Chapter 61: The Crown Prince, Ex-Husband of the Transmigrated Woman (9)

Exhausted to the extreme and now disturbed in his rest, Xie Hui was displeased. As he sat up, a eunuch promptly lit the lamp.

The head eunuch, who served him personally, carried a lantern and carefully approached the dragon bed, asking in a cautious tone:

“Your Majesty, would you like to go and see?”

Already in a foul mood, Xie Hui had no desire to bother with the reborn Noble Lady Song. He waved his hand lightly and instructed,

“Just summon the imperial physician. Tomorrow, you personally visit the Imperial Consort Dowager and select some precious jewelry from my treasury to send to her.”

“Tell the Imperial Consort Dowager that I am preoccupied with court affairs and must also raise the Crown Prince. I have no time to manage the harem, so I must trouble her to oversee it in my stead.”

The original owner’s harem was peaceful, with the women forming close friendships and living in harmony.

However, the harem of the original owner’s father was quite different. The surviving consorts of the previous emperor had all endured fierce struggles for favor and power. Having weathered those storms, they were far from ordinary women—each possessing deep schemes and shrewd minds.

After all, Noble Lady Song was Xie Shen’s birth mother. No matter what, Xie Hui did not want that little cub to be saddened by matters concerning his mother.

There was nothing wrong with kindness, and longing for one’s mother was even less of a fault.

Xie Hui could have easily exposed Noble Lady Song’s true nature, letting Xie Shen see just how undeserving she was of his love.

But the obedient and sensible child made Xie Hui reluctant to let him face such a harsh reality too soon.

Thus, he decided on a gentler approach, guiding him step by step into maturity. When Xie Shen grew older, he would naturally see things clearly.

It would simply take more time—but fortunately, time was something Xie Hui had in abundance.

He refrained from acting against Noble Lady Song, not because he couldn’t, but because he didn’t want to hurt the little one. However, that didn’t mean he would tolerate her repeated troublemaking.

As the eunuch bowed and prepared to leave, Xie Hui spoke again:

“Wait. I recall that Consort Dowager Ning’s father recently submitted a memorial requesting retirement.”

“Her elder brother serves in the court as well, and from what I see, he is quite reliable.”

There was no need to spell things out; those who understood would grasp the meaning.

From the moment the eunuch came to report, Xie Hui did not believe that Noble Lady Song truly intended to take her own life.

Unless she had been utterly disillusioned at the moment of her death in the previous life, it was unlikely for a reborn person to willingly seek death. Those who had actually died before feared death more than anyone else.

Seeing through Noble Lady Song’s act, Xie Hui had no intention of playing along. Since he wanted Consort Dowager Ning’s assistance, he had to show sincerity.

“I do not wish for Noble Lady Song to come to any harm. However, if she remains obstinate…”

“As long as she stays alive, that will suffice.”

The eunuch bowed slightly. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

From that day on, Xie Hui felt a noticeable sense of relief.

And Consort Dowager Ning, who had grown lax with age, became highly motivated upon hearing that His Majesty intended to elevate her brother’s status.

Never again would an incident occur where a mere Noble Lady’s servant could barge into the emperor’s bedchamber.

Consort Dowager Ning, as a consort dowager, had a higher rank that completely suppressed Noble Lady Song.

Moreover, with the Empress Dowager having passed away from grief following the late emperor’s death, Consort Dowager Ning was now the most senior and revered woman in the harem.

She frequently called Noble Lady Song to her palace under the pretense of boredom. Noble Lady Song dared not refuse.

Xie Hui would occasionally hear reports that Noble Lady Song had spent long hours transcribing Buddhist scriptures, kneeling in the prayer hall, or embroidering ritual banners under Consort Dowager Ning’s watchful eye.

As expected of someone who survived the last round of palace intrigue—Consort Dowager Ning not only wore down Noble Lady Song’s energy but also ensured that no one could fault her methods.

Xie Shen, still young, did not grasp these complexities. When he heard others mention how his mother now enjoyed spending time at the consort dowager’s palace, he became curious and wanted to visit.

