"I want you to tell her this," Aunt Anu said calmly. "I am the younger sister of Zhan's mother, and now, I am a mother figure to him. The marriage between her son and Zhan was fate… a kind of fate that once forced me to distance myself from my own son. But that same fate is not enough to cause its repetition again. Tell her..."
"Zhan was now far beyond from her son, just as the sky is far from the earth. Let her know...true wealth isn't just about money. Real fortune lives in the heart, not in the hand. Tell her that we are far above any riches she believes she possesses....no matter how vast. Whether she accepts this or not is no longer our concern. Zhan will speak for himself in due time."
"And perhaps when he does, it will surpass everything she imagined. He has outrun her, outgrown her. Remind her again....she should write this down and remember it: there will come a day of regret. A day of bitter realization. Make it clear to her that she should erase the idea that she ever had a connection to anyone named Zhan, let alone assume he ever shared any bond with her son. That is the message."
With that, Aunt Anu said nothing more. She didn't even glance back at either of them as she turned and walked out. Her mind was fully on Zhan ever since he left the room.
"Why are you crying?" she asked gently. "You shouldn't be crying, sweetheart. You have an aunt who is like a mother to you. Wipe those tears away." She tried to lift his spirits, but his condition deeply worried her. No matter how hard she tried to calm him down, nothing worked. She had no choice but to take him to the hospital.
It took two whole days for him to stabilize. That incident led her and Papa to make a final decision: they would begin preparations to return to where they come from. But first, they would stop in Chongqing so Zhan could meet the extended family...relatives he had never seen and who had never seen him.
Everything was arranged quickly for Zhan. All that was left was to purchase tickets, since their visas were still valid and hadn't expired.
***
"Tell me exactly what message they sent back," the Queen said coolly, eyes fixed in a distant direction. As instructed, Ms. Bao recounted Aunt Anu's words to her in full detail, leaving nothing out.
To her surprise, the Queen simply smiled, nodding slowly. She took several deliberate steps across the room before stopping. Ms. Bao watched, stunned at how well the message seemed to settle into the Queen's heart.
But still, the Queen followed her own will.
"That message alone is proof enough that they're lying," the Queen said at last, her voice composed. "If they were really telling the truth, they wouldn't have stopped there...they'd have stood firm and shown evidence. Let's write everything down and wait. We'll see who ends up full of regret... Go, Bao," she ordered as she walked away down a narrow corridor.
The sitting room was silent....so quiet it felt like no living soul was inside. The hum of the air conditioner and a few machines were the only sounds.
Two people sat on the soft, well-upholstered couches that decorated the room: Prince Yibo and Xielin. The silence between them was heavy, born from the difficult conversation they had just finished.
Xielin finally exhaled a long breath before speaking.
"No one ever imagined it would come to this," he said quietly. "But now everything's changed. This is about your blood...your lineage. That baby is part of your body, Prince Yibo. He's like a living copy of you, and yet you allowed this to happen. No one has the right to dismiss or abandon him....not even you."
Yibo released a tired sigh, the kind that hinted at exhaustion and deep regret. He turned toward Xielin, his voice low but resolute.
"That's exactly how I feel, Xielin. If this is real...if it's truly about blood and legacy....I don't care about the agreement Mom made, or how they approached her for money. I'm not thinking about wealth. I'm thinking about my blood... my child. But the Queen won't understand. She refuses to listen. She didn't give me a chance to explain. She rejected the truth outright. And if this is all real... what happens next?"
Xielin studied Yibo carefully, reading the emotions etched across his face. He was thinking deeply. There was something significant....something weighty....beneath the surface. In all the years they'd grown up together, Xielin had never seen Yibo so affected by another person's situation. Never had he seen him repeat the same concern over someone the way he did now. If it wasn't his mother, Yibo rarely invested so much emotion. But here it was....emotions flickering across his face and echoing in his voice. Something serious was clearly about to unfold.
Xielin let out a slow breath and finally said,
"I think you should just tell His Majesty…"
Yibo looked at him directly, his eyes steady, then replied in a quiet voice,
"But what if it's not true? What if this whole thing is a lie?"
He paused for a few seconds before continuing.
"There's a deep understanding and bond between Mom and Dad. If I tell him, I know how serious the consequences could be. No one will come out of it unscathed."
"And if it turns out the story isn't even real... then what? I'll have humiliated Mom in front of her enemies, damaged her relationship with her husband. So many things could spiral out of control."
Xielin nodded slowly. He too could see the complicated fallout such a move could cause. He fell silent, searching for another solution. But before he could complete his thoughts, Yibo broke the silence with new resolve.
"There's only one way I can think of to get to the truth."
"What is it?"
"I'll investigate the woman who brought the message to Mom."
"Good. But where will you even find her?"
"She's a Palace staff member. I'll speak to San Li—he knows nearly all the servants and workers. I'll have him dig up everything about her."
