The second prince shook his head repeatedly, saying it shouldn't be like this.

What he just saw was not like that.

The second prince then realized that all the people serving his father were under Pei Zhi's command.

Whatever Pei Zhi says goes.

Emperor Pei kicked the second prince, saying, "From now on, you are not allowed to enter the palace without being summoned. I don't want to see you, my rebellious son."

"If you have nothing better to do, learn from your sister instead of thinking all day about how to plot for my throne."

The second prince gritted his teeth in anger, but he knew that anything he said now would be useless.

Emperor Pei turned to Pei Zhi, "Chang Le, did the sage ask you to deliver a message to me this time?"

"The wise man said that Father Emperor should not get angry, as anger will harm his health."

Emperor Pei patted his chest. "Yes, yes, the expert is right."

Emperor Pei glared at the Second Prince, "If it weren't for this beast, I wouldn't be angry today."

"I was so angry that I feel terrible pain all over my body."

Pei Zhi suggested, "Father, why don't you go inside and meditate for a while so that the pills can be absorbed?"

Emperor Pei nodded hastily: "Yes, yes, I'll go right away."

Emperor Pei went to the inner room, and the palace maids helped Pei Zhi to her feet.

Pei Zhi patted non-existent dust off her skirt. "Father has seen it too, can you leave now, brother?"

The second prince didn't speak, but stood up with his legs supported.

The second prince followed Pei Zhi out of the bedchamber without saying a word, his mind a complete mess.

Pei Zhi asked, "Father has seen it. Does Your Majesty still wish to visit Mother?"

The second prince sneered, "No need."

If the Emperor is like this, the Empress won't fare much better if she doesn't pledge allegiance to Pei Zhi.

"Then I won't see my brother off?" Pei Zhi said, dismissing him.

The second prince, unable to contain his anger, said, "This is the imperial palace; don't be so arrogant."

"Brother, what you say is very strange. How could I not know that this is the palace?"

Pei Zhi arrogantly said, "However, now this huge palace is under my sister's control."

"Your Majesty, you must remember Father's words: From now on, Your Majesty shall not enter the palace without being summoned."

The second prince knew that if he continued talking, he wouldn't gain anything.

Pei Zhi controls the entire palace, so there's no point in him staying here.

It would be better to leave the palace sooner and return home to discuss what to do next.

The second prince flicked his sleeves and turned to leave.

The guards stepped forward and blocked the Second Prince's path.

The second prince questioned, "What do you mean by this? Are you not letting me leave?"

Pei Zhi smiled and looked at the Second Prince without saying a word.

The second prince felt a sharp pain in his groin and immediately knelt down.

The guard kicked the second prince in the groin and said, "When the second prince leaves the palace, he should bow to the princess."

The second prince wished he could devour Pei Zhi alive, but he could only grit his teeth and bow.

Pei Zhi clicked her tongue twice, hoping that the Second Prince wouldn't disappoint her after leaving the palace.

Pei Zhi is now ruling from behind the curtain.

Even if Emperor Pei is alive, it's not that important to Pei Zhi anymore.

Emperor Pei must die, but not at the hands of Pei Zhi.

Isn't the Second Prince a perfect candidate?

Second brother must be heartbroken to see his father being treated like this by her, right?

Once you return, raise an army to uphold justice and rescue your father.

Afterwards, the Emperor refused to obey and died at the hands of his second elder brother, Pei Zhi then appeared.

She would capture the disgraced second prince, and then rightfully ascend to that high position.

She wants to shed the title of "ruling from behind the curtain" and become a true ruler.

The second prince returned to his residence and briefed his advisors on the situation in the palace.

"The current situation is very unfavorable for Your Highness."

"Even if you don't say it, I already know."

The second prince was also very distressed. "Father has completely trusted Chang Le. The palace is full of Chang Le's people. I am alone, so naturally I have no chance of winning."

"The princess's ambition can no longer be hidden."

The second prince was furious when he thought about it. "You say she's a woman, and instead of thinking about how to stay at home and be a dutiful wife and mother, she actually dares to dream of a position above all others."

What angered the Second Prince even more was something Pei Zhi almost got.

How could the second prince, who had always coveted the throne, not be furious?

"If Your Highness doesn't fight for it now, I'm afraid you won't have any chance at all in the future."

“I’ll fight for it? What do I have to fight for? Now even Father Emperor listens to her completely.”

The aide whispered, "In the end, the princess is just a woman. Do Your Highness really think those ministers in court are willing to kneel at her feet?"

The second prince seemed to be thinking about this, and he thought that what the prince said made sense.

"They were all just afraid of dying, so they had no choice but to submit."

"Your Highness is a prince, which makes your claim to the throne more legitimate than that of a princess."

"Does Your Highness really wish to be subservient to the princess from now on?"

The second prince never expected this: "Of course I am unwilling."

Yes, he is a prince after all. Why should the throne be given to a princess?

If he doesn't do something now, he'll never have another chance.

"I will go and send letters to those ministers, inviting them to a gathering."

The second prince wanted to gather people he could use.

"Second Prince, don't forget those ministers who died because of the princess. They're dead, but aren't their relatives still alive?"

The second prince immediately ordered someone to bring him writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, as his princess consort's birthday was in a few days.

He wanted to hold a birthday banquet and invite his ministers to attend.

The Second Prince's actions were too obvious; Pei Zhi couldn't pretend not to know.

What kind of prince consort's birthday requires so many ministers to come and offer their congratulations?

Yuan Chengyu asked, "Princess, are we really going to ignore this? Let the Second Prince form factions right under our noses?"

Pei Zhi flipped through the letters in front of her; there were more than twenty letters that had been delivered to her.

Is she afraid of her good second brother? Or is she afraid that all the ministers in the court have received a copy?

Some ministers received the letter, and after reading it, immediately sent it to the palace to show their loyalty.

Xie Qi calmly replied, "I suppose this is also part of the princess's plan."

Pei Zhi pretended to be serious and said, "My second brother is going to celebrate the princess's birthday, so as his younger sister, I should naturally go and offer my congratulations, right?"

Yuan Chengyu really didn't understand Pei Zhi's intentions.

Xie Qi, holding his teacup, said, "I'm afraid everyone who goes will end up on the princess's death list, won't they?"

Pei Zhi said helplessly, "What, in your eyes, am I such a bloodthirsty person?"

"Then perhaps I am overthinking things, and the princess went there genuinely to celebrate the prince's wife's birthday?"

"I have already given them one chance. Since they have not learned their lesson, I have no choice but to send them to meet the King of Hell."

Pei Zhi disciplined this group of people, and they are now behaving properly in court.

But as soon as the second prince sent the message, they rushed off without hesitation.

Isn't this taking Pei Zhi too lightly?

Once you've given someone a chance, there won't be a second.