Xiao Rong now wished he could kneel on the ground and smash his own head. Knowing full well that Xiao Shan's heart was entirely set on Xiao Jin, how could he have believed this man's deceitful words?

 

It was truly infuriating. Xiao Shan was indeed a deeply scheming person. When the Emperor summoned them, Xiao Shan immediately suggested that the Emperor wanted to test them, planting that preconceived notion in his mind.

 

He and Xiao Shan were different.

 

Xiao Shan could muddle through his days at the Ministry of Justice, but Xiao Rong couldn't. He wanted the Emperor's praise and greater benefits. So, convinced that the Emperor would be disappointed in him, he felt both anxious and fearful.

 

So when Xiao Shan mentioned that the officials at the Ministry of Justice had reported them, it completely distracted him. Coupled with the rush to enter the palace, he had no time to think things through. His mind was solely focused on how to protect his own interests and prevent his father from being disappointed in him.

 

The result was that he was utterly ruined by Xiao Shan. With Xiao Jin already being a paragon, it was never easy for him to win over the officials. After today's events, it seemed there would no longer be a place for him in any of the Six Ministries.

 

Xiao Rong couldn't understand how someone could be so malicious.

 

Emperor Xiao Sheng, sitting in his high seat, observed the changing expressions of his two sons below. Xiao Rong was easier to read, clearly filled with regret and despair. In contrast, Xiao Shan's expression was a mix of frustration and calmness, a very contradictory demeanor.

 

There was definitely some hidden story here, and at that moment, the Emperor's curiosity was burning intensely.

 

He dismissed his two sons and waited for the arrival of the Minister of Justice.

 

***

 

As the Minister of Justice entered the palace, he encountered the two princes. He greeted them with a smile.

 

Xiao Shan responded with a curt nod and a grunt, while Xiao Rong's expression was extremely stiff.

 

The Minister of Justice felt a pang of unease, sensing that something was amiss.

 

Over the years, he always trusted his instincts, and this time was no exception.

 

The Minister of Justice kept pondering why the Emperor had summoned him so urgently. After much thought, he still believed it had something to do with Xiao Rong and Xiao Shan.

 

So, when he entered the Ganming Hall and the Emperor questioned him about why he hadn't properly guided the two princes and instead let them do as they pleased, the Minister of Justice felt a sense of relief. It was indeed related to his suspicions.

 

However, this was a tricky question to answer. Princes were still princes, and no matter how poor their reputation, while the Emperor could be displeased with them, his ministers could not afford to be. Speaking too lightly wouldn't be good, and speaking too harshly wouldn't be either.

 

The best approach was to convey the princes' situation without angering the Emperor.

 

After a brief moment of thought, the Minister of Justice knew exactly how to phrase his response.

 

As the Minister of Justice began to speak, Emperor Xiao Sheng finally understood how his two sons had been spending their days at the Ministry of Justice.

 

The Minister of Justice spoke of how the princes were initially diligent and earnest, implying that their dedication waned over time.

 

He mentioned how Prince Li would be very happy whenever Xie Zhui brought him lunch, and how he enjoyed spending the afternoons in peace, resting with his eyes closed. He also noted that Prince Rui and Prince Li, being brothers, had a close relationship and acted in unison.

 

Wasn't this just a roundabout way of saying that the two of them were idling and napping at the Ministry of Justice?

 

Finally, the Minister of Justice, with a face full of shame, requested punishment, saying that the officials had all grown accustomed to their routines and had forgotten that the princes were not used to it. He added that they were too busy with cases from various regions to personally guide the princes, but promised to set aside time in the future to thoroughly review past cases with them.

 

Emperor Xiao Sheng, who had initially intended to question the officials at the Ministry of Justice based on Xiao Shan's words, now had only one thought after hearing the Minister of Justice's sincere explanation.

 

Dealing with unreasonable princes like Xiao Shan and Xiao Rong, the officials at the Ministry of Justice certainly had a tough time.

 

As their father, he also had it tough. His lifetime of wisdom seemed to be tarnished by these two troublemakers. What baffled him most was that Xiao Rong had gone along with Xiao Shan's blatant lies.

 

Could it be that spending too much time with Xiao Shan had caused Xiao Rong to pick up his bad habits?

