Pregnant Cultivator, Doted by Big Boss

He just thought it was all too much, so when the Old Marquis had him try the two-hundred-pound stone lock, he pretended to struggle, only just managing to lift it. But even that was enough to leave the Old Marquis utterly astounded.

Who wouldn’t be delighted to teach such a gifted student? When the boy eventually made a name for himself, their own fame would grow alongside his. And while their reputations were already considerable, who would ever object to becoming even more renowned?

The smiles never left the faces of Grand Secretary Miller and the others, even long after they departed the Prince’s Manor. They were simply overjoyed. Both the Old Marquis and the Grand Secretary felt as if they had finally found a true heir to carry on their legacies.

They had been somewhat apprehensive when they arrived.

But now, they felt completely assured.

As the two men left, they couldn’t help but exchange a smile after walking through the Prince’s Manor’s main gate.

And so, Aaron Sinclair began his fulfilling days of study and martial practice.

He practiced martial arts and swordsmanship with his father, studied military strategy with the Old Marquis, and read the classics to understand the ways of the world with Grand Secretary Miller.

And then there was the messy business of the General’s Mansion.

Once his martial arts training was underway, Aaron Sinclair presented the Emperor with evidence of Caleb Jacobs’s crimes—murder and identity theft.

The Emperor was furious when he learned of the matter.

He slammed his hand on the table and shot to his feet, roaring, "Cole Jacobs... Caleb Jacobs... so they’re two different people! This is utterly lawless! To dare murder an official of the Imperial Court and steal his identity—he deserves to die!"

"You bastard, Caleb Jacobs! And to think I believed you had sustained a permanent injury and could no longer go to war. It turns out you were never the general who risked life and limb for Kelldorn! You dared to deceive me!" It wasn’t just that; his thoughts then turned to the affair of the real and fake young masters at the General’s Mansion, which involved his own imperial nephew. Every single one of these offenses was a heinous crime, worthy of executing the entire clan.

"Audacious! How dare they!"

He had originally planned to spare that dog Caleb Jacobs for a while, to let his nephew deal with him personally. But he never imagined that not only did they mistreat his stolen nephew, they also pulled off such an audacious, heaven-defying scheme. He couldn’t wait another moment; he would have the man arrested at once.

"Guards... Summon the Commander of the Imperial Guard to an audience..."

Throughout all of history, while there had been cases of officials being impersonated, there had never been a case of a general being murdered and replaced. Thus, the Emperor took this matter with the utmost gravity, and he was equally furious.

To think that a decorated hero who had risked life and limb for the country had met such a fate... This was a failure on his part as Emperor. The very thought made him feel dizzy and sick.

As a good emperor who toiled for his country and his people, he was truly heartbroken in that moment.

That afternoon, the General’s Mansion was completely surrounded by the Imperial Guard. Nate Alden, the Commander of the Imperial Guard, personally led the men to make the arrest. The common folk nearby were astonished but had no idea what was happening, able to do nothing but watch from a distance.

Inside the General’s Mansion, Aaron Sinclair stood in the courtyard. His gaze swept over the place—so familiar, yet so strange—and his eyes were remarkably calm. There wasn’t the slightest ripple of emotion within him, as if this place had nothing to do with him at all.

This was the place he had lived in for many years, though Aaron Sinclair had spent most of that time confined to a remote courtyard in the back. He rarely ever came to the front courtyard. On the rare occasions he went out, he had to use the back gate. After all, he was an unwelcome presence in the General’s Mansion.

Now, walking in through the front gate in broad daylight, he realized the ground beneath his feet was nothing special. If others could walk here, so could he.

His gaze swept over the Imperial Guards moving in and out, and over the men and women of the household being hauled into the courtyard one by one and forced to their knees.

He was here this time to watch the show and, while he was at it, oversee the confiscation. After all, he knew exactly where all the money in this mansion was hidden.

Soon, Aaron Sinclair saw Nate Alden hauling Caleb Jacobs over.

Caleb Jacobs was still trying to put on a general’s airs, his face a mask of fury.

"What do you think you’re doing? This is the General’s Mansion! Without a decree from the Holy Emperor, who gave you the gall to come here and arrest people?"

Nate Alden ignored his bellowing, simply dragged him forward, and kicked him down to his knees. When he tried to force himself back up, a blade was pressed directly against his throat.

With the cold steel of the sword against his neck, Caleb Jacobs didn’t dare to move a muscle. Still, he blustered, "You... Nate Alden, even if you are the Commander of the Imperial Guard, you can’t just arrest people without cause!"

Nate Alden shot him a cold glance before turning to Aaron Sinclair to report. He spoke respectfully, "Princely Heir, everyone from the General’s Mansion is here, with the exception of Arthur Jacobs, who is absent. I have already dispatched men to find him and trust he will be brought back shortly."

"Mm. You’ve done well. You will be rewarded."

"Thank you, Princely Heir."

Aaron Sinclair gave a slight nod, his eyes sweeping over the kneeling figures one by one. There were maids, older serving women, and the family of the General—including Mrs. Dawson.

Kneeling there, Mrs. Dawson suddenly recognized Aaron Sinclair. Her eyes flew wide open, and her body instinctively recoiled. The expression on her face was one of someone who had just seen a ghost.

"You... it’s you? This... impossible."

It wasn’t just Mrs. Dawson; the other kneeling servants and matrons also turned deathly pale.

Aaron Sinclair glanced at her and remarked airily, "Well now, long time no see. It looks like you’ve put on some weight." When it came to having a sharp tongue, Aaron Sinclair had definitely taken after his father.

He looked at Mrs. Dawson, and the image of his own fair-skinned, beautiful mother came to mind. ’Thank goodness this woman isn’t my mother,’ he thought. ’Just a homely old hag.’ "Hmph! All that powder on your face... Ugly people certainly love to make a fuss."

The moment he spoke, Mrs. Dawson’s face stiffened almost imperceptibly. ’What did this damned brat just say? He called me fat? Said I was an ugly person making a fuss?’ Her expression turned sour.

"Silence! Are you a man or a ghost?"

Aaron Sinclair flicked his sleeve and sneered. "Isn’t it obvious? I’m still alive. Sorry to disappoint you."

Mrs. Dawson finally recovered her wits and stared at the boy before her. With that noble bearing... was this really the same boy who used to brew her medicine on cold winter days? Meeting his cold, indifferent gaze, Mrs. Dawson felt a shiver run down her spine.

"You... You’re behind this? What on earth do you want?"

Aaron Sinclair scratched his head.

"Now listen to you. You’re making me out to be the villain. As the saying goes, the innocent have nothing to fear. If you hadn’t done such unconscionable things, what could I possibly do to you? I’m just a child. What could I possibly do?"

At that moment, Caleb Jacobs, who was kneeling at the front, also recognized Aaron Sinclair. His eyes widened in shock as he remembered sending assassins after the boy. ’I can’t believe he came back alive.’

"It’s you... Nathan Jacobs."

’What’s going on? Isn’t this bastard already dead? Why is he here?’

The moment he spoke,

Aaron Sinclair made a sound of utter disgust. "Ugh, get back... If I remember correctly, that name has already been struck from your family’s registry, hasn’t it? Whoever wants that name can have it. I find it repulsive."