Pei Lingyue was worried that Old General Chen might be too overwhelmed by the shock and wouldn’t be able to endure it, so he specifically ordered the imperial physician to wait in the side hall, ready to be summoned at a moment’s notice.
Chen Qiyao appeared composed.
Pei Lingyue marveled inwardly: Truly a veteran general who had weathered countless storms—his resilience was still intact.
After a while, Chen Qiyao forced a smile and said, "Your Majesty, this old subject seems to have heard something wrong just now."
Then he clutched his chest and collapsed backward.
Pei Lingyue hastily called for the imperial physician.
After administering a few acupuncture needles, the physician said, "The old general is suffering from a surge of rage and distress."
Pei Lingyue could understand his feelings: The only heir left by his son turned out not to be his own flesh and blood, and his own birth mother had been an accomplice—this was indeed hard for anyone to accept.
After more acupuncture and a dose of medicinal broth, Chen Qiyao regained consciousness.
Pei Lingyue waved his hand, dismissing everyone else from the room.
Tears streamed down Chen Qiyao’s aged face as he said, "Your Majesty, this subject is filled with hatred."
He didn’t doubt the truth of the matter—how could the divine powers make such a mistake?
Pei Lingyue sighed. "That’s all the more reason for you to take care of your health and not give them the satisfaction."
If necessary, he could also issue an edict sending Old Madam Chen to a temple for spiritual retreat. The wealth and luxury she now enjoyed were all earned by the old general on the battlefield, where he had narrowly escaped death multiple times and was left with a body full of ailments. If she had even an ounce of maternal love, she would never have treated her own son this way.
Chen Qiyao asked, "Does Shuoye know the truth?"
Pei Lingyue replied, "He often extorts money from your sister-in-law for gambling. Just a few days ago, he lost five hundred taels in a single bet."
Chen Qiyao understood. If Chen Shuoye hadn’t known about his true origins, he wouldn’t have dared to brazenly demand money from a distant relative like this. So the entire family had kept him in the dark—they were the real family, and he was the outsider.
Remembering how Chen Shuoye had frequently hinted that he should divide the family estate in his favor, Chen Qiyao’s heart grew even colder.
"This subject has behaved improperly today," he said with difficulty, forcing a strained smile as he apologized to the emperor.
Pei Lingyue, of course, did not blame him.
"Perhaps you should rest in the palace for a couple of days before leaving."
Chen Qiyao shook his head. "This subject wishes to return home as soon as possible to settle this matter."
"Your Majesty need not worry about me. At least before I die, I have learned the truth, and even my family’s disgrace can contribute in some small way to the future peace and strength of Great Qi. Heaven has not treated me too harshly."
He spoke these words, and in his heart, he comforted himself with the same thought. He would rather suffer now than let those so-called relatives who had deceived him off easily.
Having served as the emperor’s minister for so long, he had some understanding of Pei Lingyue’s temperament. The more magnanimous he appeared, the more the emperor would feel indebted to him—and the less lenient he would be toward the second branch of the family.
Hearing Old General Chen’s words, Pei Lingyue was deeply moved.
Truly a pillar of the state, as certified by Yu Miaohua. Even at a time like this, he was still thinking about the mission’s rewards.
"This emperor will not spare those who deceived you," Pei Lingyue declared.
Chen Qiyao wore an expression of gratitude.
Pei Lingyue’s way of showing favor was through lavish rewards.
A flood of imperial gifts was sent to the Chen residence.
When Chen Qiyao returned home, he found his second brother’s entire family waiting for him in the main hall.
Seeing him return, Chen Qiping stepped forward and asked, "Elder Brother, why has His Majesty suddenly bestowed so many gifts?"
The sight of all that gold had made his eyes gleam with greed. But without his elder brother’s permission, he didn’t dare to simply move it to his own courtyard.
He thought to himself: His elder brother had always been filial, so surely the best items would be sent to their mother. And what was their mother’s was effectively his.
Chen Qiyao noted the avarice in his brother’s eyes. His gaze swept over the others in the hall as he said coolly, "It’s nothing. His Majesty learned that I often provide aid to disabled and impoverished soldiers and was concerned I might lack funds, so he granted these gifts to supplement my efforts."
Hearing that he intended to spend the wealth on commoners again, Chen Qiping was displeased. His elder brother, for the sake of his own reputation, had never once considered supporting his own blood brother. If that money had been given to him, he could have acquired several more shops and thousands of acres of fertile land.
