Standing among the group of solemn individuals, Hua Liuli felt somewhat out of place. She glanced at the Crown Prince, hoping for some hints.
The Crown Prince directly handed Xie Yao's deposition to Hua Liuli.
Hua Liuli didn't reach out to take it. As a non-imperial Junzhu bestowed by the Emperor, she shouldn't involve herself in political matters.
"Fushou Junzhu, take a look as well," Emperor Changlong said straightforwardly. Hua Liuli was his future daughter-in-law and the future Crown Princess, it would be beneficial for her to have some exposure to these matters. The Crown Prince was lazy, but with the Crown Princess overseeing things, he might become more diligent.
"Please excuse this humble subject's impudence, Your Majesty," Hua Liuli bowed to Emperor Changlong and elegantly received the deposition from the Crown Prince's hands. She quickly began reading it. The more she read, the more perplexed she became. The Xie family had been advocating for changes in Great Jin's ceremonial standards due to their preference for the customs of the Daimao kingdom. However, both the late Emperor and the current Emperor had rejected their proposals.
Not only did the current Emperor reject the Xie family's proposals, but he also promoted Wei Mingyue to become a female general, letting her command tens of thousands of troops. This made the Xie family feel that Emperor Changlong was deliberately opposing them. Not only did he not adopt their suggestions, but he also intentionally allowed women to hold power.
In their discontentment with Emperor Changlong, they secretly colluded with residual forces and engaged in dealings with the Daimao Kingdom. Unfortunately, Xie Yao, who was not valued in her own family, didn't know many hidden details, including the identity of the Daimao forces associated with the Xie family.
Hua Liuli couldn't quite comprehend their thought process. What was the point of all this trouble just to change ceremonial studies? Isn't human nature driven by fame and profit? Doing these things wouldn't benefit the Xie family much. She returned the deposition to the Crown Prince, unsure of what to say.
Was it because her thinking was too normal that she couldn't understand them?
She glanced at the Crown Prince and then at her calm and composed mother. She felt that it was best not to speak at this moment.
However, perhaps due to Emperor Changlong's particularly favorable impression of his future daughter-in-law, despite the anger in his heart, he kindly smiled and asked Hua Liuli, "Fushou Junzhu, what do you think about this matter?"
Pei Jihuai had already informed him. If it weren't for Fushou Junzhu's visit to the Ministry of Justice, Xie Yao wouldn't have divulged the Xie family's secrets so quickly.
"Your Majesty, this humble servant lacks comprehension in the intricacies of court politics," Hua Liuli smiled bashfully, portraying herself as timid, "However, from my perspective, the audacity of the Xie family to harbor assassins and orchestrate an assassination plot against the Crown Prince is a grave offense against the imperial family."
Upon hearing these words, Emperor Changlong swiftly grasped the underlying sentiment. Hua Liuli still carried lingering resentment towards the assassination attempt on the Crown Prince.
As a father, who wouldn't appreciate a daughter-in-law who wholeheartedly cared for their son?
Emperor Changlong burst into laughter, nodding, "Fushou Junzhu makes a valid point."
Hua Liuli was bewildered. What had she said and what was the valid point?
"What the Xie family is thinking is no longer important. What matters is what they have done and the consequences they have caused," Emperor Changlong tapped the table, "According to the clues provided by Xie Yao, thoroughly investigate the Xie family."
"Your Majesty, those scholars from the south..." Pei Jihuai hesitated. The Xie family had a significant reputation in the south, coupled with how far it was from the capital, if the Xie family were to spread rumors, there would be dissent against the imperial family. Even if the Xie family were apprehended and brought to justice, there could still be adverse repercussions for the Emperor's reputation.
"Zhen cannot allow the Xie family's schemes to succeed for the sake of reputation," Emperor Changlong was even more resolute than Pei Jihuai had imagined, "The Xie family has ambitious plans, but they are not beneficial to the people of the world. Zhen cannot tolerate them."
