In the southwest of the Lingkong Continent.

Nature's artistry has sculpted a mountain range that resembles a phoenix spreading its wings, behind which lies a beautiful ancient city, blessed with outstanding people and lush mountains.

This is another city on the Lingkong Continent, the location of the Nan'an Kingdom.

It is like a dazzling pearl, imbued with profound cultural heritage, and shimmering with ancient and beautiful light.

Amidst the rippling waters of the ancient city, exquisite scenes, seemingly only found in paintings, gradually emerge.

Along the river and lake, numerous small wooden houses stand by the water, built against the mountain, layer upon layer, each one exquisite, antique, with upturned eaves and painted with dragons and phoenixes.

They embody the spirit of green mountains and clear waters, blending seamlessly with nature and coexisting harmoniously with their surroundings.

As soon as Young Master Yi returned to China by boat, he arrived at a pavilion on the East Gate tower, located at the head of the dragon vein of the ancient city.

Locals often come here to make wishes and pray for blessings. The wishing pavilion is known as "gathering the spiritual charm of mountains and rivers, locking in past and present lives".

The love locks beside the pavilion are still deeply believed by lovers. They believe that as long as they hang the locks with their names engraved on them, they can lock in their love and hope that it will remain as unwavering as the locks.

However, for Yi Sanshao, the reason he closed his eyes and prayed devoutly before hanging up his own name and Yi Shangyun's name was simply to remember this memory, and even more clearly, so that it would not be forgotten in the future.

In the blink of an eye, stepping on the bluestone path, he strolled back to the familiar Wind and Rain Tower.

Countless times, he had looked out from here at the entire imperial city, taking in the picturesque scenery on both sides of the river.

Unexpectedly, after going around in circles, he finally returned to this place again.

Just then, Zisu, the maid who had just learned of his return to the country, rushed to him and happily went upstairs, saying, "Third Young Master, you're finally back!"

Young Master Yi smiled faintly at her, seemingly as casually as ever, and said to her, "Yes, you're back!"

But Zisu vaguely felt that he was no longer the same person he used to be.

So, after some hesitation, he asked, "How long does Third Young Master plan to stay this time?"

Unexpectedly, Young Master Yi suddenly said, "I'm not leaving!"

For a moment, Zisu couldn't believe her ears and repeated, "What?"

Young Master Yi gazed at the distant ink painting and said, "I suddenly realized that this place is actually quite nice."

She knew perfectly well what Young Master Yi had gone through this time, and asked him again to confirm, "Young Master, are you really... never leaving again?"

Thinking of the news that had spread throughout the continent these past few days, and probing her intentions: "Is it because... she ascended the throne as the Empress of Dongning?"

No matter what Zisu said, Young Master Yi stopped responding to her.

It wasn't until he spoke up to report something that Young Master Yi seemed to wake up.

"I have already investigated the matter that Third Young Master mentioned before."

Finally, Young Master Yi shifted his gaze and looked back at Zisu's face.

Zisu slowly said, "Just a few days before the Third Young Master returned to the country, the niece of the old nanny who had served the Queen since the time of the Duke's mansion came to the palace to visit. The old King took a second look at her, and the Queen ordered someone to defile the woman. That woman..."

Zisu was truly heartbroken: "In three days, the woman's family will hold a coming-of-age ceremony for her. The old nanny was heartbroken over this, and when she left the palace to send her niece home, she revealed something to me. Sure enough, the Queen is not the Third Young Master's biological mother."

Seeing the unprecedentedly cold glint in Young Master Yi's eyes, the maids couldn't help but feel frightened.

"The reason the Queen has been so accommodating to the Third Prince all these years, feigning kindness and constantly urging him to return to the country, is because she fears that the King's many other concubines will compete with her for the Queen's position, relying on their offspring. In fact..."

Watching Zisu's mouth open and close, Young Master Yi could no longer hear what she was saying. He only urged, "Let's go back to the palace!"

Soon, Young Master Yi appeared in the Queen's bedroom, Phoenix Palace, of the King of Nan'an.

At this moment, Queen Nan'an could hardly believe her eyes. She slowly rose and stepped forward, asking with concern, "My son, you've finally returned!"

Young Master Yi's feelings at this moment were extremely complicated and hard to describe. He didn't want to believe it, but he had no choice but to believe it.

Finally, he only asked her, "I was not born of you, and you should not call me that. I think you owe me an explanation."

Upon hearing this, the Queen of Nan'an felt as if struck by lightning.

She stumbled and nearly fell, but Young Master Yi didn't even offer to help her up.

Fortunately, the maid beside him reacted quickly and offered her a helping hand, allowing him to regain his balance.

So he ordered, "You all go out, close the door, and don't let anyone in."

At this point, the Queen finally spoke, saying, "From childhood to adulthood, whatever you wanted to do, I never stopped you. I have a clear conscience towards you. We were mother and son, and after so many years apart, I never expected that our reunion would turn out like this. But how did you know about this?"

Young Master Yi said indignantly, "If you don't want people to know, then don't do it in the first place..."

Upon hearing this, the queen let out a cold laugh: "That's right, I am indeed not your biological mother."

Recalling those unbearable events, the Queen felt deeply aggrieved, and the anger that had been hidden in her heart for many years surged up again.

"On what grounds?"

"Just because she is the legitimate daughter of the Duke's main wife, does she have to suppress me in every way?"

"Why should only the legitimate daughter be allowed to enter the palace and become the queen? From the moment I was born, I have diligently studied music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and researched the art of Gu poison. How am I any less capable than her?"

“She wants that position, but I won’t let her have it. I’m going to ruin her.”

"See, I succeeded."

