Chapter 50: “The Truth—I Just Want to Know the Truth.”

As Liu Hexiao finished his teasing remark, the air seemed to grow subtly sweet.

Yihuan blinked at him, her large, round eyes wide with astonishment. “Shizi, please don’t joke about such things.”

Liu Hexiao’s smile faded. He grasped her hand firmly and said, “What makes you think I’m joking?”

Without a word, Yihuan gently withdrew her hand and said, “Let me finish treating your wound first.”

She lowered her head and focused on the injury, applying the medicinal powder bit by bit.

The powder stung fiercely as it touched his open wound, but Liu Hexiao didn’t utter a single sound.

Seeing this, Yihuan glanced at him and reassured him softly, “It’ll be over soon.”

Liu Hexiao curled his lips into a faint smile. “There’s no rush.”

Once the dressing was complete, Yihuan carefully packed away the bottles and containers. She picked up the tray, stood, and said, “Shizi, you should rest here for the night. When dawn breaks, return to the manor and have a proper physician take a look at the wound.”

Liu Hexiao gazed at her, his voice tinged with a trace of grievance. “Are you trying to drive me away?”

Yihuan sighed. “Not at all. It’s just that I don’t have a skilled doctor or quality medicine here—it’s not the best place for you to recover.”

“Oh,” Liu Hexiao replied, his brows arching. “So you’re worried about me.”

Yihuan: “…”

His amused smile lingered for a moment before his tone turned serious. “Enough joking. You’ve had a rough night. Go and rest. Zhang Luan won’t dare come back tonight, and I’ll make sure justice is served for what happened.”

Yihuan nodded silently and exited the room.

As the wooden door clicked shut, she let out a deep breath of relief.

Standing outside the room, she touched her flushed cheeks, fanning them lightly with her hand before heading to her own quarters.

That night felt particularly long, and she couldn’t recall exactly when she finally fell asleep.

When she woke up, Liu Hexiao was already gone.

“When did the Shizi leave?” Yihuan asked Ah-Miao, who was sweeping in the shop.

Ah-Miao blinked and replied, “He left half an hour ago. He said you worked hard last night and were distressed by everything that happened, so he didn’t want to disturb your rest.”

“Distressed?”

Yihuan’s face instantly turned red. “Nonsense!”

Ah-Miao tilted her head, puzzled. “Huh?”

“I… I’ll be upstairs preparing the food,” Yihuan stammered, hurriedly gathering her skirts as she made her way up the stairs.

That evening was to feature the Flower Queen Parade. As planned, two maids were to accompany the flower carriage and distribute snacks to the crowd. It was an opportunity to showcase her treats and promote the shop throughout Tianshui Alley.

As Yihuan thought about the upcoming event, she realized the summer heat and the bustling crowd would make for a stifling environment. She needed something refreshing to stand out—perhaps an ice-cold dessert.

She glanced at the fresh produce that had arrived earlier in the day: bananas, strawberries, mangoes, and yesterday’s batch of homemade yogurt. An idea struck her—fruit ice cream!

The thought alone filled her with excitement.

Nothing beats the summer heat quite like ice cream!

Yihuan set to work, retrieving the ingredients one by one.

The bananas were particularly fresh, their smooth, soft yellow skin peeling back to reveal plump white fruit. She scooped the banana flesh into a large bowl, dividing it neatly with a spoon until it lay soft and obedient.

Next came the strawberries. After washing them clean, she plucked off their green “hair,” revealing pale white tips. A quick slice with her knife removed the tops, leaving behind bright, juicy strawberries ready for use.

The mangoes required a bit more effort. After washing them thoroughly, she scored their skins with her knife, creating neat slices. She gently tugged at the edges of the peel, and large sections came away cleanly, releasing the mango’s distinctive, sweet aroma.

Yihuan placed all the prepared fruit into the ice cellar, ensuring it stayed cool and fresh. She also moved the yogurt to the coldest section of the storage.

Once everything was sorted, Yihuan glanced out the window.

In the courtyard, Lin Yiran was playing with Xiao Rui, their laughter echoing as they dashed around, carefree and full of joy.

Seeing this, Yihuan’s lips curved into a gentle smile.

Ah-Miao, carrying ingredients upstairs, peeked outside as she went. She remarked cheerfully, “Now that we have a bigger courtyard, the young master finally has space to run around. Look how happy he is!”

Yihuan nodded gently. “It seems Ah-Ran has grown taller.”

Ah-Miao chuckled, “Recently, the young master has been clamoring to practice martial arts. All the moves the Shizi taught him, he’s mastered them like the back of his hand. Maybe because of all this exercise he is growing so fast.”

Yihuan paused momentarily, then asked in a low voice, “Ah-Miao, what do you think of the Shizi?”

Ah-Miao thought for a moment and replied, “At first, I thought he was cold and hard to serve. But after spending more time with him, he doesn’t seem so bad. I’ve never seen him bully anyone for no reason. He’s generous too, and he treats our young master very well.”

As she spoke, she noticed Yihuan frowning slightly.

“Miss, what’s wrong?” Ah-Miao asked, curious.

