What is she talking about?

Min only feels buzzing in his head, he only sees Ziyang’s mouth moving, but can’t hear, can’t understand the words she’s saying.

What’s this about the Second Prince Consort, the Second Prince’s, what young master, the Eldest Prince and a mysterious Shen...

What on earth is going on?

Min waved his hand, his face as pale as paper: "Stop spouting nonsense. If Father hears this, he will not spare you. Out of gratitude for caring for me wholeheartedly over these years, I will not report this to Father and Mother. Go quickly." He turned away, no longer looking at Ziyang.

"Young Master!" Ziyang saw he didn’t believe her and quickly said, "I swear on my life, every word I say is true." She paused and added: "This matter is known by the Great Governor, the Lady knows, the Marquis must know too. If you don’t believe, ask the Lady. She is kind-hearted and always cares for you; she will tell you truthfully, and then it will prove the truth of my words."

"Also, Young Master, do you remember when First Master Tang from the Chengyi Bo Mansion said you resemble the Emperor? I tell you, when I first saw you, I had the same feeling, even though you were just a few months old, you already had the look of the Second Prince Consort, especially your eyes—they are exactly the same!"

Min certainly remembers, he even went personally to verify it. He shook his head: "Stop talking, I won’t believe you!" Though he said this, he unexpectedly remembered the day Fourth Master Xiao talked to him: "...your mother’s status is not lowly."

Min’s body trembled.

Ziyang already began to sob, urgently saying: "Think about whether the Emperor treats you differently. If you really were the Grand Commander’s child, you would just be a concubine’s son. How could the Emperor let you enter the palace as a reading companion, and look at you differently? When you were hurt in the palace, the Emperor personally went to visit you; doesn’t all this prove you are the child of the Second Prince Consort?"

Min painfully closed his eyes, not daring to think about the details.

Ziyang continued: "Also, Fourth Master and the Lady always look after you, arrange people in the palace to guard and protect you, even Consort Le secretly helps you. If you were just an ordinary concubine’s son from the mansion, how could they be so nervous? They would at most inform the Emperor and resign the reading companion position, but they keep you in the palace. Obviously, they want you to adapt to palace life, to have more father-son interaction with the Emperor."

"Enough!" Min turned around, looking coldly at Ziyang: "I don’t want to hear you talk, please leave!"

"No, Young Master, listen to me." After a pause, she added: "I have evidence. When attending to the Second Prince Consort’s appearance, I found a silk pattern jade token missing; it was given by Lord Shen, and the Second Prince Consort liked it, always carrying it... Later, when you moved from the Grand Dowager’s room to Fourth Madam’s courtyard, I one day found that jade token in your box while tidying your room. If you don’t believe me, open and check!" 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

She spoke firmly, yet Min didn’t recall owning such a jade token. He looked suspiciously at Ziyang, who stood up and said to Min: "Forgive my discourtesy." Then she went to Min’s bedroom, returning shortly with a box.

"This box you use to store monthly allowances and rewards, the key is always with Dongling. If you don’t believe, let Dongling use the key to verify; I’m not lying."

Half-believing, Min called Dongling to bring the key, then closed the door and personally opened the box. Inside were many jade tokens, pendants, and some silver. Ziyang immediately noticed something wrapped in an orchid-patterned cloth beneath many other items. She took it out impatiently, presenting it to Min: "Look, it’s this jade token that always hung on the Second Prince Consort; the knot was personally made by her, the thread divided by me, even Lord Shen has seen it, he would definitely recognize it."

Min, trembling slightly, held the jade token in his hand, feeling a piercing pain as if stabbed. He frowned, looking at Ziyang and asked: "Is everything you said true?"

Ziyang nodded repeatedly: "If I speak a word of falsehood, may I be struck by thunder!" After a pause, she added: "The Grand Dowager doesn’t know your background, but knows this jade token. If you don’t believe, go ask if it entered the mansion with you."

Min lowered his eyes, his gaze fixed on the jade token without saying a word for a long time, finally exhaustedly waving his hand: "I’d like to be alone, leave."

"Young Master, you must think carefully, the Second Prince Consort died in childbirth, the Shen family was annihilated, only you can avenge them now." Ziyang paused, and Min angrily said: "Out!"

Ziyang’s lips moved as if wanting to say something more, but then remembering he was still a child and shouldn’t be pressured, she slowly retreated.

Min leaned back in the chair, his eyes wide and vacant, staring at the ceiling, as Ziyang’s words echoed in his mind...

He was the Emperor and the late Empress’s biological son, not Fourth Master Xiao’s concubine’s son, his mother wasn’t an actor, but the noble late Empress.

At this moment, he couldn’t discern his feelings—was it happiness? Confusion? Fear? Helplessness?

He couldn’t explain, but his heart felt like a heavy stone pressed on it, suffocating him.

"Young Master Min!" Dongling pushed the door open, Min quickly hid the jade token and took a book, lowering his head to read. Dongling glanced at the box on the table and saw Min reading, full of suspicion but said nothing.

The next morning, absentmindedly, Min went to the palace, and by afternoon after school, he went directly to the Marquis Mansion.

The Grand Dowager saw him, puzzled: "Why did you come alone? Does your mother know?"

Min shook his head: "I just have something to ask Grandma, I’ll return soon." The Grand Dowager nodded, solemnly: "Very well, ask, and if Grandma knows, I’ll tell you."

Min hesitantly took out the jade token: "Grand... Grandma, do you remember this jade token?"

"Let me see." The Grand Dowager took it, examining for a moment, then put on glasses and looked carefully, thought for a while and finally said: "Seems your mother left this for you. When your father carried you back, it was in your swaddling, said it was left for you..." handing it back to Min: "Why suddenly ask about this? The jade is fine quality, keep it well as remembrance."

The immense shock made Min’s vision momentarily dark, he barely heard the latter part of the Grand Dowager’s words.