"Thanks to my beauty and my devoted service, the king not only did not punish me for my substitutionary marriage, but was also very satisfied with me."

"This position is destined to be mine, and no one can take it away from me."

"If I have to blame someone in this life, I only blame God for being so blind, making me unable to have children and unable to have my own children in this lifetime."

"In order to secure this position that belongs only to me, I have no choice but to use her."

"So I lied to my father, saying that I was willing to give up the position of queen and share a husband with my sister. But my sister refused no matter what, so I had to drug her to make it possible for her to spend that night with your father at the Duke's mansion..."

Young Master Yi looked at the face before him, which had once been so gentle and loving towards him, but now seemed like a completely different person, with a ferocious expression on its face from time to time as it spoke.

He was stunned for a moment.

"I never knew you had two faces!"

Even today, the Queen remains completely unaware of the unbearable suffering she inflicts on others.

"But I have been more than kind to her. After she gave birth to you, I not only did not drive her away, but I also made her your wet nurse. It was because she was too greedy that she actually tried to take you out of the palace. That's why your father ordered her to be severely punished and then driven out."

At this moment, Young Master Yi was so angry he was grinding his teeth in hatred.

"Therefore, the news that the legitimate daughter of the Duke's mansion, the once noble second young lady, had given birth out of wedlock quickly spread throughout the streets and alleys of the capital. The Duke's mansion also felt that such a legitimate daughter had disgraced the Duke's mansion and was no longer willing to take her in. That's why she was forced to wander to a foreign land where no one knew her and live a life of barely surviving."

It turns out that she had suffered such heinous harm.

Thinking of the woman who had died in his arms, Young Master Yi silently shed tears.

"Aren't you afraid of retribution for treating her like this?"

"Retribution?!" the queen repeated.

Looking back on these years in the deep palace, only in the first two years did the King of Nan'an still have some interest in him.

But later, it seemed that she could only do whatever he wanted, and every now and then she had to satisfy his desire for novelty by finding him several beauties from all over the world.

He would only glance at her once, and then praise her as "virtuous and generous."

Which woman in the world would want her husband to praise her like that?

But now, I am old and my looks have faded, and I am afraid that someone will soon replace me.

Therefore, she has already received her retribution.

Just then.

Inside the vast hall, a loud "bang" rang out.

Then, a loud and deep voice suddenly rang out, breaking the silence of the entire hall and interrupting the conversation between the two.

"So you finally decided to come back? I've sent people to summon you back to the country time and time again, but you ignored me completely. Why are you suddenly back now without even telling me first? Do you even respect me as your father?"

Looking at the face before him, now only bloated with a large belly, which disgusted him even more than before, Young Master Yi tried to suppress his emotions and remained silent.

The King of Nan'an went over and sat down, still unaware of what had just happened.

Seeing his own face contorted in a grimace, he chuckled and said, "Why that expression? Did that young girl from Dongning Kingdom, who just ascended the throne, look down on you and you got humiliated outside? Is that why you've decided to come home?"

Upon hearing this, Young Master Yi didn't want to stay there any longer and turned to leave.

But he stopped him: "Wait, what kind of attitude is this?"

With his back to him, Young Master Yi said, "I have something to do, I'll be leaving now."

The King of Dongning suddenly stood up, came to him, and said, “Don’t even think about escaping anymore. Right now, a great battle between Dongning and Xiqin is inevitable, and it is the time for my Nan’an Kingdom to reap the benefits. So many years have passed, and you have not found the guardian with the legendary mysterious power. Have you not found the tiger tally that my Nan’an Kingdom uses to secure the country and maintain peace?”

Upon hearing this, Young Master Yi's heart finally paused for a moment: "No!"

The King of Nan'an pondered deeply: "I only remember that one time, in my haste, I took the tiger tally with me. Could it be that it was left in her boudoir that night...?"

Upon hearing this, Young Master Yi coldly replied, "I'm afraid you've done something wrong, and even the heavens are punishing you, making you ambitious yet unable to achieve your goals."

"Smack..."

Upon hearing this, the King of Nan'an unexpectedly slapped Young Master Yi hard across the face.

He angrily said, "What nonsense are you spouting? You're a useless piece of trash, an idiot! Do you really think I wouldn't dare to depose you?"

Young Master Yi remained motionless, coldly watching him: "Whatever, I've never bothered with that position."

At this moment, the Queen cried out in distress and fear, "Hao'er..."

Young Master Yi ignored her completely, glanced at the two of them, and walked out without hesitation.

He returned to his own Radiant Palace.

While tidying up his childhood belongings, each one seemed to still retain the scent of his wet nurse, Yi San Shao pressed his face deeply against a childhood rag doll, which his wet nurse had made in his childhood likeness.

Tears streamed down his face, dripping onto her skin: "Mother, I'm sorry, Hao'er only understands everything now. All these years, they have truly deceived Hao'er so much."

So he secretly made up his mind: "Since they are all such greedy people, Hao'er will soon make them lose everything."

By the time I finished packing and returned to my villa in the suburbs, it was already dark.

By the light of the candlelight in the room, Young Master Yi took out a picture of a blue fox and butterfly and carefully hung it in his bedroom.

In the quiet night, Young Master Yi looked at the painting, muttering to himself and humming softly.

"Little baby, round and round, eat more, grow up quickly, marry a girl, and bring her into the house. Between heaven and earth, all things are born, and all things grow, and all grasses flourish. My love is for you, yours for me; I save lives, you make medicine; let us be a pair, living bodhisattvas on earth..."

The two maids, Zisu and Baizhi, stood together to the side, looking at him with an unprecedented heartbreak, and felt extremely sad.