“I will not have you speak of Zhao’er that way!”
Compared to the bizarre display from Ye Zhao’s mother, the woman who now spoke sounded far more like a biological parent. Dressed in plain, simple robes, she stood tall and elegant, her expression cold and her tone severe.
Ye Zhao’s mother immediately shook off her husband’s hand and snapped back, “What business is it of yours? He’s my son; I’ll talk about him however I please!”
“You!” The woman choked on her anger for a moment before suppressing it. Her face remained exceptionally solemn, and her voice was icy. “Madam Ye, I thank you for the kindness you have shown in raising Ye Zhao all these years. However, facts are facts. Blood relations cannot be altered.”
Having said this, she turned toward the Minister of Justice presiding at the high bench and said solemnly, “Originally, I did not believe in the method of testing parentage by blood. My husband once told me that this method is inaccurate. But as things stand, I have no other choice but to try.”
The officials seated nearby all thought the same thing: *Lord Tianshu really did say that?*
“Lord Ye, Madam Ye, do you dare to undergo the blood-dropping test?”
Lord Ye agreed, while Madam Ye gave a cold, mocking laugh. “Why wouldn't we? Bring it on!”
*Huh...* Madam Ye’s reaction was not what the onlookers had expected. Many had begun to lean toward the idea that Ye Zhao wasn't her biological son, but seeing her so completely unbothered made them waver.
The crowd watched with even greater intensity.
Soon, the equipment for the test was prepared. A bowl of water was set out, and a drop of blood was taken from each side. Ye Zhao, being the common denominator, had to provide two drops.
Ye Zhao: “...” *This is a hard life...*
He endured the sting, pricked his finger, and let fall two drops of blood.
After a short while, the Minister of Justice looked into the basin on the left, which contained the results for Madam Ye and Ye Zhao. The crowd instinctively held their breath; the hall fell into a heavy silence.
“They merged.”
A collective sigh of relief escaped the three members of the Ye family, but it was clearly premature.
The Minister of Justice then let out a sound of surprise. “The blood in this basin has merged as well!”
The Ye family’s eyes widened in shock. *No way?!*
The onlookers broke into a flurry of suspicious whispers. After three seconds, the Minister of Justice shouted, “Silence!”
Order was restored to the court.
The Ye parents and Ye Zhao remained speechless. The woman opposite them looked equally stunned and bewildered; clearly, she hadn't anticipated this outcome either.
After a long pause, the woman spoke first. “Madam Ye, it seems this method is indeed inaccurate.”
Madam Ye immediately went on the defensive. “What else do you want? We did the test. My son is still my son.”
The woman’s face turned pale, looking both helpless and weary. She said weakly, “I truly have no other way to prove Ye Zhao is my child. When he was born, he had no birthmarks to serve as evidence. But Madam Ye, he truly is the child of my husband and me!”
She looked up, tears shimmering in her eyes. “My husband’s fate is unknown, and I have lost our child for so many years. I have failed him!”
“Even if Ye Zhao has a thousand flaws, he is still my child! Since you look down on him so much, why not just give him back to me? I beg of you!” As she spoke, she actually dropped to her knees.
“Hey, now!” The Minister of Justice stood up, reaching out a hand in an awkward, uncertain gesture.
The officials sitting nearby also stiffened. If this woman was telling the truth, she was the wife of Lord Tianshu. They couldn't just sit there and watch her kneel! The Minister of Justice thought the same and hurried to have someone help her up.
Pei Shian paused mid-sip of his tea. Madam Ye was startled by the woman’s sudden move and took a step back, pulling Lord Ye and Ye Zhao with her.
“Why are you kneeling to me?! There is no way I’m giving you my son!” She frowned. “And besides, who said I look down on Ye Zhao?”
The woman was helped to her feet.
Madam Ye looked at her and said with total sincerity, “My son doesn't just take after his father; he takes after me too.”
She began to count his traits one by one. “When my son was little, he was so easy to raise. He didn't cry or make a fuss; he was exactly like I was as a child.”
“He’s known how to make me happy since he was small. He’s sweet-talking and well-behaved, just like me—quite good at winning over his elders.”
“He’s no good at studying and can’t be an official. But like me, he has a talent for business! In the future, he’ll have no problem running a small trade to support a family.”
“He lacks ambition and hasn't achieved much. He isn't wealthy or powerful, but he is filial! That’s for the best; it means he has more time to spend with me and his father. When we’re old, our family will live a very happy life.”
“He’s also timid and doesn't stir up trouble. Isn't that better? He’ll live a long, peaceful life.”
Finally, she delivered the closing blow. “So, why on earth would I give my precious son to you?!”
*Well said!*
Lord Ye and Ye Zhao clapped silently behind her.
In all these years, this was the first time Ye Zhao had heard his mother call him her "precious son," and the first time she had praised him like this. He felt quite overwhelmed, his eyes welling up with moved tears.
The surrounding crowd was speechless. They truly didn't know what to say. Just moments ago, she had insulted Ye Zhao until he seemed utterly worthless, and now he was her "precious son"??
