“Father, you sent for me?” When Shao Xiyuan entered the study, he saw Marquis Jing’an pacing back and forth with his hands clasped behind his back.

Hearing the voice, Marquis Jing’an stopped and beckoned to Shao Xiyuan: “Xiyuan, come here.”

Shao Xiyuan walked up to Marquis Jing’an, feeling inexplicably uneasy.

“Xiyuan, I remember you mentioned to me before the New Year that you planned to study at White Deer Academy?”

White Deer Academy was in Heyu County. Though it couldn’t compare to official academies like the Imperial Academy, it excelled in its relaxed atmosphere and focus on a person’s comprehensive development, being especially famous for horsemanship and archery.

Hearing Marquis Jing’an suddenly bring this up, Shao Xiyuan couldn’t help but be startled: “Yes, Father.”

Marquis Jing’an reached out and patted Shao Xiyuan’s shoulder: “Go back and pack up. Leave in the next day or two.”

“Father—” Shao Xiyuan couldn’t believe his ears.

He had pestered his father about this several times before without getting approval. How had he suddenly relented?

“What are you standing there, dumbfounded for? Go back and pack your things.”

“Father, didn’t you say before that White Deer Academy was too far and wouldn’t let me go?”

Marquis Jing’an was silent for a moment, then smiled as he explained: “Previously, you were too young. I was afraid you’d be mischievous being so far from your parents. Now that you’ve grown up, you should go out and broaden your horizons.”

Shao Xiyuan brightened: “Then I’ll go back and pack my things.”

“Go ahead, go ahead. I’ll send the old steward to accompany you. When you can’t make up your mind about something, ask him more.”

“Yes, your son understands.” Shao Xiyuan walked excitedly to the doorway, then suddenly stopped.

Marquis Jing’an raised his eyebrows.

“Father, please don’t be angry about big brother’s matter anymore. He certainly didn’t do it on purpose—”

Marquis Jing’an forced a smile: “Go quickly. I’m not angry. Since the matter has already happened, being angry is useless.”

Shao Xiyuan showed a smile: “It’s good that you’re not angry. Then your son is leaving.”

After Shao Xiyuan left, the study fell completely silent, deathly quiet. Marquis Jing’an sat withered for a long time before instructing someone to summon Shao Mingyuan.

Before long, Shao Mingyuan arrived at the Marquis Jing’an’s residence.

“My lord, Second Young Master has arrived.”

“Have him come in.”

The steward led Shao Mingyuan to Marquis Jing’an’s study. At the Marquis’s gesture, he silently withdrew and closed the door properly.

As creaking sounds came, the study door slowly closed, and the light inside suddenly dimmed. Marquis Jing’an sat with his back to the light, his facial expression indiscernible.

“Father.” Shao Mingyuan properly paid his respects.

Looking at his handsome and distinguished second son, Marquis Jing’an felt his eyes grow hot, saying hoarsely: “Mingyuan has come. Come sit.”

Shao Mingyuan walked over and sat down across from Marquis Jing’an.

Marquis Jing’an scrutinized his second son.

Shao Mingyuan’s face showed no excess emotion, allowing Marquis Jing’an to examine him.

After a long while, a soft sigh echoed in the dimly lit study: “My son has truly grown up.”

“Father—”

Marquis Jing’an waved his hand: “Listen to me.”

Shao Mingyuan said no more, leaning forward in a posture of serious listening.

“Mingyuan, you’ve been heaven’s favored son for twenty years. Suddenly hearing that you’re an illegitimate son must be very painful, isn’t it?”

Shao Mingyuan was silent for a moment before saying, “In this life, people have many choices, but they cannot choose their birth. Father need not worry about me—I’ve already thought it through.”

Understanding his origins, he could finally tell himself that his mother’s cold treatment toward him all those years wasn’t because he wasn’t good enough.

