novelraw Chapter 815 - 793: Confrontation
Chapter 815 - 793: Confrontation
Xie Jue didn’t expect the High Priest to perform such a grand ritual. Due to his experiences in Beiman, Xie Jue thought all High Priests were arrogant and rude. Priests with faith are often extreme, radical, and self-important. This has always been his prejudice against priests.
"Please rise, Lord Priest!" Xie Jue stood up to assist him. He knew the status of the High Priest in Sannan was significant. Compared to the Beiman priests, the High Priest of Sannan held more power, could control royal authority, and had the right to speak. In choosing who would be emperor among the royal family, it was up to the priests to decide.
Du Fang stood up with a smile, looking at the rumored son of the Princess.
Xie Jue looks like the Marquis Zhenbei but does not resemble the Princess in demeanor either. The Sannan Princess was like an invisible person at the Marquis Mansion, with a gentle personality lacking assertiveness. She didn’t compete for favor nor stood out, though she was Xie Jue’s birth mother. In fact, whether it was Xie Zhang or Xie Jue, they were mainly raised by the Marchioness from a young age.
Though the two aunts at the Marquis Mansion were the birth mothers to the sons, emotionally, both sons treated them like the Marchioness, sometimes even closer to the Marchioness. Xie Jue was unwell as a child and was raised by the Princess for two years. After six, he almost never stayed in the rear courtyard and wouldn’t be in daily contact with the ladies, so there is no resemblance to the Princess in his preferences or personality, which are completely different.
If seeking traces of the Princess in Xie Jue, one would be disappointed. He knew this well and was not afraid of the High Priest’s scrutiny.
Calculated by age, this High Priest is similar in age to the Princess, and with such respectful manners, likely there was a friendship.
Xie Jue ordered tea to be served. Fang Chuning saw him as harmless and had Shadow Guards in secret. The High Priest came to find Xie Jue possibly to talk privately, and wisely stepped out.
"You resemble the Princess not at all," the High Priest spoke bluntly.
Xie Jue nodded, "Yes, I resemble my father more."
"What a pity!"
Xie Jue raised an eyebrow, uncertain what was regretted. Though his aunts were exceptionally beautiful, his father was also strikingly handsome. He inherited the best features from both, in looks, what is regrettable?
The High Priest said, "Rumor has it you are the Princess’s eldest son, a direct descendant of our Sannan Royal Family, yet the Princess died early, leaving nobody to confirm. Your appearance bears no resemblance to her at all. Merely based on the correspondence between the Marquis and the King, it’s hard to affirm your legitimate identity."
Xie Jue coldly spoke, "I was born in the Marquis Mansion, raised there, loyal to it all my life. I never heard growing up that I was the blood of the Sannan Princess, only knowing my birth mother was Sannan. Until one day, Ningzhou received letters with people exploiting my ancestry to force my brother to surrender. Then I realized my birth mother was indeed a Sannan Princess. Honestly, this identity truly feels awkward; firstly, I cannot inherit the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry, secondly, I cannot supersede my brother to the throne, thirdly, I am subjected to slander, filled with rumors. I don’t wish to be the blood of a Sannan Princess and never cared about this kinship. It is your King and Princely Heir who are entangled over this. If they are sure I am the Princess’s descendant, then let them prove it, not expect me to prove myself."
The High Priest was slightly taken aback, "If you don’t care, the King and Princely Heir already intend to kill you, why come here?"
"For my brother to become a wise ruler, a remarkable leader, reclaiming lands given away by the Yuwen Dynasty and expanding territorial domains. Of course, you can interpret it as I came for peace between our families. Ningzhou fought for many years, Beiman has surrendered, truly I wish war doesn’t ignite again in Jiangnan." Xie Jue was candid, even more so than the High Priest anticipated, too honest to bother with pleasantries.
"So, you’re not interested in the Sannan throne?"
Xie Jue pondered, "I’m only interested in what’s rightfully mine."
"Interesting!" The High Priest was surprised, "Our Priest Court only acknowledges direct Sannan bloodline. You are the only direct bloodline, could this not rightfully belong to you?"
"The High Priest just mentioned I cannot prove I’m the Princess’s bloodline. Anyone might claim their mother is the Sannan Princess, the dead can’t confirm it." Xie Jue asked, "Does this truly belong to me?"
"It depends how Your Highness intends to prove."
"What if I choose not to prove?"
"Without concrete proof, the Priest Court won’t acknowledge your identity."
"Is the High Priest here hoping I will prove it, or hoping I won’t?"
"That depends on what Your Highness plans, whether bloodline or power matters more." The High Priest calmly gazed into Xie Jue’s eyes, "From Your Highness’s eyes, I see ambition; you’re not one to willingly submit."
"It depends on who I submit to; to my father, elder brother, and younger brother, I’m both servant and monarch, I don’t mind." Xie Jue expressionlessly held his ground, truthfully spoken. In the more than twenty years of Xie Zhang’s life, his and Xie Xun’s responsibility was to assist him, guard the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry.
From a young age, he was groomed as a supporting minister!
But some refuse to believe!