Mo Lingxi ignored him, quickening his pace as if eager to leave the palace.
Zi Cheng ground his teeth, wishing he too could escape the confines of this wretched imperial palace. However, his uncle refused to let him be a mere figurehead, and he had no capable descendants to assist him.
Another day of envying his uncle.
When would he be as carefree and at liberty as his uncle, able to do as he pleased without so many responsibilities?
...
Using the discovered clues as his leverage, Mo Lingxi successfully reached Sheng Lengshuang's courtyard.
However, when he saw Xiao Feng there, his eyes narrowed.
"Xiao Feng, it's quite late. Why aren't you resting yet?"
Xiao Feng said adorably, "Mother said I can sleep here tonight, Father. You can't be envious of that."
Mo Lingxi felt a sharp stab in his heart, consumed by envy and jealousy of Xiao Feng. The brat could sleep with his mother anytime, anywhere, while he found it so difficult to sleep with his wife.
It was simply unfair.
"Xiao Feng, you are growing up. You can no longer sleep with your mother. There's a distinction between males and females. If outsiders were to find out, they would laugh at you."
Xiao Feng eyed him suspiciously and said, "Father, aren't you just saying that because you can't sleep with Mother yourself? Is that why you're saying such envious things?"
Mo Lingxi's expression remained unchanged. "Why would I be envious of you? Little one, you need to understand one thing: if your mother and I hadn't slept together, where would you be? It is you who should be envious of me."
Xiao Feng's eyes widened. He pointed at Mo Lingxi and asked Sheng Lengshuang, "Mother, is Father talking nonsense? His words are so strange."
Sheng Lengshuang glanced at Mo Lingxi with disdain and said to Xiao Feng, "Don't pay attention to your father. How dare he say such things to a child? Isn't he ashamed?"
Xiao Feng nodded like a pecking chicken, looking at Mo Lingxi triumphantly. He had his mother's backing.
Mo Lingxi bared his teeth and then tossed Xiao Feng outside. "Xiao Feng, your mother and I have important matters to discuss. You should obediently return to your courtyard."
With a 'bang', he closed the door.
Xiao Feng was stunned. He knocked on the door. "Father, you can't do this to me. Mother, Father is going too far! He actually locked me out. Mother, you must deal with him."
Sheng Lengshuang shot a stern look at the grown child, Mo Lingxi, and moved to find Xiao Feng.
Mo Lingxi grabbed her hand and said good-naturedly, "I truly have important matters to discuss with you. Besides, it's this late, and Xiao Feng should be sleeping. We can't let him stay here all night."
Sheng Lengshuang brushed his hand away and lightly snorted. "Do you think I don't know your intentions? Please remember, Xiao Feng is your son. Don't be constantly competing with your own son. What kind of behavior is that? It's embarrassing."
Mo Lingxi felt there was nothing wrong with his actions. After all, his son was always clinging to his wife and dared to flaunt it. If he didn't teach Xiao Feng a lesson, he wouldn't know how his backside got so bruised.
"I'll have the maids escort Xiao Feng back to his courtyard so we can talk properly."
As he spoke, he signaled the maids to take Xiao Feng back to his courtyard.
Seeing Sheng Lengshuang nod, the maids carefully escorted Xiao Feng back to his courtyard.
Sheng Lengshuang sat in her chair and glanced at Mo Lingxi. "Speak. What have you discovered now? You've come to find me so late at night, and you must have an ulterior motive."
Mo Lingxi touched his nose and coughed lightly. "This time, I've truly discovered something significant, which is why I've come to find you so late."
His little schemes had been seen through by his wife.
His wife was truly amazing.
Sheng Lengshuang gestured for him to speak quickly. As soon as she heard that Mo Lingxi was coming to find her late at night, she had sent for Xiao Feng. Little did she know, he had still driven Xiao Feng away.
Mo Lingxi elaborated on what he had discovered, emphasizing that Sima Min had someone behind her.
Sheng Lengshuang's expression hardened, her eyes filled with cold light. "I thought that by dealing with Sima Min, I had truly resolved everything. Now, another person has emerged."
"There's still something I don't quite understand, and that's how Sima Min was exposed so quickly. You see, Sima Min was intelligent enough to gather so many subordinates and do so much in secret. By all rights, she shouldn't have been exposed so soon."
Mo Lingxi had considered this point carefully. "The most likely explanation is that the person behind her deliberately allowed Sima Min to be exposed. I discussed this with His Majesty. Only when Sima Min was exposed would she go into hiding and willingly stay under that person's wing."
"This way, that person can control Sima Min."
Sheng Lengshuang pondered for a moment and found it quite reasonable. "Indeed, this is the most plausible explanation. If it weren't for this, there's no explaining why Sima Min was exposed so quickly."
"I still have a doubt. Now that Sima Min has been exposed, she could die at any moment. Can the person behind her have such great ability to protect her?"
Mo Lingxi replied, "We don't know much about this person, so it's hard to say what their capabilities are. Moreover, there are methods to hide oneself and remain undiscovered."
Sheng Lengshuang crossed her arms and said mockingly, "Someone like Sima Min would not be content to hide. She would only use every means to get what she desires."
"This is good for us. The more Sima Min causes trouble, the easier it will be for us to catch these individuals one by one."
Mo Lingxi thought the same. "Tomorrow morning, His Majesty will issue a wanted notice for Sima Min and her associates, searching the entire country for their whereabouts."
Sheng Lengshuang tutted. A nationwide wanted notice. With this, even if Sima Min and her cohorts had immense abilities, they wouldn't dare to act rashly anymore.
Don't assume ancient wanted notices were useless. Hidden individuals could disguise themselves and slip away anywhere. Without a permit and identification documents, they couldn't go anywhere. And don't think the authorities and the populace were blind.
"Now that the matter is concluded, Prince Mingrui should leave."
Mo Lingxi leaned closer. "Look, it's late at night."
Sheng Lengshuang glanced at him sideways. "And then?"
Mo Lingxi desperately wanted to say: It's late at night, let's go rest.
However, he lacked the courage to say it, fearing his wife would hit him.
"Yes, it's late. Can I stay?"
Sheng Lengshuang crossed her legs and smiled with utmost amiability. "You want to stay?"
Mo Lingxi's survival instinct kicked in, and he shook his head like a rattle drum. "No, no, no, I won't stay. I was just thinking, with such a major incident, Sima Min might do something. I wanted to stay and protect you all."
Sheng Lengshuang knew his intentions too well. "There's no need to trouble Prince Mingrui. I have already made all the necessary arrangements."
She made a gesture of invitation.
Mo Lingxi truly didn't want to leave. Having finally gotten inside late at night, he was determined to stay. "How about I sleep in Xiao Feng's room?"
"It's late at night. If you drive me away, and someone with ill intentions sees it, it could lead to unfavorable rumors."
Seeing his persistent and shameless demeanor, Sheng Lengshuang's brow furrowed. "I say, you, have a little dignity. It would be better sometimes."