Chapter 64: The Crown Prince’s Ex-Wife from Another World (12)

Xie Hui wasn’t surprised at all when he received the news and immediately summoned the Crown Prince.

Thinking back now, the female protagonist who transmigrated into this world wasn’t really at fault—the era itself was the real issue.

A woman who had received a modern education would never willingly accept being just one among many wives and concubines of a man. They were free and completely independent individuals. Meanwhile, women confined to the inner court, even if they were legitimate wives, were still considered mere appendages to their husbands.

What’s more, in the original world, the Crown Prince had always harbored unrequited feelings for his cousin. He had done all sorts of absurd things for her, and many people had witnessed it.

When Xie Shen was summoned by his father, he was confused. After bowing slightly in greeting, he accidentally caught sight of the memorials placed on the desk and felt somewhat relieved—it was about his marriage to the Crown Princess again.

As a child, he had foolishly asked his father if he could avoid marriage. Now, he no longer asked such questions. It wasn’t that he couldn’t—it was that he didn’t want to.

His father had worked tirelessly for decades for the people of Limin, preparing to pass the empire into his hands. How could he let it fall into someone else’s grasp?

“I heard that you’ve been visiting your maternal grandmother’s house often lately?”

Noble Consort Song’s father had ultimately been executed according to the law, but his family was spared. After all, the family he had wrongfully convicted was returned from exile completely intact.

Some might argue that reducing the perpetrator’s punishment simply because the victims had not suffered severe harm was unfair to the victims.

But Xie Hui believed that the protection granted was not for the perpetrator. If given a choice, most victims and their families would rather see a lesser punishment if it meant ensuring their own safety.

Noble Consort Song’s mother and younger siblings had found a small house in the capital, where she supported her children through embroidery. Life was difficult but manageable.

Xie Hui had seen what desperate, cornered people looked like, so he never pushed anyone to their breaking point.

“Yes.”

Xie Shen’s heart clenched slightly at the mention of this topic. Without waiting for his father to probe further, he quickly explained:

“Father, I wish to send Lady Wang back to her ancestral home with some silver so that she can take my mother with her.”

The current Crown Prince was no longer the ignorant child of the past. He didn’t blindly side with Noble Consort Song just because she was his mother.

Ever since his mother had tried to use him to get close to his father, Xie Shen felt as though a veil had been lifted from his eyes, allowing him to see her true nature.

She had never truly loved him, nor had she ever loved his father. She didn’t care for his admiration or his father’s affection. What she wanted was to be the mistress of the imperial harem, to hold power in her hands, and to have all the other consorts submit to her.

She loved no one but herself.

“Oh?”

This turn of events caught Xie Hui off guard. He had been considering what kind of teachers he should arrange for the cousin if Xie Shen still harbored feelings for her.

Even if she hadn’t been trained since childhood, with enough tutors and effort, she could slowly learn. If nothing else, female officials in the palace could be appointed to assist her.

If Xie Shen truly liked her, Xie Hui could always find a solution.

Since no one else was present in the hall, there was no need to worry about tarnishing the cousin’s reputation. Xie Hui asked directly,

“You’ve been visiting your maternal grandmother’s house… not because of your cousin?”

Xie Shen’s face immediately turned red at the question. He instinctively wanted to deny it, but then he recalled how, during his visits, he had occasionally encountered her in the corridors. Every time he unintentionally glanced at her, she would scurry away like a startled rabbit, clearly frightened by the presence of an outsider.

Forcing himself to suppress his emotions, Xie Shen steadied his expression, raised his head to meet his father’s gaze, and answered in a low voice,

“No, Father. My mother has become increasingly erratic, and I wish for Lady Wang to take her back to her ancestral home. I ask for your approval.”

Xie Hui agreed without much thought.

After all, Noble Consort Song hadn’t committed any real crimes—she was just repulsive in a way.

As a daughter, it wasn’t wrong for her to plead for her father. As an imperial consort, it wasn’t wrong for her to seek the emperor’s favor. The only thing truly objectionable was that she had tried to use her own son.

