Chapter 178 The Friendship Between Xie Yan and Xue Yubai

Chapter 178 The Friendship Between Xie Yan and Xue Yubai

Grand Tutor Xue secured him a place in the school.

Later, he learned that it was Grand Tutor Xue who had read his article and thought he was a promising talent.

He mentioned it to the Emperor several times and even argued with him about it.

It is said that he has the emperor's bloodline and cannot be left uneducated, nor can he be abandoned in a side hall for a long time.

To ensure he has the basic dignity of a prince is to avoid disgracing the royal family.

This gave him the opportunity to leave the Abandoned Hall, receive instruction from Grand Tutor Xue, and finally see the light of day again.

Much later, he finally understood why Xue Taifu had incurred the emperor's suspicion.

They believed he was grooming him, the unfavored prince.

In the following ten years, not a single member of the Xue family was qualified to become an official.

Even Xue Yubai's father, because of a trivial matter, was angered by the emperor and demoted several ranks, barely able to stand at the end of the main hall.

As an adult, Xue Yubai wasted his time in the mansion, and no matter who recommended him, he could not obtain any official position.

That's a story for another time.

They were still young then, though they were still ostracized and looked down upon by the emperor.

However, Xie Yan's grades were always among the best.

A good ending can always shut some people up.

Thanks to the Xue family's protection, he lived a relatively peaceful life.

Xue Yubai felt sorry for him living in the Abandoned Palace, so he always invited him to stay at the Xue family's residence, and specially reserved a room for him.

Give him half of your best things.

When they were tired from playing, the two often slept together in bed.

As he grew older, Xue Yubai found a girl he liked.

He pressed him further, asking if he had a girl he liked.

He said no.

Xue Yubai said that he should like his sister, so that she could take care of him for the rest of his life and they could always be family.

family! !

Xie Yan's heart stirred; he longed to be family with the Xue family.

Grand Tutor Xue, Minister Xue, and Xue Qingning, like Xue Yubai, were extremely kind to him.

Xue Yubai always prepared a copy for him, whatever he had.

It was as if he were a member of the Xue family, a warmth he had never felt before.

Let him experience the meaning of home.

Xue Qingning is Xue Yubai's only younger sister, the apple of the Xue family's eye, and a talented woman proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

She has a refined and dignified personality.

Although he was a prince, he was a marginal prince.

He felt he was not good enough for Xue Qingning and did not want to hold such a good girl back.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Xue Yubai didn't bring it up again.

However, Xue Qingning came to see him alone twice after that.

Although she didn't say it explicitly, Xie Yan could sense what she meant.

With Xue Yubai's constant matchmaking, he and Xue Qingning were able to express their feelings for each other.

Not long after, Grand Tutor Xue passed away.

On his deathbed, he held Xue Yubai's hand, hoping that he could revitalize the Xue family.

Xie Yan stood aside, fully understanding how unwilling Grand Tutor Xue was.

Xie Yan also experienced the pain of losing a loved one for the first time. Like Xue Yubai, he knelt in the row of his virtuous sons and grandsons.

They wept as they saw off Grand Tutor Xue.

Without Grand Tutor Xue, the Xue family's status plummeted instantly.

Xue Yubai's father was also dismissed from his post in the same year and became a low-ranking official.

The Xue family fell from its former glory as a prominent clan with generations of high-ranking officials in just ten years.

It wasn't a problem with itself, but rather it slowly crumbled due to the emperor's growing apprehension.

The death of Grand Commandant Xue and the dismissal of Minister Xue were the last vestiges of dignity for the Xue family.

Although the Xue family no longer enjoys its former prosperity, some of its foundations remain.

His proposal to the Emperor resulted in a marriage decree between him and Shen Nanzi.

He also learned from his mother the secret of their imprisonment in the Abandoned Palace.

Shocked, he also realized that he was the one who had dragged the Xue family down.

He was the real culprit who brought down the Xue family. If Xue Yubai hadn't saved him...

If only Grand Tutor Xue had been more ruthless and prevented Xue Yubai from becoming his friend.

If Grand Commandant Xue had not sought an opportunity for him before the Emperor, the Xue family would still be a century-old family of high-ranking officials for generations.

Xue Yubai would not waste his talents in obscurity, languishing in his mansion.

He secretly vowed to expose the emperor's crimes and help the Xue family return to its former glory.

He was unwilling to marry Shen Nanzi; she was never in his plans.

And that's how she forcefully got involved with him.

He felt disgusted and repulsed.

The imperial decree for the marriage between Xue Qingning and the Second Prince was also issued.

They were overwhelmed by the impact.

If Xue Qingning marries the Second Prince, their relationship will become complicated and make their future plans even more difficult.

After their plea to the Emperor was unsuccessful, they realized that this was also something the Emperor feared.

Later he realized that the emperor was warning the Xue family and preventing them from marrying him, but did not really want the Xue family to perish.

Otherwise, it would discourage the other loyal and virtuous people who have served for generations. So, he slapped them in the face and then rewarded Xue Qingning with the marriage of the Second Prince.

