Her cousin had been intelligent since childhood. That she became Crown Princess wasn’t actually due to the Xie family’s influence, but because of Xie Yanfang.
The Crown Prince’s marriage had originally been a contest between the Yang and Zhao clans. Though the Empress was gone, the Emperor’s affection for her remained. The Yang clan wanted to strengthen family ties, but the Noble Consort had accompanied the Emperor for many years and their bond was deep, so the Zhao clan also hoped to strengthen family ties.
Though the Eastern Yang Xie clan was a great family, they were only a regional aristocratic clan, not a nationally prominent one. In the eyes of the Yang clan, the Zhao clan, and the Emperor, they weren’t worth much consideration.
The Xie clan had never imagined they could become imperial relatives.
By chance, the Crown Prince, who loved riding and archery and often traveled for pleasure, once came to Eastern Yang.
But the Crown Prince was arrogant and refused to meet with any Eastern Yang aristocrats, declined their banquet invitations, rejected their gifts, and even drove away the officials. He led his entourage to camp in the wilderness, where they rode, hunted, and feasted.
No one dared disturb them and could only watch from afar.
Unexpectedly, Xie Yanfang alone snuck into the Crown Prince’s hunting grounds, stood on a hilltop, and shot away the Crown Prince’s prey with a single arrow.
At that time, Xie Yanfang was thirteen years old.
For trespassing and wielding a weapon, this young boy could have been killed on the spot, and the Xie clan—even all the officials and nobility of Eastern Yang—would have been held responsible.
But when surrounded, the young Xie Yanfang showed not the slightest fear. He merely held up the prey with a smile and said, “So the Crown Prince’s archery is not as good as mine.”
The Crown Prince valued martial prowess. How could he let this youth die with the satisfaction of having bested him?
So the two competed in archery, horsemanship, and the slender Xie Yanfang even dared to lift stone locks.
Round after round, the two couldn’t exactly be said to have enjoyed their conversation, but they did have quite a good time.
Finally, the Crown Prince held up a long blade and asked if he submitted. If he submitted, he could go die.
Xie Yanfang still wasn’t afraid.
“I was born into comfort and plenty, quick and clever. Whatever I learn, I master. Whatever I want, I pursue.” The thirteen-year-old youth smiled magnanimously. “I heard the Crown Prince excelled at riding, archery, and great strength, so I came to see for myself. Having seen it today, I have no regrets. To hear the Way in the morning, one may die content in the evening.”
The Crown Prince was both annoyed and amused. “Then if I punish you, I’m actually granting your wish.”
Xie Yanfang thought for a moment. “If Your Highness truly wishes to punish me, why not marry my elder sister instead?”
This was even more laughable. To marry the Crown Prince was the most glorious and prestigious thing in the world. In the future, one would become part of the imperial family. Countless aristocratic families competed for this honor.
Yet this boy actually called it punishment. This was truly disrespectful speech.
“Marrying the Crown Prince is of course the most glorious thing in the world, and the Xie clan would share in that attention. But for me, under such scrutiny, the heat would be scorching. If I receive praise, it will be attributed to basking in Your Highness’s glory. If my behavior deviates even slightly, I’ll be questioned for tarnishing Your Highness’s glory. For the rest of my life, I will never be able to act freely.”
The Crown Prince laughed heartily. He disliked scholars, especially cunning scholars like the Third Prince who hid behind a façade of unconventionality. This Xie family boy was also cunning, but his cunning was as forthright as a warrior’s.
He was right. Becoming his Crown Princess wouldn’t be easy. By taking the Crown Princess position, the Xie clan would inevitably anger the Yang and Zhao clans and would have to bear their fury and be drawn into conflicts. The Xie clan would either suppress the Yang and Zhao clans or be constrained by them. A contest between two sides would become a three-way bloodbath.
This was the situation the Crown Prince wanted.
But the aristocratic families in the capital all feared the Yang and Zhao clans and refused to compete. This also showed their contempt for him as Crown Prince.
He hadn’t expected that this young man from the Xie clan would dare to venture forth and recommend himself. The Crown Prince valued martial courage and admired the brave most of all. So he had Xie Yanfang leave quietly the way he came, and the next day he received the local officials and aristocrats, specifically conversing with the Xie clan patriarch.
At that time, the Xie clan patriarch didn’t even know what had happened. It wasn’t until a month later, when the Crown Prince petitioned the Emperor to issue an edict making a Xie clan woman of Eastern Yang the Crown Princess, that the family learned what had occurred. Grandfather, Father, Uncle, and everyone else were nearly scared to death.
