Thousand Faces rarely spoke up for Emperor Yongchang, but he did now. "How is that the same? You took an open-book exam. Emperor Yongchang took a closed-book exam."
The Prince of Jiujiang thought nothing of it. "Thousand Faces, the world judges heroes by victory and defeat. The victor becomes king, the loser a bandit. I thought you understood that."
Thousand Faces had no rebuttal.
Whatever the winner said was right.
"Besides, do you think I couldn't have guarded against you even if I hadn't known about your dealings with Cao Fuhu?"
The Prince of Jiujiang fixed his gaze on Thousand Faces, looking utterly assured of his grasp on the situation. "You've forgotten that you taught me disguise and impersonation before. You can't hide from me."
Thousand Faces sneered. "Then why don't you let me go, and we can try again?"
"I wouldn't mind playing with you, but I don't have the time right now."
Victory had not gone to the Prince of Jiujiang's head.
He had merely won a small round against Emperor Yongchang. What he wanted was to win big, and keep winning.
"In the end, you're still afraid of me." Thousand Faces continued to sneer.
The Prince of Jiujiang spoke plainly. "You're overthinking it. You're only one part of my contest with my imperial brother. Thousand Faces, you've never had a place in my heart."
Thousand Faces: "..."
It had been a long time since he had suffered such humiliation.
He was not Emperor Yongchang, so he developed a deep grudge against the Prince of Jiujiang.
But the Prince of Jiujiang paid it no mind at all.
"Don't look at me like that, Thousand Faces. Surely you don't think being one of the Four Great Elders of the Demon Cult alongside me really puts you on equal footing