Chapter 235 The Crown Prince's Heart is Smaller Than a Pinhole
At this moment, Jiang Fenghua's eyes softened, her face became as beautiful as a flower, and she sweetly spoke flattering words, "His Majesty is wise and mighty, possessing both intelligence and courage, ruling the world with supreme authority. How could he be deceived by hypocritical villains? Our Crown Prince's wisdom is like a brilliant galaxy, vast and boundless, illuminating the world. How could His Highness allow villains to gain power?"
In other words, if such a thing had happened to the Jiang family in their previous life, no matter what Jiang Fenghua said, it would have been useless. The Jiang family would have been at a disadvantage and would never have been able to recover.
In this life, she secured her position as the Crown Princess and gained the favor of the Emperor and the Crown Prince. Her influence through the emperor's pillow talk was not for nothing. With power comes the right to speak, and now she has that right. That's just how the world is.
Hearing Jiang Fenghua's words, Xie Shang smiled indulgently and sighed, "It's a waste of the Crown Princess's eloquence if she doesn't use it to solve cases."
"I was just talking, but if it's really as you think, elder brother, and my father is involved, I really must avoid suspicion," Jiang Fenghua said.
Jiang Fenghua always likes to think three steps ahead and put herself in the other person's shoes, considering how to extricate herself if the other person fails.
If it really was Su Xuan who was behind this, he should have already come up with a foolproof plan. He is an extremely intelligent person and would never allow himself to be involved in these matters in the slightest, just like when he instructed Ji Chen to set fire to the Zhang family's house while he was far away on the border.
Now that the case is closed, it has nothing to do with Su Xuan. Even if Yun Fang comes forward, there is no evidence to prove that he instructed Ji Chen. On the contrary, she will be falsely accused.
This incident involves Wang Qing, who once went to the Jiang family to study but was refused by Jiang Huai. Whether he will retaliate against his father for not accepting him as a disciple is something Jiang Fenghua needs to consider.
Su Xuan was a military officer who didn't take the imperial examinations, so he naturally distanced himself completely.
Although she claimed to remain calm and wait for the right moment, she would still secretly send people to investigate what had happened.
She never fights a battle she can't win. Naturally, she can't show that she's overstepping her bounds in front of Xie Shang. When she needs Xie Shang's help, she will ask him for assistance.
Xie Shang said, "Just as the Crown Princess said, since there's no use in being anxious, let's wait for the results. Perhaps we're worrying unnecessarily, and it turns out that it has nothing to do with my father-in-law at all, and that it was really just a case of government officials embezzling and buying and selling exam questions." He would also investigate the matter secretly.
"Let's hope so! Now we can only wait for the results," Jiang Jinyan said, still intending to investigate further in secret.
Each of the three has eight hundred schemes in their hearts.
Jiang Jinyan and Zhang Yumo ate at the Crown Prince's residence before coming out. They weren't in a hurry to inquire about how the matter at the examination hall was being handled. Even if Wang Qing was summoned, it would be necessary to confirm that he was indeed a good-for-nothing. What if he was actually talented?
When handling cases, the government cannot simply follow the crowd; it must rely on evidence and follow certain procedures, and it cannot wrongly accuse people.
In the afternoon, Xie Shang didn't go to work. He waited in his room and found Xie Shang leaning against the soft couch with a book, reading it intently.
Jiang Fenghua didn't disturb him and went straight into the inner room to change into some light clothes. She knew that Xie Shang must be jealous because of Xiao Yu. He was such a petty man. Did he think that only officials were allowed to set fires while ordinary people were not allowed to light lamps? Besides, she hadn't even lit a lamp yet and had always been well-behaved.
No wonder he refused to touch Su Tingwan when she came back this time. He must have thought she had slept with another man, so even though he was under the influence of her aphrodisiac, he still wouldn't touch her.
I heard that the Empress, in order to ensure Xie Shang's sexual happiness, plans to marry all the women from the noble families she has her eye on into her household. This is probably for the sake of the imperial heir. He will be the emperor in the future, and it is impossible for him to favor her alone. She has long been mentally prepared for this.
Besides, Xie Shang was just jealous for no reason. She and Xiao Yu were really just nodding acquaintances, having only met once or twice occasionally, and had no relationship whatsoever. Her goal was very clear: to marry a man who would rule the world. She would not provoke a man like Xiao Yu, and what others thought was none of her business.
She couldn't be too guilty to act rashly, so she simply went to bed for a nap.
A moment later, Xie Shang also crawled in and lay down next to her. "Ruan Ruan thinks your older brother and Xiao Yu are more knowledgeable and capable."