It wasn’t out of longing for his mother but pure curiosity—what was so fascinating about the consort dowager’s palace?

Ever since his mother had asked him to help mend her relationship with his father, Xie Shen had been deliberately avoiding her.

To him, asking for such a favor was as unrealistic as asking him to pluck the moon from the sky.

…

Xie Hui always kept Xie Shen by his side, whether attending court, visiting the common folk, or discussing state affairs with officials. The little one would bring a small stool to sit beside him.

Fortunately, although the child didn’t understand much, he delighted in being near his father.

Seated on his tiny stool, he would remain quietly beside Xie Hui until discussions ended.

When he got hungry and reached for pastries, he never forgot to pass a piece to his father, worried that His Majesty might lose track of time and go hungry.

Through constant exposure, Xie Shen developed his own unique insights into certain matters.

Compared to the previous Crown Prince, who had been forced to mature under the weight of his predecessor’s expectations, he was turning out even more exceptional.

Several months passed in this manner. The once-arrogant and self-important Noble Lady Song gradually mellowed under the daily routine of Buddhist scripture copying.

Seeing this change, Consort Dowager Ning became more lenient, no longer depriving her of all rest.

In the deep palace, women should not make things harder for each other. She only hoped that Noble Lady Song would come to her senses sooner rather than later.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival family banquet, only the emperor, his consorts, and the consort dowagers were present.

Consort Dowager Ning, now deeply trusted by His Majesty, suddenly brought up the matter of the Crown Prince’s future consort.

“Your Majesty, though the Crown Prince is still young, it would not be unreasonable to arrange a marriage engagement for him early on.”

At these words, Xie Hui instinctively turned to look at Xie Shen, who was seated beside him.

The boy froze mid-bite, his round eyes widening as he lifted his head to meet his father’s gaze—a thoroughly stunned expression on his face.

Having raised him personally all this time, Xie Hui could immediately tell that his son was unwilling.

He picked up his wine cup, toasted Consort Dowager Ning, and, taking advantage of his slight intoxication, responded in a clear voice—

“My son is the Crown Prince. The imperial family is already the most noble; the family background of the Crown Princess does not matter. What matters most is that my son likes her.”

“When Shen’er is older, if he finds a girl he likes, it won’t be too late for me to grant him a marriage.”

Saying that family background was unimportant was, of course, a lie. After all, as the mother of a nation, it was not a role that just any ordinary girl could take on. Knowledge, upbringing, and etiquette were all crucial.

The reason Xie Hui said this was merely as a precaution for the future.

He preferred to believe that the son he personally raised would surely choose a suitable woman to be the Crown Princess.

Consort Ning, after all, was just a consort and not the Emperor’s birth mother. She had merely mentioned it casually at the family banquet, and when the Emperor rejected the idea, she wasn’t surprised in the slightest. Instead, she smiled and drank her wine.

That evening, after meeting with a minister in the study, Xie Hui returned to his quarters and was surprised to find that the little one was still awake at such a late hour.

Sitting on the threshold, the child rested his head on his hands, his chubby cheeks squishing into noticeable bulges.

“Why aren’t you asleep?”

Xie Hui walked over, reached out to pull him up, and led him inside.

“Father, must I get married? It seems so troublesome…”

If he ended up with someone like his mother…

Just the thought of it made Xie Shen shrink his head slightly in fear.

“If you don’t want to, then naturally, you don’t have to.”

Marriage was not a necessity in life. As someone who had steadfastly avoided emotional entanglements for years, Xie Hui had no standing to urge anyone to start a family.

“Really?”

Xie Shen looked up at his father, his clear eyes filled with surprise.

Before this, he had sat at the threshold for a long time, convinced that his father would scold him for not behaving like a proper Crown Prince.

At that moment, the client in the space, after careful consideration, finally spoke:

“Very well. If he does not wish to marry, then let him be. The original Crown Princess was someone I forced him to wed.”

“I only wish… for him to be happy.”