How can I bow my head and serve the powerful officials?

Chapter 235: Parents’ orders and matchmaker’s words, but she is a man-lover!

Xie Chengze now has two clear forces under his command.

First, most of the civil officials under Shen Yuan were from the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Works, and there were still remnants of Hou Yuanzhen in the Ministry of Rites, and only half of them were used by Minister Sheng.

The other group was the civil officials under Sheng Shihuai, most of whom were from the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Personnel. However, the Ministry of Revenue had gone through the last major purge, and even though Sheng Shihuai had transferred some positions, many people were still inserted by the prince's party.

Because the Crown Prince began to take over the Imperial College, the attitude of the Hanlin Academy became ambiguous. As for the eldest prince, he did not make a clear statement, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking. Some people even wondered whether to support the eldest prince.

Now the eldest prince's attitude is very important. If the eldest prince tends to support the crown prince, then the crown prince who holds all the military power will definitely have a high chance of winning. But if the eldest prince intends to support the second prince, then the situation will become delicate.

Cao Qingran knew very well that if he had to choose between Xie Jinyu and Xie Chengze, Xie Shoujun would definitely choose Xie Chengze.

In order to ensure Xie Jinyu's position as the crown prince, she had planned to get rid of all the princes. She was going to find a random excuse to demote Xie Shoujun to a commoner and then have someone deal with him secretly. However, that palace maid was so tough that she went straight to Emperor Jian and hit her head against a pillar to show that if Xie Shoujun died, it must be the Queen's fault.

So she changed her method. She kept sending people to assassinate and poison the prince, but she would stop only halfway through. The palace maid could not stand this kind of psychological torture, so she secretly bribed the maid around her, telling her that as long as she died, the eldest prince might be able to survive without the protection of his mother's family.

The palace maid really committed suicide.

Cao Qingran didn't understand. She had never loved Xie Jinyu, so she didn't understand why the palace maid was willing to exchange her life for Xie Shoujun's. She clearly had a better choice. She could abandon Xie Shoujun, give birth to a princess, and continue to enjoy wealth and glory in the harem.

She didn't understand, but that didn't matter.

She just numbly confirmed that Xie Shoujun would avenge the palace maid because his mother died at her hands, and he was also forced to leave the capital for ten years because of Xie Jinyu. If it weren't for Xie Chengze, he would not have been able to return to the capital safely and shake Xie Jinyu's position.

Xie Shoujun will take revenge on her, and she will eventually get rid of Xie Shoujun.

In the East Palace, Cao Qingran looked at Xie Jinyu kneeling on the ground with an indifferent look in his eyes, "Go and take back the military power from the eldest prince."

Xie Jinyu also lowered his eyes and looked at the hem of his clothes calmly, and said calmly, "This son cannot make the decision on this matter. If the emperor wants to take back the military power, he should be the one to speak."

Cao Qingran sneered, "He's almost dead, what difference does it make whether he speaks or not?"

"No matter what, I shouldn't speak." Xie Jinyu insisted.

Cao Qingran's expression paused. She squinted her eyes and stared at the child who crawled out of her belly. His eyebrows and eyes were very similar to Emperor Jian, but his facial features were more like her own. He knelt on the ground calmly, and showed no emotion at all about the fact that Emperor Jian was about to die.

Yes, I already know it.

Cao Qingran was determined, and after a long while he suddenly smiled, "Jinyu, you seem to be not young anymore, it's time to get married."

Xie Jinyu paused slightly.

It is the parents' orders and the matchmaker's words. Even if he is the crown prince, if his father and mother order him to marry the crown princess, he will have no way to resist.

"You should know that if I hadn't pressed you, how could the Cao family tolerate you not marrying a girl from the Cao family as the Crown Princess even though you are already 20 years old?" Cao Qingran said calmly, with a bit more sharpness in her eyes, "Or, I can also act as a matchmaker for the Regent."

This time, Xie Jinyu finally raised her eyes, with a hint of depth in her eyes, "Mother, you are joking. I will definitely take back the military power."

The tense situation in the court was on the verge of breaking out. Sheng Shihuai and Xie Jinyu put pressure on the eldest prince at the same time. The Cao family and Sheng Shihuai's troops also began to clash in Liaozhou. The queen took action personally and promoted the prince's former left and right arms again, subtly stirring the situation in the court.

Even Shen Yuan became busy, secretly training Xie Jinyu and teaching him how to deal with the coming storms.

Xie Chengze, who claimed to be "knowless about power struggles", avoided the court affairs and enjoyed the peaceful years. He went to Yufu Palace to pet the little white tiger, played Landlord with Xie Zimiao to win Concubine Rou's private money, and was beaten by Concubine Rou and ran to the Ministry of Works. He gave some constructive suggestions to Gu Lao and Su Qinghe, and then gave Su Qinghe special treatment, telling him everything he had seen and heard in the modern era.

Su Qinghe is indeed very talented and hardworking. Xie Chengze only drew a sketch and roughly explained its function, and Su Qinghe was able to figure out how to make the parts and gradually create what he wanted.

"By the way, Your Highness." Su Qinghe took out the draft textbook written by Xie Chengze and pointed to two words on it and said, "The oil mentioned above may be given to Young Master Jiang to find."

Xie Chengze tilted his head, a little surprised, "Oh?"

"Young Master Jiang has a lot of knowledge about geology. In Yangzhou, his ability to find gold mines is widely known, and even people in the capital know about it." Su Qinghe said softly, "If Your Highness wants to find oil, perhaps you can go and see Young Master Jiang. It's a pity that Qinghe has lived in the palace for a long time and doesn't know where Young Master Jiang is now. Maybe he has returned to Yangzhou, or maybe he is somewhere else."

Xie Chengze couldn't help but raise the corner of his mouth, "What a coincidence, I just happened to know that."

After taking some time, Xie Chengze immediately found Young Master Jiang, who was temporarily staying at the Shen family, and told him his request.

Young Master Jiang seemed a little hesitant, and Xie Chengze couldn't help but ask, "Young Master Jiang, do you have any concerns?"

"Your Highness, I have a favor to ask of you. If you don't accomplish it, I'm afraid I won't be able to leave." Jiang Yuan's expression became more serious.

Xie Chengze probably knew what he wanted to say. He probably wanted him to persuade or force Sheng Yiren to follow him back to Yangzhou and be his financial manager.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Yuan said, "Your Highness, you said that Jiang is handsome, wealthy, generous, and kind. I want a little-known boy vendor to follow me to Yangzhou as a housekeeper, but why is he always unwilling? Your Highness, can you give me some advice?"

Xie Chengze: ...Is it just giving advice?

Young Master Jiang seemed to be more kindhearted than he thought. Should he be said to be worthy of being from the same lineage as Xie Zimiao?

Clearing his throat, Xie Chengze said, "How about you seduce me?"

Young Master Jiang was immediately terrified, "No, no, I don't have any sexual preferences! If I use sex to seduce you, wouldn't that be irresponsible? Absolutely not!"

Xie Chengze: ...

Xie Chengze clenched his fists and shouted weakly, "But she likes men!!!"

Young Master Jiang:!!!

Young Master Jiang suddenly realized: "My Yangzhou man is very handsome! I think if I use this as an inducement, he will definitely be willing to follow me back to Yangzhou!"

"Whatever, as long as you are happy." Xie Chengze slumped in the chair exhausted, thinking to himself that he had to do some ideological work on Sheng Yiren, and by the way, paint a rosy picture for Sheng Yiren and tell her the philosophy that "the world is so big, you should go and see it carefully."