Chapter 4

Mei Xuezhen had been anxiously waiting for the Young Emperor’s return.

His heart was unsettled as he ordered two more cups of tea. Each passing moment without the emperor’s arrival deepened his worry.

It wasn’t fear of being exposed for his secret dealings with Qingya. Their actions had been flawlessly concealed. Even under close scrutiny, no one could trace anything back to them. What truly concerned him was the emperor’s youth and inexperience—his inability to maintain composure. If Empress Dowager Zhao Yu discerned even a hint of their plans, years of careful plotting would collapse in an instant.

“Your Majesty!”

Just as Mei Xuezhen paced nervously, a voice outside announced the emperor’s arrival. He turned and saw the Young Emperor, supported by Xiaoguizi, approaching.

Relief surged through Mei Xuezhen, though he hid it well. Bowing respectfully, he greeted, “Your Majesty has returned.”

Suddenly, his arm was gripped tightly.

“Mei—” The emperor’s panicked voice trembled in his ear.

Alarmed by the fear in the emperor’s expression, Mei Xuezhen looked up and saw his pale, ashen face.

The imperial court was rife with intrigue. Who could say how many were loyal to Cao Da, and how many to Empress Dowager Zhao Yu?

One look, and Mei Xuezhen knew disaster had struck.

He exchanged a glance with Xiaoguizi, signaling him to clear the area. Xiaoguizi dismissed the servants and stood guard outside. Alone now, Mei Xuezhen guided the emperor to a seat.

“Your Majesty, what has happened?” His gaze fell upon the tightly gripped imperial edict in the emperor’s hand.

A grim foreboding took hold of Mei Xuezhen’s heart. Lowering his voice, he asked, “What decree has the Empress Dowager issued?”

“Mother… Mother…” The emperor’s eyes reddened as he blurted out, “Mother wants to marry Sister Yi to my cousin!”

“What!”

Even Mei Xuezhen, known for his composure, could not suppress his shock.

Snatching the decree from the emperor’s hand, he scanned it. His heart sank—his worst fear was confirmed. It was true.

“How could this be…”

Mei Xuezhen’s voice was filled with disbelief. “Why would the Empress Dowager marry Princess Jia Shun to Qingya?”

This move disrupted every plan they had so meticulously crafted.

They had anticipated countless possibilities, but never had they imagined that Princess Jia Shun would be used as a piece on the chessboard.

Was she not the Empress Dowager’s most cherished treasure? How could she sacrifice her to Xie Qingya?

Suddenly, the morning’s court discussions came rushing back to Mei Xuezhen’s mind.

He had sensed something was amiss earlier—many of those who had spoken seemed to be connected to Cao Da.

Could it be that arranging Princess Jia Shun’s marriage into the Prince of Nan’an’s household was Cao Da’s doing?

“Mei, what do we do now?” The emperor sat paralyzed in his chair, panic stripping away all semblance of authority.

“My mother has made up her mind. I… I dare not oppose her.”

Mei Xuezhen was equally perturbed, but knowing the emperor’s timid nature, he quickly masked his own anxiety. “Your Majesty, do not act rashly. Allow me to leave the palace and discuss this with Qingya. We will determine the next steps from there.”

“Regardless of the outcome, Your Majesty must remain silent. You must not confront the Empress Dowager directly, lest you provoke her anger.”

Though fearful, the emperor was obedient by nature. Hearing this, he nodded repeatedly.

The decree would be announced by the Ministry of Rites, leaving them a small window of time. After reassuring the emperor and giving him instructions, Mei Xuezhen took his leave.

The air outside was bitterly cold, and the snow continued to fall.

—-

In deserted places, a single step could bury half a boot.

Despite his urgency, Mei Xuezhen moved at a measured pace to avoid drawing suspicion. He exited the Meridian Gate and boarded a carriage, only letting his anxious expression show once safely inside.

“To the residence,” he ordered.

Mei Xuezhen lived in the southern district of the city, in Nanjuxian Fang.

The house had been a gift from the Young Emperor. Though modest, it was quiet and serene, with only a few loyal servants.

For a man like Mei Xuezhen, who lived alone, it sufficed.

Upon arriving home, he instructed his attendants that he would be resting.

His trusted aides, aware of his true intentions, nodded knowingly.

Mei Xuezhen entered his room.

