Xie Yutang, the youngest son of the Yongning Marquis Manor, was seventeen years old.

Bringing back the legitimate daughter was of paramount importance to the Marquis Manor. However, both the Marquis of Yongning and the Crown Prince held official positions and couldn’t easily leave their posts.  The Marchioness of Yongning was frail and unable to undertake a long journey, so the task of bringing the daughter back fell to the sixth son, Xie Yutang.

Accompanying him was Lin Mama, the Marchioness Huo’s trusted maid.

The entourage consisted of over thirty guards, eight maids and servants, and a top-of-the-line carriage—an ornate vehicle with embroidered windows, colorful ribbons, and fragrant decorations, showcasing the Manor’s sincerity in welcoming back their daughter.

When the Xie family arrived, Yu Ning initially didn’t want to go to the capital.  She had lived freely until the age of twenty-two, capable of supporting herself and her daughter, and saw no need to acknowledge any relatives.

But Xie Yutang was persistent, blocking her doorway daily to prevent her from leaving, using the Manor’s power to coerce her and tempting her with wealth and luxury.  Yu Ning was exasperated and subtly intrigued, curious about her biological parents. After much deliberation, she finally agreed to accompany the Xie family’s procession to the capital to take a look.

The Xie family of the Yongning Marquis Manor was a prominent family with a legacy spanning two dynasties.  Even with changes in dynasties and emperors, the Xie family remained prosperous and influential.

The current Empress Dowager was a Xie family daughter, the elder sister of the Marquis of Yongning.

If Yu Ning was indeed a Xie family daughter, the Empress Dowager would be her aunt.  A life of wealth and luxury would be assured.

With slender, fair fingers, Yu Ning lifted the curtain, gazing through the small window at the bustling streets and shops of the capital, silently lamenting the vicissitudes of life.

The sudden appearance of the Yongning Marquis Manor, parents she had never met, siblings—all of this felt distant yet simultaneously close at hand.

Near noon, the team sent by the Marquis Manor to the south to retrieve the third Miss finally appeared. Leading the procession was the young master, Xie Yutang, riding a fine steed, his spirit high as he guided the group towards the Manor’s gates.

The female members of the Yongning Marquis Manor had been waiting at the gate for over half an hour.

“In this scorching heat, why stand at the main gate?  We can come out once they arrive,” said the young woman, Xie Yu Hua, the second branch’s legitimate daughter.

Xie Yu Hua was the fourth daughter of the Yongning Marquis Manor.

Standing under the scorching sun inevitably caused impatience, especially for Xie Yu Hua, a noble lady raised in luxury who had never endured such hardship.  However, she could only quietly complain to her sisters, suppressing her resentment.

Looking ahead, the Marchioness of Yongning, Huo, and the second branch’s wife, Lin, both over forty, had also waited under the sun for half an hour without showing any displeasure.

“Greetings to Mother and Second Aunt.”

Xie Yutang dismounted, bowed, and greeted them with an air of nonchalance.

However, the Marchioness Huo and the second branch’s wife had their eyes fixed on the carriage, ignoring Xie Yutang’s teasing greetings.

Huo, whose given name was Shu Huan, came from humble beginnings but possessed a strong spirit and valued propriety, rarely losing her composure.

Reuniting with her long-lost daughter, the mother couldn’t help but be overcome with emotion.  Before the person in the carriage even appeared, her eyes welled up.

When she saw Lin Mama helping a young woman out of the carriage, her tears flowed freely.

Huo rushed forward, leaving the others behind, and embraced Yu Ning, who was still somewhat dazed.

“Shenyue, my Shenyue, it’s you, you’re my Yue’er.” Huo held Yu Ning tightly, her tears unstoppable despite the attempts of others to console her.

“Madam, please don’t cry. Miss has returned, and there will be many more days to come.” Lin Mama held little Yu Bao, comforting the child while trying to soothe Huo.

“Yes, it’s a joyous occasion. Elder Sister-in-law, please don’t cry. Let’s have the third niece enter the manor. After the long journey, let her rest and have some tea before we talk.”

The second branch’s wife also tried to persuade her, but to no avail. Huo’s emotions were unrestrained, like a floodgate opening.

Several women spoke at once, creating a lively scene.

Finally, Yu Ning supported Huo’s shoulders and asked seriously, “Madam, how do you know?  Are you sure you haven’t mistaken someone?”

“I mean, after all these years, how can you be certain that I am your daughter based solely on a keepsake?”

Although the keepsake was indeed a pendant Yu Ning had worn since childhood, such an important matter could not be taken lightly.  It was necessary to clarify the details.

Huo wiped her tears, taking deep breaths to calm herself.

The second branch’s wife spoke first, “There can be no mistake. Shenyue, do you know that when you went missing, you were already five years old? Your features were already formed, lovely and adorable. The elders all remember you. Now you are twenty-two, your appearance has changed slightly, but you still resemble your childhood self. We knew at a glance that you are Xie Shenyue, the third Miss of the Yongning Marquis Manor!”

Huo calmed down, her emotions subsiding.  She nodded tearfully, her gaze fixed on Yu Ning, her eyes full of affection.

“Yes, yes, Shenyue, you left your mother’s side when you were five. Your mother raised you for five years, I could never mistake my daughter.”

The keepsake and appearance matched, and many clues could be verified, confirming their identity.

Yu Ning sighed softly, feeling a sense of closure. Although she had been lost, she had grown up happily without much hardship, so she harbored no resentment towards her birth mother, only a sense of wistfulness.

“I understand. I am indeed Madam’s daughter, our bloodline is undeniable, but…”

Yu Ning smiled faintly, taking Huo’s hand, and said earnestly, “But Madam, my name is not Xie Shenyue.  The person standing before you is Yu Ning.”

Huo wiped her tears, nodded, and said joyfully, “Very well, Mother won’t call you Shenyue.  Ning’er, is that alright?”

“Yes, thank you, Madam.”

After the commotion, the women at the gate finally entered the manor.