Chapter 697: Chapter 697

Furthermore, the fact that the woman from the Barbarian tribe understood that "yielding" would benefit her, shows that she is much wiser than Mrs. Zhang.

In the deep inner courtyards of Marquis Mansion, a foolish Matriarch who had made mistakes and a wise concubine, beloved and guilt-ridden by the male lead...

Tsk, tsk, Yanting was young, but due to his long years mingling in the markets and being relentlessly matured by Mrs. Zhang, he could already envision how chaotic and problematic the future of Marquis Mansion would be for him, Yanting.

And even though he, Yanting, was the legitimate eldest son, he might not necessarily inherit the Marquis Mansion.

Moreover, although Marquis Pingnan’s Mansion had overcome the "false accusation" crisis of that year, as long as Marquis Pingnan continued to command the armies, there might still be a possibility of the mansion’s downfall.

Unless Marquis Pingnan really decided to rebel.

But the problem was, was rebellion that easy to instigate?

Yanting hadn’t received an elite education reserved for the heir of Marquis Mansion, but he was well-versed in history.

And throughout history, those who succeeded in rebellion and changed dynasties, did so because the timing was right—

Heavenly timing (natural disasters, foolish monarchs, corrupt officials), geographical advantage (strong personal military forces), and human harmony (support from others).

Looking at the current state of the Dazhou Dynasty, the present Saint, Emperor Chengtai, certainly wasn’t considered a Wise Emperor, but he was not a true foolish or tyrannical ruler either.

Under his rule, the common people might not be wealthy, but most of them were able to have food and clothing.

Since ancient times, these ordinary people were easy to satisfy; as long as their bellies were full, they would peacefully live day by day.

Without officials provoking discontent among the people, or powerful enemies invading, Marquis Pingnan would not dare to lightly raise the banner of rebellion, even if he had two hundred thousand elite soldiers.

Incapable of rebelling yet unwilling to relinquish military power, Yanting felt that the future of Marquis Pingnan’s Mansion was worrisome.

In the past, Yanting, as a mere onlooker, casually gossiped about these matters.

But now, having become the legitimate eldest son and the definite heir of the mansion, the rise and fall of the mansion bore a crucial role for him.

When the family of the mansion was escorted to the capital during his childhood, Yanting was only five years old, but he already had memories.

Nobles who had lived luxuriously transformed overnight into prisoners.

Whether it was the elderly Grand Madam or infants still in swaddling, all were driven under the scorching sun and pouring rain.

And the sight of Wei Yuanniang being whipped into the air was deeply etched in Yanting’s memory.

"..." Yanting clenched his fist tightly; he absolutely could not let himself suffer like Wei Yuanniang had, due to the mansion!

Yanting’s thoughts seemed somewhat selfish, deviating from the typical noble family’s doctrine that familial interests outweigh all else during this era.

But, it couldn’t be helped. Since turning thirteen, Yanting hadn’t lived a day in Marquis Mansion.

Lacking affection and not receiving familial education, he naturally held little identification with or sense of belonging to Marquis Pingnan’s Mansion.

And this situation was likely anticipated by many old foxes and exploited.

Of course, those were concerns for another time.

Having been jostled in the carriage for about half an hour, Yanting finally arrived at Marquis Pingnan’s Mansion.

"...Good child, you, you have suffered!"

Seeing Yanting, who, despite his young age, already exhibited an exceptional demeanor, Marquis Pingnan was deeply moved.

Poor child, burdened by a foolish mother, despite being the precious and esteemed legitimate eldest son of the mansion, had grown up in a servant’s household.

Thankfully, the children of the Wei Family were naturally of noble birth, and even if they grew in the mud, they could still become outstanding young men of exceptional character and ability like him.

Though Yanting devoted himself to academics, aiming for the Imperial examinations, which didn’t quite align with the martial traditions of the Marquis Pingnan’s Mansion.

But, seeing such a young man as upright as a pine, and with a physique that didn’t resemble the frail scholars, Marquis Pingnan was very pleased.

Ignoring everything else, just seeing Yanting with the Wei Family’s distinctive thick eyebrows and large eyes, Marquis Pingnan felt an inexplicable sense of kinship.

"..." Yanting felt the goodwill and intimacy emanating from Marquis Pingnan’s gaze.

In fact, on the journey here, he had already sorted out his thoughts and decided on the path he would take upon returning to the mansion.

Thus, upon seeing Marquis Pingnan, Yanting did not hide his emotions, showing a complex expression—

There was the excitement of meeting a blood relative, coupled with the astonishment of learning the truth;

The affection for one’s blood family, and also the reluctance to part from his foster parents. Latest content published on novel fire.net

Yanting, the male lead, perfectly captured the complexity and depth of emotions, mixing various feelings progressively...