Chapter 0305: The Privacy-Conscious Heavenly Decree, Xie Chengze Decides to Save Face
Xie Chengze wandered around the Directorate of Celestial Observation, eventually drifting into Guo Tianheng’s office. His voice floated lightly, “Ti Ling Guo~”
Whenever Xie Chengze spoke in this tone, alarm bells would ring in Guo Tianheng’s mind. “Imperial Advisor, what’s the matter?”
Wasn’t it agreed that you’d just be a mascot at the Directorate of Celestial Observation, occasionally predicting future disasters?
Why does it feel like the Second Prince is up to no good today?
“Where do you all view that Heavenly Decree?” Xie Chengze hadn’t originally intended to bother Guo Tianheng, but since both Zhang Yuheng and Su Qinghe were dispatched elsewhere, he had no choice but to ask Guo Tianheng.
“Why do you all…” Guo Tianheng paused, remembering his own youthful curiosity, then changed his tone. “Imperial Advisor, it’s not that I’m unwilling to show you. It’s just that when the first Ti Ling established the Directorate of Celestial Observation, he set a rule that only those holding the position of Ti Ling may behold the Heavenly Decree and receive omens of fortune and disaster.”
Xie Chengze thought seriously for a moment, then looked at him with sparkling eyes. “How about this – you lend me the Ti Ling position for just one day. After today, I’ll return it to you.”
Guo Tianheng: ???
Second Prince! Such flexible arrangements aren’t how things work!
“Impossible.” Guo Tianheng found this far too frivolous. “If we anger the Heavenly Decree…”
“So it really is alive? And has a temper?” Xie Chengze was astonished. “Then why can’t it be shown to others? Is it a Heavenly Decree that values its privacy?”
“Or maybe it hasn’t washed its hair in three days and is too embarrassed to be seen?”
“Could it be… a socially anxious Heavenly Decree?”
Seeing Guo Tianheng’s confused expression, Xie Chengze rubbed his chin and began spinning tales. “I’ve got it! The first Ti Ling must have wanted to monopolize the Heavenly Decree, so he established this rule!”
He pressed on, “Did the Heavenly Decree ever explicitly say it doesn’t want to be seen?”
Guo Tianheng: “Well…”
“Even if it did say that, it would have come from the first Ti Ling’s mouth. Have any of you ever heard the Heavenly Decree speak directly?”
Guo Tianheng: “Hiss—”
“The Heavenly Decree can clearly predict all kinds of disasters, big and small, yet it only predicts major catastrophes. What does this mean? This means it’s sulking! It originally wanted to quit outright, but being kind-hearted, it feared that not predicting would lead to the common people suffering if the nation fell. So it only predicts major disasters that could cause the nation’s collapse!”
Guo Tianheng: “Hmm…”
“Those previous dynasties fell because they monopolized it and prevented it from being seen, making it increasingly angry until it eventually stopped predicting altogether. That’s why none of those dynasties lasted a thousand years – they all collapsed!” Xie Chengze declared loudly, as if solving a great mystery.
Guo Tianheng: “Gasp!!!”
That actually sounds quite reasonable!
Cold sweat dripped from Guo Tianheng’s forehead. He felt that if he let Xie Chengze continue, he might actually be persuaded.
No, no, no.
Guo Tianheng quickly retreated several steps. “This matter is of great importance. If the Imperial Advisor wishes to behold the Heavenly Decree, you must first obtain His Majesty’s approval, then go through the Directorate’s council for unanimous approval, and finally seek the Heavenly Decree’s permission.”
“Deal!”
Xie Chengze nodded happily. He thought this would be simple – Xie Jinyu would definitely agree, since that guy was such a brother-con.
…
“Why not!”
In the Imperial Study, Xie Chengze was throwing a tantrum on the imperial couch, “Even Ti Ling Guo has relented! I just want one look—no, two looks. Aren’t you the least bit curious about what the Heavenly Decree looks like?”
Xie Jinyu set down his brush, gazing fondly at his elder brother’s antics. “Not curious.”
