"This is apricot cheese chicken, silver tripe, raw bamboo shoots, and shrimp grilled in wine... Try it and see if it tastes good."

Xiao Du was looking at the table full of delicacies, and he didn't know where to start. He looked at the people beside him who were introducing the past Lantern Festivals one by one, and he was as happy as a child waiting for praise. So he smiled and said, "How long have you been busy today to make so many dishes? Obviously, the kitchen can make them, why do you have to make them yourself?"

Yuan Xi smiled but didn't answer. She picked up a shrimp and put it in his bowl, saying, "I asked you about your taste this time before I started cooking. They said you like fresh river food. This dish is made by pouring wine into a hot pot and then grilling live shrimps. It has the aroma of wine and the freshness of shrimps. Come and try it and see if you like it."

Xiao Du put the shrimp into his mouth. Although he didn't control the heat very well, it tasted different. Yuan Xi saw his admiration and was very happy. He asked him to eat every dish on the table. Xiao Du also cooperated very well and ate every dish to the bottom of the plate. He even added an extra bowl of rice. After they were full, he asked, "Now you can tell me what day it is today. It's worth your effort?"

The smile on Yuan Xi's face faded. She put down the jade chopsticks in her hand and said to Xiao Du very seriously: "A'Du, I want you to know that I can be a good wife and a good mother in the future. We are a family. No matter what happens, I can accompany you through it."

Xiao Du's face slowly darkened. He held her hand and said softly, "Tell me, what happened?"

Under such gaze, Yuan Xi slowly gathered up her courage. Yes, it was time to tell him. When she discovered the secret hidden in that house, she knew that she could not hide it any longer. This was about his life experience, and he must know the truth. So she took a deep breath and told him everything she had found out.

The more Xiao Du listened, the worse his expression became. When he heard about the unborn baby boy buried in the soil, his body shook and he said in a somewhat awkward tone, "So, what does this mean?"

Yuan Xi knew that he did not not understand, but just did not dare to think about it, so she held his hand tightly, hoping to give him some strength, and said firmly: "Adu, the princess should have given birth in May, but you were born in March or April when the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, but they said you were born in May, why is that? Why does the princess hate cherry blossoms and why doesn't she want to get close to you? I think the baby buried in Qingxin Garden is most likely the princess's baby!"

Xiao Du stared at her with empty eyes, then suddenly laughed sarcastically, and said in a trembling voice: "You mean, I'm not the princess's biological daughter, how is this possible... how is this possible..." His tone gradually faded. How could this be impossible? Wasn't this something he had guessed countless times since he was a child? And when he finally learned to hide his inner confusion and doubts, he discovered that those suspicions that he had thought were absurd were all true. How ridiculous and sad it was.

He stood up suddenly, holding the corner of the table with shaking hands, "I'm going to ask Dad, he must give me an answer!"

Yuan Xi also stood up and watched the corner of his robe disappear into the night. She clenched the handkerchief in her hand and sighed, but she knew that she could only do this much and he would have to face the rest himself.

Compared to her worries and anxieties, the other person seemed much calmer. After listening to Xiao Du's series of questions, the old marquis slowly put down the teacup in his hand and said, "You came to me overnight just for this matter."

His calmness somewhat surprised Xiao Du, but he still insisted, "Dad, can you tell me honestly whether the princess is my biological mother! If not, who is my biological mother?"

The old marquis's face turned gloomy. He looked up and stared into Xiao Du's eyes, his gaze full of sternness and indignation. "Okay! Then listen to me, the princess and I are your biological parents! If I hear you say these treasonous nonsense again in the future, don't blame me for disregarding your reputation as Marquis Xuanyuan and personally rewarding you with a few military sticks!"

Xiao Du took a step back and trembled, "Okay, then please tell me, Dad, who is the woman in Feihan Courtyard? Who is the baby buried in Qingxin Garden? Also, in which month should I be born!"

