Edward Carter sat down, and a servant brought hot tea. He picked it up and slowly took a sip.

Alice Bennett stood quietly in the hall, watching Edward Carter.

Edward Carter's appearance hadn't changed much, but his entire demeanor seemed like that of a different person.

After leaving Alice Bennett standing for the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, Edward Carter finally said, "You're wearing quite a lot, even draped in fur, and just standing in the cold wind for a while has left you like this?"

Edward Carter narrowed his eyes slightly. "I remember you used to be in good health."

Alice Bennett thought for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "After I went to Qiannan, I couldn't adapt to the climate and fell ill. Since then, my health has been a bit weak... I've made a fool of myself before Your Highness."

Edward Carter set the teacup on the table and said blandly, "That's not the truth."

Alice Bennett endured a stabbing headache and forced himself to respond, "Someone of my lowly status dares not trouble Your Highness with my concerns."

Edward Carter was silent for a moment, then asked, "Is it because of me?"

Alice Bennett, dizzy and lightheaded, shook his head. "No."

Edward Carter let out a mocking laugh, as if about to accuse Alice Bennett of lying, but in the end said nothing and resumed sipping his tea.

Alice Bennett thought to himself, If you have something to ask, hurry up. If I faint in a moment, you won't even get a lie out of me.

Edward Carter drank his tea alone, as if he had forgotten about Alice Bennett. Alice Bennett slowly flexed his fingers, knowing full well he should be focusing on dealing with Edward Carter right now, but he couldn't help letting his mind wander.

Edward Carter really had changed a lot.

What on earth had happened to him over these years?

When Alice Bennett was young, moving in and out of the palace, he had once heard a secret rumor.

It was said that Edward Carter was not the biological son of Prince Yu, but rather the illegitimate son of Emperor Chong'an.

There was, of course, a reason for such rumors to spread.

For example, Emperor Chong'an's extraordinary favor toward Edward Carter; by comparison, the Fourth and Fifth Princes of the same age were sidelined.

And then there was the fact that Emperor Chong'an had always lost his sons in infancy: his eldest and second sons died young, and the third was sickly. If Edward Carter really was the emperor's son, by age he would be the fourth. Could it be that the emperor, believing the words of a fortune-teller and knowing his throne was not rightfully obtained, feared for his descendants' fate? Seeing his first three sons die or fall ill, perhaps he worried he couldn't keep his fourth son alive either, so he sent him to be raised in the household of his full-blooded sister, Princess Anguo?

There were many such pieces of circumstantial evidence, but when Alice Bennett first heard the rumor as a child, he didn't believe it.

First, Alice Bennett had once calculated Edward Carter's birth date and found that none of Emperor Chong'an's consorts could have given birth to Edward Carter that year.

Of course, Edward Carter could have been secretly born to some nameless palace woman, but Edward Carter was made heir to the prince at just one year old. If he really was the emperor's son, for the emperor to give his own child to Prince Yu as heir would be tantamount to forcing Prince Yu into rebellion.

Prince Yu was not incapable of having children—he already had several illegitimate sons—yet he was forced to make another man's child his heir, handing over the hard-won hereditary title of prince. How could he be willing?

Alice Bennett didn't believe Prince Yu could be so loyal to the emperor as to raise another man's son and even hand over his ancestral inheritance.

But...

Alice Bennett frowned slightly. If Emperor Chong'an doted on Edward Carter so much, why wouldn't he grant him a princess in marriage? Such a union would strengthen ties with a non-imperial prince—why not do it?

The Fourth Princess was indeed too young, but the Third Princess was about the same age as Edward Carter, yet the emperor never bestowed a marriage.

And when Edward Carter sought to marry the Fourth Princess, the emperor, unusually, became angry with him.

Alice Bennett's head throbbed so badly he couldn't even think about his own situation, instead worrying for Edward Carter.

The emperor's sons and grandsons had died one after another, so now he was uneasy about Xuanrui and Xuanyu, insisting on seeing them himself. Could no one else see what he was thinking?

The Fourth Prince, Xuanjing, and the Fifth Prince, Xuanqiong—could they not see it?

They even feared Prince Ning's two sons, so what about Edward Carter?

As for Edward Carter's true parentage, only Emperor Chong'an knew for sure, but Xuanjing and Xuanqiong would not know.

Suddenly, Alice Bennett found it hard to breathe. Had these two princes already begun to guard against Edward Carter as if he were a prince himself?

Was Emperor Chong'an's favor for Edward Carter genuine, or was he just using him as a target...

Alice Bennett's head buzzed, and he could barely stand. He felt so unwell that, unable to hold back, he blurted out, "After all these years of turmoil, is it that you want... to avoid the chaos of the succession struggle?"

Edward Carter was taken aback, then suddenly laughed.

Edward Carter set his teacup on the table, as if he'd just heard the greatest joke in the world, and laughed to himself for quite a while. Alice Bennett was secretly shocked—Edward Carter had never been like this before.

At last, Edward Carter finished laughing. He coughed lightly, straightened his disheveled robe, and shook his head. "No, I'm just afraid I won't be able to get involved."

Alice Bennett's ears were ringing and his head ached. If he weren't so familiar with Edward Carter's voice, he wouldn't even have understood what was said. Alice Bennett grew angry. "You never had any hope to begin with, so why..."

Edward Carter paused, realizing what Alice Bennett was thinking, and laughed again. After a while, he said, "What are you thinking?"

Edward Carter restrained his smile and said calmly, "I just want to make sure no one has it easy."