It’s actually true; he’s not his father’s child, not a descendant of Mrs. Xiao, but the Emperor’s child...

How could this be?

Min gripped the jade token tightly in his palm, almost digging it into his flesh.

"Min, what’s wrong with you?" The Grand Dowager took off her glasses and looked at him in confusion.

Min stood up suddenly, looking startled: "Grandmother, I have something to do, I’ll go first." Without finishing his sentence, he rushed out the door, leaving the Grand Dowager puzzled, shaking her head: "...What’s wrong with this child today."

Min ran forward swiftly; he didn’t know what he was running from or what he was afraid of. He just felt that it wasn’t late summer or early autumn, but the harsh cold of winter, he was so cold, shivering...

So the Emperor made him a reading companion... so he viewed him differently... so his mother, despite being reluctant, still sent him to the palace...

Was it all for his future?

Why now, why not before, why had he never come to see him, leaving him outside, and now bringing him close to the palace, making him a reading companion?

On what grounds, on what grounds!

He had borne so many years of pain, being mocked for having an actor as a birth mother; where was he then?

Now bringing him into the palace, letting him adapt to palace life... why didn’t anyone ask if he was willing?

Mother used to say, even as humble as ants, one should have the right to decide their own life. Why should he let him decide his life, abandoning him at will, taking him back at will; must he comply?

No!

He won’t go anywhere; he doesn’t want to be a Prince. He is Fourth Master Xiao’s illegitimate son; he is the Third Young Master of the Xuanning Marquis Mansion. No one has the power to change that, he won’t go anywhere!

Min rushed into the birch forest outside the Marquis Mansion, he knelt on the ground, feeling like someone had punched him in the chest. He couldn’t breathe, and tears fell like beads from a broken string. He lay on the ground among the shrubs, wishing he could bury himself in the soil, so he wouldn’t have to face these problems anymore.

In his mind, Ziyang’s words repeated: Back then, the Second Prince Consort exchanged her life for your birth; the Emperor was in a precarious situation, unable to protect you, and could only entrust you to Grand Commander Xiao. They all had their difficulties... thinking of this, he showed a mocking smile.

Difficulties? He could understand past difficulties, but what about these years? The court situation is stable; why didn’t he come to take him back, not even seeing him once? What excuse did he have? He never considered him, had it not been for that chance meeting, would he have never intended to see him in his life?

Emperor, Father? He only cares about his empire; as for this son, it’s completely expendable to him.

He’s given him nothing, and he doesn’t care to be his son.

In this life, he is only the Third Young Master Xiao, only Fourth Master Xiao’s illegitimate son, only recognizing Tong Xiqiu as mother!

With fingers digging tightly into the soil, Min lay there feeling overwhelmed by pain; Prince, illegitimate son... such a laughable reversal of identity... 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Who will take responsibility for his pain?

He refuses to return to that disgusting place and disdains that revolting identity, he won’t go anywhere.

He needs to tell Father he won’t be a reading companion, won’t pursue scholarly honors, needs to ask Mother if she’d be willing should he stay at the mansion to bring her joy forever under her knees...

Yes, Mother, he must ask her, regardless of whether she knows or doesn’t know, no matter what identity he holds, he will always be just her child.

Yes, he must go back to tell Mother!

Min wiped his tears and stood up, running wildly outward. On the way, all the servants he passed were utterly astonished; he couldn’t care about anything else, only wanted to ask his mother, only wanted to see her immediately and tell her he doesn’t want to go anywhere, doesn’t want any lofty identity, only wants to be Xiao Huaimin!

The street’s hustle and bustle seemed far from him; he pushed aside those blocking his way, running continuously. The usual half incense stick’s distance now felt endless, unbearably long, breeding despair.

Mother must have long known his identity, right? Is Mother also eager to throw this awkwardly positioned illegitimate child out...

Would Mother abandon him?

His heart was filled with anticipation and unease. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks, fear creeping in, afraid to hear words from his mother that he didn’t want to hear...

Only to find that he was already standing outside his home.

"Young Master Min!" The gatekeeper’s boy was slightly taken aback to see him, noticing his sweaty brow and dirt-stained clothes, his face pale. He hurried over to support him: "Why didn’t you take the carriage, Young Master? Let me help you in."

Min let the boy guide him inside without reacting.

