Xue Qinghe Cracked

As if granted a pardon, Xuan Qing leaped off the platform and returned to the VIP seats. He collapsed into a chair and let out a long breath.

"I'm exhausted. This is more tiring than fighting. That woman is downright terrifying."

Xue Qinghe came over, seizing the chance to give him a hard time.

"Are you already worn out? You're exhausted after just two matches? Want me to recommend a court physician? One who specializes in that sort of thing. Don't worry, I know someone with excellent medical skills."

Xuan Qing rolled his eyes at him.

"That's pure bullshit. I haven't even held a girl's hand yet. I'm as clean as they come. Really, thanks a lot."

"But shouldn't you be worrying about yourself? You're not getting any younger. Time to get yourself a wife."

He suddenly seemed to realize something, and stared at Xue Qinghe with wide eyes.

"You're this old, and there isn't a single woman around you. Other than your maids, I doubt you've even seen another woman, have you? You... wouldn't happen to prefer men, would you?"

He asked with complete sincerity, but everyone else in the VIP seats was thrown into disarray.

Xue Qinghe was nearly thirty, and other than his maids, there really weren't any women around him.

The women he spent the most time with were his younger sister, Xue Ke, and even Ning Rongrong ranked among them.

That... really was a little unusual.

Could the crown prince actually have some kind of special preference?

Xue Qinghe's face went from white to red, red to green, and green to black. Even a master of changing faces would've given him a thumbs-up for how quickly he changed colors.

"Xuan! Qing! Do you believe I'll strangle you right now?"

Xuan Qing hurriedly hid behind Zi JI.

"Don't get worked up, don't get worked up. Getting angry just makes you age faster. I'm only looking out for you. I'm worried you'll end up alone for the rest of your life."

"Look at me. I'm only ten, and people are already thinking about my future marriage. You're nearly thirty. Aren't you worried?"

Pfft!

Another knife plunged into Xue Qinghe's chest. He clutched it and felt as if he might actually cough up blood.

Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing struggled to hold back their laughter, their shoulders shaking.

Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin were both close to losing their composure.

Even the way Xue Ye looked at Xue Qinghe had grown a little awkward.

Dugu Bo slapped his thigh and roared with laughter.

"You've got some nerve! You're the first person I've ever seen make the crown prince this angry."

Xuan Qing shrugged innocently.

"I'm telling the truth. Isn't it strange that he's this age and still hasn't married? Could it be... that there really is something wrong?"

Xue Qinghe took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to strangle Xuan Qing. He swore he would sew that bastard's mouth shut one day.

Xue Ye could no longer hold back and spoke up.

"Um... Qinghe, you wouldn't really..."

He didn't finish, but his meaning was obvious: Could you really have some kind of special preference?

Otherwise, why would you still be unmarried at nearly thirty, and never go near women?

Xue Qinghe's face turned into a painter's palette once more, going from black to red, red to blue, and blue to white. He felt like he was about to explode.

Right now, he wanted to immediately strip off his disguise, reveal his true form, and grab Xuan Qing by the collar so he could get a good look.

I'M A WOMAN! A WOMAN! It's perfectly normal for me to like men! Liking women would be what's abnormal! You clueless straight man, what the hell do you know?

But he couldn't say any of that. He could only bottle it all up. His chest hurt, his liver hurt—everything hurt. It felt even worse than being stabbed.

Xue Qinghe took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to flip the table. In as calm a voice as he could manage, he explained every word carefully.

"Father, your son simply hasn't met the right person yet. Marriage is no trivial matter."

"I want to find someone who shares my feelings and can spend a lifetime with me, rather than casually marrying a woman and having a child just to call the task done."

"That would be unfair to my son, and unfair to that young lady as well. Besides, as crown prince and future emperor, I must take responsibility for the empire."

"If I married someone just to continue the bloodline, then the harem would fall into turmoil and the court would be thrown into chaos. Wouldn't that bring disaster to the country and its people?"

He spoke with such righteous conviction, but in his heart he was still cursing: cursing Xuan Qing, the damned mission, and this fucked-up world.

After hearing him, Xue Ye felt relieved. Thankfully, his son didn't have some sort of special preference. He was just particular.

That was understandable, after all. He was the crown prince and future emperor.

"Even so, you need to hurry. The royal line is dwindling, and you're the only crown prince. If you... heh, what will happen to the royal succession? You're getting on in years. We can't wait much longer."

Xue Ye spoke earnestly. He knew he bore some responsibility for the deaths of several of his sons, but that was how the struggle for imperial power went.

He was genuinely afraid now—afraid that this son might never marry. Who would inherit the throne then? Xue Beng? That boy was even less reliable.

"Your son understands. Once the empire is stable, I'll give it some thought."

But in his heart, he sneered.

Give it some thought?

Give it some thought, my ass!

Once the plan succeeds and Spirit Hall unifies the continent, I'll reclaim my identity as a woman. Then I can marry whoever I want, or wed whoever I want. You can all go to hell. I'm done putting up with this.

Xuan Qing knew when to quit while he was ahead.

"Let's leave the jokes at that. Still, the crown prince has a point: if two people can't share each other's feelings and stand together through hardship, they're bound to bring each other misery."

"As crown prince and future emperor, he naturally has to think more carefully about this. When choosing a wife, you choose a virtuous one; when taking concubines, you take beauties. The crown princess will become the empress, and the mother of the realm. You can't be careless about that."

"Besides... matters of the heart can't be rushed. If fate brings you together, it'll happen. If it hasn't, forcing it won't help."

"The crown prince carries the world in his heart and sets his sights on all four corners. It's understandable that he'd set romance aside for now. Once the world is at peace, it won't be too late to discuss marriage."

He put it beautifully, giving Xue Qinghe a graceful way out while praising him at the same time.

Xue Ye nodded repeatedly. He thought Xiao Qing was quite sensible. He might have a sharp tongue, but he had a clear head.

Xue Qinghe was also a little stunned. He hadn't expected Xuan Qing to speak up for him. A moment ago, his words had made him want to kill him, but what he was saying now genuinely made him feel better.

"Brother Xuan Qing is right. I really have no mind to consider these things right now. The empire is in a time of crisis, with Spirit Hall watching us like a tiger eyeing its prey and troubles besetting us both within and without."

"I only want to stabilize the empire as soon as possible and repel our enemies. As for a political marriage... once peace returns to the world, it won't be too late to discuss it."

After finishing, he turned to Xuan Qing, his gaze serious.

"Since we're here, I'd like to ask you, Brother Xuan Qing: what kind of world at peace do you envision?"

It was both a test and a question born of curiosity.

Xuan Qing's attitude was clear: whoever deserved to die would not be spared. But he wanted to know what this bastard really thought. What did he mean by peace?

Xuan Qing thought for a long time. He recalled the books he had read in his previous life and the ideal worlds they described. They might be unrealistic, but they could serve as a goal.

"The elderly have a place to die in peace; the able-bodied have work to do; the young have the chance to grow. Widows, widowers, orphans, the childless, the sick, and the disabled are all cared for."

At those words, everyone in the VIP seats fell silent. They looked at Xuan Qing with complicated expressions. Such an ideal was beautiful—but so difficult to achieve.