"Elder Brother, you’ve already done enough for them. It’s time to think of your own family. Shuoye is your only grandson—you must leave something for him."
Chen Shuoye nodded in agreement: His real grandfather truly cared for him.
Old Madam Chen also chimed in, "Your brother is right. I know you want to help those people, but you mustn’t drag your own family down."
If they hadn’t mentioned Chen Shuoye, Chen Qiyao might have kept his temper in check. But at the mention of his name, the rage he had suppressed flared up again.
He looked at Chen Shuoye, who wore an expression of earnest agreement, and said, "I wasn’t aware Shuoye was short on funds. He seems to have plenty to spare, given how freely he gambled away five hundred taels recently. Even I wouldn’t dare throw money away like that in a gambling den."
At these words, Chen Shuoye’s face instantly paled.
How did his grandfather know about this? Who had betrayed him?
Chen Qiyao continued, "Rather than letting him squander silver, it’s better spent on those who truly need it. His Majesty also approved of my actions, praising me for keeping the common people in my heart. I cannot disappoint His Majesty’s expectations—unless you believe His Majesty is in the wrong?"
No one dared to say the emperor had erred, especially not the current emperor, who could be lenient at times but whose ruthlessness was equally terrifying. His own maternal uncle had been executed without hesitation. His in-laws, after crossing his bottom line, had also been swiftly removed, never to be seen again.
Recalling the emperor’s "illustrious achievements," Old Madam Chen’s heart pounded wildly.
Lady Cao, Chen Qiping’s wife, grew anxious. "Elder Brother, how did you know Shuoye went to the gambling den?"
He even knew about the five hundred taels. Lady Cao thought of the money she had given Chen Shuoye just days ago and seethed—why couldn’t this child ever listen to advice?
Chen Qiyao replied, "A palace eunuch saw it while out on an errand. His Majesty is already aware of this matter. Since Shuoye has no interest in serving as a guard, he need not hold the position any longer."
Chen Shuoye’s guard title was purely honorary, requiring no actual duties. But with this nominal rank, he at least held an official status, setting him apart from other idle noble youths.
Chen Shuoye had previously complained that the position wasn’t lofty enough—now, he couldn’t even keep this much, and panic set in.
"Grandfather, I was wrong."
Old Madam Chen also grew frantic. "Can’t you plead for leniency? The child was just momentarily confused—he won’t dare do it again."
Chen Qiyao observed the undisguised anxiety on his second brother and sister-in-law’s faces: This was what a real family looked like.
He said, "Whatever face I had left before His Majesty has been lost because of him. I had planned to submit a petition to pass the family title to him, but now that’s out of the question for the next few years."
At this, Chen Shuoye’s face drained of all color. Knowing his true origins, he had been restless, fearing something might go wrong before the title was officially his.
Yet now, because of a few gambling sprees, his inheritance had hit a snag.
"Grandfather, what must I do to make amends?"
"Yes, waiting a few more years is too long." What if his elder brother’s health declined and he passed away before then? What if the emperor changed his mind and revoked the title entirely?
Chen Qiyao had already prepared his speech in advance. "Unless Shuoye proves himself in the coming days—for example, by contributing funds alongside me to support retired veterans."
At the mention of donations, the second branch of the family all winced as if suffering a toothache.
Chen Qiyao didn’t spare them another glance and headed straight back to his quarters.
Old Madam Chen summoned her second son and Lady Cao to her room to discuss the matter of inheriting the family title.
"Money can always be earned back, but if we lose the title, it’s gone forever. The Emperor has already revoked several noble titles this year."
"Elder Brother still has his late wife’s dowry," Lady Cao said, unwilling to dip into her own funds. As for asking Shuoye to contribute—where would that boy even get money?
Old Madam Chen shot her a disapproving look. "Right now, he’s resentful. At most, he’ll use his own money, but he won’t touch anything else. You must think long-term. Eventually, his mother’s dowry will all go to Shuoye."
"If you contribute some funds now and show your affection for Shuoye, your elder brother might be moved enough to pull some strings for you."
Lady Cao found her mother-in-law’s reasoning persuasive. After discussing it with her husband, they decided to use the money originally set aside for buying land. She also harbored another thought: if Shuoye didn’t prove himself, how could he ever catch the eye of Consort Hui’s younger sister? The Yu family wouldn’t even spare a glance for the Empress’s own relatives.
Old Madam Chen also made a significant contribution. Between the second branch and her own funds, they pooled together ten thousand taels of silver.
