Chapter 17

Chapter 17

On the first day of the Crown Prince's supervision of state affairs, during the morning court.

The dragon throne was empty, with a black sandalwood long table placed below it.

Crown Prince Xiao Xun conveyed the Emperor's decree during his illness: "Release Yao Jing, considering she sought justice for her father, with mitigating circumstances, demote her by two ranks and suspend her salary for one year."

The ministers were taken aback, and the Left Censor-in-Chief stepped forward: "The Emperor's pardon of Yao Jing is already an immense grace. She is a woman, how can she continue to serve as an official!"

Xiao Xun: "The Emperor, remembering Empress Xiao Jia, said that women are not inferior to men, and intends to open the imperial examinations to women in the future."

The Left Censor-in-Chief, a senior statesman, had once worked under Empress Xiao Jia, so he could not refute the statement that women are not inferior to men.

The Left Censor-in-Chief suspected it was actually the Crown Prince's idea, but without evidence, and considering the Emperor was ill and nostalgia for the past was understandable, he couldn't disturb the Emperor.

"Your Highness, please think twice."

Xiao Xun: "Is Minister Wang worried that the men of Great Xuan cannot compete with women? If so, we can set up separate examinations for men and women."

"That's not my intention!" Separate examinations for men and women would mean having female officials every year!

Minister Wang had a sudden idea and turned to Grand Tutor Pei: "Regarding the imperial examinations, what does Grand Tutor Pei think?"

The nephew of Grand Tutor Pei's wife also participated in this year's examinations, ranking fourth. If Yao Jing's top rank were stripped, the fourth place would be promoted to third, which would sound better.

Pei Qingxu said: "The Yellow Emperor cultivated the five grains, and Lei Zu began sericulture. The imperial examinations are for selecting talents for Great Xuan. Officials are to relieve the people's hardships, regardless of gender. The Weaving Department of the Ministry of Revenue could first appoint female officials and observe the results."

Xiao Xun: "The Grand Tutor speaks with wisdom."

Minister Wang's expression hardened. He had forgotten that the Grand Tutor's daughter was unmarried and intelligent. Pei Qingxu had no sons and might want his daughter to take the examinations.

Serving in the Ministry of Revenue required mathematical proficiency. Besides being skilled in governance, the Grand Tutor was also proficient in mathematics, and many officials in the Ministry of Revenue were his students.

The Grand Tutor first aimed at the political department where his students served, so he had nothing to say.

Next, the officials discussed some political matters, and the court proceeded in harmony.

The Chief Eunuch intoned: "Court is adjourned—"

Xiao Xun said: "Grand Tutor, remain."

Pei Qingxu followed the Crown Prince to the back hall, remembering that on his way to the morning court, Liu Qingyuan from the printing office had approached him, first complimenting "your son's handsome appearance," then criticizing him for "poor bearing, Grand Tutor should discipline him properly."

Pei Qingxu was confused, then realized the Crown Prince had acknowledged a foster son for him in public.

Xiao Xun explained: "Minister Liu was investigating closely, it was merely a temporary measure."

No one understood the Crown Prince better than Pei Qingxu. It was not just a temporary measure. He had recently heard that a capable person had appeared by the Crown Prince's side, versed in both astronomy and geography, bold and innovative in actions.

The Crown Prince not only shielded him but also sought the Grand Tutor's endorsement.

Pei Qingxu: "I understand."

Xiao Xun said: "I will have Pei Zhuo visit to present tea and complete the formalities."

Pei Qingxu inquired with careful planning: "When?"

Xiao Xun, unusually uncertain, said: "Undecided."

He suspected Pei Zhuo would be too lazy to budge after his lessons.

Pei Qingxu: "I’m concerned that if we bump into each other, I might not recognize him and give us away."

Xiao Xun: "Don’t worry, Grand Tutor. If you run into someone stunning but lazy, that’s him."

Pei Qingxu frowned.

Was this really the Crown Prince he’d taught?

Pei Qingxu admonished: "Your Highness, Confucius taught that a gentleman has three things to watch out for."

"In youth, avoid lust; in adulthood, avoid conflict; in old age, avoid greed." Xiao Xun recited fluently.

Pei Qingxu: He’d been overthinking it.

News of the Emperor’s plan to allow women to take the imperial exams spread like wildfire in the capital.

The moment Pei Qingxu got home, his wife Yang Mei met him: "I heard the Emperor’s letting women take the imperial exams. I asked Yang’er, and she’s not interested. Why not oppose it so my nephew can take her spot?"

Pei Qingxu glanced at her: "If he’s not up to par, what’s the point?"

Yang Mei awkwardly said: "Whether dressed as a man or a woman, there’s bound to be some trickery. My nephew can’t compete."

She then asked: "Has the Crown Prince brought up marriage?"

Pei Qingxu: "No, didn’t Yang’er tell you she doesn’t want to marry into the palace?"

Yang Mei: "She did, but wealth is easy to find; a good match is rare. Isn’t the student you trained yourself the safest choice?"

