"The Crown Prince is of noble status, and the Emperor places great expectations upon him. How could he possibly keep someone like Xie Zhixue by his side?"
"I suspect the Emperor is still unaware of this. Otherwise, he wouldn't just refuse to tolerate Xie Zhixue; he would hold the Crown Prince accountable as well."
That was the truth; the Imperial family cared above all else about their reputation. Yuwenzhang had achieved remarkable military feats and held a position of supreme status. He was already the heir apparent, waiting only for the late Emperor to pass so he could smoothly ascend the throne. If Xie Zhixue truly had some sort of entanglement with him, the very least she could hope for in the future was a concubine's rank in the inner palace.
But what a humiliating disgrace that would be! How could a woman of questionable reputation bring a bastard into the palace to become a consort? Whose face would that be slapping?
Although Shen Wan'er was thinking a bit far ahead, Yuwenzhang was known for his headstrong ways. He never listened to advice, acting purely on his whims. It was entirely possible he would do something like that!
Thinking this, Shen Wan'er hurriedly asked, "Tell me, will Xie Zhixue leave?"
"She certainly will." Shaoyao nodded emphatically. "If she has any self-awareness at all, she should stay far away from the Crown Prince and his household. She shouldn't even dare to dream of being the Crown Princess, let alone a mere bedchamber maid. It’s for her own good, and for His Highness's good as well!"
"She ought to think about whether she is even worthy of the Crown Prince. If today's affairs were to spread, how many lives would she have to pay with? The spit of the common folk alone would be enough to drown her."
Hearing Shaoyao say this, Shen Wan'er felt somewhat better. She decided not to expose the matter for now. While doing so would deal a fatal blow to Xie Zhixue, she loved Yuwenzhang deeply and naturally did not want his reputation to be stained in any way. As long as Xie Zhixue was willing to be obedient, Shen Wan'er could begrudgingly grant her a way out.
At dusk, Zhang Youqing entered the study after receiving word from a servant. Yuwenzhang was busy reviewing memorials. Now that he was the Crown Prince, he had the duty of helping the Emperor with state affairs, and reviewing these documents was a matter of course.
"Your Highness." Zhang Youqing knelt and bowed.
Yuwenzhang gave a faint grunt, his eyes not leaving his work. "What is it?" He had sent Zhang Youqing to watch over Xie Zhixue and her child; something must have happened for him to come now.
Zhang Youqing did not hesitate and recounted word-for-word what Shen Wan'er had said to Xie Zhixue that afternoon. Yuwenzhang’s expression suddenly tightened, his gaze turning icy as it pierced toward Zhang Youqing. "Are you certain?"
"This servant would not dare to deceive Your Highness." Zhang Youqing dared not raise his head, and even his breathing was cautious.
He was also quite surprised. In all fairness, although Yuwenzhang was fierce toward Xie Zhixue on the surface, he did not treat her poorly. He had arranged such comfortable living quarters for her, and even the clothes she wore were more exquisite and of finer, softer fabric than those of the other maids. Even when it came to Ping'an, though Yuwenzhang acted sternly, hadn't he still called for Imperial Physician Li to treat the boy? Had Xie Zhixue failed to find a doctor herself, Ping'an would have likely been burnt to a simpleton by now if not for Yuwenzhang's intervention.
Yet, Xie Zhixue actually wanted to leave. Zhang Youqing truly felt a sense of injustice on Yuwenzhang's behalf.
The atmosphere in the study turned frigid, as if a massive boulder had descended from the sky, filling every corner and leaving Zhang Youqing struggling to breathe. He did not dare look up, instead retreating to the side, eyes fixed on his own nose, and his heart on his duty.
"Good!" Yuwenzhang finally spoke. Although he was smiling, Zhang Youqing, having served him for many years, knew clearly that this was the precursor to his rage.
*Smash!*
Yuwenzhang slammed the memorial onto the desk and leaned back, his breathing ragged. "She has only been in the estate for a few days, and Xie Zhixue actually dares to think of leaving? She has quite the nerve!"
Zhang Youqing quickly interjected, "Miss Xie did not agree."
"But she didn't refuse, either!" Yuwenzhang’s voice was filled with resentment and towering fury.
This statement successfully extinguished any desire Zhang Youqing might have had to plead for Xie Zhixue and her son. Although he had served by Yuwenzhang's side for years, he still had to tread carefully. If he said something to irritate his master, while Yuwenzhang might not take his life, a round of punishment would be inevitable.
Yuwenzhang felt a scorching fire rising in his chest, making him feel quite uncomfortable. He grabbed a cup of chrysanthemum tea, drank it down in one gulp, and then flung the cup aside.
"Your Highness, calm your anger." Zhang Youqing hurriedly knelt, trembling. "Please, Your Highness, do not damage your health over this. Perhaps Miss Xie will not agree; she may simply not know how to refuse Miss Shen."
This softened Yuwenzhang's expression slightly, but only slightly. Zhang Youqing hesitated for a moment, carefully choosing his words. "Perhaps I should assign more men to keep watch, to ensure Miss Xie has no opportunity to leave."
"No need." Yuwenzhang raised a hand to stop him, his gaze icy. "Go and tell them that if Xie Zhixue truly wishes to leave, do not obstruct her. From now on, no matter what she does, do not intervene; simply report it to me."
Zhang Youqing was puzzled at first, but then he realized: Yuwenzhang was intentionally testing Xie Zhixue. If she truly agreed with Shen Wan'er, her behavior over the coming days would surely become suspicious, and she might attempt to flee at any moment. If she truly made that decision, it would be crossing Yuwenzhang's bottom line. When that time came, no one could save her. But this would be a choice made by Xie Zhixue herself. Whether she stayed or left, it was her own decision.
"This servant understands," Zhang Youqing bowed his head slightly. "Your Highness, rest assured, I will see to it."
Stay still, pretend to know nothing, and simply watch what Xie Zhixue chooses. It was not a difficult task, but Zhang Youqing vaguely felt that Yuwenzhang’s intentions were not that simple. However, this was not directed at him, but at Xie Zhixue alone.
Time flew, and three days passed. During these three days, Yuwenzhang treated Xie Zhixue as usual; his words showed no cracks, nor did he let her perceive anything unusual. However, his attitude remained as cold as ever, and he would still occasionally lash out with sharp, insincere remarks. After it happened enough times, Xie Zhixue stopped taking them to heart.
On the fourth day, Shen Wan'er arrived. Even she was surprised; in the past, whenever she wanted to enter the Crown Prince's Estate, she had to find a suitable excuse and seek Yuwenzhang's permission first. There were even strict regulations on how many people could accompany her and how long she could stay. But today, when she asked to come over under the pretext of gathering silk tree blossoms, Yuwenzhang agreed immediately and even allowed her to bring more servants to help.
Shen Wan'er was taken aback, but she did not overthink it. After arranging for the servants to pick the flowers, she immediately went to Xie Zhixue to ask for her answer.
"Wan'er, I have made up my mind." Xie Zhixue took a deep breath, her expression resolute. "I am leaving this place. For my own sake, and for the sake of my Ping'an, I must leave."
"The wealth and status of the Crown Prince's Estate are not things I can covet, nor are they things I can afford to be stained by. I must go far away, where no one can ever find me."
"That's right!"