"Sister..." Prince Nathan of Southlyn shut his eyes in pain, finally letting out everything he’d been holding back: "I just don’t understand—what did I do to deserve being denounced by him in front of the whole world? He even blamed my mother, saying she failed to raise me properly and taught me to be treacherous and faithless, with no respect for my sovereign or father."
"Nathan..." Serena didn’t know how to comfort Prince Nathan. The saying goes that ‘all parents are blameless,’ but that clearly doesn’t apply to imperial families.
"You don’t need to worry about me, Sister. I’ll be fine. I was just too blind before, but now I understand—there’s no real father-son bond in the imperial house. He wasn’t wrong to say I was disloyal and unfilial." Nathan wasn’t weak; he just needed to vent his grievances and the unfairness he’d suffered. Once he’d gotten it off his chest, he quickly recovered and even started comforting Serena.
"Sister, I’m not someone who lets myself be bullied without fighting back. Before, I cared that he was my father and let him suppress me. Now... since he no longer sees me as a son, I won’t treat him as a father either."
Thinking of his own plan, Nathan gave a cold laugh: "He says I’m disloyal, unfilial, and unbrotherly? Then I’ll show the world just how loyal and filial I can be. I’ll let everyone see how great Prince Nathan of Southlyn is—how I’d come to Eastlyn as a hostage for my brother’s sake, to share my father’s burdens, even if it means dying here for the rest of my life."
"Are you really okay with this? You were just one step away from the throne." Serena worried Nathan might be heading down a dead end.
"There’s nothing to regret. My greatest wish in returning to Southlyn is already fulfilled. Whether I become emperor or not doesn’t matter. Besides, chaos is coming—even if I do become emperor, there’s no guarantee of a good end. That man wants to leave the throne to his beloved youngest son, so I’ll let him have it." Nathan was sharp; he hadn’t understood before why Prince Nolan helped him, but after years in Southlyn’s power struggles, only a fool wouldn’t see it now.
Prince Nolan is far too deep and shrewd—Nathan never wanted to be his enemy. Even Master Wenyuan held Prince Nolan in high regard.
"It’s best if you can let it go. If you truly don’t want to go back to Southlyn, then stay here in Eastlyn—Prince Nolan won’t make things difficult for you." Serena sighed. "If you do want to return, I think Prince Nolan would help you too."
Of course, there would be a price—and it wouldn’t be small. Prince Nolan never makes a losing deal.
"No need. Why would I go back? To serve as support for that pampered younger brother of mine?" Nathan gave a self-mocking laugh.
There was a female attendant of Wang blood at the Southlyn King’s side, someone he protected so well that few noticed her, much less knew her origins.
She only entered the public eye after Prince Damien and the Queen fell from power, but even then, she was just a minor noblewoman.
Yet this seemingly inconspicuous woman—her son was made crown prince by the Southlyn King when he was barely a hundred days old.
By now, Nathan understood: his only use was to help topple Prince Damien and the Queen. Once they fell, he was no longer needed.
Suppression, stripping of power, public humiliation—destroying his chance to be emperor, all just to clear a path for the king’s beloved son, so the youngest could grow up and inherit the throne.
The Southlyn King had paved the way for that child even before he was born. Neither Nathan, with his shallow roots in Southlyn, nor Prince Damien could possibly overturn it.
Besides, Southlyn is in poor shape now—years of war have emptied the treasury, and now the kingdom must pay compensation to other realms and cities. What does Southlyn have left to offer?
Once Prince Damien returns, how to deal with him will be a major problem. Nathan has no desire to go back and slave away for years, only to end up as someone else’s stepping stone.
Nathan had made up his mind—he would never again let himself get tangled in Southlyn’s mess or give the king another chance to hurt him.
"Sister, Yana and I have no other family. Wherever you go in the future, we’ll go too. We’ll buy a courtyard next to yours—close, but not a bother." Nathan took the chance to share his plans. When he mentioned Yana Zhan, his eyes flickered, as if something was left unsaid.
Serena thought of Yana’s background and understood why Nathan hadn’t spoken further. She nodded, offered a few words of comfort, and told them to settle in at Feng Manor—there was plenty of room for two more.
After seeing Nathan off, Serena sat alone in her study for a while before slowly returning to her room. She saw Prince Nolan inside, but wasn’t surprised; she simply took off her outer robe.
"Nathan’s really set on staying in Eastlyn?" Serena asked.
"There’s nowhere for him in Southlyn." If he stayed, all that awaited him was confinement.
"What about Yana?" Serena turned, walked up to Prince Nolan, and took the book from his hands.
Good, it wasn’t some dirty book.
"Her background’s been exposed." Prince Nolan glanced longingly at the book in Serena’s hand.
He hadn’t finished reading it yet.
Serena was startled and quickly asked, "Does all of Southlyn know? Or just the king and the Zhan family?"
"No one dares smear Master Wenyuan’s name." Few people know, but both Yana Zhan and Nathan are aware of the truth.
"What about Nathan and Yana...?" Serena was worried. In this era, children born out of wedlock have no status, let alone those born of incest, like Yana...
"Once her mourning period ends, the wedding will go on as planned."
"I know Nathan won’t break off the engagement. I just worry he might have doubts in his heart." Bringing Yana here showed he had no intention of calling it off.
"With William Wang Jinling behind her, Master Wenyuan’s daughter will never be bullied." The Southlyn royal house values William Wang Jinling highly. Yana’s origins will never become public gossip.
Only then did Serena relax, yawning as she snuggled into Prince Nolan’s arms: "As long as they’re both fine, that’s enough for me."
"Even if something does happen, it’s not your problem." Prince Nolan pulled Serena tight, refusing to let her move. "They’re adults. You don’t need to worry about them." If she had spare energy, he’d rather she spend it on him.
Of course, Prince Nolan wouldn’t say that out loud. He’d rather show it by action: "Tomorrow, you’re coming with me to the estate."
Just the two of them—no third person allowed.
"No—ah! Ouch." Serena had barely spoken when Prince Nolan flicked her forehead. She winced, swallowing the rest of her words.
"No refusing. You’re free tomorrow." Prince Nolan never fights a battle unprepared.
"I promised the Snow Wolves and Feng Jin I’d take them out for a spring outing tomorrow. Besides, Nathan and Yana just arrived—I can’t ignore them as hostess." Serena looked apologetically at Prince Nolan.
A trip to the estate isn’t something you finish in a day, and she’d already promised Feng Jin and the Snow Wolves first. Prince Nolan really couldn’t blame her.
"So, I rank behind everyone else?" Prince Nolan spoke in a chilling tone, cold aura pouring out as if it cost him nothing...