Yan Qing’s internal reaction could not escape the sharp eyes of Li Xiao and Song Jin. Seeing him fall into a stubborn silence, Song Jin asked impatiently, “Still refusing to talk? I think it might be necessary to tear off your bandages and wrap them all over again.”

Yan Qing: “…”

This kid absolutely has violent tendencies.

“I can’t see it clearly,” Yan Qing said, extending a hand toward Li Xiao. “Bring it closer.”

Li Xiao passed it over, deftly tilting it out of reach to avoid his sudden attempt to snatch it away. “Do you need me to find you a pair of reading glasses, Professor?”

“…” Having every single one of his movements accurately predicted left Yan Qing with a massive headache. “Even if I knew His Highness the Prince when I was younger, that isn’t a crime, is it?”

Li Xiao pressed, “He said he promised to help you investigate the truth. What truth?”

Yan Qing replied coldly, “That is a matter between him and me. There is no need to explain it to anyone else.”

Li Xiao countered, “Yet he died in an unexpected accident the very year after this photograph was taken. It is difficult not to speculate whether his death had something to do with you.”

Yan Qing’s expression darkened instantly. “The man has been dead for decades, and you’re only investigating his cause of death now?”

“It’s not just his cause of death.” Li Xiao safely tucked the photograph back into his pocket, his voice calm and even. “There is also the Bique tribe, the unique blood, and your true identity.”

Yan Qing averted his gaze, his voice dropping significantly. “Right now, I only want to live a quiet life. I don’t want to bring up the past anymore.”

Song Jin cut in, “Live a quiet life? By snatching other people’s property and getting yourself pursued by a horde of assassins?”

Li Xiao demanded, “Who is Jin Heng?”

Yan Qing sighed, “I’m a little tired. Let’s talk about this later.”

“You would rather trust an outsider than trust me?” Li Xiao locked his gaze onto him, his tone carrying a distinct hint of profound disappointment. “Am I not your biological child?”

Yan Qing’s hand resting over the blanket tightened violently as he spun around to face Li Xiao in absolute astonishment. “Why would you think—”

“Ever since I was a child, there have been rumors echoing throughout the palace stating that I was born to a royal attendant. That attendant was you, wasn’t it?” Li Xiao’s tone was absolute and unwavering. “The things that happened when I was young… I still remember some of them.”

Yan Qing stared at him blankly, utterly stunned, failing to utter a word for a long time.

Seeing that he neither confirmed nor denied the statement, Li Xiao turned around with an expression of deep disappointment and prepared to leave the room.

Noticing this, Song Jin rose to follow, casting a thoroughly critical and condemning glare at Yan Qing. “You had better think very carefully about how you intend to answer!”

_

Exiting the patient room, Song Jin scanned the layout of the suite and spotted Li Xiao standing entirely alone on the small southern balcony, looking thoroughly disheartened. He caught up in a few swift strides, wrapping his arms around Li Xiao from behind.

“Don’t lower yourself to the level of a stubborn old man.”

Receiving no response to his comforting words, Song Jin continued, “Give me half an hour. I guarantee I can make him open his mouth honestly. I am incredibly skilled at interrogations—my brother used to praise me as an absolute interrogation genius.”

Li Xiao slightly turned his head to look back at him. “You aren’t planning to extract a confession through raw physical torture, are you?”

Song Jin nodded confidently. “It has miraculous effects.”

Li Xiao: “…”

He didn’t even try to deny it.

Li Xiao advised, “Let’s save that method for someone else.”

Song Jin teased, “Can’t bear to see him hurt?”

“There’s no need.” Li Xiao glanced back toward Yan Qing’s room. “He will take the initiative to confess everything on his own.”

Song Jin asked, “You’re that certain?”

Li Xiao explained, “He desperately needs an ally right now, and I am his absolute best option.”

Song Jin mulled it over for a brief moment before fully grasping the underlying strategy.

Li Xiao had deliberately brought out the photograph and assumed the posture of a long-lost son specifically to lower Yan Qing’s guard, forcing him into a state where he would view them as “teammates” as quickly as possible.

“So that profound disappointment you displayed just now… it was all an act?” Song Jin leaned close against Li Xiao’s ear, his voice dropped to a low whisper.

