When Xiao Shan and the others returned to the capital, Emperor Xiao Jin personally went outside the city to greet them.

 

Seeing the figures from afar, Xiao Jin finally felt at ease. Everyone paid their respects to the Retired Emperor, who acknowledged them with a nod. Then, looking at the now more composed Xiao Jin, he said, "I was doing well in Yunnan. Why did you insist on having Xiao Rong bring me back?"

 

Xiao Jin smiled and said, "Without Imperial Father by my side to guide me, your son inevitably feels anxious. Imperial Father has been in Yunnan for quite some time, and now is a good time to return to the capital."

 

In fact, everyone knew that Xiao Jin had become increasingly adept at handling state affairs, and his reign as Emperor was becoming more satisfactory. The real reason for bringing the Retired Emperor back was concern for his health, but there was no need to voice such inauspicious thoughts.

 

The Retired Emperor understood this as well. He snorted and said, "Aren't you doing quite well already?"

 

Xiao Jin replied, "Thank you for your praise, Imperial Father."

 

After the father and son had exchanged a few words to strengthen their bond, the Retired Emperor returned to his carriage.

 

Xiao Jin then approached Xiao Rong and said, "This successful return of Imperial Father to the palace is largely thanks to you, elder brother."

 

Xiao Rong pouted and said sullenly, "It's not just my doing. The main reason is that Imperial Father was willing to come back."

 

Standing nearby, Gu Linglong couldn't help but want to facepalm when she heard his words. Although she knew that Xiao Rong wasn't entirely foolish, the thought of his unappealing manner of speaking always left her feeling frustrated.

 

Sometimes she thought, if Xiao Rong had even half of Xiao Shan's eloquence, he would certainly hold a different place in the Retired Emperor's heart. Her father wouldn't have been so despairing as to give up on pushing Xiao Rong to the throne, having seen no hope in him.

 

But perhaps it was for the best. Xiao Rong's temperament wasn't suited for being an emperor; being a leisurely prince suited him well. At least as a prince, she could keep him in check. If he became emperor, others would undoubtedly study him thoroughly, and by then, he wouldn't listen to her at all.

 

As the saying goes, "Every man for himself, and the devil take the hindmost*." Gu Linglong felt that for her own sake, it was better that Xiao Rong didn't become emperor.

*that one should do what is best for you, without considering anyone else.

 

Of course, these thoughts couldn't be shared with Xiao Rong, lest they hurt him. On the surface, she had to show concern for him when he was unhappy and occasionally lose her temper, as this was the only way to maintain their relationship in the long run.

 

Xiao Rong had no idea what was going on in Gu Linglong's mind. He watched Xiao Jin smile at him before walking over to Xiao Xian, and he couldn't help but pout. He thought to himself, who didn't know that Xiao Jin didn't really care about his brothers? In his heart, there was only Xiao Shan, and he most wanted to talk to Xiao Shan. It was only out of consideration for the civil and military officials and for appearances that he dealt with his less favored brothers first.

 

Xiao Rong's thoughts were written all over his face and were easy to guess. Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, Gu Linglong gave him a hard kick.

 

Many times, Gu Linglong had to remind herself that it was okay to lose her temper with him occasionally, but Xiao Rong always managed to test her patience, making it impossible for her to control her temper.

 

Was this the right occasion to wear his thoughts on his face, especially under the watchful eyes of everyone? Even if it was a well-known fact, the Emperor still gave them face. After all, they had once been rivals for the throne.

 

Expecting the Emperor to treat them the same as he treated Xiao Shan was as impossible as the sun rising from the west.

 

Moreover, if Xiao Rong were in the Emperor's position, who knows how he would treat Xiao Jin and the others? The fact that Xiao Jin hadn't stripped him of his princely title was a testament to his magnanimity.

 

Xiao Rong, kicked by Gu Linglong, looked at her with a face full of grievance. He glared at her angrily.

 

Gu Linglong glared back at him, and Xiao Rong, intimidated, shrank his neck and stood aside sulking.

