On the Ark.

“I really am,” Lin Ye said. “I don’t have horns, I don’t have a tail, and my ears are in the normal position.”

"What do you mean by 'normal position'? It's as if my ears aren't in a normal position," the Iron-Eating Beast said irritably. "There's no such thing as normal or abnormal. Besides, if that's the case, the Fourth Princess doesn't have many dragon characteristics, but she's still a dragon."

"The Fourth Princess?" Lin Ye thought of the photo he saw on his phone yesterday and said, "It seems so. She doesn't have any dragon characteristics, not even horns. Could it be that she's not a dragon?"

As soon as Lin Ye finished speaking, the Iron-Eating Beast immediately reached out and covered his mouth.

"Shh!" The Iron-Eating Beast made a shushing gesture, looked around, and then released Lin Ye. "Don't talk nonsense, okay? How dare you slander the Fourth Princess?"

Lin Ye was very puzzled: "How did I slander you?"

"Isn't this slander? The current emperor is a dragon, the eldest prince and the second prince are dragons. Or rather, the entire Yan Kingdom royal family is dragons. So you say the fourth princess isn't a dragon, but a primitive human, isn't that just a way of saying the fourth princess isn't a legitimate heir to the royal family?" the Iron-Eating Beast said. "Do you think there's nothing wrong with saying this? If you think there's nothing wrong with it, then go tell the emperor of Ursus, 'I don't think you were born of your mother,' and see what the emperor of Ursus will do."

The example of the Iron-Eating Beast is quite vivid, though this is also because Lin Ye hadn't actually considered it that way. Many people in the Terra world don't have distinct racial features, appearing more like primitive humans. For example, Lin Ye initially thought ACE was a primitive human, only to later learn otherwise. On the Lungmen side, Wei Yanwu and Chen are both dragons, but their dragonification features are different. Wei Yanwu looks like a walking old dragon, while Chen looks like just a little dragon girl with horns and a tail.

“The more pronounced the racial characteristics, the purer the bloodline,” Warfarin added. “This fourth princess’s features are so few they’re almost invisible, doesn’t that mean…”

"So people in the upper echelons are saying that the Fourth Princess is actually somewhat insecure." The Iron-Eating Beast shrugged and said, "Some people also say that the Fourth Princess is not favored in the royal family, otherwise she would not have married down to the Eastern Kingdom. There has never been a case of a real princess marrying down in the history of Yan Kingdom, so the Fourth Princess seems to be the first."

Lin Ye couldn't help but say, "This is too tragic!"

"Tragic? Marrying from one royal family to another, I don't think it's tragic at all," said the Iron-Eating Beast. "The Eastern Kingdom isn't some barbaric land. The Fourth Princess is marrying the Crown Prince of the Eastern Kingdom. In other words, she's the future Queen Mother of the Eastern Kingdom. No matter what, she can't be any worse than a princess of the previous dynasty."

Lin Ye thought about it and felt that it did seem to be true.

Why would a commoner like him worry about a princess's happiness? Isn't that just being a busybody?

Then Warfarin asked, "Weren't the emperors of the Yan Kingdom also primitive humans?"

"Huh?" The Iron-Eating Beast frowned slightly and said, "The royal families of Yan Kingdom throughout history have all been dragons. When did they ever have any original humans?"

"What?" Warfarin asked, "Wasn't your First Emperor a primitive human?"

"The First Emperor was a primitive human?" The Iron-Eating Beast was somewhat bewildered. "How come I've never heard of that before?"

Lin Ye and Warfarin exchanged glances, each reading something special in the other's eyes.

"Does the library have a portrait of the First Emperor?" Lin Ye asked. "We'd like to pay our respects to the First Emperor."

"No need to go to the library." The Iron-Eating Beast stopped and raised its hand. "Isn't this it?"

They were approaching the library entrance when they looked in the direction the Iron-Eating Beast had pointed and saw a massive stone statue before them. The statue depicted a monarch holding a long sword, his posture identical to that of the First Emperor in the portrait Lin Ye had seen in Warfarin's laboratory. The inscription below the statue read, "The First Emperor unified the Yan Kingdom."

The only difference between a statue and a painting is...

The statue of the First Emperor depicts a dragon's head.

"Look, our First Emperor," the Iron-Eating Beast said with a hint of pride, "is the first true dragon emperor, definitely a pure-blooded dragon, not some primitive human."