"Father Emperor, General Hua and General Wei's victory over the Jinpo bandits is a great joyous event. However, Erchen believes that hosting the Hundred Nations Banquet alone is not enough," the Crown Prince spoke, "Why don't we hold Enke1恩科 (ēn kē) refers to a special imperial examination held to grant pardons and rewards to scholars. It was a way for the imperial court to show favor and appreciation to scholars to promote their social status and opportunities for advancement. The 恩科 examination was usually held separately from the regular imperial examination. It focused on a specific subject or theme and allowed scholars to compete for recognition and rewards. Scholars who achieved high ranks in the 恩科 examination would be granted special privileges, such as exemption from certain taxes, access to higher government positions, or opportunities to serve in prestigious roles. next year and hold another imperial examination in the spring?"
"With the speed at which rumors spread, news of Xie Yao's attempt on Erchen's life should have already reached the south," the Crown Prince chuckled, seemingly helpless, "Rumors tend to distort the farther they travel. Who knows, by the time it reaches the south, it might have become completely outrageous."
"The Crown Prince makes a valid point," Emperor Changlong smiled contentedly, "General Hua and General Wei's successful victory against a foreign enemy is indeed a momentous occasion. Holding the Enke is a suitable decision."
Pei Jihuai looked at the father and son, the Heavenly Emperor and the Crown Prince, smiling at each other, and suddenly felt that certain court officials who hoped for the Crown Prince to be deposed might be greatly disappointed.
Not only would the Crown Prince not be deposed by the Emperor, but he would continue to be arrogant and eventually ascend to the throne. This seemingly arrogant and overbearing Crown Prince was, in fact, an intelligent and astute individual.
Holding the Enke would undoubtedly be the best way to win over the scholars from the South. This action would not only win the favor of scholars but also subtly express the Imperial Family's appreciation for military officials. It would also alleviate conflicts between civil and military officials.
Why hold the Enke?
Because the two generals achieved a great victory in battle.
There was no shortage of literati in the world, but there were many ordinary people who aspired to achieve fame through the imperial examination and bring glory to their ancestors.
The establishment of this Enke would bring great joy to scholars. In addition, there were not many southern scholars who achieved high rankings in this year's imperial examinations. They eagerly sought to redeem themselves. So the imperial court establishing the Enke would be a timely assistance for them.
Compared to their own interests and the stability of the country, the affairs of the Xie family would no longer be significant for these scholars.
The world is vast, but food and the stability of the country are paramount.
"In that case, Zhen will summon the officials from the Six Ministries to discuss the matter of holding the Enke," Emperor Changlong no longer mentioned the Xie family. He turned to Hua Yingting, "Crown Prince and General Hua, stay behind. Zhen has something to discuss with you."
"Your Majesty, Princess Leyang entrusted this humble general to deliver a letter to you and the Empress Dowager," Wei Mingyue took out the letter written by Princess Leyang from her bosom.
Emperor Changlong's expression remained indifferent as he didn't accept the letter, "Give it to the Empress Dowager to handle."
The attempted assassination of the Crown Prince by Xie Yao deeply wounded Emperor Changlong's heart. He had no affection left for Princess Leyang's family.
Fortunately, Fushou Junzhu accompanied the Crown Prince when it occurred. Despite her frailty, she was willing to risk her life to lead the assassins away from the Crown Prince. But what if Fushou Junzhu had not been there?
The Crown Prince was the heir he had personally nurtured, his most beloved son. He couldn't even bear to imagine how devastated he would be if something were to happen to the Crown Prince.
As an Emperor, if he couldn't even protect his own child, what kind of Emperor would he be?
The Ministers from the Six Ministries hurried to the Chenyang Palace upon learning of the Emperor's urgent summons. When they heard the Emperor mention the establishment of the Enke, the Ministers couldn't react for a moment.
However, they saw it as a good thing since it aimed to benefit the scholars.
None of the Ministers from the Six Ministries objected. They began discussing how to quickly announced it to all parts of the country.
After everyone finished their discussions and left the palace, they gradually realized that the Emperor's attitude clearly indicated that he wanted them to focus on their work and had no intention of seeking their opinions.
The several old Ministers glanced at each other, feeling that something was amiss. There had been no prior indications, so why did the Emperor suddenly decide to hold the Enke?
"The Crown Prince and General Hua were present earlier. Could this be the Crown Prince's idea?"
