Help! The cunning and treacherous minister and I were reborn together!

"Suffering."

Xiao Zong tucked her stray hairs behind her ears and said with a look of heartache.

Yuan Zhishui looked slightly annoyed, slapped his hand away, and picked up two sweet potatoes, placing them by the stove.

"Actually, it wasn't that bad! Every time Yuan Ying bullied me, my third brother would rush out to protect me. Thanks to him, I was able to grow up safely!"

Xiao Zong said sharply, "Your third brother is of average intelligence, but his character is commendable."

Yuan Zhi clicked his tongue. "My third brother is a tribute student of the Imperial Academy!"

"What's so great about a spot bought with money? If you failed last year, how can you expect to pass the imperial examination next time?"

"..."

Yuan Zhi dared not make any guarantees, because in his previous life, his third brother had repeatedly failed the imperial examinations, and in the end, the old emperor couldn't stand it anymore and bestowed upon him the official position of a county clerk in the capital.

Seeing her speechless, Xiao Zong curled his lips into a smile, ceasing his provocation of her delicate heart. He placed the tea leaves into the purple clay teapot to brew, then asked:

"Your third brother, like you, was born out of wedlock, but he was your father's only son. Didn't your father-in-law ever consider registering him under your stepmother's name?"

Yuan Zhi ignored his father's address and said, "I thought about it, but my third brother was unwilling. He said that with our mother still alive, how could we acknowledge another woman as our mother for the sake of our future and family business? After refusing several times, Father stopped mentioning it."

After filtering the first brew of tea, Xiao Zong poured a cup for Yuan Zhi and himself when the second brew was ready.

"It's a pity your third brother was born in the wrong dynasty. If it had been during the time of recommending filial and incorrupt officials, he might have become a prefect!"

Yuan Zhi threw down the fire tongs, "Lord Xiao is a man of exceptional talent; he will surely be the top scholar in next year's imperial examination!"

The woman before him was fierce, like a wildcat with its fur standing on end, utterly adorable. For some reason, seeing her like this made him want to tease her even more.

"The commander of the Imperial Guards was the top martial arts champion in the ninth year of the Zaiyuan era. We were evenly matched when we sparred, so by that logic, I could also be considered a top martial arts champion. If I were to get a top-three finish in the civil service exam, wouldn't that leave no way for the men of Daqi to survive?"

Yuan Zhi glared at him, then got up and walked into the inner room.

Xiao Zong called out from behind, "Where are you going?"

"Look in the mirror and see which demon has possessed you!"

He chased after her, grabbed her hand holding the mirror, and glanced inadvertently at the bed.

Yuan Zhi saw his malicious gaze, turned him around, and said, "Get out of here!"

The two sat down again and drank tea together.

Yuan Zhi knew he was unwilling, but there were too many obstacles between them, and they could not be together in the end.

She said seriously, "I will never go back to the Xiao family. This is your first time here, and I hope it will be the last."

Xiao Zong's face darkened. "Impossible!"

Yuan Zhi said gently, "Xiao Zong, we both have too much on our shoulders. You need to protect the Xiao family and repay Consort Zheng's kindness, and I also need to ensure the safety of the Yuan family."

"You insist on being with me. Have you considered what would happen if my plans implicate the Xiao family, or your schemes harm the Yuan family? How would we face each other then? The best way is to act decisively while everything is still under control!"

Xiao Zong put down his cup. "That day will never come. As long as you trust me, I will definitely handle it properly."

Yuan Zhi shook her head, "I can't trust you unconditionally, just like you can't abandon Consort Zheng for my sake!"

The negotiations reached a stalemate, and both men looked unwell, constantly gulping down water.

The pot of tea was empty, but Xiao Zong still showed no sign of leaving, so Yuan Zhi had to find a way to get rid of him.

"I never knew I had such charm that I could make the wise and powerful Lord Xiao so unforgettable."

Xiao Zong pulled back his hand holding the teacup, and stubbornly said, "I'm just unwilling to be schemed against by a woman!"