His choice of residence had been deliberate. The house was near the Prince of Nan’an’s estate, and long before receiving it as a gift, he had secretly constructed a tunnel connecting the two. It provided him and Xie Qingya with a discreet means of communication.

Mei Xuezhen did not change his clothes. He only removed his heavy cloak and draped a black cape over himself before heading into the secret passage leading to the Prince of Nanan’s residence.

—–

The Prince of Nanan’s residence.

Xie Qingya sat in his study, reading a letter that had arrived from the south earlier that morning.

The letter detailed Quan Fangtong’s recent actions. After reading it, he lit it on fire.

From behind the wall came three knocks.

“Master.”

—-

Today, Lingji was the one attending to Xie Qingya.

Snow was falling outside, and though it was still early, the room remained dim, illuminated only by a narrow sliver of daylight. The firelight cast shadows on Xie Qingya’s strikingly handsome face, highlighting his sharp brows and bright eyes.

He quietly watched the burning letter, his dark pupils reflecting the flicker of two flames.

“Open the door.”

“Yes!”

Lingji promptly obeyed.

Xie Qingya tossed the half-burned letter into the brush-washing basin. The charred black ashes scattered and floated apart in the water.

“Something has happened!”

Mei Xuezhen arrived in a hurry. The moment he saw Xie Qingya, he could no longer hold back.

Xie Qingya was calmly pouring tea.

Having been through many events over the years, he had long since lost the impatience of his youth.

“What is it?”

His expression remained unchanged.

Mei Xuezhen approached him quickly and lowered his voice. “Empress Dowager Zhao Yu has bestowed the marriage of Princess Jia Shun upon you.”

Lingji, who was about to stand guard outside, froze in shock at these words.

He quickly turned back.

Xie Qingya continued pouring tea. Suddenly, the sound of water stopped. He raised his eyes to look at Mei Xuezhen, noting the urgency in his expression, and understood that this matter was already settled beyond dispute.

Finally, a frown appeared on Xie Qingya’s face.

“Whose idea was this?”

He set the teapot aside.

Mei Xuezhen sat opposite him. “Empress Dowager Zhao Yu herself issued the decree. But I suspect Cao Da had a hand in it as well.”

“This morning, when those men in court impeached the Xiao family, I felt something was off.”

“Besides the people we had placed, many of the elder ministers and censors who oppose the Empress Dowager also spoke out. There were more voices than expected… but at the time, I didn’t think much of it.”

“It’s my fault. If only I had realized sooner—”

“What would you have done if you had realized sooner?” Xie Qingya cut him off.

“Go stand guard outside.”

He dismissed Lingji with a calm command.

Then, he pushed the tea that belonged to Mei Xuezhen toward him, took a sip from his own cup, and spoke, “Since she already has this intention, do you think a few words from you will change her mind?”

“However—”

Xie Qingya’s expression was puzzled. “How could she bear to marry Xu Duanyi to me?”

Mei Xuezhen had been pondering this matter all the way here and now spoke, “I suspect it was Cao Da’s idea. When I left the palace earlier, I overheard a young eunuch saying that a few days ago, Cao Da visited Shoukang Palace, and shortly after, a pile of broken porcelain pieces was sent out.”

Xie Qingya thought for a moment. “It seems that these two are starting to have conflicts now.”

“My good younger brother, is now the time to be pondering this? Why aren’t you anxious at all?” Mei Xuezhen interrupted him impatiently.

His throat was dry.

After speaking, he immediately grabbed the tea cup and took a few large gulps.

Then, holding the cup, he said, “The most important thing right now is how to annul this engagement!”

Seeing Xie Qingya’s calm expression, as if he was not worried at all, Mei Xuezhen couldn’t help but ask, “Or have you already come up with a solution?”

Xie Qingya lowered his gaze and sipped his tea. “No.”

“No? And you’re still so calm? Don’t you know that the imperial edict for the marriage will be issued soon?” Mei Xuezhen was extremely anxious.

“We’ve worked so hard to break off your engagement with the Xiaojia family, and now, just when we are about to damage their reputation, we didn’t expect this to happen…”

“How about—” he paused.

Xie Qingya looked at him, knowing what Mei Xuezhen was thinking, and interrupted his train of thought, “Xu Duanyi is not Baozhu.”

