Father and Son at Odds

"You!!!" Emperor Leonard the Enlightened's expression changed drastically. If things went on like this, wouldn't his only heir become a hostage in Bella Bell's hands?

"Bella, Bella, don't go! Stay here, don't go to Qin with them!" Emperor Leonard turned to plead with Bella Bell.

But it was too late. Bella Bell had already seen through his true colors, her heart turning to stone. She shook him off fiercely and said, "Didn't you threaten Master with the lives of her family and friends, just because you knew their secrets? Now your only child is going to Qin as a hostage—how does that feel? Hurts, doesn't it!? Leonard Li, you'd better pray that Master’s family and friends are safe, or else..."

She didn't finish her threat, but it sent chills down Emperor Leonard's spine.

He had already lost the ability to have children. The baby in Bella Bell’s belly was his only hope.

Otherwise, all his efforts would be for nothing. The throne he had struggled so hard to claim would, after his death, fall to a collateral branch—how could Emperor Leonard ever accept that!?

Yet even more desperate than Emperor Leonard was Lord Huainan.

When Lord Huainan heard the terrible news, all the arrogance vanished from his face. He sat in his chair, pounding the armrests and stammering with rage, "No—you can't do this! I spent decades scheming, all for the throne to fall into my descendants' hands! Now you’re cutting off Hao’s line and taking away his only child, my only grandson—how vicious you are!"

"Vicious, are we?" Bella Bell looked at Lord Huainan's despair, wagged her finger, and said, "Old Lord, I actually have some good news for you."

"Bah! What good news! I've lived all these years and my only wish was to see the throne pass to my line. Now—now the line is cut off! Cut off forever!" Lord Huainan roared in fury.

Lily Evans looked at Lord Huainan and smiled, "The good news is, the pill I just gave you was a gift from my father. It's a medicine that can restore fertility in older men..."

"What did you say!?" Lord Huainan trembled violently, forgetting to shout. "The pill you gave me can restore my ability to have children?"

"That's right!" Lily Evans blinked and smiled sweetly. "Congratulations, Lord Huainan, your manly vigor is back! You may have a son who can't have children, but you yourself can still father a healthy boy!"

Lord Huainan checked himself and was shocked to find that the part of him that had withered like a dead branch now felt as if spring had come again—there was real sensation!

"I—I can have sons again!?" Lord Huainan's face filled with wild joy. For a moment, he forgot his predicament and murmured, "Wonderful! I’ll finally have an heir!"

Meanwhile, Emperor Leonard the Enlightened heard the news and his face turned ashen. He clenched his fists tightly.

Lily Evans looked at Emperor Leonard and said, "Your Majesty, did you hear that? Your father can have sons again. What if he has a few more and decides to replace you, the useless one who can’t have children?"

Emperor Leonard’s pupils contracted sharply. He had only ascended the throne thanks to his father’s planning and support. Now, he was a useless man, while his father could produce more sons—who’s to say Lord Huainan wouldn’t want to swap him out for a new heir?

No, he absolutely couldn’t let his father have more sons to threaten his throne!

Lord Huainan was too wrapped up in his joy. When he finally came to, he saw Emperor Leonard looking at him with a strange, guarded expression.

Lord Huainan hurried to say, "Hao, no matter what, you are the Emperor of Jin!"

Emperor Leonard nodded, but the wariness in his heart only deepened...

Father and son, divided at heart.