Wang Shijing and Shao Yunan were taken for a simple wash and changed into new clothes upon entering the palace. Seeing their well-fitted attire, both Shao Yunan and Wang Shijing were well aware that this had been prepared for them.
Led by an unfamiliar eunuch, they were guided to the Jinhua Palace. Upon entering, Wang Shijing and Shao Yunan immediately walked a few steps quickly and knelt down to pay their respects.
“The ministers greet Your Majesty and greet Your Highness.”
“Rise quickly.”
The Empress spoke very amiably, and the two stood up immediately. A couple of small eunuchs brought two stools. The Empress said: “Sit down and talk.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty. Thank you, Your Highness.”
They both sat down.
The Empress looked at Shao Yunan in a special way, smiling. At this moment, he found Shao Yunan even more likable. Emperor Yongming spoke: “It’s been more than ten days since you two left the capital. If it weren’t for Our decree, when did you plan to return to the capital?”
Wang Shijing stood up immediately and replied: “It’s a lapse in my consideration. Yunan and I were planning to return to the capital in the next two days. I haven’t handled the matters assigned by Your Majesty, and I also wanted to report to Your Majesty. The experimental base is located in the field Your Majesty bestowed upon me, and there is no need for Your Majesty to allocate more land.”
Emperor Yongming shook his head: “Your reward is your reward. I will separately give you the land for the experimental base.”
Wang Shijing immediately said: “Your Majesty, the tomatoes and cucumbers produced by the experimental base, Yunan and I plan to introduce them first in the restaurant. There is also a share for me in the restaurant, and I should contribute my share.”
The Empress spoke: “Your Majesty, Loyal and Brave Marquis and Lord Wang Shao are worthy of the titles ‘Loyal and Brave .’ Since Loyal and Brave Marquis is willing to use his own land as an experimental base, you might as well accept his name as ‘Loyal and Brave .'”
Emperor Yongming was in a great mood: “Then I will go along with you.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
A small eunuch hurriedly came in from outside and reported: “Your Majesty, Your Highness, the Old General’s family has arrived.”
“Quickly announce them.”
Wang Shijing looked at Shao Yunan, who unexpectedly felt a bit nervous.
Soon, General Dai, Old Lady Dai, and Old Lord Zheng, leading the remaining members of the Dai family who were in the capital, entered. After bowing and paying their respects, Emperor Yongming asked them to rise quickly. Standing up, everyone simultaneously looked at Shao Yunan, and Su Chenyi’s eyes were filled with tears.
Seeing this, Shao Yunan could be sure why the Emperor had summoned him and Wang Shijing back to the capital. It was, in essence, to call him back to the capital.
None of the Dai family members spoke, but all gazed at Shao Yunan with excitement. The women present also had teary eyes. The Empress spoke: “Yunan, this princess has asked you before if you wanted to find your relatives. Now, this princess asks you again, do you want to know about your background?”
Shao Yunan took a deep breath. He didn’t know if it was the lingering soul of the “Shao Yunan” in his body or if he was influenced by the current atmosphere, but his heartfelt aching in waves. He spoke with a somewhat hoarse voice: “Before, I truly didn’t want to know about my background. Now, I want to know. I want to know why I was adopted and why I look so much like Lord.”
When he said this, the Dai family members all sighed in relief, except for General Dai. Su Chenyi couldn’t hold back anymore, rushed over, and hugged Shao Yunan, starting to cry: “My child! My child!”
Shao Yunan raised one hand, embraced Su Chenyi, and tears fell uncontrollably, no matter how hard he tried to control them. Wang Shijing hastily came up from behind and embraced his shoulders.
The Empress, with some moisture in his eyes, took out a jade pendant and said: “Shao Yunan, your father is General Dai Ming Rong, and your small father comes from the Su family of the Marquis of Lu. Your grandfather was an Old General devoted to military service throughout his life! You are, the descendant of a prestigious family!”
“An..” General Dai called out, and both Old Lord Zheng and Old Lady Dai said simultaneously: “An, I am your little grandfather (grandmother).”
“Yunan, I am your legitimate aunt.”
“Yunan, I am your third uncle.”
“Yunan, I am your aunt.”
“Yunan, I am your sister…”
For a moment, the Jinhua Palace was filled with the sorrow of the Dai family. Shao Yunan clenched his teeth, but he couldn’t control the tears streaming down. He thought he wouldn’t be affected—it must be that Shao Yunan influencing him. However, the Shao Yunan whom the Dai family had desperately searched for over a decade was already dead. Facing the grieving Dai family, he felt guilty, very guilty.