But if even Xie Shen, the person most affected, had no desire to hold a grudge and was even willing to let his mother leave peacefully with her own mother, Xie Hui had nothing more to say.

Perhaps it was the harshness of this era that had shaped such tragic personalities. Women were taught to obey their fathers before marriage and their husbands afterward. Faced with such ingrained values, Xie Hui found it difficult to punish her too severely.

“Granted.”

“…You truly do not have feelings for that cousin?”

Xie Hui first gave his approval, then asked again, wanting to understand his son’s thoughts.

Since Xie Shen wasn’t opposed to marriage, the matter of selecting a Crown Princess would likely be settled soon.

From childhood, Xie Shen had developed a strong reliance on his father. Even now, that hadn’t changed. He walked over to the couch, sat at the footrest, and leaned his head against his father’s knee—just as he had done when he was little—before speaking his mind.

“Father, I do find her quite adorable. But I also understand that she is not suited to be the Crown Princess.”

“Oh? Why do you say that?”

Although both Xie Hui and the original client had already reached the same conclusion, he was still curious how a boy, not yet of age, who should be preoccupied with romance, had come to such a realization.

“When I visited, Lady Wang mentioned that my cousin refuses to be a concubine and yearns for the kind of love found in storybooks—where a couple stays together for life, just the two of them. But as the Crown Prince, how could I possibly give her that?”

“I don’t think she’s naive—it’s just that we are not suited for each other. It’s best for both of us to find someone more compatible.”

Speaking about putting aside his youthful infatuation, Xie Shen unexpectedly had a lot to say.

“Besides, even if she could accept my having other wives, her status makes her unsuitable to be Crown Princess.”

“It wouldn’t be right to let all my other concubines come from families lower than hers just because of her. But if the concubines’ family backgrounds were higher than hers, then if conflicts arose among them, who should I side with?”

“Madam Wang said she only wants to marry a husband who truly cherishes her. An ordinary woman might be able to do that, but the Crown Princess cannot.”

Because he was raised by the Emperor, Xie Shen resembled Xie Hui in many ways and did not place much value on emotions.

Or rather, Xie Shen had the ability to suppress any feelings he deemed incorrect with absolute rationality and composure.

There was, of course, some regret, but no one’s life could ever be perfect.

“Father, I do not wish to be troubled by matters of the harem. The imperial consorts should indeed handle the affairs of noblewomen.”

“What I need is a suitable Crown Princess.”

Xie Shen saw everything with absolute clarity, harboring no unrealistic hopes.

“I am not as skilled as you at raising children, Father. The harem will certainly not have just one woman.”

Xie Hui wasn’t sure if his son was complimenting him or himself.

“Father, I should not bring a woman unsuited for palace life into the palace. If that young lady were to marry into an ordinary household, she might be cherished and pampered by her husband for a lifetime.”

“But what if she marries a man who does not treat her well?”

Hearing this, Xie Shen tilted his head slightly in confusion.

“The ties between us end here. Whether her future is good or bad has nothing to do with me.”

Since he had already decided to draw a clear line, Xie Shen had no intention of leaving room for lingering entanglements.

After making his stance clear, the weight that had long pressed on Xie Shen’s heart felt as if it had finally been lifted.

“I have already discussed matters with Madam Wang. The silver will be delivered by the guards tomorrow, and when she leaves the capital, she will pick up Mother at the palace gates.”

Xie Shen did not want his mother to remain trapped in the palace, forever lost in her delusions, believing that the Emperor still loved her. He hoped that by returning with his grandmother to the place where she spent her childhood, she might find some peace.

“Do you wish to see that young lady one last time and explain things to her?”

Xie Shen had been about to bow and take his leave, but hearing this, he paused mid-motion, then shook his head and smiled.

“I only ever saw her twice from a distance in the corridor. We never even exchanged a word. What is there to explain?”

