Chapter 69
Chapter 69
Xie Chengze had been talking nonsense when he said he wanted a man to share his life. He had only meant to frighten Emperor Jian and ease some of the emperor’s wariness toward him…
Still, he was rather curious which men in the capital were both respectable and beautiful.
The palace was boring anyway. Why not make a few friends and find someone to chat with~
Xie Chengze’s gaze moved from scroll to scroll until a familiar name caught the corner of his eye.
Su Qinghe.
Huh? Wasn’t that the Su family’s second son, Su Qinghe, who had grown up with Shen Yuan and, like Sheng Yiren, had been one of Shen Yuan’s childhood companions?
The Su family was a distinguished literary clan in the capital. Most of its members possessed outstanding literary talent and served in the various departments of the Hanlin Academy. They compiled books and histories, tutored members of the imperial family, acted as examiners in the imperial examinations, and performed other prestigious duties. Their prospects were limitless, and both their status and compensation were enviable. Countless scholars therefore devoted themselves to the examinations and considered admission to the Hanlin Academy a supreme honor.
However…
This also wasted talent. The Jian’an Dynasty valued literary scholars while looking down on skilled artisans, and treated the sciences with particular neglect. Everyone pursued letters, severely slowing the dynasty’s scientific and technological development. The people’s quality of life stagnated and their ability to withstand risk remained pitifully weak. The moment a natural disaster struck, corpses of the starved littered the land and the court descended into turmoil.
That was utterly detrimental to social progress.
It also caused Xie Chengze’s own quality of life to plummet.
What had his goal been when he first transmigrated here?
To become a happy, wealthy second-generation royal.
But with the Jian’an Dynasty’s treasury empty and its people destitute, it could never provide him with the rich, luxurious life such a royal deserved. That was why Xie Chengze had worked tirelessly to devise the Land of Abundance Plan, turning Yizhou into a great grain-producing region, reducing the risk of mass death and rebellion, steadily supplying the court with wealth, and calming political unrest.
And now, when Xie Chengze imagined a future in which every journey took him over jolting dirt roads, every wooden chair defied human anatomy, fruit was so close to its primitive stock that it made his teeth ache, every midnight bodily emergency required squatting over a chamber pot, and even storybooks offered nothing but tired romances between men and women…
His life filled with! Utter! Despair!
No!!!
In his previous life, he had suffered at most from a lack of familial love. He had never suffered materially or economically!
How could his quality of life decline after he became an awesome second-generation royal? If he ever transmigrated back and told his friends, they would laugh him to death!
No! Reform! Reform was mandatory!
Mathematics, physics, and chemistry had to be added to the imperial examinations!
Sacrifice the scholars of the realm for the glory of Xie Chengze alone!
Xie Chengze jabbed a finger at Su Qinghe’s portrait with the ferocity of a man beholding his destined partner, his eyes blazing. “Eunuch Zhao! He’s the one I want!”
Infiltrate the Su family, shift the Hanlin Academy’s priorities, separate the humanities and sciences, and usher in epoch-making progress!
From now on, Xie Chengze would be the great villain cursed by a million scholars!
Hahahahahaha –
–
When Su Qinghe received the Second Prince’s summons to enter the palace, he froze slightly, his brow creasing with worry that would not fade.
He truly could not understand it. He had never had the slightest connection to the Second Prince, so why had the prince suddenly summoned him, and with such urgency?
“Eunuch Zhao, please wait.”
Seeing Eunuch Zhao turn to leave after delivering the message, Su Qinghe hurriedly took a silver ingot from his sleeve and placed it in the eunuch’s hand. He quietly inquired, “Does Eunuch Zhao know why the Second Prince has suddenly summoned me to the palace?”
The Second Prince was famously capricious, spoiled, and overbearing. Su Qinghe could not help worrying whether he would leave the palace alive.
Eunuch Zhao cleared his throat, pocketed the silver, and reassured him, “Do not worry, Second Young Master Su. Our Second Prince only…”
He paused, his eyes turning suggestive. “He merely admires Second Young Master Su very much and wishes to become friends with you.”
