Sheng Lengshuang glanced at Mo Lingxi, then lightly tapped Xiao Feng’s forehead. She chuckled, "Silly child, you should learn more from your father in this regard. Look how good your father is at it."
"Behind my back, you conspired with me to form an alliance. To my face, you're another person, winning my favor. It's a win-win."
Xiao Feng suddenly understood, puffing out his chest indignantly, "Father, you're so cunning."
Mo Lingxi raised an eyelid and said indifferently, "I am teaching you the ways of the world. If you meet outsiders, and you're happily counting their money, how would you know they are plotting against you?"
This time, Xiao Feng wasn't so easily fooled. He grumbled, "I don't believe a word Father says. Mother, Father is so bad, don't be with him. Make him suffer a bit."
Sheng Lengshuang burst into laughter. "Silly child, why do you never learn your lesson? You shouldn't say such things in front of your father. You should say them secretly behind his back, and make sure he doesn't know."
"Do good deeds openly, and 'bad deeds' secretly. Understand?"
Xiao Feng took her words to heart, nodding repeatedly and giving a thumbs-up. "Mother is still the most amazing. You can manage Father and you understand so many principles. Therefore, I want to cling to Mother’s leg, then Father won't dare to scold me."
Sheng Lengshuang found it amusing, while Mo Lingxi cast a cool glance at his troublesome son.
"Everyone's here?" Zi Cheng walked in with a smile, waving to stop Sheng Lengshuang and the other two from bowing. He sat down in a chair. "I've come to discuss something with my uncle and aunt, something related to Xiao Feng."
Xiao Feng pointed at himself, utterly bewildered. "Imperial Brother, what are you discussing with my father and mother that concerns me?"
Sheng Lengshuang and Mo Lingxi exchanged a look.
Zi Cheng stroked Xiao Feng’s head. "You're not a child anymore..."
"I'm still a child!" Xiao Feng interrupted him, his cheeks puffed out. "Imperial Brother, don't add years to me casually. I'm still a child, a very young one."
Zi Cheng laughed heartily. "Yes, yes, our Xiao Feng is still a child, a very smart and wonderful child."
Xiao Feng became wary. He scurried behind Sheng Lengshuang to hide, peeking out. "Imperial Brother, the sudden way you're speaking means you have ulterior motives. I have Father and Mother protecting me. Imperial Brother, you're not allowed to do anything to me."
Zi Cheng spread his hands, looking innocent. "What could I possibly do to you? Just as you said, you have your father and mother protecting you, so I wouldn't dare do anything to you."
Xiao Feng didn't believe a word. "Imperial Brother, as the saying goes, unsolicited kindness is either deceit or theft. Like my father, he often shows kindness to my mother so she'll agree to get back together."
Mo Lingxi: "..." This troublesome son really couldn't be kept.
Sheng Lengshuang covered her mouth and laughed heartily.
Zi Cheng glanced at Mo Lingxi, looking impressed. "Xiao Feng, you truly are your father's son, daring to speak your mind."
Xiao Feng raised his head slightly. "I have Mother protecting me, so Father doesn't dare to do anything to me."
Zi Cheng was even more impressed with Xiao Feng. Indeed, children were incredibly brave and forgetful.
"Uncle and Aunt, what I mean is, Xiao Feng is already this age, why not let him help me a little?" he asked tentatively.
Xiao Feng’s eyes widened, he could hardly believe what he heard. "Imperial Brother! You, you are simply too detestable! How can you frame your own brother like this?"
Zi Cheng thought to himself that brothers were meant to be framed, otherwise, what were brothers for? "I wouldn't dare frame you. With your father and mother here, if I dared to frame you, they would surely deal with me."
Sheng Lengshuang and Mo Lingxi remained silent, lost in thought.
Xiao Feng’s face and neck turned red with anger. "Imperial Brother, asking me to help you is framing me. I'm just a child, how can I help you? Moreover, it's obvious that Imperial Brother wants to use me to get Father to help, so you can be a hands-off manager. Don't think I don't know."
Zi Cheng wasn't annoyed at being exposed. He pinched Xiao Feng’s chubby cheeks. "Xiao Feng, Imperial Brother is really tired. Won't you help Imperial Brother?"
Xiao Feng refused. "No! Those ministers are too annoying, each one more pretentious than the last, and they're like women..."
He glanced at Sheng Lengshuang and changed his word. "Like those gossipy women, they're talkative and prone to crying. I can't stand it."
Zi Cheng: "…In some ways, that's true."
He deserved to be called Xiao Feng, his choice of words was so accurate.
"Xiao Feng, where did you learn the word 'women'?" Sheng Lengshuang asked, twisting Xiao Feng’s ear with a slightly cold smile.
Seeing this, Mo Lingxi and Zi Cheng silently moved aside, casting sympathetic glances at Xiao Feng. Xiao Feng, it's not that we don't want to save you, it's just that we dare not.
"It hurts, it hurts!" Xiao Feng winced in pain. "Mother, gently, gently, it really hurts!"
"I learned it from people in the palace. Sometimes I hear eunuchs say these things. Mother, I was wrong. I promise I won't learn these things again. Can you let go?"
Sheng Lengshuang didn't let go; instead, she tightened her grip. "It seems you haven't taken Mother's words to heart?"
Xiao Feng was in so much pain he was about to cry. "No, no! Xiao Feng has always taken Mother's words to heart."
Wuwuwu, he would never dare to learn things carelessly again.
Sheng Lengshuang narrowed her sharp eyes. "Those serving you, didn't they stop you?"
Zi Cheng's spine stiffened.
"They wouldn't dare," Xiao Feng confessed honestly.
Sheng Lengshuang pointed to the side. "Go kneel over there."
Xiao Feng rubbed his painfully throbbing ear and obediently knelt there, sitting up straight.
Sheng Lengshuang glanced at Zi Cheng.
Zi Cheng froze. "Aunt, by heaven and earth, I truly didn't know about this. Although I am the ruler of the palace, I don't know everything."
"But Aunt, rest assured, I promise it won't happen again."
He didn't want to be like Xiao Feng. After all, he was the ruler of a country and had a little bit of dignity to maintain.
Sheng Lengshuang let out a cold scoff. "I didn't say anything. Why is Your Majesty so nervous?"
Zi Cheng raised his hand to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead, almost losing his composure. Aunt, it's not that I'm being progressive, it's that I'm afraid.
"Aunt, I will replace Xiao Feng's attendants with a new batch, ensuring such things won't happen again. It's likely someone deliberately tried to corrupt Xiao Feng."
His favoritism towards Xiao Feng had made some people envious. For instance, the consorts in the harem, and his own children.
Sheng Lengshuang understood these implications. "Your Majesty should establish a Crown Prince sooner."
She wasn't trying to shift blame; she just wanted to protect her child. Besides, the struggles within the royal family were already severe.
Zi Cheng shook his head. "None of them are useful. Aunt, you know that all my children were born when I was the Crown Prince. Their personalities are already set, all of them are weak and incompetent."