Chapter 65: The Crown Prince, Ex-Husband of the Transmigrated Woman (13)

The empress originally had no intention of paying attention to such matters. After all, her status was different now—how could the mother of the nation fuss over trivial things and make herself seem petty for no reason?

But today, as it happened, she had grown a bit weary from reviewing the account books. So she decided to take a look at this so-called cousin and see what exactly she wanted to do.

To be honest, the empress never took this cousin’s threats seriously. Even if she did dash her head against the palace gates and die—so what? It wasn’t as if the empress had pushed her; she had chosen to seek death on her own.

Many people in this world struggled to live yet still clung to life—why should she care about someone who wanted to throw theirs away?

“Bring her into the palace. I shall take a look.”

The empress set aside the account book she had just finished reading, lifted her tea cup, and took a sip. Her slender jade-like fingers, adorned with bright red nail polish, looked exquisitely delicate against the verdant porcelain.

Today, she was dressed in a crimson silk gown embroidered with intricate patterns. The peonies stitched onto the hem were lifelike, exuding both elegance and authority.

When the old palace maid brought the young woman before her, the empress glanced up and immediately noticed her plain-colored dress. Her expression darkened at once, and she set her teacup down heavily on the table.

Before she could speak, a palace maid beside her sternly reprimanded:

“Insolence! Who allowed you to wear such an outfit to seek an audience with Her Majesty?”

In the palace, certain things were strictly taboo. Before entering the harem, the empress hadn’t believed in such superstitions, but after half a year inside, she had inevitably picked up some distaste for them.

The young woman’s attire was not quite mourning clothes, though it had a yellowish tint. The empress was unfamiliar with commoner customs, but in noble families like theirs, this was precisely the attire worn by unmarried women who were attending a funeral yet were not permitted to wear full mourning garments.

While this outfit made the young woman appear delicate and pitiful, the empress found it utterly inauspicious.

“You—you’re deliberately making things difficult for me! Aren’t you afraid that His Majesty will be angry with you when he finds out?”

Hearing this accusation, the empress curled her lips in a mocking smile.

“Oh? I need an excuse to punish someone who has offended me?”

“Maids, slap her five times and teach her some proper manners.”

One old maidservant firmly grasped the young woman’s arm while another raised her hand and delivered several harsh slaps to her face.

“In the presence of Her Majesty, you dare to speak so insolently? The fact that Her Majesty only gave you a few slaps is proof of her mercy.”

After being struck, the young woman became noticeably more obedient. She knelt in place for a long moment before speaking again.

“You—”

She had barely uttered a word before recalling the pain of the slaps. Hastily, she corrected herself:

“Your Majesty, if you love His Majesty, why are you willing to share him with others? How can you stand to watch your husband favor someone else?”

The empress raised an eyebrow in mild amusement, propping her head on one hand as she lazily looked over. She responded carelessly:

“And that, my dear, is precisely why you were once favored by His Majesty, yet it is I who now sit as empress.”

“Love? What nonsense. Have you read too many romantic storybooks, filling your head with nothing but thoughts of passion and affection?”

There was no need for the empress to explain things too clearly to her. In truth, she had come to realize that many of the concerns she used to have were unnecessary.

“Maids, send her out.”

“And one more thing—young lady, if you ever plan to use this kind of trick to see me again, make sure you dress in your burial clothes first. That way, I can personally send you off.”

With that, the empress waved her hand dismissively and prepared to return to her account books.

She had long since seen through the illusion of love. Her father and mother had shared a deep bond, yet only a month after her mother’s passing, her father had remarried.

She had been raised by her grandmother, which spared her somewhat, but her stepmother had not been willing to let her off so easily. After her grandmother died, had it not been for the high status of her maternal family, she would have long since been married off to one of her stepmother’s nephews.

When her stepmother failed to harm her, she turned her sights on marrying off her own daughter to the same man. Fortunately, the empress’s current status ensured that neither her sister’s marriage nor her brother’s future could be interfered with by that woman anymore.

Love? To the empress, it meant absolutely nothing. From a young age, she had never held any illusions about a loving relationship with a future husband. As long as they could coexist peacefully, that was enough.

She managed the harem well so His Majesty would not be troubled by it. In return, he gave her dignity and respect in public, and occasionally extended favors to her maternal family.

Rather than husband and wife, they were more like partners.