The vibration left his ear feeling incredibly ticklish, causing Li Xiao to slightly tilt his head away. “You didn’t see through it?”

Song Jin: “…”

Who on earth could possibly see through that?

Facing a biological parent whom everyone believed had perished long ago, wouldn’t a normal person experience genuine emotional turmoil?

Catching the distinct trace of silent accusation written clear across Song Jin’s face, Li Xiao couldn’t help but chuckle softly. “I am already long past the age where I crave parental affection.”

There was a time when he, too, had been deeply resentful and brooding—wondering why his father and mother had perished so early in an unexpected accident, why he was rumored to be the child of an attendant, and why his older brother had suddenly completely ignored him.

He had also been driven to absolute mental and physical exhaustion by wave after wave of targeted assassinations, ultimately forcing him to discard everything, abandon the palace, and attempt to start entirely anew.

After wandering the empire for ten long years, just as he was finally beginning to truly let go of the past, the news of his brother’s assassination reached him, along with that final sentence: “I can no longer protect you.” All the buried resentment and grievance instantly transformed into an absolute obsession.

He had long since ceased to yearn for anything for himself, but if he could not unearth the absolute truth behind it all, he would never be able to rest in peace.

Song Jin gently patted Li Xiao’s head. “Having me is more than enough for you. It’s just parental love anyway—I have plenty of affection to give you.”

Li Xiao: “…”

_

Next door in Jiang Hao’s patient room, Qin Le and Qian Can broke into a cold sweat after listening to Jiang Hao’s recount of the previous night’s events.

Qian Can couldn’t stop himself from nagging loudly, “What on earth were you thinking, kid? They were literally coming at you with blades to hack you to pieces, and you were still sitting there contemplating civil laws and regulations? If you get hacked to death, your household registration won’t matter at all!”

Jiang Hao mumbled under his breath, “But keeping a clean imperial registration is very important.”

“Killing an assailant in a situation where your life is actively threatened constitutes legitimate self-defense; it won’t result in your registration being revoked,” Qin Le clarified as he peeled an orange. Seeing that Jiang Hao was pinned to the bed and completely unable to move, he placed a slice directly against his lips. “Don’t ever make this kind of mistake again. A single slip is more than enough to cost you your life.”

“I understand now. Big brother already lectured me about it.” Jiang Hao stared at the heavily damaged book resting by his side, unable to help but ask, “How do you guys usually make money? I need to start earning my own allowance.”

The aristocratic young masters Qian Can and Qin Le, who had quite literally never earned a single cent through manual labor in their entire lives: “…”

“Now that is an excellent question.” Qian Can snatched a piece of the orange right out of Qin Le’s hand, tossing it into his mouth. “Let me conduct some thorough research first, and then I’ll let you know.”

Qin Le thought about it for a moment. “A significant number of military academy students make their living on Star War. As long as your piloting skills are exceptional enough, you’ll never have to worry about running out of funds.”

Jiang Hao admitted, “I’ve never played it before.”

Qian Can declared, “Once you finish that orange, your two older brothers here will carry you to victory.”

Jiang Hao nodded eagerly.

“Carry him to victory in what?” Song Jin and Li Xiao asked as they walked into the room.

Qian Can replied, “We’re planning to log onto Star War to mess around for a bit. You guys want to join?”

The moment he heard the words Star War, Li Xiao immediately recalled his atrocious “charcoal ball” avatar, and his face collapsed instantly. “I’m not playing.”

“Sure, why not?” Song Jin turned a beaming, highly amused smile toward Li Xiao. “We happen to have nothing better to do anyway.”

Li Xiao insisted, “…I am not going.”

It would thoroughly ruin his majestic and tall image.

As they spoke, the doctor walked inside to conduct his morning rounds, casually setting a full-body therapeutic light system right over Jiang Hao.

Jiang Hao could only lie there obediently like a pinned specimen, causing the grand Star War plan to be instantly shelved.

“How are his injuries?” Li Xiao asked the medical practitioner.

The doctor replied, “The slashes didn’t damage the bones. Young people possess exceptional cellular recovery capabilities; he’ll be able to get out of bed by tomorrow. However, he will still need to undergo therapeutic light sessions for at least a week.”