The speed of that face-turn was staggering! It had to be said that Madam Ye’s shocking, "unconventional" maneuver had left the gossip-hungry crowd utterly dazed.
“Madam Ye...!” The woman’s cry was filled with grief and utter helplessness. Seeing her swaying on her feet, wanting to step forward but hesitating, one couldn't help but feel a surge of sympathy.
But now a problem had arisen. The blood test had failed, and neither side could prove whose son Ye Zhao actually was. It was a true dilemma, a massive headache for everyone involved.
The Minister of Justice sat at the high bench, looking left and then right, unable to say a word. The situation had reached a stalemate.
Suddenly, Ye Zhao took a step forward and asked the woman calmly, “How should I address you, Madam?”
Hearing Ye Zhao speak to her, she became agitated and immediately replied, “My surname is Qi. Qi Yuan.”
“I see,” Ye Zhao replied with polite courtesy. “Madam Qi.”
“Son, what are you doing?” Lord Ye pulled on Ye Zhao’s arm, asking worriedly. Madam Ye also looked at him.
Ye Zhao gave them a reassuring look, then turned back. “Madam Qi, after hearing everything you’ve said, I have a few questions I’d like to ask. May I?”
Since things had reached this point, Ye Zhao had to get serious.
“Ask!” Madam Qi said quickly, wiping away her tears.
Ye Zhao looked at her and asked, “First question: you said earlier that people were hunting you and Lord Tianshu. Who was hunting you?”
A look of bitterness slowly spread across her face. She lowered her eyelids for a moment, then looked directly at Ye Zhao. “It was your father’s clansmen.”
“Your father’s clan is quite mysterious. I don't know much, only one rule: they are forbidden from intermarrying with outsiders. But... your father not only made me his wife, he had you.”
Ye Zhao’s expression didn't change. He had already mentally adjusted to her constantly referring to Tianshu as his father.
The others listened, their minds racing.
Ye Zhao asked again, “Then where are you from? How did you meet Tianshu? How long were you together? How was your relationship?”
He threw out several questions at once, completely forgetting about proper sequencing.
While the others were still trying to remember everything he’d asked, Madam Qi’s expression remained unchanged. She was calm and composed as she answered them one by one. “I am not from the Four Kingdoms. I am the youngest daughter of another hidden clan. Years ago, your father accidentally stumbled into our clan’s territory. That is how we met. We spent three years together, and over time, feelings grew between us, and we became husband and wife. A year later, we had you.”
“As for our relationship... isn't your existence proof enough? Your father was not a man who would allow himself to have a weakness.” Her face showed a mix of nostalgia, longing, and sorrow, but the smile she gave was warm and caring.
Ye Zhao suppressed the urge to cringe at her phrasing, his mind filled with growing doubts. He asked, “You knew him very well?”
Madam Qi took on a thoughtful look, as if reflecting. “I wouldn't dare say I knew him perfectly. I only knew a little.”
This answer wasn't too surprising. In fact, those who had interacted with Tianshu in the past felt this answer was the most logical. Who could claim to truly understand a man like that?
Ye Zhao looked thoughtful, tapping his chin with the handle of his fan. Suddenly, he spoke. “I might actually be Tianshu’s son. I recently remembered some things from my childhood. I think I might have seen him.”
He spoke calmly, but to the crowd, it was like a firework exploding in their brains.
Lord Ye was startled and cried out emotionally, “Son, what nonsense are you talking? Since when did you become Tianshu’s son?” He was so shocked he even forgot to use a respectful title for Tianshu.
Beside him, Madam Ye’s expression also changed, turning stiff and incredulous.
Ye Zhao looked back and made a gesture for silence, then turned his gaze back to Madam Qi, watching her every move and every flicker of emotion.
But Madam Qi’s reaction seemed right. She was stunned at first, then a look of joy gradually flooded her face. She murmured, “My husband is fine... he isn't dead...” Tears began to well up in her eyes again.
Ye Zhao continued, “He met me a few times and said some things to me. He even told me a few secrets. I want to ask you, Madam Qi, to see if you know them.”
His intent was blunt. She wiped her tears and said, “Go ahead...”
Her readiness made Ye Zhao pause for a second. His gaze suddenly caught the Star-Plucking Tower in the distance. A flash of inspiration hit him, and he blurted out: “The towering pavilion is a hundred feet high. What is the next line?!”
“One’s hand could almost pluck the stars,” Madam Qi replied without hesitation.
The officials sitting nearby were instantly excited. They had heard this poem before! For a moment, the looks they directed at Ye Zhao were incredibly fervent.
*Off to a bad start!* Ye Zhao tried another. “When will the moon be clear and bright?”
The air was silent for a few seconds.
Madam Qi looked troubled. “This line... I never heard my husband mention it.”
*Fine, she doesn't know.* As a native of this world, he couldn't expect her to know as much as he did.
Ye Zhao spoke again. “A plucked phoenix is worse than a... what?”
