"His Majesty has arrived!"

Si Ning bowed deeply with the rest of the Officials to pay their respects to the Emperor. He had already gotten used to the morning assembly and he doesn't have to notice when Shao Lang raises his head before he raises his own. All he had to do was wait and after some time that he felt like Xiu Zhicheng had already taken his seat, he would raise his head at the same time with the rest of the Officials.

The air was a bit stiff and it was almost uncomfortable to breathe that Si Ning had to direct his gaze at Xiu Zhicheng to see that he was dressed majestically in his large golden dragon robes with golden embroidery with his mortarboard hat that he almost hurt to look at how he was giving off the aura of the most important person in the room, looking graceful giving the throne and the background a classic look, it was such a look that it was almost one of the things Si Ning was lowkey always looking forward to. How Xiu Zhicheng would dress so he could secretly admire him almost making him jealous he wasn't the Emperor.

Si Ning was busy stretching his neck trying to look at Xiu Zhicheng's shoes which were covered by the large outer robes not knowing that Xiu Zhicheng eyes were already on him and he quickly looked away when his eye met Xiu Zhicheng seeing that the Emperor looked a bit amused by the situation of him openly staring at him. This made Si Ning straighten up wearing a serious look and he could feel the stiff air was gone and strangely the tension had dispersed almost like it was never there.

For Xiu Zhicheng to know that he went to see Qiu Bai was making Si Ning feel uneasy, he doesn't know the kind of expression he should be making or if he even had the gut to request for an audience with Xiu Zhicheng and demand an explanation for the last statement he made at their lunch meeting.

Si Ning knew the only choice he had now was to go and see Xiu Zhicheng and tell him about his discussion with Qiu Bai but deep down Si Ning doesn't want that because that would make him automatically choose to side with Xiu Zhicheng and help him which would automatically spoil his aim of becoming his person and becoming a powerful person, more powerful than Xiu Zhicheng which would give him an upper hand to shape the plan he was going to come up with after he becomes the Empress of Xiu but seeing how things were going Si Ning doubts Xiu Zhicheng was going to name him his Empress because these past days have already shown that Xiu Zhicheng doesn't trust him anymore.

The Situation was making Si Ning's brain hot as he tried to think of a way to talk to Xiu Zhicheng before the wedding that he was only able to direct his attention to the present when the door leading to the courtroom opened and Qiu Bai dressed in extravagant blue robes walked in along with an older man which Si Ning immediately recognized as the movie director he was supposed to be starring at as the main lead's loyal servant, Director Mo but seeing that he had never seen him around and how he was dressed in what seemed like an Official uniform with the color different from Xiu's Officials uniform made Si Ning realized he came with Qiu Bai.

"Prince Qiu Bai of Xilie pays his respects to the Emperor of Xiu, may you live for a thousand years." Qiu Bai said firmly as he bowed.

The faked greeting almost made Si Ning snorted. Everybody already knows it's a fake greeting yet they all behaved like they didn't notice a thing which was a bit amusing to Si Ning.

"Mo Xiang of Xilie pays his respects to his Majesty." Mo Xiang said.

Si Ning almost laughed that the serious Director Mo didn't change at all since he wore an extremely serious look. He was almost relieved he was no more acting and doesn't have to go through the man that was always telling him to repeat each take of a scene until it was perfect.

"His Majesty welcome Prince Qiu Bai to our midst." Song Ouyang said quickly when Xiu Zhicheng didn't reply as he stepped forward to face the Officials. "His Majesty welcomes the Minister of Welfare Mo Xiang to our midst." He added.

It wasn't long when two guards walked in, each holding the arms of Shen Yu, whose arms were bounded with robes.

To see the cause of his lack of sleep made Si Ning wished he was the Emperor and this was the perfect moment to place a sword to his neck and kick him but as a General, he doesn't have the privilege to act except wait for Xiu Zhicheng's judgment.

Shen Yu looked a bit beaten up, his face black and blue from Xiao Pei that landed a kick on him. Seeing his sorry state made Si Ning raised the corner of his lips in a small smile. Pleased that the person who interrupted his sleep doesn't look so good. He expected Shen Yu to burst out cursing at him but oddly he was quiet almost different from the man who would bear his fangs at him at any slight opportunity and seeing this made Si Ning satisfied.

Si Ning turned and was a bit confused to see how serious Qiu Bai looked, Si Ning could see he was giving off the aura as a determined person that came to save Shen Yu and Si Ning doesn't like it at all since Qiu Bai told him he didn't come to Xiu to save Shen Yu but not saving him almost seemed like carelessness so Si Ning should have at least expected a negotiation for Shen Yu to walk free because it was impossible for Qiu Bai not to at least try to take their General back.

For Shen Yu to be free after a few floggings by the rod didn't make Si Ning happy. He had spent the little time he had in the morning to search for the punishment for a person that breaks into a General's home but there was no recording about an incident like that.

Si Ning quickly sneaked a peek at Xiu Zhicheng only to see that the Emperor's gaze was on Shen Yu, wearing a cold look like he would soon stand up and off Shen Yu's head himself as the tension in the air started to build. Si Ning knew if looks could kill then Shen Yu would have died ten times over.

Song Ouyang collected a rolled paper from the Minister of Justice. "Your Majesty, I will read out the crimes of General Shen Yu of Xilie Nation." He said as he turned to face Xiu Zhicheng.

"Proceed." Xiu Zhicheng said as he directed his gaze to Qiu Bai.

To see Xiu Zhicheng was going to address Shen Yu's crimes first made Si Ning glad. It gave him a face and he felt like he was a very important person that they had to address the crimes of the man that broke into his home first.

Song Ouyang unfolded the rolled-up paper. "Today at dawn, General Shen Yu of Xilie Nation with his subordinates breaks into the household of General Si Ning, the future King Consort. His subordinates attacked the wife of the late General Si Yunsheng, Ge Mengshu, and her daughter Si Nan and they inflicted a lot of damages on the Si family guards and General Shen Yu attacked General Si Ning and used his sword to cut his throat but General Si Ning was able to escape and here are the crimes of General Shen Yu of Xilie Nation."

Now, what to do?

Si Ning directed his attention to Xiu Zhicheng wondering about the judgment he would make.