"I did indeed say that."
Li Bingzhang nodded slightly and said approvingly, "My worthy son-in-law, you really are clever! You even managed to guess that!"
"Heh, that wasn't difficult. Father-in-Law, only that explanation would make sense."
Jiang Xiaobai continued, "After all... unless I was driven into a corner, my father could never agree."
Indeed, as the heir to the Northern Guardian Marquis's Estate, how could he readily marry into another family?
"Exactly!"
Li Bingzhang nodded, the approval in his eyes deepening.
But after a pause, Li Bingzhang continued, "His Majesty didn't entirely believe it, though."
"He also asked me why Zhiwei... would fall for a wastrel like you."
"Heh!"
Jiang Xiaobai couldn't help chuckling again. "So, Father-in-Law, you must have told him that Miss Li didn't actually like me."
"Rather, she acted on your instructions, with the aim... of relieving His Majesty's worries and returning command of the Northern Guardian Army to the Imperial Family!"
"Exactly!"
As Li Bingzhang nodded, the way he looked at Jiang Xiaobai changed even further.
Without question, Jiang Xiaobai's intelligence had surpassed his expectations.
Yet Jiang Xiaobai showed no smugness at Li Bingzhang's admiration.
Indeed, his performance at the Imperial College had not merely been for his own sake. He had also deliberately provided Li Bingzhang with an excuse.
If Li Bingzhang, a chancellor, couldn't grasp even that much, he would have held his position for nothing.
With that thought, Jiang Xiaobai said slowly, "However, His Majesty's suspicions actually tell us something."
"Oh?"
Li Bingzhang looked at Jiang Xiaobai curiously. "What?"
"The person behind the scheme that led me to buy the Top Graduate title probably wasn't His Majesty."
Jiang Xiaobai spoke.
"What makes you say that?"
Li Bingzhang asked.
"It's simple. If His Majesty had arranged for me to buy the Top Graduate title,