The Crown Princess couldn’t help but smile.
As the eldest daughter of the main branch of the Xie clan, she was the only suitable candidate. From a young lady of an aristocratic family, she had leapt to become Crown Princess. In the future, she would be the Empress of Great Xia, the most noble woman in the world.
When she was young, no fortune-teller had said she had a noble fate, nor had anyone treated her differently. Her current position was won by her cousin risking his life.
At thirteen, he had gambled once to make the Xie clan famous throughout the realm.
At twenty-three, Xie Yanfang could naturally ensure the Xie clan’s peace even more effectively.
“You have your own sense of proportion in these matters. I won’t worry about it,” the Crown Princess said with a smile.
Xie Yanfang nodded. “Elder Sister, when you married, I told you—you only need to be a good wife and good mother, nothing more. You needn’t worry about other matters.” At this point, he glanced at the Crown Princess. “For instance, selecting assignments for me together with the Crown Prince—don’t do that again.”
The Crown Princess chided, “The Crown Prince and I are close. As my husband, he casually asked me, and as his wife, I casually answered. Is even this not allowed?”
Seeing Xie Yanfang’s half-smiling expression, she waved her hand herself.
“Yes, yes, I understand, Elder Sister. Little Brother, don’t worry.”
Xie Yanfang smiled and said no more.
“Is everyone at home well?” the Crown Princess asked. “I heard that Yanlai is extremely disobedient, constantly causing trouble and affecting the family’s reputation. When that woman brought the child to our door back then, we should have beaten them to death and been done with it. After all these years, who knows if he’s really our family’s blood?”
“Whether he’s our family’s blood is for our family to say. As for reputation, Elder Sister needn’t worry. When others are disobedient and cause trouble, it won’t damage the Xie clan’s reputation—it will actually make it more flourishing.” Xie Yanfang said, then smiled. “Because the Xie clan has me.”
Looking at the calm smile on the young man’s face, the Crown Princess sighed inwardly. The Xie clan women all had ordinary looks, while the Xie clan men were all handsome.
Though she had never seen that illegitimate son who was acknowledged midway, according to letters from home, he was also extremely handsome, not inferior to Xie Yanfang in the slightest.
But what did good looks matter? The only one she could regard as a younger brother was Xie Yanfang. Even her full brothers didn’t measure up.
“Third Brother must marry a wife with exceptional beauty,” she said.
So their children would all be good-looking.
Xie Yanfang laughed. “Truly, an elder sister is like a mother. Though I’ve left our Eastern Yang home, I feel as if I’m still before Mother.”
The Crown Princess chided him affectionately.
A palace maid hurried over and said quietly, “The Crown Prince requests the young master’s presence.” She added, “At the training grounds.”
Xie Yanfang acknowledged and stood. The Crown Princess also rose, instructing, “Don’t compete in strength with His Highness anymore. His Highness’s stone locks are getting heavier and heavier. They’ve already crushed and killed many people. You cannot have even the slightest injury.”
“A person’s life is only lived once. Risking one’s life in a gamble need only be done once.” Xie Yanfang chuckled softly. “Elder Sister, you’re now the Crown Princess. I no longer need to risk my life.”
Yes, as long as she was Crown Princess and would become Empress in the future, even if the Xie clan had no real power, no one in the realm would dare provoke them. The Crown Princess smiled and patted his shoulder. “Go quickly.”
As Xie Yanfang turned to leave, the Crown Princess called out again, “After you finish talking with the Crown Prince, don’t rush off. I’ll have Yu’er come back. He’s studying now. You, as his uncle, haven’t seen him yet.”
The legitimate son of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, whom the Emperor had named Yu, was six years old this year.
Xie Yanfang smiled and agreed.
…
…
Wearing only a single garment with bare arms, the Crown Prince threw down the stone lock and took the towel offered by his attendant guards. While wiping his sweat, he looked at Xie Yanfang.
Xie Yanfang circled the stone lock, looking eager to try.
“Want to give it a try?” the Crown Prince asked with a smile.
Xie Yanfang shook his head. “Back in Eastern Yang, I couldn’t lift Your Highness’s stone lock. Now I’m even less able.”
The Crown Prince’s eyes were full of ferocity. “Is that so? So your Xie clan now has no spirit of daring at all—you won’t even accept assignments I give you?”