He wore a treasure-encrusted purple-gold crown on his head and donned a dark green robe with arrow sleeves. Around his waist hung a long tassel palace belt, from which dangled a piece of exquisite and transparent jade, marking him as a person of supreme identity and nobility. His smile, always carrying a touch of casual disdain and a deliberately flirtatious air, even the fine wrinkles at the corners of his eyes exuded an arrogant yet revered demeanor.
The Jin family elders gasped, uttering, "Shen... Prince..."
The person who arrived was none other than the third son of Emperor Jiayun, Prince Shen Zongzheng Li Han.
Xiaobao felt a relentless panic. Only now did he realize that Prince Shen's attendance at the opera was not due to his interest in any beauty, but because he already knew who Huai en was. His visit this time must be related to Huai en, as they shared the same surname. And deep down, Xiaobao had begun to speculate on Huai en's true identity.
Prince Shen emerged from the shadows, followed silently by two black-clad guards, exerting an unspoken pressure.
Xiaobao rushed to the prison bars, forgetting all decorum as he shouted, "Who is he!! Tell me!!!"
Prince Shen replied with a teasing smile, "Oh, Young Master Jin, how have you been? Enjoying your time with your beauty? Have you both been enjoying each other's company thoroughly?"
Old Master Jin pulled Xiaobao back, gently reprimanding him, "Xiaobao, do not be disrespectful." After speaking, he also knelt down to pay respects.
Prince Shen waved his hand dismissively, saying, "In the current circumstances, there's no need for such formalities, Old Master Jin. Or is it just force of habit for you?"
Old Master Jin's face turned ashen, "This humble one trembles in fear before Prince Shen, not knowing why Prince Shen would grace..."
Prince Shen interrupted Old Master Jin with a cool, mocking laugh.
"Indeed, Old Master Jin is frightened. You didn't get to see the person you wanted to see, but instead, you're greeted by me. I have quite a connection with the Jin family, and in such special times, if we don't seize the moment to catch up, there might not be another chance."
Old Master Jin, voice trembling, replied, "This humble one... does not understand... Your Highness's meaning."
Prince Shen chuckled, "You used to guess my intentions accurately. Now, are you truly confused, or just pretending to be?"
Old Master Jin knelt silently, while Xiaobao stared intently at Prince Shen with a mix of intense emotions.
Prince Shen mocked, "Did your father tell you any good stories?"
Xiaobao was stunned.
"Actually, when you were quite young, around twelve or thirteen, I had seen you before. You were always trailing behind the Emperor's nephew, timid and unlikely to amount to much. It's unfortunate that my judgment was so poor upon visiting your family; I thought your father was just a crude peasant. It turns out I was mistaken, and it upset my plans. You are nothing more than an ignorant fool, also disrupting my plans. Ah, it's demeaning for me to even be angered by the likes of you, but indeed, it angers me."
This speech, though delivered casually as if discussing household matters, left the Jin family sweating profusely in fear.
"Ah, Young Master Jin, your fate is indeed peculiar, destined to enjoy only twenty years of fortune. You must be wondering how you suddenly went from a wealthy young master to a prisoner. In truth, Huai en is not to blame for this. If anyone is to be blamed, it's your father's insatiable greed and his multitude of sins."
Xiaobao, eyes wide, exclaimed, "You're talking nonsense!!"
Prince Shen also widened his eyes, feigning innocence, "Oh, you really don't know anything, do you?"
Shaking his head, Prince Shen smiled, "Being born into the Jin family, I'm not sure if it's your fortune or misfortune." He paused, then added, "What your father said was mostly true, but the crimes he committed could be punished by death a hundred times over."
"Your father did whatever it took to amass wealth, especially during the war, when he hoarded food while the people starved, heartlessly raising prices."
Xiaobao looked disbelievingly at his father, who was kneeling with his head bowed, his lips quivering palely.
"Many committed such acts at the time, and your father's heartless deeds were not limited to this. As for the Richun Trade Association's business, let's not even start on the past, but focus on recent years. For instance," Prince Shen said, hitting his palm with a childlike glee, "your beloved sister. Have you ever wondered why she, originally a Xue, became your sister? The Xue family, involved in treasonous activities similar to yours, deserved their fate of extermination. Yet, before the court could act, your father preemptively eliminated them."
Xiaobao's mind exploded with confusion and disbelief as he processed the continuous shocks. Everything he believed in crumbled, revealing its fragile nature. He couldn't distinguish truth from falsehood anymore.
He couldn't bear to look back, only managing to say with his head against the bars, "Father... what does this mean... the Xue family... it wasn't you...
you said..."
Old Master Jin, tears streaming down his face, responded, "Xiaobao... it was... a last resort..." He broke down in sobs, and Lady Jin also collapsed onto him, weeping.
Prince Shen nodded seriously, "That's the honest truth, indeed a last resort. You somehow got wind that the court had set its sights on Xue Wei, and before I could even start my investigation, you had already erased the Xue family, leaving no trace. What you didn't expect was that your son, having a secret friendship with Xue Wei's grandson, would end up bringing Xue's granddaughter home. The irony of it all, that poor girl, surviving a family massacre only to unknowingly take refuge with her enemies."
Old Master Jin, raising his voice in a hoarse shout, defended, "Xue Wei had been plotting against us from the start, using us to amass wealth for the Second Prince, pushing us toward destruction. It was either his death or ours!!!"
Prince Shen, unfazed, retorted, "Why so agitated? I never said you were wrong. Anyone in your place would've done the same. But indeed, you spoiled a great deal for me by wiping out the Xue family so thoroughly, eliminating all evidence. I had known she was with you, not expecting her to know anything significant. It was merely the situation that intrigued me.
My brother would have eventually come for you, and the girl would have learned the truth. Wouldn't that be interesting?"
Lady Jin, choking back tears, said, "We never anticipated... Xiaobao bringing her home. Maybe this is our retribution. We hoped to raise her to adulthood as some form of atonement. The rest is up to fate. Xiaobao, we had no choice."
Xiaobao collapsed, emotionally drained as if his soul had been emptied, fixating on the image of Xiaoyu's blossoming smile.
Prince Shen chuckled, "Now, Xiaobao, do you realize how much trouble you've caused me? Huai en stole something important from my estate and you saved him. That night at the opera, I was there to kill him, and again, you intervened. Later, you even sheltered him, preventing me from finding an opportunity to strike. When I finally found a chance, you were there, performing in a play, offering me a fake... Ah, your surprised expression tells me you didn't know this either?"
Xiaobao was indeed unaware, having believed he was genuinely helping by trading something important for safety. He realized he had been played, merely a pawn in someone else's game, unwittingly providing distraction, company, and amusement along a path of empty promises and heroic pretensions. All his awkward, foolish words, his desperate pleas for affection, were nothing but a joke.
How could anyone pretend so convincidly? Huai en, seemingly indifferent and unromantic, had fooled him completely with his bashfulness, passion, and earnest promises. How had he fallen for it, thinking it was real?
Awakening from this dream, Xiaobao understood more clearly than ever before. All the inconsistencies now made sense, but it was too late.
Something had grown deep within him, entwined around his heart and soul, making every move agonizing.
This realization shattered all his secret hopes and dignity, leaving him with a clear understanding of his own naivety and the harsh reality of deception.