Chapter 11

“Xiao Jiu, did you already know that you weren’t borne by Zhao Aman?”

Empress Wei asked this, and Qin Jiu nodded.

With her eyes lowered halfway, she murmured, “Ever since I was little, they would hit me whenever they wanted and scold me whenever they pleased. I did all the housework, but they never once treated me kindly.

“To get Li Jiabao a place at the county school, they sold me to the Xu family’s fool. I refused, so she beat me and said that even if she beat me to death, I would deserve it; that they could just wrap me in a thin mat and throw me away.

“That day, after Zhao Aman beat me, she went out. I secretly overheard Li Jinzhu try to persuade her, saying that I was at least the Qin family’s young lady. If they really beat me to death and someone from the Qin family came looking in the future, they wouldn’t be able to take responsibility.

“That’s when I realized I wasn’t their biological child. My surname is Qin.

“Qin Jiu is the name I gave myself.”

Qin Jiu spoke half-truths. Back when she was getting her travel permit, she hadn’t planned to return to the marquis’s residence and simply used her real name “Qin Jiu”, which couldn’t be concealed. So she used the excuse of “overhearing” to bring the inconsistency into the open.

The more Empress Wei listened, the angrier she became, and she couldn’t help but slam the table.

“How detestable!”

It felt as if an invisible hand were clutching her heart, causing intense pain.

How could such despicable people exist in this world? Their own daughter had grown up in the marquis’s household, pampered and honored; yet they didn’t treat someone else’s daughter well, treating her like a beast of burden, abusing her at will.

If this girl hadn’t been clever enough to escape and had truly been married off to a fool, wouldn’t her marriage and the rest of her life have been completely ruined by them?

At the thought of this, Empress Wei wanted nothing more than to tear the Li family to pieces.

Unfortunately, that couple had committed murder and fled their hometown.

Suppressing the pain in her heart, Empress Wei forced a smile and gently stroked Qin Jiu’s hair.

At her age, a girl should have soft, glossy black hair, but what she felt in her palm was coarse and dry. This child had suffered too much!

“Madam Gu.”

The young girl’s soft, delicate voice interrupted Empress Wei’s thoughts. She saw her raise her palm-sized face, her pure black almond-shaped eyes staring unblinkingly as she asked with difficulty, “You said that you are my aunt. Then who are my parents? Why… why didn’t they want me?”

Empress Wei sighed and said, “You are the legitimate eldest daughter of the Qin family’s main branch in the Marquis of Zhongyi’s household, and also the second legitimate daughter of your generation.”

Holding Qin Jiu’s cold little hand, she recounted everything that had happened back then, omitting the parts about the emperor nearly being deposed when he was still crown prince. She simply summarized it as the Qin family being falsely accused and exiled, which was why they had entrusted their newborn child to others.

“…After the Qin family was cleared of charges, they sent people to bring you back. But they never expected that those people would actually replace you with their own daughter.”

“So that’s how it was…” Qin Jiu suddenly underrstood.

After a moment, she asked, “Madam Gu, then who else is in my family? Will my parents… not like me?”

Qin Jiu looked somewhat uneasy. Empress Wei patted her hand, smiling as she softly reassured, “Your parents have already passed away. You still have an older full-blooded brother and a younger full-blooded brother. Your elder brother is called Qin Zening, and your younger brother is Qin Zeyu. As for the rest of the Qin family…”

Empress Wei’s expression turned cold for a moment, then she smiled again and said, “They’re just relatives from other branches. You don’t need to care about their likes or dislikes. Your grandfather has also passed away, but your grandmother is still alive. As long as you keep up appearances in front of her, that will be enough. As I said, you don’t need to mind the rest of the Qin family. Everything will be decided by this Emp… by your aunt.”

Qin Jiu nodded to herself, thinking: It seems Empress Wei is well aware that the Qin family has chosen to side with the Second Prince.

“Good girl.” Empress Wei’s brows and eyes were gentle as she continued, “Your maternal family’s surname is Wei. They are a prestigious scholarly family. In your ancestry, there have been two Grand Secretaries, four high-ranking regional officials, and eleven who ranked among the top three in the imperial examinations. There are countless jinshi and juren as well—it is by no means a minor or insignificant family.”

As she spoke of the Wei family, Empress Wei’s face was filled with pride.

“Your maternal grandfather is currently serving as the Governor-General of Jiangnan and is still in office. You look exactly like your mother. If your maternal grandfather and grandmother were to see you, they would certainly recognize you. I recognized you at a glance too, but you’re just much thinner than your mother was at your age…”

Looking at the frail, undersized girl before her and thinking of the scars covering her body, Empress Wei’s nose stung, and the tears she had been holding back streamed down from the corners of her eyes.

Her younger sister had suffered exile in the prime of her youth, and on her deathbed, all she had thought about was this daughter.

And she! All these years, she had doted on and cherished an impostor in the palm of her hand!

Guilt and regret twisted around Empress Wei’s heart like vines.

Qin Jiu took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the tears from Empress Wei’s cheeks, comforting her: “…Aunt, don’t cry.”

The way she said “Aunt” was awkward and strained, yet it only made Empress Wei’s tears flow even more uncontrollably.

She hugged Qin Jiu again, as if holding a treasure she had lost and finally found. She choked out, “Good child… good child, your aunt will never let you suffer again.”

Empress Wei had always been in poor health and was sensitive to extremes of emotion. Seeing this, Xu Momo at her side quickly advised, “Madam, being reunited with your niece is a joyous occasion, how can you cry? You should be happy!

