Chapter 196 - 171: Imperial Father

Not long ago, Jiang Xian had heard the Emperor mention that his second elder brother was afraid of him.

In Xie Che’s eyes, his second elder brother was the most trustworthy and capable member of the family. Unfortunately, his brother didn’t trust him, preferring to hide his talents and live as an idle prince, even if it meant ruining his own reputation.

After listening, an idea sparked in Jiang Xian’s mind. "Actually," she said, "there might be a way to make Prince Xie believe that the Emperor is truly willing to use him. It just might sound a little absurd."

* * *

If Prince Xie had been shocked before, he was completely numb now.

Unable to bear it any longer, he turned to Xie Che. "Emperor, is it not highly improper for Lady Zhaoyi to be discussing matters with me? I am a man outside the inner court, and a senior official..."

"Before I took the throne, I called you my second elder brother. She’s practically your sister-in-law, which makes her family. Besides, I’m right here. If I were to suspect the two of you, I’d be unworthy of being an emperor, and unworthy of being a husband."

The Emperor’s confidence left Prince Xie speechless once again.

Xie Che continued, "As for being a senior official, you’ve made every excuse to refuse the tasks I’ve given you. You were dropped from the ranks of senior officials long ago. You’re just coasting on my brotherly affection now. You don’t count."

Prince Xie thought, ’...My sincerest thanks, then.’

He had to admit, his third brother possessed an innate confidence and a talent for delivering cutting remarks without even trying.

Prince Xie had a decent grasp of the Emperor’s personality; after all, they had spent a good ten years together in the Upper Study Room. But he couldn’t figure out Gu Zhaoyi, who stood before him now. What did she gain from overreaching like this? Even if she used the Emperor’s favor to meddle in court politics, she couldn’t secure that many benefits for herself.

He mentally reviewed Gu Zhaoyi’s family members. None of them held any important positions at court.

Her current level of favor was more than enough if she just wanted to secure wealth and promotions for her family.

"The Emperor truly dotes on Lady Zhaoyi,"

Prince Xie said to Xie Che, his voice laced with unspoken questions.

"That’s where you’re mistaken. A woman’s charm isn’t something you can scare out of her. Women are delicate creatures by nature. If you force one to stay by your side, making her bend to your will and your rules, she’ll become nothing but a sycophant. And no matter how beautiful she is, what’s the fun in that? I want to nurture her confidence, to make her feel free to speak her mind with me." At this, Xie Che laughed. "Ah, that’s right. You don’t have a confidante, so it’s natural you wouldn’t understand. I’ll let Lady Zhaoyi speak with you a bit more. She has a way with words."

It all made sense now.

Prince Xie’s brow furrowed. ’His third brother isn’t afraid of a woman with ambition,’ he realized. ’He’s confident he can handle her no matter how bold she becomes.’ The Emperor was using his favored concubine as an example, making all these veiled remarks for one purpose: to tell him—

’If I can tolerate a favored concubine meddling in politics, then I can certainly trust you, my own brother!’

The thought moved Prince Xie.

"In that case, I will have a drink with Lady Zhaoyi."

* * *

"The screen is opaque," Jiang Xian began, her tone as casual as if making small talk. "Did Prince Xie discover I was behind it because you smelled something?"

Princes are assigned their posts without an interview, so Prince Xie couldn’t quite put his finger on the shift in Gu Zhaoyi’s demeanor as she spoke.

Had he been familiar with the concept, he would have recognized it as the air of an HR manager.

"Since Your Ladyship has asked so directly, I can only be honest," Prince Xie replied. "You and the late Emperor burn the same type of incense."

Prince Xie wasn’t quite accustomed to speaking so frankly.

Xie Che couldn’t smell the fragrance.

But he wasn’t surprised. ’After all, my second elder brother was once the late Emperor’s favorite prince,’ he thought. ’He’s probably just especially sensitive to the scent. I never liked hanging around the late Emperor’s study myself.’

"I see."

The relationships between all the players clicked into place in Jiang Xian’s mind. She instantly understood Prince Xie’s deeper-seated issue, one that went beyond mere mistrust: the late Emperor, whom he had revered above all, had not chosen him in the end.

"The way you look at me, Prince Xie, it seems you have something you want to ask. Why not just be direct?"

"You’re not just playing the part of a beautiful companion in Qingliu Hall, are you, Lady Zhaoyi?" he asked bluntly. "From what I know of the Emperor, that place must be his base of operations for dismantling the power of the aristocratic families and the old guard. So, are you the Beauty used as a distraction, or are you part of the operation?"

Xie Che’s heart skipped a beat at the question.

’To be this frank... this is something else!’

"I am both."

