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“Princess, why are you here? You should have said something earlier so I could come to greet you,” Madam Su said warmly as she welcomed the Princess.
The Princess of Xian smiled, elegantly setting down her teacup. “I happened to pass by your residence and remembered something, so I thought I’d stop by for a visit. I hope I’m not bothering you.”
Madam Su quickly replied, “Not at all, Your Highness. You needn’t be so polite. Is there something specific you remembered that prompted this visit?”
Seeing that the Princess didn’t seem to be here about a marriage proposal, Madam Su couldn’t help but feel curious about what else it could be.
The Princess spoke, “My son Rui went to Jiuli Temple yesterday to pray for his grandmother. While he was there, he encountered a young lady. At first, he thought she was your daughter, Qingyue, but it turned out she didn’t know Rui at all. He thought Qingyue was just playing a joke on him, but later realized she truly wasn’t Qingyue. This young lady looks exactly like Qingyue. Rui told me about this when he returned, and it suddenly reminded me of something. Over twenty years ago, you gave birth to twins, didn’t you? If that child had lived, she would also be as beautiful, poised, and educated as Qingyue—a rare beauty.”
The Princess spoke with a smile, but Madam Su could no longer share in the joy. Her mind was in a daze, and her hands instinctively gripped the arms of her chair tightly, disbelief filling her eyes.
Previously, when Su Qingyue had mentioned this, Madam Su had been skeptical, but now that even the heir of the Prince of Xian had met this girl, she was left with no choice but to believe.
Still, it was difficult for her to accept, and she couldn’t quite comprehend it.
Seeing Madam Su’s dazed expression, the Princess assumed she was overly excited and said, “Madam Su, I think there can’t be two people in the world who look exactly alike. If there are, they must be twins. The child you lost back then, had she not died, would surely be as beautiful as Qingyue.”
“The circumstances of that child’s death remain a mystery to us. I thought you should know this news quickly. If it is indeed that child, then you, Madam Su, would be blessed again.”
Madam Su forced out a smile that was more painful than tears, nodding stiffly. “Yes, yes… But I find it hard to believe. That child was already lifeless. To ensure she could have a good rebirth, we consulted a master who told us that, since the child was too small, burial was not advisable. Instead, we made a small prayer boat for her, placing her inside and letting it drift away on the Zijin River. The master said that the Zijin River leads to the Western Paradise, and this way, our prayers could reach the heavens. In her next life, my daughter could be reborn into a good family, free from illness and pain, and live a life of wealth and comfort.”
As she spoke, Madam Su wiped her tears with a handkerchief, her expression reflecting the deep pain of recalling this event.
She had indeed thought of a suitable reason for all this. If it were truly that child, it would also provide an explanation to outsiders.
The Princess looked surprised. “Such a thing happened?”
Madam Su nodded, her face clouded with sorrow. “Yes! To be honest, I was adamant against it at that time. I wanted the child to have a proper burial, how could I let her be treated this way? She was so young and had already lost her life; it was pitiful enough. I was heartbroken and couldn’t bear it. However, in the end, the master persuaded me. He said what we thought was best for the child wasn’t truly good for her. In fact, what we thought was bad was what would truly benefit her. He asked me if I wanted my daughter to be free of illness and live a comfortable life in her next life. Naturally, I wanted that, so he told me to follow his advice, rather than selfishly cling to my own thoughts.”
Madam Su paused for a moment, wiping her tears again, her voice trembling as she said, “In the end, I had no choice but to agree. After sending the child away, I fell ill and took quite a long time to recover.”
The Princess of Xian nodded, feeling sympathy for Madam Su. She spoke gently, “Perhaps a miracle has occurred. Your daughter might not have died but instead survived, wandering outside all these years.”
Madam Su still wore a disbelieving expression, forcing a bitter smile. “Your Highness, while this news is shocking, I still find it hard to believe. Unless I see that child with my own eyes, I can’t accept it. Does the young master have any idea where she is? You all say she looks exactly like Qingyue, but without seeing her for myself, I can’t truly believe it.”
Thinking about her son’s mention of the girl being connected to the emperor, the Princess said, “Rui doesn’t know where she is either; they only met once. However, the girl seems to be named Qingli, and she knows the emperor. Rui learned this name from the emperor himself.”
“What? She knows the emperor?”
Madam Su was taken aback and felt even more troubled. How was the emperor involved in this?
The Princess nodded. “Indeed! Not only does he know her, but the emperor also warned my son Rui, advising him to be respectful if he meets her again. His attitude towards her is quite different. The emperor has not shown interest in women for years, but it seems he has taken a liking to this girl. If she truly is your daughter, Madam Su, then congratulations.”
The Princess thought this was a wonderful opportunity. If this girl was indeed from the Su family and could marry the emperor, it would be even better. The Prince of Xian would marry Su Qingyue, while the emperor would marry Su Qingli. Everyone knew the emperor had no heirs, so if this girl married in, she wouldn’t bear children, which would instead help her older sister. With Su Qingyue being part of the Prince of Xian’s family, and the emperor without heirs, the choice would ultimately fall to the imperial family, giving the Prince of Xian greater opportunities.
The more the Princess thought about it, the more feasible it seemed, and she began to secretly plan a great deal.
While the Princess felt increasingly pleased, Madam Su couldn’t share in her joy. After all, Master Li had said that the child had a fate of isolation, bringing misfortune to family and friends. If it truly was her child, they wouldn’t dare even bring her home, let alone send her to the palace. If they harmed the emperor, the Su family would face dire consequences.
Listening from the back door, Su Qingyue frowned tightly. When had Qingli become familiar with the emperor? How could so much have happened in just a day or two?
Moreover, Nangong Rui had mistaken Qingli for her, and she wondered if Qingli had any suspicions.
Su Qingyue felt a wave of worry. She hadn’t considered it before, but with Qingli’s face being identical to hers, anyone who recognized her on the streets of Nanyang City would likely mistake Qingli for her.
One person might be manageable, but if two or three recognized Qingli as Su Qingyue, then Qingli would surely have doubts.
It seemed necessary to clarify things with her, but she felt uneasy about her parents’ attitudes whenever they mentioned her sister, leaving her perplexed.
Inside the room, after discussing Qingli, the Princess couldn’t help but bring up Su Qingyue’s marriage prospects.
The Princess was well aware of the Su family’s expectations. She understood their intentions, just as the Su family understood the motives of the Prince of Xian. They all operated under an unspoken agreement, discussing not feelings but interests, each seeking mutual benefit.