Mr. Li was invited over.

After a thorough examination, he came to the same conclusion as Physician Zhang: Xie Chang'an was in good health.

Xie Chang'an didn't trust the imperial physicians in the palace, but he wouldn't doubt Mr. Li.

But it wasn't until he practiced shooting on the training ground that night that he had a clear understanding of his current body.

His current body, in terms of both agility and strength, is far superior to his previous one.

Most importantly, he is currently in good health and has no chronic or pre-existing conditions.

"Where's Xie Geng?" Xie Chang'an asked Xie Jia after they finished practicing their shooting.

"Xie Geng is protecting His Highness the Crown Prince," Xie Jia replied.

"Go and switch places with Xie Geng," Xie Chang'an said.

Among his bodyguards, Xie Geng was the least like a bodyguard, as he talked a lot.

However, sometimes being talkative has its advantages.

As for Xie Jia, he chose to help Ye Jingchen in the palace, but betrayed him twice after returning to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. He no longer really believed in Xie Jia's loyalty.

"Yes." Xie Jia replied, and without saying another word, turned and left.

With his departure, only two of Xie Chang'an's bodyguards remained.

His ten closest bodyguards were named after the ten Heavenly Stems. He only had three by his side. Where are the other seven?

Are they all by Ye Jingchen's side?

Xie Chang'an suddenly realized why he had sent Xie Jia to replace Xie Geng instead of having Xie Jia call back all the secret guards.

But then I thought, isn't protection also a form of surveillance? He doesn't need that many secret guards around him right now, so let's leave them in the East Palace. Maybe we can use them in the future.

Xie Geng arrived before Xie Chang'an went to bed.

"Master, His Highness the Crown Prince has a poor appetite today. He only had soup and medicinal food for lunch and dinner, and didn't eat anything else," Xie Geng said to Xie Chang'an as soon as he arrived.

"Did I ask you about his situation?" Xie Chang'an asked irritably.

"The Lord asked Xie Jia to switch places with me, wasn't it just to ask about His Highness the Crown Prince's situation?" Xie Geng asked in confusion.

Xie Chang'an glanced coldly at Xie Geng, too angry to even speak.

"How long have you been following me?" Xie Chang'an asked after a long while.

“My lord, you’ve forgotten that ever since you personally selected us from the Dark Guard Camp when we were six years old, we’ve always followed you,” Xie Geng said.

“Tell me what happened after you started following me,” Xie Chang’an said.

Those who know him best are undoubtedly the group of bodyguards who have always been by his side.

"When should we begin?" Xie Geng asked, puzzled.

"Six years old," Xie Chang'an said.

Because six years old is a turning point.

"Six years old—" Xie Geng thought for a moment and said, "When you were six years old, you fell seriously ill. After you woke up, you chose us. After that, His Highness the Crown Prince selected you as his study companion, and you went to the palace every day to accompany His Highness the Crown Prince in his studies."

"He chose me as his study companion?" Xie Chang'an asked in confusion.

He never served as Ye Jingchen's study companion.

Moreover, in his memory, Ye Jingchen did not choose a study companion.

"Xie Jia told me you had amnesia, and I didn't believe it at first. It turns out you really don't remember!" Xie Geng stared at Xie Chang'an with shining eyes.

Xie Chang'an gave him a cold glance.

"From the age of six to thirteen, for a full seven years, you were His Highness the Crown Prince's study companion," Xie Geng said quickly, his eyes narrowing.

"Besides me, does he have any other study companions?" Xie Chang'an asked.

He felt that something was off about Ye Jingchen. Why would Ye Jingchen choose him as his study companion?

"There are three more: Wu Zemin, Gu Beichen, and Yun Shu. Would you like me to introduce them to you?" Xie Geng asked.

Xie Chang'an had a deep impression of all three of them.

Yun Shu is his ally, a notorious heartbreaker in the capital. Everyone thinks he is a good-for-nothing playboy, but in fact, Yun Shu is his spy planted in the capital, constantly passing on information about the capital to him.

As for Gu Beichen, a young genius who achieved the highest honors in the imperial examinations, he was a god created by the Gu family to win over students from all over the country. After the aristocratic family offended Ye Jinghe, Ye Jinghe smeared him with countless accusations, directly ruining him.

Wu Zemin was Ye Jingyu's cousin and an important official in Ye Jingyu's faction. He held a high position at a young age and secretly won over many court officials for Ye Jingyu.

Regardless of their future stances, these three individuals are all undoubtedly promising talents, but they may not have been particularly outstanding in their childhood.

Especially Yun Shu, who was chubby as a child and not very smart, so why did Ye Jingchen choose Yun Shu as his study companion?

There's definitely something wrong with Ye Jingchen.

"What is my relationship with Ye Jingchen?" Xie Chang'an asked a different question.

"You and His Highness the Crown Prince are husband and wife!" Xie Geng answered without hesitation.

"Who is the husband? Who is the wife?" Xie Chang'an asked coldly.

"This..." Xie Geng raised his hand to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead, which had been frightened by his master's gaze. He should have known better than to switch with Xie Jia.

"Slip of the tongue, husband—husband!" Xie Geng said with a dry laugh.

How could he dare to discuss such private matters as who is the husband and who is the wife with the emperor? This is not a matter for their secret guards to know! The emperor has always been stingy. When he is alone with His Highness the Crown Prince, they must keep their distance and not even let him make a sound.

If he answers the Lord's question now, and the Lord regains his memory and investigates, will he still want to lose his ears?

"Why did I marry him?" Xie Chang'an asked another question.

"This is of course because Your Majesty likes His Highness the Crown Prince so much that you are so anxious about losing him and insist on giving him a title," Xie Geng thought to himself, but dared not answer like that.

"Perhaps...it's because of...love?" Xie Geng asked hesitantly.

“Absolutely impossible!” Xie Chang’an said immediately, looking at Xie Geng as if he were looking at a dead man.

"Your subordinate takes his leave!" Upon meeting Xie Chang'an's gaze, Xie Geng broke out in a cold sweat again. He uttered these four words and promptly ran away.

Xie Chang'an slept very restlessly that night, having many fragmented dreams, some about his family and some about Ye Jingchen.

When he woke up in the morning, he felt a bit down.

Because in the dream involving Ye Jingchen, he was perhaps too humble.

He suspected that he was either under a spell or had lost his mind.

After breakfast, Xie Chang'an tried a different approach. He began rummaging through the drawers and cabinets of Chang'an Residence, asking Xie Geng about anything related to each item he found.

This question, however, left him even more suffocated.

In Chang'an Residence, everything that was carefully stored away was related to Ye Jingchen.

What Xie Chang'an found most unacceptable was that Xie Geng's words implied that he was the one who was actively pursuing Xie Geng!