Ye Zhen and Madam Shen exchanged a glance, and Madam Shen quickly asked Helian Qing, "What's your mother's name?"
Helian Qing did not answer.
He was pampered by Prince Dingyuan since childhood and had the arrogance of a young prince from the border town. He wasn't willing to pay attention to just anyone.
Ye Zhen was an exception, while Li Suihuan was excluded because of her appearance.
Besides, he was still angry.
Seeing this, Shen hurriedly looked to Ye Zhen for help.
Her granddaughter Suihuan's appearance was somewhat similar to her daughter Shuyu's. She had just been worrying about her daughter's whereabouts when she heard Helian Qing say this.
How can I not be in a hurry?
Ye Zhen bent down slightly. "I misunderstood you just now. I apologize. This girl's surname is Li and her given name is Suihuan."
In the capital, boys are not allowed to touch girls casually; it would be an insult to a woman's chastity. Suihuan was frightened.
Ye Zhen knew that in marginalized places like the border town, the separation of men and women was not as strict as in the capital.
Helian Qing was raised as a girl, so she probably doesn't have much of a concept of this.
Sure enough, a look of confusion appeared in Helian Qing's eyes.
The butler had indeed mentioned some matters concerning the separation of men and women to him, but he hadn't expected it to be so serious.
His expression softened slightly, but he still couldn't apologize to Li Suihuan because he felt he wasn't taking advantage of her.
He had made the person cry, which was ultimately his fault, hence his somewhat awkward expression.
Taking the opportunity, Ye Zhen asked, "Does Suihuan really look like your mother?"
Helian Qing nodded, "It's similar."
Which parts resemble it?
Shen couldn't hold back any longer and asked a question with great restraint.
Helian Qing recalled his mother's portrait, "The eyes, eyebrows, and chin are quite similar."
Ye Zhen looked at Madam Shen and saw her nod slightly, so he led Helian Qing and Madam Shen and her grandson back to the flower hall.
After the servants left, Ye Zhen asked again, "You just said you came to the capital to find your mother's relatives. Can you tell me about them?"
Helian Qing is not old, but as the only successor of the Prince's Mansion, he is a little more mature than his peers.
"Do you know my mother?"
Ye Zhen pointed to Madam Shen, "This lady's daughter disappeared many years ago. Her daughter's name is Yu Niang, and she has a similar chin and eyebrows to Sui Huan."
After Li Shuyu was sold to Pillow Moon Bay, she continued to use the name Yu Niang, so Ye Zhen suggested that name.
Unexpectedly, Helian Qing's eyes lit up slightly, "My mother is also called Yu Niang."
He turned to look at Madam Shen.
Could these be my mother's relatives?
wrong.
"But my mother has her own mother. After my grandmother's husband made his fortune by relying on her family's medical skills, he took a fancy to other women."
Grandma had a fiery temper and divorced him. She was a very skilled doctor, but in those days, women practicing medicine were not allowed in the capital, so she took my mother and went to the border town.
Ye Zhen sensed something was wrong. "Since your grandmother is divorced, then your trip to Beijing to find relatives must not be to find your grandfather."
Helian Qing sneered, "What's the point of looking for a heartless and unfaithful man? I don't acknowledge him as any kind of grandfather."
He paused for a moment before saying, "Master got the steward drunk and heard him say that Mother actually has an older brother in the capital."
Back then, when Grandma wanted a divorce, the man only agreed to let her take Grandma's mother with her; otherwise, he wouldn't agree to the divorce.
The old woman felt guilty for abandoning her uncle in order to gain freedom, and she never dared to return to Beijing to see him.
The old woman's son is her maternal uncle, though it's unclear whether he will acknowledge her or what kind of person he is.
But we should keep looking. Just in case we find a good one, we'll have family again.
"Do you know where your grandmother is from, and who that man is?"
Although disappointed that this Yu Niang was not the same as the one before, Ye Zhen still wanted to ask more questions and investigate further.
Li Shuyu's disappearance was already suspicious, so perhaps what Helian Qing said was problematic in itself.
Even if his mother wasn't Shen's daughter, he could still help Helian Qing find his relatives.
Helian Qing: "Grandma didn't like to talk about the past when she was alive. My mother was young at that time and fell ill on the way to the border town, and lost her memory due to the fever."
All I knew was that they were from the capital, the old woman's family had a long-standing medical tradition, and they ran a clinic in the capital; the man's surname was Li.
Ye Zhen was suspicious.
There is no memory of it either.
"And what about your mother? Where is she now?"
The one asking the question was Madam Shen.
They looked alike, had the same name, and had no memory of each other. Shen felt that Helian Qing's mother was her own daughter.
Helian Qing's spirits sank. "My mother is dead."
After Ye Zhen guessed Helian Qing's identity, she inquired about the situation of the Dingyuan Prince's Mansion, as she knew about Helian Qing's parents.
The father was the youngest son of the Prince of Dingyuan. He died in battle, and the mother died of depression not long after giving birth.
All of Dingyuan King's other daughters-in-law were married off by him after they were widowed, so Helian Qing was raised by the old king himself.
Ye Zhen was surprised that Madam Shen would ask such a question. It was too late to stop her, so he could only pat Helian Qing's head to comfort her.
Helian Qing looked up at her.
Didn't we just say that men and women in the capital should not touch each other?
Oh well, she's my woman, let her touch me.
Madam Shen's eyes reddened. She shifted her gaze to Helian Qing's face. If this child's mother was Shuyu, then this child was her own grandson.
She looked at Ye Zhen again with pleading eyes, asking him to help her find out the truth about the matter.
Ye Zhen nodded slightly, understanding her thoughts. After having Fu Guang take Helian Qing back, she told Madam Shen about Helian Qing's identity.
Upon hearing that it was the Prince of Dingyuan's residence, Madam Shen became uncertain about Yu Niang's identity again.
"My Yu Niang was sold off, so I suppose she won't have a good status afterward."
However, when a prince marries a woman, the couple must be of equal social standing.
Ye Zhen shook his head, "Madam, please don't rush to conclusions. I will investigate this matter, but before the investigation is complete, I hope you will not reveal any clues."
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
