Chapter 195: His True Origin

This statement can be said to be extremely arrogant, yet he happens to have the qualifications for it.

He commands the Xuan Iron Army and has even captured Prince Rui alive, making him an undeniable force at court; if he truly wanted to replace the monarch, it would not be impossible.

Shen Shuangning, however, was not moved by this favor.

Instead, she lifted her face and stared fixedly at his eyes, as if trying to see through those deep pupils to discern his true thoughts.

The former Xiao Jingyuan, though sharp-edged, always upheld his duty as a subject and would never utter such overreaching words.

Looking at him this way, Shen Shuangning finally noticed he was subtly different from before—seemingly not well-rested, with a faint reddish tinge at the corners of his eyes and a gloom gathering between his brows.

No, it seems that after this reunion, Xiao Jingyuan has become somewhat different.

Shen Shuangning gazed at the red blood vessels in his eyes and couldn't help thinking: Xiao Jingyuan now commands heavy troops, can easily suppress rebels, and naturally possesses the strength for treason. Tong Prefecture lies just beneath Jingcheng; if he truly harbored ambition and followed Prince Rui's example, the Dragon Throne would be within easy reach.

Who among the world, holding such power, could restrain themselves from coveting that supreme position?

Xiao Jingyuan saw her dubiously staring at him, his gaze somewhat evasive: "What's wrong?"

Shen Shuangning's expression was unprecedentedly serious and stern as she spoke bluntly: "Don't follow Prince Rui in rebellion."

Xiao Jingyuan was first startled, then realized she had mistaken him for harboring ambitions to seize power.

His tense nerves suddenly relaxed, and he couldn't help letting out a low laugh: "I have no interest whatsoever in that position."

Shen Shuangning doubted: "Really?"

Xiao Jingyuan withdrew his smile and said seriously: "My aspirations lie elsewhere; that position, while supreme in the eyes of the world, is to me merely a golden cage—once seated, one must constantly look ahead and behind, act against one's will, and cannot even sleep in peace."

As he spoke, his tone carried a hint of mockery and disdain, and even a flash of disgust appeared in his eyes.

He despised his own identity, and even more so that position.

Seeing him say this, Shen Shuangning finally put her mind at ease, yet immediately felt his earlier expression was off, and was about to speak.

Xiao Jingyuan concealed the emotion in his eyes, raised his hand to lift her chin, leaned close and said: "Being emperor is no easy task; good emperors have short lives, and I only wish to stay together with Ningning for a long time."

"Moreover, if I truly became emperor, with a beauty like Ningning by my side, I would have no mind for court affairs—I'd likely become a foolish ruler condemned by the people."

Shen Shuangning was distracted by his interruption, the strange feeling in her heart faded, and she blushed, chiding: "Be serious, mm......"

The rest of her words were swallowed by the man, turning into ragged breaths.

Later that evening, the City Lord's Manor set up a victory banquet in the front courtyard; though lacking lanterns and decorations, it was still very lively.

Today is Lunar New Year, and the ladies of the City Lord's Manor are mostly busy in the rear courtyard.

In the east courtyard, Shen Shuangning and Su Wan personally went to the kitchen and prepared many dishes.

Mu Yu and Yao Niang also came.

Yao Niang is dexterous and can make many delicate pastries, from kneading dough to rolling wrappers and filling them in one smooth motion.

Mu Yu rolled up her sleeves, eager to lend a hand.

However, after accidentally breaking two bowls and plates, she honestly sat aside to watch the stove fire.

Qing Yun and Qing Feng also came to help, chopping ribs with swift, clean cuts; the small kitchen in the east courtyard was bustling with activity, and this busyness truly lent a festive atmosphere.

Several people set up a table in the small courtyard and gradually placed steaming hot dishes upon it, complete with color, aroma, and flavor.

Yao Niang lifted the last plate of freshly fried sugar cakes; as her fingertip touched the rim, the scorching heat made her hiss, she jerked her hand back, and her fingertip turned red.

Qing Feng happened to pass by, saw it, and without thinking stepped forward quickly, grabbing her hand and pressing it into the water vat.

"Are you okay?" Qing Feng asked worriedly, lifting his gaze only then to see Yao Niang's face flushed and her eyes reddened with tears.

Only then did Qing Feng realize he was still holding a girl's hand.

He felt as if scalded, hastily released her hand, rubbed the back of his hand against his collar again and again, his ears instantly flushed crimson, and his speech became somewhat stammered.

"I, I meant to offend—no, I didn't mean to, I just... please don't blame me." Having said that, he didn't dare look at Yao Niang's expression and fled in embarrassment.

Yao Niang blinked.

Su Wan, seeing this, cut straight to the point: "He likes you."

Yao Niang was startled by the words, lightly bit her lip: "Miss Su, you've misunderstood—how could he possibly like me?"

Mu Yu, coughing from the smoke, said: "He really does like you—he's liked you for a long time!"

Shen Shuangning nodded: "We can all see that."