"The Crown Prince is capable of such kindness?" the Minister of War questioned, "The relationship between the Crown Prince and the literati is..."
Not that great, to be honest.
Not only was it not great, but some literati were even hoping for the Crown Prince to be deposed.
Unfortunately, they had been hoping for several years, and the Crown Prince continued to be arrogant. They didn't know when their wishes would come true.
Within a couple of days, the Ministers from the Six Ministries received news that the proposal to hold the Enke was indeed put forth by the Crown Prince. Since the information came from Pei Jihuai, the Deputy Minister of Justice, nobody doubted its authenticity.
Instead, they began to question the Crown Prince's state of mind.
Especially those literati who hoped for the Crown Prince to be deposed. After the Crown Prince proposed to hold the Enke, they suddenly felt awkward to secretly continue to criticize him behind his back.
As the proud and arrogant Crown Prince, couldn't he just be consistently evil? Now he made it difficult for them!
The capital city was filled with noble figures and scholars. When news of the Enke spread, articles praising Emperor Changlong, the Crown Prince, Hua Yingting, and Wei Mingyue sprouted up like mushrooms after rain. As a result, very few people paid attention to the fact that Princess Leyang's son, Xie Shizi, had moved into the palace.
After moving into the palace, Xie Shizi resided in with the Fourth Prince and the Fifth Prince, who had not yet been granted noble titles. However, the Fifth Prince didn't like the Xie family, and the Fourth Prince had never been one to speak. After Xie Shizi moved in, his situation became very awkward.
The people attending to him were newly assigned by the Empress Dowager; none of the servants from Princess Leyang Estate were able to accompany him. Although Xie Shizi had been raised in innocence, he had now come to understand that something major had happened in his family.
His mother sent him into the palace to save his life.
News of the Enke, like a spring breeze, quickly spread throughout the country. The scholars were extremely delighted and intensified their studies and calligraphy practice, hoping to achieve good rankings in the next year's Enke.
News of Xie Yao's attempt to assassinate the Crown Prince reached the southern regions even faster than the news of the Enke.
At first, the scholars regarded it as a rumor, dismissing it as the envy of wicked individuals intentionally smearing the Xie family's good reputation.
But as more and more news circulated, the scholars gradually started to believe that the legitimate daughter of the Xie family had indeed committed this heinous crime.
"What? You still don't know why Xie Yao wanted to kill the Crown Prince?" a merchant who had just arrived from the capital city seemed surprised that people in the south knew nothing about it, "This doesn't make sense. I came from the north, this matter has already spread there. Your southern region is usually so well-informed, why are you so ignorant about this?"
He scratched his head, perplexed, and asked, "Could someone be deliberately suppressing the news?"
Who would deliberately suppress this news? Naturally, it was the Xie family, who didn't want the people from the south to know about it.
In the minds of many southern scholars, the Xie family had always been seen as representatives of integrity and a scholarly heritage. Now, when someone suddenly told them that this family was capable of concealing the truth even from the capital city, it made the scholars feel a bit strange.
People are always like this. When a bad person does something good, they start to think that maybe the person isn't entirely bad. But when a person they consider good does something bad, it inevitably makes them wonder if that person is a hypocrite.
However, most scholars still felt that the merchant was talking nonsense. Both sides couldn't convince each other and ended up arguing.
"What's going on?" This large teahouse had many merchants coming and going. One merchant walked in and heard people on both sides arguing about Xie Yao's attempt to assassinate the Crown Prince. He couldn't help but interject, "Why are you arguing about something even a three-year-old knows? Isn't it just that Xie Fuma wanted Second Young Lady Xie to become the Crown Princess, but the Crown Prince wanted to marry General Hua's daughter and rejected the Xie family's proposal? Out of anger and humiliation, the Xie family sent assassins to kill the Crown Prince. It's said that General Hua's daughter was injured protecting the Crown Prince and was covered in blood, with her clothes completely soaked."
Several scholars present seemed to have great admiration for the Hua family. When they heard that the Hua family's daughter was covered in blood, their faces changed, "Is the Hua family's daughter alright?"
