After seeing Xiao Ji off, Shang Changge did not return to the Princess's residence, but instead went to the palace with Shang Changze to visit and show concern for her adoptive mother, the Empress Dowager.

Imperial Garden, Plum Garden.

With a serene expression, the Empress Dowager, accompanied by her personal nanny Rong Momo, used golden scissors to cut off a plum blossom in full bloom.

"The fragrance of plum blossoms comes from the bitter cold, this plum blossom that braves the snow..."

When Shang Changge arrived, the Empress Dowager put plum blossoms into a flower basket and talked with Rong Momo, appearing indifferent to fame and fortune.

Shang Changge raised an eyebrow. If she remembered correctly, her mother's favorite flower was the bright red peony, and the reason was quite simple:

Crimson symbolizes the position of the principal wife, and peony symbolizes the king of flowers.

Now that he has gotten everything he wanted, he's suddenly come to like plum blossoms?

"Greetings, Your Highness. May Your Highness be well."

As soon as Shang Changge appeared, a group of guards, palace maids and eunuchs in the plum garden bowed and saluted in an orderly and well-trained manner.

Shang Changge: "No need, get up."

She bowed gracefully to the Empress Dowager, sitting upright and dignifiedly: "Your daughter greets Your Majesty, may Your Majesty be well."

The Empress Dowager glanced at her daughter's flat stomach without changing her expression, then pressed the golden scissors against the plum blossom branch: "Xiao Ji is gone?"

Shang Changge: "Just left."

The Empress Dowager nodded and summoned Rong Momo, instructing her: "I have a few private words to say to Ge'er. Tell them to leave and you stay here."

Rong Mama responded, telling the extra people to move away, and then found a suitable spot to stand guard herself.

The plum garden is full of plum blossoms, and the faint fragrance of plum blossoms permeates the cold air, which makes people feel relaxed and happy.

The Empress Dowager plucked a plum blossom and tucked it into Shang Changge's hair, then casually asked:

"I heard that Xiao Ji came to your gate yesterday morning to request an audience, but you did not let him in."

Shang Changge readily admitted, "Yes." She was very curious about what her mother wanted to say about this.

The Empress Dowager closely examined her daughter's stunning beauty and was very satisfied that her daughter had inherited the best features of both herself and the Emperor. Her words, spoken with a double entendre, expressed her approval:

"very good."

Shang Changge narrowed her eyes slightly, instinctively knowing that she didn't want to hear what her mother-in-law was about to say.

Sure enough, listen.

"If Xiao Ji returns unscathed from this trip, it would naturally be good for you to marry him."

If you cannot return, your close relationship will do you no good in the future when you choose a new husband.

Shang Changge remained silent.

The ancients were right: it's easier to change mountains and rivers than to change one's nature. Even if he changed his fondness for plum blossoms, his character of prioritizing the interests of his mother, the empress dowager, didn't change in the slightest.

I wanted to say something sarcastic, but then I thought better of it.

From a mother's perspective, it's only natural to have such thoughts about her daughter's future marriage.

Then, Shang Changge smiled slightly at her stepmother and said, "Thank you for thinking of me. You've thought it through very well. I won't bother you next time."

The Empress Dowager frowned slightly, clearly displeased: "What kind of attitude is this? I'm doing this for your own good..."

"Mother."

Shang Changge interrupted, "Have you forgotten that your daughter was also involved in the coup and rebellion? I'm all grown up now, and you don't need to worry about my affairs."

“I know you mean well and have good intentions, but Xiao Ji is the man my daughter loves and treats her very well.”

He contributed significantly to Changze's ascension to the throne. Now, he is leading troops into battle to serve Qingyan and our Shang royal family.

From both a moral and logical standpoint, you shouldn't have said those things to your daughter so soon after he left.

After hearing Shang Changge's words defending Xiao Ji, the Empress Dowager frowned even more deeply, unsure of what she was thinking.

A moment later, he saw Shang Changge shake his head, his face showing utter disappointment.

Shang Changge remained calm and unhurried, her hand brushing over the plum blossoms without picking them, only using her slender, porcelain-white fingertips to caress each delicate plum blossom petal.

"You don't need to look at your daughter like that. She's not love-struck and she wouldn't dig up or eat wild vegetables for love."

I am your and Father's daughter. You must have faith in yourself and in Father.

“My heart is more ruthless than yours, more ruthless than Changze's, and even more ruthless than my father’s.”

Shang Changge said this last sentence while smiling at her stepmother, the Empress Dowager, her smile radiant and her words light and breezy.

Looking into her daughter's eyes, the Empress Dowager felt a chill run through her body. At the same time, she felt a surge of satisfaction and nodded in approval once more.

"It's good that you understand, and it's great that you can figure it out."

Yes, that's good.

Although such a daughter terrifies her, she is still better than a daughter who would die for a man.

Being heartless is better than being stupid!

Because her stepmother was ill, Shang Changge, as the daughter, symbolically stayed in the palace a little longer.

They stayed until after lunch, when the Empress Dowager wanted to take a nap before leaving.

On their way out of the palace, they happened to run into Shang Xuanzhi, who was also visiting his mother.

The moment the siblings' eyes met, the young man strode over and spoke first:

"Is Your Majesty leaving the palace? So am I. Let's go together."

Shang Changge guessed that the young man had something to say to her, so she readily agreed without refusing.

She was surprised, after all, the young man hadn't spoken to her since she and her handsome younger brother had successfully forced the emperor to abdicate.

She happened to run into him once or twice, and the charlatan brother would look at her with complicated expressions and pretend not to see her.

She could roughly guess why Shang Xuanzhi's attitude towards her had changed so drastically, so it wasn't surprising.

It was Shang Xuanzhi's initiative in inviting her to walk together today, as if he had something to say to her, that piqued her curiosity.

The two remained silent all the way to the palace gates, but Shang Changge still hadn't heard what Shang Xuanzhi wanted to say to her. Just as she was getting curious, the young man arrived.

Shang Xuanzhi: "Your Majesty, it's been a while since I visited your residence. May I come today?"

Shang Changge inwardly scoffed, wondering what her charlatan brother was trying to say, making it all so mysterious.

Having successfully piqued his curiosity further, he readily agreed:

"Of course, let's go."

Not long after, at the Princess's residence, in the tea room.

The priceless tea leaves floated and sank in boiling water, releasing an irresistible aroma.

Even someone who doesn't know much about tea can tell it's good tea just by smelling its aroma.

Unfortunately, Shang Xuanzhi wasn't there for tea; he ignored everything around him.

After the maids and servants left the tea room, he went straight to the point and asked the question he had wanted to ask for a long time but had kept in his heart.

"Royal sister, why... must we kill each other?"

"Is the throne really that important? People will stop at nothing to get it..."

A young man is still a young man; he overestimated his temperament and resilience.

The beginning was very impressive, but it all fell apart before the last sentence was even finished.

Perhaps it's because this matter has been weighing on my mind for too long, and my emotions have been suppressed for too long.

The moment I finally made up my mind to ask, all my emotions poured out.

Shang Xuanzhi's voice was choked and trembling, and his eyes were slightly red.

He wasn't stupid; he knew very well who had actually forced the emperor to abdicate, rebelled, and murdered his father. He was completely stunned when he learned of his father's death.

He was also a member of the royal family, and he knew the importance of the throne, as well as the consequences if his second brother did not ascend to the throne.

Knowing that his second brother would be a good emperor and a wise ruler, he persuaded his mother and maternal grandfather to stand on his second brother's side.

But what he didn't understand was why, why his second brother and eldest sister would use such extreme methods.

No matter how biased their father may be, he is still their father!