Chapter 19
Chapter 19
Tricked or not, Xie Chengze had been injured. As the “guilty subject,” Shen Yuan ought to make some gesture of apology.
Yet every time Shen Yuan tried to speak to him, Xie Chengze raised his chin higher than a rooster, prominently displaying the bloodied bruise against his fair skin and reminding Shen Yuan of his mistake again and again.
There was nothing sharp about Shen Yuan’s headpiece. Xie Chengze’s skin was simply so delicate that a single collision had left it scraped and bruised.
The guilty subject suffered in silence. Shen Yuan patiently found several appropriate opportunities to apologize, only to discover that Xie Chengze grew more demanding each time and deliberately pretended not to hear him.
Shen Yuan decided he must be ill himself to keep indulging the man, and resolved to ignore him from then on.
Unexpectedly, Xie Chengze adopted a new and infuriating tactic. Whenever the convoy stopped to rest, he deliberately climbed down and passed in front of Shen Yuan, paused to click his tongue twice, then shook his head and sighed several times. After looking as though he wanted to speak but thought better of it, he would walk away, leaving all the attendants and guards gazing at Shen Yuan with sympathy.
Shen Yuan had never encountered anyone so shameless.
At last, one night, Shen Yuan could endure no more. Standing outside the carriage, he said heavily, “May this subject speak privately with His Highness the Second Prince?”
Xie Chengze’s lazy voice drifted from within. “Come in.”
Without the least ceremony, Shen Yuan lifted the curtain and stepped inside.
Xie Chengze had already settled down to rest. A thin wisp of mosquito-repelling incense burned in one corner. Wearing only a light white underrobe, he lay on his side atop the table seat. His loosened black hair spread across the luxurious cushions like silk. With some of his prickly sharpness stripped away, he appeared all the more aloofly noble and tantalizingly distant.
He propped up his head with one hand. The smooth sleeve slid down with the motion, revealing an arm slender but not frail. His brilliant eyes curved in a smile, at once cunning and clear. “What does Lord Shen wish to say in the dead of night?”
“Why not tell this Shen plainly how Your Highness wishes me to apologize?” The low carriage roof made standing impossible, so Shen Yuan could only swallow his discomfort and kneel on one knee. The feeble lamplight cast broad, mottled shadows across his face, obscuring his true expression.
“Is this prince’s mind truly so difficult to guess?” Xie Chengze looked somewhat confused – if one ignored the cunning glint in his eyes.
“Your Highness!” Shen Yuan’s patience ran out completely. The sheer difficulty of dealing with this man made him lose control of his tone. “This subject cannot guess! Please state your wishes plainly!”
Xie Chengze could not hold back a laugh.
How should he put it? Perhaps Grand Tutor Shen placed too much emphasis on virtuous rulers and loyal subjects, along with propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame. As a result, the Shen Yuan he raised possessed an extra measure of stubbornness and old-fashioned rigidity.
Grand Tutor Shen believed those who recognized and corrected their mistakes could be forgiven. Everyone made mistakes; so long as they mended their ways and thereafter pursued goodness, they deserved to be treated impartially. That was true for commoners and even more true for rulers.
Shen Yuan certainly wanted to kill him, but he dared not and could not. It was not merely because Shen Yuan could not risk the dozens of lives in the Shen family. More importantly, in this life, Xie Chengze had yet to commit any evil act of murder or fencing stolen goods.
Without guilt, he was a worthy ruler. As his subject, Shen Yuan was therefore obliged to serve him faithfully.
That was why Shen Yuan was so passive now, allowing Xie Chengze to hold him in the palm of his hand and tease him at will.
After all, who could imagine that the powerful minister who would one day terrify every court official was secretly such an old-fashioned stickler?
“Rise, Lord Shen. This prince is no longer angry.” Xie Chengze sat up, patted his shoulder, and smiled. “This is the first time I’ve heard Lord Shen call himself ‘this subject.’ What a novelty.”
Shen Yuan’s body went still.
His obscure gaze shot toward Xie Chengze, only to find no flaw in the other man’s expression. It truly seemed like an idle remark, without the slightest displeasure or mockery.
