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Shiiun paused in his narrative, "His Highness asks me to convey to Lady Shen that Miss Rong only found out about the jade bead on New Year's Eve. Prior to that, she believed herself to be a child of the Rong family. The Prince mentioned that Miss Rong shares a deep bond with Lady Shen and would likely not wish to alter her relationship with her."

Lady Shen?

Empress Qi recalled the secret report she had read in the carriage earlier and realized that Shiiun was referring to Shen Yizhen, the first wife of Duke Cheng'an.

Now that Shen Yizhen and Rong Xun had divorced, even their child was no longer considered part of the Rong family.

Recalling snippets of gossip she had overheard, Empress Qi's fingers trembled slightly around the jade bead.

Due to an astrological chart that did not belong to her, she was deemed inauspicious from birth and forced to leave the capital at the age of four, never to return for nine long years.

Her grandmother despised her, and her father, whom she yearned for, favored his concubine over his wife, treating her indifferently.

In the vast Rong family, the only one who genuinely cared for her was Shen Yizhen.

Just how much suffering did her child endure to be willing to bear the stigma of disobedience and renounce their father's surname?

Chapter 102

Nanny Gui returned from delivering the auspicious fruit, only to find Empress Qi's face ashen white. Panic seized her heart as she hastily asked, "Your Majesty, is there something amiss? Should this old servant summon the Imperial Physician?"

Empress Qi shook her head. "Nanny, you're confused. I am currently on my way to the Great Mercy Temple."

If she was on her way to the Great Mercy Temple, how could she summon an imperial physician? No one must know that she had come to the Eastern Palace, nor that a young miss was hidden within.

No wonder the Eastern Palace had been guarded like an iron bucket these past few days, making it impossible to deliver messages or gather information.

Empress Qi surveyed the surroundings before casting a glance at Shiiun, who knelt respectfully on the ground.

If Xiao Yan hadn't allowed her entry today, she would likely not have even made it through the palace gates. Xiao Yan had anticipated her visit and thus instructed this guard to wait at the main entrance.

Now, not only had she colluded with him in deceiving the emperor by substituting an impostor for her daughter, but she was also concealing the child's true identity alongside him.

In other words, Qi Zhen was now in the same boat as Xiao Yan. Unless she were ruthless enough to deny her own flesh and blood any chance of survival, they were now two peas in a pod.

However, Xiao Yan had also exposed his vulnerability to her.

Should she wish to ruin him, all she needed to do was reveal Rong Shu's true identity to the public.

How could she possibly do that?

If Xiao Yan were ruined, his supposed mother's reputation would also plummet into the abyss. She couldn't destroy him, nor could she bear to harm that child. All she could do was use all her strength to help him conceal the child's identity and prevent anyone from discovering it.

Truly a well-played scheme!

Seeing Empress Qi's face turn from pale to ashen, Aunt Gui approached and held onto her arm, saying, "Your Highness—"

But Empress Qi interrupted her, slowly exhaling and stating, "Let's go. We'll head to Dajian Temple."

Shiiun personally accompanied Aunt Gui and Empress Qi out the door. The sound of hooves crushing the frosty ground echoed as they gradually disappeared into the distance.

Shiiun closed the door behind them.

The shadow guards who had followed him from Yang State Prefecture to the Eastern Palace stood behind him. Seeing his casual demeanor, one of them touched his neck in lingering fear. "Turns out that palace maid was Her Majesty the Empress. I was just afraid that if Her Majesty had been displeased, she would have had our heads!"

Upon hearing this, Shiiun playfully rapped the guard on the head, his expression darkening. "Are your ears deaf? Who came to the Eastern Palace to deliver the auspicious fruit today?"

The guard realized his mistake and slapped his own mouth forcefully. "It was Aunt Gui from the Kunning Palace—no one else!"

Shiiun's face finally broke into a playful smile. "Come on, let's see if our young lady likes these auspicious fruits."

The fact that Empress Qi's wet nurse personally delivered the fruits took Zhu Jun and Lan Xuan by surprise.

Zhu Jun, with her composed nature, accepted the fruits with a calm demeanor. Lan Xuan, however, could not hide her astonishment; back in the palace, she had never been worthy of engaging in conversation with Nurse Gui.

Fortunately, Nurse Gui was entirely focused on the young lady; when she offered the fruits, her eyes seemed glued to the young lady's face. Not only did she gaze at her intently, but she also asked with great care if the young lady had any food allergies.

In this palace, who would ever inquire about one's food allergies before presenting a gift?

Particularly the gifts from the Kunning Palace, the recipients, the honored ladies of the inner chambers, would be more than grateful to prostrate themselves in thanks for such blessings. Who would dare to question the materials used, fearing they might cause illness?

Today, Lan Xuan found Matron Gui's behavior peculiar, yet she couldn't quite put her finger on what exactly was off about it.

After much contemplation, it can only be said that Her Majesty the Empress, aware of the Prince's high regard for Miss Rong, has intentions to establish a good mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship beforehand.

Miss Rong, after marrying the Crown Prince, wouldn't Empress Dowager become Miss Rong's mother-in-law?

"This is a special delicacy from the Imperial Kitchen, prepared exclusively for the Kunning Palace. The ingredients used are not like those in common fruits. Miss, I urge you to try one."

Lan Xuan joyfully lifted a red sandalwood box inlaid with precious treasures, revealing six lotus-shaped colored bean paste sweets, their subtle sweet fragrance wafting out of the box.

Rong Shu recalled the gaze that Aunt Gui had just cast upon her, causing her heart to sink slightly.

In the next instant, a pair of calm and deep black eyes suddenly appeared before her.

This morning, when Gu Changjin left the Purple Imperial Palace, he told her that as long as she wanted to be Shen Shu, she could remain Shen Shu for her entire life, and no one could force her to be anyone else.

He must have guessed that someone from the Kunning Palace would visit today, which was why he had said those words to her before his departure.

It had to be said that Gu Changjin's words lifted the weight from her heart, bringing a sudden clarity and brightness to her spirits.

Looking at the banquet box again, she no longer felt melancholic.

"I can't possibly finish all of this on my own," Rong Shu picked up a purple lotus-shaped fruit, took a gentle bite, and smiled warmly. "Let's distribute the rest to the people in the Purple Imperial Palace."

The fruit that touched her tongue was soft, sweet, and slightly nutty with the aroma of purple yam. It was incredibly delicious, living up to the renowned reputation of the imperial kitchen.