Chapter 34 How could the Crown Prince not even protect his own wife...?

Emperor Xuanyuan, in his great anger, did not punish Xun Xian.

Besides anger, the no-longer-young emperor was also filled with fear. Having dealt with this long-serving minister, it was uncertain whether he could find a more suitable replacement.

Overwhelmed with worries, Emperor Xuanyuan fell ill.

Zhang Diancheng rushed to the East Palace and delivered an urgent report to Xie Yu: Prince Qi, Xie Xuan, had abolished the Agricultural and Sericultural Bureau and the Agricultural and Sericultural Office in the Zhudong area of ​​his fiefdom.

This move garnered a large following among local prominent families and gentry.

Zhang Diancheng was deeply worried.

Prince Shen had already gained power, and Prince Qi, after taking up his fief, still harbored treacherous intentions. He openly abolished the Ministry of Agriculture and Sericulture, revealing his true intentions: to win over the gentry and powerful families and gain their support.

The relocation order and the agricultural and sericulture administration have all affected the interests of powerful families, wealthy households and gentry in various places. Now that Zhang Diancheng has lost the emperor's favor, it is unknown whether he can suppress the ambitions of those petty people.

If the crown prince fails to ascend the throne smoothly, thus escalating into a struggle for succession, he may very well lose the support of powerful clans.

The fate that awaited him and the crown prince was predictable.

At the end of the eighteenth year of Xuanyuan, Xun Xian recalled Qiu Renshan and promoted him to the position of Minister of Personnel. He controlled the Ministry of Personnel, an official agency that held the lifeblood of officials, but he never expressed any intention to serve the Crown Prince.

“Your Highness, times have changed. If both Prime Minister Xun and Marquis Xuanping side with Prince Shen, the situation will become even more precarious,” Zhang Diancheng advised. “Even if Your Highness doesn’t want to marry the Chen family girl, you must not go against His Majesty’s will. If you bring her home and have her there, and Your Highness doesn’t like her, you can simply avoid seeing her. If she really marries Prince Shen, how could Chen Linjun still be of one mind with Your Highness?”

In the sixteenth year of Emperor Xuanyuan's reign, when Emperor Xuanyuan first expressed his intention to make Chen Liangyu his crown princess, Xie Yu directly defied Emperor Xuanyuan for the first time.

"Father, I will marry whomever you wish, except for the Chen family girl, I will not marry her!"

Emperor Xuanyuan was very displeased with the Crown Prince's disobedience: "You've practically watched her grow up, why can't you marry her? Is it going to be a disservice to you?"

Xie Yu lowered his eyes, not daring to look directly at his father, but said each word very clearly: "The days I watched her grow up were also the days my wife died day by day."

Zhang Diancheng never tried to persuade him about this matter. He had always been Xie Yu's most trusted teacher and knew the crux of Xie Yu's reluctance to marry Chen Liangyu.

The problem lies in one's mind.

Now that he had been advised in this way, Zhang Diancheng suddenly realized that his own abilities were no longer sufficient to help the Crown Prince ascend the throne smoothly.

"Your Highness, the deceased is gone, the fault does not lie with you."

Xie Yu remained silent for a long time, then looked up at her teacher who had been with her for many years, and began to speak as if confiding her grievances, her voice hoarse.

"Teacher, I now understand that national affairs must be put before personal feelings. If I were still of the same mindset, I would not provoke Ah Xu. As long as it is beneficial to the court and the country, I would marry whoever my father wants me to marry, let alone Chen Liangyu."

The "A-Xu" Xie Yu mentioned was the deceased Crown Princess Cheng Zhixu, whom he called "Qingqing." She was shy, and whenever Xie Yu called her that in his youthful voice, she would blush, lower her head, and smile.

“When I met Qingqing, I was only sixteen years old. How could a young man who is in love not want to keep her by his side? I begged my father, but my father was resentful that my father-in-law was just a scholar who had entered officialdom, and that his family had been commoners for generations. He scolded me for being blinded by lust and was furious. He rebuked my father-in-law for allowing his daughter to seduce the crown prince after he had just been promoted to Yongdu, and wanted to issue an edict to exile my father-in-law’s entire family.”

“That day, a letter arrived from the northern border. It was not a special military report, but a family letter between Marquis Xuanping and my father. In it, there was a sentence: ‘My daughter Liangyu fought bravely today and beheaded two enemy soldiers. She has the potential to be a good general. Your Majesty should do your best to cultivate her.’”

