"Go back!" Xiqiu paused and looked towards Tiancheng: "Go and call Min back."

Tiancheng acknowledged and left. Xiqiu returned to Chongen Residence in the same sedan chair she came in. Inside the room, Zhi was leaning against the window teasing the Oriole. Seeing Xiqiu return, he smiled and asked, "Mother, why hasn’t Third Brother come back yet?"

"Are you hungry?" Xiqiu stepped through the door, patted Zhi’s head, and said, "Your brother is doing his schoolwork. He’ll be back soon."

Zhi nodded, and Xiqiu turned to sit on the rose bed, her mind pondering about the reason behind the Emperor’s sudden visit.

There have indeed been many issues in the court these days, one wave after another...

Could it be that she was overthinking it?

After waiting for a long time, Zhi kept saying he was hungry, and Min still hadn’t returned. Xiqiu gave him a piece of pastry and instructed Qingshan outside, "Be careful and go to the second gate to see why Young Master Min hasn’t returned yet."

Qingshan acknowledged and ran out of the courtyard.

Xiqiu, feeling restless like sitting on pins and needles, also looked out the window with Zhi, but still saw no sign of Min.

After a long time, Qingshan returned, panting, and reported, "Madam, we can’t find Young Master Min!"

He was just here, how could he be gone now? 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Xiqiu stood up suddenly, startling Qingshan and Bihuai. Realizing her reaction was too intense, she sat back down and instructed, "Where’s Erquan, is Erquan here?"

"Erquan is here, he said he just went to relieve himself, and when he returned, Young Master Min was gone." After speaking, he looked uneasily at Xiqiu. Though they were young, they were old enough to grasp the gravity of the situation. Everyone in the outer courtyard was tense, and with Fourth Master Xiao entertaining guests, they could guess most of what was happening.

Young Master Min was usually composed and aware, unlikely to wander around with distinguished guests in the outer courtyard; he must have returned to the inner courtyard.

"You two go with Erquan to check the outer courtyard, don’t alarm anyone else. If you really can’t find him, just wait a bit longer..." Xiqiu instructed, turning to Bihuai: "You, Nanny Cen, and Nanny Rong take some maids to search the inner courtyard quietly. If found, just say I’m waiting for him to have a meal."

Several people acknowledged and left the room.

"Mother, where did Third Brother go?" Zhi ran up with a face full of worry and said, "Should I go look for Third Brother too?"

"Third Brother is fine, he’ll be back soon." Xiqiu said with a smile, patting Zhi’s head, "You eat first, alright!"

Zhi nodded, then shook his head, touching his belly, "I’m not hungry. I’ll wait for Father and Third Brother to come back and eat together." Xiqiu looked at him lovingly, nodding, "Alright, then we’ll wait for Father and Third Brother to eat together."

In the outer courtyard, Min walked along the covered corridor, thinking about what Tiancheng had said about the Emperor’s visit and his father conversing in the study...

He recalled what First Master Tang had said the night before: "Whose child are you?"

He replied, "Nephew is Xiao’s Huai Min, my father is the Left Army Governor Fourth Master Xiao." First Master Tang looked at him with a strange, bewildered expression, as if Min had said something unbelievable.

He knew First Master Tang was drunk, so he didn’t want to linger and made his excuses to leave.

"Wait." First Master Tang staggered forward, grabbing Min by the shoulder, causing him pain. But fearing to offend and lose face, Min stood still, watching First Master Tang, who raised an eyebrow and questioned, "Oh, you’re the illegitimate son Xiao Si Lang picked up?"

It’s been years since anyone addressed him that way. When did it stop? Was it after his mother married into the Marquis Mansion?

Even so, an inexplicable flame of humiliation surged in his heart.

Why say he was picked up? Is it because her mother’s status was low, and she wasn’t deemed worthy to be his mother, making it preferable to say he was picked up rather than born of that woman?

But that’s the truth. The teacher said no one chooses their birth, and all they can do is change their life through effort, compensating for inadequacies with achievements!

To earn others’ respect, one must first respect oneself and face everything directly.

He never forgot nor felt ashamed; he’s worked hard, seeking to earn genuine respect through his merits.

Yet First Master Tang’s words seemed to dismiss all his efforts, bringing him back to the starting point. Angry now, Min shrugged his shoulder, his tone less polite than before, "Uncle Tang, I have matters to attend to, excuse me!"

"Wait, wait!" First Master Tang finally released his grip, leaned closer to study Min’s face, then stepped back to confirm, frowning, "Why do you look so familiar to me?"

Min no longer wanted to converse with him; talking to a drunk only for that person to forget later, while Min would remember his hurtful words. He despised drunkards, especially those who couldn’t control themselves!

"Nephew bids farewell!" Min took a step back!

First Master Tang then exclaimed, "I remember now, the Emperor!" In two steps, he caught up with Min, examining Min’s face and pointing: "I said you looked familiar, so similar... especially those eyebrows... yes, exactly!"

Min felt he talked nonsense, completely losing any goodwill.

First Master Tang was oblivious, gesturing and muttering to himself, "It doesn’t make sense, how could Fourth Master Xiao’s son resemble the Emperor." He hiccuped, saluting in the Imperial City direction: "Drunken nonsense, drunken nonsense, please don’t blame me, Your Majesty, I dare not!"

After muttering, he turned again to Min, nodding affirmatively: "Still, you do resemble him a bit." He then looked at Min and asked, "Have you ever met your birth mother?"

"No!" Min stepped back, intending to distance himself.

First Master Tang, guessing right, nodded and lamented, "Perhaps it’s better not to meet her!" Patting Min’s shoulder, he said, "Be filial to your mother; she is your true mother, understood!"

Min slightly furrowed his brow; he never doubted Xiqiu’s place in his heart, yet some truths can’t be denied by ignoring them. Mother is noble, deserving respect, but does that mean his birth mother deserved contempt?

Angrily, Min looked at First Master Tang, sneered coldly, and without looking back, ran towards where he remembered the carriage had entered.

First Master Tang shook his head, glanced at Min once more, "Strange, why so alike!"

Hearing the mutters behind him, Min only felt more irritated...