Marquis Jing’an looked deeply at Shao Mingyuan, his eyes shimmering with moisture, sighing lowly: “Yes, in this life people have many choices. They can even choose how to die. Only they cannot choose their birth or their parents.”

Shao Mingyuan remained silent, but his heart grew puzzled.

In his impression, his father wasn’t someone who liked to be sentimental. His father was a military general with the common traits of most generals—not good at conversation, simple and straightforward.

Could it be that his father’s summoning him today had a deeper meaning?

“Father, do you have something to tell me?”

Marquis Jing’an was slightly startled, then sighed softly: “Mingyuan, your elder brother and third brother are both inferior to you.”

“Father saying this makes your son ashamed—”

Marquis Jing’an smiled, as if having made up his mind and no longer hesitating: “Mingyuan, you need not be ashamed. It’s not strange that your elder brother and third brother are inferior to you, because your father was such an outstanding person. You are his son, so naturally you wouldn’t be lacking.”

Shao Mingyuan’s expression changed dramatically: “Father, what do you mean by these words?”

Having spoken, Marquis Jing’an’s subsequent words flowed more smoothly: “From when the rumors about you being an illegitimate son began spreading, I knew this matter couldn’t be hidden anymore. Mingyuan, listen carefully—you are the surviving heir of Marquis Zhenyuan.”

“Marquis Zhenyuan?” Shao Mingyuan murmured these three words, a tremendous bewilderment crashing over him like huge waves drowning him, making even breathing painful.

“Yes, the ever-victorious general Marquis Zhenyuan, who once guarded Shanhai Pass. Twenty-one years ago, in the fifth year of Mingkang, Lan Shan used the aftermath of Prince Su’s rebellion to impeach Marquis Zhenyuan. His Majesty flew into a rage and decreed the execution of Marquis Zhenyuan’s entire clan…” Marquis Jing’an recounted the events from over twenty years ago in detail, speaking for nearly a full hour before stopping.

Shao Mingyuan was already stunned, murmuring: “You’re saying that I’m Marquis Zhenyuan’s son, rescued back then by you and several righteous men, and even the great scholar Qiao Zhuo only betrothed his granddaughter to me because he knew I was Marquis Zhenyuan’s surviving heir?”

Marquis Jing’an nodded heavily: “Correct. Being able to rescue you back then was also inseparable from Master Qiao’s help. Mingyuan, it can be said that your life was exchanged for by many people with their lives. Seeing you resist the Tartars and defend our homeland for these years, I, as your father, am very gratified. We know that all of this was worth it.”

But Shao Mingyuan’s expression suddenly changed, his voice trembling slightly: “Father, then… then your original second son…”

Having said this much, Shao Mingyuan could no longer continue.

He truly couldn’t bear to imagine that if his father had exchanged his own son’s life for his, how could he repay this for the rest of his life?

Marquis Jing’an smiled gently, his eyes full of loving kindness: “It’s not what you’re thinking. That child was indeed born frail and died young, not long after birth.”

Shao Mingyuan breathed a sigh of relief, but his heart immediately rose again: “Then Mother—”

Marquis Jing’an smiled bitterly: “In this matter, I wronged your mother first. When our second son died young, your mother suffered postpartum hemorrhaging and barely saw that child. I thought that secretly substituting you for that child’s identity would both avoid the risk of exposing your identity and spare your mother the pain of losing her son—it would be perfect. Unfortunately, I underestimated a mother’s sensitivity. She discovered early on that you weren’t our second son.”

Marquis Jing’an closed his eyes, his face full of desolation: “Lan Shan is as cunning as a fox and never gave up investigating your whereabouts in the early years. I didn’t even dare fabricate the lie that you were an illegitimate son, fearing that half a hint would leak and let him see through it. Who knew that in the end, man’s plans are inferior to heaven’s will? After your mother confronted me about it, I had no choice but to claim you were an illegitimate son and send your mother to the Buddhist hall. But I never expected it would ultimately be ruined by your elder brother’s hands.”