Pei Qingxu nodded and shook his head: "Yang’er’s wishes come first. She’s my daughter, not here to be miserable."

"Did my husband adopt a foster son?" Yang Mei twisted her handkerchief, "Why so out of the blue?"

After losing their son, the couple never had another child for various reasons. Yang Mei had once suggested adopting a boy to carry on the family name, but Pei Qingxu always said no.

Later, maybe worried about his wife’s loneliness, Pei Qingxu agreed to adopt a daughter from her side to keep her company.

Yang Mei knew Pei Qingxu still missed that child, so adopting a foster son out of nowhere was odd.

Was it... that he found a promising talent to train?

Pei Qingxu: "It was the Crown Prince’s idea. When you’re free, visit his villa to meet him, so you’re not in the dark."

Yang Mei muttered: "I still have to go meet him."

...

Li Ruyi: "The Grand Tutor’s Wife sent a note saying she’ll bring wormwood on the fifteenth."

Xiao Xun: "Hmm."

Li Ruyi: "Does Your Highness want to test if the Grand Tutor’s Wife can recognize Pei Zhuo?"

The group they sent to investigate in southern Qian had not returned, but another group caught the soldier who had sent the beauty.

They admitted that the QianGui Regional Commander had indeed sent a beauty named Pei Zhuo carrying Pear Blossom Needles.

To train Pei Zhuo into the type the Crown Prince would like, the QianGui Regional Commander found a master of hidden weapons to teach him.

Everything was fine until Pei Zhuo stayed at the villa for two days, and suddenly a master of hidden weapons pursued him to Yujing. The two, who had grown fond of each other, eloped!

The guards who failed their mission were afraid of being punished if they returned, so they also ran away.

Li Ruyi had them describe the beauty’s appearance, and it was clearly not Pei Zhuo.

This Pei Zhuo wasn’t the same as the other; he came later.

They still did not know Pei Zhuo's origins.

But His Highness speculated that Pei Zhuo might be the Grand Tutor’s son.

Xiao Xun: "Everyone has parents; let’s test it out."

Li Ruyi: "They say a mother can always recognize her son, though I’m not sure if that’s true. There must be some commonality between how he looked at four years old and now."

...

Pei Zhuo taught science in the morning and spent the afternoon working overtime to explain pinyin to typesetting workers. Now he lay still on the chaise lounge.

He’d hired a storyteller to read him teahouse tales.

It was said that every time Master Lü Lü released a storybook, publishers rushed to print it, overwhelming the printing houses.

This aligned perfectly with Pei Zhuo’s plan to boost printing demand and drive industrial upgrades.

However, Master Lü Lü wrote his stories in secret, away from the Grand Tutor’s notice, so his output was extremely low.

Pei Zhuo figured that with the collective wisdom of centuries of novelists, it wouldn’t be hard to write a novel that took Great Xuan by storm, right?

And make some money in the process.

First, he needed to study the storybook market’s audience.

The storyteller was telling a clichéd love story between an immortal and a mortal, which could roughly be described as a domineering prince twist on the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl.

"The Taoist told the prince to hide the princess’s clothing while she was bathing, so that she would not be able to leave without saying goodbye and return to heaven..."

Pei Zhuo listened half-heartedly, drowsy, muttering, "Stupid."

Xiao Xun stood at the door, half in light and half in shadow, and asked, "Why is it stupid?"

Pei Zhuo: "Next, the princess will lose her immortal robe, her powers weakened, and she will be hunted down and killed by the evil Taoist. The prince will regret it deeply and spend all his wealth to rebuild a golden body for the princess."

Ghost stories always play out like this.

Pei Zhuo sat up, glaring at the Crown Prince, silently demanding his underwear back.

The storyteller meekly said, "Not quite."

Pei Zhuo: "Oh?"

The storyteller: "Since their marriage, the prince, being a gentleman, had been clueless about love. The princess deliberately had the Taoist fabricate a lie, and the prince fell for it, grew anxious, and confessed his feelings. Thus, they consummated their love."

Pei Zhuo: ...Crap.

What a trashy novel.

Xiao Xun: "..."

Pei Zhuo said seriously, "What can I do for you, Your Highness?"

Xiao Xun replied, "I will be staying in the palace for the next few days."

Pei Zhuo, thinking of the Old Emperor's condition, nodded in understanding, "I see."

Xiao Xun asked, "Do you want to join me in the palace?"

Pei Zhuo remained silent.

Was he being invited to witness the coronation? It would surely be filled with all the tedious rituals the Crown Prince always talks about. He wasn’t interested.

Once the Crown Prince ascends the throne and resides in the palace, the Crown Prince’s residence would be empty, and in principle, no one else would live there.

Where would he live then?

Pei Zhuo asked, "Your Highness, where am I supposed to live after this? Where do you think would be a good place to buy a place?"

Pei Zhuo thought that, given the Crown Prince's familiarity with the capital, he would immediately suggest the location with the shortest commute.

To his surprise, Xiao Xun frowned.

Pei Zhuo licked his lips, on edge. What’s with the silence?

He couldn’t be thinking of making me live in the palace, could he?