Chapter 45: Terminal Love-Struck Fool? Beyond Saving, Awaiting Doom 14

Qin Yun was certain the emperor must believe he had met with some misfortune—perhaps someone had interfered behind the scenes. He suspected that person was most likely Qin Ming, because the former attendants of the Eastern Palace had all warned him to be wary of Qin Ming. If he were to die, who would benefit most? None but Qin Ming.

He shared his suspicions with Xie Fanghua. Xie Fanghua forced a smile. “Does Your Highness really think His Majesty is a ruler so easily fooled by the schemes of petty villains?”

“But if he wasn’t deceived, why would the Emperor...”

“Perhaps His Majesty wished to protect you. Leaving the capital without permission is a grave crime, especially since the current Crown Prince is not your full brother. Even if you and the Crown Prince were true brothers, could he truly tolerate a prince who dared to abscond from the capital? And the Eastern Palace’s officials certainly would not.”

“I—I harbored no ill intentions, no treacherous thoughts. I don’t even care for the throne—if I did, as my father’s true son, the title of Crown Prince would never have gone to...”

“Your Highness, the title of Crown Prince was never destined to be yours. It was only because His Majesty favored you and bestowed it upon you. That is true for the current Crown Prince as well.”

Qin Yun fell silent. He had always thought it was only because he didn’t wish to compete with Qin Ming that Qin Ming had managed to become Crown Prince.

Xie Fanghua thought: Such a thoroughly naïve young prince—if he’d grown up in the Xie household, he’d probably have been sold off by his father’s concubine and would have had to help her count the money besides.

For once, Xie Fanghua felt a touch of pity and tolerance toward him.

“So I... I can never go back?”

“If you had caused a scene upon hearing the news, declaring yourself the Prince of Chu, insisting you were alive, you’d likely have ended up in the deepest dungeon by now. Fortunately, you did not act rashly.”

“I...”

Qin Yun, not entirely a fool, finally realized the truth.

Then he began to cry.

He wept like a pear blossom in spring rain, unable to speak through his sobs. Memories of his father and mother’s affection since his earliest days, his sister’s fondness for him—all these flashed vividly before his eyes. The more he remembered, the harder he wept, transforming from a somewhat old-fashioned gentleman to a complete and utter crybaby.

Xie Fanghua’s annoyance toward him gradually dissolved in the face of his tears. Never mind—though the man often acted like a classic “doting father,” his heart was not truly bad.

Accepting reality, Qin Yun locked himself in his room for three days, neither eating nor drinking. When he emerged, he was frail and near collapse, but something within him had changed. He let go of his lofty identity and pride as imperial scion; knowing nothing, he resolved to start anew and learn everything from the beginning.

Xie Fanghua, using the alias Xie Hua, demonstrated such intelligence that the physician who taught her skills recommended she attend the academy. Qin Yun, meanwhile, began earning money by doing simple tasks—copying books, writing letters for others. Part of his earnings he gave to Xie Fanghua for her studies; the rest he saved.

Though he had accepted his fall from princely grace, no longer a dragon among men, he still longed to return to the capital, if only to catch a distant glimpse of his parents and sister. The money he saved was meant for the journey back to the capital.

Fortunately, he wasn’t the only one earning money. At the academy, Xie Fanghua befriended sons of wealthy merchants and nobles; she helped them with their studies in exchange for payment. She didn’t care about the ridicule of being called a “country bumpkin.”

The years passed swiftly. During this time, Qin Ye appeared increasingly aged by the day. As for Huayang, she was raising two children under her knee: a daughter born to the Xue family’s cousin and Xue Yulang, and a son born to Xue Yulang’s personal maid. The son was now three or four, the daughter two or three. Yet neither child was close to Huayang; they favored their birth mothers instead. Huayang responded with continual hostility toward the cousin and the maid, while the courtesan who had never borne children kept to herself. Owing to her background, her health was ruined and she could bear no children.

Even so, Huayang continued to enter the palace and complain. At first, she could still see Qin Ye, who asked if she wished to punish the Xue family. Each time, her answer was that she would decide after being with Xue Yulang. Gradually, even when she came to the palace, she could see neither Qin Ye nor the Empress.

Qin Ye claimed he didn’t need updates on Huayang, yet every so often he would ask Yang Lao about her. Each time, what he heard made his blood boil.

Still, Huayang came to the palace regularly to air her grievances, even when denied an audience. The last time, she ordered the maid and the cousin to be sent away, terrifying the Xue family, who thought their end was near. Yet Xue Yulang soon coaxed and reassured her, and she relented as always.

