CHAPTER 424: CHAPTER 424: ABDICATION

Xie Jingchen pushed the door open and entered the study, only to see Old Master Xie rolling up a painting and placing it in a brocade box.

His gaze lingered on the brocade box for a moment longer.

It was that brocade box again.

From childhood to adulthood, every time he saw this brocade box, his father was either rolling up a painting or placing one inside it.

He was always free to come to this study, but aside from the times he saw it in Old Master Xie’s presence, he had never seen the brocade box alone.

When Old Master Xie wasn’t around, he had secretly searched for a secret compartment but found nothing.

Not knowing who his biological mother was, coupled with Old Master Xie’s affection for him, Xie Jingchen suspected more than once that it was a portrait of his mother.

Thinking about Zhao Xu traveling all the way from Nanliang to Daqi to find his mother, if he had a portrait...

Even if his mother was no longer in this world.

At the very least, he could know who his mother was and what she looked like, right?

Old Master Xie placed the painting in the brocade box, looked at Xie Jingchen, and said, "Why come so late? Can’t it wait until tomorrow?"

Xie Jingchen didn’t answer.

He reached out his hand and tried to grab the painting directly.

Old Master Xie’s heart skipped a beat.

Just as Xie Jingchen’s hand was about to touch the painting, Old Master Xie dodged it.

One refused to let him see.

One insisted on seeing it.

Just like that, they started fighting in the study.

The Hidden Guard outside the study was baffled.

If they weren’t certain only Old Master Xie and Xie Jingchen were inside, they would have suspected an assassin sneaked in.

Isn’t the young master severely poisoned, unable to fight?

Fighting so fiercely, isn’t he afraid the poison will flare up?

The Hidden Guard had doubts, but Old Master Xie was stunned.

He sparred with Xie Jingchen; ordinarily, his body’s poison would have acted up a dozen times by now.

But this time it did not.

He didn’t even know his son’s martial arts had improved so much.

Afraid of hurting Xie Jingchen, he didn’t dare to fight seriously, almost letting Xie Jingchen snatch the painting a few times.

Without Xie Jingchen stating it outright, this exchange explained everything to Old Master Xie.

Xie Jingchen’s martial arts were good, but he was still too inexperienced to snatch something from Old Master Xie’s hands.

Convinced he couldn’t win, Xie Jingchen stopped.

He looked at the painting and asked, "Can I really not see it?"

Old Master Xie answered with action.

He directly tossed the painting to Xie Jingchen.

After struggling for so long and failing to take it, now that it was directly thrown to him, Xie Jingchen was bewildered.

He reached out and caught the portrait.

Old Master Xie turned around and sat down.

Xie Jingchen unrolled the painting.

Hmm.

The portrait depicted several men drinking in a bamboo grove.

Xie Jingchen frowned deeply.

He looked towards Old Master Xie and said, "This is a painting by the Heir of Duke Xian, and it not only includes me, but also the Emperor and your father-in-law."

"Having grown accustomed to your father-in-law’s changed appearance, it’s hard to recall what he looked like when he was young."

The most admired person back then was the Heir of Duke Xian.

Now, the most admired is Marquis Dongxiang.

The figures in the painting were blurred, showing only face contours, yet the postures allowed one to guess which one was his father-in-law.

Clearly, the one lying on the stone drinking leisurely was him.

Free-spirited and unrestrained, vividly depicted in the painting.

Xie Jingchen silently rolled up the portrait.

Old Master Xie looked at him and asked, "Who cured the poison in your body?"

"Su Jin," Xie Jingchen replied.

Old Master Xie’s brows furrowed, and he blurted out, "How is that possible?"

Not only had Duke Zhen been to Qingyun Mountain, he had been there a few times himself.

The first time he went, Su Jin was ten years old.

Innocently flying kites with her maid.

The sound of laughter filled all of Qingyun Mountain.

Marquis Dongxiang looked at his daughter with a face full of affection and sighed, "My daughter is perfect in every way, except she doesn’t like to study. Brother Xie, how do you usually discipline your daughter?"

Marquis Dongxiang asked humbly for advice on parenting.

Old Master Xie couldn’t manage a daughter; it was always Princess Nanzhang who managed.

He was awkwardly unsure of how to respond when Su Jin came to the rescue.

Her kite got stuck in a tree, and Su Jin climbed up but couldn’t get down.

Could a girl disliking study have mastered exceptional medical skills surpassing the Imperial Physician? Was this possible?

