"Yes, my sister was taken into the palace as a slave when she was four years old. It was the beginning of the 20th year of Jiasheng, and it was not even the first month of the year. My parents died because of the big case in the 20th year. My brother, I and a group of relatives of criminals were exiled to Ningguta. Later, my brother died in a foreign land. My sister escaped because she was young, but she was taken into the palace as a slave." He Chengzhi wiped his face when he heard Zhong Mingwei asking about the past, and then said hurriedly, "My sister was born a criminal. Even if she was taken into the palace as a slave, she would only be the most humble palace maid. So I beg Your Majesty to order me to check the records of the palace maids who entered the palace fifteen years ago."
"You just said that your sister entered the palace when she was four years old. She was so young that she probably couldn't even remember her name and date of birth. She might have already passed away," Zhong Mingwei looked at He Chengzhi and saw his anxious face. Somehow, his hands were shaking. "Even if you continue to investigate, it will only add to your sorrow. It's better not to investigate. Instead, you can keep some thoughts in your heart."
"I have also thought about what Your Majesty said. When I was in Ningguta, I thought I would never be able to return to the capital in this lifetime, and would never see my sister again. So I could only assume that my sister was no longer alive, and I haven't thought of her for years. I almost forgot what my sister looked like. But then, I became a father," He Chengzhi heard this and sighed softly. He paused, bit his lip, and then continued, "My child's eyes and eyebrows are very much like my sister. I watch my child every day, watch him grow up little by little, watch him cry and laugh, and watch him be able to speak. There is not a moment that I miss my sister. When my father was young, my sister was always afraid to get close to him, but she loved me, her brother, the most..." At this point, He Chengzhi's voice was hoarse again. He wiped his face hard, and it was hard to stop. It was easy for him to calm down again, and then he continued, "To be honest with His Majesty, ever since His Majesty issued a general amnesty, I have been dreaming of my sister one after another. She is still the same as before, with a delicate face, but she never smiled at me. She looked at me with resentment in her eyes, staring at me coldly without saying a word. I know that my sister is blaming me, her brother, for not coming to the capital to find her, leaving her alone to suffer in the capital." He Chengzhi suddenly smiled bitterly, his eyes moistened again, "My sister really loves me the most. In the past, when I had difficulties and could not return to the capital, she never entered my dreams, which made me embarrassed. It was not until I got rid of my identity as a criminal that she entered my dreams and begged me to come to the capital to find her. So naturally, I can't wait a moment, so I quickly begged General Kyakhta to recommend me to come to the capital."
After these words were spoken, the imperial study seemed to be stagnant. He Chengzhi was still trying to calm his bitter and depressed mood, but Pang Yi's face became extremely ugly. The daughter of a criminal, Jiasheng entered the palace twenty years ago, four years old, and worked as a palace maid...
No way!
No way!
How could there be such a ridiculous and coincidental thing? !
Pang Yi shook his head vigorously, but couldn't help looking at Zhong Mingwei. He looked at Zhong Mingwei's equally ugly face, and for a moment he felt a "click" in his heart. Pang Yi took a deep breath and cast his gaze on He Chengzhi, who was still kneeling on the ground and trembling all over. His hand slowly rested on the dagger at his waist. Now that he was the Minister of War, he naturally no longer used him to wield the sword and stick, but he was used to being a military general, and he couldn't change the habit of carrying a sword with him. Zhong Mingwei also allowed him to bring a sword into the palace, so he never left the dagger, but it had been a long time since it was unsheathed. I don't know if it was for this reason, Pang Yi's hand on the hilt trembled slightly. This was the first time for him, who had practiced martial arts for nearly 30 years.
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