When they presented the money, Chen Qiyao feigned surprise. "What’s all this?"
Lady Cao sighed. "It’s been years since your wife passed, and Shuoye’s mother was also taken too soon. All these years, I’ve been the one looking after Shuoye. I failed to raise him properly, and his mistakes today are partly my fault. I truly see him as my own grandson and only wish for his success. This money is our humble contribution to support the retired veterans—a token of our sincerity."
Chen Qiyao accepted it without hesitation. "Understood. I’ll inform His Majesty of your goodwill."
That was exactly what Lady Cao wanted to hear, and she parted with the money willingly.
Meanwhile, Chen Shuoye had been clinging to Chen Qiyao lately, claiming he wanted to learn military strategy and become a great general.
Chen Qiyao knew full well the boy’s capabilities—and that this was all just an act.
He put Shuoye through rigorous horse-stance training, making him hold the position for at least two hours daily.
The punishment left Shuoye regretting his decision almost immediately, but he couldn’t back out now. If he gave up this time, his grandfather would truly wash his hands of him, and his standing with the Emperor would plummet even further.
Gritting his teeth, he endured the pain, feeling as though his legs no longer belonged to him. After each session, he spent the rest of the day bedridden.
Chen Qiyao made life difficult for the entire second branch, even squeezing money out of his own mother.
Seeing them suffer lifted his spirits, and he looked more energetic than ever.
Soon, the fifth day of the tenth month arrived.
The Chen family had invited numerous distinguished guests for the ceremony—Grand Preceptor, Grand Tutor, Marquis Liewu, generals…
Since Chen Qiyao’s retirement, the family had never hosted such an illustrious gathering.
With no matriarch in the main branch after Chen Qiyao’s wife’s passing, Lady Cao took charge of the arrangements.
She knew her brother-in-law had sent out many invitations, but she never expected so many honored guests to actually attend.
They must have come out of respect for Princess Qingyan.
Lady Cao became even more determined to have her granddaughters forge closer ties with the princess. Even if the princess had a temper, enduring it would be worth it.
As a woman, she couldn’t personally entertain the male guests.
She turned to her maid. "Where is the master?"
What was her husband doing? Instead of seizing this chance to network, where had he disappeared to?
The maid shook her head. "No one has seen the Second Master for a while."
Lady Cao clenched her teeth. "Find him. And be discreet—don’t draw attention."
"And Shuoye? He should be here, learning a thing or two from his grandfather."
The maid knew the answer to that.
"Young Master tripped over the threshold earlier and broke his leg. He’s resting in his room now."
Lady Cao rubbed her temples. Why were they all causing trouble on such an important day?
A deep sense of unease settled in her chest.
She tried to reassure herself—she was just being paranoid.
Slapping her cheeks lightly, she steeled herself and went to attend to the female guests.
Meanwhile, Chen Qiyao personally received the guests he had invited.
His missing leg was concealed beneath his robes, supported by a wooden prosthetic. Over the years, he had grown accustomed to it. Unless one looked closely, the slight limp was barely noticeable.
Yu Miaoping followed behind him, dressed in riding attire, her hair tied back simply without adornments, exuding a spirited air.
Yuan Xinji and the others knew Consort Hui’s younger sister had ties to Chen Qiyao. He patted Chen Qiyao’s shoulder. "You’ve had it rough."
Chen Qiyao had long since come to terms with his emotions. "At least I didn’t learn the truth on my deathbed… Do you think my younger brother would’ve waited until his last breath to tell me?"
Yuan Xinji and the others considered it. Given the second branch’s behavior, it was entirely possible—a final act of spite to leave him with no peace in death.
Yu Miaoping, unaware of the truth, was utterly lost. Her master had only instructed her to stay away from the second branch—and from Chen Shuoye.
She could tell her teacher disliked them, so whenever they tried to cozy up to her, she played the spoiled noble girl, demanding they race with her—a surefire way to drive most away.
Yuan Xinji and the others were curious how Chen Qiyao planned to fulfill his task.
Chen Qiyao merely said, "You’ll see soon enough."
As the ceremony approached, Lady Cao’s people still hadn’t located the Second Master.
Furious, she had no choice but to proceed without him.
Then, a commotion erupted at the entrance.
Lady Cao looked up to see the Emperor and Consort Hui arriving, surrounded by their entourage.
Her breath hitched. Princess Qingyan truly was Consort Hui’s most beloved sister—for her, even the Emperor had been persuaded to attend.
