Ashes to Crown

Chapter 217: Chapter 42: Happy

Really?

The Clerk listened, stunned. ’Could a form of address really make such a big difference?’

”What if you had actually gone, my lord?” the Clerk asked.

’Would the Emperor have thrown a tantrum and made things awkward?’

”Of course not.” Xie Yanfang smiled. ”His Majesty would have spoken with me about some trivial matters. Then, after I left, he would have sent a eunuch to summon his uncle again. This time, he would have specifically named Xie Yanlai—”

He paused and shook his head.

”No, he probably wouldn’t even say anything. He’d just run out, with the eunuchs following in a fluster. He’d run all the way to Xie Yanlai, throw himself at him, and shout, ’Uncle, I need to talk to you!’”

That would have been enough.

’Seeing that, the eunuchs would have been surprised and forced to reconsider. So His Majesty wasn’t looking for Xie Yanfang, but Xie Yanlai? Or rather, even after speaking with Xie Yanfang, His Majesty would still go talk to Uncle Yanlai—’

’In that case, one can only imagine Uncle Yanlai’s status in His Majesty’s heart.’

”My lord,” he couldn’t help but say, ”aren’t you overthinking this?”

’The Emperor is just a six-year-old child. What are all these twists and turns? Besides, what’s the point! They’re family.’

Xie Yanfang smiled. It wasn’t that he was overthinking it. The Emperor might be a six-year-old child, but he was also one of the Xie Family.

The minds of the Xie Family were just that complicated.

Although the Clerk didn’t seem to have any connection to the Xie family, he had actually been placed in his current official position by them. In reality, he was a servant of the Xie family, so he knew full well what they were like.

Since Xie Yanfang had put it that way, he thought for a moment before saying, ”Is it because Xie Yanlai performed meritorious service defending the city that day, so His Majesty wants to promote him?”

But even if Xie Yanlai had earned merit by defending the city and protecting His Majesty, his status in the eyes of the world could not compare to Xie Yanfang’s.

’So, His Majesty is deliberately stepping on Xie Yanfang, using him to make everyone aware of Xie Yanlai’s status.’

The Clerk’s expression sharpened. ’He didn’t believe for a second that His Majesty came up with this on his own. No matter how shrewd a child is, someone must have put him up to it!’

’Does this Xie Yanlai think that just because he has the great merit of saving His Majesty, he can now get greedy?’

’Absurd. Laughable.’

’Does he not realize that even with the credit for saving His Majesty, a single word from Xie Yanfang could make him disappear from this court, even disappear from his own home?’

’What ”great merit of Xie Yanlai saving the Emperor”? It should be the great merit of the Xie family saving the Emperor.’

Seeing the Clerk’s expression, Xie Yanfang smiled.

”No, no.” He shook his head. ”His Majesty isn’t doing this for Xie Yanlai’s sake, nor is it to show him any particular favor. It’s to make sure *I* know about it.”

’That’s why the eunuch came to me, gleefully announcing that the Emperor had summoned me.’

The Clerk was dumbfounded. ’Th-this... he really didn’t understand. What was all this about?’

Xie Yanfang pressed his lips together, a helpless smile in his eyes.

’That child... he hates me.’

He had known it since that morning when he arrived at the court and Xiao Yu, shouting ”Uncle,” ran past him to throw himself at Xie Yanlai.

In a single night, the child had lost his parents. His fear and hatred needed an outlet, and that hatred could be directed not only at his enemies but also at his own family.

Especially a relative he had always admired and looked up to.

’I failed to save his parents, and I failed to protect him when he was in danger.’

’However much he admired me before is how much he hates me now.’

And he wasn’t even trying to hide it, using such clumsy methods to make sure I knew.

Of course, for a six-year-old child, being able to do this much was already quite impressive.

’As expected of a member of the Xie Family.’

Xie Yanfang looked at the Clerk and said, ”Let this matter end here. Don’t bring it up again, and certainly don’t go making trouble for Xie Yanlai.”

The Clerk’s expression was full of admiration. ”My lord, you are truly magnanimous.”

Xie Yanfang smiled. ”It’s a trivial matter. Just a child’s temper tantrum.”

’Of course, I can be intolerant,’ he thought, ’but a child and Xie Yanlai don’t yet have the right to provoke it.’

”How is the Empress?” Xie Yanfang asked the Clerk.

The Clerk replied, ”I just asked the day before yesterday. Her journey is safe and smooth.”

Xie Yanfang said, ”Ask again today.”

