True and False, Even Serena Is Deceived

Unable to find his adoptive father and abandoned by his beloved little sister, Little Dumpling had no idea that his father had already let him go. He was still anxiously worrying that he'd be dragged back to the palace to do hard labor.

To escape his father's clutches, Little Dumpling raced all the way toward Skyvault Palace, terrified that the shadow guards would catch him and haul him back to the palace—after that, he'd never escape again...

He didn't believe for a second that he could escape his father's grasp twice. Without his adoptive father behind him to plot and scheme, he just wasn't capable of going head-to-head with his own dad yet.

A father is a father, a son is a son—if he wanted to win against his dad, he'd need at least two more years.

To hurry along the road, Little Dumpling gave up the comfortable but slow carriage and switched to horseback...

Though he looked like a young teen, Little Dumpling was still far from grown up. But stubborn as he was, he refused to ride a pony and insisted on a tall warhorse—which meant he suffered all the way...

He hadn't even reached Skyvault Palace yet, and the insides of Little Dumpling's thighs were already rubbed raw and bloody. Every night, his trousers stuck to the wounds and had to be soaked off with warm water before he could take them off.

The next day, he had to hit the road again, injuries and all, over and over... The flesh on the insides of his thighs never got a chance to heal.

“I'm really suffering here,” Little Dumpling muttered. He wasn't a kid who'd never known hardship—he'd endured plenty while training in martial arts as a child—but never had he suffered quite like this.

It was as if he was scraping layer after layer of flesh from his own legs...

"If I go through all this and Father still catches me, then I'll just accept it." Little Dumpling gritted his teeth—for the sake of not becoming Emperor right now, he endured it all...

"Adoptive Father, you're just too cruel. If you'd waited for me one more day in Jiangnan, I wouldn't have had to suffer like this." Tears streaming down his face, Little Dumpling muttered about William Wang Jinling the whole way—if William were here, his ears would be callused from all the complaining.

So where was William Wang Jinling, the man Little Dumpling kept complaining about, right now?

Master Marcus Wynn thought he'd gone to the frontier, Serena Feng and Ninth Royal Uncle assumed he'd gone overseas, but in fact, William was currently at Skyvault Palace.

In this world, a secret known by more than one person isn't a secret at all. William would never be so foolish—if he truly wanted to hide, he'd make sure not to leave the Emperor a single trace.

He trusted Master Marcus Wynn, and he trusted Serena Feng. But he trusted even more that if he really went to the frontier or set sail, he'd probably be stopped before he even got out...

Under heaven, all lands belong to the Emperor. Once Ninth Royal Uncle knew his destination, it wouldn't be hard at all for him to find William.

William figured that Ninth Royal Uncle had probably already sent people to block every road out.

"Aren't you afraid I'll tell the Emperor where you're hiding?" Sean just couldn't understand why William would choose to hide with him—his place wasn't exactly safe.

"You won't," William replied, completely certain.

Watching Ninth Royal Uncle get flustered only made Sean happier.

"Fine, you win," Sean grumbled. "You even managed to fool Serena Feng—if you didn't win, it'd be a crime."

"I didn't lie to Serena," William replied, quite seriously. "I do plan to go overseas—just not right now."

That's the magic of words—he hadn't lied to Master Marcus Wynn either. He did intend to go to the frontier, just not yet.

"You're really cunning," Sean admitted, genuinely impressed.

With skills as sharp as William's, how was it possible that he kept losing to Ninth Royal Uncle? Sean honestly couldn't figure it out.

"It's not that I can't win—it's that I won't compete," William explained kindly. "Just like you, seeing her happy and content is enough for me."

"If you've chosen to protect her, why stay so close? Wouldn't it be better to keep your distance, like I do?"

"Because... I can't bear to leave. Besides, don't you think it's hilarious watching the Emperor get all worked up but forced to hold it in?" William's voice was gentle, but his words were enough to make someone cough blood.

"You really do have a twisted sense of humor," Sean admitted. It was true—only when it came to Serena could the Emperor really lose control.

"Don't be jealous—you'll get to see it for yourself soon enough," William said, mysteriously.

"What do you mean?" Sean pressed, but William wouldn't tell him—he just told him to wait three more days...

Three days later, a disciple from the foot of the mountain reported: "Palace Master, there's a young man at the gate who calls himself Dongfang. He says he's the son of an old friend and has come to visit you on his father's orders."

The road up to Skyvault Palace was no easy trek. Forget Little Dumpling's legs being completely useless now—even before, he wouldn't have dared try it lightly.

No joke—his mother personally rebuilt this road. He'd have to be suicidal to try and force his way up.

"Dongfang?" Sean didn't get it at first—then, seeing William's sly grin, he realized: "Don't tell me that's Little Dumpling?"

Dongfang? What kind of ridiculous name is that?

"Who else could it be? Send a soft sedan chair down and have them carry him up—at this point, there's no way he can make it on foot." No one knows a son like his father; and an adoptive father counts, too.

William knew his adopted son inside and out—at least for now.

Of course, Sean didn't doubt William for a second. He immediately sent people to bring Little Dumpling up, and made sure hot water and medicine were ready.

At the foot of the mountain, Little Dumpling's eyes lit up when he saw the soft sedan chair sent for him. He didn't think Uncle Sean would have come up with this—it had to be his Grand Heir adoptive father.

His adoptive father was way too cunning—this whole frontier story was just a lie.

Little Dumpling's worries instantly turned to joy, his face beaming.

Life really is just too wonderful!

Not only did he have Uncle Sean, but also his Grand Heir adoptive father. Even if his imperial father came looking for him, he wouldn't be scared—he had two giant shields in front of him. Surely his father would go easy on him...

Little Dumpling hummed a little tune all the way up the mountain—the pain in his legs didn't seem so bad anymore.

"Uncle Sean!" As soon as Little Dumpling saw Sean, he jumped up to greet him.

Little Dumpling never put on airs about his status in front of Serena Feng and Ninth Royal Uncle's friends—especially since Sean was half a teacher to him.

But that movement tugged at his injured leg—his knee buckled, and he nearly collapsed.

"Is this your way of giving me a grand kowtow? I'm not worthy!" Sean joked, catching Little Dumpling just in time. But when he saw blood on the inside of Little Dumpling's pants, his smile faded and he scolded, "With an injury like that, you shouldn't be moving around."

Compared to Little Treasure, Sean spent much more time with William and Little Dumpling. Their relationship was more casual, more intimate.

Just like the Valley Master and his friends were closer to Little Treasure—feelings need time and shared experience to grow...

"Hehe... I was so happy to see Uncle Sean that I forgot all about my injury," Little Dumpling said sweetly. When he wanted to charm someone, he could really make their heart bloom.

Sean knew exactly what Little Dumpling was up to, but he couldn't help laughing. He whispered in Little Dumpling's ear, "You're only this happy because you know your adoptive father is here, aren't you?"

"Huh? Really? Uncle Sean, you're not tricking me, are you?" Little Dumpling already knew the truth, but he played along so convincingly that Sean was completely fooled.

"This kid..." Hidden in the shadows, William didn't miss the sly glint in Little Dumpling's eyes and shook his head with a smile.

In another two years, if Ninth Royal Uncle wants Little Dumpling to take the throne obediently, it'll be even harder.

He'd taught his disciple well—William had never been disappointed.