Chapter 0079: The Bitter and Resentful Young Master Su, The Tearful Su Qinghe
“Envious,” Xie Chengze muttered under his breath. Just as he was about to ask Su Qinghe if he could frequently bring pastries into the palace for him in the future, he noticed that Su Qinghe had somehow drifted off into a daze.
He was staring blankly with his dazed moon-like eyes, fixated on the pastry crumbs scattered across the tea table, completely unaware of Xie Chengze and Sheng Yiren’s gazes upon him.
Until a certain moment, when he seemed unable to bear it any longer, he took out a handkerchief and meticulously cleaned up the crumbs on the tea table and around the plate. Only then did he let out an almost imperceptible sigh of relief.
“Pfft.” Xie Chengze couldn’t hold back a chuckle.
Hearing the laughter, Su Qinghe trembled, hastily retracting his handkerchief. Realizing that Xie Chengze had witnessed his earlier actions, he quickly lowered his head and sat upright, his demeanor once again filled with anxiety.
Xie Chengze’s smile widened, his eyes crinkling with amusement. The more he laughed, the lower Su Qinghe’s head drooped. The grievances of the past and the fright of the present surged over him like tidal waves. His fear of the Second Prince pushed him to the brink of a mental breakdown, making him wish he could just faint on the spot.
Finally, at one point, he could no longer hold back. Two teardrops plopped onto his robes, leaving two conspicuous wet stains.
Xie Chengze: !!!
Wait! Brother! Why are you crying?!
Su Qinghe hadn’t expected to be frightened to tears either. Flustered, he raised his sleeve to wipe away the tears, wanting to explain something. But to his surprise, the moment he opened his mouth, a sob escaped first, as if he were acting coy and throwing a tantrum—
Su Qinghe felt his vision darken instantly. His already bleak life now seemed utterly hopeless.
This is the end! How could he display such an unsightly state in front of the Second Prince?!
Xie Chengze panicked too. He truly couldn’t understand—even if his reputation was terrible, was he really so detestable that Su Qinghe would cry just from sitting at the same table?!
Moreover, Su Qinghe’s character in the book didn’t seem like this at all!
Could it be that Su Qinghe had also been reborn? Did he mistake Xie Chengze for that vicious and ruthless Second Prince? That shouldn’t be—if he were also reborn, he would have likely already connected with Shen Yuan. Why would he still be in such an obscure state?
Then what exactly was wrong?
Xie Chengze racked his brains, and suddenly, at one point, he remembered a crucial detail.
Wait—could it be!
Eunuch Zhao?!
Xie Chengze carefully pieced it together: from the very beginning, Su Qinghe had been summoned to the palace under the implicit identity of the “Imperial Consort.” If Eunuch Zhao had privately disclosed this matter to Su Qinghe, then all of Su Qinghe’s unusual behavior would make sense!
As a man of the Su Family, he was afraid of being mocked for potentially becoming the future Second Prince’s Consort. That’s why he was too terrified to stand up during their first meeting—afraid that revealing his beauty would attract the Second Prince’s desire, afraid that displaying his talents would earn the Second Prince’s admiration and approval, and even more afraid that after being summoned to the palace, outsiders would assume his role as the Imperial Consort was a foregone conclusion…
So Su Qinghe wasn’t disgusted by Xie Chengze—he was afraid of “marrying” him!
Ugh! What a mess!
Xie Chengze quickly reached out and placed a hand on Su Qinghe’s shoulder, explaining, “Young Master Su, don’t misunderstand. I didn’t want to see you so badly because I intend to marry you!”
“Ahem—” Sheng Yiren, who was sitting nearby, nearly choked on her saliva, staring at Xie Chengze in stunned disbelief.
Was she hallucinating? What did the Second Prince just say?!
Propose marriage?! Propose to whom? Su Qinghe??? They had absolutely no connection before!
Su Qinghe also looked up in bewilderment and astonishment, the tears that had just welled up lingering at the corners of his eyes, precariously reflecting Xie Chengze’s helpless expression.
“Did Eunuch Zhao tell you that you were a candidate for the imperial consort?” Xie Chengze said with exasperation. “He and Father are just being overly concerned. I merely joked that I preferred men, and they actually sent over the portraits of all the marriageable—no, eligible young men in Jingcheng. To placate them, I randomly pointed at you.”
Su Qinghe: …
Su Qinghe: ???
He sat stunned in the wooden chair, unable to regain his composure for a long time. When he finally processed the words, his fair and gentle cheeks instantly flushed bright red.
Upon careful reflection, the Second Prince had indeed never lost his temper with him. Every time they met, his first words were to tell him to rise, and the questions he asked were the same polite remarks from their first encounter. Even when he knew Su Qinghe was feigning illness to avoid entering the palace, he still sent tonics instead of forcing him, devising other strategies to meet him instead…
Moreover, if he truly looked down on him, he wouldn’t have eaten the pastries Su Qinghe personally made earlier.
So…
Had he misunderstood the Second Prince all along? He had even felt wronged and anxious about it for so long?!