After she became empress, her uncle had sent her father back to their ancestral home, along with her stepmother and all her half-siblings. Those who once mocked her now had no choice but to bow before her.

His Majesty had a good temperament. He might not love her, but he gave her everything else.

After the young woman was sent out, the old maidservant returned to the empress’s side, looking visibly worried.

She was the empress’s wet nurse, having raised her personally and accompanied her even when she married.

By the palace rules, a commoner like that girl should never have been able to see the empress. However, when the maidservant had left the palace to check on the empress’s younger siblings, she had inadvertently seen this girl entangled with a guard, which prompted her to report the matter.

Although His Majesty held the empress in high regard, the maidservant always felt that their relationship was not like that of an ordinary couple. And now, she feared this sudden appearance of a long-lost cousin might disrupt the stability between the emperor and empress.

“Don’t worry, Nanny. My bond with His Majesty is not so fragile.”

Still engrossed in her account books, the empress didn’t even lift her head as she spoke. Indeed, theirs was not an ordinary marriage—how could a royal union be compared to a commoner’s?

His Majesty did not love her, but because she was the empress, he gave her sufficient dignity, respect, and favor. That alone ensured that as long as she made no grave mistakes, no one could shake her position.

Looking up from her books, she caught sight of the magnolia blossoms in full bloom outside the window and curled her lips slightly.

If she counted the days, she would be able to leave the palace in three days to visit her younger siblings. She wondered if her brother had made any academic progress.

Naturally, nothing that happened in the palace could be hidden from Xie Shen. But upon hearing of the incident, he surprisingly showed little reaction.

Thinking back, he realized he could barely recall the bright and lively young girl she had once been.

Does Love Matter?

If he were an ordinary man, love between husband and wife would naturally be important. But he is the ruler of a nation—every stroke of the vermillion brush in his hand could either save the people or doom them.

When he was young, he did indeed like soft and adorable young girls. But now, Xie Shen prefers women like the Empress—those who understand the bigger picture.

From beginning to end, Xie Shen had merely encountered that young lady twice when visiting his maternal grandmother. She had accompanied his aunt to meet Lady Wang.

He had only ever confessed his thoughts once before his father, who, of course, never told anyone.

At the time, Xie Shen thought it was just his own wishful thinking. He never imagined that the young lady actually harbored feelings for him as well. But now, even knowing that she had also developed an interest in him after just two meetings, he felt nothing at all.

He had seen infants who hadn’t yet learned to speak, crying beside their starved mothers’ corpses. He had seen elderly people who, lacking enough food, took their own lives to leave their rations to their children and grandchildren.

Now, Xie Shen’s heart held only matters of governance—there was no room for romance.

He even found it utterly repulsive that the young lady had caused a scene at the palace gates, threatening the guards with her own life. He had once promised his father that he would never be entangled with her again, and he would not go back on his word.

She ruined her own reputation with her outburst at the palace gates. Whatever happens to her in the future has nothing to do with him.

After all, they had only seen each other twice in the corridor—never even spoken. What feelings could there be?

—

Xie Hui still lived in the palace, in the same residence he had always occupied. That palace had originally been reserved for the emperor alone, but Xie Shen, out of filial piety, did not wish for his elderly father to move. Instead, he chose a different residence for himself.

Every morning and evening, no matter how busy he was, he would visit his father to pay his respects. Occasionally, when he encountered difficulties in state affairs, he would also seek his father’s advice.

To him, his father seemed to know everything.

Life was peaceful until one day, Xie Hui heard the system’s notification: the male and female protagonists of the original storyline had appeared.

The usually quiet and composed client immediately began to ramble anxiously, warning Xie Hui to be extremely cautious. The woman was a demoness, adept at bewitching people’s hearts.

Knowing his son’s stubborn nature, Xie Hui did not rush to refute him. Instead, he planned to let reality prove the truth.

About half a month later, Xie Hui received word that Xie Shen had appointed a woman as an official at court—and that woman was none other than the transmigrated heroine.

That evening, when Xie Shen came to pay his respects, he brought up the matter himself. As he spoke about the many innovations she had presented, his eyes practically sparkled with excitement.

Xie Hui patiently waited for him to finish before asking,

“Is this woman truly so extraordinary? What do you think should be done with her?”

Xie Shen pondered his father’s words carefully. After a moment, he took a sip of tea to moisten his throat before cautiously answering,

“I should grant her high office and generous rewards, so that she may serve the people well.”

