Unlike the Yang and Zhao clans’ prominence and control over court affairs, since the Crown Princess married, no one from the Xie clan served as an official in the capital. Those who had been officials either resigned or were posted to commandery governments.
The Yang and Zhao clans’ children—not to mention those with names and reputations, even the sons of favored servants—were eager to arrange official positions for them. Yet the Xie clan, with renowned young masters like Xie Yanfang, remained idle at home.
Over the years, the Crown Prince had repeatedly proposed that Xie Yanfang enter official service, but Xie Yanfang had continually declined with various excuses. After so long, the Crown Prince’s already poor temper had been provoked.
“My alliance with your Xie clan through marriage wasn’t simply for having children,” the Crown Prince said coldly, his eyes full of ferocity. “Third Master Xie, you yourself said that marrying into my family was a punishment for you. You’re living far too comfortably to seem like you’re being punished.”
The Third Prince was becoming increasingly disrespectful, yet Father Emperor still turned a blind eye. The Zhao clan’s arrogance grew more intense, while the Yang clan was clearly outmatched.
And the Xie clan still hid behind, enjoying their leisure.
He hadn’t granted the Xie clan the status of imperial relatives out of benevolence, nor because he was infatuated with the beauty of Xie clan women.
He needed three parties contending so that he, as the one in power, could save effort and worry.
“Your Highness, you wrong us,” Xie Yanfang said with a helpless expression. “By not taking action now, we are providing Your Highness with the best assistance.”
The Crown Prince sneered. “Let’s hear your twisted logic.”
“The Third Prince cannot be allowed to remain,” Xie Yanfang said.
The Crown Prince was startled, as if seeing the thirteen-year-old Xie Yanfang again. Back then, he had stood at the foot of a hill, looking up at the youth who had suddenly appeared on the hilltop. The youth wore white and held a crossbow. Though his appearance was celestial, the shock he brought was ghostly.
Though he wasn’t afraid of killing and deeply detested this third brother, he truly hadn’t dared consider eliminating him—Father Emperor was still alive.
“Do you think he’s some chicken or dog?” the Crown Prince rebuked. To be eliminated just like that? “He’s deeply favored by Father Emperor, with the Zhao clan supporting him at every turn. Besides, don’t really think he’s just hiding away reading books.”
Under the guise of studying, he had been gathering connections and reputation. Who knew how many people and how much money the Third Prince controlled?
Xie Yanfang smiled. “That’s why the Yang clan operates openly while I work in the shadows, allowing us to better serve Your Highness.”
The Crown Prince made a sound. “How so?”
“The Yang clan has great prominence, and everyone watches them. There are many things they cannot conveniently do and many people they cannot befriend. That’s where we come in,” Xie Yanfang said, producing a scroll of documents. “These are people I’ve visited over the years—prestigious families, talented scholars living in mountain seclusion, and some seemingly insignificant people who will prove useful at critical moments.”
The Crown Prince reached out to take and open it, a smile appearing on his face as the ferocity left his eyes. “Excellent, excellent. Uncle indeed couldn’t accomplish these things. For instance, this one—”
He pointed at a particular name, both annoyed and amused.
“A few years ago, Uncle went to visit him. Upon hearing the news, he packed his bundle and climbed over the wall to flee in the middle of the night.”
That person didn’t necessarily refuse to serve him, but rather disdained the Yang clan’s reputation and was unwilling to associate with them.
Compared to the Yang clan, the Xie clan indeed inspired more goodwill.
As the Crown Prince’s gaze was about to move on, it slid past a name and paused.
“This Chu Ling—”
Xie Yanfang knew the Crown Prince would have questions.
The Crown Prince prided himself on martial prowess but disliked warriors who didn’t submit to him, so he wouldn’t like someone like Chu Ling.
