Chapter 293 Just for Fun
Imperial study.
Xie Zhe was browsing the memorials sent from Shuozhou.
The memorial stated that the budget for the canal construction had exceeded the budget and requested the court to allocate more funds.
Xie Zhe's face didn't look good.
The Ministry of Revenue has already allocated several sums of money for this river that runs through the north and south. Now that the treasury is empty, how can we allocate funds again!
He did not agree, but only ordered the supervising officials to arrange prisoners from Shuozhou County and surrounding counties to dig the canal. If it was still not enough, he would impose additional labor service, which would save a lot of expenses.
When Xie Guanlan came in, Xie Zhe had just closed the memorial.
He raised his eyes and said softly, "I already know about the engagement between Ziheng and An Ning. An Ning is like a half-daughter to me, so I want to plan your wedding in the capital. What do you think, Ziheng?"
Xie Guanlan bowed and said, "Your humble servant would like to make a statement."
"explain."
"I would like to cancel my engagement with Princess An Ning."
Xie Guanlan lowered his eyebrows and eyes, and his voice was steady.
The conversation with Wen Ningning in the tent last night quietly emerged in my mind:
—Let him think you're not in love with me. You know that, right? Only by severing the ties between us can we avoid being manipulated. Right now, you and him are at odds. Only by despising and hating me can you protect me.
—Wen Ningning, you want me to lie again, don't you? You want me to inflict lies and sacrifice on the woman I love. You want me to endure the torture and torment of lies once again, don't you?
"If a temporary sacrifice can buy me a lifetime of happiness and joy, Xie Ziheng, I'm willing. Back when I was young and naive, I only wanted to experience the world of love with you. But after going through so much, I've discovered that I don't really enjoy fleeting pleasures. I'm a very greedy person. What I want is a long-term companionship, year after year."
The girl was too calm.
Xie Guanlan admitted that at that moment, her reason prevailed over his.
"break off an engagement?"
After the Long case, Xie Zhe's voice was low.
"This marriage was arranged by my grandmother, without my consent." Xie Guanlan said expressionlessly, "How can one take youthful affection seriously? It's nothing more than childish play. Furthermore, ever since my mother passed away, I have vowed never to marry or have children. If Your Majesty doesn't believe me, you can send someone to investigate."
Xie Zhe had thoroughly investigated Xie Guanlan a few years ago and knew that he was unwilling to marry.
He thought that Wen Xingluo would be an exception for him.
He observed Xie Guanlan carefully, "I heard that you and An Ning last night..."
After a moment of silence, Xie Guanlan said coldly, "What man doesn't have desires? She took the initiative, so why shouldn't I agree?"
After a pause, the young man lowered his eyelashes and raised his pale red lips into a playful arc, "Just for fun."
"I remember that Ziheng is not interested in women, and there are no concubines in the courtyard. The fact that you are willing to give An Ning a try shows that An Ning still has some weight in your heart."
"Gardeners decorate palaces and pavilions, and even they select the most beautiful flowers. When I, a humble minister, try my hand at sex, I should naturally choose the most beautiful woman. But—" The young man seemed to recall the events of last night, and suddenly spoke sarcastically, "She is nothing more than this."
Xie Zhe continued to stare at him, unwilling to miss any of his subtle expressions.
But his expression was indifferent, and his eyes were filled with cold sarcasm, as if he and Wen Xingluo were really just playing around.
Just then, Sun Zuosi came in to report that two Taoist priests from Tianyuan Temple had entered the palace and were waiting in the side hall.
Xie Zhe did not continue to test Xie Guanlan. He just waved his hand and said, "An Ning is not my biological daughter after all. You should discuss the cancellation of the engagement with Concubine Chen yourself."
After Xie Guanlan left, Sun Zuosi carefully brought over some hot tea. "I wonder if what Commander Xie said is true or not. Is he intentionally deceiving Your Majesty?"
Xie Zhe took a sip of tea slowly.
He and Xie Guanlan were in Beijing and Chengdu respectively, and they had rarely interacted with each other openly.
He only knew that Xie Guanlan was ambitious, just like himself when he was young.
When he was young, he didn't care about love.
"Those who achieve great things don't care about trivial matters. In the face of power, what are women? No matter how beautiful a woman is, she is just icing on the cake." Xie Zhe said in a deep voice, "This time, I believe that he is not lying."
Just like when he killed his stepmother.
The father boasted that he and his stepmother loved each other deeply and were determined to grow old together and share life and death together. But when he jokingly asked his father whether his father would choose him or his stepmother if only one of the couple could survive, didn't his father choose himself in the end?
Love is the most hypocritical and ridiculous thing in the world!
At the same time, in the side hall.
The two Taoist priests of Tianyuan Temple are waiting to be summoned by the emperor.
Pei Lin served them hot tea and said, "His Majesty is currently talking to Commander Xie. Please wait for a moment, Taoist priests."
He said, looking at the screen.
A slim and graceful woman slowly walked out from behind the screen.
It was Wei Si.
She sat down, a smile on her cool and beautiful face. "The two Taoist priests traveled all night to the capital, and it must have been very difficult."
Pei Lin introduced them: "This is the Empress Chen Fei."
The two Taoists looked at each other and quickly stood up and saluted.
Wei Si gestured for them to sit, her voice still gentle. "I remember that the Kaiyuan Temple existed for a hundred years, and during that time, it was almost closed due to a lack of incense offerings. It was when my father passed by and saw the temple's ruins and overgrown with weeds that he donated thirty thousand taels of incense money and personally inscribed the plaque. That's how the temple survived."
The Taoist priest looked at her warily, "What does the Empress Chen want to say?"
"Your Majesty is clearly in the prime of life, yet he believes himself to be old, eagerly seeking the secret of immortality. However, throughout history, emperors and sons of heaven are as numerous as the stars, but has anyone ever truly achieved immortality? It is nothing more than a fleeting dream." Wei Si sighed, half-closed eyelashes brushing away the foam on the tea surface. "In fact, it has also caused trouble for the Taoist priests, monks, and other extraordinary people who presented the elixir. Because they failed to obtain immortality for the emperor, they ended up with their heads and bodies separated."
The woman's voice was particularly ethereal and light.
But it made the two Taoists break out in a cold sweat.
They are not stupid. It is better to be alive. Why should they risk their lives for Xie Zhe?
So the two of them bowed and said, "We wish to escape unscathed, and we would like to ask for your guidance, Your Majesty."
Wei Si spoke softly, "My father ruled the country with benevolence, but because of a land issue that affected the interests of the aristocratic families, they conspired to murder him. Most of the nobles in the capital today are the ones who betrayed my father. Taoist priest, do you understand what I mean?"
Pei Lin said quietly, "For example, General Xiong Lingjiao, who commands 200,000 troops in the capital, was born on a yin year, yin month, and yin day. Perhaps his heart is well-suited for making an elixir of immortality, right?"
The side hall was silent.
Wei Si sat upright on a carved golden nanmu armchair, her palace skirt flowing on the ground. Pei Lin, dressed in a quercus blue satin official robe, served quietly beside her. Behind them was a screen embroidered with a picture of mountains, rivers, and the country on a yellow silk surface. The spring rain outside the hall had stopped, and a few thin golden lines of light and shadow shone in, like an old and broken scroll of the previous dynasty.
…
"What?!"
The next morning, Xie Shian suddenly looked at Fushan and asked, "Where did Big Brother go?"
Fushan said angrily, "I went to Mingzhu Palace to cancel the engagement."
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