember, his father and mother had rarely visited. Apart from checking his studies and administering punishments, he had almost no opportunity to see them.

They didn’t love him.

As a child, he found this difficult to accept. He noticed his father always went to Cheng Huan Palace, watching as his father gazed with doting affection at the brother he was supposed to call Second Imperial Brother. He saw his father using various toys to make him laugh, lifting him high in the air, the place filled with joyous laughter.

He would wait in the Eastern Palace for his father’s arrival, carefully and shyly expressing his desire for the same treatment. But his father would only frown slightly and say coldly, “You are the Crown Prince. You cannot be so improper.”

Crown Prince…

He didn’t want to be Crown Prince. He just wanted his father to smile at him like that too.

Not with the indifferent, careless expression he received, as if they weren’t father and son.

He had also seen his mother looking at that Second Imperial Brother during banquets – unlike the emotionless, perpetually dissatisfied gaze she directed at him. Her eyes seemed to see someone else through him, filled with sorrow and mingled love and hatred.

They didn’t love their own son. They loved someone else’s child.

Xie Jinyu had once been jealous of Xie Chengze.

Why could he so easily obtain everything he desired?

Why did he have to take his father and mother away?

Why wasn’t he the one who lost familial affection and suffered punishments?

Why, why was he left alone and destitute, while the other was blessed with overflowing love and affection?!

What must he do to receive love?

If Xie Chengze no longer existed, would he then obtain that love?

At the New Year’s banquet, the smiling young child crawled out of Consort Hua’s embrace and quietly left the feast. He stood by the lake, tentatively stretching out a small foot, as if testing whether the ice could truly bear his weight.

That New Year’s Eve was not cold, and the ice layer was thin.

All he had to do was push him down, creating the illusion that the ice had cracked…

As if guided by some ghostly force, Xie Jinyu reached out his hand.