Shang Huai asked incredulously, "You came to see me just to say this?"

Pei Zhi didn't stand on ceremony with Shang Huai, "So, do you think I came to see you to reminisce about the past?"

"So, you've come to persuade me not to fight, and to persuade me to release Xiao Chengci?"

Pei Zhi shook her head, "No, I don't think I have that much ability."

Shang Huai asked, "Then what is the purpose of bringing yourself back to life?"

"I'm here to ask Shang Huai, are you really ready?"

"What do I need to prepare? The Crown Prince is now in my hands, so isn't it more likely that I'll win?"

Pei Zhi nodded in agreement, "But Xiao Chengci dared to come. Does he really not value his own life?"

"Rumors are already circulating that the General Who Guards the North died at your hands. Haven't the officers in the military camp questioned you about it?"

"How can you win if the morale of your troops is low before the battle even begins?"

Shang Huai firmly stated, "Whoever disobeys will be killed by me."

"Then let me ask you, are you really prepared to let the entire Great Xiao Dynasty be drenched in blood?"

Pei Zhi pressed, "Are you really determined to let the peace your family has protected for generations be destroyed in your hands?"

"You can also see countless children losing their parents, and countless families being torn apart?"

In any war, there will inevitably be casualties.

When that time comes, there will definitely be rivers of blood.

Shang Huai said with dissatisfaction, "I'm just not reconciled. Why are they so high and mighty? Why can they decide someone's life or death with a single word?"

“Clearly, it is we who are fighting the enemy on the frontier; they are just enjoying the fruits of victory.”

Pei Zhi realized that Shang Huai had walked into a dead end.

Shang Huai's tone was full of confusion, and Pei Zhi's aggressive tone was no longer there.

Pei Zhi walked over to Shang Huai and squatted down in front of him.

“Your idea is correct, but Xiao Chengci and the others are able to enjoy these things because their ancestors won them.”

"Moreover, they did more than just enjoy the fruits of their labor; otherwise, the Great Xiao would not have been so powerful."

Pei Zhi asked slowly, "When you fight the enemy in the north, aren't your provisions and weapons all supplied by the imperial court?"

"If it weren't for Emperor Xiao's excellent governance, where would the country have gotten its surplus funds?"

"But what happened back then was clearly a matter between the three of us, yet Emperor Xiao only wanted you dead. Don't you hate that?"

After listening to Shang Huai's words, Pei Zhi calmly analyzed the situation for him: "Among the three of us, one is the Crown Prince, another is the only son of the General Who Guards the North, and I am the daughter of a minister who was suddenly found."

"Of the three people, who wouldn't be able to tell which is more important?"

Putting aside her own role as a party involved, if Pei Zhi were given the choice, she would definitely make the same choice as Emperor Xiao.

"That's human nature. If I and a strange woman fell into the water, and you could only save one of us, who would you save?"

Shang Huai moved his lips, but Pei Zhi didn't need to hear Shang Huai's answer.

“If my status were more noble than yours, Emperor Xiao would not have wanted to kill me.”

Shang Huai was puzzled. "So, you mean the reason is that your status isn't prestigious enough?"

Pei Zhi sighed, "You can also understand it as my death being the least loss to Emperor Xiao."

But she was just a woman; once she died, she was gone.

The root cause was that this was an era of absolute imperial power.

Whoever the emperor wants to die, that person must die.

Shang Huai suddenly realized: "Is this also the reason you faked your death?"

"Yes and no." Pei Zhi didn't know at the time that Emperor Xiao already knew.

“I have agreed to your marriage. Xiao Chengci will definitely make a move. If he makes too much of a fuss, Emperor Xiao and Empress Shang will become suspicious.”

Pei Zhi had simply foreseen what would happen next.

She knew that of the three of them, she would be the one to suffer.

Pei Zhi said calmly, "I just wanted to get out of this trouble."

"So, I'm also a nuisance to you?"

Shang Huai understood. "When you agreed to marry me in front of the Empress, was it out of sincerity, or was it just to spite Xiao Chengci?"

Pei Zhi pursed her lips and remained silent.

Pei Zhi remained silent, which made Shang Huai understand.

Shang Huai said sternly, "So, you never thought about marrying me and spending your life with me, did you?"

"If Xiao Chengci were not the Crown Prince, I might choose to marry you."

From the very beginning, Shang Huai was Pei Zhi's target.

Unfortunately, Shang Huai's status was too noble, and Xiao Chengci was the crown prince.

Therefore, Pei Zhi was very decisive and didn't want either of them.

Shang Huaiquan realized that Pei Zhi had never liked him.

If you truly like someone, you won't just abandon them.

"Then why are you back now?" Shang Huai suddenly stood up. "Since you're dead, you should stay far away."

Shang Huai pointed to the door: "Whether I succeed or not, it's none of your business. You can leave."

"Shang Huai," Pei Zhi grabbed Shang Huai's arm, "have you decided to go down this path to the bitter end?"

"Do you think I have any way out now?" Shang Huai sneered.

Shang Huai has already been identified as a traitor by the imperial court. Regardless of whether Shang Huai starts an uprising now or not, he is doomed to die.

“There must be another way. Let’s go see Xiao Chengci. He is the Crown Prince. If we can get him to plead for you, you will definitely survive.”

"Beg him?" Shang Huai scoffed. "Then I might as well just die now."

Pei Zhi frowned. She had only been away from Shang Huai for a short time, but how could Shang Huai have become such a completely different person?

"Do you really intend to plunge the world into turmoil for your own selfish reasons?"

Pei Zhi shook her head. "The Shang Huai I know isn't that kind of person."

In Pei Zhi's memory, Shang Huai was a very simple person.

He couldn't even distinguish between romantic and sexual feelings.

How did it turn out like this?

Shang Huai said frankly, "If I can pull the Xiao family off the throne, that's my skill. If I can't, at worst, I'll just lose my life."

"What about the soldiers behind you? Are you going to sacrifice hundreds of thousands of Zhenbei Army soldiers?"

Shang Huai said confidently, "If they are willing to follow me, they will enjoy wealth and honor if things go well, and if they don't, it's just bad luck."

Pei Zhi took two steps back, clearly not expecting these words to come out of Shang Huai's mouth.

Is this still the same Shang Huai who treated his soldiers like his own brothers?

"Okay, Shang Huai, you're really amazing."

Pei Zhi pointed at Shang Huai, "If you want to rebel, you might as well kill me first."

"Anyway, millions of people will die because of your decision, so it shouldn't make much difference if I'm one more, right?"

Shang Huai asked incredulously, "Are you threatening me with yourself?"

"You clearly don't like me, you clearly abandoned me, and yet you're trying to threaten me with yourself?"

Shang Huai questioned, "Pei Zhi, what am I, Shang Huai, to you?"