"She's just a young girl. With so much bloodshed, how could she be alright?" The merchant shook his head, took a sip from his teacup, and continued, "She survived, but we don't know when she'll recover. The Crown Prince is also a man of loyalty and integrity. In front of many officials, he proposed marriage to the Hua family."
Most scholars were sensitive and admired unwavering devotion. Many young scholars couldn't help but sigh, "The Hua family's daughter risked her life for the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince reciprocated with genuine affection. This kind of love is truly moving."
With that, the actions of the Xie family seemed even more despicable.
The merchant sighed, "Indeed, the Hua family's daughter is naturally frail, and she suffered a lot of injuries. She managed to survive on the brink of death, perhaps because she couldn't let go of her deep affection for the Crown Prince."
Devoted, unwavering, and willing to endure pain for the sake of a loved one.
This was the epitome of a perfect woman in the hearts of countless men.
The scholars were touched. They even felt that they could go home and compose a poem praising the love story between the Crown Prince and the Hua family's daughter.
"But why are the scholars in the south so leisurely?" the merchant changed the topic, "Students in other places are burning the midnight oil, studying hard for next year's Enke, and yet you all come to teahouses to listen to gossip?"
"What do you mean by Enke?" the scholars looked at the merchant in surprise.
"To celebrate General Hua and General Wei's victory in battle, His Majesty has decided to hold the Enke," the merchant said, more astonished than the scholars, "The announcement has already been posted nationwide. Yesterday, some scholars from a branch of the Xie family came to me and bought sets of examination questions brought from the capital city, saying they were preparing for next year's Enke. And yet, you still don't know?"
The scholars were dumbfounded. How could they not have heard any news about such a major event?
"Has the announcement been posted in other places?" a few scholars didn't look too pleased.
"In the northern region, it was posted five days ago," the merchant who claimed to have come from the north chimed in, "You're in the jurisdiction of the prefecture here. Could it be that the announcement hasn't been posted yet?"
The other merchant who had arrived later was completely puzzled and muttered under his breath, "It doesn't make sense. Even the Xie family's branch knew about it, but you don't?"
Krish728
Author's Note:
Certain Court officials: Has the Crown Prince been deposed today?
Answer: Not yet.
Standing among the group of solemn individuals, Hua Liuli felt somewhat out of place. She glanced at the Crown Prince, hoping for some hints.
The Crown Prince directly handed Xie Yao's deposition to Hua Liuli.
Hua Liuli didn't reach out to take it. As a non-imperial Junzhu bestowed by the Emperor, she shouldn't involve herself in political matters.
"Fushou Junzhu, take a look as well," Emperor Changlong said straightforwardly. Hua Liuli was his future daughter-in-law and the future Crown Princess, it would be beneficial for her to have some exposure to these matters. The Crown Prince was lazy, but with the Crown Princess overseeing things, he might become more diligent.
"Please excuse this humble subject's impudence, Your Majesty," Hua Liuli bowed to Emperor Changlong and elegantly received the deposition from the Crown Prince's hands. She quickly began reading it. The more she read, the more perplexed she became. The Xie family had been advocating for changes in Great Jin's ceremonial standards due to their preference for the customs of the Daimao kingdom. However, both the late Emperor and the current Emperor had rejected their proposals.
Not only did the current Emperor reject the Xie family's proposals, but he also promoted Wei Mingyue to become a female general, letting her command tens of thousands of troops. This made the Xie family feel that Emperor Changlong was deliberately opposing them. Not only did he not adopt their suggestions, but he also intentionally allowed women to hold power.
In their discontentment with Emperor Changlong, they secretly colluded with residual forces and engaged in dealings with the Daimao Kingdom. Unfortunately, Xie Yao, who was not valued in her own family, didn't know many hidden details, including the identity of the Daimao forces associated with the Xie family.
Hua Liuli couldn't quite comprehend their thought process. What was the point of all this trouble just to change ceremonial studies? Isn't human nature driven by fame and profit? Doing these things wouldn't benefit the Xie family much. She returned the deposition to the Crown Prince, unsure of what to say.
Was it because her thinking was too normal that she couldn't understand them?
She glanced at the Crown Prince and then at her calm and composed mother. She felt that it was best not to speak at this moment.
