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

"The arithmetic you advocate is an academic field that the Su family has never set foot in for generations. Once this discipline becomes popular in the world, there will inevitably be new noble families rising up. Any family that enters the Imperial Academy will have a significant impact on the status of the Su family." Shen Yuan shook his head, "That's why he is unwilling."

Hearing this, Xie Chengze couldn't help but wrinkle his face, disagreeing, "Although the Su family thinks they are noble, according to the records of the past dynasties, they are indeed worthy of the title of literati, they act uprightly, care about the country and the people, and have never made any major mistakes. How could they refuse to promote actions that benefit the country and the people just because their own status is damaged?"

He still believed that it was because Su Zhongyue looked down on the "Second Prince" and thought that what a fool like him said must be wrong, and that he did not speak to Su Zhongyue's heart about the benefits of arithmetic, which led to Su Zhongyue's rejection.

"Your Highness, people are not black or white, let alone a family formed by people, how can it be black or white?" Seeing that Xie Chengze was still confused, Shen Yuan explained to him in detail, "The Su family is indeed upright, but it is precisely because of their uprightness that they have been passed down through the ages. In order to continue to be passed down through the ages, they must also care about their reputation and not do anything illegal. But who says that giving up on promoting some policies that benefit the people does not mean that they are not upright?"

Looking at Xie Chengze's stunned eyes, Shen Yuan sighed and summed up for him: "For the Su family, preserving their honorable status in the literary world is the most important thing. They are unwilling to take this risk. You must have made a wrong decision at the time, thinking that a good reputation is what the Su family needs, so you were rejected."

Xie Chengze suddenly realized, "As expected of a powerful official, you are the only one who can see the truth behind this."

Hearing the word "powerful official", Shen Yuan couldn't help but glance at Xie Chengze subtly.

"Ahem." Realizing that he had made a slip of the tongue, Xie Chengze quickly drank a sip of tea to cover up his guilty conscience, and argued, "You are so popular with my father and my brother, the crown prince, that even a powerful official would not disparage you."

Shen Yuan laughed and shook his head, then raised his hand to refill Xie Chengze's almost finished tea.

"Then the rumor that Su Qinghe is deeply favored by Su Zhongyue is...?" Xie Chengze asked again.

Hearing the name Su Qinghe, Shen Yuan's face drooped again, and he said in a cold tone, "It's just an appearance. You just need to know that in the Su family, even mediocre people will be squeezed dry of their value."

Xie Chengze tilted his head and asked puzzledly, "What is the value of Qinghe?"

"..." Shen Yuan gave him a dissatisfied look.

"What's wrong?" Seeing Shen Yuan's look, Xie Chengze asked puzzledly.

"Are you familiar with him?" Shen Yuan tapped the tea table lightly, his expression slightly unhappy.

She even called Qinghe. It seemed like they were secretly hooking up without him knowing.

"Don't change the subject." Xie Chengze turned around and put his hands on the tea table, staring at Shen Yuan and asked, "What is his value to the Su family?"

Shen Yuan didn't want to answer this question, because Su Qinghe's value to the Su family was marriage alliance, and didn't this just happen to be what Xie Chengze wanted?

If Xie Chengze is really interested in Su Qinghe... No, the Su family looks down on the second prince and has long had their eyes on the daughter of the Sheng family, so they will definitely not agree.

I'm just afraid that Emperor Jian will start to act recklessly...

Seeing Shen Yuan remained silent, Xie Chengze became anxious and couldn't help but pull his sleeve and shake it, "Hey, Shen Yuan, hurry up and speak!"

"Why do you keep asking this?" Shen Yuan pulled back his sleeves and asked in an unhappy tone, "You haven't answered me yet. Are you familiar with him?"

"Tsk, if you don't tell me, I won't tell you either."

Seeing that Shen Yuan was unwilling to talk, Xie Chengze stood up neatly and walked towards the door, muttering as he walked, "Anyway, I have already thought of a way to get the Su family to help me. I will go find my brother the prince and ask him to help me!"

Looking for the prince?!

