The Empress was angry. Liang Shuyan glanced at her and then looked at the Emperor.
The Emperor coughed lightly twice: "Empress, that's not what Your Highness meant. Please don't misunderstand. It's not that she's reluctant to let Niu Niu go with us, it's just that the evidence is still a little lacking. She's just worried that Niu Niu might be taken away by the wrong person, isn't she?"
The Empress then said, "Really? Could it be that someone came to claim Niu Niu before?"
Liang Shuyan nodded and said, "Your Majesty, it is indeed true. Some time ago, a couple frequently came to our house, saying that Niu Niu was their biological daughter. But for some reason, after Niu Niu rejected them a few times, they stopped coming."
"Who is it? Do you have any evidence, or what does it look like?"
Liang Shuyan thought for a moment and continued, "It seems there was also a jade pendant, but I don't know why he hasn't come back. He looks like a young man from the capital, and his conditions are better than mine."
Soon, a maidservant quickly stepped forward and whispered something in the Empress's ear. The Empress then gestured to the maidservant, who quickly brought up a couple who were the same couple who had come to Daling Village to claim Niu Niu before.
"This... could it be?" Liang Shuyan's eyes were filled with curiosity. So, the Empress could even find someone like this. What kind of methods did she use? It was clear that the Empress's eyes were everywhere.
Liang Shuyan was filled with doubt and apprehension. She had initially thought that the Empress was merely using her power to send the couple to Daling Village to take Niu Niu back. However, the scene before her made her begin to question her judgment.
As the maid whispered something in the Empress's ear, Liang Shuyan noticed the Empress frown slightly, clearly deep in thought. Soon, the maid withdrew, and a middle-aged couple was brought in. They seemed somewhat uneasy, obviously aware of who they were about to face.
The Empress looked at them, her face expressionless. She said calmly, "Are you the couple who took Niu Niu away from Daling Village back then?"
The couple hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly: "Yes, Your Majesty. What happened back then was truly out of necessity. We beg Your Majesty's forgiveness."
The Empress did not speak, but stared at them silently, her eyes deep and indifferent.
Her face was pale, as if ravaged by time, yet she exuded an indescribable nobility. The entire courtyard was so quiet that only the couple's heavy breathing and the thud of their kowtows could be heard.
Suddenly, the Empress sighed softly, her voice seemingly coming from a distant place: "Niu Niu, is she alright?"
The couple were taken aback, looked up, and saw a hint of gentleness on the Empress's face.
Their hearts warmed, knowing that the Empress was not a heartless person, but that what happened back then had been too much of a blow to her.
“Your Majesty, Niu Niu is doing well. She is now a peasant woman’s precious daughter and refuses to come with us no matter what!” the man replied respectfully, his words filled with blessings and pride for Niu Niu.
The Empress stood up abruptly and said sternly, "Luckily I didn't go with you. If I had, would I still be able to see my sweet princess now?"
"Your Majesty, I really wanted to take Niu Niu to the palace to see you, but I was worried about what might happen. And since Niu Niu didn't want to leave me, I didn't take her. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
With reddened eyes, Niu Niu said in disbelief, "Your Majesty, you, you really are my mother? Why did she say she was my mother before, but now you say she is my mother? Who is my mother?"
Seeing this, Liang Shuyan quickly stepped forward and covered Niu Niu's mouth: "Niu Niu, don't talk nonsense. No matter what, what happened back then is in the past."
The woman slowly raised her head, looked at Liang Shuyan gratefully, and said, "Thank you, madam!"
Niu Niu stared wide-eyed, tears welling up in her eyes, looking at the two people in front of her with confusion.
Liang Shuyan tightly covered Niu Niu's mouth, her eyes filled with worry and pleading. She didn't want Niu Niu to continue talking; she knew how complicated and dangerous the matter was.
The woman slowly raised her head, her eyes filled with gratitude and awe.
Her face was haggard and worn, clearly showing that she had endured much hardship and suffering. She looked at Liang Shuyan, her eyes glistening with tears, as if she had seen her savior.
Liang Shuyan also looked at the woman, a complex emotion welling up in her heart.
She knew this woman's identity was not simple, and she knew that this woman had suffered a lot. But she couldn't let Niu Niu be put in danger, and she couldn't let Niu Niu's identity be exposed.
Niu Niu blinked her big eyes, tears welling up, looking at Liang Shuyan with lingering reluctance. Her little hands gripped Liang Shuyan's sleeve tightly, as if seeking comfort. Liang Shuyan felt a pang of sadness. This child had been pampered by her since childhood; the whole family loved her like a treasure. In this ordinary farming family, although Niu Niu's living conditions were modest, she was cherished like a little princess, enjoying an extraordinary level of pampering.
The scene freezes at this moment, with Niu Niu's tears glistening in the sunlight. Liang Shuyan gently strokes Niu Niu's head, her eyes filled with tenderness and reluctance.
Everything around seemed to stand still, with only Niu Niu's breathing and Liang Shuyan's gentle stroking sounds intertwining in the air.
Dashan, Erniu, Sanwang, Granny Jin, Granny Liu, Zhang Shi, Liu Shi, and Ruyan—the moment they saw Niu Niu, their hearts felt as if they had been struck by a heavy hammer. Niu Niu, the little girl who had followed them around since she was a child, the child who always called them "Big Brother," "Second Brother," and "Third Brother" with a smile, was now lying there, motionless.
They rushed forward without hesitation, surrounding Niu Niu tightly, tears streaming down their faces like broken beads. Large teardrops dripped down their cheeks and onto the ground, making a crisp sound, just like their broken hearts.
"Niu Niu, your big brother can't bear to part with you, he can't bear to part with you!" Da Shan cried like a child, his voice trembling and filled with endless sorrow.
"Niu Niu!"
"Grandma's granddaughter, you're tearing my heart apart."
The old woman's hands trembled, tears welled in her eyes, and she called out her granddaughter's name loudly. But the young figure had already disappeared into the night, leaving only a series of heavy footsteps.
The old woman shuffled to the village entrance, only to find Niu Niu's shadow had already disappeared into the long dirt road under a dim streetlamp.
"You silly girl, how could you just leave like that!" the old woman muttered to herself, her face full of helplessness and reluctance.
Night deepened, and the cold wind was biting.
The old woman stood at the village entrance, her lonely figure stretched long under the streetlights. "Granddaughter, you're tearing my heart apart," she murmured, her voice filled with endless sorrow, echoing across the empty fields for a long time.
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