"Consort Shu? The Second Prince?"

Xiao Chengci sneered, "When have I ever taken those two idiots seriously?"

Xiao Chengci looked at Deshun and said, "Go and find someone to invite Consort Shu over. Tell her that I have a great gift for her."

Pei Yin was stunned. After realizing what had happened, she slapped herself hard across the face.

"Your Highness, I truly know my mistake. I beg you to forgive me, even if it's just for the sake of me being Pei Zhi..."

Xiao Chengci slammed the teacup to the ground. "If you dare mention Zhizhi's name again, I'll kill you right here."

"Your Highness, please spare my life! Please give my daughter a chance to reform! Please..."

Xiao Chengci couldn't stand it anymore and gave Deshun at the door a look.

De Shun waved his hand, and the guards in the courtyard rushed in like a swarm of bees.

They tied Pei Yin up and gagged her so she couldn't make a sound.

Consort Shu didn't sleep a wink all night, her heart filled with both excitement and panic.

It wasn't until someone from the Crown Prince's residence came to invite her that Consort Shu became somewhat flustered.

Consort Shu politely declined, saying, "It's already late. If I go now, it won't be good if word gets out. How about I go tomorrow, at daybreak?"

The visitor, however, showed no respect whatsoever to Consort Shu.

"His Highness has ordered that if Consort Shu does not go, we will have no choice but to forcibly take her there."

Consort Shu angrily retorted, "How dare you!"

Consort Shu was surprised that even the servants in Xiao Chengci's courtyard showed her no respect.

Given this, Consort Shu was even more certain that something must have happened.

Consort Shu straightened her clothes. At worst, she would just deny it to the death.

Anyway, Xiao Chengci had no direct evidence and couldn't do anything to her.

Consort Shu followed the people to Xiao Chengci's courtyard. When she saw the people inside Xiao Chengci's palace, she couldn't help but take two steps back.

"I'm sure Her Highness understands without me having to say more."

She was able to give birth to a royal son in the harem and raise him to adulthood healthy, without her own family being able to provide any assistance.

Consort Shu was certainly a ruthless character; the moment she saw Pei Yin, she understood everything.

Pei Yin is trying to get into Xiao Chengci's bed and rise to prominence.

Unfortunately, the truth came out.

If Consort Shu were to say at this moment that this matter had nothing to do with her, she would be indirectly angering Xiao Chengci.

Would Consort Shu dare to say this? Would Xiao Chengci believe her? Would Emperor Xiao believe her?

Consort Shu closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then lifted her skirt and knelt before Xiao Chengci.

Consort Shu didn't care; what was shameful about a stepmother kneeling before the Crown Prince?

As long as I don't lose my life, I'll lose anything.

"Your Highness, please inform me of your intentions in this matter."

They're all smart people; if Xiao Chengci really wants to deal with her...

Xiao Chengci wouldn't invite her over; instead, he would send Pei Yin directly to Emperor Xiao.

At that time, no matter how Consort Shu tries to argue, it will be useless.

"First, hand this woman over to the second son, and tell him that I don't want to hear news of her death within the next ten years."

Xiao Chengci had heard of the Second Prince's methods in the backyard.

But this was a matter in the second son's backyard, and he wasn't the second son's biological father, so naturally he couldn't be bothered to get involved.

Consort Shu understood Xiao Chengci's meaning. If the second prince found out that Pei Yin was actually trying to sleep with Xiao Chengci behind his back, the consequences would be dire…

"Secondly, I heard that she brought a lot of dowry with her when she entered the prince's residence. I will have Minxue go to her residence to take inventory, and I hope that Consort Shu can return it all."

Consort Shu gritted her teeth in hatred, but dared not resist, and could only nod in agreement.

"It's late, Your Majesty. Please take the person back. I will pretend I know nothing about this."

Consort Shu was helped to her feet by palace servants, and the look in her eyes as she looked at Pei Yin was extremely sinister.

She had never suffered such a huge defeat at the hands of any one person.

She almost got used as a stepping stone by that brat Pei Yin.

That's quite a skill and a brilliant strategy.

Pei Yin lay on the ground, stammering and refusing to leave.

The palace servants were ruthless; a group of them forcibly escorted Pei Yin back to Consort Shu's courtyard.

This night was a sleepless one for both Pei Yin and Consort Shu.

De Shun could only shake his head and sigh.

If Pei Yin hadn't threatened His Highness, she could have gotten away with it quickly.

Now that Pei Yin has caused so much trouble, the days to come will truly be worse than death. You'll want to die but can't, and that's the most painful thing ever.

De Shun ordered his men to tidy up the things inside the palace.

The bed that someone has slept on, and all the items on the bed, must be taken down and burned.

Every corner inside the hall needs to be thoroughly cleaned.

Xiao Chengci stood outside the palace, looking up at the moonlight in the sky.

"Your Highness, the matter has been investigated and clarified."

De Shun knelt on the ground and begged for forgiveness, "The eunuch I took in before was arranged by Consort Shu. I deserve to die."

"Get up," Xiao Chengci said calmly. "What did he feed me to make me hallucinate?"

"The little eunuch said it's a hallucinogenic drug. If you take too much, you'll become addicted. But Your Highness didn't take much, so there's no need to worry."

"Have someone get some medicine."

De Shun immediately advised, "Your Highness, taking too much of this medicine will not be good for your health."

De Shun had served the Crown Prince for many years, so how could he not know what the Crown Prince wanted to do with this medicine?

"When did it become your place to decide my affairs?"

De Shun dared not say anything more and could only nod and do as instructed.

Emperor Xiao's letter arrived quickly, and Xiao Chengci instructed the palace servants to pack his things, preparing to return to the capital.

Xiao Chengci had a meal with Emperor Xiao and Empress Shang.

After the meal, the father and son gathered in the Imperial Study.

"Now that you're back, you should perform your duties properly and stop giving me headaches."

Xiao Chengci respectfully replied, "Father, I have remembered."

Emperor Xiao waved his hand and tossed a memorial to Xiao Chengci to read.

"Take a look at this memorial."

Xiao Chengci opened it, and there was a request for conferment, appointing Shang Huai as the new Marquis of Zhenyuan and also the new General of Zhenyuan.

"The General has been guarding the north for so long, and the imperial physicians have examined him and said that he has many hidden injuries. The General wants to take this opportunity to retire."

"Although Shang Huai is a bit young, he has always grown up in the north. If he succeeds him, the Zhenbei Army should not have any complaints."

Emperor Xiao sighed, "That's exactly what I mean."

Emperor Xiao and Xiao Chengci exchanged a glance, both understanding the Emperor Xiao's concerns.

The Zhenbei Army is the imperial army, how could it become hereditary?

There's no problem with Shang Huai taking over, but what if someone else does?

This will surely cause a huge uproar.

But in this way, wouldn't the hundreds of thousands of soldiers of the Zhenbei Army become, in effect, the private army of the merchants?

If the imperial court sends so much military pay and so much grain every year, isn't that like raising a tiger to cause trouble?

Despite this, the General of the North has never harbored any ill intentions over the years.

But who knows what the future holds?