He explained, “Although this Chu Ling was greatly disrespectful to His Majesty, disobeyed imperial edicts, acted on his own authority, and was abandoned by His Majesty, he has still held the position of Guard General for over ten years. This shows His Majesty and he must have some unfinished bond. Such a person might, at a certain moment, say one sentence that could have great effect, so I’m keeping him in reserve—”
The Crown Prince laughed heartily. Sometimes intelligence wasn’t omnipotent.
“Third Master, you’re right about everything,” he said. “But Chu Ling is going to die.”
Xie Yanfang truly didn’t know this, his expression surprised. “I’ve heard nothing of this.”
“It’s not strange that you don’t know,” the Crown Prince said with a smile. “He’s always been someone about whom nothing is heard. Who would care about news of him?”
Even if Chu Ling died, who would care?
Xie Yanfang asked curiously, “Your Highness, how did you learn of this?”
“Father Emperor told me,” the Crown Prince said casually. “If he’s going to die, let him die. Yet he still has the nerve to write to Father Emperor. What for? Does he still want posthumous honors?”
How laughable. The Crown Prince laughed heartily.
Xie Yanfang didn’t laugh, his expression thoughtful. “So aside from His Majesty, no one else knows?”
The Crown Prince found it amusing. “What does it matter if others know? Does he have the nerve to go around telling people he’s about to die? They’re all wishing he’d hurry up and die.”
He waved his hand.
“Since you refuse to enter official service, just randomly select someone from your family and send them to the border commandery to replace Chu Ling’s position. It’s unimportant and won’t be too conspicuous, at least preventing the Zhao clan from taking it.”
Xie Yanfang made an acknowledging sound.
Did this sound mean agreement or disagreement? The Crown Prince glared. This boy seemed to be distracted.
“What are you thinking about!” he said.
Chu Ling. Xie Yanfang let this name slide through his mind and said, “No wonder his daughter came to the capital. Turns out it’s a young bird being sent home to nest.”
Still thinking about Chu Ling? The Crown Prince waved his hand. “Stop thinking about it. Not worth the mental effort. An insignificant person.”
“No,” Xie Yanfang smiled. “Though insignificant, this time we can still render Your Highness a service. You naturally know about the Third Prince’s literary gathering.”
The Crown Prince sneered. “I even know that after he finishes the literary gathering, he’ll have these assembled scholars spread the talk that the heir should be chosen based on merit, regardless of age order.”
The Zhao clan and Third Prince couldn’t wait any longer. The Emperor’s health was poor. If they waited until the Emperor truly passed away, the Crown Prince would be legitimate and proper—no matter how much they struggled, it would be useless.
Xie Yanfang said, “Your Highness needn’t concern yourself with such petty tricks.”
The Crown Prince laughed heartily. “Of course I don’t care. An incompetent child—what can he accomplish with mere words? I’m just waiting for him to cause a disturbance. I’m worried about lacking a reason to beat to death those treacherous people who rebel against their superiors.”
Xie Yanfang nodded with a smile. “Before status, position, and power, favor is powerless. However, before then, Your Highness could also give the Third Prince an embarrassment.”
The Crown Prince looked at him. “I’m not interested in disrupting his literary gathering.”
The more disrespectful the Third Prince became, the more he needed to act as a magnanimous elder brother. There was no need to displease Father Emperor over a literary gathering.
Xie Yanfang said, “Your Highness needn’t appear personally. Chu Ling’s daughter has already acted on Your Highness’s behalf.”
Chu Ling’s daughter? The Crown Prince was puzzled. “How so?”
Xie Yanfang smiled. “The Third Prince, instructed by someone unknown, or perhaps Chu Ling’s nephew somehow opportunistically obtained an invitation to the literary gathering. But that invitation was then publicly seized by Chu Ling’s daughter, who scolded her cousin as unworthy.”
When the commotion in the pavilion first began today, he had immediately learned of it and instantly knew how this matter and this person could be used.
“If even a woman disdains the Third Prince’s literary gathering invitation, wouldn’t such a gathering be laughable?”