How can I bow my head and serve the powerful officials?

Seeing Shen Yuan holding up his head with his hands, as if he had a severe headache, Xie Chengze, like a little crab, moved closer to him with small steps and asked with concern, "Master Shen, are you still feeling unwell?"

Shen Yuan glanced at him coldly, his handsome face showing a pessimistic feeling that his life was over. "Thanks to Your Highness, I have been working day and night for the past month and I am very tired."

Xie Chengze coughed twice, "Your Highness has no choice. Look at my delicate skin and tender flesh, I am really not suitable for hard work."

Shen Yuan turned his head to look at him. Xie Chengze was indeed born with natural beauty. Not only was his appearance extremely beautiful, but his skin was also delicate and fair like white jade pearls. However, no matter how much he was loved by God, being exposed to the scorching sun every day and eating only white porridge and steamed buns for three meals a day would reduce his beauty and add a bit of desolate feeling that belonged to the world.

As if being invisibly eroded by the chaos of the world, those bright eyes dimmed a lot, and the originally round chin became pointed. It felt like it could be pinched in the palm of his hand and allowed him to manipulate and knead it at will.

It was also at this moment that Shen Yuan suddenly realized that while he was alone in the Transportation Bureau, fighting wits and courage with the transportation envoys and merchants, Xie Chengze was also alone in Jiangdu County, facing these refugee groups that might riot at any time, and also facing Liang Wanda who might turn against him at any time and the gentry who had been eyeing him covetously.

He was obviously the most favored second prince of the Jian'an Dynasty, a son to whom Emperor Jian was willing to give the imperial sword even though he knew he was arrogant and domineering. He could obviously decide life and death with just a single word, stir up the turmoil in Yizhou, and solve all problems with thundering means.

But he could only hide in the government office, carefully controlling the power of the entire Yizhou by relying on the thin line in his hand that could break at any time, and he dared not show his face in front of them.

Shen Yuan knew exactly why this was happening.

Those corrupt officials are just like hot-tempered hyenas who hold grudges the most. If one dies, a group of them will come. Xie Chengze only has the favor of Emperor Jian now. If he touches the interests of these corrupt officials and refuses to go along with them, his end will be even worse than that of the Crown Prince in his previous life.

Corrupt officials are only secondary. The person who is most unwilling to see Xie Chengze win the support of the people is Emperor Jian, who seems to be indulgent and doting on him.

The position of the crown prince can only belong to Xie Jinyu, and the future new emperor can only be Xie Jinyu. If Xie Chengze has no intention of seizing the throne, his life can naturally be saved. But if Xie Chengze has the intention of seizing the throne, Emperor Jian will never allow him to overshadow the crown prince.

But... who knows whether Xie Chengze really wants to seize the throne? Who can be sure that he will not be deceived by someone with ulterior motives and covet the throne?

Everyone knew that Xie Chengze in his previous life had the ambition to seize the throne.

Xie Chengze in this life...even Shen Yuan, who had fought with him for ten years, couldn't see clearly, let alone the emperor who had to be suspicious?

No one knows whether Xie Chengze has figured out the key to his failure in his previous life and decided to hide his desire to seize the throne.

"Your Highness..." Shen Yuan stared solemnly at the young man with clear and clean features in front of him, "After the affairs of Yizhou are settled, what are your plans after returning to the capital?"

Xie Chengze was looking for something in his sleeves with his head down. Hearing this, he quickly replied, "Eat, sleep and have fun. Do you want to join us? No, no, no, forget it. You can't. You have to climb. Climb high."

Climb higher, and according to our friendship in times of trouble, I will be able to protect this innocent poor thing!

Xie Chengze suddenly remembered something, and his pretty face lifted up again, revealing a few deliberately flattering smiles, "Sir Shen, when you deliver the secret letter to my father, can you please not mention what I did here?"