Yibo finished his statement as he rose to his feet, already feeling like a heavy knot in his chest had loosened. He walked straight to Xielin's room, hoping to get some rest so he could think clearly.
When Xielin entered the room later, he found Yibo already fast asleep.... just his long lounge pants and a plain white singlet on. The air conditioner and ceiling fan were both on full blast. A smile mixed with soft laughter escaped Xielin's lips.
"Problem solved," he muttered.
Yibo mumbled in return, eyes still shut as sleep finally began to take over him completely.
***
She paced with her arms folded behind her back. There was no doubt...only Yibo could order San Li to investigate the whereabouts of Ms. Bao. Since San Li was the senior supervisor over staff affairs, this meant Yibo had gone behind her words. What did that imply? Was the investigation into Ms. Bao somehow connected to that boy? Or was it something entirely different?
The Queen's mind was in turmoil. This was the first time she'd seen something that resembled defiance from Yibo. No doubt, she would have to assert her authority...and remind him that she was not just a mother but a figure of power. She hated even the thought of what her instincts were whispering to her. She refused to believe it. She wouldn't even allow herself to dream it.
In haste, she ordered people to go find Yibo wherever he was. But the search took longer than expected...he was in private discussion with His Majesty. The King was preparing for a trip to California, which would last at least a week. Though he traveled often, he rarely stayed long because of his responsibilities.
When Yibo finally left the meeting, the Queen's message was the first thing he received. Despite wanting to take a shower, he set everything else aside and went straight to her quarters.
The moment he entered, he sensed something was wrong. She gave him a piercing look...one he had never seen in her eyes before. Then, in a sharp voice...without acknowledging his greeting....she said sternly before he could even sit down:
"This is the last time I will speak to you about anything related to that boy....if you are truly my son. Cease all efforts to investigate Ms. Bao. Even if you find her, you'll get nothing from her, Yibo. Don't overstep my boundaries. Don't you dare put us on the same path again. I'm warning you....drop this entire matter from your mind. Before you step any deeper into something that's not yours to handle, focus on your duties. That is my final instruction."
She didn't give him a chance to respond. She turned and left him standing there. And even if she had waited, Yibo wasn't sure he could have said anything. His mind felt blank, frozen.
He turned around and walked out of the chamber slowly, stunned.
His head spun, and his body felt like it weighed a ton. For the first time in his life, the Queen's words didn't settle into his mind....they didn't stick. Deep down, he felt like he couldn't obey her. He moved forward with the heavy, unsteady steps of a man wading through mud, his heart and mind drifting far, far away in thought.
✨✨✨
Yibo hadn't been seen by the Queen in two full days. He was in a state unlike anything he had ever experienced. He had withdrawn completely, consumed by thoughts of how to find a way out of the storm surrounding him. More than anyone, he understood how sharp and unrelenting his mother could be. Her judgment had been clouded by years of rivalry and political games. Anyone who had known Queen Zhaiye in her younger days would agree she hadn't always been this way. But now, for Yibo, it felt like the time had come for things to reach a resolution.
Was it love? Was it destiny pressing on him? He could say yes. But based on his mother's mindset, it was far more complicated. Her decisions were often driven by retribution, by her own ambitions. She'd allowed bitterness and resentment to settle in her heart toward those she considered enemies. And now, those choices threatened to spill into his life and ruin his peace.
It was the third night. Yibo lay alone in his sitting room, dressed in a singlet and loose lounge pants. His eyes rested on the large television mounted on the wall. Half of his attention followed what was on the screen; the other half had drifted far away, caught in endless thought.
His wing of the palace was silent. Since three days ago, he'd ordered San Li to dismiss all his attendants and staff. He didn't want anyone around him...no distractions, no interruptions. His mother was fully aware of this, but she chose to ignore it. She had heard about his recent actions, and though fear and confusion tugged at her, she had no answers. What did Yibo mean by all this? Why was he so preoccupied with that boy? Why did she sense signs that he was starting to go against her wishes?
These were the questions that consumed the Queen's mind. But she had no answers to even one of them. And if it was true that Yibo's views were starting to shift, she knew without a doubt it could lead to a crisis. She feared the possibility that what had been designed as a temporary measure might become a lasting disruption...possibly undoing years of careful planning.
Yibo adjusted his position, now restless from lying down too long. He closed his eyes and forced his mind once again to search for a solution.
Then suddenly....like someone had flipped a switch....his eyes snapped open. He sat up abruptly, and with rising clarity in his voice, he exclaimed:
"Yes!"
He reached for his phone, which had been powered off for the past three days. Once he turned it on, the device flickered to life. Messages from Qiantang flooded in....texts from Xielin Jiang and other close contacts.
He ignored them all.
Instead, he scrolled directly to San Li's number. One ring was all it took before San Li picked up, speaking respectfully:
"Where are you?" Yibo asked immediately.
