As expected, Serena didn’t get a clear answer. Disappointed, she also felt a touch of relief—she was conflicted now, wanting to know if the rumors were true, yet dreading that they might be.
If Ninth Royal Uncle’s mother really was a princess of the Former Dynasty, did he know? How much has Nolan hidden from her?
And is Nolan’s relationship with Liancastle really as simple as it seems on the surface?
And then there’s Lance Quinn—was he just another identity of Nolan, or truly his cousin? Both seem plausible and reasonable.
Serena felt trapped in a mental loop, unable to break free. She desperately wanted a definite answer, but feared it would make her lose faith in Nolan. This kind of hesitation hadn’t shown up in her for a long time.
William Wang noticed Serena’s unease and, worried she might spiral, quickly said, “Serena, you won’t get anywhere just by brooding over this. Don’t make yourself anxious—just ask Ninth Royal Uncle directly. He’ll be back in the Capital in seven days. You can ask him then. Oh, and—didn’t the Grand Empress Dowager want to see you? You could ask her too.”
William didn’t mind adding trouble for Ninth Royal Uncle—he’d already kept his promises to Nolan, so making things a bit more difficult was perfectly in line with his principles.
“That’s all I can do.” Serena didn’t want suspicion to breed misunderstanding between them—she really did need to talk with Nolan.
“So, are you going to see the Grand Empress Dowager tomorrow?” William asked, relieved, bringing up the matter they’d nearly forgotten.
Serena shook her head without hesitation. “No. Just tell the Grand Empress Dowager that Ninth Royal Uncle will be back soon. If she has anything to discuss, let her talk to her son directly.”
The last time Serena met Lady Min, Lady Min had deliberately sent Empress Dowager Xie away and tried to tempt her with words.
Lady Min said Nolan was far from simple, that he’d told a colossal lie to deceive her, and asked if Serena wanted to know the truth.
Of course, it would come at a price.
Serena knew that if Lady Min dared say such things, there must be something to it. But she wasn’t overly curious, and she understood Lady Min’s real goal was to undermine the trust between her and Nolan.
Serena believed that even if Nolan was hiding something, he would never hurt her. No matter how curious she was, she refused Lady Min right then and told her not to worry—she and Nolan would handle their own affairs.
Serena hadn’t given it a second thought—until rumors broke that Lady Min might be a princess of the Former Dynasty. That forced her to reconsider.
Was her entanglement with Nolan at the start really just coincidence, or was it all planned from the beginning?
It was true that she’d pursued Nolan first, but if he hadn’t provoked her, she’d never have had the chance to get close to him. Back then, she was just a penniless orphan, and Nolan was a prince second only to the throne—their paths should never have crossed.
If it was all a conspiracy from the start, what was left between her and Nolan?
The more Serena dwelled on it, the more afraid she became, nearly spiraling into self-doubt. If William hadn’t arrived in time and helped her let go, she might have confronted Nolan in a fit of hysteria when he returned—ending things on a sour note…
Winter in the Capital was always cold and gloomy, but on the day Nolan returned, the weather was miraculously clear. Serena found it odd—how did even the heavens seem to favor him? Later, she learned that the date and hour of Nolan’s return had been chosen by the Imperial Astrologers’ Office, guaranteeing an auspicious day.
When Nolan entered the city, nearly the entire population poured into the streets, packing both sides so tightly there was no room to move. William had reserved a spot for Serena; she went, standing by the window of a private upstairs room, watching Nolan ride in on horseback at the head of his army, imposing and magnificent…
The streets were packed with people, every face lit with genuine smiles. As soon as Nolan appeared, deafening shouts shook the sky: “Long live the Regent Prince!”
“Eastlyn will win! The Regent Prince will win!”
The scene was electrifying. The onlookers seemed supercharged, shouting themselves hoarse but refusing to stop. Even the city-guard soldiers stood proud, their eyes burning with fanatical admiration…
In that moment, Nolan was king.
This day belonged to Nolan.
On this day, everyone’s eyes were fixed only on the blood-soaked warriors who defended their country on the battlefield.
Even Serena couldn’t help but feel her blood run hot; all her gloom vanished, and her smile grew wider and wider.
Whatever Nolan’s reasons for fighting, whatever drove him to the front lines, he led Eastlyn’s troops to hold back Northlyn’s invasion. That was an undeniable fact.
This was Nolan’s glory.
As Nolan drew closer, Serena went from seeing only a distant silhouette to clearly making out the expression on his face.
He was darker, thinner—but more energetic than ever. The armor made him look even more formidable.
It was true: battlefield experience made men more compelling. Even sitting silent on horseback, Nolan was still irresistibly attractive.
“Alright, stop staring—he can’t see you from here anyway.” In the private room, Doudou lay sulking on the table, grumbling, “I fought and won too, came home in triumph, but I don’t get even a tenth of Ninth Royal Uncle’s glory. It’s just not fair.”
To show his displeasure, Doudou even shouted twice, but his voice was completely drowned out by the shrill screams of the girls lining the street.
“Ahhh… Ninth Royal Uncle, Ninth Royal Uncle smiled at me!”
“Oh my god… someone hold me, I’m going to faint! Ninth Royal Uncle is so handsome, I think my heart’s melting.”
“Ahhh… Ninth Royal Uncle smiled, Ninth Royal Uncle smiled! Look, look—he’s smiling at me again!”
…
The screams around Serena grew louder and louder, making her lips twitch—she felt awkward, stuck at the window, unable to move forward or back.
Nolan had spotted Serena in the crowd and looked straight at her. Their eyes met across the sea of people—seeing Serena’s dazed face, Nolan let the faintest smile curl his lips. That tiny smile set off an explosion; the whole street went wild.
Very few people had ever seen Nolan smile. That one smile stunned the crowds on both sides of the street and the girls in the upstairs viewing rooms. Once they realized what had happened, their screams only grew more exaggerated, filling the street with excited shrieks.
Doudou was both jealous and envious. “It’s just a smile—why are they like this? I’m not any less handsome than Nolan.”
“You’re not bad,” Serena replied, giving Doudou a once-over. “But you’re not Eastlyn’s Ninth. Most of their screaming is for his identity as Regent Prince, Young Commander Owen.”
Serena patted Doudou’s shoulder and said earnestly, “Keep working hard, young man!”
Leaving a stunned Doudou behind, Serena turned and walked away…
She and Nolan needed to talk!