The Arranged Dad, These Two Plates Don't Recognize Him

"Direct descendant of the Third Prince?"

The area below the Questioning Dao Platform descended into chaos.

Several imperial guards stepped onto the platform, raising their hands to shield Ji Jingyao. The diplomatic mission's scribe unfolded the Kin-Seeking Document, flipping to the Third Prince's lineage to prepare for the registration of Li Sanshun's name.

Bai Chongshan closed the Genealogy Jade Book.

"The blood appraisal has yielded a result; the triple-plate verification is merely an extra procedural step. According to the ancient imperial statutes, a direct bloodline found wandering outside must return to the capital with the mission today."

He produced a gold-bordered document and pressed it onto the table.

"Li Sanshun, sign your name."

Li Sanshun did not reach for the brush, his gaze remaining fixed on the left side of the base of the imperial appraisal plate.

Just moments ago, when the drop of blood fell into the Ancestral Blood Slot, the surface of the plate had not yet reacted, but the red light inside the base had lit up first.

It was only after three pillars of blood appeared that the red light vanished.

The order was reversed.

In a normal blood appraisal, the Ancestral Blood Slot should verify the blood first, and then the Genealogy Seal should locate the corresponding bloodline. Yet, whatever was hidden in the base had moved before the Ancestral Blood Slot.

The old bastard had already written the answer!

"What's the rush?"

Li Sanshun walked to the imperial long table and pointed at the bottom of the appraisal plate.

"Take the base apart."

Bai Chongshan blocked the edge of the table.

"The secret text of the Ji clan genealogy is hidden within the base; outsiders are forbidden from viewing it. His Highness already granted an exemption from inspection just now—do you wish to go back on your word in front of everyone?"

"We hadn't verified the blood then. Now that there's an extra 'Third Prince's direct descendant' in the plate, we naturally have to take it apart."

"The imperial blood appraisal is complete. No one is permitted to damage the instruments."

Bai Chongshan reached out to retrieve the wooden box.

Li Sanshun seized the edge of the appraisal plate first.

Two guards drew their blades and stepped forward, while Gu Qinghe led the Law Enforcement Peak disciples to block both sides of the long table.

Ji Jingyao pressed his hand down on the Kin-Seeking Document on the table.

"Li Sanshun, what evidence do you have?"

"Before the blood was drawn, there was the scent of imperial cinnabar in the base. The moment the blood dripped down, the seam on the left lit up first, and only then did the surface of the plate change."

Bai Chongshan let out a cold snort.

"The Genealogy Seal is drawn with imperial cinnabar to begin with. It is perfectly normal for the base to light up first when the appraisal plate is activated."

An elderly alchemist picked up the inspection records.

"The appraisal plates of the Tai Xuan Sect and the Alchemy Alliance both react at the Ancestral Blood Slot first. The structure of imperial instruments is different, so we cannot immediately conclude there is a problem."

"That is exactly why we must take it apart."

Li Sanshun took a fresh sheet of inspection paper.

"With six witnesses signing off, we will only look at the left side once it is opened. If there is nothing inside, I will acknowledge being a direct descendant of the Third Prince. If the mission wants me to leave now, I won't linger."

The crowd below quieted down significantly.

Bai Chongshan gripped the edge of the wooden box.

"If the base is damaged, who bears the responsibility?"

"I do."

"You, a mere outer-sect servant, can you afford to pay for an imperial blood appraisal plate?"

"If we find something, you pay with your life."

Bai Chongshan did not respond.

Li Sanshun turned to Ji Jingyao.

"Does Your Highness dare to check?"

Hundreds of disciples were waiting.

If Ji Jingyao refused, the result just verified would become a laughingstock.

"Take it apart."

The imperial scribe brought over a specialized copper key. After the six witnesses inspected it, they each signed the inspection paper.

Bai Chongshan still wanted to open the lock himself, but Ji Jingyao handed the copper key to the Alchemy Alliance alchemist.

The appraisal plate was flipped over, its bottom covered by a purple copper plate. Four locking pins were hidden within the clan emblem, their surfaces sealed with cinnabar.

The alchemist pried open the first locking pin.

The second one was also fine.

When it came to the third pin on the left, the moment the copper needle probed inside, a small amount of red powder fell out of the keyhole.

Li Sanshun took a breath.

[Residual aura of a Blood-Revealing Talisman detected.]

[Talisman seal activated.]

[Revealed content: Direct descendant of the Third Prince.]

It really had been written in advance.

"Hold on a moment."

Li Sanshun pointed at the keyhole.

"There is a Blood-Revealing Talisman hidden inside, and the content is 'Direct descendant of the Third Prince'."

Bai Chongshan raised his hand to grab the appraisal plate.

Gu Qinghe used her scabbard to knock his hand away.

"The inspection is not yet over; no one is to touch it."