The senior members of the Dai family couldn’t speak. Emperor Yongming had chairs brought in, letting General Dai and the others sit down first. The Empress revealed the truth about what happened back then. Su Chenyi hugged Shao Yunan, repeatedly calling him “my child.”
If the newly arrived Shao Yunan could forgive the Dai family indifferently, now he absolutely could not let go of those selfish and unscrupulous people. If the Shao family had sent “Shao Yunan” to the county yamen in the first place, how could the Dai family not have found him? The Dai family wouldn’t have suffered for so many years, and “Shao Yunan” wouldn’t have been forced to death by the Shao and Wang families. It was all for a pair of silver bracelets, a golden lock, causing a family to be separated for more than a decade, and forcing a life to end!
“Yunan, support Uncle to sit down.” Shao Yunan was crying, and Wang Shijing couldn’t help but speak: “Uncle, finding Yunan is a joyous occasion. Don’t cry and harm your health.”
Dai Yingsi wiped away tears and approached, supporting Su Chenyi: “Second sister-in-law, Loyal and Brave Marquis is right. We have finally found our son and Yunan. You mustn’t cry and harm your health.”
Shao Yunan wiped Su Chenyi’s tears with his sleeve and moved his lips. In the end, he said: “Uncle, don’t cry.”
Saying this, Su Chenyi cried even more sadly, hugging him tighter. This was his lost son of more than ten years, a piece of flesh forcibly cut from his heart!
While gently patting Su Chenyi, Shao Yunan wiped his tears, finally calming Su Chenyi down a bit. The Empress asked: “Yunan, have you already understood?”
Shao Yunan shook his head, and Wang Shijing spoke up: “I guessed it, and the Old General also knew. After Lord Zheng took the medicine, I told Yunan. Just because there was no evidence, I could only speculate and couldn’t confirm.”
Following that, Shao Yunan said: “Every time Little Uncle saw me, he became a bit excited. I also started to doubt myself because I resemble Little Uncle so much.”
Hearing this, Su Chenyi’s tears flowed again. Shao Yunan let go of him, walked in front of General Dai, Lord Zheng, and Lady Dai, and with a thud, he knelt down and kowtowed: “Grandfather, Little Uncle, Grandmother, your grandson Shao Yunan, kowtows to you!” He had the responsibility and duty to filially serve “Shao Yunan”! Kowtowing for “Shao Yunan”!
“Quickly get up, quickly get up.”
General Dai, Lord Zheng, and Lady Dai, with tears streaming down their faces, quickly helped him up. Shao Yunan wiped the tears from the three elderly people’s eyes with his sleeve, then bowed to Shen Bing, Dai Mingge, Dai Yingxiang, and Dai Mingge’s wife, Sima Yaru.
“Aunt, Third Uncle, Third Aunt, Aunt.”
“Ah, ah!”
Shen Bing hugged Shao Yunan, tears streaming down. Dai Mingge also had tears in the corners of his eyes, hugging Shao Yunan tightly while also feeling happy for his second brother and second sister-in-law.
Shao Yunan then continued to recognize his peers. Those older than him in the same generation were all stationed at the border, leaving only his two sisters-in-law, Dai Yingsi and her husband, as well as his younger brothers and sisters.
Because of Shao Yunan’s identity, the scene of recognition was more sorrowful than joyful. When everyone was slightly calmer, the Empress spoke: “Yunan, now that you have recognized your family, this name also needs to be changed. From today onwards, change it back to Dai Zhan An.”
Wang Shijing’s heart tightened. Shao Yunan knelt down: “Your Highness, the past over a decade of leaving home was very bitter for me. But without those bitter years, I wouldn’t be who I am now. Dai Zhan An is me but Shao Yunan is also me. It is because I became Shao Yunan that I can understand so much. If I become Dai Zhan An again, I don’t know if the heavens will take back what they once gave me. If I’m just an individual, I would willingly become ‘Dai Zhan An,’ but now…”
Shao Yunan spoke ambiguously, but Emperor Yongming, the Empress, and General Dai understood: “Shao Yunan” was Emperor Yongming’s lucky star. But what about “Dai Zhan An”? Although the two names belonged to the same person, would it truly have no impact?
Shao Yunan kowtowed again, saying: “Now that I am Marquis main wife, it doesn’t matter whether I change back to my original name or not. As long as I know who my biological parents are, which family I belong to, that’s enough for me. Shao Yunan is not an unwanted orphan, I have a grandfather, grandmother, father, and little father, uncles, and a whole family of loved ones. I can die without regrets.”
