In the afternoon, Xiao Lou and Yu Hanjiang went to visit His Majesty.
His Majesty, sitting on the throne, was 55 years old, but he looked quite well. His luxurious white royal robes with gold trim made him appear extremely dignified, but his gaze toward Xiao Lou revealed a touch of fatherly gentleness.
Xiao Lou and Yu Hanjiang bowed simultaneously: "Your Majesty."
Xiao Qin nodded, indicating that they could dispense with the formalities, and then asked, "Is everything prepared for the birthday banquet three days from now? This is your first time appearing in public. As a prince of the empire, you can't be nervous and make a fool of yourself."
Xiao Lou said calmly, "Father, don't worry, I won't be intimidated."
Xiao Qin casually asked a few more questions about Xiao Lou's recent situation, including how his health was and whether he had finished his studies on time. Xiao Lou answered fluently. After asking, he suddenly said, "You may leave now. Father has some matters to discuss with General Yu alone."
Xiao Lou paused, then looked...
Yu Hanjiang glanced at the person on the throne, then bowed and turned to leave.
Did the King keep Yu Hanjiang behind for a private talk? Could it be that word of Yu Hanjiang's frequent intrusions into the princes' chambers had reached his ears? Or did he have an important task for Yu Hanjiang? Xiao Lou felt uneasy and simply waited outside the palace.
Inside the palace at this moment.
The magnificent imperial palace suddenly became so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Yu Hanjiang had no idea why His Majesty had kept him behind alone. Feeling uncertain, he maintained his composure and respectfully asked, "Your Majesty, is there anything you need?"
The man on the throne lost his smile, his expression becoming extremely serious: "General Yu, your grandfather was once my father's bodyguard, and he sacrificed himself to protect my father in a battle many years ago. I remember that you came to the Royal Guard seven years ago after graduating from military academy, and for the past seven years, you have been protecting the prince without ever leaving his side?"
Yu Hanjiang: "Yes."
Your Majesty: "If one day Your Highness is in danger, will you protect Xiao Lou at all costs, just as your grandfather protected my father?"
Yu Hanjiang nodded decisively: "Of course, protecting His Highness is my duty."
The man on the throne suddenly lowered his voice: "I mean, at all costs—including your own life."
That question came out of nowhere.
However, it's normal for a superior to ask their guard, "Are you willing to sacrifice yourself to protect me?" After all, guards must be prepared to sacrifice themselves for their masters. Yu Hanjiang didn't hesitate and continued, "Yes, I am willing to do everything in my power to protect Xiao Lou."
His Majesty finally smiled. He stepped down from the throne and handed a ring to Yu Hanjiang, saying, "This is a fragment of the spirit of the Empire's most advanced S-class intelligent mecha— the Spirit Fox. In fact, the mecha Xiao Lou is currently using has not yet activated all its functions. This can be used to activate the real combat Spirit Fox, and when necessary, it can be used to protect Xiao Lou's safety."
Yu Hanjiang took the ring and put it on his thumb.
His Majesty suddenly beckoned: "Come in."
A moment later, a young man walked in from the side hall with a smile. He was dressed in a white royal robe, tall and slender, with an ethereal air. His gentle and refined appearance made him seem like a noble prince who had stepped out of a comic book.
—It's Xiao Lou.
Yu Hanjiang was filled with questions. Xiao Lou had just left through the main entrance at the back, so why was he suddenly coming from the side hall? And what was with the smile on his face...?
For some reason, Yu Hanjiang felt somewhat unfamiliar with him.
Especially when their eyes met, this eeriness seemed to be magnified countless times—those eyes had none of Xiao Lou's spirit.
Xiao Lou's eyes were clear as water, but the person in front of her always seemed to lack a certain sparkle in their eyes.
Every time Xiao Lou met Yu Hanjiang's gaze, his eyes were full of trust. Sometimes, if Yu Hanjiang stared at her for too long, Xiao Lou would blush with embarrassment and avoid his gaze. However, the man in front of her always looked down into Yu Hanjiang's eyes, and when he walked over, he seemed to be looking at his subordinate.
He walked up to Yu Hanjiang with a smile and said, "General Yu."
The voices are exactly the same...
Yu Hanjiang frowned and whispered in his ear, "Does Your Highness still remember Xiao Liu?"
Xiao Lou was taken aback: "What?"
Yu Hanjiang's move was as fast as lightning!
