Chapter 0098: One Madman at the Su Residence, and All the Court Officials Have Gone Mad
“You and Su Qinghe are absolutely impossible!” Shen Yuan fumed, slamming his teacup onto the table so hard that tea splashed all over his hand. “Give up this foolish notion now!”
“Shen Yuan, something’s off about you.” Seeing his extreme reaction, Xie Chengze couldn’t help but cross his arms and stare at Shen Yuan with suspicious eyes.
Shen Yuan felt uncomfortable under his gaze and slightly averted his eyes. “What’s off?”
“Something’s wrong, very wrong.” Xie Chengze shook his little head and circled Shen Yuan twice before suddenly having an epiphany.
He understood now!
This Shen Yuan must have an overly possessive attitude toward his friends, which was why he couldn’t stand seeing Xie Chengze befriend Su Qinghe!
Oh my~ Who would have thought? No wonder he kept asking what Xie Chengze thought of Su Qinghe – he was afraid Su Qinghe would become closer to Xie Chengze and neglect him!
“Don’t worry.” Xie Chengze comfortingly patted Shen Yuan’s shoulder, smiling brightly. “I’m here to join you both, not to break you apart~”
After saying this, he couldn’t help but laugh heartily and strode away. “Brother Shen~ From now on, the three of us living well together is what matters most~”
Shen Yuan: ???
What joining? What breaking apart?
What did he mean by the three of them living well together?!
Why did he always say such misleading things!
——
After returning to the palace, Xie Chengze buried himself in the library.
He remained there for two days and two nights. When he woke up from his makeshift bed in the library, it was already time for another court session.
Xie Chengze curled up in his bedding, reluctant to get up, sighing mournfully. “Xiaobiao, what if I sleep first and ask for forgiveness later, then request a day off from His Majesty after court…”
“No, Your Highness, you don’t want that.” Zhu Xiaobiao forcibly pulled him out of the bedding. “Two days ago, you specifically told me that if you tried to sleep in this morning, I must drag you out of bed to attend court.”
Xie Chengze: …
People are always changeable, Xiaobiao. Why don’t you understand that?
Resigned to his fate, Xie Chengze got up and picked up a bronze mirror to examine his tired face from staying up late. Then he looked at his Scarlet Palace Robe, now wrinkled from being slept in, and couldn’t help but nod with satisfaction.
Excellent! Previously it was the crippled version of Little Xie, and today it’s the haggard version of Little Xie!
Xie Chengze threw open the library doors with great bravado. “Prepare the carriage, we’re going to court!”
…
The moment Xie Chengze stepped into the Golden Luan Hall, he felt an unusual silence.
The ministers weren’t gathered in small groups as usual, but instead stood at their respective posts with bowed heads, eyes fixed on their noses and noses fixed on their hearts.
No one dared to greet Xie Chengze, nor even meet his gaze, afraid that he might take notice of them and assign them some difficult problems to solve.
“Sigh, boring, truly boring. And here I prepared a surprise for them.”
Seeing them all like this, Xie Chengze couldn’t help but shake his little head in disappointment as he walked to the front of the hall. When he saw the wooden chair Emperor Jian had previously granted him still in its original place, his face immediately lit up with joy.
Ahaha, it seems Emperor Jian understands him quite well~
Judging by the position of the chair’s legs, it hadn’t been moved at all during the five-day court break. In such a conspicuous location, the ministers probably felt haunted by Xie Chengze’s presence every day they saw it, their “fear” of him not diminishing in the slightest.
At this thought, Xie Chengze couldn’t help but stroke his non-existent mustache. His leisurely and unsharp gaze passed through the overlapping figures of the court officials and finally settled on Su Zhongyue.
Su Zhongyue had also been secretly observing Xie Chengze and happened to meet his gaze.
Su Zhongyue wasn’t afraid of Xie Chengze causing trouble, but he believed it was better to avoid complications. If he had to discuss arithmetic with the Second Prince every day, he simply didn’t have the time for it.
Moreover, he felt the Second Prince was truly incompatible with the Su residence. Two days ago, after the Second Prince’s visit, Su Wenhao had privately purchased an entire ox, claiming he wanted to feed it full before cutting open its stomach to see if oxen really had four stomachs, and whether those four stomachs actually functioned separately as the Second Prince had described.