“Father, it’s getting late. Please rest early. I shall take my leave.”

The next day, Xie Hui asked Consort Ning for help in selecting suitable young women from noble families in the capital, intending to finalize a Crown Princess and a consort first.

It did not matter whether they were a little older or younger—there were still years before the actual marriage.

Ultimately, two young women from noble families were chosen. After the imperial decree was issued to formalize the engagements, they would enter the palace a month later to study palace affairs under Consort Ning.

With several years before the Crown Prince’s wedding and relatively few political matters to handle, Xie Hui decided to take Xie Shen on an undercover tour of the empire.

Summer floods had devastated the southern regions, and Xie Hui wanted Xie Shen to witness firsthand the aftermath of a natural disaster.

He had considered this before, but when Xie Shen was younger, his weaker constitution made him vulnerable to illness, and Xie Hui feared he might contract an epidemic.

Now that Xie Shen was older and mature enough, and since Xie Hui intended to abdicate on his wedding day, it was the perfect time for him to see the suffering of the people.

“Father, will your health endure the journey?”

Even after all these years, Xie Shen still remembered a casual remark Xie Hui had once made.

“It will be fine.”

After making arrangements in the capital, the Emperor and Crown Prince departed. By then, the floodwaters in the south had receded, leaving behind the task of resettling the displaced and rebuilding their homes.

For the first time, Xie Shen witnessed the true devastation of a flood. Even in the largest river, bodies still occasionally floated by. Officials regularly retrieved them and burned them.

According to the local authorities, if corpses were left for too long after a flood, epidemics could easily break out.

After seeing the bodies, Xie Shen was so shaken that he vomited that evening, skipping dinner and drinking only a little water.

With Xie Hui’s guidance, disaster relief and reconstruction efforts proceeded faster than usual. He even allocated funds from his private treasury to help the victims.

When they departed, the people knelt in gratitude and presented them with the “Umbrella of the People.”

This journey profoundly changed Xie Shen—he matured beyond his years, no longer merely discussing policies on paper but truly considering how they would impact the people.

Xie Hui kept him by his side, patiently instructing him and refining his abilities until they reached perfection.

Meanwhile, Noble Consort Song was taken back to her ancestral home by her mother. However, since her younger sister had married into a family in the capital, the young lady remained there as a guest and never left.

Years passed in the blink of an eye. A month after Xie Shen came of age, on an auspicious date selected by the Ministry of Rites, Xie Hui officially abdicated, allowing his son to ascend the throne.

In truth, Xie Hui was still in good health and could have ruled for decades more. But he did not want to suppress Xie Shen’s ambitions during his prime years, forcing him to remain as Crown Prince indefinitely.

Thus, he decisively relinquished the throne, giving Xie Shen the opportunity to achieve greatness.

When the new Emperor ascended, a grand Empress Investiture Ceremony was also held. The peaceful transfer of power, without a single casualty, was a rare sight in history.

Xie Hui had met the new Empress several times before. She had been well-educated by her grandmother from a young age, and after years of learning under Consort Ning, there was not a single flaw to be found in her conduct.

Most importantly, she had a pragmatic nature. To her, the honor of her family was more important than fleeting emotions. Her relatives recognized her virtues and frequently sent valuable gifts to the palace.

Having witnessed the devastation of the flood firsthand, Xie Shen was even more diligent in his governance than the retired Emperor.

The Empress never complained, managing the harem with meticulous care so that Xie Shen would not be burdened by trivial matters.

And although Xie Shen was rather stingy with love toward the empress, he still gave her enough respect and favor. He never hesitated to show his regard for her in front of others and even promoted her maternal family multiple times.

Until one day, while reviewing the palace’s account books, the empress was interrupted by a senior maid who came in to report:

“Your Majesty, this old servant has heard that a young lady has been requesting an audience with you at the palace gates many times.”

“She now claims that if you do not see her, she will dash her head against the gates and end her life.”

“This old servant had someone investigate—she is a cousin from His Majesty’s maternal family.”