They didn't understand at the time.

He, Xue Yubai, and Xue Qingning also discussed it.

They decided to use eloping as a breakthrough to thwart the emperor's plans.

Finally, he was intercepted by Xue's father.

Knowing that he wanted to marry Xue Qingning, his mother went to Shengming Palace and committed suicide by swallowing gold upon her return.

The girl Xue Yubai loved also married someone else.

None of the three of them are good.

Xie Yan was extremely resentful at that time.

He hastily got married less than a month after his mother's death.

Their anger also burned towards Shen Nanzi, the woman who had disrupted their plans.

He hated the Emperor and he also hated Shen Nanzi.

After so many years, he finally exposed the emperor's crimes to the public, which also gave Xue Yubai enough power to make his family prosper again.

Although it has become unrecognizable.

Fortunately, he paid for everything.

*

The moment the jade beads on the emperor's crown fell, they struck the ground and also struck the hearts of everyone present.

The late emperor's coffin was still in Chongde Hall when Prince Jing, who had just ascended the throne, was killed on the spot.

Xue Yubai's mind went blank. He clearly had an army outside the palace and could fight Prince Ding to the death.

Even if Prince Ding's reinforcements are outside the city, he still has a chance to counterattack.

Xie Yan didn't use any of them, and he also knew that Xue Qingning had already administered the poison.

Given his personality, how could he possibly collapse so easily?

Did he not expect Xue Qingning to join forces with Prince Ding?

No! No! He did it for him, to repay the Xue family's kindness.

They surrendered outright, leaving all their troops to him.

It was left for him to fight against King Ding.

Even knowing that he and Xue Qingning both wanted him dead, Xie Yan still gave him the best of everything.

Xue Yubai suddenly remembered that early this morning, when he pulled him to sleep.

He said his wish was to go to a fiefdom, and then the whole world would be handed over to him.

He thought he was talking nonsense, but now that I think about it, he was telling the truth.

He had no interest in being emperor; everything he did was merely a stopgap measure.

Xue Yubai picked up Xie Yan's body and walked out of Chongde Hall with a solemn expression.

Even when Xue Qingning called out to him from behind, he ignored her completely.

Xie Yan entrusted him with the Emperor's jade seal; how much he trusted him!

He is truly a heartless and ungrateful hypocrite, not worthy of gratitude for genuine affection.

*

Inside the Chongde Hall, all was deathly silent.

The late emperor's coffin rests inside the hall, and the incense and candles burning brightly in the memorial service.

Xue Qingning and Prince Ding exchanged glances for a moment.

Prime Minister Li immediately stepped forward and said to Prince Ding:

"Your Highness, Prince Jing has been executed, and the world is without a ruler. To prevent chaos in the land, a new ruler must be chosen immediately!"

Other officials echoed this sentiment.

Only Xie Yan's former advisors remained silent, their expressions solemn, as if still in shock at the passing of Prince Jing.

Xue Qingning's face was pale, Xie Yan's words still echoing in her ears.

The throne originally belonged to Xie Hongrui, but he made her burn it herself, and he seized the throne from Hong'er.

Her eyes were filled with hatred. Xie Yan had changed his mind, completely changed his mind. Only her foolish brother still cared about him and buried him.

Hmph! She coldly swept her gaze across the main hall.

Even if Xie Yan wanted to take it away, she had the ability to snatch it back. He didn't expect her to join forces with Prince Ding!

The twelfth prince promised her that as long as Xie Yan was brought to justice, he would fully support Hong'er's ascension to the throne.

She looked at Xie Ming: "Twelfth Imperial Uncle, the imperial edict is invalid. Now that you are the elder of the royal family, who do you think is the right person to hand over the throne of Yunhan?"

Xie Ming did not meet her gaze, but remained silent, seemingly deep in thought.

"Second sister-in-law, when discussing the matter of the succession to the throne, women are not allowed to interfere in politics."

Xue Qingning couldn't help but look up, her eyes slightly sharp.

At the entrance of the main hall, Xie Yu, dressed in mourning clothes, sat in a wheelchair and was pushed in.

The sound of the wheelchair rolled slowly through the hall, producing a deep, wooden tinkling sound.

Beside him stood Prince Rong'an, also dressed in mourning clothes.

Everyone stared at the two who had suddenly appeared.

One of them was the emperor's youngest brother, Prince Rong'an.

One is the sixth prince, who failed in his bid for the throne and is now seriously injured.

They hadn't appeared before, but now that Prince Jing is dead, they're all vying for the position of crown prince.

They went first to the emperor's coffin to pay their respects to the late emperor.

Prince Rong'an threw himself onto the coffin and wept, recounting the late emperor's kindness to him.

Xie Yu just stared blankly at the coffin, silent, his eyes filled with sorrow.

After a long while, the worship ceremony ended.

"Twelfth Brother!"

"Twelfth Imperial Uncle!"

The uncle and nephew bowed to Xie Ming.

Xie Ming looked at Xie Yu, "How is your injury?"

Xie Yu: "All is well, thank you for your concern, Twelfth Imperial Uncle."

