“Don’t mind them, speak freely,” Han Yan gestured to Zhuo Qi not to worry. Ji Lan and Shu Hong were her most trusted people – they were direct participants in her life, requiring no precautions. Though people’s hearts were unfathomable, some individuals truly never betrayed you throughout their lives.
Since Han Yan had said this, Zhuo Qi could no longer demur. He lowered his head, appearing to organize his thoughts, considering how to explain things most clearly to Han Yan. She waited patiently for his words. Zhuo Qi said: “Although the Tang Clan tried their best to conceal it, and they did keep this secret well, I still discovered that the former Fort Master’s youngest daughter, Tang Xiao Qiao, was the Eastern Marquis’s Princess Consort.”
The Tang Clan’s youngest daughter was the Eastern Marquis’s Princess Consort. Han Yan frowned. The court and martial arts world had always been incompatible terms. The martial arts world looked down on the court’s scheming, while the court feared the rising power of martial arts sects.
These two maintained a delicate relationship – neither interfering with the other while remaining vigilantly watchful. Marriages between court officials and martial arts practitioners were extremely rare. Common martial artists were one thing, but major martial arts clan members were particularly feared by the court – such marriages were practically impossible.
The Eastern Marquis and Tang Xiao Qiao – one a powerful court official of the time, the other a precious daughter of a major martial arts clan – should have been natural enemies. However, given the Eastern Marquis’s unbridled nature, falling in love with a martial arts woman wasn’t impossible. Still, martial arts women who fell in love with court officials were often called court dogs and traitors to the martial arts world. This explains why the former Tang Fort Master concealed the matter of his daughter Tang Xiao Qiao.
But the handkerchief in A Bi’s possession bore the character “Qiao.” Her mother was the Eastern Marquis’s childhood sweetheart, and Tang Xiao Qiao was the Eastern Marquis’s Princess Consort. This suggested the handkerchief must have belonged to Tang Xiao Qiao.
Why would Tang Xiao Qiao’s handkerchief be in her mother’s possession? Han Yan suddenly recalled A Bi’s words – her mother had loved the Eastern Marquis but ultimately married Zhuang Shi Yang. The Eastern Marquis’s entire family was mysteriously eliminated, and she was born shortly after her mother married into the Zhuang family. Everyone said she wasn’t Zhuang Shi Yang’s daughter.
Han Yan’s heart began racing wildly. For some reason, a crazy speculation arose in her mind.
Since learning of A Bi’s words, Han Yan had been almost certain she wasn’t Zhuang Shi Yang’s biological daughter. She suspected her real father wasn’t Zhuang Shi Yang, given his complete lack of paternal warmth toward her. Initially, she thought this was just Zhuang Shi Yang’s cold nature, as he treated Zhuang Qin, born to Concubine Wan, similarly. But Zhuang Shi Yang still showed some affection toward Concubine Wan – though neglectful, he would occasionally inquire about her when in good spirits. However, toward Han Yan’s mother, he maintained an almost adversarial attitude. Since Han Yan’s birth, she had never witnessed any affection between Zhuang Shi Yang and her mother. Even for a wife of humble origins, there should have been some years of loving companionship, but in Qing Qiu Court, there was nothing.
So when A Bi mentioned her mother’s love for the Eastern Marquis, Han Yan had vaguely wondered if she might be the Eastern Marquis’s daughter, conceived before her mother married him.
But when Tang Xiao Qiao’s handkerchief emerged, Han Yan dismissed this idea. A mother truly in love with the Eastern Marquis wouldn’t have kept Tang Xiao Qiao’s handkerchief. They would have been rivals, opponents.
Then, what if she wasn’t just not Zhuang Shi Yang’s daughter, but also not her mother’s daughter?
What if she was the daughter of the Eastern Marquis and Tang Xiao Qiao?
Zhuang Shi Yang’s coldness toward her might be because he knew she wasn’t his child, and didn’t carry his blood. Moreover, the mysterious elimination of the Eastern Marquis’s family might have had royal connections. Taking her in was like harboring a dangerous element in the Zhuang household, potentially drawing royal attention – a concern for Zhuang Shi Yang. Furthermore, Han Yan was raised by Madam Wang, the wife who loved another man’s child. Every time Zhuang Shi Yang saw Han Yan, he naturally felt rejection, as if Madam Wang had greatly humiliated him.
Then came the crucial question: why did Madam Wang adopt Han Yan?
Han Yan had never previously doubted that Madam Wang was her birth mother because Madam Wang had been so good to her. She endured humiliation for Han Yan’s sake, and loved her deeply, like any mother would. Han Yan couldn’t have doubted this gentle woman wasn’t her mother.
However, once the idea that she might be Tang Xiao Qiao and the Eastern Marquis’s child surfaced, many past scenes flashed before her eyes. No one had ever remarked on her resemblance to her mother, much less to Zhuang Shi Yang. Her mother was gentle and graceful, while Han Yan, though outwardly compliant, was stubborn and determined inside. Her mother had once mixed up her birth date and time and always acted strangely when visiting temples to burn incense.
She looked nothing like her mother. Many seemingly trivial matters now appeared suspicious, and when connected, suddenly everything became crystal clear.
Things that had been puzzling suddenly made sense at this moment. But this clarity brought no joy. Finally understanding that her father wasn’t her father and her mother wasn’t her mother, her true identity became a mystery. Perhaps none of her real family remained in this world. If she truly was the Eastern Marquis’s daughter, her peaceful survival through these years might have been part of another plot.
Because Zhuang Shi Yang wouldn’t have dared keep such a dangerous element unless someone had instructed him to raise her in the Zhuang household. That person knew her identity and knew she was alive. The only person Zhuang Shi Yang would willingly serve was someone from the royal family. Since the Seventh Prince hadn’t been born then, it could only be one person – the Empress Dowager.
Han Yan suddenly recalled Wei Ru Feng’s previous request to marry her. Since her previous life, Wei Ru Feng’s desire to make her his princess consort has never changed. Even for a fated connection, this seemed too coincidental. In her previous life, Han Yan was even less fortunate – kidnapped by bandits, her reputation ruined in the capital’s eyes, rarely appearing in public, and almost a forgotten person. Yet even then, Wei Ru Feng had sent betrothal gifts. At that time, Han Yan had been overwhelmingly grateful to him, never questioning the inconsistency. How could the proud Wei Ru Feng, heaven’s chosen one, notice such an obscure person? Even their status was mismatched – he was the future Prince Wei, and she was merely an unfavored official’s daughter.
When Zhuang Yu Shan gave her poisoned wine in her previous life, though Han Yan died, Zhuang Yu Shan took her place, appearing to outsiders as if Han Yan had become the Prince’s consort. Zhuang Yu Shan used her name, perhaps… this was just for show. Then Wei Ru Feng’s desire to marry her might also have been on someone’s instructions.