"Your Highness." When Jiuzhu saw Her Highness coming back, she pulled her to sit down at the table with a serious expression and asked carefully, "Did you encounter anything unhappy?"
"I'm a little unhappy." Prince Chen sighed, "Tell me, if someone pretends to be me as an adult and says that I'm your benefactor, what would you do?"
"I definitely won't believe it." Jiuzhu answered without thinking, "The Queen Mother is so beautiful. Once you look at her, you will never forget her beauty for the rest of your life."
"I was also very good-looking back then. Did you recognize me when we first met?" Prince Chen said sourly.
"Boys change a lot when they grow up." Jiuzhu looked away guiltily, not looking at the King of Chen: "There are still differences between adults and children, but at that time I felt that you looked a little familiar."
"How much is a little bit?" Prince Chen raised his eyebrows and pointed at his face.
Jiuzhu smiled and kissed the place he pointed: "So many."
Prince Chen took a look at the length of her bib and said, "Okay, that's more than the funeral money he paid to "General Cricket" in the past."
"What if there is no mother, but only me? What would you do if someone else pretends to be me?"
"I won't believe it." Jiuzhu shook her head seriously: "No one else can know the process of how I was rescued. A single word or a single action could be exposed. If there is really a fool who dares to impersonate..."
"how?"
"I'll send him to ascend."
"That's a coincidence. Someone just happened to impersonate you in the past few days."
"Hmm?" Jiuzhu blinked: "So you went out early this morning to do this?"
"Speaking of which, the Dragon Guards have found out something interesting." Prince Chen said, "The person who pretended to be you also had the surname Ming and was from the Ming family of Lingzhou. Eleven years ago, he stayed at your house for a while."
Jiuzhu had a complicated expression: "So it was her..."
"Did your father-in-law and mother-in-law tell you about what happened back then?" Prince Chen saw that her expression was not right and thought Jiuzhu was unhappy, so he quickly comforted her: "Your father-in-law and mother-in-law just took her to stay for a while. In their hearts, you must be the most important daughter."
"Yes." Jiuzhu nodded: "In two days, I will go back and tell my mother about this."
If the mother didn't cherish her as much as her pearl and love her as her life, how could she have discovered that the little girl was a fake just by relying on her intuition?
This woman impersonated her twice in a row. Doesn't she have her own life?
Ming Jisi and Ming Zhenyu were very panicked. Their benefactor had lost his power and they were afraid of revenge from the Ming family. For the next few days, they stayed in the yard and did not dare to go out.
After waiting for a few days, the powerful Ming family did not come to their door. Only after they gradually calmed down did they dare to go out.
When people asked around outside, as soon as the Ming family's daughter was mentioned, the people on the streets and alleys started talking about her nonstop.
"Ming Lord's daughter, I know, she is the delicate young lady of the overbearing prince."
"Hey, isn't it the overbearing prince's favorite treasure?"
"You are all talking nonsense. It is obvious that she is a fairy who has come down to earth and is destined to be with the Immortal King for three lifetimes."
Ming Zhenyu was confused by what she heard. Are these people in the capital city mentally abnormal?
"Girl, if you are interested, you can go to the teahouse and sit and listen. That's really exciting."
Although Ming Zhenyu felt that these people were not very smart, she still went to the teahouse they mentioned.
Why are the snacks here so expensive? Are they made of gold? She glanced at the rich girls dressed in silk and satin, suppressed her reluctance, and ordered the cheapest tea and snacks.
Life at home has become increasingly difficult in recent years. It is said that the three brothers of the Ming family used to send money to the clan every year to encourage the children in the family to study. Later, the three brothers separated from their family, took back all the land they had bought for the clan, and distributed it to the local county government and poor people.
It is precisely because of this that no one says anything bad about the three brothers. Instead, countless people praise them for their noble character and kind-heartedness.
In the past ten years, my elder brother was the only one in the family who passed the imperial examination and became a scholar. The other younger generations were all mediocre. The Ming family, which was once prominent in Lingzhou, fell into decline.
The clan elders did try to ease the relationship with the three brothers, but they seemed determined not to have any more contact with them.
After listening to all the stories about the overbearing prince and the pretty lady in the teahouse, Ming Zhenyu felt a little confused. Love that lasts for three lifetimes is no longer popular now, but love that lasts for a hundred lifetimes?
The phenomenon of comparison is becoming increasingly serious, and even the plots of novels are not immune to it.
Unexpectedly, the Ming family not only found their daughter, but also let her marry the most favored Prince Chen as a princess. If her identity had not been exposed by Shen Ying back then, wouldn't she be the princess now?
However, the royal family has always had strict rules. How could they allow a high and mighty prince to marry a woman who had been wandering among the people for more than ten years and whose past experience was unknown?
Could it be that the Ming family is hiding something?
After further inquiries, she understood. Things turned out just as she had guessed. The Ming family announced to the public that Ming Jiuzhu was fostered in a Taoist temple since she was a child because of her weak health, and she was not taken home until she survived the ordeal of life and death.
Thinking of this, Ming Zhenyu sneered. After living outside for more than ten years, who knew what kind of low-class people Ming Jiuzhu had come into contact with before coming to Beijing?