Before Xiao Lou could react, Yu Hanjiang swiftly grabbed his wrist with a grappling move, twisted it in the opposite direction, and crossed his arms behind his back. His other arm quickly moved across Xiao Lou's neck, and if he moved, Yu Hanjiang's hand could break his neck instantly.
Xiao Lou narrowed his eyes slightly: "General Yu, what are you doing? Do you want to spar with me in martial arts?"
Yu Hanjiang's gaze was sharp as a sword. He stared at the person in front of him and said coldly, word by word, "You are not Xiao Lou."
Xiao Lou chuckled softly: "Father, what's wrong with this general? He doesn't even recognize me?"
Yu Hanjiang twisted his fingers hard, almost breaking Xiao Lou's wrist.
He winced slightly in pain and whispered, "Let me go."
Yu Hanjiang did not release him, but instead looked up at the man on the throne: "Your Majesty, what does this mean?"
The man on the throne seemed to be watching a show. When Yu Hanjiang asked, he smiled slightly and said, "Besides me, only you could tell at a glance that he wasn't Xiao Lou... How did you figure that out?"
Yu Hanjiang did not want to explain this issue.
He and Xiao Lou have known each other for so long, and they've been through so many life-or-death situations together. The tacit understanding and telepathic connection they've developed along the way can't be replaced by just anyone wearing Xiao Lou's face.
His facial expressions were off, his movements were off, his tone of voice was off, and his eyes were completely different.
How could he not distinguish between the real and fake person he loved?!
Seeing that Yu Hanjiang remained silent with a cold expression, His Majesty sighed and said, "Release him first."
Yu Hanjiang paused for three seconds before releasing the " Xiao Lou " in front of him.
Although they wore the same clothes, their figures and appearances were so similar that they were indistinguishable from twins...
But this Xiao Lou was particularly irritating to Yu Hanjiang.
Her demeanor is far inferior to that of the real Xiao Lou.
His Xiao Lou is one of a kind in the whole world; no one else is qualified to speak to him with Xiao Lou's face.
His Majesty explained, "I only have one son, Xiao Lou."
The time he nearly died wasn't an accident; someone infiltrated the palace, intending to kill him. The imperial throne has always been hereditary, but once the heir dies, the next emperor can be elected through parliament. Do you understand what I mean?
Yu Hanjiang felt a chill run down his spine: "So, you created another Xiao Lou?"
His Majesty said, "Yes, the reason why Xiao Lou looks exactly like Xiao Lou is because he is a product cloned from Xiao Lou's genes."
Yu Hanjiang: "......"
His Majesty beckoned, and " Xiao Lou " obediently walked to his side. His Majesty affectionately patted " Xiao Lou's" head and said, "He is very obedient. He will do whatever I ask him to do... including sacrificing himself for Xiao Lou."
Yu Hanjiang clenched his fist tightly at his side, the veins on the back of his hand bulging.
He couldn't stand the clone that looked exactly like Xiao Lou, with such a puppet-like expression on its face, as if it were being manipulated. Every pore on his body trembled slightly with anger, and he wished he could rush over and cover up that face that looked just like Xiao Lou's with a mask.
His Majesty continued, "You don't need to worry about anything else. Since you can tell who the real Xiao Lou is, you only need to remember my words: you must protect my heir to the throne."
Yu Hanjiang's face darkened: "Who was it that infiltrated the palace to assassinate Xiao Lou? Do you have any leads?"
His Majesty shook his head: "Too many covet this position. Even today, I have few people I can truly trust." He walked up to Yu Hanjiang and gently placed his hand on Yu Hanjiang's shoulder: "Your grandfather sacrificed himself to protect His Majesty. Your Yu family has been loyal and valiant for generations, which is why I dared to entrust Xiao Lou's safety to you. For the past seven years, you have been inseparable from him, and you have indeed developed an extraordinary understanding. I am very pleased that you could recognize him at a glance. I hope you can keep your promise; my son is in your hands now."
Yu Hanjiang remained silent for a long time before whispering, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will definitely protect him."
His Majesty nodded: "Go. Clone will attend the birthday banquet in three days in place of Xiao Lou, while you will be in charge of protecting the real Xiao Lou."
Yu Hanjiang glanced at the expressionless puppet " Xiao Lou," ignoring the awkwardness in his heart, bowed to His Majesty, and turned to leave the palace.
