Chapter 0310: Shen Yuan, the Lifesaving Artifact, and the Ministers Changing Their Tune
As the chief lecturer, Su Qinghe went to the Imperial Academy to teach the students in attendance. Xie Chengze, who accompanied him as an auditor, found Su Qinghe’s teaching rhythm quite impressive after listening to a full session.
The class was interactive, with questions and answers. Since the knowledge being taught was novel and interesting, the young masters and ladies displayed great curiosity and eagerness to learn.
As for the lectures given by the Hanlin scholars, Xie Chengze also attended briefly. Although their teaching methods were somewhat rigid and they occasionally struggled to answer students’ questions, their sessions were still quite good overall.
After all, progress takes time—there’s no need to rush.
After class, Su Qinghe assigned homework: memorizing the multiplication table and completing 20 multiplication and division problems within 100 using the arithmetic methods taught in class, with clear calculation steps required.
The young masters and ladies were in no hurry to return home. Instead, they gathered around their desks to work on the assignments. The brighter ones quickly finished their tasks by following the multiplication table, while those less adept sought help from friends on how to solve the problems.
The learning atmosphere was excellent. Xie Chengze couldn’t help but announce that whoever topped the exam a month later would receive a wrist-mounted crossbow from him—a gift suitable for both men and women.
This further ignited their competitive spirit, and they buried themselves in diligent study, all for the sake of obtaining that novel gadget.
It was said that the Fourth Prince owned a wrist-mounted crossbow, but he guarded it so preciously that he refused to lend it to anyone for even a brief try. When someone tried pulling strings to get one from the Ministry of Works, they learned it had been personally crafted by the venerable Gu Lao.
Who could possibly persuade him to make another?
Thus, they all wanted to win the wrist-mounted crossbow to show off proudly among their peers.
Seeing this, Su Qinghe fell into thought, quietly considering whether he, too, could prepare some small prizes for the Hanlin scholars to help motivate their students.
As the Imperial Academy gradually found its footing, Xie Shoujun returned with some officers and soldiers as the year drew to a close. The expeditionary merchant convoy also returned with them.
Their harvest this time was abundant: they found cotton for winter warmth, Turkestan roses with anti-inflammatory and skincare properties, a rich variety of spices and jade, as well as seeds for fruits and vegetables not found in Jian’an, such as pomegranates, sea buckthorns, figs, pistachios, cucumbers, and onions.
The figs had been sun-dried. Xie Chengze bit into one and found it quite sour—likely because they hadn’t fully evolved yet, with very little sweetness.
He couldn’t help but worry: should he put the astronomical telescope aside for now and first develop a microscope? That way, the Imperial Academy students could delve deeper into cytology and genetics.
Then, they could work on hybridization and grafting to improve the taste and yield of both local and foreign fruits and vegetables.
Just thinking about it gave him a headache.
He rubbed his temples. Shen Yuan, who had come to view the expeditionary convoy’s results, noticed this and walked up behind him. Gently moving Xie Chengze’s hand aside, Shen Yuan began massaging his temples instead. His voice, warm and soothing like a spring, said, “Clear your mind for a while.”
Xie Chengze looked up at that handsome face and, for some reason, found his mind going completely blank, unable to think of anything.
When he stood beside others, he often couldn’t stop his thoughts from wandering—thinking about this and that.
But miraculously, when he stood beside Shen Yuan, he felt unusually at ease.
“No, I need to find a way…” Xie Chengze tapped his chin, unusually serious, “to get Jin Yu to agree to let you sleep with me.”
Staying by Shen Yuan’s side felt like it could prolong his life.
“Cough, cough—” This time, Shen Yuan choked on his own saliva, coughing until his face turned red. He raised a hand to press against Xie Chengze’s forehead, confirming he wasn’t running a fever, before asking, “Your Highness, you must never speak so carelessly in front of others in the future.”
Simply sharing a bed to sleep is called “sharing a pillow,” not “sleeping together” all the time—it’s easily misunderstood when overheard.
Of course, it couldn’t be ruled out that Xie Chengze might genuinely mean it that way, but even if Xie Chengze was naive about such matters, Shen Yuan couldn’t afford to be. Xie Chengze’s frail health couldn’t withstand any strain; even Xie Jinyu dared not disturb him, let alone Shen Yuan, who wished for him to live a long and healthy life.
