Xiao Yan could be the son of Emperor Xuanwu, or he could be the son of the Duke of Ningguo.
However, the imperial bloodline cannot be uncertain in the slightest. If Emperor Xuanwu had recognized someone and then later discovered that there was a mistake, it would be an utterly ridiculous farce!
How could he, an emperor of his generation, have become a laughing stock?
Therefore, regardless of whether Xiao Yan is of the Yuan family bloodline, he cannot acknowledge him.
Because he couldn't afford to take that risk.
Therefore, after discussing with the Duke of Ningguo, they decided to let Xiao Yan live in the world as a descendant of the Xiao family.
Only in this way can we be absolutely certain of success.
As Xiao Yan grew up, he began to resemble Yin Shuang more and more.
Whether out of a desire to compensate Yin Shuang or out of a pitifully small amount of genuine affection, Emperor Xuanwu showed great favor to Xiao Yan, a son whose true identity was uncertain.
Among the princes in the palace, the Crown Prince was the most favored, and Xiao Yan received the same level of favor from Emperor Xuanwu.
Everyone believed that it was because the Imperial Concubine had no children and she doted on Xiao Yan that His Majesty extended his affection to him.
But the truth is that the Imperial Concubine was the one who was "loved because of the house".
From the moment Xiao Yan learned about his true identity, he never felt a moment of pity for Emperor Xuanwu because of his affection for him, because he knew very well that the heart of an emperor was always cold and hard, and had no softness whatsoever.
Emperor Xuanwu seemed to love him without any restraint because he could project endless paternal love onto him without worrying about whether his actions would affect the court officials' stance.
In other words, it was Xiao Yan's awkward position that gave Emperor Xuanwu a convenient advantage, rather than it being directed at him personally.
As for the Duke of Ningguo...
His attitude towards Xiao Yan was somewhat ambiguous; he wanted to get close to him, but feared that he might really be Emperor Xuanwu's son. Yet, if he abandoned him, he feared that he might be his own child.
So over the years, the relationship between the father and son has been anything but strange.
As Xiao Yan recounted his background, Shen Qiyin initially listened silently, but the more she listened, the more her brows furrowed.
There was a time when she envied Xiao Yan, not because she envied his noble birth and unshakeable status, but because she longed to have someone who would cherish her like he did.
But now that she has learned about the past of the previous generation, she finds her previous thoughts to be utterly ridiculous.
Emperor Xuanwu and Duke Ningguo, these two men, both seemed to love Xiao Yan and his mother very much, but in the end, they loved themselves the most.
Whether it's Yin Shuang or Xiao Yan, they are merely supporting characters in their self-indulgent fantasy.
Only then did Shen Qiyin finally understand why Xiao Yan in her previous life was able to kill the prince who might succeed to the throne without any psychological pressure after Emperor Xuanwu fell seriously ill.
Looking back now, it's likely that Emperor Xuanwu's sudden serious illness was also his doing.
Thinking of this, Shen Qiyin suddenly squeezed Xiao Yan's hand tightly, leaned closer to him, and lowered her voice to ask, "So, what do you plan to do?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan lowered his eyelashes and said, "It's better for Yinyin not to know."
He was afraid that if she heard this, she would think he was crazy.
Unexpectedly, Miss Shen brought her lips close to his ear and whispered, "Xiao Hanyu, let's rebel."
Xiao Yan: "..."
He blinked repeatedly, and after a long while, he chuckled to himself.
He almost forgot that the girl he had his eye on was no ordinary girl.
“Alright.” He gazed deeply at her, his eyes calm, but his words carried a hint of madness: “Then let’s choose an auspicious day, dear bride.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the person on the kang (a heated brick bed) suddenly stirred.
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