Chapter 68
Chapter 68
When Emperor Jian refused, Xie Chengze could not be bothered to continue their performance of deep father-son affection. He simply lay back down and sighed mournfully.
“Sure enough, a man’s mouth is a lying ghost. Now I’ve seen it for myself.”
Emperor Jian: …
Emperor Jian simply could not understand what was so terrible about attending court. All one had to do was rise at the hour of Mao every morning and enter the hall, listen to the various factions exclude their rivals and impeach one another, wait for ministers to report every local disaster and political concern, then enjoy watching the ministries pass blame and shirk responsibility…
All right.
Emperor Jian silently wiped away a bead of sweat. Even he needed to watch little Chengze bounce around every day before he could face court in a pleasant mood, much less Xie Chengze, who now had no interest in court whatsoever.
For one second, Emperor Jian even missed the old Xie Chengze who dutifully clocked in at court every day.
“How about this? I will grant you fifteen days of leave from court each month,” Emperor Jian bargained. “You need only attend every other day.”
“Five days on and five days off at the start of the month, five on and five off in the middle, then five on and five off at the end.” Xie Chengze raised five long, pale fingers and waved them. “I don’t want to go bald early like those ministers. If I can’t find a Princess Consort, I’ll grow old alone.”
“Very well.” Emperor Jian nodded. At the mention of a Princess Consort, he abruptly realized that Xie Chengze was indeed old enough to discuss marriage. He teased, “Why this sudden concern with your appearance? Have you taken a fancy to some minister’s daughter?”
“Not at all.” Xie Chengze looked perfectly serious. “I’ve taken a fancy to a minister’s son.”
“Cough – !” Emperor Jian choked on his own saliva and began coughing as he pounded his chest. Eunuch Zhao cried out and hurried forward to rub his back, casting Xie Chengze a glance that was both reproachful and helpless. “Second Prince! Don’t say such outrageous things. Look how you frightened His Majesty!”
“What’s wrong with that?” Xie Chengze’s little face remained solemn. “I don’t need children to inherit the throne. What’s wrong with finding a man to share my life? And I don’t just want one. I want ten!”
His voice rang with conviction, his fighting spirit soaring. “And every one of them must look different!”
Eunuch Zhao’s vision went black. “Oh – my precious little ancestor!”
Emperor Jian coughed even harder. “Cough, cough! You – cough, cough – !”
It took a long while for Emperor Jian to recover from his shock and helplessness. He sighed. “You… Ah, once I descend to the underworld, how am I supposed to explain this to your Mother Consort?”
Xie Chengze thought, You really don’t need to worry about that. You might be in the underworld before I even find someone I like.
But aloud, he said obediently, “Mother Consort always adored me. She would certainly understand, just as Father will surely support me. My happiness is the most important thing, after all.”
Emperor Jian: …
Seeing that Emperor Jian still refused to yield, Xie Chengze began sighing again. “It seems I developed the blasting powder for nothing. No wonder Father never answered when I wrote that I wanted every delicacy and beauty under Heaven. So Father planned to have his cake and eat it too…”
“No leave from court and no handsome men either. What is the point of living? I might as well drown in grief day and night, ruin my health early, and join Mother Consort in the underworld…”
Emperor Jian: …
Emperor Jian was both angry and amused. Xie Chengze had claimed every reasonable and unreasonable argument for himself. One journey to Yizhou had made his little temper even more cunning and unpredictable.
But which minister’s son had little Chengze taken a fancy to? Emperor Jian had never heard of him showing interest in anyone before…
Emperor Jian suddenly froze.
Wait?!
Could it be… Shen Yuan?
Emperor Jian was startled yet somehow unsurprised. Shen Yuan was exceptionally handsome, accomplished in both letters and martial arts, upright, and loyal. After spending months together in Yizhou and supporting each other through hardship, it would be perfectly natural for sparks to fly or affection to grow over time.
However…
Emperor Jian rubbed the jade ring on his finger, deep in thought. Shen Yuan was destined for important work and made an excellent piece for purging the court. Emperor Jian had originally intended to leave him to the Crown Prince. When the Crown Prince ascended the throne, Shen Yuan would be a great help in maintaining the government.
To give him to Chengze… Emperor Jian could not bear it.
Noticing the eager look on Xie Chengze’s face – Father, hurry and ask which minister’s son it is – Emperor Jian decisively chose not to ask. Otherwise, the boy’s next words might be a demand for an imperial marriage decree.
“Chengze, you must still be tired after only just waking. Rest a little longer. Father won’t disturb you.” Emperor Jian’s face was full of concern, but the moment he finished speaking, he grabbed Eunuch Zhao and fled Chenghuan Hall as though his backside were on fire.
The anticipation on Xie Chengze’s face swiftly vanished. A moment later, he curled his little lips in disdain. “As if I couldn’t handle you.”
Emperor Jian had undoubtedly assumed that Xie Chengze liked Shen Yuan. Unwilling to waste such an excellent chess piece on a son who was not related to him by blood, he had hurriedly silenced Xie Chengze and dared not ask another question.
Ah~ Xie Chengze spread his small hands helplessly.
Handling Emperor Jian was so easy~
But Xie Chengze soon stopped smiling.
Emperor Jian’s tidal wave of fatherly love had finally arrived – late, but with terrifying force.
“Second Prince, His Majesty may not say it aloud, but he cherishes you more than anyone. He longs to place everything best in the world before you!” Eunuch Zhao clapped his hands, and the young eunuchs behind him stepped forward and unfurled the scrolls they carried.
Each scroll contained a lifelike portrait in colored ink of a handsome young gentleman. Every one was graceful and good-looking. Beside each portrait was the man’s elegant personal seal, along with notes on his family background, height, interests, and talents. The information was exhaustive and exceedingly thoughtful.
“These are all the young gentlemen in the capital with clean family backgrounds and fine appearances. If none appeals to the Second Prince, His Majesty will send people to search the other prefectures.”
Eunuch Zhao possessed extraordinary mental resilience. He had now completely accepted the Second Prince’s preferences and began making enthusiastic introductions. “This is Han Yuyun, grandson of the Vice Director of the Ministry of Rites. Though he is a concubine-born son of the second branch, he is remarkably talented and has some reputation in the capital. He stands seven chi and two cun, has a slender build, excels at chess, and has an irreproachable private life. His root measures more than four cun…”
Xie Chengze: ?
Xie Chengze had been listening with great interest when they abruptly entered unfamiliar territory. He asked curiously, “Eunuch Zhao, what is root length?”
Eunuch Zhao paused, growing bashful for some reason. “Oh, Your Highness, it’s that… the thing this servant doesn’t have!”
Xie Chengze: ?
Xie Chengze: ???
Wait. You even investigated that? What kind of perverts are you imperial people?
Eunuch Zhao thought silently that the day His Majesty returned, he had immediately sent people to investigate in secret whether anything unusual had occurred between the Second Prince and Lord Shen in Yizhou. Then the accompanying military physician revealed that the Second Prince was actually…
Oh my, my. It could not be said or even thought about.
Eunuch Zhao patted his mouth and continued, “Second Prince, if any young gentleman catches your eye, you may summon him straight into the palace and spend some time getting to know him. Take your time choosing. Even if you are still choosing at thirty, there is no hurry.”
Xie Chengze: …
Why, thank you ever so much, you thoughtful and perverted por – bleh, royal family!