CHAPTER 569: CHAPTER 569 HEARTACHE

Qihao Hall.

After breakfast, Su Jin took Xingxing to pay respects to the Old Madam.

She was a bit late, and Princess Nanzhang and the others were already there.

Seeing Su Jin enter, the Third Madam said, "Why is the Princely Heir’s wife so late?"

Su Jin bowed in courtesy and replied, "There was a fire in the city last night, and coincidentally it was in the direction of the Beauty Pavilion. I was worried, so I went to bed late."

The Second Madam looked at Su Jin, "I heard someone poured kerosene at the Beauty Pavilion last night, and was discovered just as they planned to set it on fire?"

"It was indeed fortunate, otherwise the losses would have been severe," Su Jin said.

Princess Nanzhang held a teacup, the misty tea steam couldn’t hide the cold glint in her eyes.

It was indeed good fortune!

The kerosene was spilled, yet the fire did not start.

This Beauty Pavilion even had experts watching over it.

Not succeeding this time and alerting their enemies, it will be even harder to succeed next time.

But it’s also good that it wasn’t burned down, losing such a money tree would have been a pity.

Rather than destroy it, why not take it for myself.

Earning so much money, there aren’t many places to use it, it’d all be saved for her anyway.

Thinking this, Princess Nanzhang felt much better.

The Old Madam looked at Su Jin and said, "It’s been a few months since you’ve married into the Prince Mansion, and you’re still not pregnant. Relief work is a virtuous cause; take people to the city to distribute porridge and help the disaster victims."

Su Jin, "...."

Su Jin silently rolled her eyes.

She and Xie Jingchen hadn’t even consummated the marriage yet.

How could there be good news?

The "disaster victims" were already starting fires everywhere.

Asking her to distribute porridge now, was she supposed to be a target?

"The disaster victims are rioting, I’m afraid to go," Su Jin whispered.

Afraid?

Princess Nanzhang’s eyes glinted with amusement.

Was there anything her Qingyun Mountain bandits wouldn’t dare do?

"You are asked to distribute porridge; those rioting disaster victims have enough to eat and drink, they wouldn’t rob you," Princess Nanzhang said.

"Since it’s safe, mother should go with me," Su Jin said.

"...."

As long as Princess Nanzhang went, she would accompany her at the risk of her life.

Princess Nanzhang’s face turned a shade darker.

The Old Madam said, "I wasn’t considerate enough. Since the Princely Heir’s wife is afraid to go, let the servants distribute the porridge instead."

Su Jin planned to take her leave.

However, Princess Nanzhang suddenly turned the conversation, looking at the Second Madam, "I heard the Second Master is vying for the position of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue?"

The Second Madam immediately said, "Please, sister-in-law, help with the planning."

Princess Nanzhang looked troubled, "Why didn’t you mention it earlier? A few days ago, Princess Ning asked me for help—she wanted that position too, and I agreed to her."

The Second Madam knew about that and said, "I just got the news, so I came to you for help, sister-in-law."

Princess Nanzhang never planned to help the second branch.

Though the second branch posed no threat to her, she always felt Aunt Ding was not simple.

She followed the rules too strictly, not like a concubine at all.

More importantly, the Old Madam favored her.

Helping a concubine’s son secure an official position, truly a virtuous noble mother!

Princess Nanzhang had already promised Princess Ning, so she couldn’t refuse the Second Madam.

The Second Madam said nothing.

The Old Madam said, "There’s no reason not to help one’s own and instead help outsiders. You should honestly tell Princess Ning, she will understand."

"If you really can’t refuse, let Duke Chong recommend both candidates. In the end, who gets promoted will be up to the Emperor’s decision."

Truth be told, the Old Madam didn’t have much hope in Duke Chong’s recommendation success.

The Emperor was no longer the same as before.

He wouldn’t let Duke Chong insert more people into the court.

Princess Nanzhang knew this too, and to avoid outright offending the Second Madam, nodded, "I’ll try talking to Duke Chong."

The Third Madam sat there looking unhappy.

She thought the Old Madam was being foolish.

If the Second Master really got the Vice Minister position, he’d be on par with the Third Master in rank.

