Chapter 899 - 798: Why

Chapter 899: Chapter 798: Why

Xia Shi’en laughed and said, "Didn’t you agree with Mrs. Wang to go to Jinyun Huashang to look at their new ready-made clothes?"

Mrs. Xia laughed upon hearing this, "If you hadn’t reminded me, I would have almost forgotten. Wenjin also gave me some sort of card. It allows me to select their latest styles first! I must go."

Xiao Ze immediately instructed the preparations for the carriage and only came back after sending Mrs. Xia on her way.

The steward said, "Young Master, the master requests you in the study!"

Xiao Ze nodded; he was about to meet his father.

In the study, a map hung near the window, Xia Shi’en stood in front of the map, his gaze resting on the area marked as Qingzhou.

Xiao Ze walked over and also looked at Qingzhou’s area, smiling slightly, "Given the current situation in the court, it’s becoming harder to see clearly! Father has always stayed out of factional disputes, but now he has become in-laws with Prince Cheng!"

Xia Shi’en often discussed court affairs with his son. After all, Xiao Ze had already participated, achieving good results, just waiting for the examination in four months, after which he might either seek a position in the Capital or be posted elsewhere.

Regardless of the choice, entering officialdom requires understanding of the political situation.

Listening to his son’s words, Xia Shi’en shook his head, dismissively saying, "Wenjin is betrothed to Prince Cheng’s Heir, what sort of faction attachment is this? Don’t say your father is in a position, even just a minor fringe official knows Prince Cheng is impossible. The Emperor would never consider Prince Cheng!"

Xiao Ze, somewhat perplexed, said, "Yunzhou is located at the border, and Prince Cheng’s lands are on the frontier of Yunzhou, not only is the area impoverished, but foreign threats frequently disturb it. I’ve examined records, checked historical accounts, and even Grand Ancestor and Emperor Taizhong, with their great talents, found it challenging. Though the area belongs to Nanxia Country, it has always been left barren; local government offices are not established there. Rather than calling it Prince Cheng’s territory, it’s more of an exile place. Prince Cheng is at least a Prince; what happened back then to make the Emperor shun him so?"

"Back then..." Xia Shi’en seemed to be lost in distant memories triggered by his son’s words, even showing a hint of a smile at the corner of his lips, saying, "That incident wasn’t huge, but not trivial either; Prince Cheng returned from the battlefield with fresh merits, and the Emperor bestowed him marriage with Marquis Zhongding’s legitimate daughter! Though this was a generous favor, Prince Cheng did not appreciate it, saying he already had someone in mind, rejecting it outright, leading to a father-son fallout! At the time, the Emperor had murderous intent; it was only through the ministers’ strong support, compensating with merits, that Prince Cheng’s life was spared. But a rebellious prince wouldn’t catch the Emperor’s eye; that frontier in Yunzhou naturally became the best place?"

Xiao Ze was not entirely unaware but listening at this moment still couldn’t help but sigh, "Returning with war merits, yet falling out over a marriage, the Emperor bestowed favor, why not choose someone Prince Cheng liked? In doing so, the favor turned into estrangement between father and son!"

Xia Shi’en glanced at him, hinting, "The Emperor and Prince Cheng are father and son, but they are also ruler and subject, even ruler and subject first, then father and son. When the Emperor bestowed marriage, Prince Cheng’s rejection already displeased the Emperor; having another in mind, moreover, not a Capital lady but a Jianghu maiden, only further displeased the Emperor; that Prince Cheng rejected the Capital lady carefully chosen by the Emperor for the sake of that Jianghu maiden hurt the Emperor’s dignity. The father’s authority imposed; the son’s rebellious resistance, in the Emperor’s eyes, this resistance was not against paternal respect, but was against royal power, why else put his life in danger?"

He remembered something: "But wait, this has long passed, hardly anyone brings it up now, why are you asking about this?"