Jiaojiao is getting married, and the male leads fall for her and fight over her.

Chapter 250 The Emperor Recognizes His Relatives
As expected, Ziyu eventually succumbed to Pei Nanzhou's persuasion and revealed a secret she had intended to take to her grave.

Pei Nanzhou had considered that there might be something wrong with his background, but he didn't expect the problem to be so serious.

This is interesting. Does that mean he now has an equal opportunity with Pei Dongzhou? Before, Pei Dongzhou relied on being the heir apparent and didn't take him seriously, but now it's different. In terms of status, he's no less than Pei Dongzhou, the heir apparent, and might even be a level above him.

When Pei Dongzhou arrived, Ziyu had just walked away, and Pei Nanzhou's expression looked a bit strange, as if he had a strange sense of excitement.

He glanced at Ziyu's retreating figure and asked, "What did Ziyu say to you?"

Pei Nanzhou's expression quickly returned to normal, and he shook his head calmly: "It's nothing."

Pei Dongzhou didn't believe Pei Nanzhou's words, feeling that Pei Nanzhou's expression just now had a strange quality to it.

In addition, Pei Nanzhou's actions were extreme, and he was afraid that Pei Er would go to extremes.

"I have other things to take care of, so I'll be leaving now. Please make yourself at home, brother." Pei Nanzhou didn't want to waste any more words with Pei Dongzhou and quickly walked away.

Pei Dongzhou watched Pei Nanzhou's retreating figure, wondering if Ziyu had said something to Pei Nanzhou that caused his expression.

The more he thought about it, the more convinced he was that he was right, but Pei Nanzhou was unwilling to say, and there was nothing he could do.

He felt that Pei Nanzhou was becoming more and more distant from him. In the past, it was because of his cousin, and later it was because of Pei Zhichun's child-swapping incident. The entire Marquis's mansion disliked Pei Nanzhou, which was not a good thing for the extreme Pei Nanzhou.

However, the people he sent to keep an eye on Pei Nanzhou said that Pei Nanzhou stayed in Nanyuan and did not go anywhere, except for Qingfeng who went out of the Marquis's mansion.

At first, he didn't take it to heart, until the rumors about Pei Nanzhou not being Zhang's biological son but Pei Zhichun's son spread like wildfire, and he was shocked to realize that the rumor might have come from Pei Nanzhou.

But what he couldn't understand was why Pei Nanzhou would do such a thing. It wouldn't benefit Pei Nanzhou at all; even if the Marquis's reputation was damaged, would that really be advantageous to him?

What he didn't know was that this matter had such a huge impact that it was being discussed not only throughout the capital but also throughout the palace.

Emperor Jinglong happened to overhear two palace maids discussing this matter. He listened quietly for a moment, and the more he listened, the more suspicious he became: "Is Pei Er Pei Zhichun's biological son?!"

He remembered that Shen Shuyi was Pei Zhichun's true child, but if Pei Er was Pei Zhichun's true child...

He suddenly remembered something and immediately ordered his attendant Wang De to check Pei Nanzhou's age.

Once he learned Pei Nanzhou's true age, he understood why Pei Zhichun had switched children with Zhang Shi back then. Previously, when he learned that Shen Shuyi was Pei Zhichun's child, he knew the age discrepancy didn't apply.

But assuming that Shen Shuyi was Zhichun's child made him think a little too highly of her, though he was certain that Shen Shuyi could not be his own child.

But things are different now. Considering Pei Nanzhou's age, it's very likely that...

He couldn't sit still any longer and decided to leave the palace to see Pei Nanzhou.

He knew that all the children of the Pei family were outstanding, but only Pei Dongzhou was active in the imperial court. In the past, it was always Pei Dongzhou who attended palace banquets. Furthermore, the second son of the Pei family, who was born out of wedlock, was personally selected by him as the third-ranked scholar and served in the Hanlin Academy.

