“Look.”
Bai Nianlong’s expression was filled with joy and excitement. Hearing her words, Wanqing was also deeply moved. For some reason, she had felt an inexplicable closeness to this woman from the very first moment she saw her.
Seeing the eagerness in Bai Nianlong’s eyes, Wanqing calmly rolled up her sleeve and generously let her look.
“Really? Is it true? There really is a scar. Young Miss, please accept this servant’s bow. We’ve searched for so many years, and finally, we’ve found you.”
Looking at the small scar on Wanqing’s right thumb, Bai Gu exclaimed in disbelief, her face full of astonishment. She reached out and gently touched the pad of Wanqing’s thumb, confirming that there was indeed a small, hard scar in the middle.
Overjoyed, she stepped back and knelt before Wanqing, her eyes brimming with tears of excitement.
“What—Bai Gu, what are you doing? Get up quickly! You’ll embarrass me like this! What on earth is going on? How could—”
Bai Gu’s reaction, as if she had found a long-lost relative, left Wanqing bewildered. She hurriedly helped Bai Gu up, pressing her with questions, puzzled by the strange way Bai Gu addressed her and her odd behavior.
“Young Miss, please sit down. Let me explain this slowly. Is your mother’s name Su Xiang, with the nickname Xiang’er?”
Ignoring the equally shocked and confused Honglian beside her, Bai Gu respectfully guided Wanqing to sit, holding her hand affectionately as she cautiously inquired.
“My mother’s name is Xue Qiuxiang. Bai Gu, you—”
Wanqing frowned slightly at Bai Gu’s words, looking at her in confusion as she questioned the discrepancy in the names.
“Xue Qiuxiang? I remember asking you before, and you said it was Xue Qiuxiang? Then let me ask you—do you recognize this painting?”
Bai Gu’s initial joy turned to surprise and even greater astonishment at Wanqing’s answer. After a moment of contemplation, she stood up, retrieved a painting from her room, and handed it to Wanqing.
“This painting? Is this woman related to me?”
Taking the painting, Wanqing saw a beautiful woman with delicate features, exuding grace and maturity. She looked up at Bai Gu in confusion.
“Your father never showed you your mother’s portrait?”
Bai Gu’s question only deepened Wanqing’s bewilderment.
“My mother? You’re saying this is my mother’s portrait? Honestly, I’ve never seen it before.”
Bai Gu’s reaction made Wanqing even more puzzled. She truly had no memory of her mother.
“It seems your father was very secretive. Very well, let me tell you. The woman in this painting is Su Xiang—we used to call her Xiang’er. She and I served your mother together as her personal maids. After the incident with your mother, since I was from Daqi, she had us leave first and then arranged for you to be sent away. When we returned, both you and Su Xiang were gone. Who would have thought that today, we’d finally meet you again, Young Miss? Now, do you recognize this person?”
With a sigh, Bai Gu explained everything to Wanqing. Seeing that Wanqing still looked doubtful, she paused, then turned to fetch another painting.
“This person? She looks somewhat familiar, but I can’t quite recall where I’ve seen her. Bai Gu, don’t tell me she’s my real mother, and the woman I’ve known as my mother was actually just her maid. This—”
The painting in her hands depicted a stunning woman in palace attire, her beauty carrying an inexplicable sense of familiarity. The more Wanqing looked, the more she felt she had seen her somewhere before.
At first glance, the woman appeared dignified and virtuous, exuding the unique nobility and authority of royalty. Her cold, aloof gaze made her seem untouchable—like a celestial fairy, yet with a regal and icy elegance rarely seen among immortals.
For a moment, Wanqing was at a loss. She looked up at Bai Gu in confusion, struggling to believe what she was hearing.
“Young Miss, you truly are perceptive. This is indeed your mother. That’s why she feels familiar to you—if you look closely, the two of you share many similarities, not just in appearance but in demeanor. If you don’t believe me, you can ask your father. Ask him whether the woman you’ve known as your mother is truly your birth mother. I’m sure he knows better than anyone. And you can also compare this portrait with your mother’s image—see if she matches the Su Xiang I mentioned.”
Bai Gu smiled warmly as she spoke, holding the painting up for Wanqing to examine. Seeing Wanqing’s furrowed brows and disbelief, she continued patiently.
“This… this feels like something out of a fairy tale. Bai Gu, if you’re saying this woman is my mother, then who is she? What was her identity?”
Wanqing found it hard to accept Bai Gu’s explanation. After all, who could easily believe such a revelation? Though she prided herself on her resilience, she couldn’t help but voice her doubts.
“Anyone of a certain age would recognize her if you showed them this painting. But since you’re asking, I’ll tell you. She was none other than the late Consort Hui, the beloved concubine of the current emperor.”
Bai Gu’s words struck Wanqing like a bolt of lightning.
“What? You’re saying I’m Consort Hui’s daughter—that I’m actually a princess of the current dynasty? This… what’s going on? I’m completely lost now!”
The memory of her inexplicable closeness to Prince Ning when they first met flashed through Wanqing’s mind.
Now, as she studied the painting again, she realized how much she resembled the woman depicted. The noblewoman in the portrait exuded an air of cold elegance, while Wanqing’s own features were softer and more innocent. But upon closer inspection, their facial structures were undeniably similar.
The shocking revelation that she was Consort Hui’s daughter—and thus Prince Ning’s blood sister—left Wanqing reeling. She grabbed Bai Gu’s sleeve in disbelief.
“Yes. Both Su Xiang and I were Consort Hui’s personal maids. But Su Xiang later fell in love with your father—it was love at first sight. Our lady arranged their marriage, but to protect them from the turmoil of the palace, she claimed Su Xiang was a courtesan by birth.”
“Consort Hui was originally a princess of Daqi. After marrying into the Daming imperial family, she only had the two of us as her closest attendants. When Prince Ning was five years old, she became pregnant again—with you. After your birth, the emperor, who had once adored her, suddenly turned cruel. He spared Prince Ning but, swayed by slander, accused our lady of infidelity, claiming you were not his child. Enraged, the emperor demanded answers. To protect you, our lady sent you away in secret. When she returned, she was holding another infant—but I knew it wasn’t you. Before I could understand her plan, the emperor arrived. He… he struck her down. We fought desperately to save her, but it was too late.”
“Fortunately, Prince Ning was clever and had the support of the officials our lady had once befriended. With their help—and mine in secret—he grew up safely and eventually became the crown prince. But you… we always believed you were still alive. All these years, I never stopped searching for you. And now, here you are, right before my eyes, Young Miss…”
As Bai Gu finished recounting the tragic tale, she clasped Wanqing’s shoulders, tears streaming down her face.
(To be continued.)
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