“Madam, look, you’re frightening the young miss.”

Empress Wei looked at the little girl staring at her without blinking, her bright almond-shaped eyes so similar to her own filled with confusion.

Empress Wei smiled, took the girl’s rough hand, and said, “Xiao Jiu, come back to the capital with me.”

“But…” Qin Jiu hesitated, glancing around. “Aunt, I just rented this shop.”

She felt a bit reluctant. Even if it was all part of an act, she had still arranged everything here bit by bit herself. It had taken real effort and care.

“It’s fine,” Empress Wei said with a smile. “You can leave this shop as it is for now. In the future, you can have a trustworthy steward manage it for you.”

She was already thinking that she might as well buy the shop for the child outright.

After persuading her earnestly for a while, Qin Jiu finally agreed.

So at noon that very day, after Qin Jiu made some simple preparations, they set off.

This place was a full thirty li from the capital. Originally, Empress Wei originally shouldn’t have come personally and could’ve simply sent Xu Momo to summon Qin Jiu. However, she had been anxious and worried that Qin Jiu might overthink things, so she insisted on making the trip herself. The emperor had always doted on her and didn’t stop her, only assigning some guards to escort her and allowing her to leave the palace in plain clothes.

The group hurried along and finally reached the capital before nightfall. The carriages rode straight into the imperial city.

During the journey, Empress Wei had already told Qin Jiu her true identity and arranged for her to stay in the palace for a few days.

The carriage stopped at the palace gates, and Xu Momo presented a token to the guards for inspection.

Not far away, a figure dressed in a sapphire-blue brocade robe woven with gold stood at the palace gate. He was handsome, tall, and upright, staring blankly in the direction of the carriage. He subconsciously took a step forward, only to forcibly hold himself back.

After entering the gates, Qin Jiu followed Empress Wei onto a sedan chair, and they made their way all the way to Fengluan Palace.

“Mother Empress!”

A small figure ran out from the hall and down the stone steps, happily rushing towards Empress Wei.

The boy’s fair and handsome little face was filled with undisguised joy. He was the Sixth Prince, Gu Zhen.

“Zhen’er,” Empress Wei smiled warmly, the joy reaching her eyes. “This is your cousin.”

“Cousin!” Gu Zhen called out lively, his big eyes blinking as he curiously looked at her. He still remembered that Qin Jiu had saved him from the lake, and there was a sense of closeness in the way he looked at her.

Qin Jiu felt an itch in her hand and reached out to gently rub his soft hair.

“Xiao Jiu, his given name is Zhen. You two are cousins, so there’s no need to be too formal. Just call him Zhen’er.” Empress Wei said with a smile as she looked at them, “Let’s go inside first.”

Gu Zhen took a pine nut candy out of his pouch and handed it to Qin Jiu: “Cousin, eat.”

The child’s innocent and pure demeanor made Qin Jiu’s heart melt, and the candy in her mouth seemed even sweeter.

“Xiao Jiu, you can stay here in my palace for a while. Once the Qin family is settled, you can return.” Empress Wei said casually, though a sharp glint flashed in her eyes, “This Empress will take good care of you on your mother’s behalf.”

Before setting out to bring Qin Jiu back, Empress Wei had already instructed the servants to prepare a room in the side hall for her along with clothing and jewelry, hoping her niece would live comfortably in the palace.

“Okay,” Gu Zhen raised his little face excitedly, his eyes sparkling. “Cousin, if you stay here with Mother, you can play with me!”

Qin Jiu smiled and agreed.

At this moment, a palace maid in green came to report, “Your Majesty, the Noble Consort requests an audience.”

She had only just returned to the palace, yet the Noble Consort had already received the news. A cold smile curled at Empress Wei’s lips as she replied indifferently, “This Empress is currently busy. I won’t see her.”

The maid acknowledged and withdrew.

Qin Jiu lowered her eyes slightly, her eyes flickering.

In the novel, the emperor and empress shared a deep bond. In the ten years since his ascension, the emperor had only held a selection of consorts once. Among the four principal consorts, only the Noble Consort and the Virtuous Consort had been appointed. Compared to previous emperors of the Great Qi dynasty, the imperial harem was relatively quiet.

If not for the Sixth Prince being young and in poor health, the court officials would not have argued so fiercely over whether to establish the eldest son or the legitimate son as heir.

And the Noble Consort was the biological mother of the Second Prince, Gu Jing.

Qin Jiu couldn’t help but recall the incident of the Sixth Prince falling into Mirror Lake. It was easy to imagine that if Gu Zhen had drowned that day, the one who would have benefited most would have naturally been the Second Prince, Gu Jing.

During this period, aside from investigating her own background, Empress Wei must have also been looking into the incident of Gu Zhen falling into the water. She had likely already begun to suspect the Noble Consort and her son.

“Your Majesty,” Xu Momo glanced at the Empress’ expression and seized the moment to say, “Young Master Qin has been waiting outside the palace gates. He is probably here for Miss Cousin.”

“Zening is thoughtful,” Empress Wei nodded slightly and instructed the head eunuch, “Yu Ping, go inform him that I will be keeping Xiao Jiu here for a few days.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Yu Ping, the chief eunuch of Fengluan Palace, accepted the order and went out.

As soon as he stepped outside, Yu Ping saw a beautiful woman in her early thirties dressed rather thinly kneeling outside Fengluan Palace. Her slender figure trembled in the autumn wind.

Putting on an act! Yu Ping snorted coldly and strode past the Noble Consort.