Yang Xian finally sighed. He stretched his body. "You know me very well, Your Highness."

"I didn't raise you for nothing."

"You speak as if I'm your child." Yang Xian chuckled. Though, it was partially true since he was raised by Prince Ji Sheng ever since he was a brat. It was thanks to Prince Ji Sheng that he could become who he is right now.

"I have to make sure that I can keep you all around. It's impossible for me to be the leader without having capable subordinates around me." Prince Ji Sheng looked into a distance. "There's a limit to what I can do by myself."

Yang Xian didn't immediately reply. He still could remember that when they first met, he was nothing more than a little schemer who lived by duping others and scraped by on the border. It was Prince Ji Sheng who offered his hands to help him out during that situation. Even now, Yang Xian could never forget that moment.

He had nothing at that time but somehow Prince Ji Sheng took him in.

"Back then, I always wondered what is this rich kid doing talking with a dirty street brat like me," Yang Xian said with a laugh. "But I guess you have your own difficulties and it's hard for you to get people from noble families because they're affected by His Majesty's words."

Prince Ji Sheng didn't refute. He looked back at Yang Xian. "What I see is a young brat who's doing everything he can to live. The fact that you can survive in that kind of situation already showed to me that you're a capable person. Not everyone can live at the border."

Yang Xian chuckled. He was a war orphan and the fate of war orphans were never good. Some of them would be taken in by the relatives and lived well, but those who didn't have any relatives would usually become slaves. Yang Xian didn't have any relative who was still alive.

He had to become a slave.

Or at least, that was what he was supposed to be.

"I never thought that you're still going to keep me even when you know that I already killed a lot of people through schemes back then. But I guess you need ruthless people by your side." Yang Xian smiled.

Prince Ji Sheng nodded. "You're no longer a child, so I'm sure that you can see things better. I need people who I can use and will never betray me."

The two of them looked at each other. Yang Xian knew that very well and understood why Prince Ji Sheng chose him. But he never resented the other party for making use of him because without Prince Ji Sheng, Yang Xian knew that he might have died.

That one meeting changed his entire life.

From the time he took the hand that was offered to him, he was given a completely different course of life. Because of that, he knew that no matter what Prince Ji Sheng ordered him to do, he would have to do it.

But he knew that he had to make an exception now.

There was something that he couldn't give up no matter what. Even if it was Prince Ji Sheng who ordered him, he would never be able to do it.

Yang Xian heaved a sigh. He changed the conversation. "Do you still remember your question back then, Your Highness?"

"Yes?"

"If I order you to kill Wei Liuying, can you do it?"

Prince Ji Sheng's eyes flashed when he heard that question. It was the question that he asked back then to Yang Xian. He lowered his gaze and met with Yang Xian's gaze. "I remember."

"Do you remember my answer back then?"

"If that's your order, General Sheng, I'll have no other choice but to comply."

Yang Xian nodded. He looked to a distance as the sun began to rise. "I want to change my answer, Your Highness."

"What's your answer now?"

"I can't do it. Should the time come that I have to be the one to kill her, you'll lose two of your strategists," Yang Xian said unhurriedly. His gaze was still fixated into a distance without any intention to look at Prince Ji Sheng.

Prince Ji Sheng also didn't force Yang Xian to look at him. He smiled faintly. "So, the time has come, huh?"

"Your Highness?" Yang Xian turned his head around to look at his Master.

The smile on the usually indifferent Prince Ji Sheng looked eye catching. "You've finally grown up, Xian. I'll never give you an order like that anymore in the future. But if I truly give you that order, I give you the freedom to go against me and severed all of our relationship."

It was a harsh statement, but Yang Xian knew that Prince Ji Sheng was serious.

Prince Ji Sheng was basically giving his words to him that he wouldn't separate the two of them if they were willing to be together. And if one day he forgot about this, Yang Xian would be free to remind him and schemed against him freely.

There was no need to take into account their past anymore.

Of course, neither one of them wished for it to happen. But they chose to talk about this matter because the possibility was there.

Slowly, he straightened his body position and cupped his hands before bowing his head and body. "Many thanks for your kindness, Your Highness."

Prince Ji Sheng glanced and shook his head slowly. His eyes were looking towards his strategist with an unreadable gaze. "I never act out of kindness, Xian. It's all simply a method to keep you stay with me."

"I know you're a great person, Your Highness. I wish to be by your side when you realize your dream," Yang Xian responded. His eyes were showing the determination that he didn't wish to leave Prince Ji Sheng no matter what happened.

As for that order, Yang Xian knew that Prince Ji Sheng would never do it unless it was for something like this ever again. But of course, no one wished for it to happen. The two of them were very scheming, but people only knew that it was Yang Xian who was one. They completely forgot that their leader was actually the one who taught Yang Xian for many tricks that was more commonly used.

With these two often study and work together, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the two of them were both equally capable when it came to scheming and getting what they wanted.