Become… friends?
Su Qinghe was too preoccupied to catch Eunuch Zhao’s suggestive look. Hearing that he need not worry, he relaxed slightly and nodded. “In that case, please wait a moment, Eunuch Zhao. I will change into a fresh robe and come at once.”
Entering the palace was no small matter. His literary reputation was modest enough already; he had to dress with calm propriety so as not to disgrace the Su family.
Eunuch Zhao’s eyes narrowed with his smile. “Excellent, excellent. Wear something fresh and handsome. White would be best.”
Lord Shen normally dressed in white. Since the Su family’s second son was close to Shen Yuan, there were bound to be some similarities between them. That must be why the Second Prince had chosen him at a glance.
But then…
Although this Second Young Master Su was deeply cherished by the head of the Su family and possessed a gentle, outstanding appearance, he was still a concubine-born son. His talent was far from illustrious, and he held no official post whatsoever in the capital. Compared with the other gifted men in those portraits, his standing was indeed rather low.
Even making him a Side Consort would be elevating him beyond his station. The Second Prince ought to think more carefully about the choice of a Princess Consort.
So Eunuch Zhao thought.
Realizing that Eunuch Zhao was offering him a subtle hint, Su Qinghe obediently changed into white robes. Still worried about whether he would leave the palace with all four limbs intact, he ordered a household servant to ride at full speed and deliver a message to Shen Yuan in the palace.
At present, Shen Yuan was the only person he trusted to rescue him.
For some reason, Su Qinghe grew increasingly uneasy on the way to the palace.
He had heard that the Second Prince was attacked on the road back to the capital and had only awakened a few days ago. Had Su Qinghe been summoned because of the assassination?
No, that could not be right. Big Brother Shen was investigating the case. He distinguished gratitude from grievance and would never pervert justice for personal reasons. Moreover, the Su family could never have taken part in the assassination.
What other reason could there be?
Su Qinghe mulled over the deeper meaning behind Eunuch Zhao’s talk of friendship. The Second Prince was said to have grown up without a study companion, but he was already past the age for lessons and tutoring, so he could not possibly be seeking one now. As for friendship…
With his exalted status, the Second Prince could easily befriend noble heirs and young commandery princes. Why would he suddenly seek the friendship of a mediocre commoner like Su Qinghe?
Then again, Su Qinghe had never heard of the Second Prince being close to any noble heir. The prince rarely associated even with officials’ sons his own age, apart from his recent dealings with Big Brother Shen…
Su Qinghe stopped short, his heart suddenly sinking.
Could the Second Prince’s summons have something to do with Big Brother Shen?
His fingertips dug into his palm as his thoughts churned. By the time he came back to himself, he had already entered Chenghuan Hall.
Zhu Xiaobiao was waiting outside the bedchamber. He recognized Su Qinghe from the portrait at a glance and stepped aside to clear the doorway. “Please enter, Second Young Master Su. His Highness has been waiting for some time.”
Su Qinghe walked in stiffly.
Chenghuan Hall truly lived up to its name. As the common rumors claimed, it was magnificent and opulent, every object a costly treasure. Though Su Qinghe enjoyed considerable favor from his father at home, even he could see that Emperor Jian indulged the Second Prince to an outrageous degree.
But how much wealth and labor had been spent transporting all these things into the palace merely to win the Second Prince’s smile?
And if these costly objects were sold, how many people suffering from hunger and deprivation might they save?
Sighing inwardly, he walked softly into the depths of the chamber. Through the translucent bed curtains, he glimpsed the Second Prince reclining against the bed. Su Qinghe lifted the hem of his robe and knelt, his voice gentle and slow as water. “This commoner Su Qinghe pays his respects to the Second Prince. Long live Your Highness.”
“Rise~”
The Second Prince’s soft, delicate voice came from behind the curtains. Su Qinghe clearly sensed an elusive gaze settle on him. Then its owner asked, “You are Shen Yuan’s childhood friend?”
Su Qinghe’s heart sank.
Sure enough, this was about Big Brother Shen.