Not far from the entrance of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Zi Cheng and Mo Lingxi stood in the shade, talking in hushed tones.
"Uncle, do you think the Southern Jin Dynasty is just putting on a show?" Zi Cheng's eyes were sharp. "The Southern Jin Dynasty has been very active recently, especially the princes who want to ascend the throne. They've been using our Eastern Jin Dynasty to their advantage, seeking benefits for themselves."
Mo Lingxi glanced at the passing imperial guards. He hadn't been standing there for long, but he had already seen no less than five teams of imperial guards pass by. As soon as one team passed, another would appear, leaving no gaps.
From this, it could be seen that His Majesty had already reorganized the imperial palace.
This meant that from now on, neither the hidden forces nor Sima Min would be able to do anything in the imperial palace.
"There's a seventy percent chance it's real. For an emperor like the Southern Jin Dynasty's, who has held power for many years and is facing the threat of death, the more he doesn't want to die, the more he wants to live a few more years."
Zi Cheng curled his lips in disdain. "I just don't understand what the Southern Jin Dynasty's emperor is thinking. Is living longer a good thing? In my opinion, if the Southern Jin Dynasty's emperor lives a few more years, his descendants will surely assassinate him."
The struggle for imperial power in the Southern Jin Dynasty had been fierce in previous years, and it was now becoming even more severe. If the Southern Jin Dynasty's emperor continued to live, his descendants would truly kill him for the throne.
Mo Lingxi remained aloof, as if it were none of his business. "For us, it's a good thing."
Zi Cheng thought the same way and said with a sneer, "I'm waiting to see the Southern Jin Dynasty's emperor reap what he sows. Thinking about it, I'm quite looking forward to it."
Mo Lingxi glanced at him. "What is His Majesty looking forward to?"
Zi Cheng coughed a few times. "Looking forward to the Southern Jin Dynasty's emperor being killed."
Once the Southern Jin Dynasty's emperor was killed, he would use illness as an excuse to hand over the reins of power to his uncle and become a leisurely emperor.
Mo Lingxi knew his nephew's thoughts too well and couldn't be bothered to expose him. "By the way, does His Majesty know what 'dating' is?"
Several question marks slowly appeared above Zi Cheng's head. "What?"
Suddenly, he had an inspiration. "Did the little aunt say that?"
Mo Lingxi nodded and explained the matter in detail, emphasizing the issue of dating.
After listening, Zi Cheng pondered for a while and shared his thoughts. "What the little aunt calls dating is probably similar to an engagement, but not quite an engagement, just lacking the formal procedure of an engagement."
"In that case, Uncle should treat the little aunt well. For example, pay more attention to the little aunt, take more care of the Sheng family... Simply put, it's like being married, but you can't do the things that married people do."
His understanding was at least eighty percent correct.
Mo Lingxi felt as if a door had opened, and he thought it made a lot of sense. "But I'm usually quite good to my wife."
Zi Cheng looked at him with an indescribable expression. "Uncle, if you didn't keep messing up from time to time, I would believe you. I don't even know how to describe your self-sabotaging behavior."
Sometimes he truly admired his little aunt, who could tolerate his uncle so many times and still speak to him calmly. If it were him, he would never be able to do that.
Mo Lingxi recalled his various actions and fell silent for a moment. "I also want to reconcile sooner."
Zi Cheng shook his head and advised, "Uncle, learn more from General Sheng. Whatever your wife says is right, never try to persuade her when she's angry, don't argue with her, and if she wants to go east, never go west..."
He rattled off a long list of advice.
Mo Lingxi summarized it into one sentence: His wife is always right, and it's never her fault, only his. Moreover, he had to watch his wife's expression when speaking.
"This... isn't this a bit too much?"
Zi Cheng rolled his eyes. "What's wrong with that? Uncle, think carefully, do you want your wife, or do you want your pride?"
Mo Lingxi: "...That's not what I meant. I mean, will doing this make my wife even angrier?"
Just as Zi Cheng was about to say something more, he saw Sheng Lengshuang walking over with Xiao Feng, and he greeted them with a smile. "Little aunt, are you taking Xiao Feng for a stroll?"
Sheng Lengshuang curtsied and glanced at Mo Lingxi, who was standing there. She said to Zi Cheng, "Your Majesty is smiling like that, there's definitely no good news. If it's not too difficult a matter, I might consider it."
Zi Cheng's smile widened a bit. "Look at what you're saying, little aunt. I really have nothing. I was just talking to my uncle about you, and here you are."
Before Sheng Lengshuang could say anything, Xiao Feng said speechlessly, "Brother, what you're saying is so fake. From what I know of you, Brother, you definitely have something you need my mother to help with, and this matter is related to my father."
Zi Cheng sighed inwardly, truly worthy of being the son of his uncle and little aunt. Look at this brain, how quickly it works.
He showed no outward signs and said with great sincerity, "Xiao Feng, what you're saying is wrong. If I really needed your mother's help, I would have just said it directly. Beating around the bush like this is what your mother dislikes the most."
Xiao Feng looked at him several times, his face full of disbelief. "Brother, I'm increasingly suspicious of your intentions. Could it be that you want to pass the throne to my father or me through my mother?"
His apparent dislike for the throne made Zi Cheng feel utterly disoriented. "Xiao Feng, this is a throne that everyone dreams of. Once you ascend the throne, you can command everyone. More importantly, everyone's life and death are in your hands."
Sheng Lengshuang watched the show with amusement, saying nothing. Mo Lingxi walked to her side and stood there, also saying nothing.
Xiao Feng looked as if he knew it would be like this. "If the throne is as good as you say, Brother, then why do you want to abdicate it to my father or me?"
Zi Cheng wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes with his sleeve and sighed. "Brother is not capable enough, nor is he universally supported. That's why I thought of abdicating the throne to your father sooner."
"Oh~~" Xiao Feng put his hands on his hips and snorted. "Brother, you're finally telling the truth! I knew you had this motive. Trying to fool a child, you're still far too green!"
Zi Cheng: "..." Oh no, he accidentally told the truth.
Sheng Lengshuang laughed heartily. "Your Majesty, you should stop thinking about abdicating the throne to Mo Lingxi or Xiao Feng. Both father and son dislike the throne."
If Mo Lingxi truly wanted the throne, would he need His Majesty to abdicate? He would have already taken it when the former emperor was murdered.
Zi Cheng felt like crying. "What a terrible throne, whoever wants it can have it. I really don't want it. Sitting on the throne, whether it's the court or the harem, everyone wants to gain something from me, and they're always plotting against me."
Sheng Lengshuang shrugged. "That's Your Majesty's business, it has nothing to do with us."
Zi Cheng was momentarily speechless. "Little aunt is absolutely right. By the way, little aunt, I heard from my uncle that you agreed to date him?"