Yuan Zhi stroked her bitten cherry lips, "Making me bleed isn't enough, you can't expect me to give my life for you!"

The other person pointed to the wound on their mouth and asked, "Who really suffered the loss?"

Yuan Zhi felt awkward, and remembering Jiang Rou's threat, she said indirectly, "Actually, we don't necessarily have to be husband and wife. If you want to see me often, being relatives or friends is also an option!"

Xiao Zong's eyes sharpened. "Your face changes so quickly, what kind of trick are you up to now?"

"What's it to you! Just tell me if you agree or not?"

Xiao Zong stood up and flicked her forehead. "I disagree."

He stepped out the doorway and stopped outside. "I will address all your concerns. If you no longer wish to accept me, I can wait. But you can only ever be my wife. The relationships of family and friends, or allies, will never apply to us!"

After saying that, he left without looking back.

Yuan Zhi's mind was in turmoil, and he could not calm down for a long time.

*

That evening, Li Kai arrived at Kunning Palace.

He hadn't set foot here for many years. Now, looking at the persimmon tree that the two of them had planted together, he lamented how time flies and how fate plays tricks on people.

When the palace maid saw the emperor arrive, she was so startled that she forgot to bow and ran back to her room to inform the empress.

The head maid was overjoyed upon hearing this and hurriedly prepared to help the Empress with her makeup and dressing.

Zhao Shuo waved her hand to stop her, saying that she was old and faded, and even the most beautiful clothes would be a waste on her. Besides, His Majesty had not come here to stay the night.

She lifted the curtain and went out, holding Buddhist prayer beads in her hand, dressed in a moon-white robe, like a hermit immortal untouched by the world.

Li Kai took a few steps forward and saw the white hair at her temples, and his heart was filled with grief.

He reached out and touched her, "Shuo'er..."

The two hadn't seen each other for a long time, and this intimate address and contact made Zhao Shuo feel as if she had been through a lifetime. She subconsciously flinched away, and the other person's hand brushed past her forehead, hovering in mid-air.

Li Kai withdrew his hand and said, "Won't you invite me in for a chat?"

Zhao Shuo held up the curtain for him, "Your Majesty, please!"

The two sat on the couch, looking at each other in silence, their expressions awkward.

The head maid served tea and snacks. Li Kai took a sip of jasmine tea and, trying to make conversation, said, "The tea in Shuo'er Palace still tastes the same as before."

Zhao Shuo said indifferently, "If Your Majesty likes it, I will have them pack some and give them to Eunuch Xu when you leave."

Li Kai sighed, "Are you... still resentful of me? Otherwise, why would you kick me out so soon after I arrived!"

"I have already let go of Heng'er's death; it is Your Majesty who has been brooding over it! Isn't your reluctance to come to Kunning Palace because you are afraid of thinking about Heng'er?"

Li Kai covered his face, "You're right. I feel guilty and remorseful day and night. I don't even have the courage to step into this place! If I had agreed to become the retired emperor back then, Heng'er wouldn't have died, and we wouldn't be so estranged!"

Zhao Shuo handed over the handkerchief, "What happened back then cannot be blamed on His Majesty. If Heng'er hadn't been misled by the Director of the Imperial Observatory, stirring up public opinion and making the situation uncontrollable, he wouldn't have committed suicide at Juyang Gate!"

Li Kai wiped away his tears and said, "The past is past, let's not talk about it! Today, the court officials suggested that I make Xin'er the crown prince, and I also feel that this child is capable of shouldering the heavy responsibility of the heir apparent. In the future, you will have to put in more effort!"

Zhao Shuo's heart skipped a beat, and she got up and knelt down below.

“Xin’er is unruly and almost caused Consort Zheng to miscarry during his regency. How can such a person be worthy of being the crown prince?”

Moreover, since ancient times, the throne has always been passed down from father to son; there has never been a precedent of a son passing the throne to his grandson while the other sons are still alive. I implore Your Majesty to reconsider!