YHMCBW Chapter 77

Chapter 77: Not Becoming a Wife 77

“Why would I feel sorry for you, Your Highness?” Xie Baizheng said gently: “You, with your noble character, volunteered to be used, and in the end, you might even be blamed by everyone.”

“But someone as noble as you probably doesn’t care, right?”

The smile on Xie Baizheng’s face seemed painted on, disappearing as soon as he finished speaking. Huo Jingchuan was speechless: “I…”

Huo Jingchuan couldn’t help but look at him. Xie Baizheng’s usual calmness, which could even intimidate enemies on the battlefield, seemed to have disappeared, his tone carrying a hint of anger.

Although still restrained, it was evident.

This discovery delighted Huo Jingchuan, as if Xie Baizheng’s anger had ignited fireworks in his chest—he wasn’t entirely indifferent to his older brother’s reckless behavior, but now, his displeasure was completely overshadowed by this. He tentatively reached out and put his arm around Xie Baizheng’s waist.

Xie Baizheng glanced at him but didn’t move away, letting Huo Jingchuan lean against him, whispering in his ear: “You’re angry because you’re worried about me. I know.”

“No, I just don’t understand.” Xie Baizheng asked: “Haven’t you considered that His Majesty’s plan might not work?”

Huo Jingchuan sighed inwardly and sat up properly, saying sincerely: “I have.”

Xie Baizheng was exasperated: “Then why did you…”

“Actually, Father also considered land reform when he was alive. In the sixteenth year of the Kangyuan era, Father ordered a trial land survey in Jiangnan, but it was largely ineffective.”

“For the court to uncover concealed land holdings from the local powerful families, it needs the cooperation of local officials. But the magistrates at the time weren’t like the current ones, newly appointed and inexperienced. They were all seasoned officials who had long-standing relationships with the local landlords and gentry. They had their own unspoken agreements. The court ordered the creation of land registries, and the county and prefectural governments naturally complied, but the records they submitted weren’t verified.”

“There was also chaos everywhere at the time. Strict enforcement led to public resentment, while lenient enforcement resulted in useless reports, a waste of effort.”

“Father quickly realized that this matter couldn’t be rushed, so he took a step back and temporarily stopped the land survey, instead focusing on household registration and grain production, using the summer and autumn tax figures to estimate the amount of land.”

“Since the court wasn’t conducting a land survey, the common people were more cooperative, and the Ministry of Revenue officials gradually improved the household registration system over three years, which was then implemented nationwide.”

“If this continued, after a few more years of implementing the household registration system, the local officials would have established procedures, and then re-surveying the land might be effective in uncovering concealed land holdings, but…”

Huo Jingchuan trailed off, and Xie Baizheng knew what he meant—but the late emperor passed away in the nineteenth year of the Kangyuan era, leaving the empire to his eldest son.

There was naturally no wine in the study. Huo Jingchuan’s throat was dry, but he didn’t bother getting tea and just said: “After my older brother ascended the throne, eager to fulfill Father’s wishes, he probably wanted to make a big move. Having finally found the opportunity with the Ci’en Temple concealed land case, he naturally wouldn’t let it go.”

“My older brother learned from Father’s experience. To prevent local officials from colluding with the powerful families and deceiving the court, he started planning as soon as he took the throne. The autumn examination in the nineteenth year of the Kangyuan era followed Father’s old rules, but the special spring examination in the first year of the Yongshou era admitted a total of three hundred and eighty-nine Jinshi, almost the same as the number of Jinshi Father admitted in two spring examinations.”

“And the number of scholars from humble backgrounds in this batch of Jinshi shocked the court and the public. Since the beginning of the Yongshou era, my older brother has been gradually appointing these scholars from humble backgrounds to local positions. Two months ago, the Ministry of Revenue sent another batch, hoping that they would prioritize the people’s welfare and not collude with the local powerful families.”

“That’s too…” Xie Baizheng originally wanted to say “naive,” but he changed his wording: “Too idealistic. Even scholars from humble backgrounds must have some financial means to support their education. Expecting them to side with the common people is unrealistic.”

Huo Jingchuan smiled.

He knew Xie Baizheng was right, but his older brother was impatient.

In fact, the problem wasn’t just that. —Taking the pressing issue of manpower as an example, the Great Yong Dynasty was vast, with millions of mu of land. Even with the Ministry of Personnel working tirelessly, they could only send a few hundred officials, a drop in the bucket. Moreover, the Ministry of Personnel’s selection process only focused on mathematics. Knowing mathematics didn’t mean understanding land management. There weren’t enough qualified personnel.

Huo Jingchuan’s judgment was correct. It was too hasty.

“Is His Majesty trying to make a statement with this land reform?” Xie Baizheng chuckled: “One blow to the wealthy landlords, and another to you, Prince Qing.”

“What about the third?”

“…” Huo Jingchuan couldn’t be angry now. The thought of Xie Baizheng being angry and defending him made him want to grin like a fool. He forced himself to remain calm and said objectively: “If you count it that way, it should be the noble families. After my older brother ascended the throne, he forbade the descendants of noble families from inheriting titles easily, requiring them to make contributions to the court. Now, among all the nobles, only Ye Wenbin has been granted the title of Crown Prince.”

