Even the crown prince is getting a marriage of convenience? Why are you in such a hurry to stop bein

After Xiao Lie left, the emperor's gaze became deep, and the chief eunuch Deshun couldn't help but speak.

"Your Majesty, Xiao Lie is nothing but a spoiled brat; why bother with him?"

"Oh? A spoiled brat. But do you know that just three days after their marriage, he imprisoned Lin Wan'er, repeatedly found excuses to expel suspicious servants, and now he has dismissed the steward I sent."

"These incidents, one by one, are not just about cleaning up the inner quarters of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion; they are about eliminating my spies."

"Huh?" De Shun was startled, and recalling Xiao Lie's usual incompetent and cowardly appearance, a terrifying shiver ran down his spine and straight to the back of his head.

"Could it be that everything he did in the past was just an act? If that's the case, this man is incredibly cunning, and we must be wary of him."

The emperor remained indifferent, his gaze unfathomable, revealing neither joy nor anger.

"Whether it's true or false, we'll find out soon enough."

De Shun's eyes darted around, and he immediately realized what was going on.

"So this new steward is His Majesty's test of him. He is clean and capable. If Xiao Lie is truly without guile, he should be placed in a suitable position and entrusted with important responsibilities. If this steward follows the old path of his predecessors, it means that Xiao Lie has indeed become wary."

"That's right. If that's the case, then the previous few times weren't coincidences, but rather part of his scheme."

Moreover, it was a meticulously planned scheme, so seamless that even the designer couldn't find any flaws.

The emperor clapped his hands and laughed, his interest piqued.

"De Shun, what do you think Xiao Lie will choose?"

De Shun lowered his head and smiled, "This old servant is of limited knowledge and dares not speculate wildly, but since Your Majesty has asked, this old servant will dare to make a guess."

"This old servant believes that Prince Xiao is like Sun Wukong, possessing cleverness but lacking wisdom, and will never escape His Majesty's grasp."

"You, you're still so slippery."

……

Inside the Duke's mansion, Xiao Lie lay languidly on a rosewood chair, a carefree smile on his lips. As he occasionally flicked the tea lid with his fingertips, the crisp clinking sound was particularly loud in the quiet main hall.

The steward stood before him, head bowed, eyes lowered, as respectful as a clay figure, without uttering a single word.

The smile in Xiao Lie's eyes faded slightly. He took a sip and spoke lazily.

"Since Steward Jin was personally appointed by His Majesty, his abilities are beyond doubt. However, the Duke's mansion is burdened with a mountain of debts and busy with various affairs. I wonder what position Steward Jin would like to hold, and where he intends to begin?"

Jin Daohe simply bowed and said, "Your Majesty has only sent me to assist the Crown Prince. Wherever the Crown Prince needs me, I will go."

So obedient? Well... let's take a test and see what this person is really like.

Xiao Lie's smile remained unchanged as he continued.

"In that case, I do have a troublesome matter at hand. The previous manager embezzled a lot of money, resulting in a pile of bad debts, and my Cui Fang has been completely messed up."

"This jade shop is an inheritance left to me by my mother. It brings in a considerable amount of income every year. I hope Manager Jin can pay more attention to it and revitalize it as soon as possible."

Jin Daohe bowed again, "This humble servant understands."

"Speak," the man said, lowering his waist even further, then bowing his head, taking a few steps back, and slowly walking away. Xiao Lie's deep gaze swept across his face, but he didn't detect the slightest hint of displeasure.

Although this jade shop is profitable, it is not a core industry of the Zhenguo Duke's Mansion. Moreover, the manager only oversees one shop, and his responsibilities and power are much smaller than those of the previous manager.

This was neglect, a waste of talent, and being sidelined, yet Jin Daohe actually endured it.

"This man's character is considerably better than Liu Changdong's..."

The more composed he appears on the surface, the more it reveals the magnitude of his ambitions.

Xiao Lie narrowed his eyes slightly and said coldly, "Seventeen, go and keep an eye on Jin Daohe. If anything seems amiss, report to me immediately."

A dark figure nimbly descended from the roof beam, knelt on one knee, and respectfully reported back.

"Understood."

The next second, he vanished like a gust of wind, leaving no trace.

Xiao Lie's eyes flickered slightly, and he sighed softly, "I hope this Jin Daohe won't bring me too many 'surprises'."

When this news reached the palace, it caused the emperor, who was copying a painting, to frown slightly.

"Mingcui Fang? That's a safe choice."

It sounds reasonable, and on the surface it seems like a heavy burden, but upon closer examination, it seems to carry a hint of indifference, making it impossible to guess the person's thoughts.

De Shun tentatively suggested, "How about this old servant goes and sends a message, asking Jin Daohe to test the waters again?"

The emperor gazed into the distance for a moment in thought, then finally waved his hand, "No need. Doing too much will only be counterproductive."

"Let him stay there and see how Xiao Lie reacts."

After all, this steward was personally appointed by the palace, and it would be a waste to only serve as a small steward for a mere shop.

……

Recently, he's been surrounded by petty people and has been having a lot of bad luck. Hearing that the incense at Qingtan Temple on the outskirts of the city is very effective, Xiao Lie decided to go and pray there to get some peace of mind.

He knelt on the prayer mat, silently chanting in his heart.

Bodhisattva, Bodhisattva, throughout my life I have accumulated merit and done good deeds, and I have always been happy to help others. I have never intentionally harmed anyone. I hope that in view of my relatively kind nature, the Bodhisattva will protect me. If any malicious people are causing trouble, I wish them to suffer the consequences of their evil deeds and never be reborn, and to be a thousand times, ten thousand times more unlucky than me…

After cursing for a while, Xiao Lie finally felt better.

Sixteen scratched his head and followed behind him, unable to resist speaking up.

"My lord, the Bodhisattva is the kindest of all. Aren't you afraid of offending her by cursing her like this?"

"I'm sorry, I haven't said enough."

He's taking precautions; if any unscrupulous people fall for it, it just means they deserve it.

Xiao Lie hurriedly left the main hall and entered the backyard, where he unexpectedly bumped into a master and servant walking towards him, supporting each other.

Shen Qinglan's delicate features were tinged with melancholy. Her blue dress gave her a bleak appearance, making her seem even more frail.

The maidservant beside her was still complaining indignantly, but looking at her mistress, she felt a pang of heartache.

"Miss, it's all Prince Kang's fault. If it weren't for him, how could you have ended up like this..."

Upon hearing the familiar words, Xiao Lie raised an eyebrow, paused in his steps, and immediately hid behind the artificial hill, where only the sound of the master and servant walking further and further could be heard.

Shen Qinglan gave a soft rebuke and couldn't help but interrupt.

"Shut up! What business is it of yours to interfere in the Prince's affairs?"

"But..." the little maid couldn't help but feel wronged, "But this is clearly the prince's problem."

"The prince has never stayed overnight at your place, so how could you possibly be pregnant? Even the Consort Xian doesn't know about this, and she has made things difficult for you several times. Yet you won't let us tell anyone, and you just keep this grievance to yourself."

"Miss, I'm just worried about you. If Master and Madam knew, they would be heartbroken."