This was utterly heretical! Unreasonable!
Therefore, unwilling to engage further with the Second Prince, Su Zhongyue quickly averted his gaze.
Unexpectedly, Xie Chengze still walked directly toward him.
Su Zhongyue immediately furrowed his brows, wondering how to politely dismiss Xie Chengze. But to his surprise, just as Xie Chengze was about to reach him, he suddenly turned and headed toward another minister.
Su Zhongyue breathed a sigh of relief.
Tension never disappears—it only transfers. Now it was the targeted minister’s turn to grow nervous.
“S-second Prince…” The minister swallowed hard, steeling himself to face the impending “instruction” from Xie Chengze.
“Minister Liu, good morning.” Xie Chengze patted his shoulder, offered the greeting, and then walked smiling to his own seat.
Minister Liu wiped cold sweat from his brow. “That scared me to death…”
The civil and military officials collectively sighed in relief.
It seemed the Second Prince had finally settled down.
When court assembly time arrived, Emperor Jian emerged from behind the curtain. Seeing Xie Chengze attending court on time pleased him greatly, but noticing his haggard appearance, the emperor grew concerned. “My son, you’ve worked hard! Braving the harsh winter cold to personally attend court in such weather.”
Civil and military officials: …?
What? The Second Prince had five days of court leave! After such a long rest, showing up for one morning court counts as hardship?
Then what about their decades of attending court daily regardless of weather, and diligently performing their duties until dark after court sessions?
Does that make them early-rising beasts returning late?
Sitting in his wooden chair, Xie Chengze showed slight disapproval. “Your Majesty exaggerates. Compared to your son, which civil or military official here isn’t more diligent and dedicated than I?”
Frowning slightly, he adopted a sorrowful expression. “During these days of court leave, I pondered one matter: why did Yang Qinghui, despite his high position, defy national laws to engage in corruption, causing thousands of common people to suffer exploitation?”
Hearing this, Emperor Jian raised an eyebrow.
What is this kid scheming now, suddenly bringing this up?
Still, Emperor Jian played along. “Oh? What has Ze’er concluded?”
“Your Majesty, during my inspection tour south to Yi Province, I found many local officials living in poverty, while some local merchants grow wealthy and live comfortably.”
Xie Chengze let out a heavy sigh, his slightly haggard young face appearing genuinely distressed. “Having served the court for most of my life and worried about the people for decades, I end up with nothing but a few coins to my name. Then I see those wealthy merchants passing by, adorned in gold and silver, indulging in luxuries. If it were just for a day, it might be tolerable—but witnessing this for years, even decades? How could anyone’s heart remain untroubled?”
Hearing this, the court officials secretly nodded in agreement.
Indeed, if a rich man constantly flaunted his wealth before you while you remained destitute, claiming not to feel envious would be a lie.
“Second Prince, your words are mistaken,” an upright senior minister stepped forward, disapproving. “Those who serve as officials should uphold integrity as their foundation. They must not forget their roots due to temptation, keeping their hearts clear as a mirror, acting with restraint, and avoiding greed and corruption. If one cannot even achieve this, how can they qualify as an official?”
Xie Chengze shook his head. “An official should indeed be honest, but this honesty means no corruption, no favoritism, and no bending the law.”
“But if the price of integrity is a lifetime of toil—aching back, chilled legs, starving grandchildren, with only a small hut for shelter—how lamentable is that?” Xie Chengze sighed mournfully. “I know many scholars strive to become officials to benefit the people. Yet, the monthly salary of a minor official is pitifully meager. Those with weak resolve will inevitably grow resentful over time and take desperate risks. Even those with strong principles end up in poverty. Though their reputation may grow, how can they ease their chronic illnesses or fill their grandchildren’ empty stomachs?”
“These honest officials may accept their fate willingly, but we in high positions cannot sit back and do nothing! Thus, I believe the root of corruption lies in insufficient monthly salaries and inadequate welfare!” Xie Chengze declared with fervor. “I propose raising the salaries for all court officials, from civil and military officers to local administrators and clerks!”
A salary increase!
At these words, the ministers’ eyes lit up, their gazes burning as they turned to Emperor Jian.
No worker would fail to perk up at the mention of a raise.
Facing their eager stares, Emperor Jian: …