Xie Baizheng paused for a moment, “So his contribution to the court was solving the Chang’an County examination cheating case?”

“Indeed.” Huo Jingchuan nodded and said seriously: “You deserve half the credit. My older brother and Ye Wenbin should both thank you.”

Xie Baizheng: “…”

Truly impressive.

Wait, why should they both thank him? Xie Baizheng paused, finally suppressing Su Jingmiao’s gossip. “So, what’s your relationship with your older brother really like? Didn’t he used to write poems to entertain you? Why is he… now? Don’t you mind him using you like this?”

“My older brother, he doesn’t have any ill intentions.” Huo Jingchuan said with a wry smile: “Back in the palace, even the servants praised his kindness. If someone in the palace made a mistake, he never scolded or punished them, just patiently advised them. Even if they didn’t listen, he would just send them away.”

“Since he started his education, my older brother’s teachers were all chosen by our grandfather, all men of virtue and righteousness. If you were a minister, what kind of emperor would you want?” Huo Jingchuan smiled bitterly: “Naturally, one who respects his teachers, listens to advice, and doesn’t resort to violence. So my older brother was raised to be a kind and benevolent crown prince. But a crown prince can be obedient, an emperor can’t be without his own judgment. So Father spent years gradually replacing the instructors around my older brother, but this made him suspicious.”

“Father was too slow. By then, my older brother had already grown up, and it took several years to dismiss those old instructors. How could my older brother not overthink it?”

Huo Jingchuan shook his head: “It was because the war with the Northern Barbarians was intense during the first few years of Father’s reign, and there were many problems in the court, that he didn’t dismiss those old geezers sooner.”

“So that’s why the late emperor kept you by his side and taught you personally?” Xie Baizheng asked.

“Yes and no.” Huo Jingchuan touched his nose guiltily, “Mainly because I was too much of a troublemaker. The instructors couldn’t control me.”

“…”

“After that, Father made my older brother continue his studies in the palace, hoping he would learn more.” Huo Jingchuan sighed: “But Father’s death was too sudden. My older brother ascended the throne unexpectedly, without many people he trusted in the court.”

“So he only trusts Ye Wenbin?” Xie Baizheng asked.

“Ye Wenbin was his companion, the only person Father left him.” Huo Jingchuan said: “Actually, neither of us understood at the time. My older brother didn’t know that Father wasn’t suspicious of him, and I didn’t expect him to be suspicious of Father.”

“If it were me, I would have told Father directly if I didn’t want my companions to be dismissed. I wouldn’t let them go without a convincing reason.” Huo Jingchuan said: “If Father forced me, I would have run away from home.”

Xie Baizheng chuckled: “Where could you have gone?”

Huo Jingchuan said: “I was always in the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Which minister or nobleman didn’t I know? I could have just followed any of them to the palace gate and insisted on being taken home. Would they refuse to feed me?”

Xie Baizheng: “…”

The history books weren’t entirely fabricated.

Huo Jingchuan had never had anyone to confide in about these things. Gu Ziyan and the others probably understood, so there was no need to say it, but keeping it bottled up was also difficult.

Huo Jingchuan, after this digression, returned to the main topic: “My older brother has high expectations of himself. He wants to achieve great things and impress everyone.”

“Surveying the land is the first thing he wants to do.” Huo Jingchuan said: “So how can I be angry with him?”

“My older brother just wants to use me to make a statement, to show the court and the public his determination. He’s acting arbitrarily, but not without good intentions.”

“…So you’re willing to be used because you know you were favored by the late emperor?” Xie Baizheng was still angry: “Can’t the ministers in the court see his tyranny and stubbornness? Are the censor officials all mute?”

Huo Jingchuan gently touched Xie Baizheng’s lips and pleaded: “Alright, my dear, stop scolding him. My older brother doesn’t trust them. Even with all the officials in the court, they’re just decorations. Let’s see how this plays out first.”

Xie Baizheng forced a smile: “Naturally, he’ll have his precious Ye Wenbin clean up the mess.”

Huo Jingchuan: “…”

He had pushed him too far.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Am I wrong?” Xie Baizheng stared at him: “He can’t just let you take all the blame while they reap the benefits…”

Before Xie Baizheng could finish, Huo Jingchuan lifted his chin.

“You—”

He didn’t finish his sentence. Huo Jingchuan’s arm was around Xie Baizheng’s waist, pressing him against the chair, and he leaned down, swallowing the rest of his words with a kiss.

This kiss was clearly meant to appease him.

Gentle, tender, and lingering. Huo Jingchuan murmured against his lips: “Don’t be angry anymore.”

Xie Baizheng didn’t speak.

“Even if we disregard the past, I still have you. I went through life and death twice to keep you by my side. I don’t want to waste time being angry.”

“…”

“Save your energy for loving me.”

He kissed him intermittently, each kiss followed by a whispered word, softening Xie Baizheng’s attitude. He didn’t notice Huo Jingchuan using his usual trick and asking:

“Alright?”

“This position is uncomfortable. Let’s change.”