"Whenever a letter arrived from the northern border, Father Emperor would be all smiles all day. Sure enough, upon receiving the letter, Father Emperor immediately burst into laughter, pointing to the line, 'My daughter Liangyu fought bravely today, beheading two enemy soldiers. She has the potential to be a great general. Your Majesty, I will do my best to nurture her.' He invited me to watch it with him, praising Marquis Xuanping for his excellent upbringing of his daughter. That evening, he drafted an edict to appoint A Xu as the Crown Princess."

“Father is right. I watched her grow up. Although we never met, I know exactly when she learned to speak and walk, when she started reading military books, and when she went to the battlefield! I was truly grateful for the letter from Marquis Xuanping and for Xiao Liangyu’s ability to please Father and make my relationship with A-Xu possible. A-Xu also likes her and even thought that after she returned to Yongdu, he would often invite her to the palace for a chat.”

"Only after she left did I realize that the letter from home was her death warrant! Father had long intended to choose Chen Yuanqing's daughter as the crown princess, but Chen Liangyu was still too young, so he first appointed A Xu. After a few years, when the predecessor passed away, it would be natural for the successor to take her place."

"It was because I did not realize my father's deep intentions that I was not on guard. How could I have imagined that my father had planned from the beginning that A-Xu would only temporarily remain in the position of Crown Princess?"

"Teacher, I am the Crown Prince, how can I not even protect my own wife?"

Zhang Diancheng stood silently in front of the desk, listening to Xie Yu finish speaking.

Finally, Xie Yu summoned Rong Jun and said, "Summon Chen Liangyu."

Zhang Diancheng's eyelids twitched slightly, but he still had to deal with the matter of abolishing the Agricultural and Sericultural Bureau and Office in Zhudong. Finally, he instructed, "Your Highness, do not start a dispute."

Xie Yu said, "Teacher, rest assured, I know what I'm doing."

Zhang Diancheng then resigned from the Six Ministries, and as it turned out, his concerns were not unfounded.

As Chen Liangyu stepped into the East Palace, Xie Yu's roar echoed outside the hall in the time it took to utter only ten sentences: "Let women study and become officials? Chen Liangyu, are you so arrogant that you dare to dream such a pipe dream?"

Chen Liangyu knelt, her back slender and straight.

"Does His Highness the Crown Prince also believe that such a grave injustice should be perpetuated from generation to generation?"

Xie Yu said, "What's more important than fairness is order, is the fate of the nation!"

"The two characters 'Sheji' (社稷) mean 'land' and 'grain' (稷). 'Sheji' (社稷) means 'land' and 'grain' (稷). 'Land' and 'grain' are based on the people. Both men and women are subjects of the country. If men can pass the imperial examinations and enter officialdom, why can't women? I don't understand why women cannot do what men do?"

"Stubborn to the end!"

Xie Yu spoke coldly, his face also grim.

"What can you do? If I give the nod, an imperial decree will be issued, and you will have no choice but to embroider your veil and marry into the Eastern Palace. All your unrealistic ambitions and your infatuation with others will be reduced to ashes! Arrogant and conceited? Chen Liangyu, I never disciplined you in the past, yet you and Jiang Ning have become so ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth! You want to challenge the laws of this world? Ha, you are overestimating yourself!"

Xie Yu flicked his sleeve, his face as cold as ice in the twelfth lunar month.

Chen Liangyu fell silent, and the two reached a stalemate.

Xie Yu: "Are you mute?"

Chen Liangyu: "Yes."

Xie Yu: "What did you say?"

"Your Majesty," Chen Liangyu said, raising his voice slightly. "Your Majesty wishes to challenge the laws and principles of this world."

She said she "wanted to challenge the laws of this world," not "wanted to challenge the laws of this world."

She was not arrogant. She knew perfectly well that it was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot or an egg hitting a rock, to fight against the ways of the world and people's hearts, against established rules and worldly views, all by herself.

She was not self-deprecating. She was willing to fight against the prevailing social customs and traditions. Perhaps she would succeed and become famous, perhaps she would fail and perhaps she would be condemned for all time. Whatever the outcome, she would accept it gladly.

To build a foundation without roots, and to set an example for all ages.

Unprecedented? Then let it begin with me!

"Stubborn fool!" Xie Yu said, "Prince Shen agreed to this matter, so you chose Prince Shen, is that right?"

Chen Liangyu said, "Do I have a choice? Where I end up is entirely up to His Majesty the Emperor and His Highness the Crown Prince."

"have."

Xie Yu was named Crown Prince at a young age, and even though his position in the Eastern Palace is now precarious, he has never abandoned the demeanor and integrity of a crown prince. He is unwilling to rely on forcing a woman to solidify his position in the Eastern Palace.