 

Xiao Jin had long since forgotten about Xiao Rong. He looked at Xiao Xian, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, and said, "Fifth Brother, you've become much stronger."

 

Xiao Xian respectfully replied, "I've been training with third brother."

 

Xiao Jin smiled with a hint of exasperation and said, "Your third brother loves to play and make a fuss. Training with him certainly helps build strength."

 

Xiao Xian felt a bit awkward, unsure of how to respond.

 

Fortunately, Xiao Jin didn't expect an answer. He looked over at Xiao Shan, who was standing not far away, and said coldly, "Why are you standing so far away? Feeling guilty about something?"

 

Xiao Xian stepped back slightly, giving space to Xiao Jin and Xiao Shan.

 

Xiao Shan rubbed his nose and walked over, saying, "With Imperial Father watching, how could your humble brother dare to do anything wrong?"

 

"Is that so?" Xiao Jin's expression and tone grew even colder. "You used to say you'd come back once a year, but now it's been years without a trace. Isn't that a guilty conscience?"

 

"Perhaps," Xiao Shan replied dryly. "It's just that I couldn't find the time."

 

Xiao Jin pressed on, "Is it that you couldn't find the time, or that you didn't want to?"

 

Without thinking, Xiao Shan said, "I really couldn't find the time."

 

Xiao Jin snorted coldly. "I heard that you've been living quite freely in Yunnan, even taking the opportunity to engage in a battle with the border guards. How is it that you couldn't find the time to come see me?"

 

Xiao Shan's expression grew increasingly dry.

 

If others heard this, they would likely think Xiao Jin was warning Xiao Shan not to meddle in Yunnan's border affairs.

 

But only Xiao Jin knew that wasn't the case. Seeing Xiao Shan's guilty look, his tone softened. "You weren't hurt, were you?"

 

"No, I wasn't hurt. With Xie Zhui by my side protecting me, how could I get hurt?" Xiao Shan smiled. "Besides, we were far from the battlefield, just standing on the city wall to boost the morale of the troops below."

 

Xiao Jin nodded. "It's good that you weren't hurt."

 

Meanwhile, Xie Zhui was talking with Xie Chen. The two brothers hadn't seen each other for several years.

 

Seeing Xie Chen looking so spirited, Xie Zhui felt genuinely happy for him.

 

If it weren't for his eye condition, Xie Chen would have been like this long ago.

 

Xie Chen said, "Let's have a family gathering in a couple of days. You haven't met my child yet, have you? You'll get to see him when we get back."

 

Xie Zhui replied, "Elder Brother's child is naturally the best." They both knew that Xie Yi wasn't Xie Chen's biological child, but since Xie Chen insisted that the child was his and Xie Sui had accepted it, then the child was indeed Xie Chen's. From the day Xie Chen brought him back to the capital, he became the young master of the Xie family.

 

Over the years, Xie Chen had become increasingly steady in the court. Hearing Xie Zhui's words, he smiled with genuine joy.

 

As Xie Chen turned his head, Xie Zhui inadvertently noticed a bruise on his neck. Xie Zhui was no naive youngster; he knew exactly how such a mark could have come about, and his eyes widened in surprise.

 

Over the years, Xie Chen hadn't had anyone close to him. Where did this mark come from?

 

Noticing Xie Zhui's shocked gaze, Xie Chen instinctively touched his neck. He pulled his collar up slightly, a faint blush and a hint of embarrassment appearing on his face.

 

Xie Zhui averted his gaze and remained silent. This wasn't the appropriate setting to discuss such matters.

 

Xiao Jin gave Xiao Shan a thorough scolding. In the end, it was Xiao Shan who brought up the Retired Emperor, suggesting that it was getting late and they should return to the palace. Only then did Xiao Jin stop, though he still shot him a glare.

 

Xiao Shan respectfully saw Xiao Jin onto the imperial carriage before returning to his own carriage. As he lowered the curtain, he let out a heavy sigh of relief.

 

The group began their journey back to the palace, with carriages and horses moving forward one after another.

 

Inside the carriage, Xiao Shan noticed Xie Zhui looking distracted and asked, "What's wrong?"

