Zi Cheng clicked his tongue and looked at Mo Lingxi. "Uncle, how should this matter be handled? Lord Liu is quite good in his official duties, but his daughter has committed a grave error this time."
Mo Lingxi replied, "His Majesty should decide."
Zi Cheng sighed. "Uncle, at least give me some advice. Or, you can handle this matter."
Mo Lingxi knew the current emperor's penchant for shirking responsibility all too well. He replied perfunctorily, "His Majesty can handle it however he wishes."
This attitude made Zi Cheng's mouth twitch. When it came to being a hands-off emperor, no one could compare to his uncle.
"Lord Liu, you shall stay at home for now. As for your daughter..."
Lord Liu knew very well that his legitimate daughter could not be saved, but the family might be spared. "My daughter has committed such a great mistake, she should bear the consequences she deserves."
Liu Xianjin, also understanding this, rolled her eyes and fainted.
Zi Cheng waved his hand, and eunuchs dragged Liu Xianjin away to be dealt with.
Dealt with, in the true sense of the word.
After Lord Liu withdrew, Zi Cheng ordered someone to wake the cloaked woman.
"Splash."
The cloaked woman suddenly woke up, instinctively looking around.
When she saw Zi Cheng and Mo Lingxi, her first reaction was to escape.
Before she could stand up, she was already pinned to the ground by several strong eunuchs. No matter how she struggled, it was useless. "Let me go! You let me go!"
"Teach her how to speak properly," Zi Cheng said.
The chief eunuch stepped forward and slapped the cloaked woman repeatedly.
"Slap, slap, slap."
Zi Cheng turned his head to chat with Mo Lingxi. "Uncle, isn't Aunt unwilling to reconcile with you? You shouldn't keep bringing up reconciliation. Help Aunt properly, perhaps you can win her back."
Mo Lingxi's spirits lifted. "What does Your Majesty mean...?"
"Uncle, if someone kept repeatedly talking to you about one thing, what would your thoughts be?"
"It would indeed be very annoying. So, I cannot mention reconciliation again until I have confidence?"
Zi Cheng nodded and offered Mo Lingxi a suggestion. "Uncle, you are responsible for handling all matters concerning Aunt and the Sheng family. Let them see your goodness, your excellence."
"Perhaps, Aunt will agree to reconcile with you."
Mo Lingxi felt it was worth a try. He was truly at a loss on how to appease his wife now, so he might as well try His Majesty's method.
If it worked, that would be best. If not, he would find another way.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Zi Cheng smiled and waved his hand. "No need to thank me, no need. Once Uncle wins Aunt back, you'll have the mind to help me."
He had his own little schemes.
Mo Lingxi gave him a look that said, 'You're overthinking it.'
Zi Cheng did not think so. When Aunt helped him, Uncle would have no choice but to obey obediently.
"Your Majesty, the rules have been taught." The chief eunuch reported, bowing.
Zi Cheng looked at the cloaked woman with a swollen face. "The punishments in this palace are far more numerous than you know. If you don't want to try those punishments, you'd best obediently confess what you know."
The cloaked woman knew some of the palace punishments and was well aware that she would not have a good end in the hands of these two. "I will not say. Even if I die, someone will avenge me."
Zi Cheng scoffed. "Looking at you, it's clear you want to negotiate with me. State your conditions."
The cloaked woman said urgently, "I want to live! I can tell Your Majesty everything, on the condition that I live."
Zi Cheng readily agreed. "I can let you live, on the condition that you confess everything. Otherwise, I will let you experience what it means to be better off dead than alive."
The cloaked woman trembled. "I will speak, I will tell you everything!"
"The reason the master sought out Liu Xianjin was to sow chaos in the imperial palace..."
"Is your master Sima Min?" Mo Lingxi asked.
The cloaked woman replied, "No. On the surface, Sima Min is indeed our master, but in reality, our true master is not her."
She showed a hint of sarcasm. "She thinks she is our master, but in reality, she has long been sidelined."
Mo Lingxi thought, as expected. This explained why many things he had investigated were incorrect. "Who is your true master?"
The cloaked woman said she didn't know. "No one has ever seen the master. All matters are either instructed by Sima Min or arranged by the head steward by her side. The head steward appears to obey Sima Min, but in reality, he is using her."
"Those like me who know a lot are all aware that the true master is not Sima Min. However, it is said that the master has a profound relationship with Sima Min. Some also say that without Sima Min, the master would not have achieved what she has today."
Mo Lingxi pondered this. "Continue speaking."
The cloaked woman continued her confession. She was a manager of no small importance and knew many things, but she did not know what the master truly intended to do.
Basically, the master acted according to Sima Min's wishes. Sometimes, the master would go against Sima Min's wishes and do things, such as eliminating people or matters that were unfavorable to Sima Min, or targeting certain individuals who were more or less related to Sima Min.
She also spoke of Sima Min's objective. In reality, Sima Min's objective was simple: she wanted to become the most noble woman, adored by countless people, and enjoy supreme status.
For this goal, Sima Min had schemed and killed many people. Once she perceived someone as a threat, she would eliminate them.
Later, Sheng Lengshuang appeared, and Sima Min focused most of her attention on dealing with Sheng Lengshuang. For this, she did not hesitate to join forces with other countries, thinking she could kill Sheng Lengshuang, but she failed.
Once all had been confessed, Zi Cheng ordered the cloaked woman to be thrown out.
"Uncle, do you think the real mastermind might be Sima Min's admirer?" Zi Cheng said.
Mo Lingxi tapped the armrest of his chair with his fingers, pondering. "It's hard to say. From the clues available so far, this person harbors different intentions towards Sima Min."
As he spoke, he dispatched the Imperial Guards to several locations mentioned by the cloaked woman to make arrests, and also sent the Royal Shadow Guards to apprehend those individuals.
Zi Cheng hummed. "Actually, I'm quite surprised that the one causing so much trouble is Sima Min. I must say, she hid herself very well. However, didn't she expose herself a bit too quickly?"
Mo Lingxi had a guess. "Sima Min exposed herself, which caused her to hide, giving that person an opportunity, wouldn't you say?"
Zi Cheng slapped his thigh. "So that's how it is! I must say, this person is truly deep-minded. Uncle, by deliberately exposing Sima Min, what does this person intend to do with her, or is it to trap her?"
Mo Lingxi could not say for sure. "No matter what this person intends to do, it does not hinder us from dealing with him."
"Your Majesty, I am leaving the palace. I must inform my wife about this matter."
Zi Cheng responded with "Ai ai ai" and watched Mo Lingxi walk out. "Uncle, it's so late at night, are you not afraid Aunt will beat you up if you go find her?"