She became even more resolved to secure Shuoye’s marriage to Yu Miaoping.
The other ministers, accustomed to their presence and aware of today’s purpose, weren’t the least bit surprised.
But the Chen family? They were beside themselves with awe.
Old Madam Chen trembled with excitement—this was the Chen family’s glory! Even after all these years in retirement, her eldest son still commanded such respect from the Emperor.
Surely, Shuoye’s gambling incident had been forgiven.
Her sacrifices had been worth it.
She bowed shakily.
Normally, Yu Miaohua would have excused her from formalities, but for Old Madam Chen, she saw no need for courtesy.
The saying "the wicked live a thousand years" must be referring to someone like Old Madam Chen.
Originally, Old Madam Chen was seated in the place of honor, but when Pei Lingyue and Yu Miaohua arrived, she naturally had to yield her seat.
Their timing was impeccable—no sooner had they taken their seats than the apprenticeship ceremony began.
The gifts for Yu Miaoping’s apprenticeship were prepared by Yu Miaohua. In addition to the customary offerings, she had specifically selected three special items, each contained in its own box.
Yu Miaoping opened the first box, revealing a blue-green vial.
At the sight of it, Lu Lingyun’s first thought was "longevity elixir"—but upon closer inspection, the vial lacked the swirling mist characteristic of such a treasure, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
It wasn’t that they had a poor relationship with Chen Qiyao… Naturally, they wished him well, but they also feared he might become so well-off that he could afford longevity elixirs, leaving them far behind.
Yu Miaoping’s voice was bright and clear as she explained, "My sister said that Master has suffered many ailments in service to Great Qi. The pills inside are for strengthening the body—they should at least ease his joint pain on cloudy days."
Pills for strengthening the body were far cheaper than longevity elixirs, so their vial lacked any special effects.
Chen Qiyao hadn’t expected such a benefit from taking on this new apprentice. Without hesitation, he opened the vial and swallowed a pill. He had expected to need water to wash it down, but the moment it touched his tongue, it dissolved—cool and refreshing, with no bitterness at all.
Lu Lingyun: "…"
He was thoroughly envious.
Of course, envy aside, he still had to return to the frontier next year, so he couldn’t take on an apprentice himself.
Old Madam Chen watched as her son consumed the pill so casually and grew frantic.
At her age, if she could take such a pill, she might live several more years.
Her eldest son was so selfish, thinking only of himself and not his elderly mother.
Though these were her thoughts, she dared not voice them—not with the Emperor and Consort Hui seated right there.
The second box contained a telescope.
Of course, this wasn’t a gift from the system but one crafted by the glassworks. Given the complexity of the technology for this era, only two had been successfully produced so far.
Chen Qiyao had heard of telescopes before and immediately tried it out. What he saw startled him—people seemed to leap forward, appearing right before his eyes.
"Amazing! Truly amazing!"
Lu Lingyun grew even more sour. He hadn’t even gotten his hands on one yet, and Chen Qiyao was already playing with it.
Naturally, Chen Qiyao would keep the telescope for himself to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands.
Upon closer inspection, the telescope’s body was made of wood, bearing a serial number—his was the very first. This only added to his pride, and he couldn’t resist showing it off to Lu Lingyun and the others.
The third box held a dagger.
This was no ordinary blade—Yu Miaohua had exchanged it from the system, forged from ultra-hard alloy, far surpassing common steel in sharpness.
Chen Qiyao drew the dagger from its sheath, admiring its golden gleam. Even without testing it, he could feel its razor-sharp edge.
He took out another knife he carried and slashed it with the dagger—his own blade snapped cleanly in two.
Lu Lingyun’s eyes nearly turned red with envy. Was this Consort Hui’s compensation to Chen Qiyao?
With compensation like this, he wouldn’t mind having his family’s shame broadcast to the entire world.
"Is this dagger for sale?"
Chen Qiyao immediately tucked it away, grinning smugly. "Not for sale."
It wasn’t just military men like Lu Lingyun who coveted it—even civil officials like Yuan Xinji were green with envy.
Yuan Xinji mused that his daughter had always been on good terms with Consort Hui. He’d have to encourage Huirou to spend more time around her, hoping to trigger some kind of reward.
With these three gifts in hand, Chen Qiyao was in excellent spirits.
Old Madam Chen, too, adjusted her mood. In her view, these treasures would eventually be passed down to her beloved great-grandson.
After Yu Miaoping served tea, the apprenticeship ceremony was complete.