The Ministry of Revenue was a lucrative position; wasn’t she letting a concubine’s son overshadow her own son?

Had she gone senile?!

After everyone had left, the Third Madam protested to the Old Madam.

The Old Madam looked at the Third Madam as if she were an idiot, as if she actually wanted to help the Second Master.

"The position of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue is mostly under Marquis Dongxiang’s influence," the Old Madam said.

"The second branch wants to climb up; saying a few harmless words doesn’t hurt anything, why are you anxious?"

The Third Madam thought it made sense and calmed down her anger.

Mrs. Wang quietly watched the Old Madam manipulate the Third Madam.

This time, calming the Third Madam’s anger, once the Second Master truly secured the Vice Minister position, she could simply say, "I had no idea the Emperor trusted the Old Prince so much."

Once the fact was established, a single sentence could dismiss the Third Madam.

Su Jin, after leaving Qihao Hall, was pondering the matter of the Old Madam helping the second branch.

She knew about Aunt Ding’s visit to the Old Madam yesterday.

Su Jin disliked being used by Aunt Ding.

She wanted to find a chance to let the Old Madam know about Aunt Ding’s scheming and give her a taste of her own medicine.

But before she could figure out how to reveal it—

The two maids informed her that the Old Madam already knew about it.

Su Jin, "...."

Su Jin was puzzled.

Besides her and the second branch, who else knew?

She pondered along the way but couldn’t guess it was Mrs. Wang’s doing, intending to ask Xie Jingchen for advice.

Just as she stepped into Agarwood Pavilion, a maid informed her that the Emperor had summoned Xie Jingchen to the palace.

Su Jin guessed it was about welcoming the Beimo Cheng King.

Hmm.

Xie Jingchen thought so too.

After all, welcoming the envoy was a significant task, and it was reasonable for the Emperor to worry about him handling it for the first time.

But!

Xie Jingchen never expected the Emperor summoned him to help write a self-critique edict.

Seriously.

When the Emperor said that.

He was at a loss for a while.

When Marquis Dongxiang asked him to write a reflective memorial, he was scolded by the Emperor, those words still ringing in his ears.

How could the Emperor imitate Marquis Dongxiang in asking him to write a self-critique edict?!

Xie Jingchen said nothing.

He was wondering how to refuse the Emperor without getting punished.

But before he could decline, the Emperor got angry, "What? You’re unwilling?"

Could he be willing?

He had never been willing from the start.

He looked up to see the Emperor giving him a look as if to say: refuse, and you’ll be carried out of the palace.

Xie Jingchen felt an impulse to die.

Couldn’t they give him a proper job?

Why did he always get these thankless tasks that couldn’t be seen?

Eunuch Fu felt sorry for Xie Jingchen.

The self-critique edict had to be written by the Emperor himself by custom.

No one dared to help the Emperor write it, and since the Emperor didn’t want to write, he had to find someone he could bully.

Eunuch Fu thought Xie Jingchen had no chance of struggle, so he kindly came over and said, "Young Master, the desk and chair are over there."

Hmm.

The Emperor wouldn’t let Xie Jingchen go until he finished writing.

To display the Emperor’s literary talent to the officials and the people.

The Emperor demanded Xie Jingchen write the self-critique edict sincerely, making him appear as a compassionate sage king, full of benevolent love, yet not losing the mighty and dominant aura of an emperor with the power of life and death.

It’d be best if it started and ended with hidden meanings.

Xie Jingchen, "...."

All morning, Xie Jingchen pondered how to write the self-critique edict.

When he finished and presented it to the Emperor, it was already well past noon.

Xie Jingchen racked his brains and only managed to hide the beginning.

After reading, the Emperor said, "Barely acceptable."

Not a word of praise, and no reward to speak of.

After returning to the mansion, Su Jin looked at him, "Why did it take you so long in the palace to return?"

"Did the Emperor keep you for an Imperial Banquet?"

Imperial Banquet?

He hadn’t even seen a single bun.

The small kitchen brought in a bowl of beef noodles.

Xie Jingchen was devouring the noodles hungrily.

Xingxing felt more and more something was off, she whispered, "Miss, why do I feel like master-in-law suffered unspeakable hardship this time in the palace?"