Xie Chengze shot him a sidelong glance. “Of course, I only say this to you.”
Shen Yuan couldn’t stand his earnest expression while saying such heart-fluttering words. Suppressing the pounding in his chest, he feigned casualness and asked, “Why does the Imperial Advisor always wish to share a bed with this humble official?”Glancing around to ensure no one was paying attention, Xie Chengze raised the back of his hand to cover his mouth and whispered, ‘I’ve noticed that when I’m near you, my mind doesn’t wander to chaotic things, and my thoughts flow more easily.'” I figured, if staying alone with Xie Jinyu lets me live to forty, and staying alone with you lets me live to sixty, then balancing you two out should get me to fifty! A free ten-year life extension!”
After saying this, Xie Chengze felt exceptionally pleased with himself, having learned to exploit loopholes. “Minister Shen! You are my life-extending treasure!”
Shen Yuan: “…”
Shen Yuan: “Hah…”
This humble official is truly grateful for your misguided praise. You are practically my life-shortening curse.
“His Majesty would never agree to this,” Shen Yuan shook his head. “Moreover, if the court officials were to see, who knows what rumors they’d spread about you.”
“Who would dare?” Xie Chengze snorted, wrinkling his nose. “I’d have their homes confiscated.”
Besides, hadn’t his late father bestowed Shen Yuan upon him?
Even though the Second Prince was gone, he was still himself. What was wrong with him sleeping with Shen Yuan? If any official questioned it, he’d just say the late emperor appeared in his dreams and approved this “sleeping” arrangement.
If they thought he was lying, they could go ask his father in the underworld themselves.
Hehe.
Seeing Xie Chengze so determined, Shen Yuan could only ruffle his hair indulgently. “Fine, I’ll discuss it with His Majesty.”
No one knew what Shen Yuan promised Xie Jinyu, but it actually convinced him—not only did Xie Jinyu allocate two of his own five days to Shen Yuan, but he even permitted Shen Yuan to stay overnight at Cheng Huan Palace, allowing him to accompany Xie Chengze during his two free days.
When Xie Zimiao learned of this, he rarely cursed, “Treacherous official.”
He wouldn’t let him or their eldest brother sleep with their second brother, yet he secretly pulled strings himself and even took away fifteen days!
But Xie Zimiao was also curious: What had Shen Yuan promised Xie Jinyu to manage such a feat—snatching eight days originally belonging to Xie Jinyu from the tiger’s mouth?
Not only Xie Zimiao was curious; Xie Chengze was too.
Unfortunately, no matter how Xie Chengze probed from both sides, he couldn’t uncover anything. In the end, he gave up and lay down at night beside his life-extending treasure, sinking into a peaceful and comfortable slumber.
Lying next to Shen Yuan, he didn’t even dream, sleeping soundly until dawn, feeling entirely refreshed and clear-headed.
Only Shen Yuan suffered, enduring a long period before finally breaking the habit of the buffer period before sleep each night, falling asleep together with Xie Chengze.
Not long after, the New Year arrived.
The court held a banquet in the palace. It was said that Liaozhou had once again opened its Ice Sculpture Festival, attracting many wealthy southerners to visit. The common people, now more prosperous, flocked to the ice sculpture banquet, making it even livelier than the previous year.
Sheng Yiren and Young Master Jiang also returned. Although they had not found petroleum, Young Master Jiang’s sharp eye had discovered several coal mountains in other regions.
The two planned to set out again after the New Year.
The Minister of Rites was naturally unwilling to let his daughter wander about, and he found Young Master Jiang displeasing in every way—until Young Master Jiang pulled out a stack of banknotes from his pocket, a full two hundred thousand taels. Only then did the Minister of Rites smile and say, “Women should indeed venture out more. The more they see, the better they can choose a good man.”
Sheng Yiren couldn’t help but roll her eyes at this.
Xie Chengze happened to pass by and shamelessly extended his hand: “Those who see it get a share, or I’ll report you for embezzlement.”
The Minister of Rites: …
The Minister of Rites reluctantly handed over half.
Now suddenly wealthy, Xie Chengze began handing out red envelopes to the ministers at the New Year’s banquet. This delighted the ministers so much that they instantly decided to overlook the Imperial Advisor’s usual “debauched and coercive” behavior.
What coercion? The Imperial Advisor was clearly taking responsibility for Lord Shen! And for the late emperor’s decree!