Pei San was close to Li Yi, so he had met Pei Er. Only Pei Nanzhou was low-key, rarely went out, and never attended any banquets, so he had never met Pei Er.

Wang De had served Emperor Jinglong for many years and knew about the emperor's romantic affairs.

In his youth, Emperor Jinglong was handsome and dashing, while Pei Zhichun was exceptionally beautiful; the two had a brief affair. However, Pei Zhichun refused to enter the palace, saying she didn't want to compete with so many women for one husband, and afterwards refused to see the emperor again. Emperor Jinglong, being a proud and arrogant man, had plenty of beauties throwing themselves at him as a ruler, so he didn't force Pei Zhichun to enter the palace.

Emperor Jinglong may have had some affection for Pei Zhichun, and perhaps even a little genuine affection, but not much. Even without Pei Zhichun, there were still plenty of beauties throwing themselves at His Majesty.

Several years passed before Emperor Jinglong mentioned Pei Zhichun again. An investigation revealed that Pei Zhichun had left the capital and his whereabouts were unknown.

In the years that followed, His Majesty would occasionally think of Pei Zhichun. Perhaps it was because she was the only woman he had never truly possessed that His Majesty still remembered her after so many years.

Later, His Majesty met Miss Shen.

Now that His Majesty has suddenly said he wants to go to the Marquis of Pingyang's residence and has asked him to check Pei Nanzhou's age, coupled with the recent rumors circulating in the capital about the child swap, he suspects that His Majesty thinks Pei Nanzhou is of royal blood.

Otherwise, why would His Majesty suddenly decide to visit the Marquis of Pingyang's residence in person?

Because it was a spur-of-the-moment decision, no one knew that Emperor Jinglong had personally visited the Marquis of Pingyang's residence.

The gatekeeper had never seen the emperor's face before and was unaware of Emperor Jinglong's origins, yet Emperor Jinglong bypassed him and entered the Marquis's residence.

The gatekeeper glanced outside again and saw that a number of soldiers had arrived, and the attendant who had been with the nobleman earlier was clearly an eunuch. He realized that something serious had happened and hurriedly went to report the matter to the Marquis of Pingyang.

Emperor Jinglong was eager to see Pei Nanzhou, so he casually asked one of his servants about Pei Nanzhou's address.

Before long, he arrived at Nanyuan.

Pei Nanzhou was waiting patiently. He didn't care about being a prince, but if it would help him get his cousin, then returning to his ancestral home would be the best outcome.

When Wang De saw Pei Nanzhou sitting in the courtyard reading a book, he thought to himself that this Pei Er looked somewhat like His Majesty when he was young. Not only in appearance, but even in temperament.

Otherwise, how could His Majesty have captivated so many beauties back then? Even Pei Zhichun, with her eccentric temperament, fell at His Majesty's feet.

At first glance, he knew that Pei Er was indeed His Majesty's son.

The moment Emperor Jinglong saw Pei Nanzhou, he felt that this was his own child.

He walked slowly up to Pei Nanzhou, his emotions running high: "You're Nanzhou?"

Pei Nanzhou looked at Emperor Jinglong with feigned incomprehension, then glanced at Wang De beside Emperor Jinglong.

Wang De quickly reminded him, "This is His Majesty, why don't you hurry up and greet His Majesty?"

Pei Nanzhou rose unhurriedly and bowed to Emperor Jinglong: "This humble subject respectfully wishes Your Majesty good health."

Emperor Jinglong helped Pei Nanzhou to his feet, and the more he looked at him, the more certain he became that this was his own child: "You are Zhichun's child?!"

Pei Nanzhou's expression was indifferent: "Everyone says so, so it must be so. Back then, my mother switched my two children so that I could have a better life. Now I am a sinner in the Marquis's mansion, and this family can no longer tolerate me. I wonder why Your Majesty would suddenly ask such a question?"

Based on his first impression of the emperor, he knew that Emperor Jinglong was a passionate yet ruthless ruler.

(End of this chapter)