However, perhaps due to Emperor Changlong's particularly favorable impression of his future daughter-in-law, despite the anger in his heart, he kindly smiled and asked Hua Liuli, "Fushou Junzhu, what do you think about this matter?"
Pei Jihuai had already informed him. If it weren't for Fushou Junzhu's visit to the Ministry of Justice, Xie Yao wouldn't have divulged the Xie family's secrets so quickly.
"Your Majesty, this humble servant lacks comprehension in the intricacies of court politics," Hua Liuli smiled bashfully, portraying herself as timid, "However, from my perspective, the audacity of the Xie family to harbor assassins and orchestrate an assassination plot against the Crown Prince is a grave offense against the imperial family."
Upon hearing these words, Emperor Changlong swiftly grasped the underlying sentiment. Hua Liuli still carried lingering resentment towards the assassination attempt on the Crown Prince.
As a father, who wouldn't appreciate a daughter-in-law who wholeheartedly cared for their son?
Emperor Changlong burst into laughter, nodding, "Fushou Junzhu makes a valid point."
Hua Liuli was bewildered. What had she said and what was the valid point?
"What the Xie family is thinking is no longer important. What matters is what they have done and the consequences they have caused," Emperor Changlong tapped the table, "According to the clues provided by Xie Yao, thoroughly investigate the Xie family."
"Your Majesty, those scholars from the south..." Pei Jihuai hesitated. The Xie family had a significant reputation in the south, coupled with how far it was from the capital, if the Xie family were to spread rumors, there would be dissent against the imperial family. Even if the Xie family were apprehended and brought to justice, there could still be adverse repercussions for the Emperor's reputation.
"Zhen cannot allow the Xie family's schemes to succeed for the sake of reputation," Emperor Changlong was even more resolute than Pei Jihuai had imagined, "The Xie family has ambitious plans, but they are not beneficial to the people of the world. Zhen cannot tolerate them."
"Father Emperor, General Hua and General Wei's victory over the Jinpo bandits is a great joyous event. However, Erchen believes that hosting the Hundred Nations Banquet alone is not enough," the Crown Prince spoke, "Why don't we hold Enke1恩科 (ēn kē) refers to a special imperial examination held to grant pardons and rewards to scholars. It was a way for the imperial court to show favor and appreciation to scholars to promote their social status and opportunities for advancement. The 恩科 examination was usually held separately from the regular imperial examination. It focused on a specific subject or theme and allowed scholars to compete for recognition and rewards. Scholars who achieved high ranks in the 恩科 examination would be granted special privileges, such as exemption from certain taxes, access to higher government positions, or opportunities to serve in prestigious roles. next year and hold another imperial examination in the spring?"
"With the speed at which rumors spread, news of Xie Yao's attempt on Erchen's life should have already reached the south," the Crown Prince chuckled, seemingly helpless, "Rumors tend to distort the farther they travel. Who knows, by the time it reaches the south, it might have become completely outrageous."
"The Crown Prince makes a valid point," Emperor Changlong smiled contentedly, "General Hua and General Wei's successful victory against a foreign enemy is indeed a momentous occasion. Holding the Enke is a suitable decision."
Pei Jihuai looked at the father and son, the Heavenly Emperor and the Crown Prince, smiling at each other, and suddenly felt that certain court officials who hoped for the Crown Prince to be deposed might be greatly disappointed.
Not only would the Crown Prince not be deposed by the Emperor, but he would continue to be arrogant and eventually ascend to the throne. This seemingly arrogant and overbearing Crown Prince was, in fact, an intelligent and astute individual.
Holding the Enke would undoubtedly be the best way to win over the scholars from the South. This action would not only win the favor of scholars but also subtly express the Imperial Family's appreciation for military officials. It would also alleviate conflicts between civil and military officials.
Why hold the Enke?
Because the two generals achieved a great victory in battle.
There was no shortage of literati in the world, but there were many ordinary people who aspired to achieve fame through the imperial examination and bring glory to their ancestors.
The establishment of this Enke would bring great joy to scholars. In addition, there were not many southern scholars who achieved high rankings in this year's imperial examinations. They eagerly sought to redeem themselves. So the imperial court establishing the Enke would be a timely assistance for them.