The old marquis waved his hand impatiently and said, "You don't need to know all this. It's just some irrelevant old things. You just need to remember everything I told you!"

Xiao Du clenched his fists, a stubborn look on his face, and said, "Okay! If Dad really doesn't want to tell me, I can only investigate it myself. I will definitely get to the bottom of this matter!" After saying that, he turned around and walked out the door without even saying goodbye.

"Du'er!" A trembling voice called from behind. He stopped in his tracks, but heard the old marquis said in an almost begging tone: "Can you believe what Dad said? The princess and I are your biological parents. If you insist on investigating, it will only bring disaster to yourself and the entire marquisate!"

Xiao Du did not turn around, but said softly: "But Du'er has grown up and has started a family. I can't let myself live in lies anymore. No matter what happens, I can bear it!" After saying that, he pushed the door open without hesitation and walked out. Behind him, the disguise that the old marquis had been struggling to maintain finally collapsed completely. He trembled and reached out to hold the already cold teacup, and smiled bitterly to himself: "You are right, this day has finally come."

At this time, the wind outside the house was howling, and the sky was covered with dark clouds. It looked like a heavy rain was about to fall. Yuan Xi heard the sound of the door being pushed open, and immediately stood up and asked anxiously, "What's going on?"

Xiao Du sat down with a sluggish look in his eyes, lowered his head and said, "Dad didn't want to say it, he just told me not to investigate further."

Yuan Xi had never seen him so decadent before, so she quickly walked over and hugged his neck, saying, "What are you going to do? How about we stop investigating, maybe what the old man said is right."

Xiao Du shook his head and said, "When I was little, I always wondered why my mother was different from other people, why she was always unwilling to hug me and get close to me." He sighed and said, "Xi'er, I must know who my biological mother is? Is she alive or dead now? Does she ever worry about whether I am doing well?"

Yuan Xi felt the corner of her sleeves getting wet as she hugged him. She felt so bitter that she almost cried. She said, "Okay! I will accompany you. No matter what decision you make, I will accompany you."

Early in the morning, a carriage drove out of the mansion and sped all the way to the Qingcheng Mountain in the suburbs. It was early spring, the mountains were lush with vegetation, the streams were winding, and a nunnery with green bricks and gray tiles was hidden in the green. Perhaps because of the lack of incense, the nunnery seemed very deserted. Several little nuns were lazily sweeping the yard with big brooms, while a nun was kneeling straight in the main hall, closing her eyes devoutly and muttering something.

She was wearing coarse black robes and looked no different from other nuns. The only noticeable thing was that she had a deep scar on her face, which made her face, which should have been calm and pious, appear strangely incongruous.

At this time, a famous nun came in and said, "Wu Gou, a donor is looking for you."

The nun called Wujiu opened her eyes in confusion, but did not ask any more questions. She just lowered her head and followed the nun until she reached a small side room. The nun stopped and said, "It's here. Go in by yourself."

Wu Gou pushed open the door with a lot of doubts in her mind. When she saw the person in front of her clearly, her body trembled, tears immediately blurred her eyes, and she exclaimed in surprise: "Young Marquis!"

Xiao Du turned to look at her, his eyes were filled with mixed emotions. Yunniang, who had changed her name to Wu Gou, suppressed her excitement, walked over to pour him a cup of tea and said, "Young Marquis, you suddenly came to see me, what's the matter?"

Xiao Du slowly withdrew his gaze, clenched the teacup in his hands, and said slowly: "Yes, there is indeed something. I just don't know if Yunniang is willing to tell the truth."

Yunniang clasped her hands together and bowed to him, saying, "I have entered the Buddhist monastery to cleanse my sins and seek peace. I no longer want to take the past worldly affairs to heart. Young Marquis, please ask whatever you want to ask."

Xiao Du's mouth curled up into a mocking smile, and he slid his fingers coldly across the porcelain cup, saying: "Are you seeking peace? Can the nun give me some advice and tell me who my biological mother is!"

