"Reporting to Your Highness, the princes have all returned, but the Empress Dowager has not permitted them to enter the palace for a visit. It will be within the next few days," Xiao Zhuzi reported in a high-pitched voice, holding his whisk and snuggling up to Zhao Shu to cool off.
For some reason, the capital city is unusually hot. Many places have already entered autumn and people are wearing more clothes, but the capital city is still like the hottest days of summer. Everyone says that this year's abnormal weather means that something big is about to happen, and he thinks it is very true.
Zhao Shu thought for a moment, then rested her chin on her hand and looked up at the sky. The begonias outside the window had actually bloomed. Was it a bit too early?
"Hey, have you made up your mind yet?" Sun Yun waited for a long time and found that she was engrossed in looking at the begonias. "There's no one over there."
Zhao Shu glanced at her sideways and said, "The princes must be quite idle. What have they been doing lately?"
"The eldest prince has been frequently befriending court officials lately, but they are all discerning and no one pays him any attention. The other princes are the same." This generation of princes is unlucky. They have encountered Emperor Mingde, who is quite ruthless. He does not give them real power or grant them the title of prince. They want to befriend court officials, but they are ignored.
If you treat the princes well, granting them titles and land, they will still be dissatisfied and want to become emperors. If you don't treat them well, giving them nothing but providing for their upbringing and education, they will seem useless.
There are advantages and disadvantages; indeed, a family-run empire is the most difficult to govern.
“How can there be nothing to do? Give them something to do. Send a message to Lord Xie and ask him to submit a memorial to thoroughly investigate the case of Prince Xian. He has been stuck in the court for so long, it’s time to investigate. If the princes have something to do, they won’t be idle.”
When Zhao Shu said this, her expression was very calm, and the feeling of autumn drowsiness was particularly obvious, as if she hadn't slept well for hundreds of years.
Later, when Xiao Zhuzi learned that Lord Xie had actually asked Marshal Wei for favors, he recalled her expression at that moment and belatedly realized that the princess was angry.
Before making this decision, Zhao Shu was unaware that Xie Yun had asked Wei Tingsi for benefits. She simply thought that Xie Yun was a shrewd person and that the reason Xie Jinse couldn't marry Wei Tingsi was because he had secretly sabotaged things. With Zhao Bi's frequent activities, Wei Tingsi not yet back, and the Crown Prince not in the capital, she couldn't deliver a fatal blow to Zhao Bi. If she wanted to restrain him, Xie Yun was the best candidate.
As for the benefits Xie Yun asked Wei Tingsi for, they weren't really anything special. He had calculated that once the world was at peace, Wei Tingsi would have a superior position in the court. He didn't know who Wei Tingsi was, but he subconsciously felt that this kid would soar to great heights in the future. Meanwhile, Huo Baichuan's reforms had limited the power of aristocratic families, and the Xie family would be much weaker than before. He needed to find someone who could help the Xie family through marriage.
Therefore, when Wei Tingsi received his letter, he laughed and wrote a reply. When Xie Yun received the letter, his hand trembled with anger, but he was also very glad that he was so resourceful as to know that he could not let Xie Jinse marry into the family. Otherwise, he would have offended the wrong person and suffered a huge loss.
Just then, Xiao Zhu sent someone to request an audience. After hearing Zhao Shu's message, he was filled with resentment. The princes were all busy seeking their own paths and were having a great time. Although he ignored them, he also didn't provoke them. The princes had no real power, but they would still be wealthy and powerful in the future and wouldn't have a bad end. Why would he provoke these princes now? Wouldn't that be pointless? He would be wasting his time and energy without getting any benefit in return.
However, upon reading Wei Tingsi's letter again, he resigned himself to his fate. Alas, he had still offended someone he shouldn't have.
The next morning at court, behind the beaded curtain, Zhang Chu loudly announced, "Speak quickly if you have anything to say, otherwise the court is adjourned."
"Your Majesty, I have something to report." Xie Yun stepped forward, holding the jade tablet.
The Empress Dowager was somewhat surprised. Things had been progressing very smoothly lately, and everyone's attention was focused on the war. Logically, Xie Yun should be fine, but since he had stepped forward, she decided to listen. "Speak," she said.
Xie Yun glanced at Qiu Tangshi and Yan Shiren, who also looked surprised. These three usually discussed things beforehand when they had to leave, but they hadn't discussed this matter.
After organizing his thoughts, he said, "Your Majesty, the case of Huguo Temple from a few days ago has not yet been resolved. I request that you thoroughly investigate it."
The wise king is dead, and the troops lent to him were from vassal kings, that is beyond doubt. Most court officials do not think that there should be any follow-up to this matter. Wouldn't it be enough to just wipe out the vassal kings and close the case?
However, as the only high-ranking official of the first rank with real power in the court, most people thought that Lord Xie's words made sense, but they didn't know where the sense lay.
Everyone pricked up their ears to listen.
After a moment, the Empress Dowager, though unsure of her intentions, sensed that she understood Xie Yun's purpose. "In that case," she said, "Xie Qing, please handle this matter."
After discussing the war and reforms, the court adjourned.
After the court session, Qiu Cheng and Yan Shiren approached him and asked, "Lord Xie, what is your intention in doing this today?"
"Sigh, I've offended someone," Xie Yun said with a bitter face, not bothering to hide it.
Qiu Tangshi and Yan Shiren exchanged a glance, still puzzled. "Whom has Lord Xie offended?"
"Who else? It's none other than the Empress Dowager's precious darling." Xie Yun didn't care about his image anymore, pounding his chest and stamping his feet, pretending to be pitiful.
“Princess Jun? Elder Xie, tell me how you offended her.” Qiu Cheng immediately thought of Zhao Shu and instinctively ruled out Prince Yong. In his eyes, Prince Yong was an honest man and not a threat at all. Only Zhao Shu was a troublesome woman.
Yan Shiren was also very curious, so the two of them grabbed Xie Yun from both sides to prevent him from escaping.
Xie Yun glanced at the two of them, gritted his teeth, and said, "Let's talk about it at Yipinju."
The three of them discussed it and went to Yipinju. They asked for a private room, ordered a pot of tea, and began to talk in detail. Xie Yun said, "A few days ago, the Emperor bestowed a marriage upon one of my granddaughters, marrying her to Wei Tingsi as a concubine. You may not know that my granddaughter had a grudge against the Empress Dowager's precious daughter in the past."
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