Chen Qiyao announced, "As your master, I also have a gift for you. Thirty years ago, the late Emperor bestowed upon me a Certificate of Immunity."
Back then, Chen Qiyao had repelled an invasion by the Taran tribe, even burning their sacred altar to the ground, bringing glory to Great Qi. Overjoyed, the late Emperor granted him the certificate.
Originally, Chen Qiyao had planned to return it to the throne before his death. But after learning of Consort Hui’s mission, he changed his mind.
Giving it to Yu Miaoping was, in a way, returning it to the Emperor’s hands.
Old Madam Chen and Lady Cao both paled.
With the Certificate of Immunity, even if the Chen family committed a crime punishable by extermination, they could escape death.
And now, Chen Qiyao was casually giving it away? Had he lost his mind?
Yet with the Emperor and Consort Hui present, they didn’t dare protest—only shooting frantic glances at Chen Qiyao.
Chen Qiyao declared, "I’ve kept the certificate in my study. Let us all retrieve it together."
Jiang Kangyou, guessing his intent, chuckled. "I’ve never seen a Certificate of Immunity before. Today, I’ll have that honor."
Yu Miaohua also brightened—the Emperor had told her that the old general knew the truth. The certificate must be the bait.
As the group made their way to the study, Old Madam Chen, seeing no way to stop this, wilted like a frostbitten eggplant.
Before they even reached the study, faint voices could be heard from within.
Pei Lingyue frowned. "Who is inside the general’s study?"
Chen Qiyao adopted an expression of confusion mixed with anger. "I gave strict orders—no one but me is allowed inside."
"I’ll see who dares defy my command."
As they drew closer, the voices became clearer.
Lady Cao and Old Madam Chen turned ashen—one of the voices was unmistakably Chen Qiping’s.
Lady Cao clenched her teeth. So her husband had sneaked into his elder brother’s study and been caught red-handed. Now their branch of the family would be humiliated before the Emperor.
She could only pray he had gone there to rest and hadn’t done anything irreparable.
"Master, let’s leave quickly. This is the grandmaster’s study. If we’re discovered, there’ll be trouble."
"Why shouldn’t I be in my elder brother’s study? I need to find that Certificate of Immunity first! I’ve never even seen one in my life."
Chen Qiping’s voice was slurred with drink.
Realizing her husband was drunk and making a scene, Lady Cao opened her mouth to warn him—but Yu Miaoping swiftly clamped a hand over it. She moved so fast that even the maids Chen Qiyao had stationed nearby couldn’t react in time.
Chen Qiyao couldn’t help but admire his new apprentice’s quick thinking.
"The Certificate of Immunity belongs to the general. Eventually, it will go to Young Master Shuoye—it’s not ours. Master, don’t do something foolish."
"Ha! You fool. Shuoye’s things are ours too. After all, Shuoye… is my own grandson."
"Big Brother is such a fool, raising our second branch’s heir his whole life. His noble title, family fortune, hereditary iron certificate… all of it belongs to us. Before he dies, I’ll make sure to tell him the truth—let him go to his grave with his eyes wide open. Hic—" Chen Qiping’s voice dripped with smug malice, so thick it was almost tangible. By the end, he even let out a drunken hiccup.
"Oh, is this true? Does Old Madam Chen know about this?"
"Of course my mother knows. Without her help, how could we have kept Big Brother in the dark all these years? She dotes on me the most."
"Mother also said that once Shuoye marries the younger sister of the Noble Consort Hui, he won’t just be a marquis—he’ll rise to duke! And then I’ll be the grandfather of a duke."
Lady Cao nearly fainted—their second branch was doomed. She knew her husband had a habit of spilling secrets when drunk, which was why she always kept a close eye on him. But today, in a moment of carelessness, he had slipped into the study of his elder brother and unleashed this catastrophe.
Old Madam Chen trembled under her son’s disbelieving, furious gaze, her limbs turning to ice. If not for the maid supporting her, she would have collapsed right then and there.
They were finished.
In Yu Miaohua’s mind, the system’s voice chimed.
[Congratulations, Host, for completing Main Quest 5.1: Preventing Chen Qiyao from being swindled out of his inheritance and exposing the schemes of Old Madam Chen and Chen Qiping’s family. Rewards have been issued~]
Pei Lingyue’s authoritative voice cut through the air.
"Chen Qiping has stolen the hereditary iron certificate—a crime of treason and disrespect to the throne. Take him away and sentence him to immediate execution."
Old Madam Chen fainted on the spot.