*Huh?* The people present were baffled. What kind of strange question was that?
Yet Madam Qi answered immediately. “A chicken.”
Ye Zhao pondered for a moment, then another question came. “What do red, yellow, and green represent as signals?”
Madam Qi considered it and said, “Red is danger, yellow is a warning, and green is safety.”
*Holy crap!* It actually had that meaning? The onlookers were all greatly surprised. Even Minister Qian and the others were racking their brains, trying to remember if Lord Tianshu had ever said such a thing.
But looking at Ye Zhao’s expression, they knew she had gotten it right again.
Ye Zhao was now starting to believe that this woman might truly have some connection to Tianshu. But he stayed calm and held his ground. The "Big Boss" had transmigrated many years before him; it was possible some of his sayings had spread and become known to others.
“What are the Socialist Core Values?”
Madam Qi fell silent again.
*Good, she doesn't know.*
Ye Zhao figured that since the Big Boss was so skilled in mechanics, he likely would have mentioned things in that field. “Lord Tianshu was an expert in mechanics. Which schools of thought are the strongest representatives of the art of mechanics?”
Madam Qi thought about this for a long time. She frowned and said, “The Mohists.” Then she added, “There seemed to be others, but... I cannot remember clearly...”
*Just remembering that one is enough to prove the point, lady.*
Ye Zhao felt a bit of a headache coming on. He said, “What other strange things did Lord Tianshu say to you? Why don't you tell us?”
And so, she slowly began to speak.
“A beast leaves its skin; a passing goose leaves its feathers.”
“From a thousand mountains, the flight of birds has vanished; on ten thousand paths, the footprints of men are erased.”
“Where hills bend and streams wind, the path seems to end; past dark willows and flowery trees, another village appears.”
“...”
She went on for quite a while. By the time she finished, almost everyone present believed her. She really did have a history with Lord Tianshu!
Ye Zhao could no longer keep his composure. This practically confirmed it—she definitely had a connection to Tianshu, unless there was a third transmigrator in the world besides Tianshu and himself.
So, her coming to find him today...
He looked back at his father and mother, feeling confused. *Could what she said be true??*
No, no, no. Ye Zhao still didn't want to believe he had transmigrated into the son of the Big Boss. That would be... miraculous!
He forced himself to stay focused for one last test. This time he didn't speak; he simply reached out a hand.
Madam Qi looked at him but didn't move.
The two stared at each other from a distance. Two seconds passed. Ye Zhao: “?”
He showed a hint of confusion, but the others were even more confused. What was he doing?
He spoke to test her. “Did Lord Tianshu not tell you what a handshake represents?”
Only then did Madam Qi react. She reached out her hand and walked toward Ye Zhao, a look of embarrassment on her face. “He indeed never told me about that.”
Unexpectedly, the moment Ye Zhao’s gaze fell upon her hand, he immediately withdrew his own and stepped back two paces. His expression shifted.
She had reached out her left hand. And the moment Ye Zhao saw it, he remembered something. He asked, “Where is your ring?”
His gaze swept over both of her hands.
“What ring?” Her movements stiffened.
With a few paces between them, Ye Zhao said in a low voice, “The wedding ring. The marriage ring Tianshu gave to you.”
“You couldn't possibly not know, could you? If he truly loved someone and made them his wife, he would give them a wedding ring. This ring holds extraordinary significance; it represents his affection for you and is meant to be worn on the hand at all times. But you?”
His voice was laced with obvious suspicion. “You have nothing on your hands.”
The scene fell silent.
It was the first time anyone present had heard of such a custom. While intrigued, those with sharp eyes looked at Madam Qi’s hands. Indeed, there was no ring.
Seeing Ye Zhao’s absolute certainty, it seemed this was a very real thing.
In truth, Ye Zhao had only been startled for a moment before deciding to test her. He figured that as a modern person, the Big Boss likely wouldn't have changed the custom of giving a ring for marriage.
But he wasn't certain.
He hadn't expected that this sudden, unexpected test would actually expose a flaw.
***
Glossary
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
滴血验亲 | Blood-dropping test | A traditional (though scientifically inaccurate) method used to determine biological relationships by seeing if blood drops merge in water.
齐媛 | Qi Yuan | The name of the woman claiming to be Ye Zhao's biological mother.
墨家 | Mohists / Mohism | An ancient Chinese school of philosophy that emphasized logic, social welfare, and was famous for its expertise in defensive engineering and mechanics.
摘星楼 | Star-Plucking Tower | A tall building mentioned in the text, likely a landmark in the capital.
危楼高百尺，手可摘星辰 | The towering pavilion is a hundred feet high, one’s hand could almost pluck the stars | Lines from a famous poem by Li Bai ("Night Stay at a Mountain Temple").
明月几时有 | When will the moon be clear and bright | The opening line of a famous Ci poem by Su Shi.
社会主义核心价值观 | Socialist Core Values | A modern Chinese political concept; used here as a humorous "transmigrator test."
