Sure enough, Xiao Jinyi looked utterly baffled when he heard what they were discussing. "You two really never get tired of this, do you? Court affairs are already annoying enough during the day, yet you still talk about them in your spare time. Aren't you exhausted?"
Seeing his reaction, Xiao Yuanqi said helplessly, "You are a prince of this country, after all. Stop thinking about nothing but warfare and pay at least a little attention to court affairs."
"But aside from fighting wars, I don't understand any of that. I'm a military officer—I can't do a civil official's job." Xiao Jinyi looked at Xiao Yuanqi, then at Shen Shixu. "Besides, aren't you and A-Xu there at court, Brother? I'll just listen to you two when the time comes. Point me at a target, and I'll strike!"
Xiao Yuanqi wanted to say more, but Meng Jiyao took his hand to stop him. "Your Highness, Jinyi isn't a child anymore. He understands all of this perfectly well.
"Stop nagging him. Besides, what he said isn't entirely unreasonable. The realm is at peace now.
"There are no wars or factional struggles. All we have are natural disasters and man-made calamities brought on by people's greed. Compared with the previous dynasty, things could hardly be more peaceful.
"What harm is there in letting him live a little more freely?"
Xiao Jinyi gave Meng Jiyao a grateful look, then said to Xiao Yuanqi, "Brother, I'm twenty-one this year, not twelve. I'm an adult, and I'm married now. Stop trying to manage me the way you did when I was little."
Xiao Jinyi had thought that after so many years, especially since they had not seen each other for several of them, his older brother would have changed. Yet he was still just as nagging and