"Did the Emperor ask you to do this?"

"I was the one who proposed it."

This was the very question Prince Xie wanted to ask. "What’s in it for you, my lady?"

If all they wanted was ordinary wealth and status, both of them had already reached the pinnacle.

One was an idle prince, the other a favored concubine with the Eldest Prince in her care.

An emperor who appoints the virtuous and listens to counsel is an ideal found only in the books of sages. In reality, offering such counsel is a high-risk act, like plucking a tiger’s whiskers. Prince Xie couldn’t see much practical gain in it.

"As for that..."

Jiang Xian hesitated, a rare occurrence for her.

Prince Xie expected to hear about her ambitions, about her desire to make her mark.

’She’s finally going to admit how much she loves me,’ Xie Che thought.

"Because I can’t stand being idle. I want to find out what else I’m capable of." A dozen clever phrases danced on the tip of Jiang Xian’s tongue, but what came out was utterly sincere. "I’ve reached the end of the road when it comes to serving with my looks. I can’t become any more beautiful, I can’t move the Emperor any more than I already have. There will always be younger, prettier concubines entering the palace. I want to do something that makes me irreplaceable."

Xie Che selectively ignored the phrases "can’t stand being idle" and "serving with my looks."

He was deeply moved. Taking her hand, he said, "Even if you grow old and your beauty fades, I will never forsake you. I’ll never let any new concubines bully you. And once the matter with the cowpox inoculation is settled, I will raise your rank again."

Jiang Xian squeezed his hand back expertly. "I’m not worried about my status being undermined by newcomers," she said, before turning to Prince Xie. "You see? I’ve just earned myself a promotion. How could being a mere Commandery Prince be enough for you? As long as you do the Emperor’s work, and do it well, can the title of full Prince be far behind?"

After speaking, she glanced at Xie Che.

He played along obligingly. "Not far at all."

Prince Xie said, "To be honest, Lady Zhaoyi, I feel like I’m not far from a lifetime of imprisonment."

The atmosphere turned quiet for a moment.

Jiang Xian turned back again.

Xie Che let out a hearty laugh. "I’m not that kind of man. Have I ever moved against any of my brothers? If I were really capable of such fratricide, would the late Emperor have chosen me to be the Crown Prince? Even if you don’t trust me, you should trust the late Emperor’s judgment."

Hearing this, Jiang Xian turned her head, her face a mask of disbelief:

’Your Majesty, are you even allowed to say that?!’

’Telling him to trust the late Emperor’s judgment is no different from poking him in the forehead and saying, "The late Emperor was absolutely right, you just weren’t fit to be emperor!"’

"The Emperor is right. The late Emperor’s judgment was impeccable, and I believe in it as well," Prince Xie said, his tone calm, his lips even curving into a genuine smile. Yet it felt as if he might shatter before their very eyes. "It was I who disappointed the late Emperor."

What could be more heartbreaking than to be abandoned by both his father and his sovereign in favor of another?

’Was it all just to make me a whetstone for my third brother?’

Some people, however, are naturally allergic to melancholy.

"In that case," Jiang Xian immediately changed tack, "all the more reason you mustn’t disappoint the *second* emperor. You have to perform well! That’s what His Majesty meant just now, too."

This wasn’t the first time Jiang Xian had faced such a situation.

It was just like when she was in the middle of a great interview, thinking she’d finally found a competent new subordinate, only for the boss to waltz in and ask the candidate some ridiculous, brain-teaser question you’d find in a collection of bizarre interview questions online.

And her job was to steer the conversation back on track.

With that said, Jiang Xian turned back and shot the Emperor a meaningful look.

Captivated by the Beauty’s enchanting gaze, Xie Che’s heart fluttered. "Yes, that’s exactly what I meant! The late Emperor didn’t dote on you, so I’ll dote on you, Second Elder Brother!" He’d always thought his second elder brother had something of a father complex. "If that’s not enough for you, you can even call me ’Imperial Father’ in private."

Jiang Xian felt her heart seize. ’...This is impossible to salvage.’

Any emotion Prince Xie had felt vanished in an instant. "I understand the Emperor’s intentions. To go so far as to have Lady Zhaoyi act out this scene for my sake... it would be ungracious of me to refuse. The ’Imperial Father’ title, however, will not be necessary. I’m beginning to understand why our father chose you in the end. In your ability to appoint the wise and capable, Your Majesty truly surpasses all others."

After the Prince accepted his new task and departed, Xie Che turned to Jiang Xian. "When he spoke of the ’wise and capable,’ he wasn’t talking about himself, was he? My second brother is getting more shameless by the day."

"He was probably talking about me."

Xie Che replied, "I see you’re not so different."