The Ming family must be very afraid that this matter will be known by others.
The crime of deceiving the emperor is punishable by execution of the entire family.
Ming family.
When Shen Ying saw her daughter coming in, she said with disdain, "You just came home a few days ago, why are you here again?"
Before he finished speaking, he had already held Jiuzhu's hand and said, "What do you want to eat at noon? I'll make it for you. Why didn't His Highness come with you?"
"Your Highness was summoned to Taiyang Palace by the Emperor." Jiuzhu read out the names of a few dishes and took Shen Ying's hand: "Mother, there is a lot of fumes in the kitchen. Please talk to your daughter."
Seeing her daughter's expression, Shen Ying guessed that she might have something to say to her, so she sat down next to her and said, "Your father and brother are both on duty today, so it's rare for us to have a conversation."
The mother and daughter talked about their daily lives. Jiuzhu asked about the little girl who was sent by the Lingzhou Ming family to impersonate someone else eleven years ago.
"That little girl's eyebrows and eyes are somewhat similar to your father's. When you were just born, you had a mole on your forearm, and she also had one on her arm." When talking about the things that the Lingzhou Ming family did back then, Shen Ying's tone was somewhat disgusted: "When she got off the carriage that year, the first time I saw her, I felt that she and I were not destined to be together."
Jiuzhu held Shen Ying's hand.
"You are different. As soon as I saw you, I knew in my heart that you were my child." The disgust was replaced by warmth: "Maybe it's the influence of blood in nature, or maybe God couldn't bear that our family had sacrificed so much for the country and the people, but in the end, we would be usurped by others, so he reminded me."
Recalling the past, Shen Ying was extremely indifferent to the Lingzhou Ming family: "In order to ask them to agree to raise you, we gave them all the valuables we had. Starting from your grandfather's generation, they would take a lot of money to Lingzhou every year. We thought they would take the money and raise you well because of our friendship over the years. I never expected that they would take the money and abandon you in the wilderness."
At the end of the Xian De period, the country was in chaos. If a baby less than one month old was thrown into the wild, what chance would it have of survival?
Shen Ying hated the Lingzhou Ming family so much that if it weren't for the fact that His Majesty had just ascended the throne and needed the assistance of court officials, the couple would rather ignore what worldly people say and destroy the entire Lingzhou Ming family.
However, without the protection of their lineage, the Lingzhou Ming family declined within a few years, and there is no mention of the Lingzhou Ming family until now.
When people all over the world mention the Ming family, the only thing they think of is the Ming family in Beijing.
"Mother, I received a piece of news. The little girl who pretended to be me when she came to Beijing has now arrived."
"She still dares to come?" Shen Ying sneered: "We don't settle accounts with them, but they still come to our door."
"She came to reunite with her benefactor. When she was eight years old, she fell into the Huaxi River and was rescued by her benefactor."
Shen Ying was stunned at first, then she reacted: "She is pretending to be you again?!"
"Don't be angry, mother. Father, mother, and His Highness have already known about this." Jiuzhu poured Shen Ying a cup of tea. "My daughter is now a royal relative. Anyone who pretends to be a royal relative will implicate three clans. For the next fifty years, the descendants of the Ming family in Lingzhou will not be able to participate in the imperial examinations."
Shen Ying was a little surprised to hear this.
My daughter has a gentle personality and rarely gets angry. Even the tone of her voice carries the unique tenderness of Lingzhou. This doesn't sound like something she would say.
"Master said that people who practice Taoism pay attention to repaying evil with virtue. The Dacheng Law is virtue, and my daughter is handling this matter according to the Dacheng Law, which is equivalent to repaying evil with virtue." Jiuzhu's smile was innocent and pure: "Not following the Dacheng Law is a great rebellion. My daughter is upholding justice. Grandpa Sanqing will witness my daughter's righteous act of accumulating virtue and doing good."
Shen Ying opened her mouth and then closed it silently.
What a great way to repay evil with kindness, uphold justice, and do good deeds.
There's nothing wrong with it.
"Princess, Madam, there is a visitor outside who says he is an old friend and wants to reminisce with Madam."
Jiuzhu looked at the steward who delivered the message: "Is the person coming a man or a woman, and how old are they?"
"My princess, the person who came is a girl of about seventeen or eighteen years old." The housekeeper said, "She didn't bring any visiting cards, and her background is unknown. I personally think it's better not to meet her."
"A girl of seventeen or eighteen years old?" Jiuzhu and Shen Ying looked at each other and thought of someone at the same time.
"Let her in." Jiuzhu smiled: "I am also very curious about what kind of person this girl who dares to pretend to be a royal relative is."
Stepping into the Ming family's gate, Ming Zhenyu's eyes swept across this house that had appeared countless times in her memory. The tall trees in my memory didn't seem to be that thick, but the servants were still as silent as ever.
She hesitated for a moment before stepping into the main courtyard.
That year, she stood here, listening to Shen Ying's doubts, and never set foot in this yard again.
"Miss, please follow me." The steward who led the way called her.
"I'm sorry, I haven't been here for many years. I almost forgot what it looks like."