"This......" Yao Niang widened her eyes, somewhat at a loss.

In the corridor, Qing Yun saw Qing Feng run off silently to the front courtyard, paused, and glanced at him several times, puzzled.

After having a few drinks with the officers in the front courtyard, Xiao Jingyuan returned to Shen Shuangning's courtyard to spend the holiday with her.

After a while, an unexpected guest arrived.

"Do you mind if I join the fun?" Pei Zhi said in a refined and courteous manner.

Shen Shuangning looked toward Xiao Jingyuan.

Xiao Jingyuan said nothing; that was his assent.

Shen Shuangning, considering they were still allies, had Qing Yun fetch an extra chair and bring new bowls and chopsticks.

Pei Zhi then sat opposite Xiao Jingyuan and began eating as if nothing were amiss.

Originally, Xiao Jingyuan's presence had already made the few at the table somewhat uneasy; now with Pei Zhi added, the atmosphere grew somewhat stifling.

Fortunately, this awkward atmosphere didn't last long; Mu Yu drank too much and started acting wildly from drink, so Shen Shuangning helped her back.

When Shen Shuangning returned, only Pei Zhi was sitting in the courtyard.

She was hesitating whether to approach when Pei Zhi lifted his head, smiled at her, and said: "Happy New Year."

Shen Shuangning politely replied in kind: "Happy New Year."

"Just now someone broke into the jail; he went to handle it." Pei Zhi shifted the topic, saying: "Regarding his background, he probably hasn't told you yet, has he?"

Pei Zhi dared say this because he knew that someone as proud and restrained as Xiao Jingyuan would not voluntarily expose his wounds and blemishes before others, especially not before Shen Shuangning.

Shen Shuangning was about to say that Xiao Jingyuan had already told her, but seeing Pei Zhi's demeanor, it seemed there might be more hidden.

Pei Zhi didn't beat around the bush, smiled faintly, and dropped a bombshell: "He is the son of Emperor Xuwen."

Shen Shuangning heard this and was greatly astonished.

Pei Zhi wasn't the least surprised by her reaction, he patted the chair beside him and said gently, "Sit, I'll tell you slowly."

Pei Zhi's knowledge of Xiao Jingyuan's background stems from a previous life, when Xuanwen Di lay gravely ill and unconscious, he happened to hear Xuanwen Di muttering in his dream.

Later, when people investigated thoroughly, they pieced together the cause and effect, and it was also thanks to Pei Zhi being a member of the Holy Heaven Sect at the time that they could uncover the secrets of those years.

Xiao Jingyuan was not the son of Prince Yan, yet he was an imperial son—a fact that few would believe if spoken aloud.

As for Xiao Jingyuan's background, it was not glorious; indeed, it could be described as tragic.

His birth mother, Li Shi, had originally been a palace maid in the emperor's bedchamber; gentle of nature and fair of feature, she once accidentally encountered the drunken emperor, which resulted in her pregnancy.

This should have been a great blessing, but at that time Xuanwen Di was obsessed with seeking immortality and the Dao, even establishing the 'Medicine King Valley' in the suburbs to provide elixirs for evil Daoists, and Li Shi was unfortunately caught up in it.

So-called the 'Medicine King Valley' was in fact a grand conspiracy by the Holy Heaven Sect to overthrow the state of Great Liang and throw the court into disorder.

At that time, the evil Daoists lied to Xuanwen Di, claiming that an elixir refined from the blood of close kin could let one reach the pinnacle of humanity and achieve eternal youth, but Xuanwen Di would neither agree nor bring himself to kill them, leaving them untouched.

Yet they never expected the evil Daoists to turn their attention to Li Shi, who was carrying a dragon lineage, ultimately causing a great disaster.

Li Shi was of lowly status and had no backing, making her the perfect target.

The evil Daoists had Li Shi swapped and secretly sent to the Medicine King Valley, while Xuanwen Di, occupied with state affairs, was completely kept in the dark.

Thereafter, Li Shi endured inhuman torment in the Medicine King Valley, being forced daily to ingest unknown concoctions; she eventually bled profusely in childbirth and died.

Yet Li Shi's death did not bring peace to her child.

That child, too, was hard‑lived, tortured by the evil Daoists until the age of two without dying.

Later, the Medicine King Valley's secret was exposed, shocking the court and the populace; Xuanwen Di finally learned of Li Shi's fate, had the dying child rescued, and then set the valley ablaze.

Yet Xuanwen Di dared not acknowledge the child, for to do so would be to admit his own grave mistake.

Therefore, Xuanwen Di made an extremely cruel decision: he entrusted the child to the recently bereaved Prince Yan for upbringing, while outwardly announcing that Li Shi had died in childbirth with no surviving offspring.

From then on, Xiao Jingyuan grew up under the identity of the Heir of Prince Yan, and everyone believed that Xuanwen Di doted exceptionally on the Prince Yan's heir—thinking it affection for the house and its crow—yet they did not know that Xiao Jingyuan was in fact his own flesh and blood.