"At the entrance of your wing, just as you ordered," San Li replied.
"Come inside. I need to see you."
He ended the call and stood up, heading straight to his bedroom. He entered his lavish private bathroom and ran a hot shower. After bathing, he dressed sharply in clothes that reflected his status...fitted, elegant, and tailored to perfection. He styled his hair, added a cap that complemented his look, applied a subtle layer of cologne, and finally slipped on shoes that matched his outfit seamlessly. A glance at the clock told him San Li had likely been waiting for a while. Without wasting another moment, he walked directly to the sitting room where he usually met guests on formal request.
Just as expected, San Li was already there, seated and waiting. Yibo remained standing and said:
"Find Bai Wuxia. Tell her I need to speak with her. Privately. And urgently."
"Understood, Your Highness," San Li responded immediately before hurrying out, sensing the serious nature of the request.
Yibo could barely sit still. He just wanted Bai Wuxia to arrive quickly. He was certain that today, she would take him to the Zhan residence. He needed to see Zhan with his own eyes....to confirm once and for all whether what he felt was true… or if everything had been a mistake.
Bai Wuxia stood in the grand kitchen designated for preparing the Queen's meals. Almost every dish that passed through the Queen's table was under Bai Wuxia's direct supervision. She was one of the Queen's most trusted confidantes...someone whose advice the Queen often heeded, especially when it aligned with her own reasoning.
Wuxia moved with calm precision, overseeing the kitchen operations. She had just finished inspecting a freshly ground batch of red pepper when a young maid approached from behind.
In a respectful whisper, the girl said,
"The Prince has sent for you. San Li brought the message. He wishes to speak with you...urgently and in private."
Bai Wuxia fell into a brief silence, thinking. Ever since they returned from New York, the Queen had taken over more than half of her responsibilities in Yibo's wing, reassigning them to others. She didn't know why exactly, but she suspected it had something to do with Zhan. She believed the Queen was trying to create distance...perhaps hoping that if time passed and space widened, everything would settle down and Zhan would eventually fade from everyone's lips. In her mind, that was likely the Queen's entire motive.
Without much deliberation, Bai Wuxia said,
"Let's go."
Her instincts told her something significant was happening. She had seen the Prince a few times in recent days, and from the very first glance, she could tell something was troubling him...she had known him since childhood.
As expected, from the moment she entered the sitting room, she saw the stress and weight of worry written all over his face. After everyone else had left, it was just the two of them. In a tone soft with concern, she said:
"Prince, I don't know what's going on, but I can see you're troubled. I'd like to hear it from you."
Yibo told her everything she didn't already know. He hid nothing. He confessed his desire to go personally to Zhan's home...to confirm the truth with his own eyes.
Bai Wuxia looked down at the carpet, but her eyes quickly welled with tears. A deep sympathy for Zhan tore through her chest. If only she knew where Zhan lived... If only she could take Yibo there. Even if it meant the end of her stay in Tianjin Palace, she would do it.
She imagined the boy's life...raising a child he couldn't openly point his father, in a society that neither accepted nor acknowledged relationships like theirs. What would people say about the child? Would they call him illegitimate?
In her gut, she knew the pregnancy was real. She had witnessed everything that happened. But what had changed the Queen so drastically? What hardened her heart? Everyone remembered her differently.
Bai Wuxia brushed away the tears she could no longer hold back and said quietly:
"In all my years, I've never met a boy like Zhan...so composed, with a character far beyond his age. He's only eighteen, but you'd think he were forty. His youth is striking and graceful, even though he lacks the support and protection others take for granted. I feel it in my bones...the pregnancy is real. Without doubt, he's carrying. But…"
She hesitated. "Forgive me, Your Highness… it pains me to say this, but I don't know how to find his home. We parted ways at the airport. I don't even know how he got back. Lanhui and Ms. Bao might know their exact address, but I haven't seen either of them in the palace for a while now."
Yibo closed his eyes and held them shut for a long stretch of minutes. Bai Wuxia, too, sat in silence, mourning alongside Zhan in her heart. She knew the pain he must be feeling was immeasurable.
A knock came at the door. Yibo didn't respond. Bai Wuxia answered instead, already sensing that the messenger came from His Majesty's quarters.
"His Majesty has sent for you," she said to Yibo, watching as he finally opened his eyes...now dim and drained. Something about the summons filled him with unease. That rarely happened.
He forced out a quiet response, then stood up, nodded farewell to Bai Wuxia, and headed inside.
He sat alone for a long while, trying to regain his composure before going to his father. The last thing he wanted was to walk in looking like a storm had passed through him. That would only invite questions His Majesty didn't need to ask.
Only after he managed to bring himself back halfway to normal did he finally emerge. A few of his attendants were waiting at the outer door, ready to escort him as usual. But he waved them off.
This time, Yibo walked alone...toward the King's quarters.
Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