“According to your past teachings, Father… I should… extract as much value from her as possible?”

Xie Hui had just lifted his teacup to drink and nearly choked on his son’s words.

He had only said that once, but perhaps because it was so vividly phrased, Shen’er had remembered it ever since he was eight years old.

“That is not incorrect.”

With his father’s approval, Xie Shen became much bolder in handling the matter. He even granted the woman a second-rank official title.

Only at this point did Xie Hui ask the client whether he still wanted to get rid of the so-called demoness.

“If Shen’er wishes to use her talents for the benefit of the people, how could I stand in the way?”

“Her husband actually seems to have some talent in military strategy as well. For the sake of Shen’er’s empire, let’s leave them be.”

Since the client was satisfied, Xie Hui saw no need to intervene further. Children must eventually grow up, develop their own opinions, and make their own choices.

The original crown prince was not Xie Hui’s designated task, but since he was still his son, Xie Hui took the time to carefully nurse his health. Though he would never be completely healthy, he should be able to live into his seventies or eighties. He immersed himself in poetry and painting, creating artworks filled with remarkable spirit.

The princesses required even less of his attention. Xie Shen adored his older sisters and often summoned their husbands to the palace for gatherings to strengthen their familial bonds.

When Xie Hui departed from that world, his withered hands clutched his son’s. With great effort, he instructed that he was not to be buried alongside any concubines. The only thing to be placed in his coffin was the People’s Umbrella.

The diligent emperor, who had always put his duty first, abandoned court affairs for a full month after the Supreme Emperor’s passing, staying by his father’s casket in mourning.

Both father and son became renowned in history as wise and diligent rulers.

—

When Xie Hui returned to the void space, the client had already left. As always, he exchanged all his mission rewards for merit and bound it to Xie Shen’s soul.

He didn’t mind working without personal gain—he already had more rewards from past missions than he could ever use. There was no need to be stingy.

Besides, he had truly grown fond of those children. A little sacrifice didn’t feel like a loss at all.

【Host, your next mission target… is a bit special.】

Xie Hui had just reclined on a cushioned seat to rest when the system’s voice caught his attention. His lazy posture instantly straightened.

“Oh? Let’s hear it.”

【In the next world, your mission target is not the client’s biological child.】

Hearing this, Xie Hui’s curiosity deepened. The mission target being the client’s biological child accounted for 95% of his past assignments. He hadn’t expected to encounter such a rare exception.

“Bring the client in.”

A man entered, dressed in casual attire, yet exuding a strong sense of righteousness. At a glance, Xie Hui could tell he had served in the military.

“What do you want me to do in your place?”

Xie Hui had a natural respect for soldiers, and his tone carried a hint of reverence.

“I want… for you to help me raise my comrade’s child properly.”

This client had indeed served in the military. During a dangerous mission, his comrade shielded him, allowing him to survive.

His comrade’s wife had passed away long ago, leaving behind only a two-year-old child who was raised by his grandmother in their hometown. After retiring, the client adopted the child.

Initially, the client had no intention of getting married. However, after starting work, he encountered many enthusiastic aunties eager to introduce him to potential partners. In the process, they also discovered that the child was not his biological son.

Believing that the client was unwilling to marry because of the child’s disapproval, they first tried to persuade the child.

At that time, the child was going through a rebellious phase. Upon learning that the client was not his biological father and that his real father had died saving him, the boy began to resent the client.

Because he was not the child’s biological parent, the client often found himself at a loss when trying to discipline him.

“It’s only natural that the kid resents me. After all, I owe his father my life.”

“But I failed to raise him properly. Every time I think about his father, I feel guilty. I hope you can help me.”

Xie Hui nodded and then stepped into the client’s mission world.

Xie Hui had always been lucky in his assignments. He originally thought he would arrive when the child was still young. However, when he opened his eyes, he saw the door being violently pushed open from the outside, causing the walls to tremble with a loud thud.

Immediately after, a teenager with multicolored, permed hair strode in, carelessly tossing his school bag onto the living room sofa.

“Stop calling my homeroom teacher. You’re not my real dad, so why should I listen to you?”

———————

—The People’s Umbrella (万民傘) was a symbolic item in ancient China, representing a ruler’s duty to protect and care for the people, like an umbrella shielding from rain. It signified benevolence, just governance, and the emperor’s dedication to his subjects.