This scoundrel is a bit of a swordsman.

She was a deposed empress. In the past, this young man might have come to seek a marriage alliance. But now, while others avoided him like the plague, he had come to her of his own accord. This affection must have been too much to suppress for him to choose this path. It was at this moment that she became certain that she and this young man were inextricably intertwined by fate.

Xiao Xingchen's eyes welled with tears; he was also affected by Xiao Jianren's emotions at this moment. He seemed to see his mother standing in front of him. There were some things he dared not think about, but the thought of them made him break down in tears.

His own mother must be longing for her son in another world, right? It's a pity he couldn't fulfill his filial duty, leaving his parents to suffer the pain of a parent outliving their child. Thinking of this, his heart ached.

"A loving mother sews the thread in her hand, and sews the clothes on her traveling son's body. She sews them carefully before he leaves, fearing that he will be late in returning. Who can say that the heart of a small grass can repay the warmth of spring?"

"With this first bow, I wish my mother good health and a long life,"

His forehead slammed heavily into the ground, the red mark showing how hard Xiao Xingchen had kowtowed. He was bowing to the deposed empress, but also to his distant mother.

That loud "thud" struck a chord in many people's hearts.

"well,"

The deposed empress had tears in her eyes, but she had already decided that this was her child. How could she fake her longing for her mother?

The usually leisurely Daji had already stood up; her pupils gleamed with mysterious symbols, revealing the turmoil within her.

From the first time she met Xiao Xingchen, she could sense his mystery. Few things could inspire mystery in her, but Xiao Xingchen possessed it, especially given his current actions.

This forced her to re-examine this man. The deposed empress had not been seen for over twenty years and had never even seen her own children. How could he have such a strong longing for her?

This made her think of many things, even leading to many absurd speculations. The mysterious symbols in her eyes kept lingering on Xiao Xingchen, trying to discern something, but in the end, she was disappointed.

Xiao Xingchen's longing for his mother also touched many people present. The line "A mother's thread in her hand, a traveler's clothes on his back" deeply moved Confucius, who was standing nearby.

What kind of longing for one's mother could produce such moving verses?

It not only expresses the author's longing for his mother, but also demonstrates exceptional literary talent and unparalleled genius.

So much so that, under this influence, many people began to think of their own mothers, and tears welled up in their eyes. At that moment, no one doubted that the boy was simply trying to attract attention; such genuine emotion could not be faked unless it stemmed from a deep-seated longing. Every word was heart-wrenching, every word filled with yearning for his mother.

"Second bow, your unfilial son has brought shame upon his mother and is unworthy of being a son. When the ninth day of the ninth month next year arrives, my flowers will bloom and all other flowers will wither. The fragrance will fill Yong'an, and the whole city will be adorned with golden armor."

With a resounding boom, if the previous bow was filled with longing for one's mother, then this one was filled with murderous intent. Those who heard it all felt the murderous aura of revenge for one's mother.

"You..." Even the deposed empress was stunned by this bow. She never expected the young man before her to utter such words. This was not merely treason; it was a clear declaration to everyone present: I intend to rebel to avenge the humiliation of my mother.

Shock, shock, shock!

An indescribable aura of dominance and grandeur overwhelmed everything outside the city. The phrase, "When my flowers bloom, all others wither," was practically a declaration of war.

“Child, there’s no need for that. I am but a crippled man. To hear a young boy say such words in my lifetime is enough to make me die without regret.”

The deposed empress was so moved that she couldn't speak. Whose child was this? How could he be so good? He wanted to fight his way into Yong'an and avenge her. Such words were incredibly shocking to a mother who had been imprisoned for more than 20 years. Even her own son probably wouldn't say such things.

Looking at Ling Xue and Ling Feng, they are indeed outstanding, but compared to the child in front of them, they ultimately lack a domineering air of "I am the only one who can do it."

Emperor Wu was like a sky hanging over their heads, but this young man seemed born to break through that sky.

This feeling of being moved led her to make an immediate decision: this young man absolutely could not be targeted because of those few words. She had to protect him. This decision was made in an instant; she didn't consider the consequences at all. At that moment, she only wanted to protect this young man; otherwise, those few words alone would have been enough to kill him.

But before she could speak, Xiao Xingchen had already bowed deeply for the third time.

"I will bow three times to my mother; even if I am deposed, I will weep, but I will never compromise my principles."

Xiao Xingchen shouted this bow, wanting everyone to know that the deposed empress could be imprisoned and could cry, but she would never compromise her principles. He wanted to show everyone what kind of person the deposed empress was and how dare they slander her.

He wanted to use this sentence to guide those who were unaware of the truth, to seek the truth of what happened back then, and to wash away the empress's humiliation.

This matter will soon become known throughout the land. He is making preparations in advance for rescuing the deposed empress, and at the same time, he is using this sentence to warn his officials.

Among the officials are those of integrity and those who remain loyal to the state. These people will understand what he is saying, will resonate with him, and will connect it to the plight of those who remain loyal. Integrity is what these people value most, and these people will be his help in his future rise to power.

Yes, after bowing three times, Xiao Xingchen suddenly realized that only by saving himself could he protect those he wanted to protect.

Eight transmigrators had died, and he was the ninth. The responsibility was heavy; he couldn't die, he didn't want to die, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and go for it.

He had no reason to do these things when he first transmigrated, but now he does.

The little tiger, Daji, and the mother before him who wasn't his biological mother—whether it was due to Xiao Jianren's emotional influence or his earlier kneeling words, all the longing for a mother in his heart poured out.

After the three bows, he could feel that Xiao Jianren had closed his eyes completely, and that his body had become one with his soul, inseparable from it.

With Xiao Jianren's disappearance, his body seemed to undergo some strange changes.

But he couldn't delve into it now, because the storm was about to break after the three bows.

"Who exactly are you...?"

Huangfu Lingxue's cold tone broke the silence, interrupting everyone's thoughts. Everyone present was touched by Xiao Xingchen's emotions, which stirred a soft spot deep within their hearts.

The princess's angry words startled everyone awake.

Who is this boy? Who exactly is he?

Such questions arose from the crowd, and the Crown Prince's face darkened. He had planned everything perfectly, but he hadn't expected this person to appear. With Xiao Xingchen's outburst, the atmosphere below the city began to shift.

Whether it's "a loving mother's thread in her hand," "my flower blooms after all others wither," or "the deposed empress remains unyielding," these three lines alone are enough to shake Yong'an, and Emperor Wu might even intervene.

"Yes, who are you? Why do I feel so familiar with you, yet I don't remember ever seeing you before?"

Even the deposed empress asked this question. Xiao Xingchen slowly stood up, smiled, and whispered...

"I already know the whereabouts of the Star Pill. Once I get it, it will definitely relieve your excruciating pain. Please bear with it."

The deposed empress laughed, and without asking why, she laughed heartily a few times. Although she had many questions in her heart, she was genuinely happy.

"Ok, I will wait for you."