Compared to their own interests and the stability of the country, the affairs of the Xie family would no longer be significant for these scholars.
The world is vast, but food and the stability of the country are paramount.
"In that case, Zhen will summon the officials from the Six Ministries to discuss the matter of holding the Enke," Emperor Changlong no longer mentioned the Xie family. He turned to Hua Yingting, "Crown Prince and General Hua, stay behind. Zhen has something to discuss with you."
"Your Majesty, Princess Leyang entrusted this humble general to deliver a letter to you and the Empress Dowager," Wei Mingyue took out the letter written by Princess Leyang from her bosom.
Emperor Changlong's expression remained indifferent as he didn't accept the letter, "Give it to the Empress Dowager to handle."
The attempted assassination of the Crown Prince by Xie Yao deeply wounded Emperor Changlong's heart. He had no affection left for Princess Leyang's family.
Fortunately, Fushou Junzhu accompanied the Crown Prince when it occurred. Despite her frailty, she was willing to risk her life to lead the assassins away from the Crown Prince. But what if Fushou Junzhu had not been there?
The Crown Prince was the heir he had personally nurtured, his most beloved son. He couldn't even bear to imagine how devastated he would be if something were to happen to the Crown Prince.
As an Emperor, if he couldn't even protect his own child, what kind of Emperor would he be?
The Ministers from the Six Ministries hurried to the Chenyang Palace upon learning of the Emperor's urgent summons. When they heard the Emperor mention the establishment of the Enke, the Ministers couldn't react for a moment.
However, they saw it as a good thing since it aimed to benefit the scholars.
None of the Ministers from the Six Ministries objected. They began discussing how to quickly announced it to all parts of the country.
After everyone finished their discussions and left the palace, they gradually realized that the Emperor's attitude clearly indicated that he wanted them to focus on their work and had no intention of seeking their opinions.
The several old Ministers glanced at each other, feeling that something was amiss. There had been no prior indications, so why did the Emperor suddenly decide to hold the Enke?
"The Crown Prince and General Hua were present earlier. Could this be the Crown Prince's idea?"
"The Crown Prince is capable of such kindness?" the Minister of War questioned, "The relationship between the Crown Prince and the literati is..."
Not that great, to be honest.
Not only was it not great, but some literati were even hoping for the Crown Prince to be deposed.
Unfortunately, they had been hoping for several years, and the Crown Prince continued to be arrogant. They didn't know when their wishes would come true.
Within a couple of days, the Ministers from the Six Ministries received news that the proposal to hold the Enke was indeed put forth by the Crown Prince. Since the information came from Pei Jihuai, the Deputy Minister of Justice, nobody doubted its authenticity.
Instead, they began to question the Crown Prince's state of mind.
Especially those literati who hoped for the Crown Prince to be deposed. After the Crown Prince proposed to hold the Enke, they suddenly felt awkward to secretly continue to criticize him behind his back.
As the proud and arrogant Crown Prince, couldn't he just be consistently evil? Now he made it difficult for them!
The capital city was filled with noble figures and scholars. When news of the Enke spread, articles praising Emperor Changlong, the Crown Prince, Hua Yingting, and Wei Mingyue sprouted up like mushrooms after rain. As a result, very few people paid attention to the fact that Princess Leyang's son, Xie Shizi, had moved into the palace.
After moving into the palace, Xie Shizi resided in with the Fourth Prince and the Fifth Prince, who had not yet been granted noble titles. However, the Fifth Prince didn't like the Xie family, and the Fourth Prince had never been one to speak. After Xie Shizi moved in, his situation became very awkward.
The people attending to him were newly assigned by the Empress Dowager; none of the servants from Princess Leyang Estate were able to accompany him. Although Xie Shizi had been raised in innocence, he had now come to understand that something major had happened in his family.
His mother sent him into the palace to save his life.
News of the Enke, like a spring breeze, quickly spread throughout the country. The scholars were extremely delighted and intensified their studies and calligraphy practice, hoping to achieve good rankings in the next year's Enke.
News of Xie Yao's attempt to assassinate the Crown Prince reached the southern regions even faster than the news of the Enke.
At first, the scholars regarded it as a rumor, dismissing it as the envy of wicked individuals intentionally smearing the Xie family's good reputation.