The Clerk smiled. ”The Empress’s trip is truly a cause for concern. My lord, you really shouldn’t have agreed to it. It’s so nerve-wracking, and you have to face the Grand Tutor’s cold shoulder. If anything were to happen, the Grand Tutor would surely make things difficult for you.”

Xie Yanfang chuckled. ”The Grand Tutor gives me the cold shoulder and makes things difficult for me, but it’s not because I approved the Empress’s trip.”

The Clerk said no more. His lord was magnanimous, but he couldn’t be impertinent with his teasing. ”I’ll go ask in person. Please wait a moment, my lord.”

Xie Yanfang nodded and watched the Clerk leave. He didn’t immediately lower his head to attend to his duties, but murmured thoughtfully to himself, ”If I went to His Majesty’s chambers right now, I could find out news of her immediately.”

He chuckled at his own words and shook his head again.

’The child is enjoying a rare moment of happiness. I’d better not disturb him.’

...

...

Outside the Emperor’s bedchamber, eunuchs and Imperial Guards stood at attention, silent and still.

From within the hall, a child’s cry of ”AH!” was exceptionally clear and sharp.

But neither Eunuch Qi nor the Imperial Guards moved a muscle, as if they hadn’t heard a thing.

”Uncle.” Xiao Yu gripped Xie Yanlai’s arm, his small face filled with terror. ”How is that big sister?”

Xie Yanlai could feel the child trembling all over. ”She suffered a minor injury, just a flesh wound. Nothing life-threatening. She’s already on her way again.”

The child’s eyes were a little dazed, not yet recovered from his fear. ”Sh-she’s just continuing on?”

Xie Yanlai, who was seated, picked up his teacup with one hand, a faint, unreadable smile on his face. ”Of course. What else would she do? Come crying and running back? Is your ’big sister’ that kind of person?”

Xiao Yu clutched his arm and fell silent for a moment. ’Of course, Big Sister Chu Zhao isn’t like that. Back when she was protecting me, when the enemy caught up, she went right up and killed them. Then she took me and rode onward, always onward. She was fearless, even when *this* uncle’s bow and arrow were aimed at them, even when the palace gate where the Grand Tutor was remained shut and drove them away—’

”Big sister isn’t afraid,” he said. ”Big sister is the strongest.”

Xie Yanlai scoffed. ”She’s not afraid, that’s true. But ’the strongest’? I wouldn’t go that far. She’s just average. She just got lucky.”

Xiao Yu retorted, ”Being lucky is a kind of strength, too! Not everyone has it.”

Xie Yanlai huffed and pulled his arm back.

”Did big sister write a letter back?” Xiao Yu asked again, his eyes fixed on him. ”Let me see.”

Xie Yanlai immediately shook his head. ”No. It was an urgent report from a posthouse soldier. Where would she find the time to write a letter?”

Xiao Yu’s expression fell in disappointment. He then asked, ”Then can I write a letter to big sister?”

Xie Yanlai said, ”The posthouse soldier won’t have time to receive and read letters while traveling.” However, looking at the child staring up at him with hopeful eyes, he didn’t refuse completely. ”She’ll only be able to see your letter after she reaches Yunzhong County.”

A smile spread across the child’s face. ”That’s fine, that’s fine. Big sister can read a lot of them all at once.”

Xie Yanlai stood up. ”If there is nothing else, this subject will take his leave.”

The child grabbed his hand and called out, ”Uncle, if it were anyone else, they definitely wouldn’t have told me that big sister was attacked. They would have just said everything was fine.” He looked up at Xie Yanlai, his face full of dependence. ”You are the person I can trust the most, Uncle.”

Xie Yanlai looked down at the child, who wasn’t even as tall as his leg, and the corner of his mouth curled slightly. ”This kind of thing is inherently risky. Pretty words don’t bring peace of mind. Only knowing the real situation can.”

He reached out and cupped the child’s cheek.

This was probably the first time Xie Yanlai had been so intimate with him. Xiao Yu seemed surprised and froze for a moment. Whenever he had tried to pounce on him or hug his waist or arm, Xie Yanlai had always dodged or shaken him off with disdain.

’This uncle is even better-looking than that other uncle, but his aura isn’t as likable. His hand is clearly fair, but it feels like rough stone against my cheek.’

”Since you know I’m the one who can put you at ease, stop playing these little tricks in the future,” Xie Yanlai said in a low voice. ”Little one, if you don’t like Xie Yanfang, go tell him directly. Don’t use me as a pawn. Once or twice is enough. Don’t let it become a habit.”