Chapter 62: The Crown Prince, Ex-Husband of the Transmigrated Woman (10)

“Your life is yours to decide. As your father, I can only guide you to avoid unnecessary detours.”

Xie Hui held his son’s hand and sat with him on the soft couch. Watching the little boy rest his elbow skillfully on the small table atop the couch, propping his head with his hand, and gazing at him with curiosity, Xie Hui curled his lips into a slight smile and continued:

“Marriage is something I hope will bring you happiness. But if you feel that you would be happier without marriage, then you don’t have to marry.”

“There are many forms of happiness. For me, ensuring that the people of this nation have enough to eat is happiness. Harmony between husband and wife and having children is just one way—it’s not the only way.”

Xie Shen listened to his father, nodding as if he understood.

He didn’t immediately decide that avoiding marriage was the best choice simply because his father said so. But for some reason, he suddenly felt that he no longer needed to worry about his future.

No matter what he chose to do, his father would support him.

As long as he turned around, his father would always be there, providing an endless sense of security.

It was like floating on clouds—light, carefree, and full of joy.

Xie Shen slid off the couch and ran over to his father, resting his head on his lap. He couldn’t hold back his laughter, letting out a happy chuckle.

Xie Hui placed his hand on the back of his son’s head, gently rubbing it. His voice carried a smile as he said with feigned disdain:

“Useless child.”

At this moment, Xie Hui almost wanted to say what the client had often grumbled: “You don’t act like a Crown Prince at all. You’re just a little child who loves clinging to his father and acting spoiled.”

…

Xie Shen followed his father closely, accompanying him to court sessions. When he turned six, Xie Hui personally sent him to the academy.

It happened to coincide with the selection of a tutor. The chosen scholar was the son of the former Grand Tutor, who had returned to the capital to visit his mother and was summoned to the palace by Xie Hui.

This Mr. Ye had no interest in fame or politics. He had returned to his ancestral home to live as an ordinary teacher and had successfully mentored two top-ranking scholars.

It was precisely because of this that a palace guard took note of him. Upon hearing of his return to the capital—and knowing that the Emperor was currently troubled over selecting a tutor for the Crown Prince—the guard casually mentioned him.

Having taught two top scholars was proof of his exceptional teaching abilities. Furthermore, as the son of the late Grand Tutor, he held unique insights into court affairs, even if he had no interest in them.

Moreover, the client had always been grateful to the former Grand Tutor for his teachings. Unfortunately, the old man had passed away early, and most of his descendants were rather unremarkable. The only capable and promising heir had no love for the political scene.

Appointing him as the Crown Prince’s tutor could be considered a gesture of support, ensuring that the former Grand Tutor’s lineage did not fade into obscurity.

On his first day studying under Mr. Ye, Xie Shen immediately noticed a difference from his previous teachers.

Though strict, Mr. Ye carried no arrogance. He would, like Xie Hui, guide Xie Shen’s hand to correct his writing, rather than simply pointing out mistakes impatiently and demanding corrections without offering proper instruction.

“Has His Majesty ever personally taught Your Highness anything?”

Mr. Ye’s question interrupted Xie Shen’s thoughts. He pondered for a moment but couldn’t pinpoint exactly what his father had taught him.

After all, in a broad sense, his father had taught him many things, but when asked to specify, he couldn’t quite articulate them.

“Never mind, we’ll start from the beginning. If Your Highness has learned something already, you may let me know.”

“Mm.”

For now, Xie Shen was the only student in the academy. However, in a few days, other children would join him.

The list of study companions for the Crown Prince had just been placed on the Emperor’s desk. Xie Hui had only skimmed through it briefly; he would wait until the children were summoned to the palace for a meeting before making any final decisions.

Holding a scroll in his hand, Mr. Ye glanced down at the little prince sitting upright and did not find him too young for study.

In his years of teaching in his ancestral home, he had often encountered poor children who started learning at six or seven, so this was nothing unusual.