The moment he stepped out the door, Xiao Lou was waiting for him at the palace gate.
Upon seeing him, Xiao Lou hurried over and whispered in his ear, "What did Father say to you when he left you behind alone?"
—This is the real Xiao Lou.
His eyes were dark and clear, and he had a gentle smile. His gaze was always so focused when he looked at him. Yu Hanjiang resisted the urge to hug him tightly and whispered, "There are ears here. Let's talk about it when we get back."
Xiao Lou noticed Yu Hanjiang's serious expression, so he quickened his pace and followed him back to Gemini Palace.
After entering the palace, Yu Hanjiang locked the door behind him.
Seeing the man's gloomy expression, Xiao Lou asked anxiously, "What's wrong?"
Yu Hanjiang suddenly pressed Xiao Lou against the wall and kissed him forcefully.
The kiss seemed somewhat urgent. Yu Hanjiang loosened his tie, braced his left hand against the wall, trapping Xiao Lou between himself and the wall, and held Xiao Lou's waist tightly with his right hand, pressing their bodies together without any gap.
Xiao Lou and Yu Hanjiang kissed; strictly speaking, this was the third time.
He had been gentle the previous two times. But this time he seemed a bit crazy. Xiao Lou's lips were slightly sore from his kisses, and the moment she opened her mouth, the man rushed in...
The passionate kiss made Xiao Lou clearly sense Yu Hanjiang's unease and anxiety.
This is the second time he has lost control today.
Is it related to what Father said? Xiao Lou noticed that Yu Hanjiang's emotions were not stable, so she reached out and gently hugged his neck, stroking the man's back tenderly, as if she were stroking his fur.
After being hugged and stroked by Xiao Lou, Yu Hanjiang finally calmed down completely.
He released Xiao Lou, pressed his forehead against Xiao Lou's, and said in a hoarse voice, "I'm sorry, I was just... worried about you."
Xiao Lou tenderly took his hand, their fingers intertwined, and asked softly, "What's wrong?"
Yu Hanjiang was silent for a moment before whispering, "I just saw someone who looks exactly like you at His Majesty's place. Your father said that it was a clone created using your genes."
"..." Xiao Lou's eyes widened instantly: "What? Cloning?"
Yu Hanjiang reached out and gently pulled Xiao Lou into his arms, his voice somewhat muffled, as if coming from his chest: "I don't know how to evaluate him."
"That person has the same face as you, and smiles and talks just like you. I knew he wasn't you at first glance. Even though they look exactly alike, when he gets close to me, I only feel uncomfortable, and I feel a strong sense of repulsion..."
"But overall, he imitates you very well. I can't imagine what would happen if one day he replaced you, did bad things, or even hurt other teammates. Wouldn't people who can't tell the difference between the real and the fake be manipulated by him?"
"..." Xiao Lou felt a chill run down her spine.
There's someone who looks exactly like him?! And he was cloned from his genes?! Genetic testing can't detect any difference; it's like they're twins?!
As Yu Hanjiang said, if this person were to use his face to swindle and deceive, Ye Qi and his group would be completely unprepared when they saw " Xiao Lou," which would be terrifying.
Imagine if someone looked exactly like Yu Hanjiang, would Xiao Lou be able to recognize them?
If they come out, it's fine, but if they don't recognize themselves... they might get killed without even knowing how they died.
Xiao Lou reached out and hugged Yu Hanjiang tightly: "Gene cloning, this is simply outrageous!" His voice trembled slightly with anger, " Hanjiang, I can confirm that you are real, but what about you?"
Yu Hanjiang tightened his embrace: "Of course. What is our relationship? If I can't even tell the difference between what's real and what's fake, what right do I have to say I like you or be your boyfriend?"
Xiao Lou felt a slight warmth in her heart.
In any case, Yu Hanjiang will not be fooled by the fake Xiao Lou.
Even with the Royal Palace's forbidden card, the Telepathic Connection still can't be opened...
But their telepathic connection doesn't need any external force.
That's a deep, heartfelt understanding and mutual commitment, something that can't be replaced by just anyone wearing the same face.
Xiao Lou quickly calmed down and whispered in Yu Hanjiang's ear, "We must tell the other teammates this news as soon as possible. It's not just me; others may also have copies. When we meet in the future, we must verify each other's past experiences. If they don't match, we must not trust them easily!"
Yu Hanjiang nodded: "Okay, I'll go arrange it right away."