Yunniang's eyes suddenly widened, her whole body trembled violently, her frightened eyes were filled with tears, her lips trembled for a long time, but she could not utter a word.

Xiao Du looked at her coldly, but did not urge her. The atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense. After a long time, Yunniang finally controlled her emotions and said with her eyes closed: "The Marquis's mother is the princess, why do you still come to ask me?"

Xiao Du couldn't help but sneer. He stood up and walked to Yunniang's side. The strong pressure made Yunniang dare not raise her head, but tears kept falling down. Xiao Du could no longer remain calm. He held Yunniang's shoulders and said in a somewhat harsh voice: "Yunniang, you brought me up since I was a child. I know you don't want to see me sad. Now can you tell me, my biological mother... is it you!"

These words were like a thunderbolt, causing Yunniang to raise her head sharply and deny repeatedly: "No! I am not your mother!"

"Then who is my biological mother? What is your relationship with her?" Seeing that she did not look fake, Xiao Du could not help but use force with his hands and continued to question.

"No! Your biological mother is the princess! A princess!" Yunniang seemed unable to bear such a heavy burden any longer. She suddenly pushed Xiao Du's hand away, covered her face and shook her head continuously, but still repeated these words firmly.

Xiao Du dropped his hands in disappointment, walked past her to the door, and said, "Okay, I understand. Maybe my mother really hates me, so for so many years, even the people around her didn't dare to let me recognize her."

Yunniang was sobbing and collapsed to the ground. She looked up blankly and saw the deep disappointment and mockery on Xiao Du's face. The string in her heart suddenly broke, and she blurted out in a selfless manner: "No! Your dear mother loves you to the bone. In order to protect you, she would rather... would rather..."

At this moment, she realized that she had said something wrong, and quickly covered her mouth tightly, with a look of determination in her eyes. Xiao Du saw that things were not going well, and rushed to her side and clamped her jaw. If she had been a step later, Yunniang would have bitten off her tongue. He saw Yunniang's devastated face, and asked in shock and confusion: "Why are you doing this!"

Yunniang seemed to be unable to hear him. She was shivering like a leaf in the wind. Xiao Du sighed deeply, loosened his grip on her, and said, "Forget it. I won't interrogate you again, and I won't come to see you again. Just stay here and be innocent."

The mountain wind was raging, making the branches and leaves on the roadside sway constantly. It seemed that Yunniang's painful sobs could still be heard behind him. Xiao Du walked on the moss-covered stone steps, but his heart was still at a loss. Why? Why didn't they want to tell him the truth! Why did Yunniang prefer to commit suicide to hide this secret.

He walked to the end of the path with his feet hanging on the ground. At this moment, he saw Yuan Xi was not waiting in the carriage, but was running towards him anxiously. Xiao Du held her in his arms, as if he wanted to use her breath to calm the huge excitement in his heart.

Yuan Xi had guessed from his actions that it would be another fruitless attempt. She pulled herself out of his arms, stared at him and said, "A'Du, I suddenly thought of something."

Xiao Du looked up in shock, looking at her inquiringly, and then heard Yuan Xi say, "Do you still remember that when Aunt Cai died, Yunniang was unwilling to reveal who the real culprit was? Since Yunniang went to Feihan Courtyard every year to take care of it, and took care of you as you grew up, she must have a deep connection with the women in Feihan Courtyard. But why did she help the princess and Nanny Yu to keep it a secret?"

Xiao Du frowned. Before he had time to think about it, Yuan Xi couldn't wait to continue, "Yunniang told me that she had committed a sin that made her unable to sleep every day, and she had to do everything she could to pay it back. What do you think was her sin? And why did she pretend to be crazy all these years?"

Xiao Du's body shook violently, and the black hole buried in his heart became deeper and deeper, almost sucking him in. He lowered his head in disbelief, looked at Yuan Xi and said, "You mean... the princess's baby was killed by Yun Niang!"