 

Xie Zhui opened his mouth to speak but then shook his head and said, "It's nothing."

 

The matter concerned Xie Chen's privacy, and he really didn't know how to bring it up with Xiao Shan.

 

Xiao Shan, being very astute, noticed Xie Zhui's expression and recalled that he had spoken with Xie Chen for a while after returning to the capital. He asked, "Did something happen with Elder Brother?"

 

Xie Zhui hesitated for a moment. "Not exactly..."

 

As long as nothing serious had happened, Xiao Shan thought, and decided not to press further.

 

He changed the topic, saying, "Mingming and Eldest Brother seem to have a special bond." Throughout the journey, Mingming had been alternating between riding in their carriage for a few days and then spending a day in Xiao Rong's carriage.

 

Xiao Rong had never been particularly friendly towards Xiao Shan, but he was especially fond of Mingming.

 

Xiao Rong had given Mingming many good things, which made Mingming even more eager to spend time with him.

 

Because of this, Xiao Rong had proudly shown off in front of Xiao Shan.

 

To be honest, his boasting was quite effective.

 

Xiao Shan felt a bit uncomfortable. He hadn't expected that while he could surpass Xiao Rong in many aspects, he would lose out when it came to the child.

 

Whenever he thought of Xiao Rong proudly declaring that Mingming liked him, Xiao Shan found it hard to genuinely smile at him.

 

Hearing the name Mingming, Xie Zhui temporarily set aside his concerns. He looked at Xiao Shan, whose tone was dripping with jealousy, and said, "On the bright side, Mingming has received many treasures from Prince Rui, which means our family has gained some wealth."

 

"I, a dignified Prince of Yunnan, need him to get treasures from others? What don't I have in my private treasury?" Xiao Shan said sulkily, clearly not comforted.

 

Xie Zhui replied softly, "The Prince's private treasury is full of treasures, but Mingming just prefers the things from Prince Rui's household."

 

Xiao Shan looked defeated. Alright, when it came to Mingming, he really had no solution. He couldn't very well punish Mingming over this trivial matter, so he had to let Xiao Rong have the upper hand.

 

Seeing Xiao Shan's frustrated expression, Xie Zhui's eyes curved with amusement.

 

People have their flaws. After seeing Xiao Shan always in control of everything, catching a glimpse of him in such a state was oddly endearing.

 

On the evening of their return to the capital, Xiao Jin hosted a grand banquet in the palace to welcome the Retired Emperor and the others.

 

The banquet was very elaborate, reportedly even more so than Xiao Jin's own birthday celebration.

 

The atmosphere was harmonious between the ruler and his ministers, with the only exception being Prince Yong, Xiao Yi, who did not attend.

 

Regarding Prince Yong, the Retired Emperor had not yet inquired when Xiao Jin informed him that Xiao Yi was ill. To avoid spreading the illness to the Retired Emperor, he did not attend the banquet. Once Xiao Yi recovered, he would personally come to pay his respects to the Retired Emperor.

 

The Retired Emperor said, "If he's ill, he should rest and recover. There's no rush for him to pay his respects."

 

Xiao Jin acknowledged with a "Yes."

 

The banquet was very harmonious. The Retired Emperor, being advanced in age, sat with them for a while before retiring to rest.

 

The others, however, continued the revelry late into the night.

 

Xiao Shan accompanied Xiao Jin in drinking quite a bit of wine, and for the first time in his life, he felt the effects of intoxication.

 

As the banquet dispersed, Xiao Jin looked at the bleary-eyed Xiao Shan and said, "Stay in the palace tonight."

 

"Imperial Brother, that's not appropriate." Although somewhat drunk, Xiao Shan's rationality remained. He smiled and said, "I have my own princely residence. What would it look like for me to stay in the palace?"

 

Xiao Jin lowered his eyes and smiled, not pressing the matter further. Instead, he said, "Then I will escort you out of the palace."

 

Xiao Shan initially wanted to refuse, but seeing the forlorn look on Xiao Jin's face, he couldn't bring himself to say no.