Jiang Fenghua takes a nap every day. Once she got into bed, she moved a little further in because someone was getting impatient.
Why didn't he ask who was more capable, him or Xiao Yu? She would have answered that it was naturally her husband.
Even with her big belly, she could only sleep on her side, and she had to put a pillow under her back, otherwise she would be uncomfortable.
She opened her eyes and saw him so close to her. She gently stroked his handsome face with her fingers. "My husband, do you remember how many days it has been since we last slept together like this?"
"How many days?" he asked. "Six or seven days, I guess!"
“Fourteen days,” Jiang Fenghua counted to him, then added, “If you don’t come back today, we won’t have seen each other for half a month. I’ve been counting down the days, just like when you went to war, wondering when my husband would return.”
"Has it been so long? Time flies so fast? Ruan Ruan, I've neglected you. I wasn't by your side when you were pregnant, and now that you're about to give birth, I'm still not here. You must be having a hard time all by yourself."
He lay down next to Jiang Fenghua, facing her, and began to talk about his time in the palace, as if explaining, "I've been so busy I'm dizzy. When I first arrived at Taihua Palace, I was still a little unaccustomed to it. I didn't expect that Father would have to deal with so many memorials every day, and the first one he gave me was only a third of his daily memorials."
"My husband is the one who's had a hard time. His face is all thin from exhaustion. Is being the Crown Prince really that hard?" She remembered the dates he was away because she needed to calculate how many days were left until her due date, as the later stages of pregnancy were just too difficult.
She felt more at ease when Xie Shang wasn't in the mansion; if he were, he might have run off to Ye Liang's concubine's courtyard.
She owed Ye Susu nothing; she had given her everything she was entitled to. As for whether Xie Shang wanted to come to her room, that was his own business, and she wouldn't be foolish enough to push him away.
"Thank you for your hard work," he said directly.
"Just now, my husband asked who was more learned, my elder brother or Xiao Yu. Didn't the exam results come out? Xiao Yu was first, and my elder brother was second. Even if Ruan Ruan wanted to favor my elder brother, she couldn't question the discernment of learned scholars like Grand Tutor Pan!"
Her eyes were clear and open, "Xiao Yu is my father's student. His good grades prove that my father taught well, don't they? What doubts does Your Highness have? Is Your Highness questioning Grand Tutor Jiang's abilities because you were dissatisfied with his recent lectures to you?"
She knew that if she didn't answer his question and didn't satisfy him, it would definitely leave a thorn in his heart.
Her frankness made Xie Shang hug her and laugh heartily. "Of course, what Grand Tutor Jiang said is good. His theory on being a ruler is very reasonable. I dare not question it. If I cannot answer the test, even if I am his son-in-law, he will still slap my hand."
"He dared to hit His Highness the Crown Prince's hand?" Jiang Fenghua asked anxiously. "He hit so hard, he never shows any mercy. Is he the same way to His Highness? Is he just putting on an act? Your Highness, tell me why he hit you. Next time, I will help you get justice. Many times, my father can't win an argument with me."
Xie Shang said, "On the first day, I was assigned homework, and on the second day in class, I couldn't answer it and I was actually slapped on the hand. I thought you said that you grew up being slapped on the hand by him, and I wanted to try what that felt like, so I deliberately couldn't answer it and even told Grand Tutor Jiang that it was because I was being lazy."
Unexpectedly, Grand Tutor Jiang adopted a tone of disappointment and began lecturing again, saying that it didn't matter if he couldn't answer, but laziness was unacceptable, and then gave examples of the benefits and harms of diligent and lazy governance..."
The couple chatted in bed until sleepiness crept in, and they both fell asleep, sleeping soundly.
Xie Shang had never felt so relaxed before. He always felt peaceful and comfortable with her. When he woke up from his nap, he felt refreshed.
Jiang Fenghua was sleeping soundly. He stared at her fair and delicate skin, feeling her even breathing. He tapped her nose with his fingertip. A woman who was so beautiful even when she was pregnant could probably only be Jiang Fenghua.
Thinking back to the first time he saw her, that breathtaking scene, her picturesque features and stunning beauty captivated him. At that moment, he thought of a love that would last a lifetime.
Xie Shang suddenly touched her belly, and at that moment the little life inside seemed to be interacting with him again, whether it was offering its feet or hands to his palm.
He tried to grasp it, but his palm remained empty. They were so close, yet it felt like they were separated by countless mountains and rivers. He couldn't see or touch them. He longed for the day he could meet them.
He thought that he would definitely be a good father in the future, a good father who gives people strength and warmth, just like Grand Tutor Jiang.
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