Chapter 71
Chapter 71
The moment Shen Yuan received Su Qinghe’s plea for help, he hurried to Chenghuan Hall. Zhu Xiaobiao stopped him at the entrance, however, just as Xie Chengze’s angry voice rang from within.
In his urgency, Shen Yuan had no choice but to resort to shouting outside the bedchamber, interrupting Xie Chengze before he could order Su Qinghe’s punishment.
Silence filled the chamber for a moment. Zhu Xiaobiao went inside to announce him, then returned. “Lord Shen, His Highness permits you to enter.”
The moment Shen Yuan entered, he saw Su Qinghe kneeling on the floor in a posture of abject submission, his face lowered to the ground. His already slender frame looked even frailer in white, stirring pity at a glance.
What mistake could someone as consistently gentle and refined as Su Qinghe have made to deserve such humiliation?
Sensing Shen Yuan’s arrival, Su Qinghe raised his eyes slightly. His mild, amiable moonlike eyes now brimmed with unmistakable humiliation and grievance, making Shen Yuan frown.
He turned toward Xie Chengze on the bed, but from the corner of his eye, he noticed many long scrolls hanging in the recess to the right of the bed.
Every scroll bore the portrait of a man, accompanied by absurd notes describing his family background, physique, and more.
What were these?!
Why did they even include –
Shen Yuan’s thoughts fell into confusion. He steadied himself slightly and decided to resolve Su Qinghe’s predicament first. “Second Prince, what offense did Second Young Master Su commit to anger Your Highness so?”
Xie Chengze: ?
Who was angry?
Shen Yuan’s timing could not have been worse. If he had not interrupted, Xie Chengze might already have “forced” Su Qinghe to become his friend. A melon twisted from the vine might not be sweet, but it could still quench one’s thirst!
Once they spent some time together, Su Qinghe would surely discover Xie Chengze’s good qualities!
Muttering inwardly, Xie Chengze asked irritably, “What business brings Lord Shen to this prince?”
“There has been progress in the assassination case, and this subject wishes to speak privately with Your Highness.” Shen Yuan glanced at Su Qinghe kneeling on the floor, clearly hinting that the “unrelated party” should leave the chamber at once.
How could Su Qinghe fail to understand him? Shen Yuan had come specifically to save him. Drawing a quiet breath, he said to Xie Chengze, “In that case, this commoner will withdraw.”
He was just about to rise when Xie Chengze quickly said, “No need. There are no outsiders here. It does no harm for Second Young Master Su to listen.”
No outsiders?
Then Su Qinghe was one of them?
The hearts of Shen Yuan and Su Qinghe sank at the same time.
Su Qinghe bit his lip. The Second Prince was clearly declaring that Shen Yuan belonged to him. Was humiliating Su Qinghe not enough? Did he also have to flaunt it before him?
Shen Yuan’s expression also turned unreadable, his brow tightly furrowed.
When had Xie Chengze and Su Qinghe become allies? They had plainly never interacted before, even in the previous life…
Shen Yuan suddenly recalled that Xie Chengze had despised Su Qinghe in his previous life, mocking him nearly every time they crossed paths.
But Xie Chengze had executed Zhu Xiaobiao and Jing Ze in that life, whereas in this one, he had spared them, brought them into Chenghuan Hall, and cultivated them as his own people. Then Su Qinghe…
Wait. Could he intend… to recruit Su Qinghe?
Why?
Su Qinghe’s only likely value lay in the Su family behind him. Outsiders might see him as the Su family head’s favorite son and assume that befriending him would bring immense benefit, but Shen Yuan knew perfectly well that Su Qinghe was nothing more than a splendid flower displayed in an expensive vase on the family head’s desk. With his mediocre aptitude, he could offer the Su family no advantage except –
The marriage value bestowed by all that “favor.”
A cherished concubine-born son of a distinguished clan might still marry the daughter of someone far above his station, allowing the two families to cling to each other and prosper together in officialdom.
Xie Chengze could not possibly be unaware of that.
Unless Su Qinghe’s marriage value was precisely what interested him.
The Su family shaped public opinion among the realm’s scholars. In Yizhou, Xie Chengze had shown extraordinary skill at guiding opinion among scholars and common people alike. If he had set his sights on the Su family, his notorious reputation would prevent him from winning over its other members. Su Qinghe truly was an excellent opening.