Emperor Yongming took a deep breath: “Good, good. Your loyalty, we acknowledge. Marquis Yunan, Wang Shijing, you two truly live up to the words ‘loyalty and brave.'”
Wang Shijing knelt beside Shao Yunan, pledging: “I am fortunate to marry Yunan in my three lifetimes. I swear here, in this life, there is only Yunan. If I break this oath, I wish to be struck by lightning and die a miserable death. I ask the Emperor and Empress to be witnesses.”
“Good!” The Empress was the first to speak: “Loyal and Brave Marquis, if you break your oath in the future, I, this lady, will punish you severely!”
“I obey the imperial decree!”
Given Shao Yunan’s current identity and abilities, everyone would think that Wang Shijing truly did not deserve him. Even Wang Shijing himself always believed that he was not worthy of Shao Yunan, and that he had just picked up a bargain. Now, with Wang Shijing voluntarily making this oath in front of the Emperor and Empress, the Dai family had a different view of him, at least finding comfort in their hearts.
Wang Shijing used to be a nobody, and Shao Yunan was powerful. He didn’t dare to entertain the idea of marrying again or taking concubines. Now, as the Loyal and Brave Marquis and a marquis in waiting, with countless people lining up to get close to him, could he endure it? This was the doubt in many people’s hearts. Now, Wang Shijing took the initiative to do this, and with the Emperor and Empress as witnesses, at least the Dai family felt reassured.
After having Wang Shijing and Shao Yunan stand up, General Dai took charge, putting the jade pendant back around Shao Yunan’s neck. Then, he placed Shao Yunan’s hand in Wang Shijing’s hand, clasping their hands tightly, solemnly instructing: “Shijing, I entrust Yunan to you. Take good care of him, protect him, and don’t let him down.”
“Grandfather, rest assured. Yunan makes the decisions in our family, and I will listen to him in everything.”
“Good, good.”
Emperor Yongming clapped his hands: “Haha, I am truly happy today. Old General, finding Yunan is a great joy. When General Dai returns, the Marquis Mansion must host a banquet for guests and tell them that ‘Zhan An’ has returned.”
Shao Yunan was surprised: “General Dai is coming back?”
The Empress immediately said: “Why still call him General?
Shao Yunan quickly corrected himself, but he still did some mental preparation.
“Father… uh, I mean, my father is coming back?”
The Empress said: “Finding you is a big event. Your father and Zhan Xiao should also come back. The Emperor will issue a decree after you return, asking them to return to the capital. However, your uncle and cousin still need to stay at the border and won’t be able to return for the time being.”
Shao Yunan learned from Wang Shijing about many things at the border. He asked: “Will there be any issues at the border when my father and brother return?”
Emperor Yongming didn’t answer, only saying: “They searched for you for more than ten years; they should come back to see you.”
With the fastest travel time, it would still take two months. Shao Yunan looked at Wang Shijing, who squeezed his hand. Shao Yunan said to Emperor Yongming: “Your Majesty, the border is not safe. When my father and brother come back, Wang Shijing and I should go back to brewing wine. It’s very likely that we won’t be able to meet. How about we wait until Wang Shijing and I finish the brewing and take the children to the border to see them? We can also bring some supplies to them.”
Emperor Yongming’s joy faded, and Shao Yunan asked: “My father and brother are coming back. Will there be any issues at the border?”
Emperor Yongming did not respond directly, only saying: “They found you after more than ten years; they should come back to see you.”
This round trip would take at least two months. Shao Yunan looked at Wang Shijing, who squeezed his hand. Shao Yunan addressed Emperor Yongming: “Your Majesty, the border is not safe. When my father and brother come back, Wang Shijing and I should go back to brew wine. It’s very likely that we won’t be able to meet. How about we wait until Wang Shijing and I finish the brewing and take the children to the border to see them? We can also bring some supplies to them.”
The joy on Emperor Yongming’s face faded, and Shao Yunan continued: “Even if my father and brother come back they will not be able to stay for too long so it’s not necessary to trouble them. Wang Shijing also misses his comrades in the military, and I also want to visit the border. If Your Majesty allows, Wang Shijing and I can go to the border to see my father, uncle, and two brothers.”
Emperor Yongming was genuinely moved. There weren’t many courtiers who considered him this much! They must be seized one by one!
“Good! Good! Old General, what do you think?”
General Dai bowed: “This old minister also thinks this is the best. I ask Your Majesty to grant permission to Wang Shijing and Shao Yunan’s loyalty and filial piety.”
“Good! After you two finish brewing and return to the capital, I will issue an edict for you two to go to the border.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty!”
Edited by: Jaisland
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