Moreover, the imperial physician said that after giving birth to this child, Lady Ning's body was no longer suitable for further pregnancies. Even if she tried forcefully, the chances of conceiving were extremely slim. Thus, this baby boy who didn't live to see his first birthday became Lady Ning's only son. How could Lady Ning, who aimed to be the empress, accept that her son would not survive a year?
So, Lady Ning bribed the imperial physician and swapped her son with the child of Princess Zhaoyan. Afterward, she went to great lengths to kill all the maids and imperial physicians who knew about this.
Later, Lady Ning saw that Xia Lin, who had become the son of Princess Zhaoyan, not only didn't die within a year but also grew healthier under the careful care of the general's mansion. At that time, Lady Ning regretted her actions. But it was too late for her to turn back. Five years ago, Lady Ning's health deteriorated rapidly. On her deathbed, she summoned her younger sister, Lady Shu, and told her the secret.
Lady Ning wanted Xia Lin to know who his birth mother was. She hoped Lady Shu would find an opportunity to tell Xia Lin and reveal the truth to the emperor.
After hearing this, Xia Lin was in a complex state of mind. Fortunately, he was a time - traveler. If it were the real third prince, his mind might have collapsed.
Xia Lin took a deep breath. He had already made up his mind. "Even if I know who my birth mother is, it doesn't mean anything to me. My real parents are only Princess Zhaoyan and the top general of the current dynasty! Lady Shu, I hope nothing happened today!"
Lady Shu's face changed. She thought Xia Lin would be overjoyed and excited after learning his noble prince identity, but she never expected such a reaction. In this case, how could she help her sister's son seize the crown prince position and eventually ascend to the throne? She would never become the empress and would always be no match for Noble Consort Xuan! No, Lady Shu couldn't accept such a result.
"Dear nephew, don't you want to become the crown prince and ascend to the supreme throne?"
Xia Lin shook his head. "No, I'm not interested at all!"
Lady Shu got anxious. "Nephew, are you blaming your mother? She had no other choice at that time. Your mother could only have one child in her lifetime, and her family constantly pressured her to strive for the position of the empress. She was forced to do so. Over the years, your mother missed you every single day. She only used the current fake prince. You were always the only son in her heart. When you came to the palace to play as a child, your mother would secretly go to see you. She really loved you. She was still calling your name when she died."
Lady Shu's words were quite touching, but in Xia Lin's eyes, she was just moving herself. "Sorry, Lady Shu. For a baby who was abandoned on the day he was born, my parents are only Princess Zhaoyan and the general. I've never met Lady Ning. Now that she has passed away, let this secret stay in our hearts. I don't want to be a prince at all. So, I hope you can keep this secret." After saying that, Xia Lin left quickly before Lady Shu could say anything else.
Because of this incident, Xia Lin was in no mood to enjoy the plum garden later. After the evening banquet ended, he was absent - minded all the way back.
This naturally caught the attention of his parents and elder brother. His mother asked him, "What's wrong? I heard you met Lady Shu today. Did she make things difficult for you?"