Mei Xuezhen knew this very well.

Though he had only been in the capital for a few years, he had long heard of Princess Jiahui. He knew she was the Empress Dowager’s favorite and that she was highly respected by others.

But precisely because of this, he was even more worried.

Anyone who could serve beside the Empress Dowager and earn her favor must be no simple figure.

If this person truly enters Prince Nan’an’s mansion, then in the future, Qingya would be exposed to her completely!

Not to mention that their actions within Prince Nan’an’s mansion would become much more difficult, he feared that she would see through them and report everything to the Empress Dowager.

Then, all their years of planning would be ruined!

“Had I known this would happen, I might as well have let that idiot Baozhu marry in. At least she’s easier to control!” Mei Xuezhen lamented, regretful.

But who could have predicted such a result before today?

Xie Qingya remained silent.

“How about—”

After a long pause, Mei Xuezhen suddenly repeated his earlier suggestion, but with a different intent.

Scheming was never easy.

The struggle for power was like walking on the edge of a blade, with no room for error.

He had already started to harbor murderous thoughts.

“Since the previous plan won’t work, then—”

Before he could finish his sentence, he was sharply interrupted by Xie Qingya’s voice: “Mei Xuezhen!”

The shout made Mei Xuezhen tremble all over. He looked up in a daze, only to see Xie Qingya staring at him with a furrowed brow.

Xie Qingya didn’t say anything, but under his intense gaze, Mei Xuezhen suddenly felt embarrassed. Sweat ran down his back, and he felt guilty for the fleeting thought he had. He lowered his head, his voice softening as he spoke in a tone of self-reproach, “Sorry, I… I was too anxious.”

He, too, felt regret.

When did he become the kind of person he once despised the most?

Someone willing to do anything to achieve their goals, even willing to take a life without concern for whether the person is innocent…

Xie Qingya looked at him, his gaze complicated: “It was I who dragged you into this. You didn’t have to come.”

Mei Xuezhen immediately responded upon hearing this, steadying himself as he said, “There’s no need to mention such things between us.”

“I didn’t come here just for you.”

He changed the topic: “What are you going to do about the Princess Jia Shun?”

Xie Qingya gazed at the sliver of light in the sky: “Since things have reached this point, there’s no turning back. Baozhu likes Liu Xun, that’s fine, but if Xu Duanyi causes any more trouble… my suspicion will grow.”

“If they want her to enter the manor, then let her. We just have to be cautious from now on.”

Mei Xuezhen sighed upon hearing this, “But in that case, your situation will become even more difficult.”

Xie Qingya did not respond.

His situation had already been extremely difficult for the past three years.

“As for the emperor, tell him not to worry. Just say that I’ll be cautious and no one will notice.”

“As for Xu Duanyi, you don’t need to get involved.”

“After all, she is General Xu’s daughter and was once the betrothed of Prince Wenzhao.”

… If Prince Wenzhao were still alive, she would have been his sister-in-law.

But if Prince Wenzhao were still alive, none of this would have happened. The Empress Dowager wouldn’t have become what she is now, and Cao Da wouldn’t have been able to control everything… His father and brothers wouldn’t have died on the battlefield!

Thinking of his father and brothers, Xie Qingya couldn’t maintain his calm demeanor any longer.

The two hands that once held a long spear and drew a bow were now visibly tensed, veins standing out like winding little snakes.

Mei Xuezhen had known him for many years and understood the source of his current turmoil.

What comfort could words provide in such sorrow?

He could only stay silent.

Until an eunuch came in with a message, saying that the imperial edict had arrived. Xie Qingya still didn’t make a move, only saying, “Tell them I’m drunk.”

After all, the reputation of the Prince of Nan’an as a drunkard had long spread throughout the capital.

Even if the palace was dissatisfied, they couldn’t just drag him out.

The eunuch left to deliver the message, and seeing that Xie Qingya’s mood had slightly improved, Mei Xuezhen asked him, “I know Princess Jia Shun is General Xu’s daughter, and I know you were close to Prince Wenzhao. Since you’ve said it, I won’t do anything further.”

“But I must ask you this—”

“If Princess Jia Shun ever finds out something, what will you do?”

Xie Qingya furrowed his brows.

He looked at his hands for a moment, then coldly replied, “I will handle her myself.”