Chapter 75: The truth exceeds expectations (2) (1/2)

What a truly stubborn guy!

Han Yunxi’s shout stopped Han Congan. But when he turned to look at her, he suddenly had a fit of dizziness and fell, paralyzed, on the ground.

“You…” With great alarm, Han Yunxi called for the jailer to open the door. She only released a breath of relief after looking him over. Fortunately, Han Congan’s old head was certainly hard enough. He’d only suffered a surface injury, so his fainting wasn’t the result of a cerebral concussion. He remained paralyzed on the ground with his eyes closed, but he hadn’t really fainted away.

Han Yunxi signaled the jailer to leave as she sat down by his side. In any case, she’d already agreed to his terms, so she’d wait until he rested up before questioning him further. Han Congan might not be in serious condition, but he really was dizzy. After all, he’d suffered mentally in this cell for multiple days and nights.

Han Yunxi waited patiently by his side, trying to figure out the relationship between Lady Tianxin and Han Congan. Who was her real father? Was Lady Tianxin discontent up to the moment she died? Han Yunxi was patient, but Han Congan grew anxious. Even though he was still dizzy, he couldn’t help but ask, “Han Yunxi, you’ve accepted? Really?”

Han Yunxi gave him a cold glance and curled her lips in contempt. “Can you tell me the truth now?”

But Han Congan was in no rush. He merely lowered his head to suck in a breath. “Han Yunxi, I’m old. This time I’ve lost all standing and reputation and become utterly discredited with no successor to the Han Family medical arts. You know that between the sons I’ve left behind, none of them will do. Especially the eldest. Only the seventh is worth training, but he’s too young to shoulder the task. You absolutely must protect him.”

Han Yunxi wasn’t in the mood for such matters and urged him on. “I understand. You can speak now.”

At this, Han Congan took out a handkerchief from his robes. Han Yunxi saw that it was a woman’s handkerchief at a glance, with a very old style and design. Han Congan unfolded the handkerchief to reveal words written in blood. Stunned, Han Yunxi looked closer and discovered that this was an agreement!

Heavens, this was an agreement between Lady Tianxin and Han Congan. They were a contractual couple!

“Han Yunxi. Your mother and I, that is to say Lady Tianxin and I, were only husband and wife in name. When she wedded me, she was already pregnant with you,” Han Congan said mildly.

“Why did you marry her?” Han Yunxi blurted out in shock. She thought she’d been conceived after the wedding, not something like this.

“Because…” Han Congan paused, lips curving up as if he was laughing at himself. “Because her medical arts were exquisite enough to help me become a director of the medical academy. What was between us was nothing more than a business deal.”

Han Yunxi wouldn’t have believed it without this proof of agreement. But even with the evidence, she still felt anxious enough to clench her teeth as she asked, “Why did she marry you? Where’s my real father?”

Yet Han Congan only sighed. “I want to know too.”

What?

Han Congan didn’t know, either?

Han Yunxi couldn’t believe her own ears. “You married her without knowing a thing?”

“Girl, I had no idea about your father or even your mother’s origins. She was pregnant by a month when she found me and promised to help me become a candidate for the medical academy directors, then a director in under ten years. Her requirements were that I took her as my official wife to give her status and accept you as my child to give you a family.”

Han Congan sighed again and again. Faced with such a remarkable, medically skilled woman, how could he be unmoved? Why wouldn’t he feel sorry for her? He tried to sound her out a few times in the past, but Lady Tianxin didn’t tell him a thing. He once wanted her to have an abortion and start anew with him, but she mercilessly refused.

After ‘marrying’ Lady Tianxin, he realized again and again how brilliant her medical skills were. When Lady Tianxin cured many hopeless cases and made a name for herself as the Han Family representative in Tianning’s capital city, he turned jealous! Regardless of reputation or medical skills, he couldn’t tolerate the fact that his own wife was better than himself, even if this woman was a wife in name only. He once deliriously investigated her origins, but found no clues.

Han Yunxi didn’t understand, and asked in bewilderment, “Isn’t my mother from the Baili Clan in Heze County?”

Han Yunxi had looked this up herself. But Han Congan smiled and shook his head. “That identity was something I crafted for her benefit. I used money to buy off a family of the Baili Clan in Heze County. I’ve already done investigations but I haven’t found a clue. She seemed to have appeared from thin air.”

Speaking up to here, Han Congan’s eyes couldn’t help but show a trace of helplessness and affection. Even if he had been jealous, Han Congan still kept a thread of genuine feeling for Lady Tianxin at the bottom of his heart. Sadly, Lady Tianxin’s identity was a mystery, her medical skills consummate. In the end, he still couldn’t claim any ties of kinship with her.

Han Yunxi never expected things to turn out like this. What was the mystery of Lady Tianxin’s origins? If even Han Congan didn’t know, then who would?

Lady Tianxin had been married to Han Congan for less than a year before she died in childbirth. She didn’t even have any friends in Tianning’s capital city. Her full name was Baili Tianxin, but this was probably a pseudonym.

“So you weren’t able to find out who my father was, either?” Han Yunxi murmured to herself.

Han Congan had no choice but to smile. “Just like you, I really want to know, too.”

What kind of man could win Lady Tianxin’s heart? Not only did she have superb medical skills, but she was wise and intelligent. The previous emperor had only met her once before he praised her highly.