Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Ye Qing’s face darkened amidst the erupting laughter.

The Emperor was also among those laughing heartily. “Which family’s young master are you?” he asked in a booming voice. “Did you return with the main army?”

General Zhao pulled my father forward, and they both knelt. “Your Majesty, please forgive us. This is the only son of the General of the West. The child is just being impulsive-”

The Emperor waved a hand dismissively. “There is no need for blame. I simply find this lad quite amusing.”

The Emperor turned back to me. “Young man, why did you ask such a question?”

I answered honestly.

The Emperor laughed again. “Lord Ye is a man. I watched him grow up myself. You’ve lost the bet.”

I didn’t hesitate. Right there, in front of everyone, I dropped down and did fifty push-ups.

I had finally completed the task my mother gave me.

My father was too dim-witted, so after my mother explained the situation to me, she entrusted the mission to me instead.

She told me I had to stand out in front of the Emperor so that he would recognize my face.

The Emperor indeed called me closer, looking at me with a gaze that seemed filled with nostalgia. “Junior Captain Zhou, you look very familiar.”

I tilted my head, a look of confusion on my face. “Lord Yang said the same thing when he saw me outside the hall today. But I’ve never met either of you. So… do you know my mother? I take after her in looks.”

Chapter 3

And just like that, everything fell into place.

My mother was restored to her position as Princess Anhui. My father became the Prince Consort, happily surrendered his military power, and naturally settled into a life of idle luxury.

He spent all day talking about his good fortune, saying that picking up a random person who turned out to be a princess meant he had truly brought glory to his ancestors by marrying her.

My father used to be a bandit.

Yes, a mountain-dwelling, pillaging, plundering, all-around-menace of a bandit king. For him to marry a princess really was the pinnacle of ancestral glory.

Although he only stole wealth and never took lives, he was still the kind of man whose name struck fear into people’s hearts.

My mother was rescued by my father while he was out on a highway robbery.

I heard that all her attendants were dead, and my mother was lying there half-dead with a bloody head wound.

My father had collected the loot and was planning to dig a pit to bury everyone.

The pit was already dug when my mother came back to life.

He brought her back to the mountain stronghold and called for a doctor. By the time she woke up, she had lost her memory. My father doted on her like she was the center of his universe.

Even after I was born, I had to take a backseat.

My father always raised me as a boy, fully intending to groom me as his successor. He hoped I would expand the bandit business and bring further honor to the family name.

I grew up in the stronghold like a wild monkey. When I was six, my father accepted the imperial court’s offer of amnesty. He led my uncles and the rest of the crew to become part of the regular army. They won several battles, and he was eventually promoted all the way to the fourth-rank General of the West.

I was also promoted to Junior Captain by General Zhao because of my contributions to a successful surprise attack.

On the journey back to the capital to receive our titles, my mother woke up from a nap and mysteriously regained her memories.

It turned out she was the elder sister of the current Emperor-Princess Anhui!

She didn’t tell my father, and she told me not to say anything either. He was too loud-mouthed and, frankly, a bit stupid.

My mother said that over ten years ago, she had set her sights on the third-ranked palace examination scholar, Yang Zeduan. However, Yang Zeduan only had eyes for his cousin.

But who was my mother? She was the most pampered Eldest Princess. Was there anyone she couldn’t have?

So, she threw a tantrum and pestered the Emperor to decree a marriage.

Driven to desperation, Yang Zeduan requested an assignment to the provinces.

The Emperor agreed.

My mother went after him but was intercepted by her imperial uncle, who was plotting a rebellion. He intended to use her as leverage against her father, the late Emperor.

My mother had a fierce temperament; she would rather be a shattered piece of jade than a whole tile of clay. Taking advantage of a lapse in her captors’ attention, she threw herself against a tree.

That led to the events where my father rescued her and brought her back to the stronghold.