But as more and more news circulated, the scholars gradually started to believe that the legitimate daughter of the Xie family had indeed committed this heinous crime.
"What? You still don't know why Xie Yao wanted to kill the Crown Prince?" a merchant who had just arrived from the capital city seemed surprised that people in the south knew nothing about it, "This doesn't make sense. I came from the north, this matter has already spread there. Your southern region is usually so well-informed, why are you so ignorant about this?"
He scratched his head, perplexed, and asked, "Could someone be deliberately suppressing the news?"
Who would deliberately suppress this news? Naturally, it was the Xie family, who didn't want the people from the south to know about it.
In the minds of many southern scholars, the Xie family had always been seen as representatives of integrity and a scholarly heritage. Now, when someone suddenly told them that this family was capable of concealing the truth even from the capital city, it made the scholars feel a bit strange.
People are always like this. When a bad person does something good, they start to think that maybe the person isn't entirely bad. But when a person they consider good does something bad, it inevitably makes them wonder if that person is a hypocrite.
However, most scholars still felt that the merchant was talking nonsense. Both sides couldn't convince each other and ended up arguing.
"What's going on?" This large teahouse had many merchants coming and going. One merchant walked in and heard people on both sides arguing about Xie Yao's attempt to assassinate the Crown Prince. He couldn't help but interject, "Why are you arguing about something even a three-year-old knows? Isn't it just that Xie Fuma wanted Second Young Lady Xie to become the Crown Princess, but the Crown Prince wanted to marry General Hua's daughter and rejected the Xie family's proposal? Out of anger and humiliation, the Xie family sent assassins to kill the Crown Prince. It's said that General Hua's daughter was injured protecting the Crown Prince and was covered in blood, with her clothes completely soaked."
Several scholars present seemed to have great admiration for the Hua family. When they heard that the Hua family's daughter was covered in blood, their faces changed, "Is the Hua family's daughter alright?"
"She's just a young girl. With so much bloodshed, how could she be alright?" The merchant shook his head, took a sip from his teacup, and continued, "She survived, but we don't know when she'll recover. The Crown Prince is also a man of loyalty and integrity. In front of many officials, he proposed marriage to the Hua family."
Most scholars were sensitive and admired unwavering devotion. Many young scholars couldn't help but sigh, "The Hua family's daughter risked her life for the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince reciprocated with genuine affection. This kind of love is truly moving."
With that, the actions of the Xie family seemed even more despicable.
The merchant sighed, "Indeed, the Hua family's daughter is naturally frail, and she suffered a lot of injuries. She managed to survive on the brink of death, perhaps because she couldn't let go of her deep affection for the Crown Prince."
Devoted, unwavering, and willing to endure pain for the sake of a loved one.
This was the epitome of a perfect woman in the hearts of countless men.
The scholars were touched. They even felt that they could go home and compose a poem praising the love story between the Crown Prince and the Hua family's daughter.
"But why are the scholars in the south so leisurely?" the merchant changed the topic, "Students in other places are burning the midnight oil, studying hard for next year's Enke, and yet you all come to teahouses to listen to gossip?"
"What do you mean by Enke?" the scholars looked at the merchant in surprise.
"To celebrate General Hua and General Wei's victory in battle, His Majesty has decided to hold the Enke," the merchant said, more astonished than the scholars, "The announcement has already been posted nationwide. Yesterday, some scholars from a branch of the Xie family came to me and bought sets of examination questions brought from the capital city, saying they were preparing for next year's Enke. And yet, you still don't know?"
The scholars were dumbfounded. How could they not have heard any news about such a major event?
"Has the announcement been posted in other places?" a few scholars didn't look too pleased.
"In the northern region, it was posted five days ago," the merchant who claimed to have come from the north chimed in, "You're in the jurisdiction of the prefecture here. Could it be that the announcement hasn't been posted yet?"
The other merchant who had arrived later was completely puzzled and muttered under his breath, "It doesn't make sense. Even the Xie family's branch knew about it, but you don't?"
Krish728
Author's Note:
Certain Court officials: Has the Crown Prince been deposed today?
Answer: Not yet.
