Having understood the situation, Qingchen resigned from his post with Zhu Yulu.
Zhu Yulu was already anxious and scared. When she heard that she was leaving, she asked anxiously like a helpless fledgling, "Where is Master Chen going?"
"Go find my teacher."
Such a big matter is one that she might not be able to fully consider on her own; he's the only one she can discuss it with. Besides, he certainly has more experience in this kind of thing than she does.
"Is it Grand Secretary Song Yue?" Zhu Yulu asked, still wrapped in the quilt.
Although Zhu Rui was negligent in his duties, he was very concerned about his reputation and feared losing power. He disliked his cabinet ministers having too close a relationship with his sons, unlike previous emperors who would appoint them as tutors to the princes. Therefore, Zhu Yuluo did not have much contact with Song Yue, only knowing that there was a cabinet minister who was a very capable and intelligent official.
Qingchen nodded. "Yes."
"Will Grand Secretary Song help me?" Zhu Yulu lacked confidence. Although he was the Crown Prince, he was powerless in the palace. Compared to the powerful Xu Yan, he was like a sapling that could be easily broken.
The prince Xu Yan supported was clearly Consort Zheng's fifth prince. How many people would dare to stand against Xu Yan and help them?
"Yes, Your Highness will." Qingchen affirmed. "Your Highness is the Crown Prince. As his subjects, we should help him solve his problems. How could we sit idly by and watch Your Highness suffer injustice? Your Highness, please rest assured."
Upon hearing this, the worry on Zhu Yuluo's face eased slightly, and she nodded, saying, "Then go ahead."
Qingchen bowed and took her leave. Just as she turned to leave, Zhu Yuluo said behind her, "Master Chen, you promised me that you would always stay by my side... I have no one else I can trust."
His voice still carried a hint of immaturity, and his tone was melancholic; every word that fell into the magnificent hall conveyed helplessness and loneliness.
Qingchen did not turn around, but stood still and calmly said, "Your Highness, rest assured, I will keep my promise."
...
Back at the Six Ministries, Qingchen was about to go find Song Yue when she encountered the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, Lin Xiaojin's superior, in the corridor.
“Lord Shen, what a coincidence,” he said first.
Qingchen had met him once before and had a vague impression of him, so she returned the greeting and said, "Greetings, Lord Du."
"Lord Shen has been appointed to a new position in the Ministry of Rites, making a total of five positions. He must be very busy, right?" He paused, then added, "I wonder when you will have some free time these next few days. I would like to invite Lord Shen for a drink and a casual chat."
Qingchen had originally intended to say goodbye and leave, but hearing his words, she couldn't help but feel puzzled. She had never spoken to him, much less shared drinks and casual conversation.
The Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies was a fourth-rank official, the same rank as herself, but older and considered a senior. Furthermore, he was Lin Xiaojin's superior, so while the invitation was somewhat inexplicable, it wasn't easy to refuse. However, the affairs of the Crown Prince were already a major headache, requiring urgent solutions; she had no time to drink with strangers.
After thinking for a moment, Qingchen politely declined, saying, "May I ask, sir, is there anything you need me to do? If you have any requests, please just give them. You are very busy with official duties, and I would not dare to bother you."
"No, no, Lord Shen, you're too kind." He immediately waved his hand, a polite smile on his face. "We're of the same rank, how could I dare to order you around... It's like this, long before Lord Shen's promotion, I mentioned to Lord Lin Xiaojin that I have a daughter, fifteen years old... I've long heard of Lord Shen's outstanding talent and character, so I wanted to have more contact with you... and perhaps even find a good match for my daughter. I just don't know what Lord Shen's opinion is?"
Ever since he last brought this up with Lin Xiaojin, every time he pressed for details, Lin Xiaojin would always try to smooth things over. Now that Shen Qingchen had been promoted again, and her market value was clearly rising, he figured he might as well go all the way and come directly to talk to her. Today's encounter wasn't a coincidence; he had come to the Sixth Ministry specifically to see her.
Qingchen recalled that Lin Xiaojin had indeed mentioned this matter to her, but she never expected that the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies would personally extend an invitation.
"Thank you for your kindness, Lord Du, but I dare not hide it from you, I am already engaged back in my hometown..."
He was only halfway through his sentence when a voice came from behind him, "Lord Du, I can testify for my student that she cannot marry your daughter..."
Qingchen was stunned for a moment, then turned around and saw Song Yue walking up to her with one hand behind his back.
The Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies hurriedly greeted him as "Grand Secretary".
Song Yue then said, "Lord Du, it seems your daughter's marriage to Lord Shen is doomed. In my opinion, you should find another suitable husband as soon as possible..."
"Yes, yes, the Grand Secretary is right." Hearing this, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies knew there was no hope, so he could only take his leave.
After he left, Song Yue asked, "Did you come looking for me?"
"Um."
"That's not something I can talk about here." He looked at her and lowered his voice. "Let's talk about it at my place tonight."
"……good."
Nighttime, at the Xu residence.
Xu Yan went to his son Xu Silin's study, inquired about his health and studies, and then said, "The Gu family is in trouble, and the Duke of Ying's mansion will soon dissolve the engagement with the Gu family. Now, there are no obstacles to your marriage with Su Miaoyi of the Duke of Ying's mansion." He had said before that he would handle the engagement between the Gu family and the Duke of Ying's mansion properly and would never let his son bear a bad reputation.