Blinking lightly, the teardrop that had been hanging finally fell. Su Qinghe hurriedly wiped it away with his sleeve, using the motion to cover his shamefully flushed face, and murmured, “So that’s how it is. This commoner misunderstood.”
Seeing the gloomy aura around Su Qinghe completely dissipate, Xie Chengze finally felt much more at ease. “It’s good that we’ve cleared things up. Every time you see me, you look as if you’ve shattered to pieces, which makes me quite uncomfortable.”
Shattered?
Understanding the meaning behind the words, Su Qinghe couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh, thinking to himself that the description was both amusing and fitting.
With the atmosphere finally relaxed, Xie Chengze turned to Sheng Yiren and broached the main matter. “I sought you out this time for a reason. Merchants are always well-informed. I need you to investigate for me whether there have been any instances of spontaneous combustion in the mountains of Yuzhou, Yunzhou, or Liaozhou, or if there is black soil on the surface, and whether the surface temperature is particularly high in summer.”
During his return to the capital, he had specifically studied the terrain map of the Jian’an Dynasty. Since Yi Province had the Min River, and Yuzhou had Wangwu and Taihang, it was highly likely that Yuzhou, Yunzhou, and Liaozhou might have coal mines…
Xie Chengze didn’t know where the coal mines were in the Jian’an Dynasty. In his world, the regions rich in coal resources were Shanxi, Jiaozuo, and Hegang, which corresponded to Yunzhou, Yuzhou, and Liaozhou. Whether they could find coal mines would depend entirely on luck.
Though Sheng Yiren had questions, she carefully noted down the request. “Yes, Your Highness.”
“Additionally…” Xie Chengze hesitated.
Seeing his reluctance, Sheng Yiren smiled and said, “Your Highness, please speak freely. If this commoner can assist, I will spare no effort.”
Well, you said it!
Xie Chengze immediately took advantage of the offer. “I intend to form an expeditionary trade mission to travel west beyond Tubo, spreading the civilization of our Jian’an Dynasty while searching for new crop varieties that could benefit the people. However, the Minister of Rites seems very unwilling to take on this responsibility. Could you persuade your father to whisper a few words in the Minister of Rites’ ear? If that doesn’t work, just kick him out and have your father take his position!”
“Cough, cough, cough—” Sheng Yiren started coughing again, staring at Xie Chengze in shock. “Your Highness, you—you—”
How did the Second Prince know her father was the Vice Minister of Rites?! And when did he find out she was disguised as a man?! Only Su Qinghe knew about this!
Xie Chengze blinked, his raised little face appearing utterly innocent and naive, yet somehow also brimming with cunning. “What’s wrong?”
Could it be that you wish to continue concealing your identity and commit the crime of deceiving the emperor?
Sheng Yiren: …
Seeing Sheng Yiren’s reluctant expression, Xie Chengze mimicked her earlier tone, speaking firmly and decisively, “Your Highness, please speak freely! If this commoner can accomplish it, I will spare no effort!”
Sheng Yiren: …
This is really too much. Why is the Second Prince actually like this?! He’s completely different from what she had seen before!
Sheng Yiren felt like crying but had no tears. She declined, saying, “I am merely a woman—how could I possibly interfere in court affairs? I’m afraid the moment I open my mouth, my father will scold me for meddling in matters that don’t concern me.”
“No matter, aren’t you a merchant? You should understand,” Xie Chengze indicated that this was no big deal. “What does being a man or a woman have to do with it? If you can’t persuade him, it only means the stakes you’re offering aren’t high enough.”
He pointed out cheekily, “Who sits in the position of Minister of Rites is something I can decide with just a word. If he’s unwilling, then we’ll just have someone else take the seat!”
Sheng Yiren: ?
Are you sure this is a bargaining chip and not a threat???
“I’ll give it a try!” Sheng Yiren had no choice but to agree. Besides, she was also curious about what lay west of Tibet. If this expedition merchant group really succeeded, perhaps she could get involved too, seize the business opportunity, and make a name for herself.
After discussing the details of the expedition merchant group, it was already dark. Xie Chengze finally stood up to take his leave. “Let’s stop here for today. I’m returning to the palace.”
Sheng Yiren remembered something and kindly reminded him, “Your Highness, the palace gates are already locked at this hour. Will you still be able to get back in?”
Xie Chengze let out an “oh” and said, “No problem. My guards are highly skilled in martial arts—they can carry me over the wall to get back into the palace.”
Sheng Yiren: …
Your Highness, you truly pay no heed to trivial formalities!
Sheng Yiren and Su Qinghe stood up to see him off. As Xie Chengze reached the door, he suddenly remembered something, quickly turned back to the tea table, cleared his throat, and said, “May I take this with me?”
Sheng Yiren and Su Qinghe looked over and realized he was referring to the red sandalwood food box.
What does he want with the food box?
Though puzzled, Su Qinghe nodded. “Your Highness, feel free.”
Xie Chengze immediately grinned, swiftly packed the plates of pastries into the red sandalwood food box, and then left, humming a cheerful little tune.
Sheng Yiren, Su Qinghe: …
It seems His Highness the Second Prince really has a sweet tooth!