Li Xiao nodded. “What about the room next door?”

The doctor answered, “The patient next door is in significantly more severe condition. A fractured right leg isn’t that easy to mend; he won’t be allowed to engage in any form of strenuous physical activity for the next month.”

Given that Yan Qing was a traditional, static-output history professor, being barred from strenuous physical activity wouldn’t affect his ability to conduct standard lectures in the slightest.

After heading down to the facility’s dining hall for lunch, Li Xiao brought back portions for Jiang Hao and Yan Qing.

“You two should head next door. Qian San and I will keep an eye on things over here,” Qin Le said, taking the lunchbox from Li Xiao.

Li Xiao nodded, and together with Song Jin, re-entered Yan Qing’s room.

Yan Qing’s primary injuries were concentrated around his head and leg. His head had already been neatly bandaged. Li Xiao assisted him into a sitting position, but seeing the two youngsters sitting directly opposite him, staring intently as he tried to eat, made it practically impossible for him to swallow his food.

“Don’t you two have anything better to do?”

Li Xiao stated, “Today is Sunday.”

Song Jin added, “The only entertainment available in a hospital is observing the patients.”

Yan Qing: “…”

So he was literally being treated as a source of amusement?

_

After finishing his meal, Yan Qing leaned back against the headboard of the bed. Under the intense, unblinking pressure of the two pairs of eyes fixed on him, he finally spoke in a quiet voice, “You are correct. You were indeed born to me.”

His relaxed, casual delivery made it sound as though he were simply commenting that the weather outside was quite pleasant today, but the sheer explosive weight of the revelation was comparable to a literal nuclear detonation.

Even though Li Xiao had been mentally prepared for it, he still required a moment to fully process the reality.

He really was the child of a royal attendant.

His older brother had not secretly executed the attendant.

Suppressing the surge of questions rising within his mind, Li Xiao asked in a calm tone, “Why did you enter the palace all those years ago?”

Yan Qing’s expression turned solemn and heavy. “Back then, His Highness Prince Li Xun stated that he intended to help my father investigate the absolute truth. Immediately after that, all communication was abruptly severed. I refused to accept it, so when I turned eighteen, I secretly applied to become a palace attendant, intending to locate Li Xun and demand a clear explanation. I never expected that he had already passed away long before I arrived.”

“You belong to the Bique tribe, don’t you?” Song Jin asked, thoroughly puzzled. “Did you apply for the position using your true identity?”

Yan Qing’s gaze darted back and forth between the two of them. “How on earth did you two discover that I am a member of the Bique tribe?”

The question struck them as extraordinarily bizarre.

Li Xiao and Song Jin almost suspected that the old man had rattled his brain during the crash and hadn’t fully recovered yet.

Li Xiao possessed verified Bique tribal lineage, and Yan Qing was his father—which naturally meant Yan Qing had to be of the Bique tribe. Did that even need to be asked?

Thinking along those lines, Song Jin voiced the thought aloud.

Yan Qing knitted his brows, turning to look at Li Xiao in pure astonishment. “The rumors within the palace explicitly claim that you possess Bique tribal lineage?”

Li Xiao countered with a question of his own, “Is that supposed to be strange?”

Yan Qing hesitated for a moment before speaking, “I only ever taught you some of the traditional folklore and customs of the Bique tribe when you were a child, but I never explicitly told you that you belonged to the tribe, nor did I ever reveal that fact to anyone else.”

Li Xiao and Song Jin exchanged a glance, their confusion deepening by the second. “What exactly do you mean by that?”

“Although our family line originally carried Bique tribal blood, we completely merged into another race when fleeing as refugees over a century ago,” Yan Qing explained, pulling up his official personal identification data to show them. “My legal registration parameters do not contain the words ‘Bique Tribe’ anywhere.”

Li Xiao and Song Jin had already thoroughly reviewed Yan Qing’s file long ago, so they were well aware of this fact. They had originally assumed the records were simply a clever forgery, never expecting that this was the actual reality behind it.

“Then what exactly was the truth that you asked Li Xun to investigate?” Song Jin pressed further.

“That is a private family matter,” Yan Qing stated with absolute finality, refusing to loosen his grip on the secret.