 

Various thoughts floated through Emperor Xiao Sheng's mind, but his expression remained stern. He looked at the Minister of Justice and said calmly, "The two princes are still young and do not understand how the Ministry of Justice operates. Placing them there was meant for you to be their teachers. Do not hesitate to teach them just because they are princes. In all matters, you have Zhen’s support."

 

The Minister of Justice thought to himself, Yeah, right. It's precisely because they have you, the Emperor, as their father that we don't dare to speak freely.

 

Take today's incident, for example. If he hadn't been eloquent, he would have surely faced punishment.

 

Despite his thoughts, the Minister of Justice wore a grateful expression and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your understanding. This servant will certainly do my utmost in the future."

 

Whether these words were sincere or not, at least the appearance of harmony between ruler and minister was maintained.

 

Meanwhile, Xiao Rong and Xiao Shan were expelled from the palace by the Emperor.

 

Xiao Rong walked away quickly, clearly intending to distance himself from Xiao Shan. Xiao Shan jogged behind, calling out to him, but Xiao Rong pretended not to hear. He thought to himself that if he listened to one more word from Xiao Shan, he would be a fool.

 

Seeing that he couldn't catch up, Xiao Shan stopped. He watched Xiao Rong's rapidly retreating figure with great puzzlement and confusion. He thought to himself that they had been fine when entering the palace, united against a common enemy. He couldn't understand what had suddenly changed.

 

People often say that a woman's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea, but a man's heart is no different—equally deep and inscrutable.

 

Shaking his head at these thoughts, Xiao Shan let out a long sigh and slowly left the palace.

 

Upon returning to Prince Li's residence, Xiao Shan recounted the day's events to Xie Zhui, focusing on Xiao Rong's lack of loyalty. He complained about how Xiao Rong had abandoned him after meeting the Emperor.

 

Xiao Shan spoke with great grievance, and Xie Zhui listened attentively. After he finished, Xie Zhui comforted him directly, saying, "Since Your Highness knows that Prince Rui is such a person, it would be best to have less contact with him in the future."

 

"You are right," Xiao Shan nodded. "Eldest Brother is a pit, and I can't keep falling into it."

 

Xie Zhui nodded in agreement.

 

Ji An, who was listening to the conversation between the couple, remained silent for a long time. For some reason, he suddenly felt a bit of sympathy for Xiao Rong. After all, Xiao Rong hadn't done anything wrong, but hearing about his experiences was quite lamentable.

 

***

 

The next day at court, the grand hall was very quiet.

 

The ministers had no memorials to present, and the Emperor did not speak. He glanced at Xiao Shan, then at Xiao Rong, and then at the assembled civil and military officials, his thoughts inscrutable.

 

In any case, everyone stood there in silence for quite a while before the Emperor finally announced the end of the court session.

 

Xiao Rong wanted to avoid any contact with Xiao Shan, so he hurried away.

 

Xiao Shan called out from behind, "Eldest Brother, wait for me. Let's go to the Ministry of Justice together."

 

It would have been better if he hadn't said anything. Upon hearing this, Xiao Rong only wished he had four legs to run faster.

 

Xiao Rong felt a sense of despair because while he could avoid Xiao Shan in the grand hall, he couldn't avoid him at the Ministry of Justice.

 

Yesterday, after returning, Xiao Rong met with Gu Guang and recounted what had happened. Gu Guang slapped his thigh and said, "Your Highness, you were foolish."

 

Gu Guang didn't know what else to say. How could Xiao Rong have believed anything that came out of Xiao Shan's mouth? It was all nonsense. Even if there had been any suppression at the Ministry of Justice, when the Emperor inquired, Xiao Rong should have immediately said that he had received help from the officials. He should have mentioned that although there were difficulties, he would overcome them, rather than fanning the flames alongside Xiao Shan.

 

For the first time in his life, Gu Guang felt that Xiao Rong, the eldest prince, would only ever be the eldest prince. His path was clear and held no other prospects.

 

Gu Guang was so despairing that even Xiao Rong could sense it.

 

Xiao Rong, on the other hand, wished he could make a voodoo doll of Xiao Shan.

 

Now that Xiao Rong had left, Xiao Shan wanted to catch up but was stopped by Xiao Jin.

 

Xiao Jin pulled him aside, frowned, and asked in confusion, "I heard that the officials of the Six Ministries have privately agreed to avoid the two of you. What did you do?"