“You… how could you burn her memorial tablet? You…” The Prince of Ji, seeing him speak like this, knew that this child had never been favored by his princess consort since childhood and understood the strained relationship between them.
But hearing him say he had burned his own mother’s memorial tablet, even expressing hatred toward her in his words, the prince trembled with rage. He wanted to strike him, but recalling the truth he had concealed, his hand merely shook without landing the blow.
“Can’t I burn it? She was nothing but a stranger to me…”
His father’s fury made it seem as though he had committed an unforgivable sin. Leng Mingye’s resentment only grew stronger, yet his face remained cold and aloof as he stared at the trembling fist before him.
“Young man, how could you do this? You may blame or resent others, but not her, not her…”
The Princess Consort of Ji, watching the conflict between father and son, sneered inwardly but feigned sorrow and confusion as she scolded Leng Mingye. When she touched upon his relationship with that woman, she cautiously fell silent.
“Why can’t I? Does she have anything to do with me?”
His mother’s reaction made Leng Mingye’s heart pound faster, and he pressed further, deliberately provoking them.
“Of course she does—because she was your birth mother. My lord, I… I…”
Seeing him so intent on uncovering the truth, the Prince of Ji, though furious, remained tight-lipped. The princess consort grew increasingly anxious. When she spoke, the prince still suppressed his reaction, hesitating as he glanced at Leng Mingye beside him, pretending it was an accidental slip.
Noticing how Leng Mingye abruptly looked toward the prince upon hearing her words, she quickly stopped, feigning distress and panic as she turned to the prince.
“You…” The prince had never imagined that after years of painstaking concealment, this woman would blurt it out. His face darkened instantly, and without thinking, he raised his hand to strike her.
“If you must hit someone, hit me. It was my curiosity that led to this. What Mother just said—she was my birth mother. Father, was Qingrou Auntie truly my birth mother? Why did you never tell me?”
Seeing his father’s rage, Leng Mingye was stunned by the revelation. Yet he swiftly intercepted the prince’s hand before it could strike the princess consort. Though she had never treated him as well as she did Leng Minghao and his siblings, she had never been unkind to him. Whether the truth was real or not, he didn’t want her harmed.
As his father hesitated at his intervention, Leng Mingye pressed on, his eyes filled with sorrow and confusion.
“You… you really want to know your true identity that badly?”
Seeing his son like this, the prince knew that with his intelligence, even if he had lost his inner strength and was nearly crippled, he would eventually uncover the truth through his subordinates. Realizing the situation had escalated beyond concealment, the prince sighed heavily, withdrawing his hand and sitting down in resignation.
“Yes. If I never knew, it would be one thing. But now that I do, I must get to the bottom of it. Was my mother really Qing Auntie?”
His father’s despondent expression mirrored Leng Mingye’s own heartache. After a pause, he nodded solemnly and asked again.
“That’s right. Your mother was indeed Qingrou—your birth mother.”
Though reluctant, the prince finally nodded in confirmation.
“Then… is my father really the head of the Nangong family from Bo Country, as Fengye Wang mentioned?”
Relieved that his father was finally speaking, Leng Mingye exhaled deeply and pressed further.
“I don’t know. I only knew your mother was already pregnant when we met. She was the first woman I ever truly loved. Though she never fully accepted me, I cared deeply for you.”
Unable to hide the truth any longer, the prince looked at him with sorrow. Recalling what he knew, he gazed at Leng Mingye with helpless sincerity.
“I understand. Father, you’ve always been devoted to me since childhood, and so has Mother. If not for Fengye Wang’s careless remark, I would never have doubted our relationship. But now… Father, forgive me. In truth, I never burned the memorial tablet—Qingfeng, bring it here.”
Seeing his father’s expression, Leng Mingye could say no more. He hadn’t expected such a revelation about his identity. Though lamenting life’s cruel twists, he looked at his father with gratitude and ordered Qingfeng to retrieve the tablet.
“You foolish child. Aside from us, no one else must know of this. You are my son, Leng Yingmin’s son, and always will be. Your mother feels the same—say something.”
The prince didn’t understand why his son was so fixated on his origins. Yet now that the truth was out, he felt an inexplicable emptiness. The thought of Leng Mingye possibly reuniting with his birth father filled him with reluctance and sorrow.
Chiding him gently, the prince then turned to the princess consort.
“That’s right, child. No matter who your birth parents are, in our hearts, you will always be our son. We only wish for your happiness and well-being.”
Though inwardly triumphant at having forced the truth out, the princess consort maintained a pained expression. She stepped forward, taking his hand with feigned tenderness.
“I understand, I truly do. But as I am now, if I lose Qing’er too, I don’t know how I’ll go on. So, Father, Mother, please forgive my unfilialness. I must find my birth parents—only then can Qing’er and I be together openly and without shame. Please.”
Though aware they weren’t his biological parents, Leng Mingye nodded gratefully at their words. Thinking of his deepest regret and longing, he looked at the prince and princess consort with tearful pleading.
“Your feelings for Princess Qingya? Now that you’ve lost all your inner strength and aged ten years, would she even still want you? She’s a princess, after all. Do you truly believe the Emperor and Prince Ning would willingly betroth her to you? Child…”
Hearing his son’s words and recalling his sacrifices for that girl, the prince finally understood his determination.
Though he genuinely admired Princess Qingya, considering her status and his son’s current state, he couldn’t help but voice his concerns.
“I know. As I am now, I no longer have the right to pursue any woman I desire, let alone command attention with a word or gesture. But Qing’er… she’s the one I’ve chosen for life. And I believe she won’t abandon me. Father, please?”
His father’s warning made Leng Mingye’s heart sink, but remembering the princess’s words when they last met, he looked at the prince with unwavering faith.
“Very well. But Mingye, you must think carefully. She may not reject you now—she may even love you deeply. But the road ahead won’t be easy. Even the strongest woman longs for a steadfast protector. If trouble arises one day, will you be able to shield her? Have you considered that?”
Seeing his son’s earnest plea—the first time he had ever begged for anything—the prince couldn’t refuse outright. Yet, troubled by his son’s current limitations, he pressed the question with concern.
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