When the autumn imperial examinations approached, Qin Ye learned Qin Yun and Xie Fanghua had returned to the capital. He intended to see what talents this “Xie Hua” possessed. At that moment, the official in charge of the exams entered the palace late at night to confess.

“Your Majesty, Princess Huayang invited me to a feast and asked me to help the imperial son-in-law cheat, to make him the top scholar. I am terrified—I dare not falsify such a matter of national importance. Yet I also dare not offend Her Highness and so have come to beg Your Majesty for justice.”

The man, sly as he was, took off his official cap and placed it on the floor, all but resigning in shame.

Qin Ye had not expected Huayang to cause such a scandal. For a moment, he could not decide which was worse: the Huayang who once handed the tiger tally to an enemy hostage, or the current Huayang, addled by her obsession with Xue Yulang, and blundering at every turn. Either way, both made his blood surge with frustration—he wanted to pry open her skull and pour out the water inside.

Such a troublesome child—he didn’t want her at all.

By comparison, the news from Qin Yun’s side brought Qin Ye a degree of comfort.

So, how does one save a child terminally afflicted with love-obsession? You can’t—just wait for the end.

A certain renowned Qin family physician ordered her to be carried away without so much as a glance.

Xue Yulang always remained a commoner. Though in this dynasty, imperial sons-in-law could serve as officials, Xue Yulang held no post apart from his title. No official favored by Qin Ye was a fool, and anyone with sense could tell Qin Ye was displeased with the son-in-law. Naturally, no one sought to befriend him; in fact, they kept their distance.

Xue Yulang had expected his title to bring him prestige and honor, but those of true status simply ignored him.

He believed it was his status as imperial son-in-law that led others to overlook his talents, and took out his frustration on Huayang. After several instances of his sarcasm, Huayang realized Xue Yulang had a sincere wish to serve the country. As the autumn examinations approached, she sought to use her position to clear a path for him.

Before dealing with Huayang, Qin Ye visited the Empress’s palace. The Empress was dressed in a Daoist nun’s robes, her face bare and serene, chanting scripture with neither joy nor sorrow in her eyes.

“These are Yun’er’s experiences over these years. Take a look. As for Huayang—surely you know what she’s done? For Xue Yulang, she dares anything, does anything. I’ve given her countless chances, but she remains blind...”

“Is it truly Huayang who is blind? She’s your only daughter. Your status and power ensure her a life of ease—how hard is it to let her have her way? Xue Yulang is just a plaything. If she likes him, so be it. You could order him, by imperial decree, to treat her well. Even if he were only acting, he’d have to keep up the act for a lifetime, or face execution of his entire clan. Would he dare stray or philander? In truth, it’s because Your Majesty is too heartless—unwilling to forgive your own children. If so, then be it. Why look for excuses?”

At these words, the Empress’s mask of serenity shattered. Her eyes brimmed with resentment.

Qin Ye replied flatly, “If that is so, then very well. I won’t bother with excuses.”

He turned and left. The Empress watched him go, closed her eyes to compose herself, then picked up the letter she had earlier thrown to the ground and began reading it from the beginning, word by word.

As she read more, her expression gradually changed.

“Yun’er...”

The Empress was not wrong. Qin Ye, hands clasped behind his back, felt a profound melancholy. Was it not Emperor Yong’an who was at fault? The emperor’s deepest obsession was not for his children, but for the peace and stability of the nation—he would not allow his country to fall as it once had under Yun’s onslaught.

If the emperor’s obsession had been first and foremost his two children, the Empress would have been right. Qin Ye could have forced Xue Yulang to act devoted to Huayang for a lifetime, never abandoning her in word or deed.

As a task-bearer with a relentless drive for high scores and as a responsible leader, Qin Ye could not afford to let private feelings jeopardize greater duties. As for the two children—were they not the emperor’s only bloodline, he might have been the first to raise his blade against them.

Ungrateful descendants, treating their ancestors’ legacy as a game, oblivious to impending ruin, eager even to hand their inheritance away.

No ancestor could stomach such a sight, Emperor Yong’an included. The greatest proof of the emperor’s love was that his obsession included his two children, and he still hoped the task-bearer might teach them well.

Qin Ye was teaching, but not fast enough. They were fine at first, but the older they grew, the more misguided they became—as if their heads were filled with nothing but water, lacking even a brain stem.

Why make things hard for oneself? Let go, and the sky will be bluer, the air fresher. Surely the original soul would understand Qin Ye’s choices. Because of this understanding, the original would not irrationally give him a low score.

The third party: ...When you speak, could you please put away your personal sword first?