After fooling the group of people, Mingting dropped another bombshell.
"I won't hide it from you all. I currently have an idea. If the experiment is successful, there's about an 80% chance of accurately identifying bloodlines. It won't be foolproof, but the success rate will still be high."
"If you all believe locking women up at home is the best solution, then I can save myself the trouble."
"I won't have to spend time and effort painstakingly researching white blood cell blood type paternity testing. How relaxing! Thank you all for your kindness…"
"No, no, no!" A crowd immediately surrounded Mingting.
"Count Zhongyi, you mustn't give up! You must continue researching that white… whatever test!"
"Yes, yes, we are fathers too, and we have daughters. How could we bear to lock them up at home and forbid them from going out? That's imprisonment!"
"Right, right. If my wife found out I wanted to lock her up, she would definitely break my legs..."
"Little Zhuangyuan Jiang, please work harder, the entire world will thank you!"
'Haha, stupid humans!'
Fengtian once again witnessed Mingting coaxing people into his pirate ship, with every one of them grateful to him.
'As expected of Boss!'
After much persuasion, Mingting finally nodded and agreed to continue his research.
Though the timeline for results was uncertain, it didn't stop people from feeling hopeful.
Just when all seems lost, a new path appears!
For a time, more and more people praised Mingting, and some even praised Emperor Li and the Crown Prince, declaring the Emperor wise for recognizing talent.
When Song Yi saw that his unfilial son was surrounded by ministers like the moon surrounded by stars, he couldn't take it anymore.
"Mingting, since the blood test is unreliable and can't prove our father-son relationship, you also have no way to prove that you are not my son!"
Song Yi refused to give up. He was determined to fight this to the end.
The blood test might be unreliable, but Mingting had already devised a way to verify bloodlines. It is conceivable that once his method succeeded, countless people would beg for his help.
If he didn't reclaim such a son, his ancestors might even crawl out of their graves to curse him.
Even if it meant being reviled, he would force Mingting to acknowledge him as his father!
"Oh? Minister Song, you're still alive?"
Mingting looked at Song Yi and shook his head.
"Proving it is actually quite simple. In ancient times, shamans sought answers from the heavens. Now, the Son of Heaven worships the heavens. The sun and moon hang high, and the blue sky watches over all. Right and wrong are judged by the heavens."
"If Minister Song isn't guilty, why not come with me outside the hall and ask the heavens? Let the Heavenly Dao decide!"
'Ask the heavens?'
Soon, many remembered how Song Yi had been struck by lightning before. Even Song Yi himself now felt his scalp tingle.
But in the end, greed won out in Song Yi's heart. He firmly believed that last time had been a fluke, and there was no way lightning would strike him alone when there's so many people.
"Fine! I am your biological father. How could the heavens side with you?!"
Song Yi followed Mingting and walked out of the palace.
A crowd of people rushed after them, watching from a distance as the two stood in an open area.
Even the Prince of Qi, who had just been humiliated, forgot his earlier shame and stared intently at Mingting.
Although Emperor Li had heard about Song Yi being struck by lightning last time, he had never seen it in person. This time, he wanted a good look.
"Brother Ting, do your best!" The Crown Prince cheered Mingting on.
It was the golden autumn season, with clear skies and crisp air. The vast blue sky was adorned with a few wisps of white clouds, making for a breathtakingly beautiful scene.
"Heaven above, I, Mingting, am not Song Yi's son. If I lie, may lightning strike me dead!"
Mingting spoke first.
After he finished speaking, nothing happened for a long while. Mingting smiled and gestured to Song Yi.
"Minister Song, your turn."
"This is completely unreliable! Since ancient times, no father has ever had to ask the heavens to confirm his son." The Prince of Qi was still struggling to say a few 'fair words' for Song Yi.
Song Yi looked at Mingting, then at the sky.
'Hmm, no signs of thunder or rain. It should be fine.'
He imitated Mingting's words, pointed at the young man opposite and declared, "Heaven above, he is my biological son. If I lie, may lightning strike me dead!"
Boom!
A deafening thunderclap erupted.
The originally clear sky turned dark in an instant. Rolling black clouds gathered, cold winds howled, and thunder rumbled ominously. The entire world seemed to transform.
'Not good!'
Song Yi turned to flee, but the lightning was faster. With a crack, it struck him squarely on the head again.
Then, crack after crack, bolts of lightning like silver snakes lashed down on Song Yi.
"Help! Help!" Song Yi was so scared that he rushed directly into the hall.
At this moment, Song Yi's survival instincts kicked into overdrive. Never in his life had he run so desperately.
The crowd watched as lightning chased Song Yi, striking him every few steps, burning his hair and clothes. Only when he ducked into the hall did the assault relent.
The thunder continued to roar for a long time before the clouds finally dispersed, and the fiery sun reappeared.
"Heavens! The heavens truly manifested!"
"Heavenly blessings!"
"That scoundrel Song Yi provoked divine wrath! Your Majesty, you must punish him severely!"
It took the stunned ministers a while to come back to their senses, and the first thing they did was to complain to Emperor Li.
At the same time, they couldn't help but feel a sense of awe toward Mingting.
'Just what was his background?'
'Why did the heavens side with him?'
'Was Mingting truly a celestial being descended to earth?'
'Heh, you want to be my father, not afraid of being struck to death!' Mingting said to Fengtian, "I am a born of heaven and earth. The universe is my parent. Who does he think he is?"
If it were the original Song Mingting here, such phenomena wouldn't have occurred.
Moreover, Song Yi had pointed at him and declared Mingting his son. Of course the heavens would strike him down!
In the end, Song Yi was carried out of the palace gates. Emperor Li stripped him of all his official positions, and even the Prince of Qi was harshly reprimanded by Emperor Li and was punished to stay at home to reflect on his mistakes.
When Mingting left the palace, Song Yi was lying on the carriage, coughing up blood and groaning.
"Minister Song, there's something I need to return to you."
Mingting walked to the side of the carriage, and a jade gourd appeared in his hand.
Song Mingting has been carrying this gourd since childhood. In the original timeline, the original owner sold it to raise funds for the Female Lead, which later led to trouble, causing him to be castrated and forced to serve as a eunuch in the palace.
This time, Mingting returned the jade gourd to Song Yi.
"I don't want this jade pendant anymore, you keep it!"
Holding the jade gourd, Song Yi froze.
This was something he had bought for his wife after passing the imperial examination. Later, when Mingting was born, the jade gourd had hung around the child's neck.
Watching the young man walk away, Song Yi clutched the gourd and burst into tears.
He loved his wife and was full of expectations for this child. How come everything changed later?