Shen Yuan’s gaze swept over the scrolls to the right. Sure enough, he found Su Qinghe’s portrait among them.
Could Xie Chengze… intend to marry a male Princess Consort?
At the thought, and the memory of Su Qinghe’s aggrieved, humiliated gaze, anger flared in Shen Yuan’s heart, accompanied by an inexplicable agitation.
Had Xie Chengze just tried to force Su Qinghe to enter the palace as his consort?
Yet after spending the past half year together, Shen Yuan did not believe Xie Chengze was someone who forced others. He could simply have befriended Su Qinghe and asked Shen Yuan to help bring them together. Winning the Su family’s support that way was entirely possible. Why choose a method that harmed others without benefiting himself?
Unless…
Xie Chengze had fallen in love with Su Qinghe at first sight?
It felt as though a heavy stone had lodged in Shen Yuan’s chest, leaving him stifled and restless. He clenched his fists, wanting only to make Su Qinghe leave as quickly as possible. His voice turned stiff. “The assassination concerns Your Highness’s safety. How can you treat it so carelessly? I ask Your Highness to dismiss Second Young Master Su!”
“No.” Xie Chengze rolled over, refusing to indulge him. “Say it or don’t. If you won’t, then leave. Stop disturbing this prince and Second Young Master Su.”
Stop disturbing him and Su Qinghe?
Did Xie Chengze resent Shen Yuan for interrupting his pleasure?
He had not been so heartless when he used Shen Yuan as a shield!
Shen Yuan laughed in anger and could not resist goading him. “It appears Your Highness does not care who tried to kill you at all. Why is that? Do you not fear another attack? Or is it because the assassination is in fact connected to Your Highness in some un – ”
“Shen Yuan!” Xie Chengze abruptly sat up in bed and cut him off guiltily. “Do not be insolent!”
Shen Yuan knew that Xie Chengze had interfered in part of the assassination case, yet he was now saying it so plainly. This was a threat!
But why?
Xie Chengze had done nothing to provoke him. Shen Yuan also knew that sending Wuhen to stage the assassination benefited his purge of corrupt officials. Given Shen Yuan’s character, he should never have confronted Xie Chengze so openly.
Yet he had suddenly stormed in with such aggression…
Xie Chengze frowned. His gaze abruptly shifted past Shen Yuan and landed on Su Qinghe, who still knelt on the floor, his eyes full of worry.
Shen Yuan could have come at any time, yet he chose the precise moment Xie Chengze summoned Su Qinghe…
Was he afraid Xie Chengze might harm Su Qinghe?
But Su Qinghe had never stood in his way. Why would Xie Chengze harm him? Or did Shen Yuan still believe he was that capricious Second Prince who would bully Su Qinghe without cause?
Irritation swept through Xie Chengze, extinguishing all desire to continue making friends. He waved a hand. “Both of you, leave.”
He had been too hasty. Better to wait until his “injury” healed, then visit Su Qinghe in person.
In any case… he had another route.
The moment Xie Chengze dismissed them, Shen Yuan turned, bent down to pull Su Qinghe to his feet, and led him outside.
Perhaps Su Qinghe had knelt too long. His body swayed, and he toppled against Shen Yuan. Shen Yuan raised a hand to steady his arm and asked softly, “Can you walk?”
Su Qinghe nodded with a bitter smile. “I’m fine. A few steps will ease it.”
Shen Yuan supported Su Qinghe out of the bedchamber. The Su family servant who had accompanied Shen Yuan was waiting outside and hurried forward to take Su Qinghe from him.
Seeing his young master’s drained face, the servant asked in distress, “Young Master, did the Second Prince torment you?”
“Don’t speak nonsense.” Su Qinghe hurriedly covered his mouth, then gave Shen Yuan an apologetic look. “Brother Shen, thank you for your trouble just now.”
“It was nothing. Just now, you and the Second Prince…” Shen Yuan wanted to ask for details, but when he saw Su Qinghe’s reddened eyes, he fell silent.
Forget it. They might have been childhood friends, but Qinghe was still an upright man of integrity. Being forced into marriage by the Second Prince was surely too humiliating to discuss. Shen Yuan should read the room and not raise it.
So he changed what he meant to say. “If the Second Prince summons you again, pretend to be ill and refuse to enter the palace. After enough refusals, he will likely lose interest.”