Chapter 5: She is his Blade

Morning After the Edict

The next morning, dawn broke.

The news of Zhao Xingjin’s late-night edict appointing Xie Jiu as Princess Wenxi’s tutor had spread through the court and harem.

Appointing a tutor was no rare occurrence—not only for princesses but also for daughters of noble families, who often had governesses or attended women’s academies.

However, this edict was issued at night, and Xie Jiu had not left the palace since, even now.

She was said to be accompanying the princess, but who couldn’t discern the true implications?

Wu Que’s Absence and Court Gossip

Wu Que, humiliated the previous night, couldn’t bear facing the court’s mockery. Thus, he claimed illness and skipped the morning court session, leaving Xie Mingshen, Xie Jiu’s father, as the focal point of the officials’ chatter.

After all, he was her father.

“Congratulations, Chief Minister Xie,” said Wei Zhang, the deputy minister in the Grand Secretariat, with a smile as he cupped his hands.

“Your daughter has been chosen by His Majesty to serve as the princess’s tutor—a unique honor in the capital. Truly, the Xie family’s way of raising daughters befits the foremost scholarly household.”

Wei Zhang, once Zhao Xingjin’s chief strategist when he was a vassal king, was now Xie Mingshen’s greatest political rival.

If not for Xie Mingshen’s years of careful maneuvering, his untarnished reputation among scholars, and the prestige of the Xie family, Zhao Xingjin might have ousted him as Chief Minister upon seizing the throne, replacing him with Wei Zhang.

This was precisely why Xie Mingshen had agreed to Wu Que’s plan to offer Xie Jiu to the palace.

Feeling his position precarious, he hoped this move would secure his official hat.

Though whispering in the emperor’s ear was an unseemly tactic, it was undeniably effective.

“Thank you, Lord Wei,” Xie Mingshen replied with a smile. “It is my daughter’s fortune to catch His Majesty’s eye and serve at the princess’s side.”

Xie Mingshen’s Calculations

Having learned of the events at the Weiyuan Marquis Residence the previous night, Xie Mingshen had pieced together what happened.

After a night of reflection, he decided to distance himself from Wu Que and align solely with his daughter.

After all, with Xie Jiu now tied to Zhao Xingjin, her marriage to Wu Que was effectively over in all but name.

Given Zhao Xingjin’s unrestrained demeanor and disregard for convention, Xie Mingshen believed it was only a matter of time before he openly took Xie Jiu into the harem.

Her current role as the princess’s tutor was merely a temporary pretext.

Once in the harem, how could Xie Jiu establish herself without her natal family’s support?

As father and daughter, their interests would align again, and past grievances should be set aside.

Moreover, Xie Mingshen had never explicitly admitted to colluding with Wu Que. If Xie Jiu held a grudge and sought to settle scores, he could deny it, soften his stance with kind words, and mend their bond.

If Xie Jiu gained favor, he would reap the benefits.

With this plan in mind, Xie Mingshen brushed off Wei Zhang’s and others’ barbed remarks, maintaining a cheerful facade.

Consequently, those hoping to provoke him found themselves thwarted, muttering inwardly that Xie Mingshen was shameless before dispersing.

Courtroom Tensions

However, a few persistent voices emerged.

During the morning court, some officials raised objections, arguing that while Xie Jiu’s appointment as the princess’s tutor was acceptable, it was improper for a minister’s wife to reside in the palace, violating decorum.

Yet, these earnest protests were met with Zhao Xingjin’s indifference from his throne, his responses vague and dismissive.

As he ignored them, the ministers grew discouraged.

After all, Xie Jiu’s presence in the palace was cloaked in a legitimate excuse, and they couldn’t openly accuse the emperor of improper relations with a minister’s wife.

Soon, their voices faded.

Only then did Zhao Xingjin lift his eyelids, speaking slowly. “Are you all finished?”

At this, the court fell silent.

His gaze swept over the officials before he tossed a stack of papers to the floor.

“Since you’re done, take a look at these,” he said. “The treasury is so depleted because these vermin have been pilfering it!”

