When the queen said this, I was completely stunned. Isn't Prince Rui the younger brother of the current Saint 껀? How come he is not his biological son?

I concealed my shock and asked calmly, "Why did the Queen tell you this?"

The queen sighed, her eyes filled with sorrow and helplessness: "I know that Prince Rui treats you differently."

My cheeks turned red and I quickly lowered my head, pretending not to understand what she said.

"Miss Lin, I know you are a smart woman," the queen held my hand and said earnestly, "I beg you to help Prince Rui, help him!"

I looked up at the queen. Her face was full of worry and anxiety. The wrinkles at the corners of her eyes seemed to tell her how hard it was to get these things.

"Your Majesty, please tell me. As long as it is something I can do, I will do my best." I promised solemnly.

The queen took a deep breath, and as if she had made up her mind, she lowered her voice and said, "When the late emperor passed away, I was pregnant with Prince Rui. In order to save your life, I... I had to..."

I held my breath, waiting for the Queen's next words.

"I have no choice but to declare to you that Prince Rui is the late emperor's posthumous son," the queen said with a choked voice, "In fact, your biological father is..."

"Who is it?" I couldn't help but ask.

The queen suddenly fell silent. She looked around warily, and after making sure that no one else was there, she leaned close to my ear and said in a voice that only the two of us could hear, "It's... it's the prime minister of the current dynasty, Lord Zhao!"

My eyes widened immediately. This news was so shocking that I couldn't get over it for a while. Prince Rui was actually Prime Minister Zhao's son? Doesn't that mean...

"Impossible!" I subconsciously retorted, "If Prince Rui is really Prime Minister Zhao's son, then why......"

"Why not be with Zhao Sisi, right?" The Queen smiled bitterly and continued, "I know very well that Sisi is deeply in love with Prince Rui, but..."

"But what?" I asked anxiously.

The Queen shook her head and stopped talking. She just looked at me meaningfully and said, "You will understand some things later."

I left Fengyi Palace in a daze, my mind in a mess. The mystery of Prince Rui's body, the Queen's vague warning, and Li Heng's abnormal behavior... What did all this portend?

I walked aimlessly in the palace gardens, trying to clear my mind.

"Qingya, why are you here?"

A familiar voice sounded behind me, and I turned around and saw that it was Li Rui. He was wearing a black robe with a white jade belt around his waist, which made him look handsome and gentle like jade.

"Your Highness Prince Rui." I bowed and greeted him politely.

"There's no need to be so polite between you and me," Li Rui smiled warmly, walked over to me, and asked with concern, "What's wrong with you? You don't look well."

"Nothing, just..." I hesitated for a moment, but decided to confess, "It's just that the Queen just told me something, I..."

Before I could finish my words, Li Rui interrupted me: "Is it about my health?"

I looked at him in surprise: "You...you know everything?"

Li Rui laughed at himself: "There are so many things, how could I not know?"

"Then you..." I hesitated, not knowing what to say.

"You want to ask why I should help your father, right?" Li Rui saw through my thoughts and said with a wry smile.

I nodded. This question has been bothering me. Li Rui knew that Li Heng was not 놛's biological brother, but he was loyal to 놛 and even turned against the Zhao family for 놛. Why?

"Because..." Li Rui took a deep breath and looked at me with complicated eyes, "Because... I love her."

I was stunned, and for a moment I didn't react to who the "she" he was talking about was.