“You have no sense of curiosity at all.” Xie Chengze rolled around until his bones ached, forcing him to sit up and pout resentfully. “Now that you have me, you don’t treasure me anymore.”
Xie Jinyu’s brow twitched slightly, barely suppressing a laugh at such “nonsense.”
“Just agree to it.” Xie Chengze scrambled off the couch and tugged at the sleeve of Xie Jinyu’s dragon robe. “What if the Directorate of Celestial Observation doesn’t unanimously approve? What if the Heavenly Decree doesn’t want to see me either?”
Xie Jinyu shook his head.
He knew—the Directorate would approve unanimously, and the Heavenly Decree… would consent as well.
He knew.
“Xie! Jin! Yu!” Seeing his brother neither agreeing nor explaining why, Xie Chengze clutched his head in frustration. “Don’t think I’ll sleep with you tonight! I’m going to Shen Yuan’s place!”
“Go ahead.” Xie Jinyu nodded calmly. “By tomorrow, the entire court will know that the Imperial Advisor couldn’t bear the loneliness—that despite his broken ribs, he sneaked into Minister Shen’s residence for illicit rendezvous.”
“Then all the civil and military officials would look at the Imperial Advisor and inevitably…” Xie Jinyu’s gaze drifted meaningfully toward Xie Chengze’s backside.
Xie Chengze: “…”
Never mind. Better not.
He had some dignity to maintain.
Xie Chengze left obediently.
The matter was temporarily set aside. Xie Chengze carried on with his usual routine—eating, drinking, and inquiring about the Imperial Academy’s construction progress—until Zhang Yuheng and Su Qinghe returned.
“Your Highness! This trip has been most fruitful!” Zhang Yuheng dipped his finger in tea and wrote on the wooden table.
Xie Chengze looked at him with sorrowful eyes.
Men…
One refused to show him the Heavenly Decree, the other refused to use his notebook for communication.
All his affections were wasted! Utterly wasted!
“It seems you’ve already devised improvements for the seismograph.” Su Qinghe remarked with a smile. The field assignment had tanned him slightly, and he now carried himself with robust vitality—no longer the timid, soft-spoken man who used to lower his voice when speaking to others. Instead, he’d acquired the demeanor of an official who cared for the people like his own children.
Zhang Yuheng hurriedly pulled out his notebook and wrote: “Indeed! I’ll need to trouble Brother Qinghe from here on!”
Witnessing this, Xie Chengze could only shed silent tears.
This thoroughly alarmed Zhang Yuheng and Su Qinghe. “Your Highness? What’s wrong? Why are you crying?”
Su Qinghe frantically raised his sleeve to wipe Xie Chengze’s tears, his voice filled with concern. “Did someone at the Directorate of Celestial Observation mistreat you?”
“Who bullied Your Highness? Was it the Emperor?” Zhang Yuheng also wrote in his notebook.
Xie Chengze sighed. “The Emperor and Ti Ling Guo both refused to show me the Heavenly Decree.”
The Heavenly Decree?
Zhang Yuheng and Su Qinghe exchanged a glance, their expressions turning slightly peculiar.
Noticing their reaction, Xie Chengze narrowed his eyes at them. “You two… have seen the Heavenly Decree?”
Zhang Yuheng fell silent, hesitating whether to speak, but Su Qinghe immediately responded, “We happened to pass by when the Heavenly Decree manifested. Ti Ling Guo opened the door, and we accidentally caught a glimpse.”
Zhang Yuheng stared at Su Qinghe in shock.
Brother Qinghe!
That’s not what happened that day!
“What do you mean by ‘happened to pass by’ and ‘accidentally glanced’! You clearly thought my explanation was wrong back then!”
Xie Chengze completely failed to notice Zhang Yuheng’s astonishment. He stared excitedly at Su Qinghe and couldn’t wait to ask, “What did the Heavenly Decree look like? Did you get a clear view?”
Su Qinghe shook his head, “I only saw some light, and there was a stone platform inside. Beyond that, I couldn’t see anything else.”