Shen Yuan's expression suddenly changed. He stood up abruptly and grabbed Xie Chengze's arm. "No! We can't look for him!"

If he went to find the prince, how would that be any different from a sheep walking into a tiger's mouth? !

Unexpectedly, he pulled too hard and Xie Chengze was pulled backwards, falling diagonally into Shen Yuan's arms, and the back of his head hit his chest.

"Ouch." He blinked, just in time to see Shen Yuan's sharp chin and slightly rolling Adam's apple, "Why are you pulling me? Have you figured it out? Are you going to tell me the answer?"

Shen Yuan raised his huge palm and grabbed his little head, pulling him off his chest, and said in a deep voice, "In the future, you should not go to see the prince as much as possible. If you want to say something, ask me to convey it."

"Why?" Xie Chengze asked puzzled.

Shen Yuan choked, "You never went to the East Palace to see the Crown Prince privately before. If you do this suddenly, it might arouse suspicion."

Xie Chengze thought so too, but he chose not to listen, and even said eagerly, "Then I'll let Wuhen sneak in behind my back in the middle of the night, so that no one will know that I'm uh uh -"

Shen Yuan's thumb and index finger were stretched out, and they immediately covered Xie Chengze's chin and lips, interrupting his words. He laughed angrily and said, "Xie Chengze, can you please do something normal?"

Sneaking into the Prince's Eastern Palace in the middle of the night, you're afraid that you'll lose your innocence too slowly, right? !

Xie Chengze pulled his hand away and said dissatisfiedly, "You won't tell me this, and you won't tell me that. What do you want me to do? If you don't want me to go to the East Palace, then tell me, what is the value of Su Qinghe to the Su family?"

Shen Yuan rubbed his brows weakly, and finally compromised, "It's marriage and incense."

Compared to the crown prince, Su Qinghe was obviously much more harmless. And although Xie Chengze acted as he pleased, when the two of them had different opinions in Yizhou, Xie Chengze would often choose to listen after he analyzed the pros and cons. Rather than taking the risk of letting Xie Chengze get close to the crown prince, it would be better for him to spend more time talking to Xie Chengze in the future to make him give up his thoughts on Su Qinghe.

So he continued, "Su Qinghe is not good at writing, and the Su family disdains to take shortcuts, so he has not been granted an official position in the capital for a long time. Therefore, he can only form relationships with talented women in the capital and continue the Su family's lineage. But without an official position, how can he be favored by talented women in the capital? That's why Su Zhong - cough, that's why the head of the Su family will build momentum for Su Qinghe, making outsiders mistakenly believe that he is deeply favored by him, so that he can use this opportunity to get close to talented women in the capital."

"Nervous..." Xie Chengze frowned fiercely and said with disdain, "What's the difference between this and pushing the princess out to marry someone because you can't beat them?"

"Do you feel sorry for him?" Shen Yuan asked in a subtle tone when he saw his indignant look.

"Of course!" Xie Chengze looked at him suspiciously, as if he didn't understand why he asked that question. "Aren't you his good friend? Don't you feel sorry for him?"

Shen Yuan shook his head. "He is too cowardly and won't resist. I tried to persuade him many times when he was young, but he didn't dare to do anything."

I’m afraid it’s even more difficult now.

"That's also the Su family's fault. They don't know how to teach their children." Xie Chengze said angrily, "He has been treated like this since he was a child. It's naturally difficult for him to resist after a long time. What's more, persuading him to resist the Su family is only a temporary solution. What he lacks is not the courage to resist, but confidence! It's the affirmation from others!"

Only when people are confident can they shine and dare to fight for their own rights!

Seeing Xie Chengze defending Su Qinghe like this, Shen Yuan felt a little uncomfortable. He raised the teacup to his lips and asked with an unclear look in his eyes, "How long have you known each other? Why do you care so much about him?"

"Don't try to trick me. I won't tell you." Xie Chengze didn't intend to tell him that he had already infiltrated his childhood group. He said proudly, "Qinghe and I hit it off right away. I am absolutely sure that he will be my best friend for life!"

Shen Yuan: ...

So it was love at first sight?!