Lin Ye and Warfarin exchanged another glance, neither speaking. It wasn't until the Iron-Eating Beast led them to get library cards that Lin Ye lowered his voice and asked Warfarin, "What's going on? Is there something wrong with your painting?"

“That possibility cannot be ruled out, but the painting is a replica I found in the Victoria Library. It was sent to the West from Yan Kingdom hundreds of years ago when the Silk Road had just opened,” Warfarin said. “Do you think anyone back then would have been so bored as to paint the First Emperor with the face of a primitive human?”

"Then you mean..."

Warfarin pursed her lips and said, "You'll see. The truth will out, and the lie will never become the truth. Even if a lie is told a hundred times, there will still be clues to find."

Lin Ye nodded. He suddenly felt that this trip to Yan Kingdom might be much more complicated than he had imagined.

At this moment, the Iron-Eating Beast returned with the library card.

"By the way, the library is having a big event in a few days. Would you like to come?" the Iron-Eating Beast asked.

What activity?

The Iron-Eating Beast said, "To celebrate the engagement ceremony of the Fourth Princess and the Crown Prince of the Eastern Kingdom, the First Emperor's sword, the 'Deer-Lu Sword,' will be moved from Chang'an to Luoyang and displayed in this library."

……

……

Author's Note: Here's a bit of background information: the Lu Lu Sword was the actual sword of the First Emperor of Qin in history, also known as the "King of Qin Sword" or "Cosmic Edge." Historical records state that the First Emperor used this sword to cut off Jing Ke's leg.

There are also rumors that the sword used to execute Bai Qi, the Marquis of Wu'an, was also this one.

Chapter 550 Yingzhen

Lulu Sword?

Lin Ye vaguely remembered that this was the sword that the First Emperor used to kill Jing Ke in real history. Because it was too long, he couldn't draw it for a long time, so Jing Ke chased him around a pillar. He didn't expect to find a Deer-Lu Sword here. He just didn't know what it looked like. Could it be like the Crimson Sky Sword, with some kind of power sealed within the sword itself?

Thinking about it that way, could he pull out that sword...? Stop! Stop! Stop!

Don't think about that again! This is Yan Kingdom, you must control your hands!

As Lin Ye was thinking this, he couldn't help but reach out and make a slapping gesture just like an adult. Grani, who was standing next to him, saw this and asked curiously, "Dr. Lin, what are you doing?"

"It's nothing," Lin Ye shook his head, trying to speak calmly. "I just had a little itch to pat my hands, a few pats will do the trick."

After saying that, he couldn't help but find it somewhat ridiculous. This time, the Deer-Lu Sword was placed in a display case as an exhibit; how could he possibly have the chance to touch it? It was truly worrying unnecessarily. And even if he could touch it, he absolutely, definitely, and certainly wouldn't touch it. After all, one can't just run into the same tree three times and die.

After that, they entered the library with the Iron-Eating Beast's library card.

"They" was actually just Lin Ye, Warfarin, and Grani, who was bored. Skadi wasn't interested in the library, nor was Nian, and since flammable and explosive items were prohibited from entering, Skadi and Nian were left to wait at the café outside the library, while the Ironhide Beast kept them company.

After that night's battle, the Iron-Eating Beast practically worshipped Nian and Skadi like goddesses. It constantly tried to get close to them, but Skadi wasn't interested, and Nian was completely oblivious, so the Iron-Eating Beast's efforts were destined to be in vain. Actually, Lin Ye hadn't really wanted to accompany Warfarin to look for books, but the fact that the First Emperor had been "replaced" did bother him, so he accompanied Warfarin to find information.

However, after searching through several books in the history section, he couldn't find the painting Warfarin had shown him, nor any books describing the First Emperor as a primitive human. Most of the books regarded him as the first true Son of Heaven. So, in the end, he could only return to Warfarin's side, quite dejected.

"We haven't found anything." Lin Ye saw Warfarin also looking at a pile of books and asked, "Do you have any clues here?"

“Of course,” Warfarin said calmly, “because you’ve picked the wrong book.”

"Did you look for the wrong book?" Lin Ye asked, somewhat puzzled. "Isn't it just in the history section?"

Warfarin glanced at Lin Ye and said, "There's a reason for dividing history into sections. Can't you look for a book about the Silk Road?"

Lin Ye was taken aback at first, then he understood: "You mean, we can find out the truth of what happened back then by looking at the things that Yan Kingdom gave out along the Silk Road? Just like that painting."