 

On the way out of the capital, Xie Zhui supported Xiao Shan, with Xie Chen accompanying them. Xiao Jin walked alongside, followed by a large entourage, yet his figure seemed increasingly lonely.

 

The darkness behind him seemed to threaten to swallow him whole if he wasn't careful.

 

When they reached the carriage, Xie Zhui got in first. Xiao Shan stood there, speaking with Xiao Jin. He said softly, "Imperial Brother, go back."

 

Xiao Jin looked at him, and Xiao Shan suddenly chuckled and winked at the Emperor, saying, "Second brother, go back."

 

Xiao Jin's tense expression finally relaxed. He said, "I thought you'd never call me 'Second Brother' in this lifetime."

 

The term "Imperial Brother" sounded respectful but distant. As the Emperor, there was no one left to call him "brother."

 

Being an emperor meant becoming a solitary figure. Although he understood this reality, he still felt lonely at times.

 

Xiao Shan knew that this lonely path was one Xiao Jin had to walk alone, but sometimes he could afford to be a bit indulgent.

 

Living in Yunnan, far from the capital, it wasn't easy for him to return. Behaving a bit out of line in private would make Xiao Jin feel more at ease.

 

Once Xiao Shan got into the carriage, Xie Chen bowed to the Emperor and then boarded another carriage. The young Emperor watched them leave, feeling for the first time that the vast palace seemed a bit warmer.

 

Over such a long time, many people had changed, and many things had changed as well.

 

But Xiao Shan remained the same as ever—bold and unrestrained, always the same person.

 

Xie Chen hadn't drunk much. He escorted Xiao Shan and Xie Zhui back to their residence before returning himself.

 

Xiao Shan looked at the place that was both unfamiliar and familiar, then stopped Xie Zhui and laughed, "I haven't been back to the capital in years, but this place is still the same as before."

 

"If the Prince’s residence had changed, Your Highness would probably be even less willing to return," Xie Zhui replied with a smile.

 

Xiao Shan shook his head. "As long as you and Mingming are here, it doesn't matter if the place has changed; it will always be my home. If you weren't here, even if it were made of gold, I wouldn't care for it."

 

Xie Zhui replied, "I feel the same."

 

The two returned to their rooms, and Mingming, already sleepy, had been taken elsewhere to rest.

 

The next morning, Xiao Shan woke up with a terrible headache.

 

Despite this, he quickly got himself ready and, together with Xie Zhui, went to the Xie family residence.

 

At the Xie residence, Xiao Shan and Xie Zhui met Xie Yi.

 

Xie Yi, though very young, seemed to have experienced something significant. He appeared very silent, with a stern expression and an air of detachment about him.

 

Mingming looked at him, tilted his head, and cheerfully called out, "Brother."

 

Xie Yi glanced at Mingming and instinctively tried to smile. However, his smile was stiff, like a puppet's mouth being pulled by strings, making it look awkward and eerie.

 

A slightly timid person would likely be frightened.

 

Xie Yi probably realized this too, as he quickly reined in his smile.

 

The adults, witnessing this scene, remained silent. Mingming, unfazed, stepped forward, grabbed Xie Yi's hand, and said, "Let them talk. Let's go play outside."

 

Xie Yi stared at him in a daze, then allowed himself to be led away.

 

Seeing this, Xie Zhui and Xie Chen glanced at Xiao Shan. Xiao Shan calmly said, "Let them play."

 

He understood what the two were worried about. Xie Yi was a member of the Xie family, while Mingming held a princely status.

 

If the two developed a strong bond from a young age, Mingming would surely not suffer any grievances in the future when he got married.

 

However, Xie Yi's status was a concern. Although he was recognized by the Xie family, he wasn't of their bloodline.

 

If Xiao Shan showed even a hint of dissatisfaction, the Xie family would undoubtedly prevent Xie Yi from interacting with Mingming.

 

Xiao Shan, however, had no such concerns. He didn't place much importance on bloodlines. As for the relationship between Xie Yi and Mingming, no one could predict the future.

 

Whether they grew up as childhood sweethearts or developed feelings over time, as long as it was Mingming's choice, he would support it.