However, she hoped that her siblings in this world would at least keep their claws sheathed for the time being. 

But since they couldn't keep their grubby hands to themselves, she also didn't mind revoking all pleasantries and airing everything out in the open. 

After all, it wasn't like if she bowed or placate them, they would keep their thoughts to themselves and wouldn't try to take action against her in the shadows. 

Everyone in the Imperial Capital knew that the First Prince - Prince Xi wasn't satisfied because his path to the throne had been blocked by someone who wasn't even in the race to Imperial power all these years. 

Since he dared to bare his teeth to her, she wouldn't be polite with him as well.

She gave a saccharine sweet smile to this so-called brother of hers and continued, "Yes, inferior is the word. Not only are all of you to Zhen in position, but you will also always remain inferior in other things - wealth, prestige and commoner's eyes as well." 

She asked rhetorically, "Do you know the reason for this?" 

When n.o.body dared to give her a reply, she continued, "Its because Zhen is protected by the heavens themselves and because Zhen is the ruler of all under the vast sky." 

Prince Xi clenched his jaw in an effort not to spew the initial protest that rose inside his heart at the cruel words the monarch was spewing without restraint. 

They were akin to opening his already scabbed wound, sprinkling a generous amount of salt on it and then rubbing it in. 

However, the emperor seemed to be on a roll because he simply didn't stop there but carried on.

"Beloved officials, you all have spent more time in this audience hall than me, so you should understand in your heart that if your superior is angry, you have to say that you are wrong, even if you are right in the first instance."

With a significant pause in her words, Su Li further retorted, "Not to mention, in this particular instance, you all are in the wrong in the first place." 

She glared viciously at all the courtiers who were kneeling and one of them who had more brains than the rest of them replied, "We dare not anger the monarch, Your Majesty." 

She smiled coldly and proposed, "Beloved official, what do you think Zhen should do in the present situation?" 

Prince Xi realised that his ploy to create trouble for the monarch had utterly and miserably failed. 

This put him in an awkward position. He could either try to save his allies by kneeling down and admitting his mistakes or he could respond to the monarch in the same way the other had stripped him of all his dignity right here, right now. 

However, now wasn't the time to be at loggerheads with this Imperial Brother of his.  

All he could do was to swallow his indignation, save the officials who were his own men from his brother's wrath and take the rap for them.

Otherwise, if in such a situation, he tried to wash his hands off them, no one would dare back him and stand by his side in the near future. 

Therefore, he once again knelt in front of all the courtiers and proclaimed, "Please don't let your anger overwhelm your precious body, Your Majesty. It was this servant's fault to have thought too much. Thanking His Majesty for your teachings." 

Su Li saw him folding in and realised that this person was more cunning than he let on.

If she had tried to act soft earlier, he would have taken hold of the issue and wouldn't have let go no matter what.

However, when he saw that the tables had been turned back on him and he was in an unfavourable position, he went with the flow and admitted to his wrong-doings. 

She knew that she had been quite ruthless with her words just now and this brother was simply taking advantage of her firm stand and portraying himself to be easy-going in comparison to her. 

Wouldn't the Imperial officials think that she couldn't even tolerate a single grain of sand in her eyes? 

If that thought took root in their hearts, wouldn't she be labelled as a suspicious monarch who didn't even trust his own courtiers and then everyone would try to find a way out of their predicament just because of ma.s.s hysteria? 

In such a situation, First Prince would emerge as a viable option for these ministers and hence he would win many of the less knowledgeable ministers in one fell swoop.

The people who couldn't think far ahead would simply fall into her brother's hands.

She had read various novels where brothers fought each other for many years to gain the upper hand in fights for inheritance - whether the modern-day fights or the ones in this time period. 

However, the truth was that in high society, such elaborate schemes weren't needed. Just some inconsequential rumours were more than enough to make or break a person. 

It was just that she hadn't thought that this person would take a step and think of the next hundred ones.

She had really underestimated him.

Still, it wasn't as if she couldn't contend with him in word games. 

After all, in her original lifetime, she had been a proud daughter of a diplomat and such by plays were usually implemented by all upper echelon society ladies who wanted to get something useful out of her. 

The monarch's next words took a complete U-turn to his previous ones and he relented, "Just trivialities, Imperial Brother. Zhen doesn't mind them too much? It's just the big a.s.sembly should be the time to discuss national issues, so Zhen lost his temper somewhat. Zhen  hopes older Imperial brother wouldn't take it to heart." 

When the courtiers saw the monarch taking a step back and not minding the petty tricks by Prince Xi, many wise old officials felt that the monarch was truly a kind-hearted person who wanted the betterment of the entire dynasty and his subjects. 

They truly hadn't been wrong in paying their obeisance and pledging their loyalty to such a person. 

After all, he was still in his teens and if the heavens kept their eye out for him, the monarch would live up to a very ripe old age and they also would thank their ancestors for having the good fortune to serve such a wise monarch. 

The more political savvy ones recalled about how the monarch had handled the issue of awarding The Unit Commander of The Devil Snare Army and once again confirmed their thought that this monarch wasn't easy to deal with.

He truly was a shrewd monarch. Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click for visiting.