“Today, let’s start with the Three Character Classic.”

As Mr. Ye turned to fetch the book, he suddenly heard a bright voice from behind him.

“Sir, Father already taught me that.”

“Oh? What about the Thousand Character Classic?”

“Hmm… Father taught me that too.”

Mr. Ye raised an eyebrow in interest. Setting his book aside, he continued questioning:

“And the Hundred Family Surnames and Analects?”

“I’ve learned those too.”

When Xie Shen practiced writing with his father, these were the texts he copied. Over time, he had memorized them.

“Can you write them?”

“Yes!”

During his previous teaching experiences, Mr. Ye would spend nearly a year covering these foundational texts for new students. He hadn’t expected that the Crown Prince had already learned them.

Since there were no other students in the academy for now, Mr. Ye decided to discuss historical lessons instead.

“The Emperor of the An Dynasty was a foolish ruler. He dined daily, surrounded by dozens of beautiful women.”

“Father told me about this too,” Xie Shen replied, nodding seriously. “He also said I mustn’t do the same. With that many beauties at the table, I wouldn’t even be able to grab my food!”

Mr. Ye had intended to use this example to teach the prince about the dangers of excessive indulgence and wastefulness. But after hearing the child’s remark, he realized that, in a way, the lesson had already been absorbed.

Though the reasoning was unconventional, the conclusion was correct.

“Very well. Has His Majesty taught you about other emperors?”

The question made Xie Shen think for a moment.

“It seems Father and Grandfather are the only ones he didn’t mention… Oh, wait! He did talk about Grandfather!”

However, the story Xie Shen had heard about his grandfather involved Father breaking one of his vases while playing with birds, and Grandfather chasing him through the palace with a whip.

His father often told him that Grandfather was too strict—always raising his whip at the slightest provocation.

It even made Xie Shen secretly thankful that his own father didn’t have a habit of hitting people.

“Why did the Great Qing Dynasty fall?”

Mr. Ye was starting to sense that this young Crown Prince was unlike any student he had ever taught before. Just a few brief exchanges had already made him uncertain about how to structure his lessons.

“A ruler who does not heed the people’s voices will be deceived by corrupt officials, causing his people to suffer. When they can no longer endure, they will rise in rebellion.”

As Xie Shen answered, he shook his small head, his childish voice crisp and clear. Once he finished speaking, he looked up at his tutor expectantly, seeking approval.

“Master, am I right?”

“Correct.”

Master Ye returned to the capital for two reasons: to visit his mother and to reconnect with old friends. He had thought teaching an additional student wouldn’t be much trouble, so he hadn’t put in much preparation.

Now, facing the crown prince’s eager eyes, he realized he had been too hasty. Clearing his throat, he decided to recount a historical anecdote.

“The fifth prince of the previous dynasty was obsessed with alchemy…”

After speaking, he paused slightly, intending to spark the prince’s curiosity.

Xie Shen tilted his head in confusion. Seeing that his master had fallen silent, he continued on his own.

“When the fifth prince of the previous dynasty was named crown prince, he was already addicted to alchemy. The accumulation of pill toxins in his body was too great—he died before he could even ascend the throne.”

“Father says that elixirs cannot grant immortality, that the path to eternal life is a lie. Those who claim alchemy can make one immortal are all frauds.”

This time, Master Ye truly didn’t know what else to teach him. He could only have him practice writing once more, while silently deciding to reorganize his lesson plans after today’s session.

It seemed that His Majesty had already taught this crown prince quite a lot. Master Ye would have to take a long-term approach.

Fortunately, the prince studied with him in the mornings and practiced martial arts in the afternoons.

Not that he was being trained to wield a spear in battle—just to strengthen his body.

Xie Hui had chosen an old general, one who could no longer fight due to an injury, to teach the prince. The general, being older, was naturally more patient with children and had plenty of time to instruct them.

One of the prince’s study companions was personally selected by Xie Hui—the old general’s legitimate grandson.

