“I want to eat cherries.”

“Where would I find them for you in winter?”

“But what if little sister wants some?”

“There aren’t any either.”

…

Just over three years old, Xie Tian stepped down from the carriage and walked alongside Xie Wei toward the palace gates, chattering as he went. Hearing Xie Wei say there were no cherries in winter, he became unhappy and brought up his little sister.

Unexpectedly, Xie Wei gave the same answer.

Though young in years, his features were extremely well-formed, delicate as carved jade. One could tell at a glance he’d inherited all his parents’ good looks.

A few days ago, he and his sister had argued about whether Father or Mother was more formidable.

Sister insisted it was Father.

Though Xie Tian had only been born two quarters of an hour before her, since he was the elder brother, he had a responsibility to teach her reason. So with a solemn little face, he corrected her: “It’s definitely Mother who’s more formidable. You’re still young, you don’t understand. Everyone listens to Father, but everyone also listens to Mother, and moreover, Father also listens to Mother.”

Xie Yun was quite mischievous. With her two little hands, she pulled down her eyelids and rolled her eyes, huffing angrily: “Not listening, not listening—the turtle’s chanting scriptures!”

Today in the palace, at Princess Auntie’s house, that boy called Shen Jia was celebrating his birthday. When that girl Xie Yun heard about it, she couldn’t wait to go eat and drink. Early in the morning she clung to Mother and wouldn’t let go, insisting on going to the palace early to join the excitement.

Mother had no choice but to take her.

Thinking of this now, Xie Tian stamped his foot, also getting angry: “What’s so great about the palace cooks? The food they make is terrible—nowhere near as good as Father’s!”

Xie Wei had some patience raising a daughter, but raising a son…

Forget about it.

He’d always loved quiet. Hearing him prattle on endlessly, too lazy to respond, he only slowed his steps, walking slowly behind him.

It was afternoon now. The Cabinet deliberations had long since ended.

The guards outside the palace gates were more relaxed.

Xie Wei only pondered how these two children didn’t resemble him, but rather Ning’er more—full of fight from a young age, never giving one peace of mind. He needed to find a way to discipline them, tighten their reins a bit.

The snow was still thick in winter.

Though it had been cleared in the morning, by now another layer had accumulated.

Xie Tian walking through the snow inevitably found it somewhat laborious, one foot deep and one shallow, but he didn’t complain, just slowly made his way forward bit by bit. As they were about to pass through the palace gate, his eyes suddenly brightened and he tugged at Xie Wei: “Oh! Father, look—the green plum blossoms have opened!”

Xie Wei raised his eyes to look ahead. His previously casual expression collected somewhat.

That wasn’t any green plum blossom.

It was Zhang Zhe.

He seemed to have just emerged from the palace, his hands folded into opposite sleeves crossed before him, yet carrying a branch of plum blossom over a foot long. The plum branch tilted, withered and knotted, but the plum blossoms on the branch were either blooming or budding, each petal a pale jade green.

This Minister from the Ministry of Justice had always been coldly aloof. This branch of plum blossoms complemented him perfectly.

Over these years, Xie Wei had even been too lazy to go to the Cabinet. The times he could encounter Zhang Zhe could be counted on one hand.

For certain reasons, he couldn’t possibly look favorably upon this person.

Yan Lin had gone far away to the frontier and never returned to the capital.

But this person was different.

Seeing him now, the corners of Xie Wei’s lips curved slightly in a smile, though it was quite shallow. He said, “The plum blossoms are excellent.”

Zhang Zhe kept his hands in his sleeves. A corner of his official robe lifted in the wind. He lowered his eyelids and didn’t exchange much pleasantries, only saying, “Fair enough.”

Xie Wei then said nothing more.

Xie Tian blinked his eyes, but his gaze remained on Zhang Zhe, unable to look away for a long while.

Xie Wei patted his head and said, “Let’s go. Don’t keep people waiting long.”

Only then did Xie Tian say “oh” and turn to walk forward with him.

But after walking just a few steps, he couldn’t help turning back to look again.

Zhang Zhe nodded slightly, waiting for them to pass first before he too exited the palace gate. The clear wind fluttered his sleeves and brushed his robes as he departed, the plum blossom leaving its fragrance in the snow.

Xie Wei withdrew his gaze.

But Xie Tian sidled up beside him: “Father, Father, is that the Minister Zhang who’s revising the new legal code? I’ve heard others mention him—he’s really formidable!”

Hearing these words, Xie Wei felt uncomfortable. Seeing this little fellow walking ahead of him with unsteady steps, one foot deep and one shallow, he gave a light snort. With a gentle kick that didn’t even use two parts of his strength, he pushed the boy headfirst into the snow ahead.

Xie Tian was stunned.

He flailed and struggled for a while before pulling his head out of the snow, looking back somewhat bewildered. He glanced at Xie Wei, then looked around behind Xie Wei: “Who pushed me? How did I fall?”

Xie Wei said coolly, “You’re young, unsteady on your feet. Falling is normal.”

Xie Tian was half-convinced.

But this was his father after all. He truly didn’t suspect anything and turned to continue walking forward. However, as he walked, he remembered the earlier topic and continued: “Didn’t you say I’m too stupid, that teaching Mother alone is taxing enough, and you don’t want to teach me anymore, so you’d find an enlightenment teacher? That Minister Zhang is formidable—would he work?”

“Plop.”

The worldly-inexperienced young boy once again plunged headfirst into the snow.

Xie Wei stopped right beside him, his eyes watching with such bland indifference.

If the first time he fell he hadn’t reacted, falling a second time and still not catching on—Xie Tian would be a fool.

He got a mouthful of snow and struggled to climb up.

Then, feeling aggrieved, he opened his mouth and burst into loud wails.

However, this time he was more sensible.

He already roughly knew where he’d gone wrong, sobbing as he said, “Whatever Father says is what it is. No matter how good others are, none are as good as you. I’ll listen to you in everything.”

Xie Wei walked forward with his hands behind his back, saying with false sincerity: “Our family never forces anyone. Whatever teacher you want to engage, engage that teacher. No need to go against your conscience reluctantly. At such a young age, already selling out your conscience—how improper is that?”

Xie Tian nearly cried blood.

He shook his head, firmly refusing to jump into the pit, stubbornly insisting: “What’s revising the legal code amount to? Not good at all. Your son hasn’t sold his conscience—these words are spoken from the conscience!”

The little conscienceless one’s conscience really wasn’t worth much.

Xie Wei laughed derisively. Seeing that the layered palace halls were now visible, he stopped tormenting this unfortunate child.

There would be plenty of time in the future to teach him how to be a proper person.

Already far away at the palace gate, heavy snow fell in flurries, drifting down from the vast sky.

Standing for a moment, snow already covered his shoulders.

Zhang Zhe paused and looked back toward the palace gate. The figures of that father and son, one tall and one short, had gradually become blurred.

Xie Ju’an loathed the mundane world, indifferent to the ordinary mortals beneath heaven. What occupied his thoughts each day were perhaps only simple meals and the wispy smoke of domestic life.

He was still alive…

But it was only because Jiang Xuening was still here, wasn’t it?

The north wind blew past, snow heavy in the human world.

The sage saw through it all—only in death could one be free.

But if one clings to life, then one becomes an ordinary person.

[End of Chapter 253]