Yihuan hesitated briefly before responding, “From now on, let’s try not to get too close to the Shizi. I’ll pay rent for this courtyard every month, and when we have enough money, I’ll buy it outright.”

Ah-Miao was startled. “Miss, why are you saying this all of a sudden? Did the Shizi mistreat you last night?”

Yihuan pressed her lips together, her face slightly flushed—how could she explain that kind of mistreatment?

“No,” she replied quickly, meeting Ah-Miao’s gaze. “Ah-Miao, don’t forget who we are.”

Ah-Miao froze for a moment, then fell silent.

Yes, they were who they were—Yihuan was the daughter of a disgraced official living under an fake identity. There could never be a good ending between her and someone as lofty as a Liu Shizi.

——–

At the Prince Qi’s Manor

Inside the ancestral hall, the atmosphere was heavy and oppressive.

Even the incense in the burner had burned out, yet no one dared step forward to replace it.

Prince Qi (Liu Yin) stood in his plain robes, his expression stormy as he glared at Liu Hexiao. “Are you interrogating your father?”

Liu Hexiao met his gaze evenly. “I only want to know the truth. I ask Father to tell me.”

Liu Yin’s tone grew impatient. “What truth? There’s nothing to tell. Your elder brother lacked experience, so he recklessly left the city to confront the enemy and was defeated. You already know this. Weren’t you there at the time?”

Liu Hexiao spoke slowly, his voice tinged with emotion, “No, I wasn’t there. None of us were.” He paused, his tone firm and steady. “We were far away in Binzhou, and everything we knew about the situation in Liaozhou was secondhand.”

Taking a step closer, his dark eyes bore into his father’s. His voice trembled slightly as he continued, “Father, I’ve heard that the Crown Prince sent my brother a letter, forcing him to march out and take the blame for the consequences. Is this true?”

Liu Yin’s expression froze for a moment, and the air seemed to thicken.

His voice rose sharply. “Who told you this?”

Liu Hexiao replied calmly, “That’s not important. What matters is whether it’s true. And when did you learn about it?”

Liu Yin’s face darkened as he clenched his lips. “You would rather believe baseless rumors than trust your father? Ridiculous!”

He turned his head away, refusing to meet his son’s gaze.

Liu Hexiao took a deep breath. “Very well.” He turned to face the ancestral tablets on the altar, standing tall and straight. Raising his arm, he pointed toward the table with an unwavering voice.

“Before our honored ancestors, Father, would you dare to swear that my claims are false? That you were completely unaware of this matter from beginning to end?”

Liu Yin’s face turned livid as he swung his fist, landing a heavy blow on Liu Hexiao’s face.

“You ungrateful son!”

Liu Hexiao staggered, blood pooling in his mouth. He spat it out and turned back to face his father, a bitter smile on his lips and a defiant glint in his bloodshot eyes.

“Father, you can beat me to death today, but I will uncover the truth!”

Liu Yin’s chest heaved with anger, his breath catching in his throat.

After a tense silence, the older man’s anger slowly faded, replaced by a weary sigh.

“Why are you so insistent on digging up this matter?” His voice carried a hint of defeat.

Liu Hexiao replied, his tone softer but resolute, “I only wish to know how my brother truly died.”

Liu Yin looked away, his voice heavy with resignation. “Even if you learn the truth, what difference will it make? The past is set in stone, unchangeable.”

Liu Hexiao pressed on, his expression grave. “Whether or not it can be changed is irrelevant. Father, please tell me the truth.”

Liu Yin let out another long sigh and finally admitted, “What you said is true.”

He hesitated before continuing, his tone grim. “When the Crown Prince was newly established, the late Emperor sought to temper him by entrusting him to my care during a military campaign. Over two years, I learned much about his character—his ambitions were grand, but he was impulsive and dismissive of others’ counsel. To keep him from meddling in Binzhou’s defenses, I sent your brother to Liaozhou to act independently.

“But the Crown Prince bypassed me, sending a letter directly to your brother. Claiming to have intelligence on the Eastern Hu’s auxiliary troops, he ordered your brother to march out and attack swiftly.”

Hearing this, Liu Hexiao’s face grew darker. He recalled how the Crown Prince often issued orders arrogantly in the military, wielding authority carelessly and alienating his subordinates.

Liu Yin continued, “Your brother assumed the letter was part of our joint strategy and took the risk of following it. I later learned about the letter while investigating the events in Binzhou.”

Liu Hexiao’s hands clenched at his sides. After a moment of silence, he said, “Father… I may know who delivered that letter.”

Liu Yin’s brow furrowed. “Who?”

Liu Hexiao replied quietly, “Grand Secretary Zhang… His son, Zhang Luan, revealed this to me last night.”

Liu Yin’s expression stiffened, his voice incredulous. “Grand Secretary Zhang?”

He had worked alongside Grand Secretary Zhang for years and always thought of him as a non-confrontational figure, someone who never dared to take risks. Back then, Grand Secretary Zhang had been the Imperial Censor—a mid-level position. However, after the new Emperor’s ascension, je had been rapidly promoted to Grand Secretary.

Liu Hexiao stared at his father intently, his tone low but forceful. “Father, after you uncovered the truth, did you ever confront the Crown Prince about it?”