As his words landed, several officials paled instantly.

Accusations and Defenses

Xie Mingshen, standing at the forefront, remained composed. Alongside Wei Zhang, he picked up the papers, scanned them, and feigned shock and anger.

“Your Majesty, these men are outrageously bold, daring to embezzle such vast sums of military funds and grain. Their crimes deserve death!” Wei Zhang declared first.

Then, turning to glare at Xie Mingshen, he added, “Lord Xie, many of these names are closely tied to the Weiyuan Marquis, Wu Que. Surely the Wu family is involved. As his father-in-law, how much have you partaken in this?”

“Don’t slander me!” Xie Mingshen retorted, unfazed, and bowed to Zhao Xingjin.

“Your Majesty, whether these individuals are truly linked to the Wu family is unclear. Even if the Wu family is involved, I have never colluded with them. I ask Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly!”

From his high seat, Zhao Xingjin nodded repeatedly, seeming to fully trust Xie Mingshen.

“Indeed, I believe Chief Minister Xie would never conspire with such vermin,” he said. “Yesterday, I met the Weiyuan Marquis’s wife. She is refined, virtuous, and well-educated. With such a daughter, Chief Minister Xie must be upright and incorruptible!”

His words carried the tone of a man swayed by beauty, extending favor to her family.

Seeing this, Xie Mingshen inwardly sighed with relief.

Ordinarily, Zhao Xingjin valued Wei Zhang’s counsel and would have ordered an investigation into the Xie family. But now, sensing a shift in the emperor’s attitude, Xie Mingshen rejoiced that his daughter was in the palace and resolved to mend their relationship quickly, lest she refuse to aid him later.

The Emperor’s Orders

Zhao Xingjin, appearing to harbor no doubts about Xie Mingshen, turned his attention elsewhere, commanding sternly, “The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review is to investigate the embezzlement of military funds immediately!”

With that, he declared the court session over and departed.

Xie Mingshen hurriedly left the palace, summoning his trusted allies to strategize.

From experience, he knew Zhao Xingjin was using this as a starting point to probe corruption in the court.

He knew well whether his own hands were clean.

He couldn’t afford to be careless and needed to prepare countermeasures.

Xie Jiu’s Realization

In contrast to Xie Mingshen’s tense caution, Xie Jiu was idle in Chengming Hall.

Though appointed as the princess’s tutor, Zhao Xingjin hadn’t arranged for her to meet Princess Wenxi, instead instructing her to stay in a side hall of his residence.

Xie Jiu realized Zhao Xingjin was using her for show.

No tutor to a princess would reside in the emperor’s quarters—it was a clear signal of their unusual relationship.

More likely, it was a message for the Xie family.

After a night of reflection, Xie Jiu pieced together Zhao Xingjin’s motive for keeping her in the palace.

He was using her to target the Xie family.

In her past life, Xie Jiu had trusted her father’s integrity, blind to his flaws. Now, reborn and seeing his collusion with Wu Que, she realized her father’s position as an official was far from clean.

A new emperor, a new court—would Zhao Xingjin tolerate someone like Xie Mingshen remaining Chief Minister?

Yet, the Xie family’s deep roots, Xie Mingshen’s widespread influence, and his careful avoidance of missteps made removing him a delicate task, requiring gradual maneuvering.

Xie Jiu’s desire for vengeance targeted only Wu Que and Xie Mingshen, but Zhao Xingjin aimed higher—to uproot the entire Xie clan and their allied courtiers.

A Dangerous Alliance

What a perilous game, Xie Jiu thought, lowering her gaze with a soft sigh.

She had thought she was using Zhao Xingjin’s hand to exact her revenge, but now she saw she was also his blade, wielded for his purposes.

What would become of her once her usefulness ended?

She dared not dwell on it, feeling as though she had just escaped a mountain of knives only to face a sea of fire ahead.

A Summons

As Xie Jiu grappled with these worries, a knock came at the side hall’s door, followed by Yang Zhian’s voice.

“Madam, His Majesty requests your presence in the main hall.”