Watching the pleasantries exchanged between the uncle and nephew, Xue Qingning's expression gradually turned serious.

Has the Prince of Rong'an formed an alliance with Xie Yu?

Xie Yu is really lucky to be alive.

The emperor did not convict him before his death, and now that Yunhan is without a ruler, he is very likely to come back and fight for power again.

However, without Grand Commandant Shen, he is no match for them now, fighting alone.

"Is Sixth Brother's leg alright?" Xue Qingning asked with concern.

"Thank you for your concern, Second Sister-in-law, but I am still unable to walk."

Xie Yu replied, and it all seemed like a harmonious scene.

Xue Qingning continued, "Sixth brother misunderstands. Your Highness did not interfere in court affairs. It's just that the world is currently without a ruler, and every citizen has a responsibility, especially since I am Hong'er's mother."

“Hong’er’s father is no longer here, but a mother’s love is strong. Now that the Emperor’s coffin is here, I will take on my husband’s responsibility and keep vigil before the coffin.”

Her words served two purposes: to explain to Xie Yu and to clarify that she was the mother of the imperial grandson Xie Hongrui, and was acting in the guise of the second prince.

Xie Yu said, "It's hard on you, Second Sister-in-law. Even though Hong'er is young, he still came to the altar."

Then she thought, "However, Hong'er has always been in poor health, and he has a heart condition that could become serious or minor. It's safer for him to stay in the manor."

Xue Qingning was so angry at Xie Yu's words that she was about to die.

They actually said Hong'er was in poor health. If he's in poor health, how can he compete for the throne?

“He was young before and was prone to illness, but he is much better now.”

"A heart ailment cannot be cured so easily! Second sister-in-law, do not force it."

Xue Qingning had been implicated by Xie Yao and was worried that the Emperor would take his anger out on her and her son, so she claimed to the outside world that Hong'er was in poor health in order to gain sympathy.

This also made others feel that they posed no threat.

I never imagined I'd end up shooting myself in the foot.

"Whether Hong'er is healthy or not can be determined by the imperial physician taking his pulse. But as for Sixth Brother's leg, which was hit by three arrows, he must be taken good care of."

"Thank you for your concern, Second Sister-in-law. The imperial physician said that there was no damage to the tendons or veins."

Xue Qingning's face turned pale. He wasn't crippled? What good luck.

Xie Yu didn't want to engage in any back-and-forth with her, so he simply turned his wheelchair around to face the officials.

"Everyone is right. The Han Dynasty cannot be without a ruler. We must elect a new emperor as soon as possible."

Everyone remained silent.

Yunhan prioritizes primogeniture and strength. Succession is traditionally passed down from father to son, with only younger brothers succeeding older brothers if no sons are found.

According to the current order of succession, the sixth prince should rightfully succeed to the throne.

However, the sixth prince was weak and easily defeated.

Then there are the other underage princes, whose strength is even weaker, not even as good as the sixth prince.

Of all the princes, only the sixth prince has a chance.

The current political situation in the court is clear: with Prince Jing dead, he and the Xue family are now closely allied, and his power has naturally fallen into the hands of the Xue family.

The Xue family has a grandson of the emperor, Xie Hongrui, whose status is legitimate. Given the Second Prince's past blemishes, even if he has the right to inherit, he will still be criticized.

Now that they've been cleansed, they're arguably the strongest of all the forces.

He also had another problem: he was too young. If a young ruler succeeds to the throne, the power is likely to fall to foreign powers.

Choosing him to take the throne would be extremely threatening; it's likely that Yunhan will become the domain of the Xue family.

It's truly remarkable that the Xue family, relying on Prince Jing, has turned their fortunes around once again.

As for these two imperial uncles, with so many emperors, princes, and grandsons, it would never be their turn.

Besides, they were all free spirits, which is why the emperor didn't fear them and they were allowed to stay in Luoyang.

The officials would certainly prefer Xie Yu to ascend to the throne rather than have the Xue family obtain the imperial grandson's right of succession.

In an instant, everyone's mind was racing, calculating the pros and cons.

Before that, Shen Nanzi, who was guarding the city gate, successfully left Luoyang City using Ye Shuyin's identity certificate.

Just when they thought they were safe, men in black actually tried to assassinate them on the main road.

At this critical moment, another group of men in black arrived and directly killed the attackers.

Holding Cheng'er, Shen Nanzi asked Ye Shuyin, "Your people?"

Ye Shuyin shook his head, "My men haven't made a move yet!"

He recalled the situation just now, "These newcomers were like timely rain. The first batch of assassins didn't even get close to us before they came out and finished their massacre."

Shen Nanzi also saw what was happening outside. "Who saved us! And disappeared immediately after the rescue, just like a well-trained bodyguard."

Ye Shuyin nodded, "You have a good eye. The group of men in black behind you are obviously very skilled, all of them are veterans of countless battles."

“Then our whereabouts have been exposed. At least two groups of people know our identities,” Shen Nanzi said.

"It's alright, I haven't made a move yet! At least there's only one enemy among these two groups."