“Of course not. If the history of Yan Kingdom had really been altered, this place wouldn’t have been overlooked,” Warfarin said. “They could easily have altered what Yan Kingdom sent out back then.”

"Then why..."

“But they can’t change what Yan Kingdom received from the Silk Road.” Warfarin looked up at Lin Ye and said, “Do you think the gifts given to dragons are the same as the gifts given to people?”

Lin Ye opened his mouth slightly and said, "You could even think of that? You're so smart."

“That’s right,” Warfarin said with a touch of pride. “Don’t you know who I am?”

"So, what did you find?"

“Of course,” Warfarin shrugged. “No.”

Lin Ye: "..."

“The idea is correct, but most trade in that era was conducted privately, and there are hardly any records,” Warfarin said. “Perhaps the goods bought from the West were generally not very good, or perhaps they are simply not mentioned in this book.”

"Does that mean this lead has gone cold?"

“Of course not. Are you saying you don’t understand me?” Warfarin said irritably. “I only said it’s not in this book, not in any other book. How long has it been? Do you expect me to search the entire library?”

"Okay, I'll go look for it for you too."

“No, you go and investigate the descendants of the First Emperor,” Warfarin said. “I know it might be harder for me to find them, but I’ll try my luck.”

Lin Ye nodded and said, "I understand."

……

boom!

The wooden sword in his hand was knocked away. Hao Guangzhuqing, wearing protective gear, took two steps back. After staggering to his feet, the wooden sword was already pressed against his neck. He had to take a deep breath before smiling and saying, "I lost, Your Highness."

Ying Jie put down the wooden sword, then removed the protective gear from his head and said, "Zhu Qing, you weren't taking this seriously."

“It’s because Your Highness has progressed too quickly,” Hao Guangzhuqing said. “I can no longer keep up with Your Highness’s sword.”

Ying Jie hummed in agreement. After the maid beside him handed him a towel and he wiped the sweat from his forehead, he said indifferently, "After all, you are the crown prince of a country. You have far more to deal with than I, a prince who has nothing to do all day but practice swordsmanship."

"Don't say that, Your Highness." Hao Guangzhu waved his hand, signaling the guards and maids to step back, and then said with a smile, "Nothing is set in stone yet. I'm still waiting for the day when I can call you Your Majesty."

"Your Majesty, I can't even control my own sister anymore." Ying Jie's voice was extremely cold.

"Are you referring to Lili?"

“Who else could it be?” Ying Jie said. “I’m in the Prince’s mansion, and she doesn’t even come to pay her respects. I called her last night, and she made all sorts of excuses. Ha, if I were the Crown Prince like you, would any little girl dare to say no to me? I’ve been so good to her since she was a child, and I’ve raised a thankless ingrate.”

"Lili is still young after all."

“When I was her age, I had already become the first to receive the title of Master of the Palace.” Ying Jie said, then noticed the butler pacing outside the door and frowned slightly. “What’s wrong?”

The butler entered and said respectfully, "There is a small matter I need to report to you."

"What is it?"

The butler did not speak immediately, but instead looked up at Haoguang Zhuqing beside him.

Hao Guangzhuqing understood: "Then I'll go first..."

“No need.” Ying Jie interrupted impatiently. “You said it’s a small matter, so why hide it from Zhu Qing? Just say it.”

“Alright.” The butler nodded and said, “Wei Yanwu of Longmen wants the Prosecutor’s Office to help him investigate someone.”

"Wei Yanwu?" Ying Jie frowned slightly, his tone displeased. "Who does that two-faced guy want us to investigate for him?"

"This... is a photo." The butler handed it to Ying Jie.

After glancing at it, Ying Jie grabbed the teacup in his hand and smashed it.

Hao Guangzhuqing was startled. He stared at Ying Jie with wide eyes and clenched teeth, his tone full of disbelief.

"Ying Zhen... he's still alive?! How... is that possible?"

……

……

Author's BB: -116.

Although the name sounds rather feminine, I personally find it quite interesting. We discussed its meaning in a group chat the other day, and everyone thought it was quite catchy. I should also emphasize that the Yan Kingdom mentioned here is definitely different from the ancient history in reality; it's just a different entity, so there's no need to delve too deeply into it.

Chapter 551 My cowardly younger brother would absolutely never dare to return to Yan Kingdom.

Hao Guangzhuqing did not expect Ying Jie to suddenly lose his composure.