Xu Silin was taken aback. Recalling what he had heard in court today, he pondered for a while and then asked suspiciously, "...Father, could the incident at Gu Shaoheng's family be related to you?"
Xu Yan remained silent for a moment before shaking his head. "How could your father have such abilities? It's fate."
In front of his son, Xu Yan told the lie with remarkable ease. In his mind, there were some things his son didn't need to know so early on.
He had been planning this scheme for four months. On one hand, he wanted to eliminate the Gu family as an obstacle, and on the other hand, he couldn't let Zhu Yuluo continue to sit comfortably in the position of crown prince. So he came up with this method of forcing the emperor to abdicate, killing two birds with one stone.
"Is what Father said the truth?"
Xu Yan smiled. "Your father may not be a good person, but has he ever lied to you?"
“I will not marry Su Miaoyi,” Xu Silin said firmly, looking at his father.
Seeing his son's expression, Xu Yan patiently said, "You're already twenty-two years old, you can't keep acting on your whims. Over the years, I've risen to such a high position, and I've made quite a few enemies. I'm getting old, and there will come a day when I pass away. The entire Xu family will have to rely on you from now on. You are the eldest son of the Xu family, and it's your duty to take care of the whole family, your mother, and your younger siblings. Listen to me, marrying Su Miaoyi will be a great benefit to our family."
Over the years, he has committed countless evil deeds, his hands stained with the blood of many. Some were things he wanted to do, others were things he was forced to do, some for himself, others for others. But regardless, he has climbed step by step to the position of Grand Secretary, wielding immense power. At this position, he is like a giant umbrella, sheltering not only himself but also countless others. He is already in a precarious situation, with no way to back down.
There was only one path ahead for the Xu family: either continue to enjoy wealth and honor, or inevitably face ruin and death.
There's a saying that goes, "If a person doesn't look out for themselves, they'll be punished by heaven and earth."
Xu Yan's eyes narrowed slightly, a glint of cunning flashing in his cloudy pupils before immediately dimming again. He patted Xu Silin's shoulder, "Son, I'll pave the way for you. Just walk steadily on your path."
As Gu Shaoheng's classmate, Xu Silin was indignant about the act of stealing someone else's love. However, as Xu Yan's son, he knew very well that Xu Yan was doing it for his own good. Outsiders always said that his father was a treacherous official, but his father was also the one who had cared for him since childhood, and his fatherly love for him had never diminished.
For a moment, Xu Silin thought of the questions Song Yue had asked him. One was what is righteousness, and the other was what is filial piety. His answer at the time was: to obey one's parents' words and not to do anything unrighteous is filial piety.
However, he gradually discovered that an irreconcilable conflict had gradually emerged between him and his father, Xu Yan.
After a long silence, Xu Silin finally said, "Father, I have someone I love. In this life, I only want to marry that girl."
Looking at his handsome young son, Xu Yan slightly curled the corners of his lips. His son was growing up; it was perfectly normal for him to like a girl or two. Young people are innocent and passionate, full of enthusiasm; whether it's impulsiveness or genuine affection, they always want to love passionately and without hesitation.
“If you like a girl, just take her in. We’ll treat her well. The only problem is the title; otherwise, we won’t let her suffer the slightest grievance,” Xu Yan said. “As long as you’re on her side, she’ll be the most favored person in the family. If she gives birth to a son, we can adopt him as the legitimate heir. That way, we’ll have given her a proper account, and she won’t have a hard life.”
Xu Silin shook his head, his indifferent handsome face showing his determination. "Father, I don't want her to be a concubine. I only want her to be my wife."
After a moment of silence, Xu Yan suddenly chuckled. "Alright, it's rare to see you so serious. Tell your father, which family's daughter is she? Your father will help you take a look."
No girl could hold his son back. The only suitable girl he, Xu Silin, could marry in his life was Su Miaoyi from the Duke of Ying's mansion; there was no one else.
If his son can't let go of his beloved, he will do it for him. Once this girl disappears from this world, there will be no more beloved. Life is unpredictable; who can avoid unexpected events?
My son is still young, and he can still fulfill his dreams about love in many other ways.
"Father agreed? He doesn't want me to marry Su Miaoyi anymore?"
Xu Yan nodded. "You are my son. How could I bear to see you live an unhappy life? Who is that girl you like?"
"Father knows about her," Xu Silin said with a sigh of relief and a smile.
Not only did he know that he had said Qingchen was a rare talent and that he should spend more time with her and try to win her over, but if she became his wife, wouldn't that perfectly align with his wishes?
"Oh? Who is it?"
"She is Chen..." Xu Silin stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence.
Xu Yan frowned. "What's so heavy?"
Among the powerful and influential people in the capital, I didn't know there was anyone surnamed Shen. If she weren't from a powerful or influential family, but just an ordinary official's daughter, things would be much easier to handle.
“Father, I haven’t asked her about her feelings yet. I’ll ask her first and then tell you,” Xu Silin said after a moment of contemplation.
The fact that she was dressed as a man was Shen Qingchen's secret. If he told her about it without her consent, it would seem disrespectful to her, and she would probably be unhappy.
Xu Yan didn't say anything else, only nodded and said, "Alright."
No rush, let's let that Miss Chen live for a couple more days.
At the same time, Shen Qingchen also arrived at the Song residence.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
