Marquis Nanguo’s lips trembled.

“You people… how could you not consult with me about such a major matter? Acting on your own authority to infiltrate the Prince’s Manor at night? Do you know how dangerous this is? That could cost you your lives!”

Lian Que naturally knew this. He said: “We only wanted to go in, feed Song Zhi the medicine, and leave. We didn’t expect it would turn out like this.”

“Didn’t expect it would turn out like this? The Prince’s Manor—what kind of place is that? Could you not know? Even if you didn’t know the dangers involved, that’s one thing, but how could Lian Que also be so confused as to come up with such a terrible idea!” Although Marquis Nanguo’s tone contained reproach, more than anything, it was worry.

After all, Lian Que was an orphan he had rescued and who had followed him for over twenty years.

He had long treated him like his own son!

How could he not be anxious?

Lian Que was also very worried: “Right now, the most important thing is Lian Que’s safety. We should quickly think of a way to save him.”

Marquis Nanguo let out a heavy sigh, his brows tightly knit, extremely troubled. After a long silence, he said: “The person is now in the Second Prince’s hands. I’m sure the Second Prince will severely interrogate him. Lian Que will naturally clench his teeth and say nothing, but once they can’t get anything out of him, Lian Que’s life will be as good as lost.”

Hearing this, Bai Yin became anxious.

“No, he was captured because he was covering for me. I can’t let him lose his life for me. I’ll go save him!”

He turned to leave. “Stop!” Marquis Nanguo called out to him in time, quickly stepping in front of him to analyze the situation. “If you go to rescue him now, wouldn’t that be like going to your death? The Second Prince’s Manor must be heavily guarded. Even if you had a pair of wings, it would be difficult to fly in. Moreover, the manor is so large—we don’t even know where Lian Que is being held.”

“But I can’t just ignore this.”

“But I can’t ignore your life! In any case, don’t be impulsive first. I’ll think of a solution.”

“What solution?”

“You don’t need to worry about that.” Marquis Nanguo seemed to already have a plan in mind.

He was pondering it in his heart.

At this time, the steward had already brought the clean clothes over.

He knocked on the door, saying: “My lord, the clothes are here.”

Marquis Nanguo said to him: “Alright, I’ll handle this matter! You go change into clean clothes first. Stay here tonight, and tomorrow morning at first light, quickly leave the city.”

“I can help!”

“A’Jin, don’t you understand yet?”

“…” Bai Yin looked at him. Marquis Nanguo told him very seriously: “Your identity is the prince of Huyi, and the future king! When the time is ripe, you’ll avenge your father the king and your mother the consort. If people find out that the former king’s son still lives in this world, you’ll bring disaster upon yourself! King Huyi will absolutely not spare you. Right now, I’m already planning everything for you. Things absolutely cannot go wrong now! So what you need to do now is wait!”

Bai Yin fell silent.

In truth, as for being king, he didn’t have any such aspirations. Marquis Nanguo probably guessed his thoughts and gripped his arm tightly: “A’Jin, I originally hoped you could simply live peacefully. But your life isn’t meant to be lived in peace and stability for a lifetime. The blood of Huyi’s royal family flows in your bones. This realm is destined to be yours. You have no choice! Think of your father the king, think of your mother the consort.”

Bai Yin clenched his teeth tightly!

Veins bulged on his forehead.

Vengeance, nation and family—these were all responsibilities he should shoulder!

That night, he stayed at the Marquis’s Manor.

But he had no heart to rest.

On one hand, he worried about Lian Que; on the other, he thought about Marquis Nanguo’s words.

His heart was in turmoil.

He was sitting in the room when a small head suddenly popped out from outside the door.

“Who are you?”

The voice was tender and childish.

Hearing the sound, Bai Yin turned his head to look and saw a child standing at the doorway. His small body swayed unsteadily, and his large eyes were looking at him.

Those eyes were full of curiosity.

“And who are you?”

“My name is A’Mo.” The little fellow walked in from outside, blinking his eyes several times.

A’Mo?

Bai Yin suddenly understood: “You’re Marquis Nanguo’s son?”

“Mm.”

He had heard Ji Yinshu mention the matter from years ago about performing a cesarean section to deliver the child in a ruined temple.

So this was his cousin.

Actually quite adorable!

He kept a straight face and asked seriously: “It’s so late—what are you doing here?”

A’Mo said: “I came to see you.”

“See me?”

“You know what? You’re the first person my father has let stay here. You must be a big monster, so my father is afraid of you. That’s why he’s letting you stay here, right?”

Big monster?

Bai Yin couldn’t comprehend what the little fellow meant.

He waved his hand, having no heart to chat idly with him, only saying: “You should leave quickly. There’s no big monster here. If you don’t leave soon, a ghost will come catch you instead.”

“I’m not afraid of ghosts!” A’Mo raised his head, his face serious. “Father said there are no ghosts or monsters in the world, so I’m not afraid.”

“Why are you so disobedient?”

But A’Mo walked right up to him and reached out a finger to poke his arm.

Then he pursed his lips and muttered something softly.

His little eyebrows scrunched up in a ball.

His little hands were chubby.

While Bai Yin was puzzled, A’Mo reached out with his little arms and legs to climb onto his knee.

After struggling for quite a while, that soft little body finally managed to sit on his thigh.

Bai Yin was dumbfounded.

“What… are you doing?”

A’Mo used his bottom to bounce on his thigh a few times and said: “Father said big monsters can’t be touched or sat on, otherwise they’ll eat me in one bite. But I’ve touched you and sat on you—why haven’t you eaten me?”

Bai Yin: “…”

He had originally been worried sick in his heart, but after hearing the little fellow say these words, the dark clouds in his heart suddenly cleared somewhat.

A’Mo said with certainty: “So you definitely aren’t a monster!”

Bai Yin showed an indulgent smile and patted his head: “Of course I’m not a monster. I’m your older brother.”

“I’m calling you big brother.”

“What I mean is…” He wanted to say more but stopped himself, withdrawing his smile. “Never mind. Even if I told you, you wouldn’t understand.”

“Then I’m going to sleep.” A’Mo slowly climbed down from his thigh.

As soon as his feet touched the ground, he ran quickly toward the doorway.

He left without looking back.

Bai Yin got up and chased after him a few steps before stopping, then walked to the window ledge, watching the little fellow’s departing figure.

So adorable indeed.

His hand casually rested on the window ledge.

His palm touched something that felt uneven and rough.

When he moved his hand away and looked down.

He saw that the wooden window ledge seemed to have characters carved into it by some sharp implement like a dagger.

Because so much time had passed, plus years of wear, the characters were no longer very clear.

His fingertips passed over the carved grooves one by one.

His mind suddenly ached.

Hazy memories immediately surged up.

Dimly, he seemed to see a small figure lying on the window ledge, holding a carving knife in hand, sticking out his bottom as he carved characters into the window ledge.

Those characters were crooked and uneven.

But in a flash, the memory dissipated.

His brows knitted tightly. His gaze shifted from the carved character grooves on the window ledge to the heavy rain outside.

In the distance, complete darkness. He wondered whether Lian Que was safe right now?