Aside from Master Ye, the household of the late Grand Tutor had no other suitable candidates. For now, they would have to make do and observe the next generation.

Typically, when selecting companions for the crown prince, the maternal family background had to be considered. But given the character of Noble Consort Song, Xie Hui didn’t even bother looking—he simply excluded the Song family altogether.

He had chosen only one study companion so far. The rest would be selected personally by Xie Shen from the children of court officials and the imperial clan, all of whom had received proper upbringing.

By evening, after finishing his governmental duties, Xie Hui personally went to pick up Xie Shen from his lessons.

Seeing the little one in training attire running toward him, Xie Hui unconsciously quickened his pace.

“Father, I missed you so much!”

Though Xie Shen had grown quite a bit, Xie Hui still habitually picked him up, carrying him along the corridor as he listened to his son recount the day’s events.

“Father, when will we pick my study companions? I promise I won’t bully them.”

Since there were no other children his age in the palace, the thought of having companions close to his own age made Xie Shen particularly excited.

“Tomorrow morning. I’ve already informed Master Ye that he doesn’t need to come teach you tomorrow.”

“Alright! Father, what’s for dinner? I really want to eat that roasted chicken.”

Xie Hui had already heard him mention this yesterday—how he had devoured nearly an entire roasted chicken prepared by the imperial kitchen.

During the midday meal, Xie Hui had instructed the kitchen to prepare it again for dinner, ensuring the little one wouldn’t be disappointed.

“Is there anything on your mind besides food?”

Xie Hui’s words were purely teasing. Embarrassed, Xie Shen buried his face against his father’s neck, his ears burning red. But… he still thought the roasted chicken was delicious.

Inside the system space, the client who had commissioned this task was suddenly displeased upon hearing Xie Hui’s remark. He immediately stood up to argue:

“Shen’er is only six years old. A little greed for food is just part of being a child!”

Xie Hui could barely remember now, but when the client first entered the system space, he had been calling his son a ‘rebellious child’ at every turn.

The next day, Xie Shen selected his study companions—one was the legitimate youngest son of the Prime Minister, another was the younger brother of the Minister of Revenue, and the last was the second legitimate son of Prince An.

With the companions chosen and Master Ye’s teaching plan in place, Xie Shen’s days quickly became much busier.

For Xie Hui, who was used to having his little shadow trailing behind him, it was strange not seeing him around. At times, he would even find himself momentarily dazed.

Having grown accustomed to the little one sticking to him like glue, the sudden absence left an inexplicable sense of emptiness in his heart.

However, though the crown prince’s studies were demanding, Xie Hui—being the emperor—could always sneak over to check on him after finishing his official duties.

The selected study companions were all steady in temperament and, being two years older than Xie Shen, were serious about their lessons rather than causing mischief.

In casual conversations with His Majesty, Master Ye occasionally mentioned how his father had warned him that teaching royal children was the most challenging task.

They were too precious to be scolded or punished, and even speaking a little too harshly might invite reprimands.

Yet, in Master Ye’s case, teaching the crown prince was surprisingly easy—even easier than teaching students back in his father’s hometown.

One day, as usual, Xie Hui finished handling court affairs and decided to check whether his little radish had been diligently doing his homework.

Upon arrival, he noticed that only a few servants were present in the courtyard. Listening closely, he couldn’t hear the old general’s teaching voice either. A strange feeling stirred in his heart.

Stepping onto the veranda, he saw a eunuch leaning against the doorway, yawning. As soon as the eunuch spotted the bright yellow hem of his robe, he jolted upright. Realizing it was the emperor, he immediately knelt down.

“Your Majesty!”

Xie Hui rarely punished servants harshly for slacking off when their masters were away—usually, a verbal reprimand was enough. Today was no exception.

“Where is the crown prince?”

At this question, the eunuch began trembling like a sieve.

“His Highness… His Highness… His Highness is…”