Xiao Chengci pursed his lips, finally unable to hold back, "Shang Huai, you're still the same as before, so annoying."

Even if Xiao Chengci becomes the emperor, Shang Huai will not be polite to him.

"Of course, no one is as likable as His Majesty. Otherwise, there wouldn't be three, four, five, or six princes, would there?"

"In life, they act as if they are deeply in love."

"He got married in a grand ceremony only six months after his death. Who can put on a show like His Majesty?"

Shang Huai scoffed, "I wonder if His Majesty will still... when he's dreaming in the dead of night."

Pei Minxue couldn't listen anymore and said, "That's enough."

Pei Minxue looked at Shang Huai, "How old are you? How can you still have such a vicious mouth? You always say things that hurt people's feelings?"

Pei Minxue thought that Shang Huai must be different after so long.

As a result, after three days apart, Shang Huai was still the same as before.

When they speak, they always choose to hit people where it hurts.

Pei Minxue chimed in, "His Majesty has not had an easy time these past few years either."

Shang Huai looked at Pei Minxue with a calm gaze. "Oh," Shang Huai replied. "I almost forgot, Brother Minxue is His Majesty's subject."

This tone is exactly the same as when Shang Huai said that Minxue had been a dog for too long and didn't know what it felt like to stand up.

He's just speaking more gently now.

Pei Minxue glanced at Xiao Chengci, shook his head, and still didn't reveal that none of Xiao Chengci's princes were his biological children.

This matter is not a secret in the capital.

It's just that Shang Huai is far away in the north and hasn't returned to the capital for decades, so it's normal that Shang Huai doesn't know.

Pei Minxue advised, "No one could have predicted what happened back then, and so many years have passed. We can't live in the past forever."

"Back then? Ask Xiao Chengci if he dares to mention 'back then' in front of me."

For the past twenty years, Shang Huai has been thinking about what would have happened if he hadn't listened to Xiao Chengci.

Later, Shang Huai realized that Xiao Chengci was sending him to the front lines, even if Pei Zhi had really divorced him at that time.

Given Xiao Chengci's cunning nature, he would definitely be kicked out by Xiao Chengci.

Pei Minxue could only shake his head helplessly. He was too old to care about the two cousins ​​anymore.

“I know you don’t want to stay in the capital. Once the Empress Dowager’s illness has improved, you should go back to the north.”

Shang Huai said bluntly, "Of course I'm leaving. If I stay here, I don't even know how I died."

Shang Huai clearly still remembered the sword Xiao Chengci had used to stab him.

"Shang Huai, you imprisoned me back then, almost causing my death in jail. Did I hold it against you afterwards?"

Since Xiao Chengci brought up the events of that year, Shang Huai wasn't afraid to dredge up old grievances with him.

"Is it because you don't want to mention it? Aren't you trying to play the magnanimous role in front of Pei Zhi?"

"Afterwards, you stabbed me with a sword. Doesn't that count as returning the favor?"

Xiao Chengci dared to bring up the past in front of Shang Huai, so Shang Huai had no intention of leaving Xiao Chengci any leeway.

"I really admire you for playing the role of being magnanimous and not holding a grudge against me in front of Zhizhi."

“Then he turned around and sent someone to say some ambiguous things to my father.”

"My father took the initiative to send my grandparents to Beijing to live out their old age, which meant that I was unable to see them off on their final journey."

"After my father retired, he was also forced to stay in the capital. Knowing that his time was coming to an end, he had to travel to the north so that I could see him off in his final moments."

Shang Huai declared loudly, "I, Shang Huai, have done nothing to wrong the country."

"Even if he had thoughts of rebellion back then, it was just a thought. Over the years, shouldn't his merits and demerits have balanced out?"

"And what about me?" Xiao Chengci patted his chest. "Have I ever had a good time all these years?"

"I was forced to marry someone I didn't want to marry because I was going to be the emperor and had to shoulder the responsibilities!"

"What right do you have to criticize me?" Xiao Chengci retorted. "What good have all my scheming done? What have I gained?"

None of them got Pei Zhi.

Even if Xiao Chengci used all his schemes, in the end it was all for nothing.

"Wow!" Shang Huai exclaimed. "Yes, Your Majesty, you've worked so hard, marrying so many women you didn't want to marry, and then having so many princes. You've really had a tough time."

Shang Huai showed no respect for Xiao Chengci and directly mocked him.

"Why don't you go to the capital and ask people what they think of me?"

Shang Huai snorted coldly, "What, has the entire capital been bought off by His Majesty? Everyone says that His Majesty is a wise ruler who is rare throughout history?"

Pei Minxue coughed twice. "None of those princes are His Majesty's biological sons."

“Apart from the eldest prince, the other princes are all sons of princes who were adopted by His Majesty.”

"Oh." Shang Huai pretended to suddenly realize, "So it was because your health wasn't good, so after having the eldest prince, the rest were adopted?"

Pei Minxue couldn't help but facepalm. "That's not true. The eldest prince isn't his biological son either."

Pei Minxue lowered his voice, "His Majesty has never visited any of the concubines in the harem."

Shang Huai also had some doubts: "Why?"

You've already married, why don't you favor your wife?

Pei Minxue glanced at Xiao Chengci, who was sitting high on the dragon throne, and leaned down to whisper in Shang Huai's ear.

"His Majesty feels nauseous whenever he gets close to those women."

Shang Huai couldn't help but laugh. "Serves you right, you really deserve it."

Shang Huai's mood improved considerably. So what if Xiao Chengci became emperor? This was Xiao Chengci's retribution.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!