Song Jin glanced at Li Xiao, asking with a hint of hesitation, “Since you discovered that Li Xun had already passed away upon entering the palace, why didn’t you simply leave? Why did you end up getting involved with Li Su instead?”

Li Xiao: “…”

His choice of words is incredibly blunt.

At that time, Li Su had already been married for over a decade. In the eyes of the public, Yan Qing’s actions would unquestionably paint him as a third party.

Yet Yan Qing acted completely unbothered, countering with an entirely matter-of-fact tone, “Since I had already gone through all the trouble to get inside, I couldn’t exactly leave empty-handed. Given that Li Xun could no longer be relied upon, it was only logical to approach Li Su instead. Is there an issue with that?”

Li Xiao: “…”

This old man’s style is also remarkably direct.

Song Jin continued the line of questioning, “So you turned around and entreated Li Su to investigate the matter for you, ultimately causing the Emperor and Empress to perish in that unexpected accident?”

The brief sentence carried a sharp, venomous sting in every single word, instantly slicing open a wound that had barely managed to scar over, causing it to bleed profusely once more.

Li Xiao stared deeply at Yan Qing, unconsciously holding his breath as he waited for the response.

“I never anticipated that they would meet with an accident,” Yan Qing fell into a long, heavy silence before continuing. “But even now, I cannot say for certain whether their deaths have an absolute, causal relationship with the investigation.”

Li Xiao asked, “The rumors within the palace stated that my older brother had you executed. What exactly happened back then?”

Yan Qing answered, “I was indeed imprisoned for a period of time, but His Majesty thoroughly erased every single record of my existence within the palace archives and permitted me to leave freely.”

“So my brother was fully aware of what you were investigating?” Li Xiao forced the issue.

Weathering Li Xiao’s sharp, piercing gaze, Yan Qing let out a soft sigh. “I am not entirely sure, but he most likely did not continue the investigation himself.”

Li Xiao pressed on, “Does the matter you’ve been investigating have anything to do with the unique blood you snatched last night?”

Yan Qing replied, “I don’t know. I am still in the process of investigating that myself.”

_

By the time the doctor arrived to conduct another routine check, the two had failed to extract any further actionable intelligence from the older man.

Hearing the knock at the door, Li Xiao stood up with a trace of deep disappointment clear in his eyes. “In your eyes, it seems I am nothing more than an absolute outsider.”

“I’ve never seen such a detached and cold father before,” Song Jin muttered as he gripped Li Xiao’s hand. He casually plucked a single strand of hair from Yan Qing’s head during his exit, quickly catching up to Li Xiao.

Catching the flash of genuine hurt buried deep within Li Xiao’s eyes, Yan Qing bit his lip, his heart softening despite himself.

“If you two…”

“Hmm?” Song Jin hauled Li Xiao to a halt.

Seeing Li Xiao turn back around to look at him, Yan Qing’s tone abruptly shifted back to its standard, icy academic rigor. “If you two can manage to secure the absolute first place in the upcoming phase examinations, I will consider revealing a few more things to you.”

Li Xiao / Song Jin: “…”

Has this man developed an absolute occupational hazard as the Dean of Instruction? Even at a critical juncture like this, he still insists on demanding academic performance.

“Stubborn old fool, he’s explicitly making things difficult for us on purpose,” Song Jin growled, instantly preparing to march back inside to thrash him.

Li Xiao caught his arm to restrain him, responding with an entirely blank, expressionless face, “The difficulty parameter is exceptionally high, but I will do my absolute best.”

The moment the door clicked shut behind them, Yan Qing let out a massive sigh of relief.

He had personally crafted the examination papers for this phase test. Without undergoing systematic, rigorous learning of military academy tactical theories, attempting to secure a top score was practically an impossible feat.

Reaching the living area of the suite, Song Jin veered off into the adjacent nursing station to procure an empty sample vial, dropping Yan Qing’s strand of hair inside and holding it up to examine it closely against the light.

The ease with which Yan Qing had admitted to being Li Xiao’s biological father felt incredibly suspicious to him.

Whether it was the old photograph or the living man resting inside the room, Yan Qing bore absolutely no physical resemblance to Li Xiao whatsoever.

What exactly is this old man plotting?