Inside the mansion, Min got into a blue-roofed sedan chair and headed for the inner courtyard. Upon seeing the large sign saying "Chongen Residence," his legs felt like frozen pillars, unable to move.

"Young Master Min, you’re back." Nanny Cen came over from outside, surprised by Min’s disheveled state, exclaimed, "My dear, what happened to you?" She pulled him close to examine him thoroughly: "Are you hurt anywhere? What happened exactly?"

Min turned his head to look at Nanny Cen, staring woodenly at her as he asked, word by word, "Is madam... here?" He seemed to use all his strength to ask this.

"Madam went to the Marquis Jinxiang Mansion," Nanny Cen replied before adding, "But Fourth Master is here, in the study. Ziyang got into some trouble, and Fourth Master brought him in for questioning once he returned from the government office."

"Went to the Marquis Jinxiang Mansion?" For some reason, an untimely sense of relief washed over him. Nanny Cen, increasingly confused, disregarded everything and said, "Young Master, you should wash up first. By the time you’re done, madam should be back."

Min nodded, ready to move when suddenly Tianjing came running in, breathless and out of his usual calmness, voice trembling: "Nanny Cen... something... something’s happened."

Nanny Cen was wiping dirt from Min when she heard this. She looked up, frowning: "Fussing over nothing. What could possibly happen?"

"It’s... it’s madam. The carriage overturned by the roadside, madam and a few young ladies are injured."

The cloth fell to the ground. Nanny Cen’s vision darkened as she leaned against the wall; Min’s expression drastically changed. He gripped Tianjing’s arm tightly: "Say it again! What carriage overturned? Madam’s injured? Say it again!"

Tianjing ignored the pain in his arm, hurriedly replied: "The horse went wild, overturned in an alley. Madam and Bihuai, Biwu were inside... Fourth Master has gone over there."

"Mother!" Min murmured as he dashed outside.

Min ran desperately, asking incoherently about the location of the Marquis Jinxiang Mansion, the carriage location—grabbing passersby, knocking into countless people, asking countless times, his mind a blank, only knowing to run desperately...

Until he reached an alley by West Street, where a group of guards had surrounded the area tightly. His heart sank as he barged in recklessly, screaming at those who blocked him with a voice he’d never used before: "Get out of my way!"

Recognizing him, the guards voluntarily cleared a path.

Min squeezed through the wall of people.

Soon he saw a dismantled carriage collapsed on the side, the frenzied horse pinned and tied down, Bihuai and Biwu lying on planks, one injured at the forehead, the other looking unharmed but unconscious. Nearby, a tall figure knelt on the ground, cradling a petite woman in a light purple overcoat in his arms. He dared not approach; he was terrified...

Step by step, moving with tremendous difficulty, he saw those eyes that had illuminated his childhood, now tightly shut, the once exquisite and gentle face pale and devoid of color, with bright red blood staining her skirt, pooling on the ground coloring his sight.

Thud!

He knelt, kneeling beside Fourth Master Xiao, wanting to reach out but afraid, his hand stopped in mid-air, murmuring, "Mother..."

Fourth Master Xiao didn’t look at him, firmly cradling Xiqiu in his arms. He had never been so scared, even faced with countless enemies, sheer cliffs, fires and waves of swords—Fourth Master Xiao had never felt fear...

But now, he was truly terrified. His hands began to tremble, unable to hold on; he bent down to kiss Xiqiu’s face, not jesting with her as usual, no eyelash flutter, no playful wake-up, no angry gaze: "Fourth Master is so improper."

No, there was no response, no sound. Fourth Master Xiao wanted to call her, but his throat felt dry, voiceless. He looked up to search around, aimless in his pursuit.

"Xiqiu!" Ruan Jingliu’s voice interrupted, not far from the clinic. She pushed past guards with her medicine box: "Get out of the way, all of you!"

"Let me see." Ruan Jingliu staggered in, pushing aside Min kneeling before Xiqiu, saying, "Let me check her," before feeling Xiqiu’s pulse...

Fourth Master Xiao paid no attention to Ruan Jingliu; the long street was eerily silent.

After what felt like an eternity, long enough for Fourth Master Xiao to think a lifetime had passed, Ruan Jingliu looked at him with resentment, speaking coldly: "She had a miscarriage."