Empress Shang suggested, "Why don't we send him to guard the imperial tombs for a year or two, as a warning to others?"

Emperor Xiao looked at Empress Shang in surprise, "Empress, is Aci your biological son?"

Empress Shang, seemingly innocent, asked, "What do you mean by that, Your Majesty?"

Emperor Xiao questioned, "Guarding the imperial mausoleum is something only princes who have committed heinous crimes are allowed to do. It's a remote and desolate place. How could you let your own son go there? And for a year and a half?"

Empress Shang's eyes widened, truly filled with grievances she had nowhere to vent.

Empress Shang could only say, "Then why not let Aci go to the battlefield with General Zhenbei for half a year to gain experience? And bring back some military merits along the way."

"How can that be?" Emperor Xiao retorted without even thinking, "Swords have no eyes on the battlefield. What if he gets hurt?" Empress Shang rolled her eyes inwardly and said patiently, "Just let him guard the rear. He won't be on the battlefield. That way, he'll be safe, right?"

"No." Emperor Xiao still refused.

"I know Chengci's character best. He would never claim credit for someone else's military achievements and would definitely go to the battlefield himself."

Empress Shang said, "Then I will order the General of Zhenbei to keep a close watch on Aci and make sure he doesn't go to the battlefield."

Emperor Xiao hesitated for a moment: "It still won't work."

Empress Shang asked, puzzled, "Why?"

“Chengci went to the north, where it’s cold. He’s never been there before. What if he gets sick?”

"He's only just recovered, it's too dangerous."

"Besides, if he goes to the north, won't I not see him for half a year? No, no, that won't do."

If it weren't for the Emperor in front of her, Empress Shang would have loved to slam her fist on the table and point her finger at him while cursing.

With so many soldiers living in the north, aren't they cold?

Is Xiao Chengci afraid of the cold? Is Xiao Chengci in danger?

Emperor Xiao did not believe there was anything wrong with his thinking.

He was the emperor, the ruler of all people; his children naturally didn't need to suffer like this.

Empress Shang was completely speechless. "Your Majesty, you should eat something. It's getting cold."

Empress Shang finally understood that this wouldn't work and that wouldn't work.

It's true that whoever raises the child is the one who cares for them the most.

Emperor Xiao said that he would definitely punish Xiao Chengci severely.

But no matter what Empress Shang said, Emperor Xiao could always find a reason to argue.

Emperor Xiao looked at the lotus root starch dumplings in the bowl and thought, "I wonder if that wretched boy will be able to eat his favorite cherry meat while he's in prison."

"Your Majesty, that's a prison, where would you get cherry meat from?"

Yesterday, Empress Shang, fearing that Xiao Chengci had only just recovered, had several quilts sent over.

As for meals, even if the jailers wanted to curry favor with Crown Prince Xiao Chengci, they had to meet certain conditions in the prison.

"There are crab meat lion's head meatballs. When he was little, he loved this dish the most. He could eat four or five at a time. If I hadn't been keeping an eye on him, he could have eaten this every day."

Empress Shang said impatiently, "Your Majesty, please have your meal."

Crab meat lion's head meatballs? If there were such conditions in a prison, would it still be called a prison?

Emperor Xiao sighed, "Later, go and prepare a few sets of clean clothes for him and send them over. He has always been a clean person since he was a child."

Empress Shang, holding her chopsticks, said, "Even if we send them, he has nowhere to wash them, so it doesn't matter whether we replace them or not."

Xiao Chengci is locked up in a prison. Does that mean he can take a bath?

I changed into clean clothes, and they immediately got dirty again.

Emperor Xiao retorted, "Then why don't you bring some people to help him with the cleaning?"

Empress Shang pursed her lips and said sarcastically, "Your Majesty, why don't you release the Crown Prince?"

Sending him clothes wasn't enough; they also had to bring people in to help him wash up.

It would be better to just release Xiao Chengci. Why make things difficult for her?

“That won’t do,” Emperor Xiao refused. “If I release him now, I won’t be able to explain it to the ministers.”

"It will take at least three days before I can have someone propose his release at the morning court session."

"Wow!" Empress Shang exclaimed, "Your Majesty, you are such a strict father! You actually had the heart to lock the Crown Prince in that dark and sunless place for three days."

"Yes, the dungeon is dark and damp. You should have someone fix it up so he doesn't get sick in there."

Empress Shang put down her chopsticks with a rather heavy thud, making a crisp sound.

"Your Majesty, I don't see that you're hungry. Why don't you go and review the memorials?"

Empress Shang did not want to continue talking with Emperor Xiao.

With such a "good" father as Emperor Xiao, Xiao Chengci did not become a ruthless crown prince, and Empress Shang is now only filled with gratitude.

It's unclear how Emperor Xiao has managed to raise his children all these years.

"Your Majesty, outside the palace, Consort Shu has brought the Second Prince to pay his respects."

Emperor Xiao waved his hand: "Let them in."

Empress Shang straightened her clothes and wiped her mouth with a handkerchief to avoid being impolite.

Consort Shu and the Second Prince entered the hall one after the other and paid their respects to Emperor Xiao and Empress Shang.

"Have you eaten yet? If not, sit down and eat with us."

Just as the Second Prince was about to say that he had already used it, Consort Shu gently pinched his arm.

"No, Your Majesty. I was thinking of inviting you back for your meal after you have finished eating."

The Empress said to the palace servants, "Bring two more sets of bowls and chopsticks."

Palace servants came to help Consort Shu and the Second Prince wash their hands. The Second Prince sat on the other side of Emperor Xiao, and Consort Shu sat down next to him.

"Your Majesty, did you rest well yesterday?"

Empress Shang was puzzled. "I rested quite well yesterday."

Consort Shu covered her mouth with a handkerchief and chuckled, "As expected of the Empress, even with the Crown Prince causing such a terrible disaster, the Empress can still rest easy."

Consort Shu brought the Second Prince here today, obviously to sow discord.

Previously, Consort Shu truly dared not covet the position of Crown Prince.

Xiao Chengci was made crown prince at the age of three and has been by the emperor's side since childhood.

It makes it seem like the children born to these concubines aren't His Majesty's own.

Normally, it is difficult to even see His Majesty.

However, now that Crown Prince Xiao Chengci has been imprisoned, Consort Shu believes that her son's opportunity has arrived.

If the crown prince is deposed and the eldest prince dies young, her son will become the eldest son.

Consort Shu said, "If it were me, I probably wouldn't be able to sleep at night."

Emperor Xiao's gaze was sharp and fixed on Consort Shu.

Empress Shang chimed in, to prevent Consort Shu from talking to herself, "Then the Second Prince would have to have the guts to cause such a huge disaster."

Consort Shu's smile froze. Empress Shang's words were practically a direct accusation that the Second Prince was a coward.

"As my child, he is naturally not as bold as the Crown Prince. I have always told Ayan to be filial to his father and mother, and to be respectful and cautious. He is no match for His Highness the Crown Prince."

The second prince ate his food listlessly, then occasionally used serving chopsticks to put some food on Emperor Xiao's plate.

Emperor Xiao looked at the mountain of food piled up in the bowl, and then at his second son, who looked completely dazed.

Emperor Xiao sighed in exasperation. How could they be so different when they were all his children?

Empress Shang was equally blunt: "If you know you can't beat them, then don't compete."

The smile on Consort Shu's face froze completely.