He had been careless. At this point in his previous life, he had always called himself “this lower official.” Now, because he hated Xie Chengze and refused to bow his head as a subject, he had consistently called himself “this Shen” instead.
It seemed the reborn Xie Chengze had become far more perceptive.
“If Your Highness likes hearing it, this subject will refer to himself that way from now on.” Shen Yuan rose, unwilling to stay any longer. “Since Your Highness’s anger has passed, this subject will not disturb your night’s rest.”
With that, Shen Yuan turned and left the carriage.
Over the next few days, Xie Chengze truly returned to his previous behavior and stopped deliberately talking to him. Shen Yuan also ceased lingering near the carriage. From time to time, he left the convoy to scout the road and was rarely seen.
Several days later, the party entered another county town along their route to purchase water and provisions for the days ahead.
The convoy’s physician and Zhu Xiaobiao went to search for a medical clinic. Although the physician had brought some medicinal ingredients, most treated wind-heat illnesses or injuries. Relieving Zhu Xiaobiao’s addiction would require additional medicines purchased from a clinic in town.
Xie Chengze, meanwhile, intended to explore the marketplace.
The moment they entered the city, Shen Yuan sensed something amiss.
In his previous life, when he and the Crown Prince traveled to Yizhou, they had feared the disaster and famine there were severe and raced onward day and night. They had therefore never entered Cangfu County.
But Shen Yuan had visited as a child while traveling the land with Grand Tutor Shen. The scenery was lovely and the climate pleasant. Its unique mountains and waterways made Cangfu County especially cool during summer, so wealthy southern merchants often came to escape the heat, and local businesses gradually prospered during their stays.
Back then, people packed the streets and vendors called out enthusiastically without pause, clear proof of Cangfu County’s prosperity. Now, however, it was plainly far less lively than Zhuolu County. The people along the streets quietly tended their own businesses. Numerous beggars in ragged clothing were plainly visible by the roadside, seated with broken bowls in hand as they appraised passersby with guarded, shrewd gazes.
The prosperity of former days had vanished.
One glance was enough for Shen Yuan to understand the situation.
When a county town declined and fell behind, the cause was most often a Prefect and County Magistrate who stood by coldly and did nothing.
Had the Crown Prince been here, he would surely have seen through everything at once, immediately sealed the county yamen, passed judgment on its magistrate, found a better leader for the people of Cangfu County, and restored vitality and honest government to the land.
But Xie Chengze…
Shen Yuan could not help glancing at him.
After eating dry rations throughout the journey, Xie Chengze wanted nothing more than a proper meal to satisfy his cravings. His face was full of gluttonous anticipation, as though he had not noticed Cangfu County’s problems at all. Rubbing his hands together excitedly, he said, “Zimiao, Second Brother will treat you to a feast. Let’s try the local specialties!”
“All right! Whatever Second Brother says!” Fellow glutton number two, equally blind to the problem, nodded like a chicken pecking grain.
Shen Yuan held his forehead as a headache set in.
He began to doubt whether Xie Chengze would cooperate with him and purge corrupt officials the way the Crown Prince had once they reached Yizhou.
The three headed into the city. Their faces and clothing were so striking that many citizens stole awed glances at them. Xie Chengze spotted a building resembling a restaurant and was about to approach when two running child beggars tripped over something and crashed toward him.
Quick-eyed and quick-handed, Xie Chengze caught them. The two little beggars offered no thanks and turned to flee.
They had barely taken a step when Shen Yuan caught them by their collars.
“Hand it over.” His voice slightly cold, Shen Yuan lifted both children straight off the ground.
“Let us go!” The two struggled, toes barely brushing the ground and unable to find their balance. They protested angrily, “Why are you grabbing us? We only bumped into you!”
“Give back the money pouch you stole from him.” Shen Yuan’s voice grew heavier. “I will give you only one chance.”
“We didn’t steal anything!” The children’s eyes reddened with grievance. “Let us go! Help! Someone is bullying children!”
Xie Zimiao glanced at Xie Chengze. “Second Brother, do you still have your money pouch?”
Xie Chengze felt around, then said mildly, “I do.”
Shen Yuan turned abruptly toward him and frowned. “The silver is still inside? None is missing?”
Xie Chengze checked again and answered with certainty, “Mm.”
That was impossible.