Slamming the low table placed in the corner of the carriage, Jin Yan angrily scolded, "That Wu Ruizhan must do this on purpose to make us suffer! Just you wait! When we return to the imperial capital city, this princess will make my imperial father punish him!"
While Jin Yan was scolding Wu Ruizhan to vent her dissatisfaction, Shi Yixi and Jin Cen were in the middle of a discussion.
Sitting across from Jin Cen, Shi Yixi asked, "Your Highness, what do you think about this situation?"
Jin Cen pondered for a mont, then looked at Shi Yixi. "Imperial Teacher Shi, do you think this border town is a trap prepared for us by this prince’s imperial brothers?"
Shi Yixi shook his head at his words. "This old subject doesn’t think so."
Raising his brows slightly, Jin Cen curiously asked, "Oh? Does Imperial Teacher Shi think that besides this prince’s imperial brothers, there are other people who are capable of emptying a town and preparing this scene?"
Shi Yixi’s expression changed slightly when he heard this.
Then, he lowered his voice and said, "Your Highness, since this old subject has decided to support you to sit on the dragon throne, there is an imperial secret that this old subject wants to tell you."
When Jin Cen heard the words ’imperial secret’, he beca interested.
Recalling the conversation between his imperial father and Shi Yixi that he accidentally overheard when he was young, Jin Cen’s eyes flickered for a mont.
Jin Cen observed Shi Yixi’s calm expression, then probingly asked, "Imperial Teacher Shi, do you an the secret clan that has supported my imperial family for generations?"
The mont his words fell, Shi Yixi thoughtfully stared at Jin Cen. "Your Highness, where did you hear about this matter?"
Knowing that there was no use in hiding this matter, Jin Cen decided to tell him the truth.
"Imperial Teacher Shi, this prince overheard your conversation with my imperial father years ago. However, at that ti, this prince only heard part of it."
Jin Cen paused to observe Shi Yixi’s expression, but he couldn’t read any of Shi Yixi’s thoughts from his calm expression.
Pondering for a second, he added, "This prince rembers that my imperial father said one na—Tian Clan."
During their conversation, Jin Cen’s gaze never left Shi Yixi’s face. Therefore, when he ntioned the Tian Clan, he saw Shi Yixi’s expression change slightly.
After a long mont of silence, Shi Yixi finally spoke, "Your Highness, since you already know about the Tian Clan’s existence, then this old subject won’t hide anything from you."
Staring intently at Jin Cen, he added, "Your Highness, what this old subject will tell you later, you must keep secret. Only the emperor and his heir could learn about this matter."
Nodding in response, Jin Cen said, "Don’t worry. This prince will keep this matter secret and only let the future emperor know."
Receiving his promise, Shi Yixi took sothing out of his sleeve pocket. Opening the small pouch, he poured out a small, shiny black bead and showed it to Jin Cen.
Jin Cen picked the small black bead up from Shi Yixi’s palm, inspected it closely, and then curiously asked, "Imperial Teacher Shi, what is this?"
Shi Yixi lowered his voice and replied, "This is a black thunder dragon’s bead."
Having never heard of it, Jin Cen looked at the black bead. "Black thunder dragon’s bead?"
Nodding at him, Shi Yixi explained, "This black bead is sothing given to the royal family by the mysterious Tian Clan when the first emperor signed the blood contract with the Tian Clan."
Hearing the words blood contract, Jin Cen paused for a mont as a bad feeling appeared in his heart.
Looking at Shi Yixi, he comnted, "Blood contract... This na sounds ominous. Imperial Teacher Shi, can you tell what kind of contract my ancestor signed with this Tian Clan?"
Shi Yixi let out a sigh, then replied, "The blood contract is a contract established using one’s lifespan. If one of the parties violates the contract, they will pay with their lifespan. If the lifespan is not enough to pay, then the rest of the paynt will be paid using their direct family line."
Recalling the deaths of his imperial great-grandfather and imperial grandfather, Jin Cen’s eyes widened in realization.
Seeing this, Shi Yixi nodded in confirmation. "That’s right. The deaths of the previous emperors were caused by this blood contract."
Learning this truth, Jin Cen noticed sothing.
"Since my imperial great-grandfather and my imperial grandfather had paid with their lives, that ans they had violated the contract."
He paused for a second, then asked in a heavy tone, "Imperial Teacher Shi, can you tell this prince what rule they had violated that cost them their lives? Also, why did they sign the contract in the first place?"
Shi Yixi shook his head in response to Jin Cen’s question. "This old subject doesn’t know the details. This old subject is afraid that the only person who could answer this question is His Majesty."
Getting this answer, Jin Cen frowned. Clenching his hands, he muttered, "Then we can only wait until we return to the imperial capital city before this prince can ask my imperial father."
Just as he said this, the horse carriage finally stopped.
Lifting the window curtain, Shi Yixi looked outside. Finding that the army had stopped and began to set up the tents, he lowered the window curtain and said, "Your Highness, it seems that we will rest in this place for tonight."
Jin Cen nodded in response, but his mind was focused on the black bead in his palm.
Noticing this, Shi Yixi didn’t disturb him.
anwhile, out of the Jin Empire’s people’s sight, Wu Ruizhan was reporting the strange situation of the border town to Feng Xiyan.
After listening to Wu Ruizhan’s report, Feng Xiyan stared at the bonfire while the crackling sounds of the firewood filled the silent surroundings.
Seeing that he was deep in thought, Wu Ruizhan, the generals, and the vice-generals waited patiently.
When they thought that he wouldn’t say anything, Feng Xiyan looked away from the bubbling water inside the pot hung above the bonfire and then took out a few letters from his Qiankun Pouch.
Handing it to Wu Ruizhan, he said, "General Wu, you should read this first."
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