“My mother’s family and your mother’s family also have a few good-for-nothing descendants.”
"When people get old, they just want to lend a hand and not let them live too miserable a life."
The Empress Dowager sighed, "I just want His Majesty to give a few people an official position, or at least appoint a few idle marquises."
Upon hearing this, Shang Huai's expression turned somewhat awkward.
"aunt."
"Those things from my mother's family."
"They still want to be officials? To be marquises?"
"A bunch of beasts. They don't even have an official position yet, but they're already lawless."
"If they really had any power, they wouldn't even know who they were."
Shang Huai looked down on all the male members of his mother's family.
If you're a man and want military power, then go fight on the battlefield.
If they had any guts and came to join the Zhenbei Army, Shang Huai would naturally not be stingy and would be willing to take them into the army camp.
But in earlier years, these shameless people...
He shamelessly came to our door, saying he wanted to get a minor official position in the army.
Just as Shang Huai was about to agree, they came up with a whole bunch of unrealistic demands.
This official position must be one that allows one to remain in the capital.
They couldn't stand the bitter cold of the north.
Moreover, they were in poor health and unable to go to the battlefield.
They also need to receive a salary, and their official rank can't be too low, otherwise they'll lose face if word gets out.
Shang Huai showed them no respect whatsoever and kicked them out of his house.
Shang Huai has a fiery temper, and these people dare not bother him, so it seems they have gone to the Empress Dowager.
Shang Huai's words were harsh, and the Empress Dowager was somewhat embarrassed.
"No matter what, they are still my and your mother's family."
"After this, the family will still need these people to support it."
Shang Huai waved his hand, "Don't try to hold on."
"This group of people definitely can't hold on, don't have any hope."
Shang Huai sincerely advised, "Aunt, you're going to make trouble with His Majesty over such worthless things."
"It's only because His Majesty has a good temper. If it were me, I would have just dragged these people out and beheaded them, and that would have been the end of it."
The Empress Dowager could point her finger at Xiao Chengci and scold him, but she could not point her finger at Shang Huai and scold him.
No matter what, Shang Huai was not the Empress Dowager's biological son, so the Empress Dowager dared not go too far.
"After all, I am the Empress Dowager. He imprisoned me in the royal villa. Is he not at fault?"
"Didn't Auntie insist on coming to the Royal Villa herself?"
Shang Huai looked bewildered and asked, "You're still here. What's different from before?"
The Empress Dowager snorted angrily, feeling somewhat awkward, but she couldn't bring herself to tell Shang Huai about it.
She stayed here willingly, but the feeling of being imprisoned by His Majesty and not being allowed to leave is quite different.
The Empress Dowager said in a sorrowful tone, "Ah Huai, I can only count on you now."
Shang Huai, however, showed absolutely no appreciation.
"Aunt, you're joking."
"Your cousin is an emperor, and you don't expect anything from me, your nephew? That's not right."
The Empress Dowager's expression stiffened. "What? Now even you despise me, thinking I have no power anymore, so you don't want to help me?"
Shang Huai sighed, thinking to himself, "Thank goodness his mother died young."
Otherwise, if his mother were as pretentious as the Empress Dowager, he would be annoyed to death.
"What does the Empress Dowager want me to do?"
"Mobilize 100,000 Zhenbei Army troops to the capital, so that His Majesty can see that I also have someone backing me up."
The Empress Dowager's purpose was the same as what Pei Minxue and the others had guessed.
In short, the goal is to get Shanghuai to mobilize troops.
I ordered Shang Huai to bring troops to the capital, hoping to intimidate His Majesty.
Shang Huai's expression changed slightly. He was curious whether his aunt was just getting old and starting to become confused, or if she wanted to kill him.
“Aunt, I mobilized troops without an imperial decree. Once I got them, I fear the entire court would want His Majesty to execute me.”
Shang Huai replied decisively, "Your Majesty, I have just found someone I love, and I do not wish to die yet."
"I will pretend I never heard of this matter. Your Majesty should continue to live out your days in peace and comfort in your separate residence."
"Wait," the Empress Dowager said in a deep voice, "I won't let you help me for nothing."
Shang Huai was curious: what kind of bargaining chips could the Empress Dowager possibly have?
"I have been Empress for decades, and I still have some influence in the court."
"As long as you help me with military power."
Shang Huai interrupted, "Your Majesty, what exactly do you want?"
"I only want to have some power, is that too much to ask?"
"You have helped me, so I will issue an imperial decree to bestow Pei Zhi upon you."
"I wonder if Ah Huai is satisfied with this deal?"
Shang Huai refused without even thinking: "Not satisfied."
The Empress Dowager was full of confidence, but she never expected that Shang Huai would refuse so decisively.
The Empress Dowager looked at Shang Huai in surprise, "Why?"
"You're competing with Bixi for a woman. Do you really think you'd win without my help?"
The Empress Dowager originally thought it was a sure thing.
For some reason, Shang Huai was unwilling.
"If she chooses Your Majesty, I am willing to concede defeat."
Shang Huai said with a determined look, "Losing is losing, as long as she's happy."
"I refused the Empress Dowager for no other reason than..."
Shang Huai's eyes flashed with anger. "Zhizhi is not a commodity."
"It's not something that can be traded either."
"It is certainly not something the Empress Dowager can use as a reward or as a bargaining chip in negotiations with me."
Shang Huai heard the Empress Dowager say that she would issue an edict to bestow Zhizhi upon him.
Shang Huai didn't feel happy; he only felt angry.
Perhaps, in the Empress Dowager's eyes, Pei Zhi was simply a woman of some beauty.
But in Shang Huai's mind, it wasn't like that.
The Empress Dowager did not expect that Shang Huai was also someone who was completely unyielding.
"Alright, alright." The Empress Dowager nodded. "You get out too, get out with His Majesty."
"Even if I die in another courtyard and my body rots and becomes ugly, I don't need you to care about me."
Without any hesitation, Shang Huai cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to the Empress Dowager and took his leave.
Inside the study, Xiao Chengci and Pei Minxue were discussing state affairs.
Shang Huai knocked on the door and walked in.
Shang Huai's expression was not good. "If there's nothing else, I'll head back now."
"Didn't the Empress Dowager ask you to stay at the other residence for a few more days?"
Shang Huai shrugged. "I had a bad talk with the Empress Dowager. She probably won't want to see me anymore."
Pei Minxue asked in surprise, "What's wrong?"
Xiao Chengci was also surprised: "Isn't your mother your favorite? Why would she be angry with you?"
Seeing the incredulous looks on the two people in front of him, Shang Huai gave a helpless laugh.
"What, do you really think that the Empress Dowager's doting on me since I was a child was truly without any selfish motives?"
"The Empress Dowager's family also has many nephews and nieces who are about my age, so why doesn't the Empress Dowager seem to like them as much?"
Shang Huai understood perfectly, "If my father weren't the General Who Guards the North, how much would the Empress Dowager like me?"
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