She thought the steward would ask her when she had been here, but the steward just bowed slightly to her and then led her further inside.
After she walked in, she looked at Shen Ying who was sitting at the head of the table, and a pleased smile appeared on her face: "My humble daughter Ming Zhenyu greets the Madam. Eleven years have passed, is the Madam doing well?"
"Ming Zhenyu?" Shen Ying took a sip from the teacup and turned to ask Jiuzhu: "Do we have such a relative in our family?"
Jiuzhu shook her head: "My daughter has never heard you mention it."
The smile on Ming Zhenyu's face froze. She thought Shen Ying would be shocked, angry, or uneasy when she heard her name, but she didn't react at all. Instead, she didn't even remember who she was.
She didn't believe that Shen Ying didn't remember her name!
"Madam, why do you have to pretend? I called you mother back then." Ming Zhenyu looked at Ming Jiuzhu who was sitting next to Shen Ying: "It seems that Madam has forgotten about me, the fake daughter, after finding her biological daughter."
"Since you know you are a fake, why do you have to embarrass yourself in front of me?" Shen Ying said coldly, "When you were young, I had someone send you back to Lingzhou. Now that you have grown up, I can only beat you out with a broom."
Unexpectedly, Shen Ying said something so unpleasant. Ming Zhenyu could no longer suppress her anger: "I dare to stand here, so I am not afraid of your revenge."
Jiuju laughed out loud.
Ming Zhenyu turned to look at her: "What are you laughing at?"
"Oh, nothing." Jiuzhu shook her head innocently, holding the teacup, looking very naive and ignorant: "You guys continue talking, don't worry about me."
Any harsh words must be said in one breath. If they are interrupted in the middle, the momentum will be lost.
Ming Zhenyu was annoyed by Jiuzhu's expression of "keep talking, I want to watch the fun". After holding back for a while, she revealed the purpose of coming to the Ming family today: "I know your secret."
"What secret?" Jiuzhu couldn't help but ask, but she was not asking Ming Zhenyu, but Shen Ying.
Shen Ying shook her head slowly: "I don't know."
Could it be that...
She frowned slightly. Did she know the true level of Jingzhou and Jiuzhu's painting skills?
"You two are so bold that you deceived the royal family. Aren't you worried that the secret will be leaked one day?" Ming Zhenyu saw Shen Ying frowning and said smugly, "Deceiving the emperor is a capital crime."
Shen Ying looked up at Ming Zhenyu. How could it be considered deceiving the king just because she boasted about her painting skills a few times?
The Ming family did not conquer the royal family with their painting skills.
Shen Ying remained silent, and Ming Zhenyu asked confidently, "Shen Ying, over the years, because you drove me out of the capital, I have suffered countless cold stares and ridicules. Have you ever thought about what kind of life I am living?"
"The culprit who made you suffer the ridicule and contempt was not me, but the greedy and shameless Lingzhou Ming family." Shen Ying sneered: "Why should I care about how a liar is doing?"
"I'm a liar, what are you?" Ming Zhenyu pointed at Jiuzhu and said, "You concealed her origins and let her marry into the royal family to please the emperor and empress, and enjoy wealth and glory. Isn't that a lie?"
Jiuzhu hugged the teacup tightly and slowly opened her eyes: "Ah?"
Where does she come from?
The nameless Taoist temple on the nameless mountain in Lingzhou is indeed a bit shabby, but their family did not hide it from the royal family.
"Shen Ying, I will wait for you at Changfengpo in the western suburbs in an hour. I hope you and your daughter will come with sincerity." After saying that, she turned and left.
After she left, Jiuzhu was silent for a long time: "Mother, is she here to ask for money?"
Moreover, he fought with such righteousness and imposing manner, no wonder he was able to do such a thing as impersonation.
Ming Jisi waited at the gate of the Ming family for a while, and saw Ming Zhenyu coming out: "Have you explained the matter clearly to their family?"
"I made an appointment with them to meet at Changfengpo in the western suburbs. I was afraid I would suffer a loss if I talked to them at their home."
"What's the harm?" Ming Jisi lost interest when he saw that his sister didn't get any benefit. "Go to the western suburbs and wait for me. Come back early to cook in the evening. I can't eat the food cooked by the old woman hired by your benefactor."
Ming Zhenyu endured it for a while, and nodded after a while: "Okay."
Half an hour later, Prince Chen came to Ming's house to pick up Jiuzhu and bring her back to the palace. He heard from the servants that Jiuzhu had gone to Changfengpo in the western suburbs and then turned back to Changfengpo.
Changfengpo is famous for its strong winds. Did Jiuzhu and her mother-in-law go here to have their faces blown by the strong winds?
"Mother, it's windy outside, don't go out." Jiuzhu lifted the car window curtain and looked at the grass on the hilltop that was blown all over the place by the wind. "Wait for her to come find us."
Seeing the Ming family's carriage coming, Ming Zhenyu quickly sat in a mysterious posture and waited for Shen Ying and her daughter to come up. But by the time her waist and legs were sore, there was no movement from the carriage at the foot of the mountain.
What do you mean, are you playing a trick on her?
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