He knew that Emperor Jian admired Shen Yuan and must have secretly ordered Shen Yuan to send the affairs of Yizhou to him in the form of a secret letter.

Shen Yuan raised his eyebrows.

It seems that Xie Chengze understands that he cannot reveal his intention to seize the throne in front of Emperor Jian?

It's not that I can't help him hide it, Shen Yuan thought secretly. As long as he behaves himself, he is willing to not pursue the matter of his past life for the time being and save his worthless life.

However, thinking of how Xie Chengze always liked to ask for benefits from him, Shen Yuan could not help but use his own method to counterattack him, and teased, "Of course, you can, but what benefits can I get?"

Seeing Shen Yuan agreed, Xie Chengze breathed a sigh of relief, and then said happily, "Of course there are huge benefits!"

He grabbed Shen Yuan's right hand, opened his broad palm, and placed his long and slender fingers lightly on the man's five fingers. The unintentional caressing brought about a slight itch, which made the man's fingertips tremble slightly, and even his dark eyes drooped slightly.

The young man lowered his head and solemnly placed the thing he took out of his sleeve on the man's palm.

"Thanks, brother." Xie Chengze looked up at him gratefully, "I heard that this is a fairy product that only princes and nobles can use. It is delicate, refreshing and harmless to the skin. Remember to use it well!"

Shen Yuan: ...

The cool touch of the porcelain of the Snow Jade Cream Jar instantly drove away all the tingling and pleasant feelings. When Shen Yuan saw clearly what was in his hand, the veins on his forehead bulged again, and he almost threw it several miles away.

He was confused again, and actually thought that Xie Chengze would really give some real "benefits"!

"Second, Your Highness..." Shen Yuan growled, almost grinding his teeth, "I don't need it!"

Xie Chengze felt like he was going deaf. "If you don't need it, then don't need it. Why are you shouting so loudly? If you don't need it, then leave it to your future wife!"

Shen Yuan: ...

Shen Yuan had never thought about getting married. He was too lazy to talk to Xie Chengze anymore and turned to walk towards the city wall. "Your Highness should worry less about my affairs and more about yourself!"

Even if he didn't write a secret letter, the details of what happened in Yizhou would eventually reach the capital. When those hyenas with sharp noses noticed something was wrong, Xie Chengze would be attacked from all sides when he returned to the capital, and would be caught in a dilemma.

By then, the only one who can save his life may be His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

But considering Xie Chengze's pride, would he... ask for this?

-

The survival problem of these 30,000 refugees was solved, and Shen Yuan's subsequent work became much easier.

With the help of Liang Wanda, he directly dismissed and arrested the county magistrate who participated in this large-scale escape, and secretly submitted the evidence of the transport envoy's corruption and malfeasance to Emperor Jian in the capital.

Emperor Jian was furious when he received the secret letter and ordered the Supervisory Council to investigate the matter thoroughly. Once the evidence was correct, all relevant personnel of the Chengdu Prefecture Transport Office would be immediately escorted to the Ministry of Justice in the capital and executed on a chosen day.

Afterwards, he praised Shen Yuan in the court, saying that he was young and talented and was indeed a pillar of the court. He asked all officials to take him as an example and examine themselves three times a day: whether they were responsible to the people of the world, whether they were responsible to their own official positions, and whether they were responsible for the second prince who was suffering outside.

Ministers:?

They could understand the first two, but why should the last one be responsible for the second prince who was suffering outside?

Would the spoiled Second Prince allow himself to suffer? It's a joke! I haven't heard that he has done anything in Yizhou that deserves praise!

Unfortunately, Emperor Jian, who doted on the Second Prince without thinking, didn't care at all, and even ordered the imperial kitchen to be emptied of all the delicacies from land and sea and sent to Yizhou to feed his eldest son so that he could satisfy his craving for meat.

Even the prince agreed: Father is wise.

The ministers could only secretly complain about this in private: both father and son are sick, and the Jian'an Dynasty will end sooner or later.