Advancing Step by Step
Lord Huainan’s disregard for human life made Su Li tremble with anger.
Alexander Hayes looked at Lord Huainan and continued, “I deduced that years ago, Lord Huainan failed to kill me, so he sent Leonard Li to Qingmiao City to personally track me down. At that time, I was poisoned and had lost my memory. Leonard Li eventually found me, but why didn’t he kill me then?”
Lord Huainan nodded, “That’s right. I did send Leonard to Qingmiao City to investigate your whereabouts. When Leonard found you, he wasn’t sure of your identity, so he sought out someone who recognized you to confirm it. Once he sent your portrait back, I saw it and changed my mind—I decided not to kill you. I kept you alive, knowing your life would be of great use one day!”
Alexander Hayes let out a cold snort and glanced at Emperor Leonard the Enlightened. “Your Majesty’s palace is truly terrifying—pretending to be a gentle prince, you even managed to fool me! So all those so-called bonds and loyalties were fake from the start, just a grand deception!”
Emperor Leonard the Enlightened, faced with Alexander’s accusation, turned away, unable to meet his gaze.
Lord Huainan continued, “King Xiao, that portrait saved your life. Ha! Do you know who you resemble? You look exactly like your mother, Consort Annabelle...”
A wave of nostalgia washed over Lord Huainan’s aged face, his voice growing distant and lingering. “So many years have passed, and everyone seems to have forgotten Annabelle. Emperor Jin Xuan forgot, everyone forgot what she looked like—but only I remember. Consort Annabelle was gentle and graceful. Alexander Hayes, your face is just like hers. The moment I saw you, I knew you were her son...”
“Back then, Emperor Jin Xuan thought his schemes were flawless, but I knew the truth! He wiped out Emperor William Jin’s entire family, but there was one who slipped through the net—and that was you, Alexander Hayes! You are the son of Emperor William Jin. Your parents were murdered by Emperor Jin Xuan, and now you hold the power of the world in your hands. By keeping you alive and revealing the truth, chaos was inevitable!”
Lord Huainan’s smile grew triumphant as he continued, “Alexander Hayes, do you know why those long-buried royal secrets resurfaced after twenty years and were uncovered by the Lin Family of Healers? It was because I deliberately left clues behind the scenes, leading the Lin Family to investigate and discover your true identity! As expected, once you learned you were Emperor William Jin’s son, you couldn’t wait to take revenge—slaying Emperor Jin Xuan with your own hands, avenging your father! Hahaha! Consort Annabelle really did give birth to a remarkable son!”
"So it was you, laying out every step..." Alexander Hayes took a deep breath, his eyes dark and unreadable.
“That’s right, every move was orchestrated by me! Even when you launched your coup and someone tipped off the feudal lords, that was my doing. If the armies outside the capital hadn’t pressured you, you could have become emperor. Unfortunately for you, my plan was one step ahead—if you’d tried to claim the throne, the lords’ armies would have stormed the city, plunging Jin into chaos and inviting Chu to invade, destroying our nation. So you had only one path: to support a royal kinsman. Of all the royals, you were closest to Leonard Li, so naturally, he ascended the throne with your help… Hahaha, Alexander Hayes, imagine that! Every step you took was within my calculations! The man you helped become emperor will now end you and your princess consort’s lives—hahahaha!”