Chen Liangyu raised her head and looked at him.

Xie Yu repeated, "I said you have it."

Chen Liangyu remained still, waiting for Xie Yu to continue.

"I have read the book translated by Jiang Ning. Some of the words make sense. It is wishful thinking for the court to grant special privileges to women, but it is not difficult to set up a few girls' schools."

When Xie Yu spoke again, his tone was more gentle and pleasant.

"The Eastern Palace, or the Prince Shen's residence? You don't need to rush to answer me. I'll give you time. Answer me when you've thought it through."

"Is Your Highness making a deal with me?"

Xie Yu looked down at him condescendingly, "What bargaining chips do you have to make a deal with me?"

"I did not."

"You still want to choose King Shen?"

Chen Liangyu said, "Since His Highness the Crown Prince allows me to make the choice, then yes! I choose His Highness Prince Shen!"

Condescending to do so did not elicit the expected profuse thanks and tears of gratitude. Xie Yu's voice grew even deeper, "What else are you dissatisfied with?"

Chen Liangyu said, "What I want to fight for is the foundation of a woman's standing in this world, not to set up a few schools in a pretentious manner to cover up injustice and embellish the social atmosphere!"

Xie Yu swallowed his anger to the extreme, pointed in a direction, and banished Chen Liangyu from the East Palace.

He sat there, staring wide-eyed, as if freezing people in place. But upon closer inspection, one could see that his long, slender knuckles and fingertips were trembling.

He was furious.

The door to the side hall slowly opened, and Xie Wenjun walked out, took the freshly brewed hot tea from Dai Qing, and personally served it to Xie Yu.

After a long while, Xie Yu stiffly turned his neck and said, "She said I'm just putting on a show?"

Xie Wenjun nodded, adding, "And then there's the pretense."

Xie Yu: "..."

Xie Wenjun stood quietly to the side, her head bowed. She didn't speak when Xie Yu didn't.

"Jiang Ning? What are you thinking about? You're not saying a word. You're usually so talkative when she's mentioned."

"My sister thinks she is right."

"Hmph! You'd better shut up. I just don't understand what you think is so good about her. I can't see even the slightest bit of it."

When Zhang Diancheng returned from the Six Ministries, he handed Xie Yu a document proving Xun Xian's interactions with members of the Consort Xian's family.

Xie Wenjun voluntarily withdrew.

The Crown Prince pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on. "How did Marquis Xuanping and Yan Baizhang raise her? She's completely lawless, even more troublesome than Jiang Ning."

Zhang Diancheng asked, "How will Your Highness decide on this marriage? Should we immediately request His Majesty to issue an imperial decree to grant the marriage?"

The steaming tea wafted towards me, and the porcelain lid gently tapped against the cup.

Xie Yu said, "I fear it will shorten my lifespan."

Yan Baizhang was very well-informed. That afternoon, as soon as he arrived at Chen Yuanqing's study, he said, "Liangyu has offended someone again today."

Chen Yuanqing wielded his brush with thick ink, chatting with Yan Baizhang as he painted: "Half a lifetime has passed in the blink of an eye, and I've become indifferent to worldly affairs. These three children, it's fine if they're a little unruly, as long as they're safe. As long as she doesn't offend His Majesty, she can offend anyone else. Her father can still protect her for now."

While speaking, T lost his focus, and a branch of apricot blossoms peeked over the wall. In a moment of carelessness, the painting was ruined halfway through its stroke.

Chen Yuanqing laughed heartily, then disregarded the original composition and added a few more branches.

He asked, "Who did she offend this time?"

"Crown Prince."

After explaining the whole story, Chen Yuanqing put down his pen with a "clatter," turned around, and pulled out a willow stick from the wooden stand, holding it in his hand.

"What about our ancestors?"

"They should be at the Xun residence looking for Miss Xun by now. My lord, Liangyu is all grown up and holds a position in the court; this stick won't scare her anymore."

“Don’t you remember how you used to make her kneel in the snow and slap her hands? Now that the child is older, you’re playing the role of a loving father again.”

Chen Yuanqing was resentful of Yan Baizhang's change in attitude.

In the past, everyone was extremely strict, but now Yan Baizhang has quietly changed his ways, as if he is the only one who is evil.

"Let her cause as much trouble as she wants. I taught her all sorts of kung fu. If she can't make a living in the government in the future, she can go out and perform breaking stones on her chest to earn a living. She won't starve."

Yan Baizhang said, "Breaking a boulder on your chest is too strenuous. If you ask me, I'd rather practice sword dancing."

Author's note: Thank you for reading this far!