Old Master Xie didn’t believe it.

But he also knew Xie Jingchen wouldn’t lie to him.

Old Master Xie looked at Xie Jingchen and said, "So, Doctor Zhao went to the Agarwood Pavilion and returned to redress the Duke’s wounds—is that also something she taught?"

Xie Jingchen nodded. "Father, no need to doubt, her medical skills are outstanding, far beyond Doctor Zhao."

"Not only did she detoxify me, but now even common poisons can’t take my life."

Xie Jingchen confessed to feigning illness to Old Master Xie, admitting it was wrong to do so without knowing about Duke Zhen’s injury, causing worry.

Old Master Xie didn’t blame Xie Jingchen.

Xie Jingchen handed the portrait back to Old Master Xie and took his leave.

After he left, Old Master Xie placed the painting on the painting rack and took up another one nearby, placing it into the brocade box and securing it.

When Xie Jingchen returned to his room, Su Jin was already asleep.

After a long and tiring day, Su Jin was truly exhausted and went to sleep without waiting for Xie Jingchen’s return.

Su Jin slept soundly, while in the Buddhist Hall, Xie Jinyu cried until her eyes were sore, and the maid applied a warm towel to relieve them.

Princess Nanzhang had been punished and couldn’t get out of bed, so Mrs. Zhao came and asked, "Is the young miss feeling better?"

"The miss has cried for a long time, and her eyes hurt a lot," said the maid.

Mrs. Zhao understood why Xie Jinyu was crying and said, "Miss, you misunderstood the Princess."

"The Princess would never let the young miss take the fall. It was my own decision," apologized Mrs. Zhao.

"If the Princess were confined to the Buddhist Hall today, her reputation ruined, neither you nor the second young master could save her," Mrs. Zhao explained.

"But if it were you, Miss, the Princess would surely find a way to get you out."

Although Mrs. Zhao spoke convincingly, Xie Jinyu didn’t believe it.

Without her mother’s approval, Mrs. Zhao wouldn’t have dared to let her take the fall.

"For now, the young miss will have to endure the Buddhist Hall for a couple of days. After that, the Princess will find a way to get you out," said Mrs. Zhao.

"The set of Purple Jade Head Ornaments you wanted most from Jinyu Pavilion; the Princess will send it to you tomorrow."

The set of jewelry Xie Jinyu had her eyes on was worth five thousand taels.

She had pleaded with Princess Nanzhang for a long time, but she never agreed.

Now that she could have them, Xie Jinyu found no joy in it.

After applying the warm compress, her eyes felt less painful, but the injuries on her bottom kept her awake all night.

It hurt until morning light, and she finally fell into an uneasy sleep.

During her restless sleep—

Duke Zhen Country Mansion was bestowed a princely title.

Duke Zhen and General Xie had defended the border for over half a year, resisting Beimo’s attack, and preserving the court’s stronghold in the north, fighting fiercely to achieve such glory.

Upon learning that General Xie had captured the King of Beimo alive, the Emperor pondered how best to reward Duke Zhen Country Mansion.

The Emperor had considered bestowing a princely title.

But as General Xie captured the King of Beimo with the assistance of the Flying Tiger Army.

The credit could only count as half.

Granting a princely title seemed slightly premature.

Throughout history, princely titles awarded based on military merits were more common at the start of a dynasty, as recognition for those who helped found the nation, with few awarded thereafter.

Bestowing a princely title now would leave the Emperor unsure of how to reward Duke Zhen and General Xie for any future meritorious service.

So, the Emperor put the thought aside.

However, yesterday Duke Zhen selflessly gave the glory of capturing the King of Beimo to the Flying Tiger Army.

The Emperor was deeply moved.

With Duke Zhen’s unwavering loyalty to the court, his selfless act allowed the Emperor to reunite with his brother earlier, knowing he had long returned by his side.

The Emperor used the princely title to make up for Duke Zhen’s concession.

Because the Duchess of Duke Zhen Country Mansion was Princess Nanzhang, the niece of the Empress Dowager, and cousin to Duke Chong.

No one stood forward to oppose the Emperor’s decision to grant Duke Zhen the title of Prince Zhenbei.

Duke Zhen knelt to receive the decree.

As soon as he held the imperial edict in his hands.

Overcome with emotion, he couldn’t stand up for a long while.

He went into a severe coughing fit.

After he finished coughing.

He passed the princely title to Old Master Xie.