"Nonsense!" Bai Chongshan retreated behind the imperial long table. "The talisman seal is hidden inside the base; he hasn't even opened the copper plate, so how could he know the content?"

"Open it and see."

The alchemist removed the third locking pin, and more red powder fell out.

As the purple copper plate was lifted half an inch, a thin, half-burned talisman was stuck inside. The talisman paper was only two fingers wide, its edge pressed beneath the Genealogy Seal, with its outer side connected to the Ancestral Blood Slot.

Once fresh blood entered the appraisal plate, it would trigger this talisman.

The alchemist used silver tweezers to extract the residual talisman and soaked it in the revelation fluid.

The scattered cinnabar gathered together once more.

Four lines of small characters floated up.

Ji Clan Genealogy. Jing-character Third Branch. Direct Paternal Lineage. Bloodline of the Third Prince.

The crowd below fell into total disarray.

Before the blood was even drawn, the result had already been stuffed into the base of the appraisal plate.

No matter who Li Sanshun was, as long as blood dripped in, the plate would display "Direct descendant of the Third Prince"!

"All six Image-Recording Arrays are running."

Li Sanshun picked up the residual talisman and held it in front of one of the arrays.

"Attendant Bai, do you still want to claim this is 'instrument-nourishing medicine'?"

Bai Chongshan took half a step back.

"The Blood-Revealing Talisman is part of the appraisal plate, used to help the Genealogy Seal display text. The Third Prince's bloodline was determined by the plate itself and has nothing to do with this talisman."

The elderly alchemist flipped over the residual talisman.

"A standard Blood-Revealing Talisman contains no pre-written content; it only serves to draw out the Genealogy Seal. This talisman had the Third Prince's lineage written in advance, and it was connected to the Ancestral Blood Slot with a blood-induction thread."

He removed a thin thread and placed it into a jade dish.

"Li Sanshun's blood only served to activate it. The result had been decided long ago."

Gu Qinghe sealed the residual talisman, the blood-induction thread, and the locking pins separately.

"Bai Chongshan is responsible for the safekeeping of the appraisal plate. The wooden box seal was intact, yet the base contained a talisman that forged the blood appraisal result. Furthermore, the private kin-seeking seal he manages and Grey Feather Talisman Paper were found in Du Heng's alchemy furnace."

She produced a Major Case Order.

"Bai Chongshan, you are suspected of forging an imperial blood appraisal and interfering in the Old Infant Case. Please remain on the Questioning Dao Platform and submit to an investigation by the Law Enforcement Hall."

Eight imperial guards stood horizontally in front of the long table.

Bai Chongshan looked at Ji Jingyao.

"Your Highness, this is the Tai Xuan Sect. If you allow them to detain a member of the diplomatic mission, where will the imperial family's dignity remain?"

"Is the imperial family's dignity supposed to be you stuffing fake results into an appraisal plate?"

Li Sanshun threw the Kin-Seeking Document back onto the table.

"You keep saying you want to take me back to the imperial capital. If I actually stepped through the doors of the mission, how many days would I even live?"

Bai Chongshan took a custody token from his sleeve.

"The appraisal plate passed through many hands along the way. The talisman inside the base may not have been placed by me. Even if the imperial plate's result is erroneous, the plates of the Tai Xuan Sect and the Alchemy Alliance are still operating."

He pointed to the other two long tables.

"As long as one of those plates confirms the Third Prince's bloodline, the mission can still take the person according to the ancient statutes."

This remark reminded everyone of the situation.

The red patterns on the Tai Xuan Sect's appraisal plate had already connected to the fourth circle.

The text in the Alchemy Alliance's jade plate was also nearly formed.

The imperial appraisal plate being forged only proved that Bai Chongshan had a problem; it did not prove that Li Sanshun had absolutely no imperial blood.

If the other two plates gave the same result, the mission could still force him to return to the capital.

Li Sanshun took out the remaining three blood samples and placed them between the six witnesses.

"The imperial plate is already ruined. The results of the other two plates must also be re-examined."

Bai Chongshan pressed down on the custody token.

"Re-examination is fine, but the imperial mission must supervise. If the results are the same twice, you cannot find any more excuses to delay."

Beside the Tai Xuan Sect's appraisal plate, a deacon suddenly stood up and picked up the record of the newly formed blood patterns.

The Alchemy Alliance alchemist also made the first copy of the results from the jade plate.

The two men compared the contents, but neither announced them.

Ji Jingyao took the two records and paused for a long time.

Bai Chongshan urged, "Your Highness, is the paternal lineage verified by the two plates that of the Third Prince's branch?"

Ji Jingyao pressed the records onto the table.

"Seal the remaining blood samples and re-examine them immediately."

Bai Chongshan reached out to take the records.

"What exactly is the result?"

Li Sanshun pulled one of the sheets out first, and after reading it, he pushed the re-examination blood vials toward the alchemist.

"Attendant Bai, the father you arranged for me in advance—these two plates don't recognize him."